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This had to be some kind of sick joke. He was small, like he’d realized that Dante preferred, but Carver was far from beautiful. Maybe he had been attractive before his turning. Now he just looked unwell. “Carver.”

“Carver,” Dante repeated like he was memorizing it. “Is this your first time at the club?”

Carver licked his lips nervously. He couldn’t lie here. It was imperative that Carver worded everything he said carefully. “Ye…yes.”

Dante smiled again.

Carver was shocked how attractive a monster could be this close. Oh, sure he knew that Dante was good-looking but staring at him now nearly took his breath away. And Carver had realized early on that he still needed to breathe.

“Are you looking for a Daddy tonight?” Dante asked smoothly.

Carver nodded. “I…I think so.”

“There is no reason to be nervous,” Dante said. “How about we go sit in the corner in that big chair and get to know each other?”

This was part of the plan. Carver couldn’t get close to Dante if he chickened out. He started to rise but Dante moved quickly and lifted him to his feet, shocking Carver. He hadn’t expected the move and had to reach out to steady himself. And of course that meant he was now touching Dante. Dante’s arm.

Dante covered the hand Carver had placed on his arm with his bigger one before leading Carver over to one of the big black leather recliners in the little reading nook. At least it was quieter over here. Carver could hear the same humans from earlier complaining about not even getting a chance with Dante.

“Here is the perfect spot.” Dante sat in the recliner while pulling Carver down into his lap.

Carver shifted around until he found a comfortable spot, sitting with his back to the armrest so he could see the bloodsucker’s face. Just stay calm, he reminded himself. You want him to be interested in you.

“Are you from the city?” Dante asked once Carver settled.

Carver shook his head. It wasn’t an outright lie. Carver hadn’t been born there. He’d moved to Eureka six months before he was attacked. Before his life had been taken from him. The pretty little house that he’d found close to the port had been Carver’s big present to himself for all the years he’d worked hard. There was no question that he should have stayed in his small town in the middle of nowhere. At least he might still be…human.

“Visiting then?” Dante inquired. “I guess it’s just my lucky night.”

Lifting his thumb to his mouth, Carver chewed on the skin around the nail. He needed to talk, to be engaging. If he got this far and fucked it up, then all the work they’d done would be for nothing. Being on Dante’s lap shouldn’t feel so natural and warm. Safe.

Dante caught Carver’s hand, moving it away from his mouth. “None of that, beautiful. You don’t want to make yourself bleed.” Rubbing his own thumb over Carver’s knuckles, Dante smiled again.

“I’m not pretty,” Carver said quietly. “Not like you.”

“You think I’m pretty?” Dante asked, preening like a peacock.

Carver rolled his eyes. Seriously? This man had to know he was the hottest man in the room. He found himself nodding and giggling.

Dante chuckled. The sound wrapping around Carver and dampening the noise in the rest of the room. “I knew there was life inside you. I’m glad to see it.”

“Just nervous,” Carver confessed. He needed to stick to the truth as much as possible. Carver was already hiding so much. Monsters knew when you lied. That Carver was sure of. “You’re a big deal around here. The other littles wanted your attention.”

Dante glanced around the room, his gaze landing on the human littles in the corner briefly before returning his attention to Carver. “Don’t worry about them. This is about me and you.”

“Okay.” Carver wiggled a little to act like he was trying to get more comfortable. He mainly just needed time to think. Also he couldn’t get past the weird feelings Dante was bringing up. It had been such a long time since he’d been in this position. Over the five years since he’d become a monster. Carver didn’t trust himself to regress with anyone other than his best friends.

Carver had always loved sitting on a big man’s lap, having all attention on him. Playing with his friends was great but Carver missed the care that came from a Daddy. Even if he’d never found a partner for more than one night in the past.

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” Dante requested.

“What do you want to know?” How much truth could Carver mix in with what he wanted to keep secret?

“Everything. I want to know everything about you, Carver.” Leaning forward, Dante rested his forehead against Carver’s. “I believe that I’ve been looking for you for a very long time.”

What was that supposed to mean? Carver swallowed hard. “I’m not that interesting.”

“How about I decide if that is true? Although I think you’re just being shy. Let’s start with some easy questions. How old are you?”