Soren (Vampire's Mate, #2)

by Grae Bryan

“Maybe they’ll give me an employee discount.” Gabe laughed again. He knew the situation wasn’t actually funny, but he was having a hard time accessing the fear and anxiety he knew he should be feeling.

Gabe’s throat went dry at the thought. He tried to restrain any bitter feelings, but this felt an awful lot like he was getting a babysitter, not the puppy. Someone tasked to make sure Gabe wouldn’t shirk his…family duties…with Danny away.

Not every vampire found their fated mate, the one whose soul would bond to theirs, preventing them from devolving into a feral state. And what if the one they did find didn’t like them one bit? That was a dilemma Soren was very…invested in…at the moment.

One boring human man who’d made it clear he thought Soren was an annoyance at best and a monster at worst. One boring human man who’d been doing his best to avoid Soren for over a year now. One boring human man who happened to smell and taste like the most delicious thing Soren had ever encountered.

“I don’t know how you do it,” Alicia said, drizzling caramel into a cup of ice. “This much sugar and caffeine and I would be up all night.” What a bitchy thing to say. It was almost enough to make Soren like her.

Dr. Monroe glanced up from his reluctant prey, eyes widening in surprise at Gabe’s harsh tone. “What’s your rush, King? You got a hot breakfast date?” The douchebag sounded a little jealous at the thought. And then, in a classic case of the world’s worst possible timing… “Morning, Highness.” The words, coming from directly behind Gabe, were a silky-sweet purr. He hadn’t even noticed anyone approaching. How did that fucker always move so quietly?

“That’s what you smell like. Like if the sea met a pine forest. And, um…cold. I don’t know how a person can smell cold, but you do.”

Soren chose not to answer himself. He and his brain weren’t on speaking terms anymore.

Gabe snickered. “You told me at dinner that you’re over three hundred years old…and a movie about dinosaurs is one of the best ever made?”

“Fuck,” Gabe groaned, as Soren dug into a particularly tight spot on his lower back. “Is this part of your vampire magic?” “No, this is you having more muscles than sense and me being good with my hands.” Another rush of blood shot to Gabe’s cock at the thought of how else Soren might be good with his hands. He went on the defensive. “I’m not that bulky. I run a lot.”

Soren pressed a soft kiss to the back of his neck. “Let me make you feel good, Highness?” The hint of vulnerability in Soren’s voice was the final push in melting Gabe’s reservations.

Soren’s free hand roamed frantically along Gabe’s stomach, his shoulders, his pecs. As if touching Gabe’s skin was in itself a turn-on for him. Fuck. That thought was hot.

So Gabe found himself watching Interview with a Vampire with an actual vampire. His life no longer made any sense.

He hadn’t gotten a proper taste last night. Was Gabe’s cock as delicious as the rest of him? But one night of touching wasn’t blanket permission, so instead of scooting down Gabe’s body, Soren scooted himself up. He nuzzled his nose behind Gabe’s ear, inhaling more of that delicious scent. Gabe stirred beneath him. “I want to taste you,” Soren whispered into his ear, licking around the rim.

Gabe reached for his arm. “Let me? Please?” There was that please again.

He didn’t know what he’d been expecting when it came to reciprocity from this human he’d only seen with women before, but it wasn’t this full-bore, no-holds-barred enthusiasm.

Soren smirked at him. “You want to know how my body works, Highness?” Gabe ignored the innuendo. “What if something happens to Danny? I won’t be able to fix it.” Soren’s eyes softened in realization.

“I don’t know. What everyone wants, I guess. To be happy. Just not sure I know how.” The truth of that slipped easily out of Gabe’s lips, in his relaxed state.

There was an extended pause. “Soren,” Gabe pressed. “Yes?” Soren asked innocently. “Why did you stop?” Soren huffed. “Well, you don’t like the smell, do you?”

Gabe had just… He’d wanted to be that person. The competent, capable adult. The one with the answers, for once.

Gabe felt like someone had just knifed him in the chest. “But did you fuck him?” Soren’s eyes widened at the accusation. Weirdly enough, the vampire…grinned. “Interesting…,” Soren murmured.

