Page 43 of Wolfgang

He sipped his beer thoughtfully, casually adjusting himself in his jeans. Lots to consider, really. He should probably also be considering that at some point he would be joining Wolfe on a hunt or whatever. That was what he should be most concerned about, right? Drinking blood straight from the source like some third-rate Dracula? But it was hard to focus on it when the beast inside him was so unbelievably chill, other than the soft yearning that seemed to perpetually exist now—that ache for Wolfe to always be closer than he was.

Supposedly—according to Danny—Eric would start getting really hungry again in the next few days. Then maybe he’d come to better terms with his new as-yet-unexplored bloodlust.

The sound of the front door slamming open had Eric choking on his next sip of beer.

“All right, everyone, the party has arrived!”

The voice was familiar. King’s boyfriend (or partner, or mate, or whatever). Soren. Why hadn’t Eric realized he’d be part of the family dinner?

He didn’t have much time to dwell on it before the man—or vampire, apparently—himself strode into the living room two seconds later, King a half step behind.

Soren spotted Eric immediately. “So this is why Danny insisted on moving family dinner up by three days,” he drawled.

Speaking of pretty twinks. Except that crazed grin Soren often had on his face always did ruin the effect a little. The same grin he was sporting now, his artfully coiffed blond head cocked to the side as he stared at Eric, one eyebrow arched, as if expecting some sort of reaction.

Was he hoping for Eric to blush or something? They’d had one brief encounter, one that had left Eric with blue balls and a fuzzy head, and—

Eric paused, beer poised at his lips. Wait. He tried his best to hold on to the moment as he’d remembered it—hurriedly making out in an alleyway, some fumbled groping—but something else started to take its place. A memory of a sharp pain, then unbearable pleasure. But no kissing. Definitely no fondling.

He straightened up with a start. “Hey!” He pointed an accusing finger at the blond. “Youbitme!”

Soren’s grin only grew wider. “There it is. I was wondering, now that you’ve turned.”

“Oh, thank God,” Gabe groaned, wrapping a broad arm around his mate’s waist. “Now we can stop pretending the two of you hooked up. It was skeeving me out.”

Soren waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, yes, we all know. You’re all macho and jealous, et cetera, et cetera.”

Eric was having trouble getting his mouth to close properly. “Youfedfrom me.”

Soren tossed his head with a huff. “And?”

“And—” Eric sagged back into the couch. “Um…well, I don’t know.”

Soren shrugged. “Okay, well while you consider how pissed you want to be at me, I’m going to raid Roman’s wine cellar.” He pointed to Gabe as he turned out of his hold. “You stay here and babysit the newbie.”

He flounced off, his heeled boots clacking on the hardwood floors. Eric sat, stunned, while Gabe disappeared for a minute of his own before reappearing with a beer in hand, settling himself into the armchair across from Eric.

Eric raised his bottle half-heartedly. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

“Your boyfriend bit me.”

Gabe shrugged his muscular shoulders. “Technically he’s my fiancé. And, well—” He pointed his beer bottle at Eric. “Yourboyfriend drained you completely.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Eric said, mostly just to be a dick. But it also definitely didn’t seem like the right word. It wasn’tintenseenough for whatever Wolfe was. He was just…more.

They sat in silence for a minute, both sipping at their beers. For all that they were colleagues, and Eric had always hoped they could be friends, Gabe had never seemed to like him much. Maybe because Eric had not so subtly hit on him when they’d been starting out together.

Or maybe Eric just wasn’t good enough to be friends with the golden boy of Hyde Park.

But Gabe seemed…calmer here, outside the hospital. A little less hostile. Or maybe it was having Soren in his life. He’d always been charming, seemingly without even trying that hard, but there had been something heavier roiling underneath before the unhinged blond had started appearing at his side all over town.

Was that what mates did? Helped someone be their better self? Eric couldn’t imagine Wolfe helping him be a better anything. Except…

Just because you’ve been stunted until now doesn’t mean you need to remain stunted.

Eric let the silence go on for another minute before he asked the question he’d decided Gabe might have some insight into. “So have you ever bottomed before?”

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