Chapter 58 #2
Gideon frowned and looked down at the buttery black leather covering the sofa.
“Ethan was telling me about what it was like to have his own apartment. Having his own space. It’s something that I’ve never experienced before.
When I was human and a dancer, I always had a lot of different roommates.
We were all crammed into tiny rooms, sharing everything. ”
Philippe struggled to hide his feelings, but apparently he didn’t do a good enough job, because a disappointed sigh slipped from his lips.
“You don’t think I could handle it, do you?” Gideon whispered.
“It’s not that I don’t think you could handle it. It’s simply that vampires rarely live alone. We’re mostly in clans for our own protection. When Ethan spoke of living alone, he was still human. They do that all the time. It’s not a big deal. But it’s far more dangerous for us.”
Gideon dropped his head against his arm and closed his eyes, a frown digging deep lines in his face.
“Yeah, I know.” He sighed again. “I made the mistake of mentioning it to Ryder, and he totally lost his shit. He hates the idea. Said that if I didn’t want to live in the Varik house any longer that I should just move in with him.
That he’d keep me safe.” When those dark eyes popped open, the sadness was replaced with anger.
“I don’t want the only reason we’re living together to be for my own protection.
I don’t want to be constantly protected.
I want—” He suddenly cut himself off, his cheeks flushing as his eyes darted away.
“You want to be seen as an equal,” Philippe finished. He added a little more softly, “You want to be loved as an equal.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Gideon mumbled.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. We all want that. Rafe and I have had many talks about that.”
Gideon perked up, some of the lines disappearing. “Really?”
“Of course. You know how protective Rafe can be.” Gideon nodded and Philippe chuckled. “I’ll admit that it’s nice to be so cared for and loved, but we both want to feel like we can stand on our own two feet.”
“Yes!” Gideon shouted and then covered his mouth with both hands, eyes wide.
“Every time Ryder gets all hover-y, I feel like I can’t take care of myself.
I start doubting everything, and it drives me crazy.
I thought that if I lived on my own for a while, I could build up my confidence.
I could be stronger so Rafe, Ryder, and…
even you wouldn’t worry so much about me. ”
Philippe tapped his lips with his index finger as an idea began to form in his mind.
He understood where Gideon was coming from, and he wanted to help the vampire gain the confidence he so desperately needed.
There was a chance that Rafe was going to kill him for even suggesting this, but he was fairly certain he could convince his lover he was right about it.
“I have a suggestion.”
“You do?”
“What if you and Ryder rented a town house together?” he suggested, which earned him an immediate nose wrinkle of doubt.
“Hear me out. The town house will be divided into separate apartments and outfitted with all of Winter’s daytime security.
You’d have your own floor with a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, just like a regular apartment.
You’d have your own front door. Same as Ryder.
I think the only concession you’d have to make is there would have to be an interior set of stairs that connected your apartments.
That way, you’d have your own space and if you had any trouble—night or day—Ryder could be right there to help you. ”
“That sounds amazing,” Gideon said in a kind of breathless wonder. “Do you think Rafe would be okay with it?”
Philippe winced. “I think so, but there might be one other catch.”
“What?”
“He’d need proof that you’re hunting regularly on your own. Rafe worries about you taking proper care of yourself. I do, too.”
Gideon sat up straight, his smile wide. “I am!” Philippe didn’t hide his skepticism. He saw the pain in his gait as he crossed the room. “I swear, I am. It’s only been ten days since I last fed. Not that long.”
“Then you’re not drinking deeply enough,” Philippe observed. Gideon should be able to comfortably go two weeks between feedings, but if he wasn’t drinking enough when he did feed, it would cut that time.
The young vampire slumped on the sofa, dropping his back into the corner.
“No. I’m still working on it. When I finally feed, I start getting paranoid that the person is going to wake from the haze or someone is going to see us.
Or that some other vampire…” He stopped and sighed.
“I’m trying. I swear I am. But if I knew this was the only thing standing between me and my own place, I know I’d get better at this much faster. ”
“Then how about you strike a deal with me tonight?” Philippe leaned forward slightly, a grin spreading wide enough across his lips to reveal the points of his fangs.
“You feed from me and get up to your full strength so you can hunt with confidence. I’ll talk to Rafe for you about the town house idea. ”
“You’d convince him for me?”
“I would.”
Gideon seemed to hesitate, his eyes slipping up to Philippe’s neck and then hurrying away. The few times he’d seen Gideon feed from Rafe, it was always from a vein in his neck. It was intimate, and they’d had years to build up that trust.
Philippe unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt and started to roll it up to his elbow. “I think my wrist would be just fine, right?”
“Yes. Of course. But…are you sure?”
“I am. I want this for you, Gideon, and I’m always happy to offer my blood to make you stronger.”
He held out his arm, and Gideon surprised him by sliding off the sofa to the floor.
He settled right next to Philippe, on his knees, and so gently grasped Philippe’s arm with both hands as if he were a fragile piece of ancient porcelain.
When his fangs finally pierced his flesh, the pain was slight, and it was forgotten when a happy sigh whispered from Gideon.
Philippe had more than two centuries on Gideon. His age and power would provide him with a much-needed boost of strength and chase away old pains for well over two weeks. Hopefully, it would help to give him some new confidence when it came to hunting.
The dark head bent, the careful pull on his vein, the delicate hands holding him, they all blended to tug at his heart. There was something infinitely gentle and sweet about Gideon. Two things that had no business being in a vampire, but even after all he’d suffered, they could not be extinguished.
But there was also an inner strength to him, a will of steel. Philippe wanted to see him shining with new confidence and determination. He wanted to see him take what he wanted. And Philippe had a sneaking suspicion what he wanted was Ryder.
