One month later…

They didn’t need him. Maybe Cin had claimed Jonathan would be of use now. During the past month of research, he’d learned one thing if he’d learned nothing else—he was useless to this clan. Occasionally, he’d find a tidbit—a place they could search. The men would be off, scouting the area or doing surveillance. Jonathan was here, trapped in the house, and still marveling over the fact he couldn’t find anything to eat he liked anymore.

He eyed his peanut butter and jelly sandwich with suspicion. Faolan slowed on his way to the sink. His eyebrows rose in silent question.

Jonathan spoke around the peanut butter sticking to the roof of his mouth. “Why is this the nastiest thing I’ve ever had in my mouth?”

After grabbing a beer from the fridge, Faolan pulled a chair away from the table with his foot. He plopped down, facing Jonathan. “That’s a good question. Why is that the nastiest thing you’ve had in your mouth?” he asked, twisting the cap off his bottle. He tossed the cap away before taking a long swig. “I mean,” Faolan continued, “you date real men. Like, sweating, battling, burping, and farting real mean. So, how is it that a PB and J is the most disgusting thing you’ve ever put in your mouth? You should be able to name at least fifteen disgusting things you’ve had coating your tongue other than that sandwich by now.”

Jonathan’s shoulders shook. He tried not to choke.

Faolan wasn’t finished. He plucked the sandwich from Jonathan’s hands. “Let’s look at this logically.” He took a huge bite. Faolan pulled a face before reaching for the trashcan, tossing the sandwich in and spitting out the bite. “Ugh. I can’t get it off my tongue. I take it back. You’ve had eight, maybe nine worse things in your mouth before.” Jonathan laughed harder as Faolan chugged his beer, trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

“That was my lunch slash breakfast, possibly mid-morning snack.”

Faolan used Jonathan’s napkin to scrape his tongue. “That wasn’t food. That was diabetes. Your taste buds have changed with the turning. You need something better. Are you ready for this? Now just hear me out. You need something big and salty.”

Niall’s hands landed on Jonathan’s shoulders and squeezed. At the contact, every nerve ending sang. Jonathan couldn’t stop smiling.

“What are you two up to?”

“Faolan’s trying to get me to suck his dick,” Jonathan said without an ounce of shame.

“A big pretzel. I’m trying to get him to eat one of those big pretzels we have in the freezer. All it takes is a few seconds in the microwave.”

Jonathan snorted.

“Then, once he’s got something in his stomach, he can suck my dick if he so chooses.”

Niall’s low chuckle had Jonathan shaking with laughter. He massaged Jonathan’s shoulders once more. Jonathan’s spine relaxed against the chair as he sank into the sensation. “In all honesty, you probably do need something salty. Not Faolan’s dick, of course, as I’m sure he’d like to keep it.” Faolan winced. Niall ignored him. “You’ve changed on a biological level. Your body has different needs.” His body had needs, so many needs with Niall touching him. Niall turned away and headed for the freezer. “Come here.”

Jonathan immediately stood and followed on Niall’s heels to the freezer.

“You like sweets, correct?”

Jonathan nodded. “But they don’t taste the same.” He pulled a face. “It really sucks.”

Niall nodded. Jonathan could feel his understanding. “You don’t have to give it up. Just change the way you look at it.” He pulled a container of vanilla ice cream from the freezer. Jonathon watched as he found a shaker of sea salt and some dark chocolate crumbles. After making a pile of salt and crumbles, he dipped a spoonful of ice cream in the mixture. “Try this,” Niall said, holding out the spoon. Jonathan dutifully opened his mouth and accepted the bite. An explosion of salt, bitter, and sweet coated his taste buds. Jonathan’s eyes fell closed as he swallowed the delicious concoction.

“Oh my God. That’s amazing.” His eyes opened. Jonathan stopped breathing as his gaze collided with Niall’s. Hunger stared back at him, but there was something else too. Jonathan skimmed Niall’s mind without thought. A wave of sadness washed over Jonathan. “I’m sorry too.”

You have nothing to be sorry about.

I stole your life.

To Jonathan’s surprise, Niall smiled. “No, you didn’t. You gave me a reason to keep going.”

“No fair,” Faolan said, reminding them of his presence. “No one else can read Niall’s mind unless he lets us. He’s powerful. Is it because Jonathan was a Seer before the turn? Or do you think it’s because he’s mated to a prince?”

Horror crawled over Jonathan’s skin. “Prince?”

