Chapter Twelve

Demi watched the humans flee the club, his heart in this throat now that the assault on Cadoc’s lair had begun. He hated not knowing what was happening to Trey. He was so vulnerable compared to the rest of them. As much as he trusted Alex and the others to keep his man safe, he also knew that their first priority would always be ridding the world of Dracul’s evil son.

“I wish we could go inside,” Demi lamented to no one in particular.

“Why don’t we?” Jase asked. When they all turned to look at him, he shrugged. “We could help with the boys, just like we did in Wales. Right? There must be some. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?”

Demi shared a look with Mackie before they broke out into a grin. “Brilliant! Why didn’t we think of that?” he asked Mackie.

The boy shrugged. “And here I thought Jase was the quiet one. You go, girl,” he teased before getting out. Quinn and Jase also jumped out, and the three of them sprinted toward the pub’s front door.

Before joining him, Demi looked at Dafydd. “You should probably wait here.”

The Welshman nodded, his expression unreadable. “Yes, all right. Be careful, like.”

“I will.”

Demi started after the others when a flash of movement caught his eye. Out of a narrow back alley charged a large, dark figure. Although he’d never seen Cadoc before, a hybrid knew his own kind. It took no time for the import of the situation to assemble in his mind. There had been an escape route and Cadoc had managed to use it before the others could stop him. Demi refused to believe it meant that Trey was somehow incapacitated. He couldn’t allow himself to think that or he’d end up curled in a ball of fear.

So, he did the only thing that made sense to him. He abruptly changed direction and ran headlong at the beast.

 

* * * *

 

As the pub patrons hurried out and away, Ric sat drumming his fingers on his thigh and feeling useless. He hadn’t wanted to get involved in another fight between these alien factions, yet he was in too deep to ignore what was going on. It had been easy, as well, to simply sit and nurse a beer until Anderson came in with that sleaze-ball lawyer. With a nod to confirm that they were heading in the right direction, and not into a trap, his job had been done. No one would fault him if he got out and simply went home.

No one other than himself. What if someone gets hurt? Those abused boys downstairs might need immediate medical help, and sure, Harry was in there, but he could only do so much at once. He had to stay, except the SUV was too small to contain his nervous energy. Stepping out, he stretched and scanned the area.

That’s when he saw Dafydd. The Welshman had come out, as Duncan had said, but he wasn’t at a restaurant or any other place that was safe. No, he was running toward the back of the building.

Ric didn’t even question himself as he took off after him.

 

* * * *

 

Although he was going at a speed faster than he should for a human, Demi felt as if he were in slow motion. He could almost see his own death in the hulking form he was on a collision course with, not that Demi had any intention of dying, nor did he think he could overpower Cadoc.

Slow him down until the others arrive.

That was his goal. He merely had to turn into an immovable object, keeping Cadoc from escaping. It was hard to keep going, however. Seeing him, the fucker twisted his scarred face into a sneer and seemed to pick up his pace.

Demi’s heart skipped a beat, but he continued. Visions of Trey wounded and in need of help egged him forward. He put his head down and poured on a burst of speed at the last moment. It was like hitting a brick wall. He knew it would be, although the shock of it nevertheless scrambled his brain. Fortunately, all he needed was his muscle and he used it to impede Cadoc.

The asshole barely grunted at the contact. He grabbed Demi’s arms with his meaty fingers, digging into the flesh with sufficient force to cause Demi to cry out. When Cadoc tried to swing him out of the way, Demi leaped up and wrapped his legs around the guy’s waist. He hung on like a rhesus monkey, no matter how fast or hard Cadoc moved to toss him off.

That was until the guy pushed him against the alley wall, causing Demi’s head to hit the hard surface. His vision winked out and his limbs went limp. He fell off his enemy and slid down to the ground. He managed to pry open his eyes in time to see the muzzle of a gun pointed at him.

