Chapter Four

“I don’t know, Demi. I still think the Canali or the Boss classic black shawl jacket is the way to go.”

Demi eyed Quinn’s reflection in the mirror. “Boring. Epically so.” He twisted and turned to assess his current choice. “I love this Hickey Freeman. It’s a classic look but with a bit of pizazz.”

Mackie leaned into his view. “Yeah, but it’s blue and paisley. A little outside the lines for this kind of affair.”

Demi tossed that concern away with a flick of his head. “As if there’s a standard for what I’m doing.” He dropped his voice so that the hovering attendant couldn’t hear. “Papa says I would traditionally be presented naked.”

A shiver ran up his spine. The idea of being handed off to Trey with nothing on but his skin was titillating—like a virgin sacrifice to the vengeful god, not that Trey was anything like that. Still, how sexy would it be to saunter up to him, proudly sporting his desire for the man? He could even picture tying a bright red bow around his dick then had to stifle a giggle.

“Dad said ‘no’ with that rare tone of his, which meant he wasn’t going to submit to Papa’s will on it.” He sighed. “Wearing something pretty, but not stuffy, is the next best thing. I want to make Trey’s eyes pop when he sees me.”

Mackie grunted. “Jeez, Demi, he’s already like a cartoon wolf every time he does. I don’t think what you’re wearing will register much.”

“So, if it doesn’t matter to him, I should pick what makes me feel sexy and desirable.” With another turn to check the way the jacket fell from his shoulders, he gestured to the clerk. “I’ll take this.”

He peeled off the jacket and handed it over to the man before hopping off the fitting platform. Fortunately, given the time crunch, he’d managed to find clothing that didn’t need altering. He really did have a great physique for clothing. And, thanks to the Amex black card Papa had given him in his own name, he could afford to shop independently—or with his friends. It was fun trying on clothes with the boys instead of a bored parent. He only wished Jase had been free to come with them.

He hurried into the changing room and removed the rest. Mackie and Quinn ambled over to take each piece to bring to the clerk. “You guys should really buy something to wear yourselves. My treat,” he added, pleased to be able to pay for stuff.

“Thanks, but Alex has force-fed me a ton of clothing lately. My problem is going to be choosing which outfit I want to wear. There are so many choices now in my wardrobe that it’s freaking me out, actually.”

“I’m all set, too,” Mackie added. “Although, unlike our frugal midwestern boy here, I can never have enough stuff. Good thing I married a generous man.”

Demi flashed him a smile, disappointed that he couldn’t shop some more. He also knew that, unlike Mackie, he wasn’t going to have a rich husband. He’d have to learn to live on a budget, whatever that meant. Money had always been something that was magically there for him. But he didn’t want Trey to feel like he couldn’t provide for his family, so frugality was going to have to be something Demi mastered.

Except, not yet.

“How about lunch?” he asked while he slipped into his street clothing.

“I could eat,” Quinn said.

Mackie nodded. “Always. There’s a new sushi place around the corner. How about we try that?”

“Sounds perfect. Still my treat.” He wanted to use his new credit card again before going home. It was silly perhaps. And it hardly mattered who paid, given that the family finances were basically one big pile of money.

The other two shrugged and let him lead the way out of the dressing room. The clerk merrily rang up the purchases, not batting an eye over how a teenage boy produced such a high-limit credit card. He also didn’t mind charging for the delivery of the clothing. Demi wanted an unfettered walk to lunch. He practically floated out of the store. In only a few more days, he was going to be in Trey’s arms, naked and in bed. It was hard to believe that it all wasn’t some kind of dream.

The restaurant was quaint and fairly empty when they arrived. As they sat perusing the menu, Demi couldn’t help venting. “It’s too bad this isn’t going to be an eating event. I’d love for Emil to set out the kind of spread you had at your reception, Mackie.”

“Hmm, yeah I hear you on that. The guys want to replicate this whole thing as close as possible to the way it would happen back on…the home world,” he ended in a near whisper.

Demi sighed. “I know.” The server returned and they ordered a massive amount of food. “I don’t know why it has to be so boring.”

