Page 20 of Soren

“I was turned in Denmark in the seventeenth century.”

Holy. Fucking. Shit.Gabe did his best not to let his shock show, but judging by Soren’s amused look, he failed miserably. “Um…you don’t look a day over twenty-two?”

That part was true enough, but Soren still giggled at Gabe’s comment. The sound was bright and melodic. Like a little bell.

It made Gabe’s stomach flip.

“I’m just saying,” Soren said after his giggling died down. “I’ve seen a lot. There’s nothing you could do that would shock me.” He paused, a thoughtful look on his face. “Well, if you drop-kicked your mom in the face, I guess I would be a little surprised. But Iknowpeople. And you’re good people. I’m not going to judge you.”

Gabe snorted at that. “You love judging me.”

“Exactly,” Soren agreed, as if Gabe had proved his point. “If you weren’t a good person at heart, I wouldn’t love judging you. I would dismiss you. I wouldn’t have any time for you at all.”

The vampire’s words were harsh, but his tone was…gentle. It reminded Gabe of the comfort he’d felt with Soren’s strong, delicate hand on the back of his neck, his voice giving Gabe soothing commands.

“I love her,” Gabe found himself saying.

“I know you do.” Soren scooted his chair closer, leaning forward.

“I just have…complicated feelings.” Gabe hated how weak his voice came out.

“Only boring people’s feelings are uncomplicated,” Soren reassured him.

Gabe watched in amazement as the vampire leaned closer, patting him gently on the arm. His time with Soren was turning out to be…disorienting.

He’d spent so long holding on to his mistrust of Soren, keeping his distance, trying to convince himself his fixation with the vampire was based on fear. But now here he was, on the verge of opening up more than he had with anyone in the past decade.

Gabe had never even had a real conversation withDannyabout his feelings concerning their mother. It wasn’t like he’d told Soren any real details, but still…there was a weight lifting off his chest, just in saying it out loud: he had complicated feelings around his mother, beyond just unconditional love and devotion.

Why was a vampire the first person Gabe had opened up to in years? And how was itSorenof all people who’d made him feel so much better with just a few words?

He would be worried about compulsion again if he couldn’t see the pale blue of Soren’s eyes, so clear and calm and focused wholly on Gabe.

He didn’t move away from Soren’s hand.

“Pick a hand.” Soren was hiding both of his behind his back, bouncing on his toes with mischief painting his face.

Gabe pointed to Soren’s left.

“Aha!” Soren brought his left hand forward to revealJurassic Parkin its clutches. His blue eyes gleamed. “Excellent.”

“You were hoping for that one?” Gabe asked, amused in spite of himself.

Soren nodded gleefully. “One of the best movies ever made.”

Gabe snickered. “You told me at dinner that you’re over three hundred years old…and a movie aboutdinosaursis one of the best ever made?”

Gabe wasn’t sure how he had already progressed from complete shock to joking about their incomprehensible age difference, but it was hard to stay too serious around the blond vampire when he was in such a playful mood.

Soren gave him a truly savage look. “One, dinosaurs are cool. Irrefutably. Two, it’s a matter of storytelling. Subject matter isn’t even the key part. It’s about pacing. Suspense. Amazing acting. And, of course”—he pointed at the DVD cover in demonstration—“Laura Dern and her khaki shorts.”

Gabe shook his head, grinning in spite of himself.

Soren was full of surprises.

The picture Soren had painted for Gabe of his past life made him seem like some kind of lascivious, fanged party animal. Why Soren would want to stay here and watch one of the DVDs from Gabe’s childhood with him was a complete mystery. After dinner the vampire had simply instructed Gabe to make them popcorn and then disappeared into the living room to “narrow down their selection.”

Gabe nodded at Soren’s right hand. “What was the other option?”

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