Chapter 10 #2
Winter’s bright blue eyes lifted to Fox’s face and that devilish smirk was back, quickening Fox’s heart and making his mouth dry.
“Well, I could tie you up.” The smirk instantly disappeared, buried under another frown, but he immediately looked away from Fox.
Was he not supposed to say that out loud?
Oh, Fox was taking that as a tiny victory.
“Now we’re talking,” Fox purred. “Maybe spread-eagle on the bed.” He stepped closer to Winter and his beautiful ice blue eyes flared brightly. “Or maybe naked to a chair.”
There was the most wonderful hitch in Winter’s breathing, and Fox wanted to step even closer, to touch him, but the vampire was already huffing a laugh and stepping around Fox. “You’re crazy,” Winter said dismissively.
Yes, Fox was definitely crazy. He wasn’t into being tied up or tied down to anything, especially after what he’d gone through at Damon’s.
He wasn’t sure he could do it without panicking a little bit, but Winter had him blurting out things normal people wouldn’t.
Thank God the vampire hadn’t taken him seriously.
“Let me show you to the guest room,” Winter offered as he took one of the bags from Fox. Apparently, they were moving past the flirting, but Fox was not going to give up. If he was going to be stuck at Winter’s place for a while, they could at least have some fun together.
“I can always stay in your room. Less mess to clean up,” Fox said as he trailed behind the vampire toward the metal stairs.
Winter threw him a look over his shoulder and continued up to the second floor of the loft. “You can get settled in while I check the security system and make sure the place is locked down for the day.”
Oh, Winter thought he could just ignore comments like that. Fox had seen little hints that Winter was interested, but he was behaving himself for the most part. Fox was gonna make this vampire crack. Game on, Mr. Fangs. Game fucking on.
The guest room was pretty much what Fox had come to expect from Winter, even if it was a little on the bland side.
A comfortable-looking king-sized bed, nice TV hanging on the wall, warm colors, and an en suite bathroom that likely rivaled most master baths.
Yeah, he was going to be living a very comfortable existence for the next several days even if he couldn’t work his way into Winter’s bed.
Fox dropped the two bags he was carrying onto the floor and flopped onto the mattress. He lay back, stretched his arms above his head, and sighed loudly. “This will work, but where’s your bedroom? You know…in case I have a bad dream and need to climb into bed with you.”
Winter frowned at him. “We’ve already seen what happens when you wake me up. I wouldn’t advise it unless it’s an actual emergency.”
“Well, I could just climb into your bed and snuggle you. I’m sure that would be enough to chase your bad dreams away. It would certainly work for me.”
“No.”
Pushing up to his feet, Fox walked over to Winter, stepping directly into his personal space until barely an inch separated them.
The hitch was back in Winter’s breathing, but he otherwise held himself perfectly still.
Fox reached up and placed his hand against Winter’s stomach, loving the feel of hard muscles under his long-sleeved shirt.
He slowly ran his hand up his chest, his smile growing wider at the rapid beat of Winter’s heart under his fingers.
“You don’t have to fight so hard with me.”
“You’re my prisoner,” Winter bit out the words as if he were grinding them between his teeth.
Fox rolled his eyes. “I’ve been a prisoner already. This doesn’t feel like it.”
Winter growled. He honest-to-God growled at Fox. And that sound sent the most wonderful tingles along his spine. “You need to take this seriously. Nothing is going to happen. You’re my prisoner. I’m protecting my family.”
A loud sigh left Fox and he paced away from the vampire.
“Yes, you’re protecting your family from the worthless witch who can’t do magic.
I get it. But I also think you’re figuring out that I’m not a threat to anybody.
Why can’t we be partners in this? I don’t get the impression that you really want to kill me, and I don’t want to die.
So, I say we work together to protect your family and take down this Damon asshole.
” Fox crossed the room again and lifted his hand to rub his index finger along the dark shadow of whiskers covering Winter’s chin.
“And maybe we have a little fun while we’re working together.
Nothing serious, of course. We all know I’m not your type. ”
Winter frowned at him for several seconds, and Fox was dying to know what was happening in the vampire’s brain. “This sounds like a horrible idea,” Winter grumbled.
“Well, obviously that’s not your hard dick talking. He’s currently brushing against my hip, and he thinks it’s a wonderful idea.”
“I don’t let my dick make decisions for me.”
