Page 294 of Golden Eagle

Nikita smiled at him. “Maybe we can stay for a while.”

But something about Nik was…off. He was a little unsettled. Prickling with dormant nerves.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, baby.”

Sasha squinted at him. “You’re all squirmy.”

“I don’t squirm.”

“But you are. A little.”

“Your imagination.”

They cleaned the dishes, and packed them back in the hamper. Watched TV for a little while, until Sasha got drowsy again.

It was midday, the sun bright on the snow outside, when Nikita kissed the top of his head, stood, and went to put on his boots.

“Are you taking the basket back?” Sasha asked, pushing up on an elbow. “I’ll go with you.”

“No.”

Sasha froze.

Nikita’s face colored; his expression was strange – nervous, almost. “Wait here. I’ll be back.”

“But–”

“Please, Sashka.” And, oh, he couldn’t say no to that pleading tone. “It won’t be long. Wait here for me. It’s important.”

“What’s going on.”

“Nothing – nothing bad. A surprise. A good one. Justwait here. Please.”

Sasha subsided with a huff. “Fine.”

Nikita grinned at him, and ducked out.

But he wasn’t back. And itwaslong. Long enough that the noon news ended and Sasha watched two episodes ofSeinfeldon the local station. Long enough that he got up, and started pacing, and, had he been in wolf form, would have been swishing his tail back and forth viciously as he did so.

Finally, he laced up his boots, tugged on his jacket, and went out.

Val was coming up the hill toward him, halfway there, walking in the tracks Nikita had left.

“Ah, I was just coming to get you,” he said, his smile bright.

Sasha paused just outside the door, struck with a wave of déjà vu. Val was dressed in jeans and a long, black puffer jacket with a bit of fake fur on the hood, his hair worn loose down his shoulders, but tied back at the crown. Sunk up to his calves in the snow…

Just like the very first time Sasha had seen him, as a boy.

“Are you a prince?” he asked, a little dazed, because that was what he’d asked, then.

Val’s brows went up a moment, and then he laughed. “I am, yes. And who might you be?”

For a moment, just a moment, Sasha reflected that it had been that moment, back then, when a chained-up vampire prince had been dragged across the astral plane to him, that the entire course of the rest of his life had been determined.

He wouldn’t trade it, no matter how dark some of it had been.

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