“Solemn,” Quinn corrected. “Alex says this is a really big deal. He was telling me about his experience, and he talks like it was life changing.”

“So does Val. He, like, almost choked up describing being led to his queen. You know how unemotional he is most of the time. It was super weird, given how I can’t begin to picture him with a woman.”

“He is bisexual, you know,” Demi pointed out. “They all are.”

Quinn frowned over his cup of tea. “Are you? I mean, I seem to remember your saying you were poly, but you never really said what your orientation is.”

Demi opened his mouth to answer, then closed it with his own frown, as he considered the question. “No,” he finally said. “I thought I was both bi and poly back when sex was purely an abstract idea. When I think about it, now, I can’t imagine being involved with more than one person, plus girls just don’t do it for me. Maybe it was a matter of meeting the right man to pique my sexuality.” He shrugged. “I guess I’m totally gay.”

“You must get that from your father. Lucien,” Quinn clarified.

“I guess.” Was Dad gay? He’d never thought about it. He knew how his parents had met, and at the time, there was no way his human father had had a choice about having sex with men. Up until Papa, Dad had been a victim of sexual assault, not a willing participant. Had he wanted a man in his bed or had he merely acquiesced out of gratitude? The thought made him a little sick. While he’d rarely considered it, he always assumed his parents truly loved each other.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said with a wave of his hand and determined to fully enjoy his outing. “I’m all about the penis, for sure.” At least, one in particular.

Mackie giggled. “I hear you. I feel the same way. Hey,” he added, leaning in closer, “have you figured out how this whole night of deflowering is going to play out?”

“What do you mean?”

Quinn rolled his eyes. “He means who’s going to be sticking what into whom. Honestly, Mackie, as if it’s any of our business.”

Mackie tossed his head. “Like you haven’t thought about it.”

Demi intervened before his friends got into a tiff. “Wait! Why is that even a question? It’s obvious.”

“Is it, sweetie?” Mackie challenged.

“Um, yeah. Trey is the one with the experience, and besides, I’m so not into the idea of topping him.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. “Can you imagine my commanding an alpha male like Trey?”

Quinn and Mackie exchanged looks, but before either of them could answer, the food arrived. Picking up chopsticks, they dove into eating like the starving boys they were. Demi’s appetite was still off the charts, and shopping always gave him an appetite anyway.

Once he’d stuffed enough in to satisfy the worst of his hunger, he picked up the topic again. Chewing had given him time to consider the question and was curious as to why either of his friends thought he’d ever top a man. The mere thought of being impaled by Trey’s dick sent his own cock into painful hardness. It was his daily fantasy to imagine how it was going to feel to be filled with that man’s hard shaft. His hole clenched painfully, and he realized too late he’d be aching for release by the time they got back to the club.

“Seriously, guys, why do you think I might be the one to do the fucking? Oh, do you do that with Alex and Val?” He couldn’t for the life of him picture such virile men being on the bottom. Quinn nearly choked on his sushi and Mackie giggled. “I take that as a no.”

Mackie clasped the tag swinging down from his collar. “Have you forgotten what this means? I’m Val’s slave. Slaves get fucked, sweetie.” His eyelids drooped. “And how!”

Demi grinned at the purely erotic face his friend presented. “So I see.” He looked at Quinn.

The boy shrugged. “I haven’t. I know, though, if I asked, Alex would do that for me. He denies me nothing.” He sighed. “Except he won’t take my answer about going back to school seriously. Damn, he’s like a dog with a bone about that one.”

“Okay, so I ask again, why would you think I’d do that with Trey?”

“It’s the nature of the beast, sweetie. Back you know where, every male sticks his dick into a queen. After that is like whatever… But they all do it that one time. You’re part of that, um…culture, and I just assumed you’d do this thing the traditional way, more or less.”

“Oh.” Demi sat back. “I hadn’t thought of it. My parents have certainly said nothing about it. They could barely look me in the eye when they told me about the ceremony. Papa, in particular, is being uncharacteristically delicate.”