“You’re jealous.” Soren approached Gabe with a shark’s grin on his lips. “How silly of you.”

“Do you know how many men I’ve fucked since coming to this town?” Soren asked, his voice mild. Gabe was going to be sick. He really didn’t want to know that number. Soren chuckled at his silence. “Zero,” he whispered into Gabe’s ear. “None. Not a one. Do you know why?”

little psycho flirt who could have any man he wanted, only wanted Gabe?

Soren licked around the shell of his ear, soothing the sting. “How will you make it up to me?” “However you want.” Gabe was putty in his hands. “I want you to fuck me, Highness.” Jesus. Gabe was a goner.

hands. The little vampire seemed to love manhandling Gabe. Fuck, why was that so hot?

Soren smirked down at him, shaking his head slowly. “You’ve been a naughty boy, Highness,” he taunted. “Accusing me of all sorts of nasty things.”

“I just—the thought of you with someone else…,” Gabe started, but he didn’t know how to end the statement. “You don’t like it,” Soren finished for him. “I hate it,” Gabe bit out. “I wanted to strangle Monroe.”

“Good,” Soren declared, baring his teeth even wider. “Because if I see you with anyone else, I’ll rip their throat out.” Jesus.

He couldn’t stop touching him. But he kept his grip light. Soren may have asked Gabe to fuck him, but Gabe was in no doubt of who was running the show. And Gabe was happy to let him. So fucking happy.

side. Gabe immediately curled himself around the vampire, tucking Soren’s slight body into his chest. “I’m not some virgin maiden,” Soren grumbled. “I don’t need a cuddle after every time.” Gabe knew better now than to be offended. “I need it,” he said lightly.

Gabe felt something warm unfurl in his chest. Here Gabe was offering himself up on a platter, and Soren was giving him time to back out. Gabe knew he wouldn’t, but the thoughtfulness behind the move had him pulling Soren even closer.

brat, as long as I get to be the one who takes you home at the end of the night.” Christ. The human couldn’t just say things like that. They were about to enter dangerously mushy territory.

Soren bit his lip. “Even though I still run from it, like a little coward?” Gabe stroked Soren’s cheek with his thumb. “Self-preservation isn’t cowardly. You’ve been protecting yourself.”

“Spoiled pup,” Soren murmured, walking over to give the mutt a head scratch anyway. He was pretty cute, even if he was an awfully needy creature. Feeding, watering, walking, affection. Caring for mortal creatures was a full-time job.

Soren shot him a glare over his shoulder. “I can take care of myself, Highness. But not if I’m distracted worrying about you.”

Soren crossed his arms. “I don’t have a human. He just is a human.” Jay bit his lip, looking thoughtful. “Maybe I should get a human?” Soren brought a hand to his face. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

Soren opened his mouth to greet him but was frozen in place when his human bent over, planting a firm, slightly dirty kiss on Soren’s lips. “Hi, brat.”

If Gabe thought he could keep all his feelings inside, he was vastly underestimating Soren’s ability to pester them out of him.

“I’m okay over here.’ “Soren…” Soren hated that chiding, warning tone, like Hendrick was talking to a stubborn child. “It’s enough to make me think you don’t like me.” “I don’t like you.” Whoops, he wasn’t supposed to say that part out loud.

“I came to rescue you,” Gabe said sheepishly from his place on the porch, not making any move to get closer. “I’m burning a body,” Soren explained, voice dull. He didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know how to feel.

They sipped in unison. “I killed him,” Soren found himself saying, an echo of his earlier words to Gabe. Roman nodded, expression neutral. “You did.” Soren fiddled with his mug. “You spared Luc.” “I did.” Roman tilted his head, studying Soren. “Not everyone is redeemable, mon ami. We both know that.”

Relaxing. Cool. Totally Gabe’s strong suit.

Gabe reached a hand up, running a finger along Soren’s cheek. “I want to marry you because we belong to each other, and I want everyone to know it. I want a ring on your finger. I want a ring on my finger.” Oh. Well. Soren wouldn’t mind that part. The one downside of a happy, emotionally healthy Gabe was that he was now ten times more appealing. Ten times more…golden. People on the street eyed him like he was a big stack of chocolate-chip pancakes. And he was.