Niall’s gaze skirted away. He set the spoon on the counter.

“Oh, fook,” Faolan said, coming to his feet. “I’m out.”

Jonathan ignored Faolan’s hasty exit. “You’re a prince?”

“I assumed you knew by now.”

Without thought, Jonathan growled. “How would I know? No one tells me anything. I’m just sitting around, waiting on the passing of eternity, I suppose.”

Niall met his gaze. “In our world, each species has its rulers. We don’t answer to the laws of man. Someone has to keep order.”

Jonathan tried hard not to panic. He hated not knowing what he’d stepped into. “So I’m mated to a prince. What does that mean for me?” Even Jonathan couldn’t believe how calm he sounded. There was no way Niall didn’t realize Jonathan was freaking the fuck out inside.

A dimple appeared in Niall’s cheek. He picked up the spoon and repeated his earlier process. Jonathan dutifully opened his mouth as Niall fed him. Niall waited until Jonathan’s mouth was full before responding. “If I ever ascend to the throne, you’ll rule beside me.” Before Jonathan had time to panic, Niall eased his worries. “But I’m fourth in line. Considering we’re all immortal, the odds of me ever ruling anything other than this merry lot of filthy clansmen are astronomical. Plus, my father would probably come back and hold the throne as a ghost to keep me from having it. No one expects anything from you, Jonathan.” He continued to feed Jonathan while giving his speech. “You’re here because everyone wants you here. I don’t know why you can shove your way into my thoughts when no one else has ever been able to do so in the past.” His smile turned sad. “Just be careful in there. It’s a dark place.”

Jonathan searched Niall’s face. Now that he’d been told to be careful, he couldn’t stop trying to read Niall’s every thought. “You’ve gone too long without taking blood.”

“I can go much longer than a regular vampire,” Niall said, trying to spoon more ice cream into Jonathan’s mouth.

He pushed the spoon away. “How long?”

Niall seemed to think it over. “Probably six months,” he said after a minute. He nodded as if satisfied with that answer. “Six months.”

“How long has it been?”

One of Niall’s massive shoulders lifted in a half shrug. “Since the last time you offered me your vein.”

It took all of Jonathan’s willpower not to let his mouth hang open. “Seriously? Why?”

Obviously realizing Jonathan didn’t intend to let him continue with the ice cream, Niall set the spoon aside. “You’ve been recovering, and it’s very… difficult,” Niall said, as if searching for the right word, “to accept taking blood from anyone other than your mate.” Niall’s expression turned dark and hot. Jonathan’s mouth went dry. “Basically, I have no desire to sink my fangs into anyone else.”

“I’m better now. You should feed.”

Niall shook his head. “I’m okay.”

“You’re not,” Jonathan argued. “Look,” he said, tempering his voice. “We can make this not so awkward. Let’s do it right here, standing up with any witnesses who choose to stroll into the kitchen.”

“You think I wouldn’t take you in front of witnesses?” Niall asked, sounding two steps shy of deadly. “Do you really believe—given the chance—I wouldn’t bend you over this sink and fook you with the whole world watching?”

If Jonathan had ever been harder in his life, he couldn’t remember it. His voice turned husky with his arousal. “We can do this. Drink from my wrist. I’ll keep you out of my head. Nice and impersonal.”

“No one can keep me out.”

“What am I thinking right now?” Jonathan shot back as quickly.

Niall focused on Jonathan. Jonathan split his attention between holding a wall between them and picturing the way Niall’s lips always clung to his in dreams. He needed his thoughts to be sexual to test his wall because he knew without a doubt his thoughts would be ten times as bad once Niall touched him.

Niall’s expression went from fierce to confused. “Are you keeping your mind blank?”

Jonathan felt his smile grow into something wicked. “Nope.”

Without warning, Niall grabbed Jonathan’s wrist and bit down. A gasp tore from Jonathan’s lips at the unexpected move. He could feel Niall probing at his thoughts. It was like a feather tickling his brain. While gritting his back teeth, Jonathan did his damnedest to keep the man out. He’d been wrong. So very wrong. Jonathan had honestly believed the wrist would be a better choice. Now he couldn’t stop picturing Niall’s lips sucking his wrist while Jonathan’s lips were wrapped around Niall’s dick. A line appeared between Niall’s eyes. Jonathan’s heart rate kicked up and his breathing increased as he tried fighting his body’s reaction. He needed to keep Niall out or the man would never agree to this again. Jonathan couldn’t let him starve.

