Page 52 of Soren

“I’ve been up for days,” Jay explained at Gabe’s look. “I didn’t want to miss anything. Flying on a plane and everything!”

Soren huffed. “You’ve been on a plane before, Jaybird.”

“Yeah, but never bymyself.”

Gabe held in his laugh, waving good night as Jay headed upstairs. They’d given him Gabe’s old room, since Gabe had been sleeping in Soren’s bed these past few nights anyway.

“I’m going to make sure he’s got everything he needs.” Soren rose from the couch and hurried up the stairs after the other vampire. He’d been completely horrified earlier to see Jay had shown up with one measly backpack.

“Didn’t you get Vee’s funds when she passed?” he’d asked.

“Oh, sure. I’ve got money,” Jay had reassured him. “I just don’t need much.”

Soren had eyed the other vampire’s outfit skeptically—a ratty, oversize sweatshirt over a pair of fleece pants—but hadn’t said anything. It was another sign he was genuinely fond of the other vampire. Gabe was pretty sure any other living creature wearing that outfit would have received a withering takedown of their nonexistent fashion sense, then been forced to change on the spot.

Gabe chuckled to himself thinking about it, heading into the kitchen to look for a beer.

Voices carried from upstairs. “He’s so nice, your human.”

Gabe smiled to himself at Jay’s comment, but the grin left his face quickly at Soren’s reply. “He’s notmyhuman.”

Before the bite of that could sink in, Jay protested. “But he is! I’ve never seen you like that. You were all…snuggled up with him. Do you think he’s your ma—”

Soren cut him off. “Hush. Enough of that. Don’t throw nonsense words around.”

But Gabe knew the word Jay had been about to say.

Mate.

Gabe had thought about it. Quite a lot, actually, in these recent weeks. He could be a little oblivious sometimes, sure, but he wasn’tdumb. He’d heard enough from Danny about the pull between mates. The way Danny had felt safe and secure with Roman from the start. It could be hard to tell what Soren was thinking, what with all the walls he put up, but Gabe had felt the care and consideration from him. And Soren had stayed here, in Hyde Park, all this time, in spite of the motherfucker who was chasing him from place to place.

And then there were Gabe’s own feelings. The soothing contentment he felt when touching Soren. The way he’d been drawn in and fascinated even before he’d seen all the good underneath Soren’s bratty exterior.

Mate.

The idea didn’t seem all that ridiculous.

Gabe looked up as Soren entered the kitchen. “So are we starting our own vampire den, then?”

Soren gave him a strange look. “We?”

Gabe didn’t know what to say to that. He wanted to ask about mates, about where this thing between them was going, but he was afraid to disrupt this new, fragile bond between them. Afraid his heart might split in half if Soren laughed him off, or just flat-out told him no.

Soren eyed him from the doorway. “You like him,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. It sounded like an accusation.

“Sure,” Gabe answered easily. “He’s sweet.”

“Sweet,” Soren repeated frostily.

Gabe suddenly felt like he was walking on very thin ice, and he wasn’t quite sure how he’d gotten there. “Is he…not?”

“No.” Soren pursed his lips. “He is.” He walked over to Gabe, stealing a sip of his beer.

Gabe watched him warily.

“I’m not,” Soren finally said.

“You’re not what?” Gabe asked.

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