“Trey.” He whispered his lover’s name one more time, knowing that he’d failed his man because Trey would never forgive himself for this ending.

 

* * * *

 

Dafydd’s steps faltered at the sight of his son slamming Demi against a wall. The boy, who had been so kind to him at the risk of his own life, fell like a ragdoll onto the ground. That wasn’t enough for Cadoc, though. Like his viciously cruel father, he wasn’t content with defeating his enemy. He had to annihilate him.

He watched him raise his gun, saw him aim it at Demi’s head and acted without thought. After months of proper food and care, Dafydd was able to tap into a strength he hadn’t really understood he possessed. Dracul’s blood and done more than make him ready to bear children. It made everything about his body better and faster. He was upon his son before the monster could pull the trigger.

Uttering the battle cry of his youth, he slammed into Cadoc’s arm. The surprise attack did the trick. His son let go of the weapon, and it went flying away. Cadoc countered by shoving Dafydd aside. He landed face-forward, scraping his hands and knees against the pavement. He ignored the bite of pain and lunged for the gun that had landed a few feet away. He grabbed it and rolled up to a kneeling position.

Cadoc stood sneering down at him. “Why, father, what a surprise! You survived my brother’s birth, I see. I hope you killed the brat. There’s really no room in this world for more of Dracul’s sons. Bran is a thorn in my side, as it is.”

He cocked his head and took a step forward. “Are you Alex’s slut now? You never were good for anything more than taking a strong man’s cock.” He laughed as Dafydd raised the gun. “You’d better give me that before you hurt yourself.” He held out his hand.

Dafydd had to use both of his to steady the weapon. A well of painful emotion overtook him, making his shake. There was no choice, though. There was only one thing that he could do. He had to be strong, for Demi and the others. For all of humanity—and even for Idris.

“If there is a God, I hope He can forgive me.”

Then he pulled the trigger.

 

* * * *

 

“Jesus, fucking Christ,” Trey fumed, “find the damn lever.”

“Not helping,” Alex retorted as he felt along what looked like a solid wall at the end of the tunnel. Val threw his weight against it in the meantime. “That’s not helping, either. Even you can’t force bricks and mortar to move.”

There was nowhere to pace in the narrow space, so Trey stood there, slowly losing his mind. Cadoc was getting away. Maybe they could track him by scent, but in this part of town, there were still cabs and private cars for Cadoc to escape in. Why hadn’t they waited and scoped out the area more? They might have realized there was a back exit to the place. They’d been too anxious to move against Cadoc before he brutalized more boys and possibly ramped up his criminal acts. And this was the price they were paying for their haste. After so many centuries of fighting, the aliens could be forgiven their desperate efforts to end it. Trey couldn’t be so easy on himself.

There was a click. “Got it.”

Alex and Val went out ahead of him, but when the shot rang out, Trey shoved them aside. If there was to be a confrontation out in the open, he wanted to be front and center. He was still a cop and this was his city. When he rounded the corner, he tripped to a stop from the shocking sight.

Dafydd knelt beside a pile of clothing, weeping uncontrollably and raking ashes through his fingers. Paz stood behind him, his hands on Dafydd’s shoulders, giving silent comfort. But it was the crumpled form against the wall that finally had him racing forward again.

He shoved his gun in his holster as he yelled. “Demi!” He skidded against the wall before dropping beside the boy.

Demi blinked back at him and smiled. “You’re all right?”

“Of course the fuck I am. You’re not.” As carefully as he could, he pulled Demi into his arms and felt for wounds. His hand came back bloody when he touched the boy’s head.

Trey’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re hurt.”

Demi winced. “I hit my head when Cadoc shoved me into the wall.”

“Paz, Demi needs you.”

The doctor looked at him with a conflicted expression.

“No,” Demi insisted. “Dafydd needs him more. He, um, killed Cadoc. He’s the one who shot him. His own son. I can’t imagine how he feels.”

