Page 22 of From Frost to Flame

“You don’t need to use Vega’s nickname for him,” Silas said stiffly as they entered the house.

“I think it’s fitting. You spanked him all the time, and everyone knows he called you Daddy. Your games weren’t exactly a secret.”

“I’m going to get this feeding over with. When you’re done invading my privacy, can you go get his family ready?” They climbed the stairs. With every step closer to Lex’s room, the pain in his limbs lessened. He held himself back from rushing in and pulling Lex into his arms.

“Sure can. Remember what I said. Turn on that charm of yours.”

“Not happening.”

“But it should. Have fun getting bitten.”

Once his brother left him alone in the hallway, Silas knocked on the bedroom door.

“Come in,” Lex answered in a small voice.

Silas entered and went rigid in the doorway. The room was clearly decorated with romance in mind. Each window was adorned with black velvet curtains pulled tight to shield Lex from the setting sun. Dozens of well-placed candles lit the room in a soft glow, and the canopy bed was covered in deep emerald blankets and plush pillows. Sheer black curtains with floral embroidered edges framed the bed.

Lex should have been resting, but he stood in front of a dresser. He cradled his right arm as he stared up at a painting that hung on the wall in a thick golden frame. All he wore was a little black silk robe that slipped lazily off one shoulder. The hemline barely made it past his hips, showing off his strong thighs. The scent of herbal soap and lotion in the air hinted that a bath had recently taken place.

“Hi,” Lex said, not looking at him. “You were gone a long time. Everything go well?”

“Yeah, it just, um I...” Silas trailed off as he got lost drinking in the sight. It had been nearly fifty years since he’d been with anyone, and his mating instincts were hijacking his brain.

“Silas?” Lex cocked an eyebrow and watched him curiously. “It just what?”

“My messenger took a while to get caught up,” he said, clearing his throat as he closed the door. He crossed the room and stood next to him, folding his arms behind his back to stifle the urge to hold him. “I can see your mind at work. Is this painting special?”

“It is. It’s of the Lover’s Garden.” He tilted his head and smiled. “It’s a story.”

Silas watched as Lex’s big brown eyes glittered like polished amber stones in the candlelight. His excitement over art tugged at his heartstrings. Without Lex, paintings were just paintings and books were just books. With him, he learned to see the beauty in the brushstrokes and the love in every stitch of a book’s spine. He had forgotten how much he could care for art without him.

Lex pointed to the left side of the painting and moved over as he spoke. “A woman lost her lover to tragedy. She prayed to the stars to be with him again. That night, a giant magnolia tree grew out of his grave in the light of the moon. Its trunk split open, revealing her lover, now a tree nymph. When they reunited, their kiss turned her into a flower nymph. They became the first two nymphs in the world. They spent the rest of their days living in and growing a magnificent garden. The garden was a place of worship, but during the war, The Ravenous One froze it over, killing everything in sight. It’s a lost memory and myth told to children now. I think it’s rather sweet how nonhumans want to know where they came from and, ultimately, many of our origin stories deal with companionship.”

“That is rather beautiful,” Silas agreed, still watching Lex’s gaze dance over the canvas.

Lex met Silas's eyes before looking down bashfully. “Sorry. I get carried away when I have a new fixation of the moment. Which is somewhat often. Almost always.”

“Don’t apologize,” he said, nudging him lightly. “You know I like listening to your fixation of the moment, as you call it. I always learn something. You should send me a book on some origin stories when you get a chance.”

“Do you really want me to, or are you messing with me?” He pouted. “You know I can’t always read sarcasm well.”

The pout on Lex’s face was truly precious. Silas wanted to tease him a bit more to continue getting that expression but thought better of it. “I genuinely want to. You know, speaking of books, the library you made in Orion is still the busiest spot in the kingdom.”

“Really?” Lex’s big brown puppy dog eyes and bright smile melted his heart.

“Yep. People still travel to see it from all over Vela. They never believe it when I tell them you restored the books and built all the shelves yourself.”

“You’re there often?”

“It’s my favorite place to go when I need to think, or I happen to get a moment to myself.”

“That surprises me.” Lex held his arms behind his back and rocked on his heels. “I’d assume the training grounds would be your sanctuary.”

“You didn’t make the training grounds.” Silas said it without thinking because it was the truth. Lex was in every page, every wall, and every aisle of the library. It was the only place that soothed his sadness after their breakup. But he realized he’d shared too much. Just as quickly as Lex had lit up, he dimmed and avoided Silas's eyes. Unsure what to do, he cleared his throat and moved on. “Well, we need to go soon. So, let’s discuss how we’re going to get this feeding done, shall we?”

“Right.” Lex shyly looked down at his feet.

Silas felt Lex’s fluttering heartbeat as it raced to new heights in his chest. In times like this, their bond was useful. It allowed him to know when Lex needed support, even when he didn’t show it. “Let’s start simple. Where do you want to bite me?”

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