Quinn tapped his chopsticks against his plate. “This is new territory for all of them. They’re trying to stick with a tradition that doesn’t mesh with their lives now. As usual, you’re causing your parents fits, Demi.” He grinned broadly to show he was only kidding.

Demi took it more seriously. “You’re sort of right about that. I am a bit of a bother in this case. They want me to stay a child, as well. I can tell they aren’t quite ready to let go.”

He was, though. He felt more than primed to assume an adult role in life. The fact that he would be going from his parents’ domain to Trey’s didn’t faze him, either. However this all played out from the initial deflowering ceremony to life with Trey, he was prepared to make it work. He wasn’t worried about anything because he trusted Trey to take care of him.

Of course, Demi would have responsibilities, and he would be earnest about them. After the sex would come the hard parts—meeting Trey’s family, planning their lives together. Shit. He knew next to nothing about the man. Were his parents living? Did he have siblings? Would any of them like Demi? He would have to make sure they did. No more playing the brat. Whatever Trey expected of him, he’d do it with a smile and love. Sappy, yes, but still true. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for the man who had stolen his heart without trying, long before he’d saved Demi’s life.

Besides, Demi had faced down Dracul and his hateful men. He could weather meeting and wooing a few humans. And maybe Trey’s family would insist on a church wedding. Ooh, he liked that idea. They were such pretty buildings and there’d be flowers and the trappings that Mackie had had, plus more maybe. Papa would deny him nothing. He almost bounced in excitement just thinking about it.

“You know what?” he said, spearing another piece of sushi. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll let Trey lead the way. Whatever he wants is fine by me.” He popped the bite into his mouth and chewed with a grin.

 

* * * *

 

“You know I can do this alone,” Karl offered.

Trey grunted. “No. Thanks, but no. I’m not so pathetic that I can’t handle seeing my ex for an investigation without having a fit of the vapors. It’s not as if he were the love of my life or anything—or even a great lay.”

That last bit was a lie. Craig Jefferson had been an excellent lay. The sex between them had been off the charts volcanic, which was why it had taken so long for them to realize how incompatible they truly were. Trey had always been into football, while Craig was a hockey man. Craig liked quiet nights at home, whereas Craig was a clubber. And oh yeah, big deal-breaker—Trey had been faithful and Craig had been a cheating piece of shit.

A real potato-potahto kind of kind of problem. Trey had always considered monogamy to mean not having sex with other guys. For Craig, it meant only having sex with randos. “No emotions in it, babe. I love you, so what’s the problem with me getting my dick sucked by a twink in leather shorts?”

“There are other vice squad detectives, you know.” God. Karl was persistent in his own protective way.

“Yeah, but Jefferson is the best, and if anyone knows about a new pimp in town, it will be him. I have a feeling that this is a good lead on the priest’s murder.”

“Me too. I just don’t want to have to keep you from committing the same crime.”

“Ha ha. Don’t worry, I’m going to keep this strictly professional.” Trey hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

Those proverbial butterflies plagued his stomach as they wound their way through Craig’s shop to his desk. The guy fancied himself a modern-day Wild Bill Hickok in that he liked to keep his back to the wall. He’d snagged a spot in the far corner of the room. Trey spotted the man’s nearly bald head halfway across, and despite his resolve, his heart stuttered.

Damn. Craig hadn’t changed in the two years since they’d last spoken. Okay, yelled. His smooth, clean-shaven face, a few shades darker than Trey’s, still made him look younger than he was. He hadn’t lost any of his raw masculine beauty with his square jaw and sharp cheekbones. At six feet tall and sleekly muscled, he could have been a model. Trey’s dick stirred with reflexive memory, making Trey mad at his own lack of discipline. By the time, he reached his destination, his eyes had gone flinty and his lips were tightly closed.

Craig looked up from some file he was staring at. His face registered annoyance, then morphed into a smug smile a second later. “Trey.”

“Jefferson,” he replied in a stony tone.

The vice cop sat back in his chair. “Oh, is it last names now? Okay then, what’s up, Duncan? Anderson?” he added with a nod toward Karl.

