Chapter 22 #2
Winter laughed all the way up the stairs while Fox ran into the kitchen.
He tossed the plastic bowl into the sink and opened the cabinet doors under it.
He almost whimpered in relief when he found a full complement of cleaning supplies.
Grabbing the apple-spice scented air freshener in one hand and the bottle of Febreze in the other, he alternated between squirting one into the air as he walked and spraying the microfiber couch and chairs.
They hadn’t fucked on the couch…recently…
but he was nose-blind at this point. Fox had no idea how Winter’s family would react to the news of them dating, but he really didn’t want them finding out because the place smelled like a whorehouse.
He made a couple of passes at the throw rugs just in case and hurried to the kitchen to stow his supplies. The loft smelled of a chemical apple pie, and he just hoped the fabric dried before anyone tried to sit down.
Winter returned to the first floor with clothes in hand. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. His wild hair had been pulled into a ponytail in an attempt to tame it, and a hint of cologne wafted around him.
“I smell apples,” Winter announced as he handed over the clothes to Fox.
“Better than sex. I didn’t think you’d want to announce you were fucking me quite like that.” Fox grabbed the T-shirt and pulled it over his head. He looked down and was surprised to find it was one of Winter’s. He grabbed the pants and looked at Winter’s empty hands. “No underwear?”
“I’m wearing them,” Winter announced with a cheeky grin.
Fox’s eyes snapped to Winter’s crotch as if he could see his underwear through his jeans. It was seriously wrong that he was getting hard while still panicking over the sudden arrival of Winter’s family.
Winter slipped a finger inside the waistband and tugged. “They’re a little snug.”
“No shit. I wear a size smaller than you. What about me?”
Leaning in, Winter pressed a kiss to his parted lips. “If Marcus is visiting, it’s not good news. Knowing you’re commando under those jeans will make the meeting more tolerable.”
“Big Sexy,” Fox purred. “I had no idea you could be such a dirty fucker. I like it.”
Winter grinned and started to kiss Fox again, when there was a loud knock on the door. Winter growled, and it wasn’t friendly. Fox cursed and quickly pulled on the jeans, carefully tucking everything before drawing the zipper up.
“Cologne?” Fox asked. Winter pivoted on one foot to turn back toward Fox while reaching into his pocket. He tossed him a small bottle of cologne. Fox quickly spritzed himself and shoved the bottle in a utensil drawer.
Fox drew in a calming breath as Winter walked to the door and opened it, revealing Marcus and Ethan on the other side.
The oldest Varik struck Winter as incredibly serious and grumpy, while Ethan was this boundless ray of sunshine.
They were the strangest pair, and yet they seemed to balance each other perfectly.
“I’m guessing it’s not good since you didn’t bother to call,” Winter grumbled.
“Are my visits ever good?” Marcus said.
“See! That’s what I was saying,” Ethan said, stepping into the loft, in front of Marcus.
“I think we just need to pop by for random visits, so you don’t always think it’s bad news.
” A grudging smile spread across Marcus’s lips, and there was no missing the love in his eyes for his mate. So maybe Marcus wasn’t always grumpy.
Ethan didn’t take more than a couple of steps into the loft before his nose wrinkled. “Febreze? Oh…and air freshener.” A positively wicked grin consumed Ethan’s face as his gaze slid from Winter to where Fox was standing in the kitchen.
Fox desperately held on to his friendly smile while repeating to himself that he would not blush. Between his pale skin and red hair, blushing meant he became a bright red beacon.
“We didn’t catch you guys in the middle of some cleaning, did we?”
“We…” Fox stopped and cleared his throat when his voice cracked. “We were just tidying up when we heard you come into the building.”
“Uh-huh,” Ethan replied, making it very clear that he didn’t believe a word of it.
Winter sighed. “We were about to fuck, but that’s been put on hold for now.”
“What?” Marcus sputtered, and Ethan cackled like a madman.
Fox was more concerned with the mutinous expression on Winter’s face as he stared at his brother.
“Fox is mine. We’ve been together for a while. I’m keeping him,” Winter growled. He’d even widened his stance as if he were waiting for his brother to fight him over his claim.
There was some outraged part of Fox that wasn’t pleased about being claimed like a piece of property, but it was a really small part that was drowned out by the chorus of happy cheers throughout the rest of his body. Winter wanted him enough to claim him in front of his family, to fight for him.
