Chapter 10 #3
Half a dozen emotions flickered across Hendrix’s face, and Fray hoped he might admit something, but he simply settled on annoyed.
“And what’s up with Otis,” Hendrix said.
“His mate is a woman? What the fuck? Never heard of a girl in our kind. Well, I’ve heard stories but never in real life.
” He frowned as he continued to work on Fray’s tattoo.
“What do you reckon they’ll do? Will she stay here, or will he go back with her? ”
Fray’s gaze met Tobin’s, uncertain and surprised. “I haven’t considered that,” Fray admitted. “That he might not stay.”
“I don’t want him to leave,” Hendrix murmured.
“None of us do,” Tobin said. “Maybe they’ll split their time between here and there. They won’t need to make a decision until all this is over, anyway.”
Fray had kinda forgotten about the whole Lusca mess. It felt like the threat of her return had been coming forever, so he’d become immune to it.
Plus, he’d been distracted and busy....
“It’ll be okay,” Fray said. “If he does go, it’ll be a good excuse for all of us to go to New Zealand every so often to see him. It’ll be fun.”
Hendrix made a face that said he wasn’t convinced, and Fray couldn’t remember a time when Hendrix looked so... worried? Tired?
“You sure you’re okay, Hendo?” Fray asked.
He flinched and, ignoring Fray’s question, wiped down Fray’s chest. “Okay, I think you’re done. The green is a bit harder to get definition. But see how it heals. I can always touch it up later, no problem.”
Fray got up and went to the mirror to see it in full. He couldn’t take his eyes off it. The green was... utterly perfect.
“Hendrix,” Fray whispered. “It’s amazing. You fucking nailed it.”
Hendrix finished packing up his gear and gave a small nod. “Thanks. I, uh.... I gotta go see Kellan. Lemme know what you think in a day or two.”
“Sure.”
They watched him leave, and Tobin went to Fray. He looked at the tattoo on Fray’s chest. “I love it,” he murmured. “Love that you have my ink in you.”
Fray ran his hand down Tobin’s side and over his arse. “Wanna put something else in me?”
Tobin’s hazel eyes flashed with desire. “Hell yes, I do.”
Fray’s grin was salacious. “I need to kiss your three pulse-point tattoos,” he murmured. He lifted Tobin’s hand and kissed the small blue heart on the inside of his wrist, then the heart in the crease of his elbow. “Gonna take my time with the third one. Fuck, I’m gonna kiss it every day.”
Tobin hummed, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip. “And if I get your ink on a big thigh tattoo?”
“With tentacles that wrap around your hips and over your arse?” Fray whispered. “I will lick every inch of it.”
Tobin’s breath stuttered. “I think we should go back to my room. We’ve been around people too long, and I need you to myself.”
Fray kissed him, a promise of what was to come as well as a yes, please. Then he threaded their fingers and led him out. The night was dark, wet, and blissfully cold, and there was a silence in Tenebrae unlike in any other town Fray had ever been to.
He wondered briefly if that was part of the reason he loved this place so much. Of why it was home.
He turned, walking backwards so he could smile at Tobin. “Do you think they heard us before? During our three-day sex bender?”
“I’m sure they did,” he said with a laugh.
But then a slamming door cut through the silence, followed by a loud “Fuck this” and “Hendrix, wait!”
Fray and Tobin both stopped, and sure enough, Hendrix ran through the darkness, heading toward the jetty.
“What the fuck?” Fray whispered. “Oh man.”
Tobin’s hold on his hand tightened. “Is he...”
Then Dylan came out of the door, but he stopped and held onto the post, leaning on it. “Hendrix,” he breathed, his face fraught. He gasped and gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. “Hendrix, please.”
Hendrix stopped, one foot on the jetty. He turned back just in time to see Dylan stumble. Kellan came through the door behind him, but Hendrix was sprinting back. He crossed the street and collected Dylan before he could hit the ground.
Before Kellan could reach him.
“Oh, shit,” Fray whispered.
Kellan seemed to notice Fray and Tobin then. He met Fray’s worried gaze and sighed before heading back to where Hendrix was now holding Dylan. Dylan, who was crying and gasping. He’d always been prone to anxiety and panic attacks, but this one felt different.
Fray and Tobin walked over to them. They set their plans for a night of debauchery aside for the minute because something was definitely going down with Hendrix and Dylan.
... and Kellan?
Kellan went to where Hendrix was holding Dylan and put an arm on each shoulder and pulled them both against him. He’d always been so good with the younger guys. Fray had put that down to Kellan having that doctorly patience and understanding.
But this looked different.
Because for a moment, Hendrix seemed to resist Kellan’s comfort...
Until he didn’t.
Until he melted into him and let himself be held while he held Dylan.
What the fuck was going on?
Kellan sighed, defeated. “I’ll explain later,” he murmured. “We could probably use some privacy.”
Fray met Kellan’s gaze, and he saw a dozen unsaid things flash in his eyes. He recognised the pleading, and Fray knew when to do as he was asked.
“Okay, you know where to find us if you need anything.”
Kellan gave a nod, so Fray and Tobin left them to it. They walked to Tobin’s in silence until they were behind the closed door. “What the fuck was all that about?” Fray asked.
Tobin scrubbed a hand over his face. “I think I can guess? But it...”
Fray nodded. “Yeah. Same. But it makes no sense at all.”