Part of Trey was irked that his former boyfriend could switch to professional mode so quickly and seemingly effortlessly. Wasn’t the guy’s stomach churning the way his was? What difference did it make anyway? He should be happy that all Craig was interested in was whatever business Trey was bringing to his doorstep. Trey was being ridiculous.

Sucking up his emotions, he got to the point. “We’re investigating the murder of a priest.”

Craig tossed his head back and huffed out a breath. “Father Ted.”

“That’s the one.”

Craig grimaced. “I heard first thing this morning. It sucks. I met him a few times, and he was a good guy.” He lowered his gaze to Trey. “You know at first I had my suspicions. All those young boys in particular that he ministered to? Seemed fishy to me. I guess I’m jaded that way.”

Asshole that he was in his personal life, Craig was a damn fine cop and genuinely worked tirelessly to bring justice to sex crime victims in particular. “We had the same ugly thoughts, but the boy I know that found the body assures us the priest was on the level.”

“That was my ultimate conclusion. Which kid?”

“Damien Winter.”

Craig nodded. “I know him. He’s one of the few success stories out there, isn’t he? Found steady work as a cook or something.”

“That’s right.” Before Trey could decide whether he wanted to admit more details, Karl chimed in.

“At Club Lux.”

“Oh yeah?” Craig’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard of it, a hotspot for the rich and kinky. Seems like it’s been a magnet for all kinds of weird shit too, huh?”

Trey looked down at his feet and cleared his throat. “I don’t know about that. We, ah, got to know the family that runs it because of that serial killer last year. Anyway,” he added before Craig could ask any follow-up questions, “the club’s chef had been donating food to Father Ted’s soup kitchen for street kids. Damien and a couple of other boys from the club were making a delivery when they found the body.”

“And they called you.” Craig’s dark brown eyes had always been expressive. His thoughts practically popped out.

Damn, no one could ever accuse the man of not knowing how to add two plus two. Trey kept his gaze steady as he said, “That’s right. They know and trust us.”

Craig rocked back. “Uh, huh. So how can I help you?”

Karl stepped into the conversation again, which was all to the good. “We learned that there is a new pimp throwing his weight around. A doctor we also know said that he had a rape and abuse victim brought into the ED by Father Ted. We were hoping you could shed some light on the guy. Maybe he figured the priest was interfering with his stable.”

Now Craig’s expression took on a hard edge. Trey knew that look. His ex was pissed. “I know who you’re referring to. I call him the Dark Knight.”

“Why, is he a brother?” Trey asked.

“No, actually, I hear he’s a white dude. Like, super white. The guys I pull in are scared shitless of him—the boys and the other pimps. No one seems to know exactly who he is, or they’re too afraid to say, but he blew into town a couple of months ago and is making his mark quickly and with extreme prejudice.”

“Why the cutesy moniker, then?” Karl asked, although as he did, Trey’s gut started tightening again.

Craig shrugged. “It just seemed to fit. According to my sources, this guy is huge and is really into black leather.” He winked at Trey. “Sounds like my kind of guy.”

Trey ignored the baiting because now his nerves were heading into full-on red alert territory. “And he comes out at night.” It was a statement, not a question, because fuck…

Craig didn’t appear fazed by the question. “Well, yeah, but that’s true for most of these scumballs. The boys do their best trade after dark. From what I hear, though, this guy holds court underground somewhere. A basement, I assume, but no one’s talking with any kind of useful detail. He has his lieutenants pound the pavement and keep the boys in line. He never goes to anyone. They’re always brought to him.”

“Christ, Jesus,” Karl muttered.

Craig sat forward. “Look, I’d give you more info if I had it. From what I can tell, this guy wouldn’t blink at killing a priest. I’m surprised the streets aren’t more littered from his muscling out his competition. He’s crafty, staying below our radar for the most part by either co-opting anyone who crosses his path or somehow disposing bodies in ways we don’t discover. If he’s behind the Father Ted murder, my guess is he’s sending a message.

“To whom, I have no clue.” He leaned back again. “So, what can you tell me?”

