Page 31 of Illuminated

I shrugged. “He’s fine. He went on a date with Ben. They had a good time.”

“Ben?”

“His boyfriend. I like him.”

Auris took that in, filing it away. “You are not very close to your father, are you?”

“I love him, and we talk regularly.” Auris nodded, and I didn’t feel the need to elaborate. “So?”

He steepled his fingers in front of him, the sharp nails catching my attention once more. “My disappearance from where you found me has not gone unnoticed, though they seem to still wait for me to return to my house. Or my lair, as I am sure they would phrase it.”

“Did you actually see anyone watching? I mean, did you just go back? What happened?”

I had been fidgeting with the saltshaker and only noticed when Auris reached for my hand, stilling me. “I did not go back. I have people here who keep an eye on things for me, and of course, I have cameras in and around my house.”

“That makes sense. People like Gloria?”

“Yes.”

A wave of emotion hit me all of a sudden, and I didn’t know where exactly it came from. I let out a breath in order to release some tension. Auris, uncaring if anyone saw, had moved and was now kneeling at my side, his hands holding my face. His eyes examined me.

“I’m fine, really,” I said, my breath hitching.

His eyebrows tensed into a minute scowl. “Shock can creep up on you, but I have you, so don’t worry. We should go back to Brightam. Are you done eating?”

I nodded. “I’ll just head to the restroom,” I told him and left the table.

That brought back more memories of him, him touching me, and when I went to wash my hands, I was panting, all while my eyes had glazed over as if I were about to break out in tears.

We left quickly, and I tried ignoring the looks that people gave Auris. I liked that no one could really see my face, not with me wearing a mask.

Back at the cottage, Auris helped me out of my jacket and shoes, then put me on the couch and wrapped me in a blanket.

“Why did you decide to become a photographer, Ethan?” he asked and walked toward the kitchen.

It took me a long while to process the question, the images from that night still haunting me.

“I… always liked taking photos. Worked during college, you know. Taking photos. Wedding photos, other events, that type of thing. Then I decided I could make a living doing it. When I managed to sell stuff through my website.”

I heard him go through cabinets and looked over.

“I’m making you some tea,” he said.

“But you’re a vampire.”

“That doesn’t keep me from making a cup of tea for the man I love when he is distressed.”

“I’m not distressed.” But I was. Fuck, but I was.

“What was it like, the first time you got paid for a job?”

I leaned back and pulled the blanket tight around my shoulders. “It was good. I didn’t think they would, really. It was a wedding anniversary, fifty years, you know.”

“Oh, a golden anniversary? That’s rare.”

“Yeah, I guess. That’s right, they had golden decorations everywhere, and I had to make sure not to get any bad reflections or too much tinsel and whatnot in a shot.”

He came back with a large mug, steam rising from it. “Here,” he said and handed it to me, handle out, so I didn’t burn myself on it.

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