Neither could Trey. The Welshman was obviously distressed, his sobs quieter now, yet still heartbreaking. He stood with Demi in his arms. “I’ll take you to your father.”

“Good God,” Alex exclaimed. “Don’t tell me all of the boys are here.”

Demi curled into Trey’s embrace. “Okay, I won’t.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” Trey hugged him closer. “You can berate him later, Alex. He needs tending to.”

“I’ll leave that chore to you, Duncan. I have my own boy to deal with. Val, clean this up, if you will. I need to go back inside and see what kind of mess we’ve made. Join me when you can.”

“Sure thing, boss. Do me a favor and find some rope in that place and tie Mackie up in a nice bow for me.”

“It will be my pleasure. Dr. Paz,” he said, turning directions, “would you please take Dafydd to our vehicle? Remaining here isn’t going to do him or the situation any good.”

“Certainly.” He tugged at Dafydd’s shoulders. “Come with me now. There’s nothing more for you to do.”

After a slight resistance, Dafydd stumbled to his feet. Ash fell from his grasp to litter the ground. Then the man slid into Paz’s embrace and allowed the doctor to take him away.

“I think they’re falling in love,” Demi murmured.

“Yeah, I think that, too. Come on. Let’s find your father.”

“I’m fine.”

“You damn well better be.” He huffed out his frustration and his fear. “What am I going to do with you, Demi?”

“Marry me and make yours forever and ever.”

Trey chuckled, surprised he had any mirth inside him at the moment. “Yeah, that might be what I’m going to have to do.”

 

* * * *

 

“I can walk on my own, Papa, really.” Demi tried to slip from under his father’s embrace as they entered the elevator.

“Let me be the judge of that. I promised Sergeant Duncan I would take good care of you.”

“I wish I could have stayed with him.”

“Now, now, you know that wasn’t possible. None of us could. With Cadoc dead, this has become a purely human operation. Our continued presence will only make matters harder for him and Detective Anderson.”

“I suppose.”

Papa chuckled as they arrived at their floor and got off. “If you intend to make a life with this man, you must accept what that entails. I suspect you will have to get used to spending many nights waiting for him to come home.”

“I don’t like the idea of how vulnerable he is. Do you think it’s possible that if I feed him my blood, he might change a little? Not to have babies or anything, but perhaps to be stronger and live longer.”

“It’s possible. I will look into it, if you wish.”

He pressed his head onto his father’s shoulder. “Thank you, Papa. For everything—rescuing Dad, giving me to Trey, trusting that when I said I wanted him, I meant it.”

“There are no thanks necessary, my son. I love your father with all my heart and I have always known you were smart enough to make up your own mind. I could see through the brat you pretended to be.”

His past behavior hadn’t been an act, exactly, but there was no point in saying so. He wasn’t anymore, and that was all that mattered.

Before they reached their door, Dafydd stepped out from the stairwell, Dr. Paz hovering by his side. Both of them looked whipped, Dafydd’s eyes still red from crying his heart out. So were his hands where he’d skidded across the pavement, although they had already started to heal, thanks to the residual effect of Dracul’s blood.

“I’m sorry to intrude,” Dafydd said in a soft voice. “I was wondering if it would be all right if I…if I see Idris,” he finished after Paz gave him an encouraging smile.

Papa paused then smiled. “Of course. Come in.”

As Papa ushered their guest into the suite, Demi felt him stiffen, on alert. That made Demi do so as well. Having killed one son, why did Dafydd want to see another one? After rejecting his baby for so long, what was he going to do? Surely, he wasn’t going to try to hurt him. Demi couldn’t imagine such a thing, yet he’d been surprised as well when Dafydd had pulled the trigger back in the alley.

Dad was sitting on the couch with Idris, a bottle in his hand. He focused on Demi first, frowning and shaking his head, yet saying nothing. Then he turned his attention onto Dafydd and Paz.

“Welcome. Please come in and have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“No, thank you,” Paz replied.