“Nothing,” Trey shot back. “No one saw or heard anything and forensics is coming up with zilch, too.”

“Pity. You’ll keep me apprised of your progress, though, right? As a return on professional courtesy.” He gave Trey a lazy smile that used to make his dick hard in an instant. It almost did again, except the information bomb that Craig had provided—and Trey was working hard to appear sanguine about—was acting as a good boner-killer.

“Of course.” Trey had mastered hiding his feelings from his ex. It was easy to fall back into the habit. “Thanks for your help.”

“Any time. And, Trey?” he added as Trey and Karl turned to leave. “It was good to see you again.”

Because the guy appeared to genuinely mean it, Trey forced himself to nod and smile before leaving. He waited until they were in the hall before cursing loud enough for his partner to hear.

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?” Karl asked.

“Yeah, but that’s crazy, right? The fucker is dead.”

“Is he? You said no one saw it with their own eyes.”

Trey led the way out of the building. “Alex and the others are sure, and that’s got to count for something.”

“Maybe they’re so desperate for their war to be over that they’re willing to ignore the obvious doubts.”

“Maybe,” Trey conceded as they jogged down the stairs to the parking lot. If that were true, then he was in the same category. Carrying Demi out of that castle of horrors, he’d hoped and prayed with all his will that the fight was truly over. Maybe he’d been fooling himself.

“Plus, it doesn’t have to be you know who. Thing One and Thing Two escaped, as well as a few others, right?”

“God, I hate it when you’re smart.”

“Gee, thanks.”

They strode over to their car. “I guess we need to take this to Alex. He and Val will be better judges of whether we have overactive imaginations or if a real threat exists. Plus, I want to talk again to that Damien kid.” He unlocked the doors.

“Maybe Logan can do some sniffing around for us,” Karl offered as he rounded the car to the passenger side.

“Good idea.” Trey slipped in behind the wheel. “Oh, damn, I still need to ask you for that favor.” He’d meant to finish the discussion he’d started back at the crime scene over a beer, but this case wasn’t going to give them a lot of down time.

“Sure, like I said, anything.”

Trey eyed his partner. “You need to hear me out first. This is going to be weird.”

In the process of buckling up, Karl shot him a grin. “Seriously? What about our lives hasn’t fallen into that category lately? I’m amazingly good with weird, as it turns out. Go figure.”

“Yeah, well…I kind of need a best man.”

“Fuck me, you’re getting married? To Demi? This is the promise you made to his parents? I can’t believe they’d be down with that instead of measuring you for a coffin.”

“Not exactly.” Jesus. That was on him for using the wrong terminology. The ceremony was already outside his comfort zone. No way was he ready for a permanent commitment. Besides, Demi was too young for that. Wasn’t he?

“I need to do this thing on Friday with Demi. A sex thing.” He winced at his awkward explanation.

“A sex. Thing?”

“Sex. Just sex, Karl. I have to have sex with Demi.” Jee-sus. Could this conversation get any stranger?

“Have to?”

Trust Karl to focus on the inanest of his word choices. “It’s basically a medical necessity.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Really. The way Harry described it, Demi is going through some kind of physical change that requires, ah, deflowering.”

“Shit, that’s almost poetic.”

“Fuck you,” Trey said without heat. He started the car and pulled out of the space. “I have to pop his cherry. Is that better for your perpetual thirteen-year-old self?”

“You’re going to fuck him. I get it. Me and Young Karl are fully engaged with this plan.”

“I’m glad someone is,” Trey muttered. “Actually, technically he’s going to fuck me.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

“That’s one word for it.”

Karl coughed once. “I guess if I thought about, which I definitely have not, I would’ve expected you to be a top kind of guy.”

Trey couldn’t resist playing out a brief fantasy of what it would be like to sink his cock into Demi’s cherry-tight ass. He felt guilty a split second later, but for a glorious moment, he was in heaven. Unfortunately, it only served to make his pants tighter.

“You wouldn’t be wrong, but this isn’t me picking a random up at a club. I’m simply trying to provide a service based on their species’ customs and physiological needs.” Like a science project. Homework. Duty. If he kept telling himself that, he might convince his cock and all the rest of him. Probably not. Shit.

