Page 16 of Heart of Glass

The drugs would help some, but only for a short while. Xeno still hadn’t decided how much of the truth he should tell Lachlan about himself or their unique connection, but he didn’t have to bare his soul to ease Lachlan’s discomfort. A few drops of his blood wouldn’t repair all the damage to Lachlan’s hip and leg, but it would allow him to walk without pain.

Hurrying to the kitchen before his mate could protest, Xeno retrieved an individually sized bottle of orange juice from the fridge. Checking over his shoulder to be sure Lachlan hadn’t followed him, he forced his canines to elongate and pricked the pad of his forefinger on one of the sharp tips.

After squeezing three drops of blood into the open juice container, he used a straw to mix the two liquids together, found Lachlan’s painkillers, and returned to the living room. “Take this.” He handed Lachlan the juice and dropped one white pill into the palm of his other hand. “It’ll help take the edge off.”

“Thank you.” The guy must have been in more pain than even Xeno realized, because he swallowed the pill and downed half of his orange juice without argument. “You take such good care of me. I really don’t know what I’ve done to deserve it, and I have no way to pay you back.”

“It’s been a long morning.” Lachlan didn’t owe him anything, so Xeno didn’t bother to entertain the discussion of repayment. “You need some rest.”

“I need a job,” Lachlan countered in a depressing monotone.

“Well, I doubt you’re going to find a job right this minute. I think you can spare a couple of hours for a nap. You can sit here and worry, or you can rest and feel better. Either way, you’re still going to be broke.”

Without medical insurance to cover part of the cost, Lachlan’s hospital bills had completely ravaged his bank account. Then, Lachlan being Lachlan, hadn’t bothered to check his balance before paying six months of rent for his apartment up front. A decent royalty check for third quarter sales had been the only thing to prevent him from falling into debt.

The hollow look in Lachlan’s eyes when he’d returned to the car had been unbearable to witness. Xeno made all kinds of silent promises to his mate on the way home, but he didn’t voice them aloud, knowing Lachlan would balk at the first sign of a handout. At some point, though, the guy would have to face reality, and realistically, he couldn’t afford to turn down Xeno’s offer of help.

“I’m not tired,” Lachlan mumbled.

“You’re being childish, now get your skinny ass up, and let’s go.” If coddling and swaying him wouldn’t work, Xeno had no problem playing the hardass. Since Lachlan looked as though he would fall apart at any moment, maybe he needed someone to take over and make the decisions for a while.

“You’re right.” Rising to his feet without another word, Lachlan shuffled across the living room and down the hallway. He didn’t use a cane, his crutches, or even hold on to the wall for support.In fact, his usual limp appeared less noticeable, and he didn’t move as stiffly as before. “Sorry to be such a pain in the ass.”

If the moody author apologized one more time, Xeno would strangle him. “Shoes off and get into bed.”

Lachlan did as he was told, kicking his sneakers off and crawling under the blankets with a yawn. “You didn’t sleep much last night. Maybe you should take a nap, too.”

Xeno opened his mouth to respond, but stopped, pressed his lips together, and furrowed his brow. He’d intended to catch a little snooze time on the couch, but if Lachlan wanted to share the bed, he’d much rather curl up with his mate. Then again, if he’d misread that coy grin, things could turn really awkward really fast.

Thankfully, Lachlan didn’t leave him wondering long. Yawning again, he patted a spot on the mattress beside him and tilted his head to the side. “C’mon, Xe. You look as tired as I feel.”

Xeno didn’t need to be told twice. As he slipped under the blankets, though, Lachlan’s sweet, warm scent saturated his pillow and filled his nose, making it impossible for him to focus on anything other than the man beside him. Following his instincts, he took a chance and prayed he wouldn’t end up with a set of bruised balls.

Draping one arm over Lachlan’s waist, he pulled his mate closer, holding him to his chest while his heart pounded a quick staccato against his ribcage. “Is this okay? Are you still hurting?”

“This is perfect,” Lachlan purred as he skimmed his nose across Xeno’s collarbones. “I don’t know what you gave me, but I haven’t felt this good in months.”

Increased libido and sense of euphoria were minor side effects from Xeno’s blood, but the floating sensation Lachlan likely felt would wear off soon. “Good.” Rolling his eyes, he removed Lachlan’s hand from his ass and placed it on his hip instead. “Go to sleep, Grabby McGrabberson.”

With a quiet hum and a happy giggle, Lachlan tucked his head under Xeno’s chin and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. “Don’t leave, okay?”

He didn’t need to worry, though. After centuries of searching for somewhere to belong, Xeno felt like he had finally found his place, his purpose, and he was right where he wanted to be. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Strong hands kneaded the flesh around his hips and anchored him to the trunk of the massive tree at his back while moonlight filtered through the treetops, illuminating the dense fog that swirled across the forest floor. A storm brewed off to the east, brightening the sky in quick flashes like the pulse of a strobe light, and the moisture of the atmosphere wrapped around Lachlan, licking at his bare skin.

“We need to keep moving.”

“Not yet,” Xeno growled as he lifted Lachlan into his arms. “I can’t…I have to…”

“Shh.” Touching the side of Xeno’s face, Lachlan leaned into him and captured his lips, pouring every ounce of himself into the kiss. “You’re okay. Be here. Be right here with me.”

Jerking out of the kiss, Xeno panted and trembled while a rumbling growl vibrated through his naked chest. An amber, almost ethereal light glowed from his eyes, and long, pointed canines extended below his upper lip. “I’m sorry.” The guttural quality of his voice sent a shiver along Lachlan’s spine, but he wasn’t afraid. “I need you.”

“You never have to be sorry for that.” As time trickled on, it became clear Xeno would lose the battle with his inner beast, and the further he spiraled, the more panicked he became. “You won’t hurt me. Just breathe, love.”

In the next heartbeat, Lachlan found himself face down on the forest floor and his ass arched into the air. Before he could think to protest or even question the action, a rough, wet tongue flicked along his crease and probed at his clenching hole.

His stomach clenched and a low moan bubbled up through his lips as he clawed at the ground. Bowing his back, he pushed against Xeno’s mouth, vibrating in anticipation of what would come. Xeno’s slippery tongue circled the muscles of Lachlan’shole, prodding at his opening and pushing deep into his eager hole.

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