Page 24 of The Shadows of the Dawn

“I destroy it,” she spoke plainly. “The existence of that cursed plant, born from my homelands... it angers our gods. And it disgusts me. Forcing pacifistic Moon Children to fight your wars is cowardly and weak." She cut a sly smirk at Nikola. “That isn’t to say the same of those who willingly step up.”

Asher could taste the truth in her words, believing them as he felt her anger. All the same, he knew he’d join Nikola in his threatening promise to hightail it back to Grander if he suspected Morrigan changed her mind. He’d ask Katsuki to confirm the plant’s extinction. But, for now, he gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

Morrigan motioned around the room and met the eyes of one of her posted guards. “I will leave you all to discuss everything amongst yourselves before you part ways.” As she left, the four lackeys followed her out.

“You better call your crew and give them the bad news,” Asher quipped to Katsuki. Before Katsuki could respond, Asher was overcome by sentimentality and yanked the Moon Child into an embrace. The ancient vampire’s gossamer laugh floated in Asher’s ear. “Shit, dude. We’ve come a long way from me barging into your studio unannounced.”

“Indeed, we have,” Katsuki said. When Asher let them go, they looked at Nikola and said, “Do deliver the news gently to Veronica. And don’t worry. I will keep the newborns safe. I promise.”

Nikola nodded and held out a hand, the two shaking on it.

Moss’s chair scraped as they stood up. They hugged their own shoulders as they approached Nikola, not meeting his eye as they said, “I’m really sorry for how I reacted when I woke up. I... thank you. For saving me. For protecting us.”

Nikola smiled softly, but the expression was heavy with sadness. Asher felt a twinge of guilt for wishing to leave. If Nikola made the offer to stay here to watch over Moss, Asher wouldn’t try and stop him.

But Nikola didn’t. Instead, he picked up a pen and paper off the table, jotting down his cellphone number. “I ask only for updates on everyone’s well-being. And please... don’t hesitate to tell me if Queen Morrigan steps a toe out of line.”

Liam joined Moss’s side, a hand floating to their lower back. He looked at Asher. “Thank you for saving me, too.”

Asher waited for the rush of hatred, but really, he just felt nothing. He was tired and wanted to go be with his Nikki. “Just because you took a bullet for me doesn’t mean I forgive you.” He smirked as Liam’s face flushed with shock. “But I can admit that maybe you ain’t the same kid you were in high school.” He nodded at Moss. “Keep him on the straight and narrow, eh? Y’all got a lot of work to do behind the scenes.”

Moss laughed quietly. “Yeah, that’s the plan.”

It was Nikola’s idea to stop by his residence—well, formerly—and rest there. Factoring in a feeding session, it got too close to sunrise for them to leave that night, the sky blushing with approaching dawn.

The house was fortunately empty but equally chilled and unnervingly silent. It’d only been, what, shy of a couple weeks? And there was already a thin coating of dust, the scent of the coven who’d lived here fading away.

Nikola tried the light, the flick of the switch yielding no results. The same was true of the water faucets. Nikola huffed a laugh. “I suppose we may not be getting a shower quite yet. But at least there is a change of clothes for us upstairs.”

Hey, the good thing about being a vampire was that body odor wasn’t really a thing unless decay was involved. But yeah, no, their current clothes had been stolen from a random wardrobe over three nights ago, Asher especially caked in his fair share of blood. Mostly that of others.

“We will pack some bags,” Nikola said. “Though I wish we didn’t need to travel on foot.”

Asher laughed, drifting toward the kitchen as Nikola floated into the living room. Another great vampiric perk was the killer night vision, so the lack of electricity wasn’t a major hindrance. He shuffled around the cupboards, seeking and finding a pair of glasses for a pour of aged rum. Rum that was probably as expensive as the entire house. That would be coming with them.

He joined Nikola on the couch, knees and shoulders touching. The older vampire peered up at his Goddess painting above the mantle, nursing his drink. He heaved a great sigh, looking as if he was saying goodbye to the work of art. It really was a nice painting.

Too bad it probably wasn’t coming with them.

“Maybe we gank another car ourselves and just be extra careful to only stop at self-service pumps, eh?” Asher said, only half-joking.

Nikola snorted, setting his glass on the coffee table. “You devil.” Heat simmered behind his gaze, the playful accusation boiling with it. Asher shivered, a dart of excitement striking the base of his spine. The lust rolling off Nikola was Asher’s favorite flavor. He could never dream of ever fully Converting back to Blood, not if it meant losing the front-row seat to Nikola’s arousal and heart.

Asher curled his toes over Nikki’s, his cock swelling until it pinched behind his zipper. He quickly slid his drink away from him on the table, forgetting it. “I’m sorry, does grand theft auto turn you on?” he teased.

Nikola’s chuckle rumbled like thunder, as hot as the air after a summer storm. “Oh, my love. I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but watching you strike down your foes earlier with such finesse was what turned me on. You make a beautiful villain.”

Asher’s stomach burned from the inside out with desire, sending a hot flush across his skin. He pretended to act nonplussed even though Nikola could sense otherwise. Asher planted a trail of lingering kisses down Nikola’s jawline, a layer of scruff grown in over the last few nights. And did it look hot on him.

“Your villain, huh?” Asher whispered in Nikola’s ear. His lover’s breath caught, his head lolling over the back of the couch. Asher had been exhausted at Morrigan’s but was wired now, Asher and Nikola becoming a sparking circuit of desperate need.

“My villain,” Nikola groaned. Asher licked up the thread of tensed muscle in his neck, fingers dropping to the buttons of Nikola’s jeans. The edge of his hand brushed the firm bulge behind the restricting fabric.

An idea formed in Asher’s mind, one that’d floated in the background before but never something he’d had the chance to proposition. Him and Nikki had always been locked up in the throes of passion or Asher muddled by his own angst.

“If only you knew what villainous things I’m thinking about,” Asher breathed, plucking the buttons, and pulling free Nikola’s jutting cock. He gently stroked it, his thumb grazing across the bead of precum weeping from the slit.

Nikola moaned, his hips twitching. “Oh, fuck. Do tell.”

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