Page 121 of Claim of Blood
“This?” Lander echoed.
“Us. The three of us, for now.” Adam’s attention returned to Lander’s face. “I stopped questioning why a long time ago.”
Lander started to respond, but Leo stirred, his breathing changing as he surfaced toward wakefulness. His eyes fluttered open, confusion giving way to recognition, then a slow, sleep-soft smile spreading across his face.
“Morning,” Leo murmured, his eyes meeting Lander’s before darting over Lander’s shoulder to find Adam. No shame, no hesitation—just simple pleasure at finding himself exactly where he was.
The hunter’s easy acceptance sent an unexpected pang through Lander’s chest. How could Leo adapt so quickly when Lander still felt like he was standing in someone else’s life?
“Good morning, beauty,” Adam replied, the endearment meant for Leo but his eyes fixed on Lander’s face, studying his reaction. “I believe Lander was just about to explain why he’s still pretending this isn’t exactly where he belongs.”
Leo’s brow furrowed slightly, his amber eyes clouding with concern as he looked at Lander. The hunter shifted, as if to pull away and give space, but Adam’s hand kept him firmly in place.
“No,” Adam said, his tone gentle but unyielding. “No more running from this. Not from each other.”
Lander swallowed hard, caught between centuries of careful planning and the undeniable pull of what was happening.
“I had my life mapped out,” Lander admitted, the words feeling raw in his throat. “Every step planned, every goal clear. Now I don’t even recognize the path I’m on.”
Leo’s eyes darted between them, sensing the tension. “What did I miss?”
“Lander’s questioning reality,” Adam said.
“I am not,” Lander snapped. “I just asked why this is even possible. It shouldn’t be.”
“And what did Adam say?” Leo asked.
“Magic,” Lander replied flatly.
Leo’s lips twitched. A smile broke through, then a small laugh. “Magic? That’s the big explanation from the ancient vampire?”
“It follows its own path,” Adam said, not bothered by Leo’s amusement.
“Very cryptic,” Lander added with a hint of sarcasm.
Leo’s laugh faded into thoughtfulness. “Felix might know.”
“Felix?” Lander tensed at the name, that unwelcome pull stirring in his chest again.
“He’s been studying vampire lore for years,” Leo explained. “All those books in his apartment—he’s been collecting research about your kind since we were teenagers.”
The mention of Felix seemed to shift the energy in the room. Adam’s fingers traced the faint marks on Lander’s neck again, more possessive now. “We could ask him,” he suggested. “Later.”
Leo settled back down, seemingly oblivious to the tension. “Later sounds good.”
“Much later,” Adam agreed, but his hand was already gliding down Leo’s spine with unmistakable intent.
Leo’s breath caught, his body responding instantly, pupils dilating as his focus narrowed. The pressure of his hardening arousal pressed to Lander’s stomach sent an unexpected surge of heat through Lander’s body.
“Feel him,” Adam instructed, his voice dropping to that commanding tone that bypassed Lander’s resistance. “See what happens when he yields.”
Leo shuddered as Adam’s hand slipped lower, and Lander found himself transfixed by the hunter’s expression—the complete absence of shame, the pure pleasure written across his features.
Without conscious thought, Lander’s hand moved between them, fingers wrapping around Leo’s length. The hunter gasped, eyes flying open to meet Lander’s.
“Yes,” Adam encouraged, his own arousal evident at Lander’s back. “Show him how good it can be.”
Leo’s head fell forward, forehead resting on Lander’s shoulder as he trembled. The trust in that simple gesture loosened something tight within Lander’s chest.
