Justice stretched his long body along the expensive sheets. He never cared about material things, didn’t have a need for two billion thread count sheets. However, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so well. He felt amazing, even warmer than usual. He looked down at his mate, resting peacefully nestled in his armpit. Wick had immediately taking a liking to the confined space while he slept. He couldn’t take his eyes away from the beautiful creature in his arms. He gently ran the pad of his thumb down Wick’s brow to his high cheekbone. There were no lines, wrinkles or blemishes on his smooth, porcelain face.

“Comes from using Oil of Olay for a hundred and seventy years.”

Justice smiled even wider. Damn, Wick sounded sinful when he first woke. He wanted to roll back on top of him and… Wait a minute. Justice frowned when he thought about what Wick just said. “Whoa… really?”

Wick laughed at him and Justice felt like a fool. He’d been so wrapped up in warmth, his brain was barely functioning. “I see you’ve suddenly developed an annoying sense of humor,” Justice grumbled, reaching under the covers and pinching Wick’s ass. “Did they even have lotion when you were born?”

Now it was Wick’s turn to scowl. Justice laughed right back at him, kissing the creases that’d formed in his forehead. “Aww. Teasing is fair play, baby. Don’t dish it if you can’t take it. Especially with my brother, Mac. He’ll make you wanna crawl under a table from embarrassment.”

“We’ll see about that,” Wick hissed, getting up from bed, walking that sexy, smooth ass towards their bathroom. Even with bed head and a grumpy attitude, his mate was the light in his soul.

“Hey, get back in bed,” Justice complained. He could hear the water running in the vanity sink. Why was Wick up so soon when they’d just laid down? He turned and looked at the time on Wick’s cell phone – Justice hadn’t even bothered locating his. Justice’s eyes bulged. It was almost six in the evening. “What the hell?!”

Wick peeped his head out the door. “Everything okay?”

Justice’s head was in his hands. He’d slept through the entire day without even realizing it. Those freaking black-out curtains made it so damn dark. “I can’t believe we slept…” Justice rapidly did the math. “Eleven hours!”

Wick finished brushing his teeth and came out to the bedroom walking towards his closet. “You had a very long night. By the time I had you settled after the challenge, it was almost daybreak. I was exhausted, too. It felt like I fought right alongside you.”

“You did,” Justice whispered softly, but he knew Wick heard it in the closet.

He came out with a dark suit that looked to have been recently pressed. “I have meetings all evening. I have to speak with the Royal Court and my father today. I need the rest of my escort to come back since it looks like I’ll be permanently relocating. I’ll have my staff officially notify all covens across the world that the King has mated with his Beloved. There’s so much to do, Justice. I would love nothing more than to stay close to you all night, but duty calls, and I’m sure it does for you too.” Wick kept dressing while he spoke.

“I know,” Justice sighed, flopping back down in the bed. Duty was calling. His brother Alek was more than capable of handling Justice’s responsibilities while he took time to get to know Wick, but he couldn’t put off speaking with the rogue shifters any longer. “Why the fancy clothes?”

“My father won’t even look at me – neither will the holders of the Court – if I’m in a t-shirt and ripped denims,” Wick confessed, hooking his rare-looking gold cufflinks.

Justice got up, he couldn’t sit there and watch any longer. He took Wick in his arms while he closed the left sleeve. “What is this?”

“It’s my family’s crest.”

Justice ran his finger over the precious metal. He couldn’t make out all the details of the Bentley crest on the small link but he’d be sure to inquire more about it later. He had many questions about Wick’s history, his life, experiences, his family. Justice kissed Wick’s neck. He had time.

“You didn’t feed before you went to sleep,” Justice stated casually. He went and sat down on the couch in the sitting area, spreading his legs and reclining until his head rested on the back of the microfiber cushions. “Come here.”

Wick tossed his black suit jacket over the back of the chair and sidled up close to Justice. “You always smell so delicious. I try hard not to attack you at my whims.”

Justice let Wick crowd into his throat, his heartrate skyrocketing like it did every time he got ready to provide his mate with nourishment. It was an act that touched the deepest place inside of him. Wick hummed softly, then bit down with care and accuracy. Like always, Justice’s dick went from half hard to able to come in seconds. He was so fuckin’ turned on by Wick’s sucking and pulling, he was dizzy. “I’ll never tire of this… I promise you.” Justice never, ever, made a promise he couldn’t keep.

“I love you.”

“I love you back.”

Wick pulled back and licked Justice’s neck until the bite marks faded to a soft pink. Then without a second thought, Wick thrust his head into Justice’s lap and took his solid erection in his mouth, letting Justice release all the built-up need from his balls. With his hand firmly tangled in Wick’s hair, he came so hard his hips rose on their own, making sure his mate had every inch of him and swallowed every drop.

When Wick and Justice came downstairs and into the kitchen, Henry was already there drinking his first meal out of a black coffee mug, with a laptop plugged in right beside him, logged on to YouTube. He stood up straighter when they entered. “Evening, my Lords. I trust you rested well.”

Justice grabbed a banana out of the new fruit bowl Henry had added to the island, and a bottle of water out the refrigerator, grumbling under his breath. “Goodness. If someone calls me Lord one more time, I’m going to fall down on my knees and beg the actual Lord above to please forgive me for taking his place.”

Henry cast his eyes down. “I apologize, Justice. It won’t happen again.”

