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Petyr nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

  Helen looked questioningly at Rollo. “Some broth, perhaps? Something else?” Her gaze went back to Petyr.

  “Broth would be good. A bit of bread.” Petyr lay back again. “My stomach’s unsettled, but it won’t hurt to try.”

  “I’ll bring up a tray then. I’ve already got a pot going.” She hurried out of the room after giving Rollo a pointed glance.

  After a few seconds of silence, Rollo said, “I know it’s a big decision, but time might be running out. I did some reading last night, and blood diseases can be unpredictable.”

  “The doctors told me that.” Petyr shifted against the pillows and rubbed his forehead. “My friends, the few who know about you, assumed I was coming here for you to turn me. I didn’t tell many people about my illness. Didn’t want a big fuss. Just sold everything and packed up and left. I know now how dangerous that was.”

  “Don’t dwell on it. You’re here and safe.” He hesitated before he said, “And I can heal you if you’ll let me.”

  Petyr’s response surprised him. “How do vampires just accept it? The mate they’re given. How do you know if you like me for myself or because I’m your mate?”

  “I’ve known vampires who rejected their mates. Who’ve been rejected by their mates. Fated mates who were very unhappy. Some couples move much too fast. That’s why I wasn’t very aggressive. I wanted us to get to know each other. Especially since you’d never had a male lover.” He licked his lips. “Every time we saw each other, I wanted to kiss you. But I held back.” He took Petyr’s hand. “I regretted it. I admired you for standing by Nora because you’d gotten her pregnant. Admired your priorities. But I regretted not kissing you. Not making it clearer how much I wanted you to accept me. Not suggesting that you didn’t have to marry Nora to take care of her and…” He sighed. “I’m tired of regrets.”

  Rollo pushed the pillow on his lap aside and moved closer, cupping Petyr’s cheek. Though his eyes went wide, Petyr didn’t pull away as Rollo kissed him. After a couple of seconds, he actually returned the kiss. Rollo wanted to deepen it, but he kept it gentle.

  Petyr’s eyes fluttered open when they parted. “We can discuss it, but just remember I can’t promise to stay,” he said.

  “I know.”

  Petyr looked down at their clasped hands. “Do you?”

  “Yes. No one said anything about me not trying to make you stay. I’m going to be honest and say what I’m thinking. Life is too precious to hold back.”

  Petyr started to say something, but Helen returned then. She stopped when she saw their clasped hands and hovered at the foot of the bed with the tray.

  “I’ll just leave this here,” she said quickly, before setting the tray on the dresser.

  Petyr watched her retreating form and then leaned over and said, “I think that’s the fastest she’s left the room so far.”

  Though he didn’t want to, Rollo released Petyr’s hand. He rose and retrieved the tray. Once he had it settled over Petyr’s lap and plenty of pillows in place to support him, Rollo nodded to the door. “Would you like for me to make sure she’s not telling everyone to air out their wedding clothes?”

  Petyr laughed and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Leave it. Denying it will probably make it worse.”

  “Possibly,” Rollo said. He went over to the crib and began folding one of the blankets, more to hide his smile than anything. If Petyr was that unconcerned, perhaps Rollo had already made more progress than he thought.

  Chapter Three

  Petyr sipped his wine, which had been mixed with Rollo’s blood, as he watched Adam pull on Rollo’s hair for the dozenth time that evening. When Adam had refused to eat, Rollo had transferred the little boy from the highchair to his lap. He’d then pushed his own food aside and proceeded to attempt feeding Adam himself. They were both covered in food now, but Rollo didn’t seem to care. His entire focus was on getting Adam to eat as much as possible.

  Ellie watched from her own highchair, already rubbing her eyes as if she were sleepy. Petyr wiped her face and hands and then lifted her into his arms. Her head went to his shoulder right away, and he sat back watching Rollo’s continued attempts to feed Adam.

