Page 32 of Claim of Blood
Adam held his gaze for a beat, then withdrew his hand slowly. He hadn’t meant to do it. Or maybe he had.
“Will this…” Adam’s voice dropped, more to himself than anyone else. “Will I lose control like that again?”
Lander didn’t look back this time, his reply thoughtful, if uneasy. “I’ll need to ask my parents for specifics... but likely, yes. At least at first.” A pause. “They would know best.”
Adam said nothing, but his grip on Leo’s waist tightened just slightly.
“And will I just roll over like some trained pet?” Leo’s voice was rough but carried an edge of frustration. “Because I’m not—I’m not whatever that was back there. Or in the council room. Or the garage. What is wrong with me?”
A small smile tugged at Lander’s mouth. “I’ll ask about that, too. Though I don’t recall their dynamic…” His voice trailed off as he visibly tried not to think too deeply about his parents’ relationship.
“Thank you, Lander,” Adam said, then paused, considering. “What are your thoughts on this hunter—the one gathering information about us?”
Leo stiffened under Adam’s arm. “What? How did you—” His face paled. “Oh god, what hunter?”
Adam and Lander exchanged a look. “Leo,” Adam said gently, “you told us about Felix. Just now, in the alcove.”
“I…” Leo’s brow furrowed. “I don’t remember talking. At all.”
Something twisted in Adam’s chest at Leo’s confusion. He made a silent vow not to take advantage of such vulnerability in the future, even as part of him thrilled at how completely Leo had submitted.
“About Felix,” Lander redirected smoothly, “it might be worth bringing him in. Or at least acquiring his notebooks. Is he in Boston?”
Leo’s pause was telling.
“He’s here,” Adam said, not a question. “In Porte du Coeur. In Innsbrook.”
Leo’s silence confirmed it. Adam could feel the reluctance rolling off him in waves. While it would be simple enough for Oren to canvas every rental property, confronting a hunter in their residence was rarely wise.
“Where does he go when he’s not being a hunter?” Adam asked, his tone deceptively casual.
When Leo remained silent, Adam’s hand slid down to grip his ass, fingers pressing against his still-sensitive entrance through the sweatpants.
Leo sucked in a sharp breath at the pressure. “The Fourth Cat,” he blurted. “He spends a lot of time at the Moulin Coeur. There’s this Vaudeville act he never misses.”
Adam knew the act immediately. Three members of his Night Court performed there regularly. A glance at Lander showed the younger vampire was equally aware.
As they approached the mansion’s entrance, Adam turned to Lander. “Find him. Bring him to me.”
“No!” Leo’s protest was immediate, his body tensing.
“Gently, Lander,” Adam amended, his fingers flexing against Leo’s hip. “We’re not looking to start a war.”
“You already have,” Leo mumbled.
“They don’t know that yet, beauty.”
Lander nodded. “Of course... Adam.” And with supernatural speed, he vanished.
Adam guided Leo through the mansion’s grand hallways, past several closed doors, to a stately guest suite on the third floor. Just before he could open the door, he caught sight of Maja. Her face was an expressionless mask, but her eyes tracked their movement with sharp attention. He guided Leo inside, noting how the hunter’s gaze swept over the space, wide-eyed, before he shut the door behind them.
The guest suite was designed for visiting dignitaries: a blend of luxury and quiet comfort without being ostentatious. Antique Persian rugs softened the dark hardwood floors, while carefully chosen artwork adorned the walls. A king-sized bed dominated one wall, dressed in deep burgundy silk that caught the dim light. The furniture was all solid mahogany, worn smooth by centuries of careful use.
Adam guided Leo further into the room, watching for his reaction. “This will be your room,” he said, feeling the exhaustion and anxiety warring in Leo’s trembling frame. “I thought you might prefer your own space.” The words tastedstrange on his tongue. In five millennia, he had never felt compelled to offer a lover their own territory within his domain.
Leo stumbled slightly, taking in the room’s grandeur. “My own...?” The gratitude in his voice satisfied something deep in Adam’s chest, but it quickly gave way to that damnable hunter’s focus. “Thank you, but... why can’t I remember telling you about Felix? How is that even possible?”
Irritation flared. Here he was, offering Leo a sanctuary, something unprecedented in his existence—and his hunter was fixated on what he’d confessed while pliant and undone. Every possessive instinct wanted to drag him to Adam’s own chambers and keep him close. But he’d lived long enough to recognize the necessity of offering Leo some independence, even if he hated it.