“I’m fine as I am, thank you,” Dafydd said, and approached the couch slowly. Paz hovered beside him the whole way. Dafydd sat next to Dad. “I was wondering, if you don’t mind. I would like to hold him.”

“Idris?” Dad glanced over at Papa, who nodded once. “Certainly. He’s your son, after all.”

As Dad passed the baby over, Papa led Demi to a chair and sat him down. He remained standing, though, just in case he needed to move quickly. He needn’t have bothered.

Dafydd held his son as if he were made of glass. At first anyway, before slowly easing back with the baby on his lap. They stared at one another.

“I’m your tad,” Dafydd said, “but we’re in America now so I suppose you should call me ‘dad’ instead.” He said a few more things in Welsh, Demi assumed, all those weird-sounding twisting consonants.

“Here.” Dad passed over the bottle. “He was about to eat.”

Dafydd smiled and cuddled Idris in the crook of his arm while feeding him. “You’re going to be different,” he told his son, “not like the other ones.” He looked over at Demi. “You don’t have to be evil if you’re raised right.”

Thank you, Demi mouthed and sat back to watch the happy scene and dream of one day having his own family.

 

* * * *

 

“Duncan, you fucker.”

Trey winced as he turned to face a furious Craig striding down the hall. “Hey, Craig, I was about to call you.”

“The hell you were.”

“The hell I was. This is your case now. My killer got away, so this is purely a vice operation.”

That took a little of the wind out of his sails. “You were supposed to keep me in the loop.”

“Yeah, about that, sorry. Things took off all of a sudden.” He nodded at the interview room he’d left. “I had to act quickly, and like I said, the boss of the prostitution ring, Fuchs, is inside there while the guy who killed Father Ted and the kid, Umi, got out via a back route to the building they were using.”

The lack of a collar on the murder was going to bite him and Karl hard in the ass. Couldn’t be helped. It wasn’t possible to book a pile of ashes. “The asshole insists that the guy who got away was the boss, but the lawyer says otherwise, and this Fuchs has a compelling record.”

He sighed. “Look… Anderson is writing up his report and will email it to you shortly. I’ll do the same. Any questions, you know how to get a hold of me. In the meantime, I have to keep searching for my killer.”

Craig blew out a breath. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, I guess. I hear it was a high-class place with more than a few prominent members going down.”

“Start practicing your smile for the cameras, buddy.” He started to walk away. Craig stopped him.

“Hey, Trey?”

“Yeah?”

“I was a moron to chase you away. I should have known what I had.”

“That’s okay. Really. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have realized what I was missing.”

“You’ve found the right man, have you?”

Boy. No, Demi was a man. Man-boy, maybe. God, it’s complicated. “I’ve found love.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

“Me, too.” As he walked away, he saw his path forward clearly for the first time. It wasn’t going to be easy, but then again, Demi was worth any effort.

 

* * * *

 

“Here it is.” Trey stepped aside to let Demi pass and enter his half of the duplex.

He’d spent most of his first day off since the raid cleaning his apartment to within an inch of its life. His mother would be so proud if she were to see it, which she wasn’t, not while Trey courted Demi. It was too soon for family introductions.

“It’s not much,” he said, closing the door.

Demi made the circuit of the open space that served as dining and living room. The scent of the lasagna Trey had put into the oven before going to pick up Demi lent a homey air to the place. It was still a far cry from the luxury Demi had grown up with.

“It’s lovely.” Demi shot him a shy smile.

Trey tugged at his ear. “Yeah well, it’s mostly second-hand stuff. I’m not exactly the decorating type.”

“Oh, Trey!” Demi flitted over and threw his arms around him. He pressed a sweet kiss on his lips. “You don’t have to impress me. I love your home because it’s where you are. I don’t need much, really.”

“Says the kid wearing clothing worth my one month’s salary.”

“I will gladly donate all of my things to Goodwill.”