  Petyr smiled as he thought back to what Rollo had said about seducing him. He has no clue what he’s doing right now has more power than anything he could possibly do in the bedroom. His face grew warm as he remembered their kiss. No one had ever kissed him that way before. The embrace had been so simple, so gentle and undemanding, and yet it had changed everything. In that moment, Petyr had known he’d have no qualms about sleeping with Rollo. He didn’t really know where to start when it came to having sex with a man, but he had a feeling instinct would kick in pretty quickly.

  Rollo put the spoon down and started trying to clean Adam up. It seemed he only then realized he was a bit of a mess as well.

  Petyr laughed and said, “It’s a constant hazard. He’s always been difficult about eating.”

  Rollo wiped at a spot on his shirt and then finally tossed the napkin aside. “I don’t mind. Was it hard on your own?”

  “At first, yes. But eventually I would just give up if he wouldn’t eat. Then, a while later, he’d start whining because he was still hungry. Then I’d get some more down him.”

  Adam squirmed in Rollo’s lap. “It all right for me to put him down?” Rollo looked around the room. “The door’s closed. And I don’t think he could get into too much trouble in here.”

  Petyr glanced around the room. “Sure.” He studied the room a bit more. The buffer under the window has sharp corners, but they were too high to be a problem. “It is sparse. What was this room used for?”

  Rollo set Adam free, holding his hand a moment until he was steady. “Not sure. We put this smaller table in here just to get it out of the way. It may have been a sitting room or sewing room. There’s very good light in the morning.” Rollo sat back in his chair and smiled at Petyr.

  “What?” Petyr asked, glancing at Adam, who hadn’t gone very far. He gripped one of the other chairs and gazed up at the chandelier.

  “She looks so peaceful. I think she’s almost asleep,” Rollo said.

  Petyr rubbed Ellie’s back, angling his head to look at her. “She will be soon, if she isn’t already.”

  “She often fall asleep first?”

  “Most nights. Though that changed a bit when they started teething. She got two teeth at the same time. A few days before his first one began coming in.”

  “If they wake up tonight, I’ll get up with them. Just tell me what to do.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “But I meant what I said. I won’t leave you by yourself. If I hadn’t woken up early this morning, who knows what might’ve happened.”

  “I did wake on my own, though.”

  “And you were weak. You might’ve fallen.”

  Petyr cradled Ellie closer. “I didn’t come here for you to take care of me.”

  “Oh well.”

  Petyr felt his eyebrows lift. “Oh well?”

  Rollo nodded. “Yes. I’ll be quiet. Sleep on the couch. You won’t even know I’m there.”

  “That’s not fair to you.”

  “Let’s stop talking about what’s fair.” He smiled again. “Unless you’re inviting me to share the bed with you. In which case, I accept. Happily.”

  Petyr felt his face grow warm again. “You know what will happen if we do that.”

  Rollo tilted his head. “Do I? I wasn’t aware I did. Do tell.” He leaned back and crossed his arms, his smile returning.

  “Something will happen. And we don’t know each other that well yet.”

  “We’re working on it,” he said softly. “And just so you know, I’m kissing you again tonight no matter where I sleep.”

  Adam began yanking on the curtains, and Rollo rose to pick him up. “You have to be careful, a big, strong lad like you. You’ll bring everything down on your head and go tumbling backw
ard,” Rollo said.

  Adam reached for the curtains again, but then seemed to change his mind, settling for grabbing two little fistfuls of Rollo’s hair.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Petyr said, rising to join them. “You may need to wear your hair back.”

  “Probably. I could cut it.”

  “No!” Petyr said without thinking.

  A pleased look came to Rollo’s face. “You like it?”

  “Uh, yes. It’s … you have great hair.”

  “Thank you.”

  Petyr cradled Ellie closer. “I’m going to go up and put her down.”

  “We’ll come, too.”

  “No, I’ll come right back. I swear. If I’m not back in five minutes, you can come check. But it’ll be easier to put her down if I go up alone.”

  Rollo didn’t seem to like that idea, but he nodded anyway.

  Petyr hurried up and put Ellie in the large crib, covering her with a blanket and clearing a space to put Adam down later. He leaned down and kissed her.