Karl was silent for a few seconds in which Trey imagined the guy was trying hard to scrub certain unwanted images from his brain. “Right. Am I supposed to witness this event? I mean, is it like medieval times when people stood around the bed and watched the consummation?”

Trey almost ran off the road. “Christ, no!” Except, come to think of it, he hadn’t nailed down that kind of detail with Harry. No, no way. That couldn’t be the case.

“I’m supposed to have some kind of entourage, for lack of a better word, when Harry and Lucien hand Demi over. I was hoping you could, you know, stand with me.”

“Well, sure, no problem. I’m, like…honored or whatever. But shouldn’t it be family or something?”

Trey flicked his gaze at his partner. “Seriously? How would I ever explain this to my brother? Hey, Dante, I’m going to do something that makes me look like a pedophile, but it’s all good ‘cause he has alien blood in him and he doesn’t mature lineally. How about you act as my wingman as I carry him up to bed?”

Karl snorted. “You’re right. That was a stupid thing for me to suggest. He is kind of young,” he added. “How are you handling that?”

“Badly,” he confessed. “No matter how long he’s been alive or how much Harry explains the physiology of a hybrid, I still see Demi as a kid—and one that I want more than my next breath,” he confessed before he could think better of it. “Christ, I am a pedophile.”

Karl chuckled. “You so are not. Look… I get your reservations, but you have to trust Harry on this. No way he’d be setting this up if it weren’t beneficial for his son.”

“I suppose.” It still felt wrong, and yet too right at the same time.

His dick had no conscience. It was straining in his pants in a way that hadn’t happened with Craig. That had been another problem with his relationship with the man. They’d both been alpha males vying for control, even though he’d always been attracted to men that looked much like himself. Or that’s what he’d thought until he’d stopped fighting his impulses and allowed his attraction to twinks come to the fore. Demi was his dream lover. No question about that.

“I know you, Trey,” Karl persisted. “You’re the best guy I’ve ever known. Truly. I’ll be proud to stand with you on Friday.”

“Yeah? Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Thanks, too, for accepting this whole alien thing. Keeping that secret from you was killing me, and I’m not sure how I’d have handled all of this without you by my side.”

“Ah, Jesus, listen to us,” Karl scoffed. “Turn on sports radio, for God’s sake, before we each grow ovaries.”

Trey shook his head. “So un-PC, man.” He did as his partner asked anyway, happy to end the conversation. If for no other reason, he needed his dick to settle down before he arrived at the club.

 

* * * *

 

“Alex, I’m not going to have this conversation again.”

Quinn’s angry voice caught Trey’s and Karl’s attention before they reached Alex’s office. The door was open, so they became privy to the heated discussion whether they wanted to or not. They exchanged glances before slowing their steps by unspoken agreement. Whatever was going on with the two lovers, they didn’t want to get involved.

Val was pulling up the rear of their little convoy. He had no qualms, apparently, as he passed them the moment their steps faltered. “Jesus, this again,” the guy muttered.

“Darling boy, I’m sorry to inform you that we are.” Alex’s smooth words held a hint of an edge to them.

Quinn came rushing out of the room, nearly crashing into Val. The bouncer moved in a blur to get out of the boy’s way, not that Quinn got far. With equally fast movement, Alex came to grab his arm and pull him up short.

“I said that we’re not done with this discussion.” Trey had never seen Alex this forceful outside of an actual fight. “This is too important for you to act the brat.”

“Oh!” Quinn jutted his chin up and shot fiery eyes at his lover. “You mean that what you want matters and what I want doesn’t.”

“That is not even remotely close to anything I’ve said.” The alien leader’s tone was icy and commanding.

“Yes, it is.” Quinn jerked his arm, but of course, there was no way for him to free himself unless Alex let go.

