Page 19 of Benicio

“I do not know,” Eleazar said. “It was given to me two years ago. Some stranger came here, handed me the book, and told me to keep it safe.”

“And you took it?”

Eleazar fingered the spine. “I knew it was something important as soon as he’d handed it to me. The pages are papyrus. The book had to have been fashioned much later, to keep the pages safe.”

“Because you didn’t have books when you were born,” Andrew teased.

Eleazar smiled. “No, they did not. Papyrus is made from a plant. Scholars used to make them into scrolls. I am guessing someone cut the scroll in sections to create pages, and then secured those pages to the spine.”

“And you don’t know who the stranger was?”

“No. Once he handed me the book, he fled.”

“That’s more than weird.” Andrew opened the book, but Eleazar caught his wrist in a gentle grip. “That book is very old, Andrew. I do not want the pages destroyed from the oil on your skin.”

His mate looked at his own hand as if he could see the oil. “Do I need gloves?”

“Yes, but there is no use. I can’t read the language, and even if I could, I would not know what these spells can do.”

“What if they’re not spells?” Andrew carefully closed the book and handed it over to Eleazar. “What if it’s a kid’s story or some dirty reading?” He bounced his brows. “I heard how freaky people were back then.”

Eleazar placed the book back in the chest. He should have probably found a better way to store it, but honestly, once Andrew had shown up, he’d forgotten about it and the mysterious stranger.

“Let us go see our daughter.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. “We’ve been away from her for ten minutes. Have I told you what a helicopter parent is?”

“Enlighten me,” Eleazar said as they walked to the door, but he looked back at the chest, his curiosity renewed.

If Benicio didn’t kill him, Eleazar was going to try and find out exactly what that book was.

Chapter Six

Benicio woke to immense heat all around him. It felt as if a small weight was holding him down. He cracked his eyes open, saw the dark room, and remembered where he was. Not only the home but who was in bed with him.

He’d fallen asleep this morning with David curled in his arms, and admittedly, he liked having David there. For the first time in what felt like forever, Benicio felt his feelings surfacing. He no longer felt numb, no longer felt as if he had to keep everyone at bay. At least not David.

But David wasn’t in Benicio’s arms. He was curled around his back like a spider monkey clinging to him. He also felt David’s hard cock pressed into his back.

How in the hell was he supposed to ignore that? David had already said he wasn’t ready for anything, so it took a great amount of control to turn over, gently pulling the small vampire away from him.

David’s eyes fluttered open.

All it took was David reaching out for him. Just that one act fractured every wall Benicio had placed around himself.

He cupped David’s face with both his hands and felt a sort of electrical buzz throughout his body. As weak as he had been, as confused as he felt with feelings emerging that he hadn’t had to deal with in a few millennia, there was no denying the intense attraction between them.

Their lips touched, and that was all it took to dissolve the hesitation between them. David gave himself fully over, moaning into Benicio’s mouth, sucking in Benicio’s tongue, slowly scooting closer.

Benicio massaged David’s ass then worked his hands upward until he was pulling David’s shirt off.

“Are we really doing this?” David panted as he licked his lips. “I thought you didn’t trust me.”

Benicio spun them and placed David on his back. He worked the rest of the man’s clothes off then spread his hand over David’s chest, amazed at how perfect he was.

“This is nothing more than two people scratching an itch.” Benicio stood, keeping his gaze locked on David as he stripped his clothes off. His cock sprung upward, slapping his stomach as he reached into the nightstand drawer and grabbed the bottle of lube.

Clearly, the owner kept his rental stocked with anything the occupant would need.

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