  “I wish we could talk. Wish you could tell me you like him.” He straightened, sighing. “You seem to. And he’s so good to you. To me.” Petyr felt his chest swelling, with anxiety and other emotions as well. “The gods may think they’re speaking loud and clear, but they aren’t. He’s wonderful, but…”

  He took a couple of deep, cleansing breaths and headed back down. The last thing he needed was for Rollo to hear him debating all of this, as he had a feeling he knew what means Rollo might use to help him decide.

  ****

  Rollo sat by the window and watched the clouds drifting in front of the moons. All three of them were close to full tonight, making the landscape outside practically glow. He slowly rocked back and forth on the chair with Ellie in his arms as he tried to remember if there was a rocking chair anywhere in the house. There were a couple down at the inn, but he might need to order a few more.

  Ellie had woken up half an hour earlier, not actually crying but making enough noise to wake Rollo. She’d gone back to sleep almost immediately when he’d picked her up, and he’d soon realized he wasn’t sure if he could put her back down without waking her or Adam. Yet, he didn’t mind continuing to hold her. She didn’t weight much, and something about holding her comforted him.

  He felt as if everything might work out after all. Petyr would agree to be turned, and he’d stay. They’d fall in love, and then Petyr would officially become his mate. He’d adopt the children, and they’d grow to love him as a father. They’d depend on him and turn to him when they needed something.

  Rollo had never given much thought to having children, yet he already felt very attached to Adam and Ellie. The idea of them leaving bothered him almost as much as the idea of Petyr leaving. He knew he’d worry about all three of them constantly if Petyr didn’t stay.

  Guess I shouldn’t criticize Petyr for being so worried his coming here would hurt me. It’s only been a few days, and already I feel as if I couldn’t let them go.

  A noise caught his ear, and he rose when he realized it was Petyr. He set Ellie back in the crib as gently as he could and pulled the blanket back over her before going over to the bed.

  Petyr seemed to be struggling to breathe, and Rollo shook him gently. Petyr’s eyes opened, and he sat up, gasping a little.

  Rollo sat beside him and wiped his face with a cloth. “You feel warm,” he said softly.

  “Burning up,” Petyr said as he kicked at the blankets. Yet once he was free of the blankets, he shivered. He rubbed his forehead and seemed intensely focused on breathing.

  “You need to drink more. As much as you can,” Rollo said.

  Petyr looked to the decanter. “It’s empty.”

  Rollo pushed his sleeve up. “There’s plenty. Trust me.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “That can’t be a serious question,” Rollo said.

  “Seems unfair when you can’t drink from me. When I’m not offering anything in return.”

  “If you don’t stop talking about what’s fair and what I get in return, I’m going to kiss you breathless just to keep you quiet,” Rollo said.

  Petyr gasped, his eyes widening.

  “And I can drink from you, actually. With your permission, of course.”

  “But my blood is poisonous. Toxic.”

  “To you. Not to me. It wouldn’t do a thing to me. But I wouldn’t drink from you now even if you offered. It would weaken you.”

  Petyr frowned. “But … if you drink from me first, what I take from you would replenish me, right? And you’d be taking away bad blood, wouldn’t you?”

  Rollo had to ignore the excitement that rushed over him when he realized Petyr seemed to be offering to let Rollo bite him. He considered a moment before he said, “That sounds logical, but I don’t really know.”

  “You’re sure it won’t hurt you, though?”

  “Yes, positive. No human illnesses can hurt a vampire.”

  Petyr tilted his head. “You never drank from me before. I’d like to know what it’s like.”

  Rollo gripped the side of the bed with one hand to keep from lunging at his mate. “Is there some reason you’re suddenly so curious?”

  “I’m getting worse. I need to let you turn me, but … I’m worried.”

  “Worried about what?” Rollo said, staring at Petyr’s neck now.

  Petyr straightened his head and sat up a bit more. “I hear it’s a very sensual experience. Turning someone. I’m sure we’ll end up having sex.”

  “If you tell me beforehand you don’t want that, it won’t happen. Not even if you beg me.”

  “I just want to know what it’s like. While I’m still human. I like you. A lot.”