Niall licked the wound closed and tore his mouth away. Before Jonathan could catch his breath and argue that Niall hadn’t taken enough to sustain him, Niall tugged him into his arms.

“I don’t like the silence. Let me in,” he begged before sinking his fangs into Jonathan’s throat.

A moan escaped him before Jonathan could call it back. His walls fell and every fantasy he had of being on his knees filled his head. In his mind, there was no part of Niall left unlicked. Niall pulled his hair in real life the way he did in Jonathan’s fantasies. He had no clue what kept him from coming in his jeans that second. He was panting and moving against Niall’s body, seeking relief from the fire threatening to burn him alive. Niall’s tongue swiped Jonathan’s throat. Jonathan’s knees turned to mush. Only Niall’s massive arms wrapped around his waist kept Jonathan from hitting the floor.

“Was it impersonal, Jonathan?” Niall’s voice held a thick brogue he’d never heard the man use before as he spoke against the shell of Jonathan’s ear. Without giving Jonathan time to answer, he dissipated.

Jonathan blinked. His skin chilled, leaving him feeling lost. He balled his hands into fists, trying to control the shaking. A low whistle filled the air, bringing Jonathan’s head around to the door. Dougal stood with his shoulder leaned into the frame. The blond beauty of the bunch, as Jonathan had come to think of him, looked sexy as sin with the flush of arousal riding high on his cheeks.

“Dear goddess. That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” Dougal adjusted the front of his jeans, lending truth to his words.

To hide his blush, Jonathan turned his back on the man and knocked the spoon into the sink. With Niall no longer there, clouding his thoughts, the guilt set in. It could’ve easily been Cin witnessing him humping Niall in his clothes.

“You should go after him before he does something stupid.”

Jonathan’s insides twisted into knots at Dougal’s words. “It’s not my place.”

Dougal snorted. “You have a ridiculous cut and dry outlook on life. Niall always goes to work on his sword creations when he’s upset. You should go too.”

A bitter smile twisted Jonathan’s lips. “He doesn’t want me coming after him.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. Nothing will ever get worked out if you don’t talk to each other about it.”

“I can hear his thoughts. He’s begging me to leave him alone.” Jonathan swallowed past the pain and bitterness of the confession. “The least I can do is honor his wishes.” Because he couldn’t deal with life anymore today, Jonathan pushed past Dougal and headed for the bedroom. He would go back to bed. It wasn’t like anyone needed him for anything anymore anyhow. No one would miss him.

* * *

“Where is everyone?” Cin asked as he washed the demon blood from his hands. He’d been interrogating the spawn for close to eight hours. Now angry-looking burn marks were left behind from the demon’s acidic blood. The water turned red as it carried away the mixture down the drain. The wounds healed before Cin could dry his hands.

Faolan looked up from his book at the question. “Dougal left for town earlier. Niall is sulking with his knives and Jonathan went back to bed about an hour ago.”

Worry had Cin’s eyebrows drawing together. “Is he okay?”

Faolan shrugged. “Dougal says Jonathan gave Niall blood earlier. Maybe it’s still too soon for him to be offering his vein? It’s been a long time since I’ve been around a new turn, so I don’t recall how long it takes for them to be one hundred percent.”

Cin took a deep breath, calming himself. This wasn’t about the turn. Jonathan had been healed from that since Niall had been giving him blood on the regular. This was depression, and Cin didn’t know what to do. He didn’t realize he’d spoken the confession aloud until Faolan gave his two cents on the matter.

“You should make him talk to Niall. If he won’t, you should send him in to interrogate the spawn. Hell, he can’t do any worse than we have. Our methods are getting us nowhere.”

He was right. For a month now, they’d taken turns torturing the young demon to no avail. The spawn may’ve been young in years, but he was as solid and unbending as an elder demon. Still, Cin didn’t want to expose Jonathan to this side of their life.

“Jonathan is a genius. He’s not cut out for the ugliness we face.”

Faolan snorted. “In case you haven’t noticed, that boy is stronger than we are. I’m not sure if it’s the Seer blood in his veins or what, but he’s freaky advanced for a new turn.”

Cin couldn’t deny Faolan’s claim. “I’ll think about it.”

He started down the hall. Faolan called after him. “You’d better think quick, because shit’s falling apart around here.”

