Page 14 of Eleazar

“Finish packing.” If Eleazar stuck around much longer, he might hunt Bert down and show him what manners were, though Bert might not live through the experience. It had taken every ounce of restraint Eleazar possessed not to kill the guy when Bert had stood in front of him.

“Okay, again, make yourself at home.” Andrew walked away but returned five minutes later with a backpack and a small duffel bag. “I’m ready.”

“You don’t wish to take anything else?”

Andrew’s dark eyebrows shot up. “I almost forgot my pictures.”

He grabbed the frames off the wall, tucking them into a plastic grocery bag, along with what looked like a photo album.

“Thanks for reminding me,” Andrew said. “Now I’m ready.”

Eleazar took the large duffel bag and opened the door, checking the hallway to make sure Bert hadn’t lingered. As much as men like Bert irritated Eleazar, he couldn’t wipe out every jerk in the city.

Technically he probably could, but it wouldn’t be worth his time. It would also bring down Benicio’s wrath. Something Eleazar wanted to avoid. Everyone had someone to answer to, and Eleazar was no exception.

Andrew followed Eleazar out into the hallway, glancing around as if expecting Bert to jump out suddenly. Eleazar couldn’t blame him for being on edge. Humans were fragile creatures and could easily fall victim to harm.

They made their way down the stairwell, the sound of Andrew’s shiny dress shoes echoing in the quiet. Eleazar noticed how Andrew’s scent filled his nose—a mixture of musk and rosewood. It was a heady combination that made Eleazar’s fangs ache for a single taste.

He ignored the overwhelming desire, focusing instead on the Bert situation. It was clear that Andrew needed protection, and Eleazar was the one to provide it. Andrew was living under his roof now, and Eleazar would make sure that nothing happened to the human.

* * * *

Andrew never thought he would get used to being up all night and sleeping during the day. He’d always been an early riser, but now he was going to bed at the crack of dawn instead of waking up at that hour.

He’d been with Eleazar for over a week now, and he struggled to stay awake most nights. Andrew was also amazed at how many other people were night owls considering the business Eleazar conducted in the wee hours of the morning.

If Andrew were being honest, he hadn’t done much as far as being Eleazar’s assistant. Or servant. Whichever title, most nights Andrew played games on his phone while he waited to see what Eleazar wanted him to do. Other nights he helped Sonny, watching as the guy cooked him something to eat so he could learn the skill.

One night Andrew had helped Sonny clean rooms because he’d been so freaking bored. The only reason he’d been allowed to was because Amon, one of the coven members, had followed them around like a bodyguard.

The one thing that was consistent was laying out an outfit for Eleazar to wear when he woke around sunset. Andrew made sure his shoes were polished to a shine, his suit was pressed, and there was a bag of blood waiting for him.

The last task always made him squeamish, but Andrew was being paid an obscene amount of money, so he ignored the fact that Eleazar fed from that bag.

Why he didn’t feed from a vein was a mystery to Andrew, but he never asked. Felix might have said that servants weren’t to be fed from, but Andrew didn’t want to take the chance of asking and turning into Eleazar’s meal.

As attracted as he was to Eleazar, Andrew didn’t fancy opening a vein for the vampire.

It was two hours before Eleazar would rise when Andrew’s phone rang. He saw it was Zach, his friend who’d told him about this job.

“Hey, Zach,” he said when he answered.

Now Andrew wondered if his friend knew about vampires and the situation he was sending Andrew into when he suggested that Andrew apply for the position.

“I, um, haven’t heard from you since the night I told you about that job,” Zach said. “I even went by your place, and your boyfriend told me you’d moved out.”

“My boyfriend?” Who was Zach talking about, and why did he sound so nervous? Was it because he’d known what he was sending Andrew into?

“Bert,” Zach said. “As soon as I knocked on your door, he came out of his apartment.”

Andrew groaned. He had no idea why Bert was so stuck on him. Three stinking dates. It wasn’t as if they’d been seeing each other for a while. Three damn dates. Lousy dates at that.

“I got the job,” Andrew said. “One of the requirements was living in the guy’s house.”

“No shit.” Zach gave a low whistle. “How’s it working out for you?”

He still sounded nervous. “Fine. I wanted to thank you for suggesting this job to me.”

---