Page 36 of Bleeding for the Prince
“Let’s go somewhere else to talk. I could take you to Bled.” He’d been looking for an opportunity to take Hyax somewhere rather than him being the usual tag-along.
“Very well. Do they allow fae portals?”
He wasn’t sure. “Why wouldn’t they?”
“Vampire club, not the sort of place they want crawling with uninvited magic users.” He frowned. “Is it live feeding?”
“I’ve only been once, and I didn’t see any.”
“You find out those two things and I’ll consider going, but until then, no.” Hyax had activated his arsehole mode. “I’m going to find my friend and then go home.”
There was no invitation to accompany him, and Gwil wasn’t in the mood to deal with Hyax when he was being a twat. “I’ll see you later then.”
Hyax stalked off. They didn’t argue much, and this was far more passive-aggressive than usual. Gwil was fucked if he was going to stand for it. They weren’t fucking children, and he was far too old for this shit. “Hyax!”
Hyax turned. “What?”
There were people about, and although they weren’t outright staring, there was a definite curiosity about whether they were about to make a scene. “You’ve no reason to be mad at me.”
“Just because I don’t want to go to a vampire club tonight doesn’t mean I’m mad.”
“Right.” He didn’t want to leave things like this. “How about you find your friend and we go home together?”
Hyax huffed, closed the distance and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m being a wanker. Let me introduce you to Cassie.”
A little crowd had gathered around a beautiful fae; her hair was strawberry blonde, and she had a series of studs down the shell of each ear, which surprised him as all Hyax’s ear jewels were clips and he had said he’d never pierce them. He guessed this must somehow mark her as rebellious by fae standards.
She held her arms out when she spotted Hyax. “Sweetheart, you came!”
Gwil wasn’t someone who got jealous, and even if he was, he knew Hyax had zero interest in women. “Cassie, you knew I’d be here.”
She pulled him into a hug. “And you’ve brought your special person.”
Gwil was hustled forward. “This is Gwil.”
She looked him up and down. “He’s not your usual type, but I guess it’s what makes it work.”
“If you mean he’s a vampire, then I suppose you’ve a point.” Hyax reached out and ruffled his hair. “But he’s definitely gorgeous, which I would say was always my go-to.”
Gwil hadn’t met Cassie before, but had a vague recollection of the name, so he didn’t think they would be that close, yet she spoke in such a way that they were. “I dunno, if I agree then I’m agreeing Tinnu is gorgeous and that would be pretty ick.”
“Tinnu?” Gwil asked, the name didn’t ring a bell.
“My little brother. He and Hyax dated, years ago now, but there was a time when I thought he’d be my brother-in-law.”
Hyax snorted. “We were neverthatserious, and it was over a century ago. I haven’t seen him in at least twenty years.”
Gwil had no issue with Hyax’s past, but he was still brooding over what Opali had told him, and he was self-aware enough to acknowledge his pang of jealousy, so he let it go. Hyax was a few centuries older than Gwil, with loads more lovers, but he thought Hyax might have mentioned this Tinnu, given he was meeting his sister at her art show. “Sounds like the split was amicable enough if you’re all good friends. I can’t say that about some of my exes.”
Hyax had the good grace to act a little sheepish. “It just ran its course. We’ve not even kept in touch. It’s Cassie I’m friends with these days.”
She smiled at Gwil. “Are you an art lover?”
“Some of it, and I can appreciate talent when I see it, even though I have none of my own,” he said, being as diplomatic as he could muster.
“I think we have to get going,” Hyax said, and Gwil wondered if Hyax thought he might put his foot in something. “I’ll be in touch about one of the pieces I have my eye on.”
“Happy to make sure you get first refusal, Hyax.”
