Chapter 4 #2
As he tried to take another step, a low metallic rattling surrounded them. Gideon squeaked and lunged forward, wrapping both of his arms around Ryder’s waist, his face smashed into his spine.
“What’s that? What’s that?” he demanded. “I didn’t hear that earlier.”
Ryder smiled. “The protective metal window shades are rolling into place. It’s less than an hour until sunrise.”
“Oh,” Gideon mumbled into his back and released his hold on Ryder’s waist. “You must think I’m an idiot.”
“I don’t. You said you heard a rattle and a knocking noise. That wasn’t the shades.” Not to mention, the lights were all on.
He managed two steps forward this time before he reached the edge of the kitchen and stopped.
A breakfast bar separated the kitchen from the small dining room.
Gideon had purchased four stools with colorful seats.
Currently, the four stools were on their seats with their legs in the air, arranged in a diamond pattern. He almost didn’t want to ask.
Ryder motioned toward the chairs on the floor. “I’m guessing you didn’t do that.”
Gideon peered past Ryder, his hands tightly gripping his hips. “What the fuck? No, I didn’t do that! What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of practical joke?”
Their answer was a high-pitched giggle that swirled around them, then into the living room. Gideon shrieked and attempted to climb Ryder from behind. Goose bumps swept up Ryder’s arms. Every hair on his body stood on end.
Holy shit! Gideon’s place was haunted!
Oh, he knew ghosts were real. He’d heard the stories of Winter Varik walking in the dead world and talking to the ghosts, but this was the first time he’d actually heard a ghost or even seen evidence of a haunting. This was seriously creepy shit.
But he was a vampire, dammit! He was fucking scary when he needed to be. And no one could terrify Gideon. Not even a ghost.
“Is—” He had to stop and clear his throat. His voice wavered, and he could not appear unnerved in front of Gideon. “Is this the first time you’ve noticed anything weird happening?” Ryder asked.
“Hell, yes!”
“Not even little things? Creaks? Lights flickering? Odd smells?” Because that rose scent was definitely coming from the ghost.
“No, nothing! This is the first time.”
The giggle rose from the living room and there were a couple of soft knocks, followed by a sharp slam. But not just any slam. It sounded as if someone had lifted the lid of the trunk and allowed it to fall shut.
Fuck. A ghost was haunting Gideon’s treasured trunk.
“I think we brought the ghost home with us in the trunk,” Ryder said.
“What?” Gideon gasped. “Are you insane?”
“The haunting didn’t begin until we brought the trunk up.” As if to agree with him, the ghost made that creepy, childlike giggle and knocked on the trunk, as if trying to lure them closer.
“No! But…no!” Gideon whined.
Ryder crossed to the living room and Gideon whimpered as he followed.
Steeling himself, Ryder gripped the top of the trunk and pulled, but nothing happened.
It wouldn’t open. Sighing, he checked to make sure it wasn’t locked or buckled.
He tried again. Still the same. He pulled a third time, and the lid flew open.
As he stumbled, a rose-scented pillow jumped out and hit him square in the face.
That…could have been worse.
“What the fuck is going on?” Gideon shouted, sounding as if he were inching closer to hysteria.
Ryder stifled his chuckle and wrapped Gideon up. He looked so fragile in Ryder’s shirt as it tried to swallow up his thin frame.
Lowering his head, Ryder nuzzled the top of his head. “I don’t think she means any harm. She wants to play.”
Gideon shook his head against his chest. “No. No. No. I can’t have ghosts here. I won’t be able to sleep.”
“I think she’s attached to the trunk. We can get rid of it.
I can move the trunk outside and—” Ryder stopped talking because Gideon was staring at him as though he’d suggested killing his firstborn child.
Apparently, getting rid of the trunk was not an option.
“Or we can go to my place and call Winter. See if he’s got any ideas. ”
“Okay. I like that idea,” Gideon said, nodding several times.
With the vampire cuddled into him, Ryder ushered Gideon out of the condo, flipping off the lights as he went. When they reached his place, Ryder hesitated. His sofa wouldn’t be delivered for a couple of days. The only place Gideon would be comfortable was in his bed, but that didn’t feel right.
No, it sounded wonderful and amazing, but it was wrong after Gideon’s scare. Maybe he could tuck Gideon into his bed and crash at Gideon’s place for the night.
Except Gideon didn’t even give him the chance to suggest that. His new sleepover friend pulled off the borrowed shirt and socks and crawled under the covers when he reached the bed. The second he was comfortable, he patted the empty side of the bed.
“You’re not leaving me alone, are you?”
Well, that was a fucking evil question.
Stuffing down a sigh, Ryder climbed into bed and settled the blankets over both of them before grabbing his phone off the nightstand.
Gideon placed his hand over the screen. “Maybe we should wait until sunset. It’s dawn. Fox and Winter have probably fallen asleep. I don’t want to wake them.”
“Okay,” Ryder agreed. He was in no mood to piss off Winter. He put his phone on the nightstand and flipped off the light.
As the darkness fell around them and they snuggled in the bed, Ryder willed his heart to slow.
Gideon could hear it and think it was strange that he was freaking out because Gideon was in his bed.
There had been some situations over the years where they’d been in some less-than-ideal conditions due to various threats, and he’d held Gideon as he slept at dawn.
He’d watched over the vampire. But never had he been in bed with him.
