Page 41 of A Sip of Sin

The teahouse was the last stop of his thoughts. He would close it down for the night if Hollen promised to join him again, arching his neck back so Munro would have the best angle. His whole body throbbed at the thought of it.

Munro threw the covers back, heading for the closet as he rubbed the last of the sleep from his eyes. Sex still lingered in the air, with a bit of dried cum clinging to the hairs on his chest and belly. He’d made sure to clean Hollen fully, but at the time, he’d thought of little for himself except sating his pure hunger.

He smoothed a hand over the patchy skin, flaking the biggest bits away. Anyone would know—vampire or other—exactly what he’d done in the confines of his room. If they knew what was best for themselves, they would realize that Hollen was off the market, permanently.

He let out a groan as he pulled a dress shirt on before tugging up a fresh pair of slacks and buckling them. Dragging his fingers through his hair a few times, he shook off the last bit of clinging sleepiness. He rarely needed to sleep anymore, but when he did, it was a bone-deep rest that he sometimes worried he would never wake up from. There were a few times he hadn’t, years passing before he roused. The days following were always some of the worst of his life.

Scrambling to catch up in a society that no longer existed while starving and half-mad with hunger never made it easy tofit back in. Rhys had helped him along before, taking his hand and guiding him through the fresh nightlife that seemed to flood the streets more with time. The fear of the dark was quickly waning, every crack between the hours filled with liveliness.

Munro shook his head, heading to the throne room. He paused for only a moment, running his fingers over one of the sharpest stag antlers. It was an intimidating piece, but perhaps a tad outdated. Maybe it was the fear he’d seen in Hollen’s eyes the first time he’d spotted it that now colored it in an off light.

The teahouse was bright as he exited the hall, moving toward the kitchen. Sean was already there, the smell of fresh baked bread strong as he sliced the loaves he’d prepared the evening before. The smell was almost permanent, the yeast and sugars clinging to the ambiance of the place perfectly. Munro wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The dishes had all been cleaned and put away, mostly by the other staff, who hadn’t said a word when Hollen had disappeared. He didn’t pay them to speak or for their ideas—only their presence. It would have been such a loss if he’d treated Hollen the same way, but Munro hadn’t seen the use in it when Hollen was only supposed to last a single night.So much has changed.

Sean let out a cat-call whistle as Munro walked into the kitchen, dropping his knife and grinning. He was handsome, even with the smudge of flour on his cheek and the pile of crumbs at his feet. Strong arms were what Munro had been drawn to at first, along with a winning recommendation. There had been a time when he’d thought about pursuing Sean, but that had wilted quickly.

Crossing his arms, Sean looked Munro up and down, his grin stretching wider. “Now there’s a man who has had the lay of his life.” Sean nodded. “Never thought I’d say this, but I like the guy. I think you should keep him around.”

Me too.He wouldn’t say it aloud. Sean was the type of man who couldn’t keep any information to himself unless it truly mattered, and he was of the special breed of people who were immune to any mind tricks. If he hadn’t come from a vampire home himself, Munro never would have trusted him.

“Tell me the menu,” said Munro, glancing from the bread to the display that Sean was building. Where the previous night had all been about strawberries, tonight seemed to be bread. There were four different-colored pieces on the tray so far, from deep chocolate to a light tan, all toasted and topped with different spreads.

“Straight to business as usual.” Sean dusted the crumbs from his hands before grabbing a small plate next to the display. When it was finished, it would go in the front window, offering passers-by a small glimpse of the unique menu for the night.

Sometimes a person would stroll by on a wrong turn home, stepping inside when it caught their eye. They would have a quick bite, but they would never linger, and Munro always made sure they had no desire to return.

It was ironic really that most of his clientele were vampires, there to wet their appetites and stir up war. They received nothing but pleasure from Sean’s hard work and connections and influence from being in an establishment as desirable as Munro’s.

Munro reached for the first small square. The bread base was dark—almost black—with a red spread on top that was so close to the color of blood that Munro was surprised to smell tomatoes and not the coppery tang when he brought it to his nose. He took a bite, flavors and textures bursting over his tongue. He let it linger until the toast finally started to dissolve before he finally swallowed it down.

“It’s delicious.” Munro nodded, reaching for the next and repeating the process. Sean nodded along, looking more relieved with each bite Munro tried.

“I went out on a limb tonight with the theme,” said Sean, tossing Munro’s empty plate into the sink before he returned to cutting his bread into thin slices.

“It’s good that you do. It keeps you interesting.” Munro looked away. The foodwasgood, but it had washed some of Hollen’s taste from his mouth. A steady drip of Hollen flowing straight into his mouth was probably the only thing that would settle his obsessive craving.

“Let me know when Hollen arrives,” said Munro, heading to the dining room. The first staff would be two hours at least before they arrived to set the plates and put fresh linens on the tables. By then, Sean would be going along at full steam, finished dishes piling high and ready for fresh palates.

The air shifted as the front door swung open, the small bell above letting out a chime that was barely audible. It was just scarcely dark and too early for any of his patrons to arrive, despite their immunity to the sun. They wouldn’t burst into flames, but it was easy to get dehydrated when your liquid diet was a few sips per week.

Munro straightened as Hollen stepped through the door, a fresh uniform on beneath his open jacket. The jacket had to be a size too big for the way it hung from him, falling to mid-thigh. It was completely unexpected in the late spring heat.

Excitement burst in his belly, zinging as fireflies that had warmth instantly spreading through his limbs. A grin touched Munro’s lips before he paused.

Hollen had seemed tired the night before, but now he looked exhausted. The dark lines under his eyes had deepened, his eyes bloodshot and lids drooping. Even the way he walked was a slow shuffle, compared to the perky step of their first encounter.

It was the pallor of his skin that really struck Munro. He was so pale that he nearly matched the white of his uniform, the majority of his color coming from his smattering of freckles. Corpses had better outlooks than Hollen as he blinked slowly, seeming to notice Munro standing there for the first time.I swear, it was only a few sips.

“Hollen.” Munro rushed to his side, grasping his shoulder as Hollen swayed. “Are you okay? Who did this to you? Was it…” He trailed off. It was very possible that Rhys had tracked Hollen to his home and had drained him close to death. Their connection had been complete for so many years, and Rhys had forever been the jealous type.

But it was hard to think so ill of Rhys. He was still a reasonable man who was completely devoted to him.

“Hi.” A tiny flush appeared on Hollen’s cheeks before he looked around the dining room. “What are you talking about? I’m fine. A little sore, maybe.” Sean cursed from the direction of the kitchen, and Hollen let out a soft laugh, rising to his toes and placing a swift kiss on Munro’s cheek. “I missed you. Is that weird?”

The spot on his cheek tingled, the dampness of Hollen’s kiss seeping its claws in.I ached for you every moment you were gone.“No.” Munro lowered his voice, tucking a strand of Hollen’s hair behind his ear. “But you don’t have to work if you’re still tired. I know I put you through the wringer when I promised you rest.”

Hollen winced as he smoothed a hand over his own ass. “Don’t I know it. I’m fine, though. Just a bit tired.”

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