by Jo Penn
The following few days as Emile worked in his offices at the Sanchez Compound, Vinn worked in the compounds large garage, familiarizing himself with the vehicles and repairing some. Eber and Mac came over every day, and they tested weapons and teased the felines.
They had both learned that though their connection was constantly on, they could tune out. It took some doing at first. Thoughts and feelings were always coming through and distracting, but they figured it out so when Emile turned up in the garage where Vinn was just finishing with a new Mercedes that the King had somehow managed to blow up the engine of, he was surprised to see his mate.
“Want to come for a ride?” Emile’s gaze narrowed on Vinn’s hands. “After you have cleaned your hands.”
Smirking and waving his hands at his mate, Vinn laughed when Emile hissed and scrambled back.
“I’ll be a sec. What car are we taking?”
“The Aston Martin.”
That was a helluva of a fine car, and Vinn wasn’t surprised it belonged to Emile. It was sleek, intelligent, and prestigious, just like his mate. Vinn cleaned up, removing his coveralls and making sure he didn’t have any grime and dirt on him. If he did, he’d been quick to discover Emile wouldn’t touch him. It was amusing and one of the quirks Vinn liked. He also liked how the other day that when Emile had on his schedule that he had a two-hour meeting about some boring railroad plan, he was actually down on the large lake in the compound helping the cubs of the pride with their rowing training. Even Archie was there, and as Linc was back from overseas, the young vampire followed the cub everywhere. Ace got sick of that, and hissed at Archie a lot, but Tyler, Constantin, Ryder and Marco kept things light and fun.
When Vinn had appeared everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at him, the cubs all wide-eyed, some shivering in fear. The youngest female proudly said Vinn was her demon brother and was the coolest because he did magic tricks with smoke. After that, all the cubs clambered around him, and he got to see Emile in a relaxed environment and how he could joke around, teach, and patiently listen to cubs prattle on for a good ten minutes about absolutely nothing.
Returning to his mate, Vinn twitched a bit. He liked to drive. It was probably a control issue of his, and his brothers often laughed at him about it, but they all let him drive. Emile had been in the little office in the car parking facility and came out, handing Vinn the keys.
“It is not a race car, Vinncent, drive carefully.”
Grinning, Vinn opened the passenger door for his mate and shut it once Emile was inside. Once out of the compound, he opened the car up and received a sharp look. He grinned and winked, easing his foot back a little.
“So where are we going?” He groaned. “Hell, you don’t have a meeting, do you?”
“Not a meeting, per say.” Emile smiled, stretching out his long legs. “An important appointment. We will be making a stop at the Aston estate, so go there first.”
Vinn was happy to do that. While he was getting used to the Sanchez palace and everyone in it, and liked it most of the time, he missed the Aston estate and his family. Still, he couldn’t be happier because he had Emile.
As traffic was light they arrived a short time later, Vinn deciding he would take the Aston Martin out for a spin when his mate was busy another day.
“A good plan.” Emile quirked a brow. “I will have it guarded.”
“We’re mates!” Vinn mock exclaimed. “What’s mine is yours, and yours is mine. Share, cymar.”
“Of course. I am more than happy to share with you, my mate. What would you like? The Railway Project? It has many technical engineering terms I have to spend far too much time researching, but you would know a bit more about. Or perhaps you would like to share in the maintenance of the family’s coin collection? I cannot seem to get rid of that one, unfortunately, though believe me, I have tried to coerce, threaten, and blackmail every member of the family into doing the job.”
Vinn winced. “Not quite what I meant, and no way in hell am I coin collecting.”
Parking the car outside the garage, Vinn jumped out and hurried around to Emile’s door. His mate was still getting used to Vinn opening and closing the door for him, but he knew Emile liked it. So did Vinn. He loved to take care of his mate, do little things to show respect and affection.
“What’s going on here?” Vinn asked, waving at some of the guards.
Blahz was outside with Jayce, Ran, and Con playing soccer while Luka Charmers, a surrogate big brother to Ran, was refereeing. It was good to see.
He turned around to see Emile already walking into the house so hurried to catch up.
“Ah, good, you’re just in time,” Macario greeted them. “Okay, Vinn, just follow us.”
Having no idea what was going on, he tried listening to Emile’s thoughts but just heard how he liked the Aston home, the paintings, he liked Mac’s accounting skills and was curious. Which told Vinn squat. Shrugging, he followed up two flights of stairs and down the hall to the right. Mac opened the door to Vinn’s suite and waved them through.
Nothing had changed. Vinn was interested to see what Emile thought and was glad his mate nodded appreciatively.
“There is a lot of space, and the views are superb. Did you choose the furniture, Vinncent?”
“Some, not all.”
His suite was two levels. The living room, kitchen, half bath, and study downstairs and main bed and spare bedroom upstairs. Mac had good taste, as did Lacy, so between them and Vinn, the suite was lined with bookshelves in the living room with twenties style furniture and modern all in grays and whites, and sandy wood.
“Here are your bags, Emile. I’ll have Jessica and Lionel unpack for you.”
“Thank you, Mac.”
Vinn stared at the boxes and bags being carted into the room by Eber and security. “What’s going on?”
“It was generous of you to leave your family for me, Vinncent.” Emile winced as a security guard nearly dropped a box. “That has fragile written across the top. I did not label the box fragile because I like the word. It has a particular purpose—”
“I think he gets it, mate.” Vinn grinned, tugging Emile close and waving for everyone to get out of his suite. Once the door was shut, Vinn gazed into his gorgeous mate’s blue eyes. “How did you keep this from me?”
“You have been distracted with the deplorable condition of the mechanics room at the compound. I am also very good at thinking of dozens of things at once. Thank you for giving up your home for me, Vinncent, and you have fit in well there. But here is where you belong, and your family needs you, are sad when you are gone, and I see, when you are together with them, you are all much happier. So we will be here, now.”
“But what about you? You will miss your family—”
“I will be relieved!” Emile flashed a cheeky smile and stepped away. “This is good for me, Vinncent. I will be at the compound most days as my office and family are there, my obligations, and it is one of my homes. But I would enjoy a change. I have become far too stale and complacent. I enjoy the city.”
Vinn very much doubted he would ever cease being surprised by his Emile. But what he did know was Emile had brought happiness, joy, and love so deep and right back to his life. He loved Emile with everything in him, a love that would carry through life and death.
“Thank you, my soulmate.” Vinn drew Emile close, his heart swelling. “Let’s go upstairs.”
THE END
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