Well, at least he didn’t deny that he was fucking hard in his pants.
Fox narrowed his eyes on Winter. “Maybe you should. You’d probably smile more.”
With a groan, Winter stepped away from Fox, heading for the door. “It’s late. Sort through the clothes, get settled, and grab some sleep. I have some work to do before I turn in.”
“Winter—” he started, hating that he’d pushed too hard and now the man was running from him.
“Fox,” he said with surprising weariness in his voice. “It’s been a long few nights for me. Let’s…let’s just put this on hold until nightfall.”
Fox cringed. He’d pushed too much. “Yeah, okay,” he whispered.
“Do me a favor.…Don’t try to leave the loft. Don’t try to make any phone calls or contact anyone via the internet. And don’t answer the door.” Winter looked over his shoulder, pinning Fox to the spot. “Please don’t break my trust.”
Winter hurried out of the room, his heavy footsteps echoing down the stairs. Fox dropped onto the bed and sighed heavily. No, he wasn’t going to do anything to break Winter’s trust. He was stunned to have it in the first place.
Fox shoved back to his feet, dumped the contents from the three bags onto the comforter, and started sorting through it all, putting everything in its proper place.
He was tired and wired at the same time.
Sleep was probably the best bet, but his brain wasn’t ready to slow.
He needed to figure out how to best handle Winter.
He was serious about his offer that they partner up.
Winter could use his help in getting rid of this vamp asshole, though Fox honestly didn’t know how he could help just yet.
As he finished putting the new clothes away, he paused to watch metal shades slide over the three windows in his bedroom, deepening the shadows in the room.
There was only a soft clank when they slid into place.
A glance at the clock showed sunrise was still an hour away, but Winter’s home was now secure.
His vampire was safe from the sun, at least.
The thought stopped Fox cold as he turned toward the door.
His vampire.
He was already starting to think of Winter as his, which probably was a horrible, disastrous sign. Winter wasn’t his anything, but Fox couldn’t deny it. He was feeling very protective of the vampire.
Winter had saved him from Damon. No, the gesture wasn’t totally altruistic, but as he’d already pointed out, it would have been much easier for Winter to simply kill him where he’d been rather than steal him away.
Winter had fed him, healed him, protected him, and given him more than enough clothes to keep him happy and comfortable for the foreseeable future. He didn’t need to do any of those things. He could have treated Fox like the prisoner he said he was.
Was this Stockholm Syndrome?
A fucked-up vampire version of Beauty and the Beast?
Well, if he started talking to the appliances, he’d know he was fucked.
No, Fox immediately took that back. He talked to his coffeemaker every damn day, thanking it for blessing him with its caffeinated goodness.
Screw it all. He was going to remember to watch out for himself and his vampire. Together they’d figure this out, and Fox would find a way to return to his life in Colorado.
He descended the stairs when he heard Winter’s voice coming from the kitchen.
“—called to say that we made it to my place safely. Fox is grateful for the clothes and food.”
“We’re always happy to help.” Fox recognized Bel’s voice from the call in the SUV. “Have you learned anything else?”
“No. I’ve sent messages to Rafe and Aiden that we need to get in contact with Zelda ASAP, but they’ve not replied yet. Probably won’t hear anything until tonight at the soonest.”
There was a muffled noise that sounded like it was from Bel, “Yes, Rafe has told me that there’s no reliable way to get in contact with her. She moves around at strange intervals and doesn’t seem to like phones.”
“Who does?” Winter muttered, and Fox had to stifle a laugh.
He sat down on the stairs. He knew he should return to the guest room and not listen to Winter’s private conversation, but he couldn’t get his feet to move.
He was curious about the unguarded Winter.
And then, of course, he wouldn’t mind learning whether his life was still hanging on by a thin thread.
“Are you okay? You don’t sound well.”
Winter made a noise. “I’m a vampire. I can’t get sick.”
“You know what I mean,” Bel snapped.
“I’m tired, Bel. That’s all it is. Things at Damon’s didn’t exactly work out how I’d planned, and it’s been a long trip there and back. I’m just tired.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“No. Until we get some more information, we’re largely in a holding pattern. Just…keep an eye out there at Marcus’s. Don’t let anyone leave unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Bel groaned. “Ethan is still a fledgling. He must feed every night.”
“Is Aiden accompanying them?”
“Occasionally.”