Wick glared up at Justice from whatever he’d been reading on his cell phone. “I’ve asked you not to mock our culture. This interspecies mingling is going to take some getting used to, by all of us. Our ways of life are different, but we’ll peacefully coexist if we’re courteous to one another. Henry was being his most respectful. He’s also sitting here watching this absolutely ridiculous application online so he can make you… ” Wick leaned over and peered at the laptop screen, scoffing. “Because it sure as bloody hell isn’t for us… a rack of lamb with mint jelly.”

Justice was officially chastised and he’d deserved it. Shit. I love lamb with jelly. What had he been thinking, making Henry feel like that? The young vampire had gone out of his way to cater to him and his needs, making Justice feel welcome right from the start. He leaned down and kissed Wick’s forehead, apologizing to his mate before turning to Henry. “I am so sorry, Henry. I should never speak to you so rudely.”

Henry began to object but Justice halted him. “No matter my title or station. There’s no excuse… but I have one nonetheless.”

Henry and Wick both chuckled a bit, easing the strain, as Justice continued. “I guess I’m a little testy about having to leave my new mate and go back to the pack lands to work without him.”

“That’s quite alright, Alpha.” Henry nodded, turning back to his laptop.

Justice put his hand on Henry’s shoulder and it made the vampire lurch so hard, Justice yanked his hand away like he’d been burned. Wick flashed from his seat and was at Justice’s side. “What happened? I felt it too.”

Justice was flipping his hand back and forth like he’d never seen it before. “I’m not sure. But I think I can comfort your vampires with my touch, just like I can my shifters.”

Henry had his hand on his shoulder where Justice had touched him. “I didn’t mean to react that way. Your hand was so warm and the feeling that flowed through it was… was… I can’t explain.” Henry sat down at the table, appearing dazed. “I’m also not used to being touched.”

Justice slowly moved back over to Henry, Wick right on his heels. “It’s okay. There was no intimacy in the touch, Henry. Shifters are an extremely tactile group. We rely on physical comfort, especially if we’re hurting, because without it we’d go insane. We’d lose our humanity to our animal. How did it feel when I touched you?”

Henry was staring at Justice, his eyes slightly averted. “It felt really good. Like the best thing I’ve felt in years. I was so upset that I’d forgot to not call you ‘Lord’ like you requested. I pissed you off and then I created disharmony between you and your Beloved. I should be ashamed.”

Justice was stunned over quite a few things. He couldn’t believe how sensitive the vampire was. He thought they were mostly a dime a dozen, all of them full of cockiness and nonchalance. Justice had assumed this, and like the saying goes, he made a complete ass of himself. He wanted to fix this. He needed to make sweet Henry feel better. It baffled Justice that he felt the compulsion as strongly as when he needed to console his wolves.

With Wick’s hand on the small of Justice’s back, he felt the positive, soothing energy his mate was sending to him. Justice closed his eyes and centered all the emotion and strength within him. When he spoke again, his voice was calm but authoritative. “Let me touch you again.”

Henry could only gulp hard and croak out an uneasy “Yes, sir,” after he got the nod of approval from his King. While he sat there, radiating anxiety and nervousness thick enough to stifle them, Justice reached his hand out and gently placed it on Henry’s shoulder, the pad of Justice’s thumb touching Henry just about his stark, white collar.

Henry shivered as his eyes fluttered closed. Justice felt Wick’s tranquility, but he also felt Henry’s worry ease more and more until the man was vibrating and smiling under Justice’s touch. When he removed his hand, Henry’s eyes reopened, gleaming brightly. “I wouldn’t mind more of that.”

“Cheeky.” Wick sneered with no heat, moving back to where he was sitting.

“It’s still so warm,” Henry said in awe, rubbing his thin fingers where Justice’s had been. “His touch is pretty amazing.”

Wick peered up from his phone, briefly. “Yes, I know. Glorious. I’ll have every vampire within a two hundred mile radius all waiting to be touched by my mate.”

“Jealous.” Justice’s grin was irritating.

“That’s preposterous, crazy. I have no reason to be.”

“I like how it sounds when you say that word, in that superior accent of yours. Later tonight I’m going to make you say it repeatedly… and much louder.”

Ramon came in with the four remaining vampires. “Greetings.”

Henry was on cloud nine as he bounded into the kitchen and started to prepare the other vampires’ first meals, removing the already submerged bags of lifeblood from what Henry had told him was a water oven.

The men sat down with Wick and Justice, waiting for their meals and instructions for the night. He wanted to sit there and watch the King do his business, but he did need to get back down the mountain to the Humboldt’s land and discipline the rogue shifters. Besides, he was sure his pack missed him. He’d been sleeping during the day and up with his mate at night. That was still a worrisome topic for them both.

“I’m going to get back down the mountain.”

“I can give you a ride,” Ramon volunteered quickly.

“I can run faster.” Justice smirked, turning back to Wick.

Wick smiled and leaned up for another kiss. The others considerately turned away while Justice kissed across Wick’s temple, mouth and jaw, until he got to his mark. He whispered – knowing that everyone could still hear him – “I won’t be long.”

“My meetings will probably run late. Eat the dinner Henry’s researching and I’ll join you when I’m finished.”

Justice had a feeling that meant for him not to come disturb him when he was videoconferencing with the previous King, Winchester Bentley, and the royal Councilors. With one last loving thought and a vision of their animals running together tonight under the moonlight after Wick’s long night of work, Justice walked out the front door, accepting Wick’s returned feelings.

It took him a second to pry his hand off the doorknob. He had to go. He was going to have to learn to be away from his mate sometimes so they could continue to perform their duties. Justice alerted his siblings he was coming, shifted to his wolf and bounded into the trees.