Page 9 of Searching for the Prince
“You don’t have to like it.” Solivatus smiled, it was a bit disconcerting as he leant around Gwil. “But you have to do right by one of mine. I hope I’ve made myself clear.”
Gwil had never thought he’d hear his sire give his boyfriend the equivalent of the shovel talk—no one had ever done that for him. “Perhaps we should go.”
Hyax was on his feet in an instant, for a moment Gwil thought he would open a portal and leave him behind, but instead he grabbed Gwil’s arm and marched him out, Flume on their heels. “Please take my car. And accept my apologies for Solivatus, Your Highness. Us vampires can be a little protective of our own.”
“I don’t like being threatened or the status of my relationship being called into question. Gwil and I are happy and do not appreciate your interference.”
Gwil wouldn’t mind a bit of interference if he thought it might help with their Metra problem, but for now, he’d get out of here with Hyax before he set fire to something with a well-placed fireball.
CHAPTER FOUR
Hyax had enough self-awareness to know he didn’t like to share, and could be prone to the odd jealous twinge, but this reaction to the way Solivatus treated Gwil was beyond anything he’d experienced and had caused a fiery bolt of pure possessiveness to scream through him. He’d barely been able to contain his anger and had at least stopped himself from throwing Gwil over his shoulder as he stormed out. He’d even thought to open a portal and drag Gwil with him but that would have been disastrous, knowing how Gwil’s anatomy did not fare well in the fae portals. Reducing his boyfriend to a crispy fried vampire due to a hissy fit would not be the best way of endearing himself to Gwil.
He had seethed all the way home, knowing it wasn’t prudent to vocalise anything negative while in a car owned by Flume. When the front door shut behind them, he turned on Gwil. “Solivatus is a giant fucking creep.”
Gwil schooled his expression. “I’m not arguing, but he’s my sire, Hyax. He’s not what I’d call a constant in my life… er… afterlife, but I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t turned me.”
“That doesn’t give him the right to put his hands on you now.”
“There are some schools of thought that would disagree,” Gwil said. “But he’s not one of them. He did it to get a response, and you gave him one.”
Hyax sneered. “What was I supposed to do, sit back and let him paw at you? You’re my betrothed.”
“Am I?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he demanded.
“Well, according to your parents, your betrothed is Metra and I’m your side fuck.”
Hyax wasn’t going to stand for that. “Solivatus doesn’t know what’s going on with me and Metra. As far as your little vampire friends are concerned, we’re planning to marry and he put his hands on you.”
“That’s what you’re pissed off at? That a man I’ve known for over one-hundred and fifty years put his hand on my knee? He didn’t even ask to see my ankles.”
“Gwil, don’t take the fucking piss.”
“You’re getting angry at me because someone touched my knee… or is it because they told you not to fuck me over?”
“What?”
Gwil snorted and stomped up the stairs. “Ah, itwasthat. This isn’t you thinking someone might crack on to me, but that they’ve had the audacity to tell you not to treat me like shit. Well, laugh’s on them, eh, Hyax? I’m about to be booted to the kerb.”
For a moment he was stymied. This wasn’t about his feelings for Gwil but that his sire was overstepping. He charged up the stairs. Gwil wasn’t in the front room, but in true British form, the bastard was in the kitchen filling the kettle.
“You’re making tea?”
“Yes, do you want one?” Gwil asked, keeping his back to him.
“Gwil, don’t be fucking ridiculous. You’ve just accused me of not caring—of course I don’t want bloody tea.”
He saw Gwil’s shoulders sag, but he didn’t turn. “I didn’t think you’d want me to tear your throat out, so the next best thing to calm me down is tea.”
“Arsehole.”
“Prick.” Gwil slammed a mug on the counter and threw a teabag into it. “You’re the one who’s out of line, not me.”
Hyax wanted to argue but the fight drained out of him as reality hit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to have such a reaction to Solivatus.”
Gwil turned and leant against the counter. “You’ve always been a bit funny about him, but I didn’t expect you to be so rattled.”
