Page 43 of Roman

Danny’s eyes glistened, but no more tears fell. Perhaps there were none left.

“When Gabe told me he was moving back to do his fellowship here, I thought we’d be brothers again, but he doesn’t even want toseeMom. I don’t think he even really wants to seeme. I’ve just been so tired. And so-so alone.”

“You are not alone anymore, my little king.” Roman stroked his mate’s back. “I am here. I willbehere. You do not have to do it all alone anymore. I promise.”

Danny collapsed with his head against Roman’s shoulder again, and maybe there were some tears left after all, because Roman could feel his shirt dampening where his mate was pressed against it.

“You’re real, right?” Danny asked. “Tell me this is real. Tell me you’re not going to just disappear into the dark a week from now. Tell me you’re really mine.” His hands were gripping Roman’s shirt so tightly they were edged with white.

“I am yours,” Roman vowed. “Always yours.”

And it was true.

Nothing in this world was going to take his mate from him.

eleven

Danny

Dannyrelishedthehotspray of the shower beating on his back, the feel of it washing away the grime of an emotional day.

My mom remembered me today.

He still couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t known how to feel at first. His initial reaction, beyond blatant disbelief at what was happening, had been anger at Roman for messing with his mom’s mind without even asking Danny for permission first.

But Danny hadn’t been able to hold on to that anger for long. How could he when Roman had so clearly wanted to help? And had so clearly succeeded.

My mom remembered me today.

The rest of their time at the care home had felt like a dream. To have his mom smiling at him again. It hadn’t been a perfect reset. She hadn’t known what year it was, obviously, and hadn’t been quite all there, not like she used to be. But still.

She’dknownhim.

He wished he could tell Gabe. His brother could be a thoughtless jerk sometimes, but he deserved to know there was a way for their mother to remember them now. But Danny wasn’t quite sure yet how to have the “my boyfriend is a semi-immortal vampire being who can sometimes sort of control minds but not always in a bad way” talk with his brother.

Was he evenallowedto tell Gabe? Was there some sort of vampire code about humans knowing they existed?

Danny should probably ask about that at some point. Although, there wasn’t anyone for him to tell, really, besides Gabe. Chloe, maybe. And that was it. He hadn’t realized quite how lonely his life had become until Roman had swept in, and suddenly there was someone else there, someone to hold him while he cried, to kiss his tears away.

It would be so easy for Danny to depend on him. So easy to love him, demon and all. Danny was probably more than halfway there already.

But what if Danny was just a fun diversion for Roman? A little blip of existence, like Soren had said. Roman said he would be there always, but what did thatmean? Would Roman still want him when Danny grew old and decrepit?

Or…would he want to turn him after all? Would Danny even want that?

Eternal life.

Eternalhealth.

It had been there, in the back of Danny’s mind, since his mom had gotten her diagnosis. The thought that maybe it would happen to him. Some early onset Alzheimer’s cases were genetic. Not always, but it was possible.

Danny was terrified of waking up one today to find himself losing his memories, without him even having lived a full life to forget.

He would have to leave this town eventually if he turned. He couldn’t stay young forever and expect no one to notice. Which would mean leaving Gabe alone.

But Gabe had abandoned Danny first. And moving from town to town didn’t sound horrible, not when Danny had never even gotten to travel before.

It sounded wonderful, honestly. To finally be able to see the world.

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