Trey eyed Karl and could see that his friend was thinking the same thing. Neither of them was going to stand by and let Alex hurt Quinn, not that they stood any chance of overpowering the guy. And, from everything he’d seen of this alien, Trey didn’t believe that Alex would ever do anything like that anyway. Val hung back with his arms folded, his usual stance, with an expression that conveyed annoyance but not alarm. Trey supposed the bouncer knew Alex better than anyone, and if he wasn’t worried, there was probably no reason to be. Then again, would Val ever challenge his superior?

Quinn and Alex seemed uninterested in their audience, regardless. More importantly, Quinn didn’t appear afraid, only seriously pissed off.

“You consistently dismiss everything I say about how I want my life to be.”

“Because you aren’t acting rationally.”

Quinn’s mouth popped open on a gasp right before he pounded his fist once against Alex’s massive chest. “You think I’m being overly emotional because I’m too young to think things through.”

“I didn’t say that, either. I’m simply pointing out that you have the opportunity to enhance your education and make more of your life.”

“I don’t want more!” Quinn nearly shouted it out. “I want to dance and warm your bed and…and, I want to be changed,” he finished with a hitch to his voice that sounded suspiciously like he was going to cry.

God. Trey really felt like a voyeur. He wanted to slowly back away but also didn’t want to call attention to himself or Karl.

“You’re so young.” Alex’s voice dipped down low and soft. “There’s plenty of time for you to make the decision to change. Once it’s done, there’s no undoing it. I don’t want you to end up like Dafydd, stuck with no longer being human and perhaps forever dependent on something you don’t want.”

Quinn scoffed. “How could I ever be like him when you are nothing like Dracul?”

Alex’s expression hardened. “I will be if I allow this to happen without deliberation.”

Quinn shook his head. “See? There it is. You say we’re a couple, but we’re not equals. You’re the boss of me, and I would be fine with that if you would only acknowledge that I have ultimate control and that when you insist on something, I have the right to refuse.”

By the hold on his arm, Alex shook the boy, once and not hard, merely for emphasis. “We are a couple and you do. Changing you is something I have to do, though, and I will not do it unless and until I think you are truly prepared to make that irrevocable decision.”

“Right, sure.” Quinn huffed. “You decide, not me, when and if I’m ready. Admit it, Alex. You can’t commit. That’s the real problem. You don’t want marriage and children. You don’t want me.”

“Darling boy, that’s not true. I want you more than the breath I take or the blood I drink. There’s simply no rush for you to make decisions that are irreversible.”

“The only pressure I’m feeling right now is from you, and I don’t like it. I won’t tolerate it, Alex. I know my mind, and what I want is to spend the rest of not just my life with you, but the rest of your life. I refuse to grow old and die centuries before you do. If you can’t understand or accept that, then we have nothing left to discuss.”

“Quinn.”

“Now let me go. I need to practice.”

“You don’t have to dance.” Alex’s tone sounded weary, and that was new in Trey’s experience.

“That’s where we disagree. Let. Me. Go.”

For a second, Trey really worried that Alex wouldn’t. Then suddenly, he released his hold on Quinn and stepped back. The two men stood staring at each other for another second before Quinn turned and strode away. Not fast enough, though, for Trey to miss the sheen of tears in his eyes.

Christ. He had to agree with Alex, however. Quinn was maybe nineteen at this point. What was the hurry in making a life-altering change? And for that matter, where was the harm in furthering his education? From what Trey knew, Quinn had taken the job dancing at the club out of desperation. He had choices now, ones that lots of kids, like the ones Father Ted had ministered to, would give anything to have.

Alex’s gaze stayed on Quinn’s retreating back for a few more seconds, before he trained it on his visitors. “Gentlemen, sorry for the wait. How may I be of assistance?”

The guy acted as if they’d disturbed nothing more than paperwork instead of a knock-down, drag-out fight between him and his lover. Okay. If he wanted to play it cool, that was fine by Trey. Apparently, alien men were just as good as human ones in pretended their hearts weren’t being ripped out and stomped on.

Trey started forward. “We may be jumping the gun on this, but Karl and I have a problem. And,” he added with grunt, “we’re afraid it might be a Dracul-adjacent one.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “Indeed? You’d better come inside, then. It appears our brief period of peace and quiet may be at an end.”