Page 65 of Pining for the Prince
Cat fed, he returned to the living room to see two glasses waiting for him and the blood clusters, which he’d been interested in trying but had never been able to justify the cost of for himself. They were shaped like anatomically correct hearts and were dark, almost black.
“Did I do good?” Hyax said, almost nervous with expectation.
Gwil picked up one of the blood clusters. “It’s brilliant. It’s Christmas and it’s been ages since I celebrated in any real sense of the word.”
He popped the blood cluster into his mouth and groaned in pleasure as the superb quality blood crashed over his tongue. “Those are amazing.”
“They’re supposed to be made from the first bleed of the premier feeding collection, but I honestly didn’t want to know the details.”
“I hate to tell you this, Hyax, but the me-drinking-blood-to-survive thing isn’t going to go away.”
He grinned. “I know, and there’s some pretty questionable fae habits that are as bad, so I’m not judging you.”
“There are?”
“We’re not nice. There’s an idea that because we’re pretty and sparkle that we’re the good guys but we both know that’s not true. So just because we don’t literally drain the blood out of others, doesn’t mean we don’t do it figuratively.”
“I’ve heard you lot can be quite creative with iron as punishments.”
“Very much so, but I’d sort of planned an evening on the sparkly side with maybe a bit of sex and fun, so let’s not discuss the invention of the molten iron enema.”
“I’ll try not to break the mood.”
Gwil curled up next to Hyax who was looking very pleased with himself.
“I’ve got you a present.” Hyax smiled and reached over the side of the sofa. “I believe the custom is presents are meant to sit under the tree but that’s too weird for me. You don’t leave things of value under conifers, they droop, and drop their needles, and the bloody imps would strip them before they touched the ground.”
Gwil laughed. “I didn’t get you anything.”
“This isn’t my holiday, but you should know that if you miss my birthday or midsummer I’ll pull out your fangs.”
“What am I meant to get a fairy prince? You have everything you need.”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
He thought Hyax was joking but he made a mental note not to risk it. Hyax handed over a fairly heavy box about the size of a football. The wrapping reminded him of Hyax, beautiful and shimmering, and the bow reminded Gwil of his wings. If they hadn’t made the move from friendzone to lovers and he’d been given this, it might have been the final straw that would have had him running out in the middle of the day and putting an end to his misery.
“I know it’s a pretty box, but the gift is inside it,” Hyax teased.
“What is it? Fairy lube?”
“If you want more sparkles up your arse you only have to ask, Gwil.” Hyax wriggled his fingers and lights danced at their tips.
He remembered the tingle. “Maybe later.”
Gwil tugged at the bow, thinking that Hyax would look very nice wearing it as a way of tying him naked in place, then he opened the box.
“What the fuck is this?” He lifted an object out of the wrapping. He had to use both hands as it was made from a heavy black metal cast in the shape of a bat with a green glass bulbous stomach that might be some sort of light source. It had chains attached to its wing tips which he guessed were for hanging it up.
“It’s a bat lamp. It’s French from the 1930s, I saw it in an antiques shop when I was in Paris a few months back and I couldn’t resist.”
Gwil was caught somewhere between touched and incredulous. “You know I can’t turn into a bat.”
“All the more reason for us to have one in our home.”
“You blond fucker.”
Hyax smirked. “I think I’m more of a vampire fucker.”