Trey shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to change for me. I know how much you love dressing up. I just can’t afford to give those things to you, but your family can for now. Eventually, if you want, you can earn a high salary as a doctor. I’m not so pig-headed and macho that it will bother me if you make more money.”

Demi’s eyes went wide. “Why, Trey, is that a proposal?”

He squirmed under the scrutiny. “That’s me taking baby steps, Demi. I’m just saying that I don’t want you to worry about my ego.”

Demi couldn’t hide his disappointment. “Oh, okay. What’s for dinner?” he asked, letting go. “It smells wonderful.”

Trey resisted the urge to drag him back and kiss him senseless. “Lasagna. Come into the kitchen.”

He led him through the open doorway and over to the oven. The timer was about to go off, so he stopped it then, grabbing mittens, took the casserole out. The cheese and tomato sauce bubbled.

Demi leaned over. “Mmm, can’t wait to try it. Can I see your bedroom first?” he asked coyly.

Being a mere man, Trey assented without a fight. He made sure to turn off the stove before clasping hands and tugged Demi down the short hallway.

The moment they entered his bedroom, Demi jumped him. He held Trey tight with both arms and legs and attacked his mouth. Trey didn’t muster much of a fight as his lover used his lips and tongue. He matched the boy’s fervor while carrying him over to the bed. They toppled down and wrestled with flailing body parts.

He inhaled Demi, sweeping every corner of his mouth and lunging his tongue down his throat. As they thrashed, they tugged at each other’s clothing. Trey kicked off his trainers and rolled Demi onto his back in order to rip open his shirt. Buttons popped—again—although this time, more expensive ones. He didn’t care because it gave him access to all that smooth, tasty skin. He broke the kiss to lick a stripe instead from Demi’s belly button to his nipples before latching on to one nub and sucking.

Demi cried out and arched his back. Their hands clashed when each of them worked the other’s pants open. Trey got there first, exposing Demi’s hard dick. He grabbed it and tugged while scraping his teeth along the nipple. Demi dropped his hands away, fisting the bedding. A few drops of pre-cum dribbled out, easing the movements of Trey’s fist.

He lapped back down the flat stomach, flicked the cockhead peeping out from his fingers, before rearing back. He needed both hands to get those tight skinny jeans off his slender boy. Gentleness flew out the window in his rush to get Demi naked. He tossed everything away before diving in to suck Demi’s shaft into his mouth.

“Trey!” Demi bucked, sending his cock all the way down. “No fair,” he wailed as Trey swallowed convulsively. “I wanted to do that to you first and…” He screamed as he came.

Trey stayed with him through the orgasm, although it wasn’t easy. Demi thrashed and rolled, his cum spilling out in warm spurts that filled Trey’s mouth faster than he could handle. It dribbled past his lips, even as he licked and sucked. But he kept to it, even when he choked, until Demi lay whimpering and trembling.

Trey pulled up and grinned at the wanton display on his bed. Here was his boy, his lover, boneless with his release from Trey’s efforts. He could picture Demi lying in this bed for the rest of their life together. That image and thought didn’t scare him so much anymore.

Already, though, Demi’s cock was hardening to stiff mast again. Trey tore off his own clothing, freeing himself and taking a few strokes to appease his dick. When he knelt naked over Demi, he clasped the boy’s rod and slowly jerked it. He wiggled two fingers of his free hand under Demi’s firm ass. They slid into his hole with ease.

Natural lubrication. Amazing. It would make their sex life delightfully easy. He thrust the fingers in a few times, crooking them on the way out to tease Demi’s prostate. How wonderful that the aliens had one. Demi stared up at him with pupils that had turned black as night. His puffy lips were parted as he panted and moaned.

“Fuck me, Trey.”

The demand made his cock jerk. He squeezed Demi’s hard enough to make him squeak before letting him go to rearrange their legs. Then he had Demi’s pushed wide with knees bent, leaving space for Trey to slide into. Grabbing Demi’s cock again, he lined up his own against the puckered hole. He pushed shallowly so that only his head was gripped by that tight ring. He stayed still, savoring the feel of the tightness against the sensitive nerves of his glans.

