Malik heard Master’s voice, and Ivan was still out there talking to the stranger. He peeled his lips back where he stood hidden behind a coat rack.
Then Zev was talking to Ivan, and Ivan skidded across the room.
“Hiya, sugar.” He more or less dove in behind the rack as well, and Malik could breathe a little easier. Malik reached for Ivan and hugged him to his chest.
“Can you melt into the wall?”
Ivan peered up at him. “I could, but it would make it hard to find the diamond.”
“Let’s leave.” Malik could protect him. If they ran now, left the city like Raina had wanted, then Malik could spend the rest of his life guarding Ivan.
“I need to do this.”
Malik ground his teeth. “You don’t.”
“Hey.” Ivan reached up and put a hand on his neck. “I know you didn’t sign up for this, and I understand if you want to bail.”
Malik tightened his hold on Ivan. He didn’t understand. Malik didn’t want to run to save himself, he wanted Ivan away from danger. “You’re mine.”
Ivan’s widened eyes had a knot forming in his belly.
“That’s sweet and all—”
“No, you don’t understand.” Malik didn’t understand, so how could Ivan? Malik couldn’t bite Ivan because of his tainted blood, and yet he was sure Ivan was meant to be his mate.
“Darling, I do understand. You can taste freedom for the first time in your life. You want to explore. You might have the hots for me—”
Malik growled. “You’re mine. Forever.”
Ivan was about to respond, but Malik put a hand over his mouth and held up a finger to his lips. Someone was approaching.
Gently, Malik moved Ivan until his back leaned against the wall behind the coat rack. He could melt into it. If they were caught, Ivan could disappear, and whoever was coming would only see Malik.
A crisp female voice reached them. “This way, Lady Zelly.”
Ivan stiffened under Malik’s hands, then he tried to peek around him. Malik let go of him, not that Malik ever wanted to let go of him, but he understood the importance of knowing what Lady Zelly looked like.
“I have to ask your guards to wait outside the coatroom. Security measures.”
Malik held his breath. If a group of vampires stomped in here, it was over.
Lady Zelly didn’t respond, but since they weren’t swarmed by guards, Malik assumed she’d gestured for them to wait outside.
Ivan walked to the end of the coat rack and melted into the wall. Malik shuddered. He should have kept a closer eye on Ivan when they’d been on missions, but he’d been too happy to be let out of the basement and to be treated like something other than a slave to question how Ivan had succeeded in getting the things they were sent out to get.
He stood as still as he could, cowering so his head wouldn’t be seen over the rack, and waited.
The women didn’t speak much, but Malik heard something sounding like an elevator. A low ding sounded before a door opened, and seconds later the women’s voices were cut off by the closing doors. It had to be the way down to the safe.
Ivan came out of the wall. “Hopefully, she’ll carry a box with the diamond when she comes back up, and we won’t have to get into the vault at all.”
Malik nodded. If they could avoid the elevator, he’d be happy. Being locked up in a box had his heart beating hard and his lungs shrinking.
“I’ll be here.” Ivan took a few steps forward before melting into the wall again. Malik wanted to change place, too, but he didn’t dare to when Lady Zelly’s guards were right outside.
It took forever before the sound of the elevator reached him again. He held his breath as he crouched behind the rack, his pulse thudding in his ears. Touching a hand to his chest, he did his best not to think about his heart.
The ding came and the door opened. Malik didn’t move, didn’t try to see what Lady Zelly looked like or if she was carrying the box with the diamond. Soon both women walked past the rack, the sound of their heels pushing his heart to beat faster.
Everything went still, but Malik didn’t move.
“She’s wearing it.” Ivan stepped out of the wall and frowned at him.
“Wearing?”
“Yes, the necklace.”
He could tell Ivan had hoped she wouldn’t be. “It’s a problem?”
“How do we get close enough to steal the necklace when she’s surrounded by guards? You can’t mingle. With Remi here, someone will recognize you. I can’t get in on the dinner. I’m not dressed to melt in, and Remi would recognize me.” He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Raina isn’t a good enough pickpocket to steal it while serving.”
