Page 30 of Basilisk

“In werewolf lore, they have to shift into their other forms to stay healthy. Do you?”

“I can go for long periods in my human form, but yes, I do have to change if it’s been too long. But I’m still me like that. I just need to stretch that body because it’s mine, too. It’s not like a separate entity that needs to be free sometimes.”

“Oh, it’s like that in a lot of shifter romances I’ve read. Wait, are werewolves real?”

“Very much so, only they’re a little different. They do have two spirits and mostly keep to their packs, and their lives aren’t as long as most preternaturals. They can also be made, so their magic is, well, a little like a virus. Vampires, on the other hand, can’t make others and are born. The books get that wrong all the time.”

“You said Alaric has a bond with nature—can you tell me what he is?”

“He’s an elf.”

Clive knew his eyes were wide. “This is amazing. So a lot of the beings I read about in books actually come from our real world?”

“Most, yes. There are some works of fiction about creatures that don’t exist.”

“Like what?”

“I’ve never encountered a fairy or a leprechaun.” He grinned. “Though I did once run into a pixie in England. I had thought they were a myth, so it’s possible there really are fairies and leprechauns. It’s a wide, wonderful world out there, full of magic.” He frowned. “I’d ask Xavier, who’s a lot older than me and knows more, but he doles out information at such a slow pace, I doubt he’d tell me.”

“How did you meet him?”

Bain tensed and Clive immediately felt bad for asking. “I’m sorry. Is that too nosy?”

Lifting Clive’s face back to his, Bain cupped his cheek. “You can’t be too nosy with me, so you can ask me anything. I told you some of it. It’s just that was a bad period of my life. I was…lonely. Was getting into some unhealthy habits trying to cope with it.” He let go so Clive could rest his head again, but he angled his head to watch Bain’s face.

“I was drunk off my ass and decided it would be a good idea to mouth off in a trashy bar full of demons. Like humans and all preternaturals, there are good and bad ones, but that bar happened to be full of some real assholes. And there were too many for me to fight off—not in the shape I was in at that time. They beat me nearly to death and left me in an alley.” He paused, mouth tighter than usual. “I thought I wanted to die as I lay there. I’d lived over one hundred and fifty years and had grown tired of feeling like I didn’t have a purpose. That’s not actually unusual with a lot of us.”

“I can’t imagine how hard it would be outliving so many people you know.”

“Xavier found me there and cared for me until I was well. You know the rest.”

“Seems I need to thank Xavier.”

“For what?”

Clive rolled on top of Bain and propped his chin on his folded hands on Bain’s chest. Feeling all that skin under him had his cock perking up, but he ignored it. “For making you want to live again so I could meet you.”

“Just so you know, I’m normally a pretty upbeat creature. I’ve only had a couple of those dark periods in a long lifetime.”

“Like I have any room to worry about that,” Clive said with a laugh. “I’m not known for my outgoing personality, after all.”

Bain tugged him higher up his body to kiss him, making Clive shiver as his dick hardened more. “I like your personality,” Bain whispered against his lips. “And though I really want to explore that wood you’re pressing against me, I have to get up. I have a call with Xavier in five minutes.”

Clive bit back the urge to pout because he was more than interested in picking up where they’d left off the night before. But he rolled off Bain and jumped to his feet. As he walked toward the chair where he’d left his bag, Bain let out a loud groan behind him. He glanced over his shoulder as he grabbed some clothes.

“I know you’re sensitive about attention to your ass, but damn. Just damn.”

Clive wiggled it. “I want you to like it. I just want you to like other things about me as well.”

“Oh, I do.” Bain swung his legs to the side of the bed and stood, making Clive’s mouth go dry instantly when he turned his back to start making the bed. He had nice, tight globes that had Clive closing his eyes so he didn’t start something they couldn’t finish. “I didn’t know you were an immediate bed maker, too,” he murmured.

Bain laughed. “I’m not. I’m doing this for you.”

“Oh.” Clive thought that was sweet. “Please don’t feel you have to change your habits for me. I can be…adjustable.”

Twisting his head to grin at Clive, Bain lifted his eyebrows. “Really?”

Heat filled his cheeks. “Okay, I can try.”

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