Demi clenched him. “Come on. All the way in.”

Trey groaned loud and long as he slid balls-deep into his lover. The exquisitely snug channel welcomed him with undulating waves. He dropped down to brace himself with one hand, while still working Demi’s shaft with the other. Then he did what only a short time ago would have been inconceivable, but now felt perfectly normal—he bent his head to offer his jugular.

Demi struck with lightning speed.

 

It was better than before. Demi would have expected that nothing could top that first night together. But as Trey drilled his ass and Demi tugged at his vein, the pleasure topped anything he’d experienced. This was love, not duty or even animal need. His man was claiming his body while feeding him his life’s blood. Demi’s heart soared with the intensity of his emotions and his mind floated blissfully from the blood sliding down his throat.

He came again in a longer, slower ride than the urgent climax from before. He wormed his body up against Trey’s, pressing their chests together. Then he encircled Trey’s ass with his legs and kicked him into higher gear. Always a smart man, his lover picked up speed, driving his cock deeper into Demi’s still-demanding channel. When Trey stiffened and flooded Demi’s ass with hot cum, he joined him with a quick third climax that nevertheless left him huffing against Trey’s skin.

He retracted his fangs just in time before Trey collapsed on top of him. Demi reveled at the feel of the dead weight pressing him into the soft bedding. It was typically Trey, a simple blue color, utilitarian like the rest of the apartment. As he lay there wrapped around his man, he wondered how quickly he could steer Trey into blinging the place up a little.

Eventually, Trey rolled away. “Sorry, kid. I don’t mean to squash you, but you do wear an old man out.”

Demi swatted him on the chest. “Don’t say that. You aren’t old, and maybe there’s a way of helping things slow down, actually.” He hadn’t intended to bring this topic up yet, but Trey had given him an opportunity.

Trey opened one eye. “Yeah?”

Demi slid onto his side, laying his head on one palm. “Um, yes. I mean, I spoke with Papa about it. He says it’s possible that drinking my blood could help make you stronger and healthier. It might extend your life, too. If you want, that is. I totally get it if you don’t.”

He couldn’t look Trey in the eye afterward, fearing he’d pushed too far too soon. He busied himself tracing invisible patterns on the man’s chest with a fingertip. “I like the contrast between our skin tones,” he remarked when the silence dragged on.

Trey placed his hand over Demi’s. “So do I. You know that my mother is black and my father is white?”

“I guess. I haven’t really thought about it. It makes no difference to me, except,” he added with wide eyes, “does this mean I’m going to meet your family?”

“Eventually. I’m going to tell you all about them, and me, because really, Demi, you know next to nothing.”

“I know all I need to.” He started to sit up. Grabbing him, Trey tumbled him onto his chest. With a smile, Demi allowed himself to be captured and held.

“Not by human standards. We need time to get to really know each other. That means dating, meals like tonight, movies, museums even. It’s not all about sex, you know?”

“Hm-m. But this is such an awesome part of it.” He kissed one pec before swirling his tongue around Trey’s nipple the way the cop had done to Demi. Trey’s sharp inhale of breath made it worth doing again.

“I need time, Demi.” Trey was beginning to sound breathless.

“Uh-huh.” He wiggled out of the embrace to press opened-mouthed kisses all along Trey’s chest.

“A good two years. My, uh, family will still see you as too young, but I figure it will help.” He grunted when Demi scraped his teeth down the ridges on Trey’s six pack.

“I understand,” Demi assured him, because he could wait that long and also figured if he could get Trey down from ten to two, the two was negotiable as well.

“Good.” Trey grunted again and his torso lifted up enough to make Demi’s head bounce. He followed that thin trail of dark hair down to the man’s spent cock. “I’m not going to be ready for a while for another round. Sorry. Perhaps we should eat.”

