Chapter 15 #2
Romeo shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. "So set up a market stall off the paved road. The ones brave enough to get there most likely don't have much to fear from the others."
"Are you insane?"
"Maybe." He grinned. "Let's let these birds out now before someone explodes from impatience."
Eli glanced at Humbert again and nodded.
* * * *
Thano remained in the shadows as he watched Eli and Romeo. Didn't Eli want to be with him? He wasn't sure what the emotion welling up inside was. Embarrassment? He'd wanted to bring Eli home, to keep him safe and warm and fed, but if Eli didn't want to be here...
He walked toward the house and reached for the handle.
Humbert looked up from the crate with chickens, which had Eli and Romeo looking over too.
They'd only see a floating book since he still had the shadows around him.
Thano stepped inside. He placed the gardening book on the kitchen table and went upstairs to get dressed.
"Thano?" Eli's voice chased him up the stairs. He ignored it.
"Thano!"
Feet sounded on the steps, but he slid the mirror wardrobe door to the side and reached for a clean shirt.
He stuck his hands through the sleeves and got started on the buttons.
Eli was leaning against the door jamb. Thano could see him in the reflection but didn't meet his gaze.
He did up the buttons and reached for a dark purple tie.
As he slid it around his neck, Eli sighed.
"How much did you hear?"
"I can take you back. I wanted to keep you safe, wanted to make you happy, but if Last Hope is where you want to be...I'm sure Tuur or Conal or Alice can drive you back." Thano adjusted the knot on the tie and reached for a black suit jacket.
Eli stepped into the room. "Would I see you again if I went back?"
Thano's heart cracked. It was so painful it was hard to hide.
"Breed isn't allowed in Last Hope." He went to grab a pair of socks.
He had people to look after and a community to run.
People were expecting a meeting. They were expecting him to act like normal, not like...
whatever he'd been acting like these last few days.
He took a calming breath. He was used to this role.
Had fought to get it, had fought to keep it.
He cared about his people, all breeds, not only the vampires.
He'd do what was best for The Moonlight Ranch, and he believed, right now, it was to cut ties with Last Hope. The vampires would hunt, but the rest would stay away.
His stomach twinged as he pictured feeding from someone other than Eli, but it would be fine.
He'd hunt in the shadows like so many times before.
His job was to keep his people safe. He'd wanted to add Eli to the list, but he didn't want it.
Maybe humans weren't a race that functioned well in a community.
Romeo had come here on his own, had known he risked death, but had picked it over staying in a human settlement anyway. Eli wasn't like Romeo. He didn't want Thano's protection, didn't want his care, didn't want his touch.
"Thano." Eli reached for him, but Thano sidestepped and went to sit on the edge of the bed.
Why had he brought his things, his animals, if he didn't plan to stay?
It didn't matter. Humbert would gladly look after the animals, and maybe it was better they were here, so the board wouldn't take them from Eli.
He'd make sure he got eggs and meat. Emeric or someone else from the coven could deliver them.
"Oh, come on, you're acting like a child."
Thano ignored him.
"You can't say it's normal to move in with someone after a couple of days of knowing them. To demand they give up their life before they truly know you."
Give up his life? Thano looked at him. He'd brought him here to give him a life, to save him from Last Hope where he was likely to get killed either by violence or starvation.
People were shooting in the streets, and Eli was a target.
He was friendly with the residents of The Moonlight Ranch, and he didn't want a wife.
Both dangerous things in the land of the simple-minded.
"I'll ask Tuur." Best would be if a vampire could take him, but none of the vampires knew how to drive. He hadn't seen Tuur all day, but he was sure he was around somewhere, and he liked Eli, so he'd protect him while he was with him. He gathered the shadows around him.
"Don't you dare!" Eli reached for him, but he got up and slipped around him while he was still patting the place where Thano had been seated.
"Thano? Fucking coward. You can't hide in the middle of an argument."
Argument? They weren't having an argument. He walked toward the door.
"What the fuck, Thano?" Eli scanned the room without seeing him. Thano watched him for a few seconds. He liked how he looked, liked how he moved, loved how he felt against him, inside him, loved how he tasted. He could've spent the rest of his days watching Eli.
"Thano?" It came out in a whisper. "Are you still here?"
He took a step out of the room but lingered at the first step of the stairs.
"I'm sorry. I have to go." Eli still spoke in a whisper, but he might as well have shouted. Thano's heart shattered.
* * * *