Page 34 of Roman

An extra layer of protection for his all-too-vulnerable mate.

He gently untangled himself from Danny’s sleep-laden limbs—his mate really was something of an octopus at night—and padded down the stairs to the living room, where he could hear Soren moving around.

He found Soren standing in front of one of Danny’s bookshelves, perusing the titles. He looked up at Roman’s entrance.

“You’ve fed?” Roman asked.

Soren nodded, grinning wide. “I found the most delicious man. Well“—he gave Roman a sly look—”not as delicious as your adorable boy’s big brother. Hello, Doctor Muscles, am I right?”

Roman raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Please do not make my life more complicated by pursuing my mate’s brother. There are plenty of other men in this town for you to harass.”

Soren gave a mock pout. “Not even a little taste? I can easily make him forget it. Little Danny never even needs to know.” Soren had always been especially skilled at compulsion.

Roman shook his head. “Just steer clear. Please.”

Soren opened his mouth, seeming to be on the verge of arguing, before he closed it again and gave a little shrug. Even that little bit of resistance struck Roman as odd. In the time that Roman had known him, Soren had always found his human partners interchangeable—fixating on them completely in the moment but discarding them from his mind the moment they left his bed (or club, or alley—Soren wasn’t particular).

Roman was fairly sure that Soren had had at least one serious relationship in his past, a vampire ex he never spoke about, but it had seemingly put him off commitment completely. Except, of course, Soren had been the one to tell him and Luc about mates in the first place.

His little friend, for all his own flightiness, had always seemed surprisingly fascinated with the concept of eternal love.

Either way, they had bigger things to concern themselves with at the moment.

“Any signs of Lucien?”

Soren smirked. “Other than the thoughtful present he left us at the bar?”

“And we’re sure it was him?”

“I know his handiwork, Rome. So do you.” Soren gave him a pointed look. “And knowing it was someone you fought to protect Danny from? He loves that psychological mind game shit.”

Roman let out a sigh. He knew it had been too much to hope for it to have been a random coincidence, but he’d needed to hear it said out loud.

Soren tilted his head to the side, studying Roman. “Have you told your boy about it all?”

“Yes. He knows now. The whole ugly story.”

Soren’s face briefly showed his surprise before he hid it behind another smirk. “And? Did he tell you the same thing I always tell you? That you did nothing wrong, that Luc is just an overdramatic psycho whose only answer to eternal boredom is to mess with you?”

Roman gave a mirthless laugh. “Not in so many words, but yes—he agreed with your general feeling.”

“And what about you turning him? Has he agreed to that?”

Jesus, right to the heart of things. Soren never pulled his punches.

Roman found himself crossing his arms over his chest. “I have not brought it up.”

“You’re kidding me.” Soren rolled his eyes. “What are you waiting for?”

Roman walked over to the overstuffed couch in the middle of the room. He suddenly felt he needed to be seated for this conversation. “He is not ready.”

“Did he tell you that himself?”

“I just know.” Who on this earthwouldbe ready to willingly turn themselves into a monster when there was any other option?

Soren gave a mocking laugh. “Well, what I know, dear friend, is that your potential mate there is incredibly breakable in his current state. It would take Luc all of two seconds to dispose of him. Permanently.”

Roman’s demon was pressing up tight against his skin at the thought. Danny bleeding out, Danny lying dead at his feet. Roman took deep, slow breaths, pushing the rage down, fighting to regain control.

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