Page 5 of Mutual Obsessions

“Etienne!” The handsome young guy called his name from the doorway.

“Excuse me for a moment. Please, refill your glasses as you wish. I’ll be right back.”

Much as Cubby had done to Rory, I watched Etienne Tremblay walk away. He was glorious.

Chapter Three

Etienne

“What the hell are you doing out there?”

Thomas had obviously been listening to my lively rapport with Ryker and was unhappy—or jealous? “What? What could possibly be wrong, brother? I’m effervescent tonight.”

“Math, Etienne! You need to do some fucking math and brush up on your history while you’re at it, my friend. You said your grandfather fought with the Americans, and you were born in Bayeux? That’s true, but your history doesn’t add up. What are you doing with the young man?”

“I am drawn to him, Thomas. There is something special about him.” What was I saying? When had I ever found anything special about a human aside from their blood type?

“Etienne, don’t repeat past mistakes.”

Of course, my brother was referring to the last time I became enamored with a human. Her name was Farrah, a beauty who was shy and quiet. I believed I could help her overcome her inability to shine, but my failure to assess her mental state was my downfall. Her blood sang to my beast, and I wanted her companionship at all costs. I failed to see the signs of failure.

Farrah had been in love with her best friend, Tara, who was engaged to a young doctor. I didn’t see the peril surrounding their friendship until it was too late.

When Tara and her boyfriend snuck off and married without Farrah’s knowledge, she was distraught. In my attempts to calm her, I let the beast take over to bring her the comfort only he could give by drinking just a bit of her blood and giving her part of himself in return.

But then, the beast went too far. He drank too much, and though he left her alive with some of himself to brighten her mood, the comfort he believed he was giving turned out to be the death knell for Farrah because of an unforeseen complication in her physiology.

She went into a euphoric panic over the loss of her true love Tara, and Farrah slit her wrists in a warm bath. She was dead when I returned, and I couldn’t bring her back or even give her immortality, which wouldn’t have been my first choice. I didn’t see our immortality as a gift the way Killian had touted, and my brothers and sisters believed it to be. Eternity could be a long, lonely walk.

“I’ll never make that mistake again. Now, check with Eugene to see how the special dessert is coming. I want a une grande éclaboussure.” I lifted my right hand and kissed my fingers, making Thomas laugh.

“Big splash. Got it.”

He hurried back into the kitchen, and I returned to the table. “How about some wine? I have a few lovely selections from a vintner in Burgundy. Would you like to try them? I have a Chardonnay and a red.”

I heard my voice, which wasn’t as steady as I’d have liked. What was wrong with me? Ryker’s blood was rushing through his veins, singing a song to me like I’d never heard in my long existence. The draw was stronger than I’d ever imagined—even more so than when I met Farrah.

I couldn’t save Farrah from her heartbreak. What if Ryker DeWitt was walking the same path?

After I poured two wine flights of the vintages available, I returned to the table to find the appetizers had been cleared. “I’m sorry it took me a few minutes. Minor issues any restaurateur faces during evening service.”

It was a lie, of course, and I disliked lying to anyone, much less myself. Only a fool believed the lies told by a fool, and I had both feet firmly planted in each camp. After leaving the kitchen I’d hurried to my office and paced, trying to manage the draw I felt to young Ryker. The beast inside me had been busy as well, trying to claw his way out. I couldn’t let that happen.

Ryker seemed like a beautiful person, inside and out, and I was fascinated with him. Fighting the attraction I felt for him was a battle I wasn’t ready to face. The beast inside me, that bastard, was obsessed with Ryker’s life source. How the hell would I stop him from doing harm to the man I was drawn to?

“This is delicious.” I glanced up to see it was Cubby, the friend, who spoke. He was holding up the Chardonnay and smiling. He wasn’t a connoisseur, but he seemed to appreciate the delicious taste of the small glass I’d given him.

“Are you finding any specific notes in the taste?” I longed for the days when I could taste a spectacular vintage of wine. It had been far too long but seeing the nods between Ryker and Cubby whet my palette for a taste the only way I could experience it. The beast was purring at the mere idea, but I fought hard to keep him contained.

Ryker took a sip of the Burgundy and seemed to hold it on his tongue before swallowing the wine. “It tastes more, uh—I’m afraid I don’t know anything about wine, Mr. Tremblay. I’m a beer and whiskey man, myself.”

“Etienne, please. Close your eyes and take another sip. Just feel the tingle on your tongue.”

The beautiful man did as I asked before swallowing as his long lashes slowly lifted. “It tastes like the vanilla cookies my grandmother used to make when I was growing up.”

That was a great observation—from what I’d been told at the tasting we’d held with the human staff when the cases had arrived. To be honest, Ryker could have told me it tasted like buttered popcorn, a treat I knew many humans enjoyed, and I’d have praised him.

“Very good. Shall we order entrées?”

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