He paced the small area behind the coat rack, altering between fisting his hair and rubbing his forehead.
“Maybe with a distraction, she could?” Malik didn’t know, but if everyone looked the other way, maybe Raina could unhook the necklace and steal the diamond.
“What are you thinking?”
Malik shrugged, his heart racing again, and he rubbed his chest to make it slow down. He wasn’t smart enough to plan a theft. Ivan was the one who knew how to do things. “Maybe…” He blew out a breath. “If Raina could spill something on the lady, she could steal the necklace.”
Ivan shook his head. “Her guards would suspect it.”
“Yes, but if I distract them, you hide in the wall, Zev and Raina both rush to the lady’s help and the necklace moves from one hand to another and finally into yours. Could you wait in the wall until the dinner is over and everyone’s gone home?”
Ivan narrowed his eyes. “It’s risky.”
Malik shrugged. He’d get caught saving Ivan. It might not be the outcome he’d hoped for, but to know Ivan would live and not be killed either by Remington Redwood or the evil wizard would have to be enough. Cannon fodder was his role in life, had always been, and he’d been willing to die for Ivan before, so why not now?
“Okay, let’s try it. We need to talk to Raina and Zev.” Ivan moved toward the doorway, but Malik reached for him. Malik pushed Ivan against the wall and looked into his eyes before his gaze dropped to Ivan’s lips.
* * * *
Heat washed over Ivan as Malik held him against the wall. “I’m not sure a fuck in the coatroom is the best idea right now.”
Malik jerked and let go of Ivan as if he’d burned him. Crap! He’d meant it as a joke.
He grabbed Malik’s arm before he could move away farther. Sliding a hand up over Malik’s shoulder and onto his neck, Ivan pulled him down. He pressed his lips to Malik’s. How did you kiss a vampire? He ran his tongue over the seam of Malik’s mouth and hooked his leg around Malik’s hip.
Malik put a hand on Ivan’s ass and lifted him, easily trapping him between his body and the wall. When Malik’s tongue pushed into Ivan’s mouth he moaned and rubbed against Malik’s hard length.
Malik froze and started to untangle Ivan. “We shouldn’t.”
Ivan made a frustrated sound. “Perhaps not.” He reached out and cupped Malik’s hard cock. Damn. He was rewarded with a hiss, fangs showing and all.
“Ivan.” It was more growl than anything else.
“I know, but…It could be quick.”
Malik’s eyes got so wide, Ivan had to go through what he’d said in his head.
“I will not…We can’t…It’s not right.”
“Not right?” Because they were two guys? Hadn’t Malik said he was Ivan’s?
“I’ll want to mate with you and—”
“It’s what I’m offering, dude. A quick fuck in the coatroom. You can’t say you’ve never fantasized about it.” He wiggled his eyebrows and Malik shook his head.
“Not a quick fuck. Mating, and mating isn’t quick.”
“Oh, you make it sound hot.” Ivan grinned, but it only made Malik shake his head. Disappointment filled Ivan’s chest. It was for the best. They were here to steal a diamond and save their lives, not get off in the coatroom. He sighed and dropped his shoulders. “Okay, let’s get to work.”
Malik watched him in a way that had his heart accelerating. He looked like he wanted to eat Ivan up. No one ever looked at him like that.
“Malik?”
“I want you. I want to be with you in a place where no one will walk in on us, where no one is hunting us, where I can take my time and touch every inch of your body.”
Ivan shivered. “I’m holding you to it.”
The smile Malik gave him made his heart ache. He didn’t think it would happen.
Ivan would make it happen. He’d steal the diamond. He’d buy Malik’s freedom. And they would find a place to live where they didn’t have to worry about being caught or found out. There was always a risk Ivan would be found out, but he could be more careful than he’d been up to this point.
“Okay, let’s fill Raina and Zev in on the plan. If you peek, can you spot Zev?”
Ivan watched Malik look around the doorpost, and soon Zev slunk into the coatroom.