Page 24 of Benicio

“When my father decided he would replace me as his son. He snatched a stranger off the street, cast a spell on him, and two days later, your race was born.”

“Wait…what?” It was as if the information refused to register. David felt like his mind was scrambled.

Benicio sat up and leaned against the lavish headboard. He pulled David into his arms, and David was more than happy to have his mate’s arms wrapped around him. Did it matter to him that Benicio wasn’t a vampire? Not in the least.

“It was back when I was flexing my skills,” Benicio said. “My mother had taught me the standard spells warlocks used, but I wanted to be great. I wanted to create my own spells.”

“What does that have to do with what your father did?”

Benicio pressed his lips to David’s temple. “I’m not a good guy, David. I live in shades of gray. Back then, I was filled with hubris. I thought I knew everything, wanted to prove myself, but even I knew that what my father did was wrong.”

But it had led to David’s race.

“The vampire was unhinged, savage, and had killed two dozen people before I trapped him. I was going to put him out of his misery, should have used a blade, but instead I cast my own spell to kill him.” Benicio sighed. “It seemed I was only making matters worse. The vampire didn’t die. He grew stronger. Instead, I switched tactics and erased his memory, gave him new ones, and tempered the beast inside of him. Then I released him, praying I was making the right choice. I told my father that I’d killed him, though that lie wouldn’t last because your race exploded in numbers.”

“What did your father do when he realized you lied to him?”

“Tried to kill me again,” Benicio said, so calmly that it seemed he’d grown used to his father’s attempts. “It was then that I fled and went into hiding until I grew stronger in my craft. When I saw my father again, he knew I could best him, so he backed down.”

David frowned. “But he still kept trying to have you killed.”

“Yes.”

“So what happened to the guy your father turned into a vampire?”

“He is still among us but has no recollection of his true past.”

David wasn’t sure what to think. That seemed to be happening a lot in the past hour.

“I committed to the lie that I was a vampire, so I could watch over your race, rule it, if necessary, because it had been my father who had selfishly created your kind.”

“Does Matteo know the truth?”

Benicio nodded. “He is the only one, and now you. My father knew, but for reasons I’ll never know, he didn’t tell a soul I wasn’t a real vampire.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you and Matteo? He’s fiercely loyal to you, and he cares for you more than an assistant should.”

“Jealous?” Benicio smirked.

David had to admit he was beyond jealous. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Benicio chuckled, and David couldn’t get enough of that sound. “There is nothing between us. He’s been with me for fifteen hundred years, was there for the last two attempts on my life, and he’s heterosexual. He prefers the company of women, David.”

“Plus the perks of being your assistant must be amazing.”

Benicio shrugged. “He wants for nothing.” He kissed David’s forehead, making David’s cock want to stir back to life. But he was simply enjoying cuddling.

For now.

“You will want for nothing, either,” Benicio said.

“Wait.” David looked up at his gorgeous mate. “That means you can be out in the sun and eat regular food?”

“Yes.”

“Life is so unfair,” David said. “But I haven’t seen you eat while you’ve been here.”

“Then you haven’t been in the kitchen.”

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