Hell, this was the first time he’d been in bed with a man.
It didn’t feel weird. Just nerve-wracking and exciting.
“Do you think Winter will be able to talk to her? Get her to leave the trunk?” Gideon asked quietly.
“Probably. Winter can see ghosts. I’m assuming he can talk to them.”
“Did the ghost scare you?”
“No.”
Gideon let out a bark of laughter. “Liar. I can hear your heart racing. That ghost scared you, too!”
Ryder could clearly see Gideon’s broad, cheeky grin in the darkness.
“How do you know my heart’s not racing because of you?”
The vampire’s mouth fell open and sort of soundlessly bobbed for a couple of seconds as if the very suggestion had rendered him completely speechless.
“What? Me?”
“This is the first time I’ve been in bed with someone since…” Ryder trailed off, the last word dying in his throat. He was afraid to bring it up with Gideon, but he didn’t want to be. He’d never talked to anyone about her. Gideon would be the first. Except, maybe Gideon didn’t want to know.
“Since who?” Gideon asked, his voice filling with excited curiosity. “Did you used to have a boyfriend a long time ago? Another vampire?”
“My wife,” Ryder whispered.
“What?” Gideon croaked. He pulled the blankets up to his chin and did his landed fish impression.
“I’m so confused. Are you…were you…married?
But does that make you straight? Or were you gay and pretending to be straight?
Or wait…no…should that be are you gay and pretending to be straight? I…I’m so confused. You’re married?”
Ryder could so easily image the squirrel on the wheel in Gideon’s brain jumping off and falling over. He’d broken the poor vampire.
“I was married when I was human. Her name was Caroline, and we had two children together—a boy and a girl. Their names were Kevin and Mary.” A small echo of an old pain spread briefly through his chest at the mention of their names.
He hadn’t said them out loud in years. Maybe not since he’d become a vampire.
“Whoa,” Gideon whispered. “You were married. To a woman. Kids. What happened? Did a vampire attack you and your family? Oh God, I hope not. Wait, let’s go back. Are you gay? Wait! Don’t tell me. I don’t think I can handle it if you’re straight. Wait! No. It’s okay, but are you? You—”
Ryder stopped Gideon’s adorable babbling by pressing his lips to Gideon’s in a soft, sweet kiss. He closed his eyes and focused on those perfect lips as they brushed and moved on his. Time slowed while his heart sped up to the point of nearly breaking out of his chest. He was kissing Gideon.
After waiting and wanting for so many years, he was finally kissing him.
The faint scent of honeysuckle and vanilla danced past his nose, and he breathed it in.
The two scents would always be associated with his precious Gideon, and now they were wrapping around him and sinking into his sheets, marking his place in Ryder’s life.
He pulled back, but those lips chased after him, pressing for another small, hungry kiss. His first and second kiss with a man. And he was so glad they were with Gideon.
The kiss ended, and he smiled against Gideon’s mouth, pressing another little one to the corner.
“I was straight when I was married, but that was more than a century ago, and I didn’t know there were things like demi and bi,” Ryder explained.
He reached up and brushed some hair away from Gideon’s eyes, letting his fingers trail down the amazing softness of his cheek.
“I was married to Caroline, and we built a life together that included two kids. They died in a carriage accident while I was at work one day. Not a vampire attack.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry,” Gideon whispered.
“Thank you. Since then, I’ve met this delicate, sexy vampire who made me realize I want things that aren’t very straight at all. I want to kiss and touch.”
Gideon squeezed his eyes shut and sneaked his fingers above the covers to reveal they were crossed. “Please let me be that vampire. Please let it be me,” he chanted repeatedly.
Ryder dipped his head to steal another kiss. “It’s you,” he replied, their lips brushing together.
“Good. I’m so glad,” Gideon moaned. He peppered Ryder’s mouth with kisses between every word. “Pretty sure I’d have had to claw this other vamp’s eyes out otherwise.”
Ryder tossed his head and filled the room with laughter. He wrapped his arms around Gideon, pulling the smaller vampire against him. Gideon hummed and rested his head on Ryder’s shoulder.
“Wow. I made you laugh twice in one night. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh.”
“You’re also my first kiss with a guy,” Ryder admitted. He rolled onto his back, taking Gideon with him so that the smaller man was half lying on his chest.
Gideon’s head immediately popped up and he grinned wickedly. “You interested in some more firsts tonight?” He licked his lips and Ryder’s cock instantly tried to speak up.
But Ryder huffed a laugh and placed a hand on Gideon’s head, guiding it to his shoulder. “Later. The sun is up. We need to sleep. And I’ve already had an adventure with my first ghost. I don’t think my heart could take more firsts tonight.”
“Okay,” Gideon mumbled in what sounded like an adorable pout. “But when I wake up, can I kiss you again?”
“Yes.”
“Can I give you hugs?”
“Always.”
“Can I kiss you at work?”
Ryder grinned in the darkness. “As long as Rafe doesn’t have an issue with it.”
Gideon scoffed, only to follow it up with a nearly jaw-cracking yawn. “Like he has a leg to stand on when he’s constantly stealing kisses from Philippe.”
That was true.
“Sleep. You can have all the kisses you want when you wake.”
Gideon laughed and squeezed him across the waist. “We’ll see if you can keep up.”
That was very true, too. But Ryder was more than willing to give it a good try.