Not yet, though. Gideon was right to hesitate with Ryder. If Gideon couldn’t stand on his own, Ryder would constantly walk all over him in the name of protecting him. Gideon needed to develop the confidence to stand up to even the people who loved him the most.
Philippe reached out, placed one hand on top of Gideon’s head, and ran his fingers through his silky soft hair, offering him love and encouragement. Gideon would get there. He just knew it.
Movement to his left had Philippe’s gaze jerking around to see Rafe standing by the door.
Philippe had been so lost in thought with Gideon that he hadn’t even heard the door open.
His lover stood there with such a look of absolute adoration on his face that Philippe’s eyes suddenly burned with unshed tears.
How did he ever get so lucky to find a man who gazed at him with that much love and devotion?
They said nothing, not wanting Gideon to stop feeding before he should. They just stared at each other. Rafe loved him completely. He loved him for his heart and soul. He loved him for his need to help and his protective soul. And Philippe felt the same for his mate.
Gideon lifted his fangs from Philippe’s flesh and stroked his tongue over the holes, coaxing them to heal while trying not to spill a drop of precious blood.
“Feeling better?” Philippe inquired.
Gideon hummed softly, a sated sound. “Very. Thank you. And I promise, I’ll go hunt in a few days. I’ll practice.”
“That’s all I needed to hear,” Rafe announced.
Gideon startled, jumping to his feet. “You’re here!”
“He slipped in while you were feeding. I didn’t want to disturb you,” Philippe informed him.
“But I might have been eavesdropping at the door,” Rafe admitted with a devilish smirk. “I’ll agree to Philippe’s terms if you grow more confident in hunting alone. I need to know you’re taking care of yourself.”
Gideon practically flew across the room and threw himself at Rafe, wrapping his arms tightly around him. “I will! I swear I will!”
Rafe tightly hugged him, briefly laying his cheek against the top of Gideon’s head. “Good. That’s all I want,” he murmured. He released Gideon. “Fine, then. Go. Tell Ryder you’ll both be moving. After I see to mon ange, we’ll start shopping for some real estate.”
“Thank you, Rafe!” Gideon flew to the sofa, where he surprised Philippe by tightly embracing him. “Thank you, Philippe,” he whispered roughly before flying out of the room. The hug wasn’t nearly as tight as the hold the vampire now had on his heart.
Rafe crossed to the door and locked it. When he turned, there was a strange expression on his face. He slowly strolled across the room, unbuttoning his shirt with every step.
“I leave the city for just a few short hours, and I come back to find you stealing Gideon’s devotion away from me,” Rafe teased.
Philippe snorted. “You know that he will always love you best. He will always be completely devoted to you.”
Rafe shrugged, sending half of his shirt falling off, revealing pale skin and powerful muscles that always made Philippe’s heart flutter. “But if he’s suddenly devoted to you, I can devote more of my time to caring for you.”
“How was your trip?” Philippe inquired.
“Later, mon ange. My first concern is you.” Rafe slid into the spot Gideon vacated on the couch and stretched out, extending his hand to Philippe. “I need to replace what you so generously gave to my little dancer.”
“Our little dancer, don’t you mean?” he teased and Rafe’s answering smile was absolutely blinding. Philippe took his hand and allowed himself to be pulled forward. He lay on top of Rafe and nuzzled his neck, getting lost in the haunting scent of his lover.
“Yes, our,” he agreed, his voice low and husky. “Now feed, mon ange.”
Philippe licked, nibbled, and teased Rafe’s neck, reveling in the tightening of his arms around his body in response.
Rafe’s breathing picked up and his body shifted, rubbing his hardening length against Philippe’s hip.
Feeding from Rafe was intoxicating, but the truly addictive part was the anticipation.
Those seconds before Philippe sank his fangs deep were electrifying, sending sparks dancing along his entire body.
“Mon ange,” Rafe begged at last.
He struck, fangs cutting skin and sending a gush of life-saving blood down his throat.
Rafe moaned loudly. Holding him tight, Rafe rolled them so that they were lying on their sides, pressed so close on the sofa.
A hand shimmied between them, tugging at the front of his pants.
Philippe mentally smiled while keeping his attention on Rafe’s neck.
He wasn’t all that hungry and drank lightly.
It was more the connection they both craved.
There was a tug on his briefs as they were jerked lower, and then his hardening cock came into contact with Rafe’s.
He moaned and instinctively thrust forward.
His sneaky lover had opened both their pants.
Rafe spit into his hand and wrapped it around both of them.
It was hard and rough. Pleasure tinged with pain.
He was drowning in the scent, feel, and taste of his mate.
“You’re my everything, mon ange,” Rafe panted in his ear.
Philippe gave another muffled groan. His orgasm was building too quickly.
He wanted to lift his mouth and beg Rafe to go slow, but he could feel that it was already too late.
He was becoming drunk on his lover’s blood and the exquisite touch of his body.
Lightning struck, scorching every nerve ending.
He tore his mouth free of Rafe’s throat and cried out, coming so fucking hard.
He heard more than felt Rafe tumble after him.
Hot cum splashed across his stomach and he wasn’t sure if it was his or Rafe’s.
Philippe belatedly remembered to swipe his tongue across the wound he’d created, catching the blood that was lazily sliding toward Rafe’s collarbone.
The holes were closing, but Philippe continued to kiss and lick the place he’d drunk from.
“Welcome home,” Philippe murmured, placing a kiss just behind Rafe’s ear.
A happy sigh drifted from Rafe. “In all my life, there is no place I have felt where I belonged more than in your arms. I love you, mon ange. Thank you for taking care of Gideon.”
“I love you, Rafe. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful clan.”
Rafe turned his head and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. “No, mon ange. I gave you a family. No matter what, they will always be your family.”