Ethan was practically skipping across the room as he entered the kitchen and hugged Fox. “Of course you’re keeping him! It’s crazy to think you wouldn’t—whoa!” Ethan suddenly released Fox and took a step backward. “Tingly.”
“What’s wrong?” Marcus demanded. He took a step toward the breakfast bar like he meant to leap it to get to Ethan’s side. Fox backpedaled, holding both hands up. He didn’t fucking do anything to the fledgling vampire.
“Nothing. I…” Ethan paused and looked at his hands for a second and then over at Fox. “You know how River and Wyatt feel different to me because they’re werewolves? Fox feels different too, but not like the wolves.”
“What do I feel like?” Fox asked.
“Like I was hugging an electric current. Not shocking, but sort of like you’re buzzing with energy.”
“What do the wolves feel like?”
“Heat. They just always feel warm to me and green. Not that I can even explain what green feels like.” Ethan turned his eyes on his mate and glared while waving his hand in the air. “If this is my vampiric power, I swear this is the lamest power.”
“What about vampires?” Fox pressed, his heart starting to pick up its pace a little as he stared at the disgruntled blond.
“Not much really, but if I had to say something, then it would be cool. Like a cool breeze on a summer day.”
“Fox?” Winter prodded when Fox could only stare at the man beside him.
Fox shook his head, trying to order his thoughts. “I get those same feelings. Shifters are hot and vampires are cold. Witches are just energy, but they also smell like burning sage to me. Or burning something.”
Ethan leaned in and sniffed Fox. “Nope. Cologne.”
“What are you thinking?” Marcus asked.
“That maybe Ethan has some latent witch genes. Maybe someone far down his family tree was a witch. The vampire blood might have activated those genes.”
“I could be a vampire and a witch? That would be so awesome!” Fox could only stare openmouthed as Ethan did a quick little dance in the kitchen before swinging back to Fox, grabbing both of his arms. “Could you teach me some magic?”
“I’m sorry.” Fox winced. Disappointment lanced through him, but he did his best to push it away. He’d already tried to get rid of his powers, and it was only because of Winter that he was still technically a witch.
“Oh, shit! Sorry. I forgot. We’ll just have to find another witch to teach us both!” Ethan announced, his happiness undeterred.
“Weren’t you just recently bitching about how hard it was to learn to be a vampire?” Winter inquired. Fox glanced at his lover to find him looking torn between amusement and exasperation. Marcus was just confused.
Ethan made a face at Winter as he released Fox. “Only because you and your brothers were so determined to make it sound easy. It’s not easy, but I’ve got this shit down. I’m even going three days between feedings now.”
“Awww…your big-boy fangs are coming in,” Winter teased.
Fox made a choking noise as he tried to stop the laugh that attempted to erupt. Ethan just flipped him off.
Marcus groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. Fox was starting to feel pity for the vampire. He’d not been happy when he arrived, and now he was looking completely overwhelmed. “I need to sit.” He started toward the living room, then stopped and sighed heavily. “Do I even want to sit?”
“Go!” Winter smirked, waving one hand toward the couch. “It’s fine. We haven’t fucked there…recently.”
Marcus continued and Ethan snickered as he hurried over to his mate’s side. They both snuggled up together on one end of the couch, with Marcus tucking the smaller man impossibly close, as if Fox’s words had somehow put the man in danger.
Fox walked into the living room with Winter, but the vampire kept his body between Fox and Marcus. Fox gave him a little shove and huffed.
“Stop. Marcus is your brother, and he loves you. He’s not going to attack me in your home,” Fox admonished.
Pain flashed across Marcus’s face as his eyes darted up to Winter’s face, but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. “I can only deal with one thing at a time,” Marcus muttered and turned his attention to Fox. “You think Ethan is a witch.”
Fox shrugged before sitting in the chair opposite Marcus. Winter sat on the arm. Whether he realized it or not, he was still placing his body between Fox and his brother. Fox couldn’t decide whether he wanted to smack him or hug him. For now, he had to ignore it.
“I don’t know. I just find it weird that we have the exact same reactions to the other species. It could be a coincidence.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Winter mumbled.
“And even if he has some witch in him, there’s no telling if he can actually do magic, even if he’s properly trained.” Fox shifted his gaze to Ethan and offered up a gentle smile. “I’m sorry.”
Ethan sighed heavily, but he smiled in return. “It would be so cool to be a magic-wielding vampire, but Winter’s right. It’s hard enough just being a vampire. Considering the mess you’ve been dragged into, it doesn’t look like being a witch makes things any easier.”