Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Except now his circle of friends was growing. He reached out to touch Fox, Ethan, and even Bel’s sweet wolves more. They were also safe havens of tactile warmth and reassurance.
And now there was Ryder—though how he touched Ryder differed from everyone else.
“So, are you here for a nibble, or are you checking up on me?” Gideon inquired.
Rafe lifted his hand and pulled on a chunk of Gideon’s hair. “How dare you have so little faith in me, my golden dancer? I’m talented enough to do both.”
“Of course you are.”
“I might have had a small nosh on a lovely young man who’d just finished lifting weights,” Rafe confided as he smoothed his fingers over the spot he’d tugged, as if rubbing away the slight pain. “Now that he’s taking a catnap, I’ve come looking for my golden dancer, only to find him staring pensively at nothing. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” Gideon replied too quickly.
“Uh-huh. You’ve taken care of your ghost issue?”
Of course Rafe knew. The vampire had ways of finding out everyone’s secrets. Gideon just went with it and nodded. “No more ghosts. Or at least no more ghosts making noises in my place, or even Ryder’s. Sky did an amazing job.”
Rafe made a not-happy grunt. “I’ve asked Winter to keep an eye on that coven of witches. I don’t trust necromancers.”
Gideon twisted on the bench and poked Rafe hard enough in the stomach to make him curl up. “No. Sky is amazing. He’s not a threat to vampires. And he’s the only necromancer in the coven. You can’t be grumpy with all the witches because of one necromancer. Besides, you like Fox and Zelda.”
“Because I can trust Fox and Zelda,” Rafe said, wrapping his hand around Gideon’s. “Sky’s not a threat to us now, but he could be.”
Gideon pulled his hand free. “People could say the same about vampires. Didn’t we both bite people tonight?”
Rafe sighed and placed his hand on the side of Gideon’s head. He pulled him in closer and pressed a kiss to the top. “You’re right. I’m being paranoid. We’ve heard whispers of new vampires, possibly even a new clan, in the area. It’s put Father and Marcus on edge.”
Gideon sat up straight. “Do you think they’re from the European Ministry?”
Which raised a darker question: were they looking at the start of a vampire war?
“I don’t know. Not one person has given a description of the newcomers. It’s simply a vague feeling.”
A chill ran down Gideon’s spine and settled low in the pit of his stomach, cooling him in ways the cold winter air couldn’t. It wasn’t often he saw Rafe so serious. When it happened, it was never a good sign.
Rafe suddenly shook his head as if trying to clear his mind of these thoughts and forced a smile on his lips.
“But it leaves me all the more relieved that you’ve gotten so close to Ryder. Tell me, have I lost my bet with Philippe?”
For a second, Gideon could only blink at the sharpness of Rafe’s subject change. “Bet?”
“I said that it would take you at least a year to move into Ryder’s place. Philippe gave you three months. You and Ryder have been living in the building for just under a month. What’s the score?”
Gideon groaned and flopped back against the vampire, throwing his hands up in the air. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Seduce him,” Rafe answered immediately.
Gideon twisted a bit to glare up at his master. “That will not help.”
“You’d be surprised at the number of problems sex solves.”
With a shake of his head, Gideon settled on Rafe. “Sex is not the problem. We’re very good at sex. It’s the living arrangement that’s the issue. I made such a big deal about living alone and being independent. I feel like such an idiot now about wanting to live with Ryder. Plus, you went to all that trouble of remodeling the building so there are two separate living spaces. All the work and trouble, and I want to chuck it all in after a month. I’m such an idiot.”
Rafe shook under him. As Gideon was sitting up, Rafe tipped his head back, letting out an explosion of deep laughter. His sweet, annoying master wrapped his arms around him from behind and held him tight, pressing his cheek to the top of his head.
“My adorable Gideon. This is your problem?” That question was lost to another round of laughter.
“Rafe—”
“Gideon, move in with him!” Rafe gave him a shake. “Or have Ryder move in with you. Either way, Ryder would be over the fucking moon. Who cares about the remodeling and all that other shit? It’s not important. What everyone else thinks doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is your happiness and Ryder’s happiness. One day I’ll sell the building and make all the money I put into it and more.”