Page 63 of Wolfgang

“And why’d you get stuck with me?” he asked.

Jamie hopped up onto the park bench, using the back of it like its own seat. “BecauseIknow for sure what the little brat looks like. Andyouseem to think he might be willing to chat with you. We’re the most likely team, man. Let’s revel in the greatness that is us.”

Eric frowned, not sure if Jamie was being glib or sincere or some strange mix of both. “What if you scare him off?”

“Me?” Jamie tugged the toothpick out of his mouth and grinned wide. “I’m a fucking ray of sunshine, baby. Kids love me. Plus, they dig the hair.” He pointed to his green locks, currently pulled back in a half pony.

Eric moved to sit on the actual seat of the bench, shading his eyes to look up at Jamie. “And what about your…mate?”

“Oh.” Jamie waved a hand. “He’s busy stalking your man to make sure he doesn’t pull anything psycho.”

Eric tensed. “He’swhat?”

“Listen, the group has certain trust issues with your boo right now, given that he keeps turning people all willy-nilly and lying to the little sweetheart Jay and also engaging in occasional kidnapping.” At Eric’s expression, Jamie laughed, loose and easy. “Don’t worry. They’ll ease up when he proves himself a little. They used to hate Luc too.”

Eric thought back to Soren’she doesn’t existroutine. “Used to?” he asked pointedly.

“Yep.” Jamie responded happily, popping thep. “Now we’re one big, happy, dysfunctional, fanged family.”

Bunch of fucking lunatics was what they were. But Eric kept that to himself.

They sat in silence for some number of minutes, scanning the park. A few of the moms and their kids left, and a few more came to replace them. No sign of the kid from the hospital. Maybe the park had been a stupid idea, after all.

“So Luc’s done bad things too?” Eric eventually asked, tiring of the silence.

“Oh yeah,” Jamie said easily. “Big time. My monster’s been off the rails before, for sure.”

“And you still…like him.”

Jamie shot him an amused glance. “What are we, in grade school? I fucking love him.”

“Even though he’s done bad things?”

“Even then.” Jamie didn’t elaborate beyond that. As if it was that easy. As if it didn’t matter at all what Luc had done.

Eric ran his fingers over the uneven edges of the park bench, watching Jamie from the corner of his eye. “When did you know?”

“Oh. Um…” Jamie shrugged. “Way before he and I even met, probably.”

Eric turned in his seat to look at him fully. “Excuse me?”

“Youknow—” Jamie gestured to himself. “The visions. I saw him, wanted him, loved him.”

Eric’s laugh of disbelief caught somewhere in his throat. “Isn’t that a bit…fucking crazy?”

Jamie grinned widely. “Sure. But hey, last week you were human, and now you’re a fucking vampire. We’re all a little crazy.” He cocked his head, a sly look on his face. “It’s okay to love him, you know. Even if he’s a psycho. It’s going to be an eternity of you and him, bound together. Does that sound good to you or not? Because if it does, fuck everybody else.”

An eternity with Wolfe. It was frighteningly easy to picture. Elaborate mansions with hideous, uncomfortable furniture. Soft touches mixed with possessive fire. Easy reassurances every time Eric’s insecurities ran away from him. And…someone who didn’t expect anything from Eric other than his continued existence. His presence alone being enough, for the first time in his entire life. Being wanted, always. Every day. Forever.

Yeah, that sounded fucking perfect.

Jamie’s dark eyes lit up at whatever he saw in Eric’s expression. “See what I mean? Crazy can befantastic.”

Eric saw it then, out of the corner of his eye. A familiar mop of messy brown hair, a pointed, elfin chin. Crouching among the trees at the opposite edge of the playground, watching the mothers and their children with the hungriest expression Eric had ever seen.

“That him?” he asked as quiet as he could.

To his credit, Jamie barely turned his head, catching Eric’s energy and looking out the corner of his eye. “Yup. That’s him.”

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