Page 13 of Roman

Roman said the only thing he could, the only thing that mattered. “He was hurting you.”

Before Roman knew what he was doing, he was reaching for the neck of Danny’s shirt, pulling the collar down and to the side to reveal the bleeding cut on the boy’s shoulder. He couldn’t stop the growl that came out of him then, his demon and him both enraged that someone hadhurttheir lovely boy.

He waited again for his demon to demand to chase, to kill, to finish what they’d started with the boy’s attacker, or for Danny to scream and push him away. But neither happened. The boy continued to stare at him, wide-eyed, and Roman’s demon was focused in on the cut.Protect, soothe, lick, heal.

Roman could maybe, just maybe, fight that urge. Step back and let Danny run from them. But he couldn’t find it in himself to even want that. He and his demon were in agreement.

He gave in.

Before he knew it, he was leaning in and licking Danny’s cut, letting his saliva heal the wound, and the sweetest taste he’d ever known was filling his mouth.

He pulled Danny closer, his demon growling low enough that it was practically purring, pressing the boy against himself as he licked away any traces of blood on his too-pale skin, the shallow wound already healed in moments.

He was able to keep himself from attempting to mouth out the blood that had soaked into Danny’s shirt, but just barely.

Roman paused, lips resting against the smooth skin of Danny’s shoulder, and waited again for the demon to demandmore—more blood, biting, tearing—but it continued to simply purr its approval at having Danny so close, the boy’s taste in their mouth a reward for having protected him, healed him.

Roman forced himself to lift his head, leaning back slightly to look at Danny, who was tilting his head to peer at his own shoulder. Those big brown eyes grew even wider, if that was possible.

“He sliced me. I felt it.”

“Yes,” Roman agreed.

“But the cut isn’t there anymore.”

“No.” Unable to keep the pride from his voice, Roman stated simply, “I fixed it.”

“With your tongue.” There was a rising edge of panic in the boy’s voice.

Danny pushed at Roman’s shoulders, not nearly strong enough to move him if he didn’t want it, but Roman reluctantly stepped back from him anyway. His demon grumbled softly in annoyance but seemed willing to give the boy some space.

For now.

Roman watched as Danny took a deep breath and then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, some of the shock had left them, and he seemed more like the self-assured nurse Roman had met in the hospital earlier.

“This might seem like a stupid question—” Danny paused and eyed Roman’s face, the fangs that Roman still hadn’t retracted. “—but are you…human?”

Roman did let his fangs retract then, until they once again resembled a human’s ordinary canines. “I used to be.”

Danny took another deep breath. “I’m going to say a word. A very silly word—a word that can’t possibly be true—and just to humor me, you’re going to say yes or no.”

Roman nodded. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

“Vampire.”

There it was, hanging in the air between them. Roman found himself reluctant to answer, afraid that once Danny received his confirmation, he would run far, far away and never let Roman see him again.

“You could say…,” he started. Danny’s eyes immediately narrowed, and Roman sighed in annoyance, realizing he needed to give him a straight answer or the boy would keep pressing him. Or even worse, leave. “Yes.”

He wasn’t sure what reaction he was expecting, but Danny just nodded and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “Mr. HandsomeVampireCreep” to himself.

“Can I see them again?”

No question whatthemDanny was referring to. Roman let his fangs descend again, baring his teeth slightly to give him the full effect.In for a penny…

He was surprised when Danny leaned in slightly, until his face was mere inches from the sharp fangs, eyeing them curiously. Then his gaze lifted to Roman’s. “And the eyes? Is that a vampire thing too?”

Roman nodded, finding himself speechless, enchanted with this boy who was letting his curiosity rather than his fear lead him.

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