Since he couldn’t deny it, Cin chose to ignore Faolan and concentrate on Jonathan instead. He opened their bedroom door slowly, hoping not to wake Jonathan. With their window blacked out to keep out the sun, a silent darkness met him. Cin’s eyes adjusted to the dark. His senses took over, making every detail of the room stand out as if the sun shone brightly inside the room. A pillow covered Jonathan’s head. He was on his stomach. Even after probing at his thoughts, Cin couldn’t tell if Jonathan was asleep or tuning out the world.

He set one knee on the bed and paused. Jonathan didn’t budge. Cin crawled higher up the mattress while straddling the man’s ass. After bracing himself on his palms, Cin leaned in and touched his lips to the back of Jonathan’s neck. A pant so low it would’ve been undetectable to a human’s ears escaped Jonathan. Since the man wore nothing more than boxer briefs and Cin needed skin on skin, he pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside before going back for more.

As he looked on, Jonathan grasped at the sheets. Cin traced the bumps of Jonathan’s spine with his tongue. “Cin.”

Cin nearly broke at the sound of his name leaving Jonathan’s lips in such a ragged whisper. He wrapped his fingers around the waistband of Jonathan’s underwear and dragged them down the man’s hips. The instant the bare flesh of Jonathan’s sexy ass was exposed, Cin sank his teeth into the man’s ass cheek. Cin’s eyes fell closed. In almost seven hundred years, Cin had never found another man who kept him ensnared the way Jonathan did. The man was an itch, living under his skin.

“Damn, I’ve missed you today,” Cin said, hearing the desperation in his voice. “You are the love of my life. My vice.”

At his confession, Jonathan rolled. He gripped the back of Cin’s neck and hauled him forward. Their mouths clashed. There was no better taste in the world than Jonathan.

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

Jonathan’s confession broke something inside Cin. It fed the obsession living inside him. “I need to be inside you.” Once the admission was out there, Jonathan tore at Cin’s jeans, as if he felt the same desperation to be with Cin. The instant they were nude, Cin licked his fingers and stretched Jonathan’s hole. Jonathan writhed beneath him. His impatience caused him to be rougher than he intended. After guiding his cock to Jonathan’s asshole, the man’s body took over, pulling him inside. Tight heat squeezed him, making him wonder how long he could hang on. The noises coming from the back of Jonathan’s throat drove Cin insane. He kissed every place he could reach while speaking against Jonathan’s skin.

“Do you remember our first night together?”

Jonathan sucked in a hiss. “Oh God.”

Cin took that as a yes. “You handcuffed me to the bed. I thought I could play along. Let you continue thinking I was human and you could control me. For as long as I live, I’ll never forget your face when those handcuffs shattered. You weren’t afraid.” Pressure climbed from his toes, beating at his crown and making his spine itch as he remembered how out of control he’d been that night. He’d never shown his true nature to a human before Jonathan. Jonathan hadn’t reacted the way any other human would. Instead of screaming or running for his life, Jonathan’s lust had heightened. The man beneath Cin was a sexual deviant. It was enough to blow any man’s mind. “Don’t be afraid now. Let me inside your head. Show me all your darkest fantasies. I can make them real.”

Rather than giving in, Jonathan surged upward and flipped until he straddled Cin’s hips, taking what he wanted. He rode Cin hard, stealing all Cin’s thoughts. His kisses turned biting. Jonathan’s fangs were bared. The sexy sight made it hard for Cin to breathe.

Jonathan’s lips moved to the shell of Cin’s ear. “I love you, sexy. More than words,” he swore before sinking his fangs into Cin’s neck. Lights exploded behind Cin’s eyes—like a strobe light. Every muscle tensed to the point of tearing something before an orgasm shook him to his core. Hot semen coated his stomach and chest, letting him know he’d somehow pleased Jonathan while the man had him completely entranced. Jonathan stole his blood and seed while filling Cin’s mind with images of all the dirty ways he’d allow Cin to control him. The waves of pleasure didn’t relent, releasing him from their grip, until Jonathan licked the puncture wounds closed.

“Loving you is the scariest and bravest thing I’ve ever done,” Jonathan whispered against his ear. “I gave my life away for you. Stay for a little while. I’ll show you all the dark places you want to see. I’ve got nothing left to fear, except an eternity without you.”

Cin’s stomach clenched at the idea. He wanted to punish Jonathan for as much as thinking it. Cin had an hour or two he could spend teaching Jonathan a lesson. He wouldn’t let a second go to waste.