“Okay.”

Demi didn’t pull away, however. Instead, he kept going, running his tongue around the sticky head. He tasted what must be himself and didn’t care. He placed more open-mouthed kisses down the shaft. He sucked on Trey’s big balls while tracing his hole with one finger.

“Stick it in,” Trey commanded and lifted his ass a little, as if there were any doubt of what he meant.

Demi was careful to wet his finger first before sliding it into a tight heat that gobbled him up. He kept playing with the dick, fucking Trey’s hole, scratching at his prostate until the cock rallied to a nice stiffness. Pulling out and letting go, he straddled Trey’s wide pelvis and sat on his dick. He didn’t even try to hide the breathy moan as he filled himself with his lover’s cock.

“What were you saying about eating dinner?” He smirked down at his man.

Trey growled. “Never mind. Get that pretty ass moving.”

Demi happily complied, using his extraterrestrial speed to rip another orgasm out of Trey. He flung out his hands and came in great spurts over Trey’s stomach from the fucking alone. He felt like he did when he was dancing on the pole, free and happy, and putting on a show, only now it was for an audience of one. It would be that way for the rest of their lives together.

He sprawled down with a laugh. “Oh God, Trey, I love you so much.”

Trey held him tightly before tugging up his head for a slow, yet passionate kiss. “I love you, too, Demi,” he said when it ended. “It scares me silly how much.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. I may be half alien, but my love and devotion is as human as yours.”

“I don’t doubt you, baby. It’s me I worry about.” Trey closed his eyes briefly. “And I want as much time with you as possible. If your father thinks my drinking your blood will give me more, then I’m willing to try it.”

“You don’t have to for me.”

“I have to for myself, baby.” He eased Demi off, breaking the connection of his deflated cock with Demi’s ass. “Hold on a minute.”

He scooted off the bed and went over to his dresser. Demi stretched wide while he lay there watching. Trey returned with a little box in his hand. Demi’s heart tripped when he recognized that it was for a ring.

Trey knelt beside him and opened it up. Inside was an oval swirled with purple, turquoise and gold and set in a silver-colored metal. Demi rocketed to a sitting position.

“This is heather set in white gold. Nothing expensive, but I’d be pleased if you would wear it.”

“Oh, Trey!” He placed his right hand over his heart while extending his left.

Before he slipped it onto Demi’s ring finger, Trey said, “Now, understand this is a sort of friendship ring. I’m a little too old for this kind of thing, but you’re not, at least by my estimation.” He slipped it on. “It’s a promise from me to you that in two years’ time, if you haven’t changed your mind, I’m going to be replacing this with an engagement ring.”

He searched Demi’s face. “Okay?”

In way of an answer, Demi shrieked and pulled him down. “I love it!” He held up his hand above Trey’s shoulder and admired how it looked on him. “And I will not be changing my mind. I will be changing my name, though.”

He pushed Trey onto his back. “Demetrius Duncan. I love the alliteration. Can we get monogrammed towels?”

With a laugh, Trey pulled him in for a kiss. “Baby steps, Demi. School first, then dating—and you know the rest.”

“Right.” He nodded firmly. “Whatever you say.”

“Good, because that includes bowing out of the family fight. No more haring off to confront what’s left of Dracul’s rebellion. Seeing you in that alley after hearing a gunshot nearly stopped my heart. None of that. Understand?”

Demi gave him an adoring smile, putting all his emotions into that one look. Then, he dropped his gaze. “Yes, sir.” Because he didn’t want to lie to his almost-fiancé. Love the man as he did, he really had no intention of standing on the side while Trey risked his life.

But there was no reason to even think about that now. Cadoc was dead, and if the others were smart, they’d hide away forever.

“Let’s go eat,” he said, bouncing off the bed and heading for the door.

“Demi, we’re naked.”

“I know. Isn’t it great?” He raced away, certain his man would chase after him.

And he did.