  “I like you, too.” Starting to love you, in fact. “Perhaps I could drink just a little. All right?”

  Petyr nodded, coming forward and tilting his head again.

  His seeming excitement had Rollo’s cock stirring. He took a deep breath before leaning in and gently puncturing the skin with one fang. Then he locked his lips over the wound and finally drank from his mate properly.

  His hand slid around Petyr’s waist as he realized he’d never rest until he made this man love him.

  ****

  Petyr shook as the pleasure washed over him. How could it feel so good? Rollo was being surprisingly gentle. What would it be like if he was more aggressive? Petyr felt his body stir. Weak as he was, his cock swelled.

  All too soon, Rollo sealed the small wound and bit into his own wrist. His eyes seemed to be black, but the room was only lit by moonlight, so Petyr couldn’t be sure.

  Petyr tried to stifle his moan as he drank from the vampire. When he was a child, he’d thought feeding from a vampire would be disgusting. But something about the vampire’s blood was so different. There was still that metallic tinge, but there a sweetness to it he’d certainly never tasted in his own blood when he’d bitten his lip or lost a tooth. When Rollo drew his wrist away, Petyr watched him lick the wound to heal it. Petyr reached for him, unable to keep from touching him. He could tell Rollo wanted to touch him as well, but the vampire looked tentative.

  “I’ve never felt anything like that,” Petyr said in an effort to encourage Rollo.

  Rollo drew him close and kissed him softly, but Petyr deepened the kiss and pressed closer. Rollo’s hand moved down to his hip but then stopped.

  Petyr broke the kiss long enough to say, “You can touch me.”

  Rollo drew back, looking as if he might run away.

  “What is it?” Petyr asked.

  “Won’t we wake the children?”

  Petyr looked to them and then moved out of the bed, amazed at how strong he felt. He held his hand out and nodded to the door.

  Rollo followed him, and they went out into the hall.

  Petyr left the door wide open and led Rollo to his own bedroom. “We’ll leave the door open. And go right back,” he said.

  Rollo hesitated as Petyr climbed onto the bed.


  “Don’t you want to?” Petyr asked.

  Rollo climbed onto the bed beside him. “Of course I do. But I don’t want to take advantage.”

  “I’m not drunk or anything. I know what I’m doing. What I’m asking for.”

  “I know, but…”

  Petyr freed his cock. “I’ll do it myself if you’re not interested.” He stroked himself.

  Rollo watched him for a moment before pushing his hand away and taking over.

  The slide of those strong fingers over his shaft had Petyr arching off the bed. He had to push his face into a pillow when the vampire licked the length of his cock and then took it into his mouth. Petyr spilled in less than a minute, sitting up to watch Rollo swallowing his cum. He’d had his cock sucked many times before, but none of his partners had ever kept going until the end. He shuddered as the pleasure pushed to the edge of pain when Rollo slid off his very sensitive cock.

  Rollo kissed him, and Petyr tried to reach over and touch the vampire’s cock. But Rollo kept pushing his hand away. When Petyr pushed back and gave him a questioning look, Rollo said, “The first time I come with you near, I want to be inside you.”

  Petyr shuddered, so tempted to pull the man close and demand to be taken. But something in Rollo’s eyes made him stop. There was tenderness and seeming anxiety there. He’s already fallen for me. He’s scared of making even the slightest misstep. Every moment, he’s thinking of nothing but me.

  Petyr joined their hands. He was coming to care for Rollo more, but right now he mostly felt lust. His body wanted Rollo, but his heart remained unsure. “I can go back to my room while you take care of that.”

  “I said I wasn’t leaving your side.”

  “I just drank a lot of your blood. I’ll be fine.” He rose and took his hand back, poking Rollo in the shoulder. “You need a good night’s sleep. You have two children to help me chase tomorrow.”

  A hint of a smile touched Rollo’s lips. “I’ll be there in a minute, then.”

  Petyr went back to his room and looked down at the children for a few moments. They looked so peaceful. He tucked their blanket around them a little higher and then got back into bed.