Shawn’s cock slipped from Valentin’s body, but he remained where he was, his hand idly stroking Valentin’s hair.
What am I supposed to do now? For the first time in centuries, he was at a loss. The touch, the mental connection, the hot weight pressing him into the mattress, they all felt good. Better than that.
“We should wash up.”
“Feeling better?”
Valentin did a mental check over his body. Stomach full, no signs of nausea, no dizziness and no headache. Go figure. “Yes, I am. My headache is gone.”
“Good to hear. Since when do vampires have headaches, anyway?”
“Since they’re stupid enough to drink bad blood from a body.”
“Oh, good, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that was a mistake.”
“I knew it was a mistake. Drinking rotten blood can be deadly for us. Especially when it’s poisoned.”
“Why did you do it then?”
“I hoped to see who killed him.”
“And?”
“Nothing.”
“How could it be nothing? That guy didn’t rip himself to pieces.”
“Exactly.”
“How much of that blood did you have?”
“Few drops, a mouthful tops, but it was more than enough to kill me. I knew it was bad, but after the first taste it was so hard to stop, there was so much power in it. To tell you the truth, I shouldn’t be alive. Not after that amount. Hell, a couple of drops should have been enough to kill anyone.”
“How did you survive?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
Chapter 8
They were on the road again, Valentin behind the wheel. He had no destination in mind and was more than happy to heed Shawn’s instruction. For some reason, Shawn had told him to head down to Bucharest and stick to the main road, and then he settled back in his seat and proceeded to fall asleep. That had been hours ago, which gave Valentin too much thinking time altogether. He was still shaken up from what happened earlier. It had felt so right. The level of closeness between them, even before the feeding, was new for him. Not for the first time since he’d met the man, he wished he knew what was in Shawn’s mind. If only they had have met in different times, before his life had gone to hell. But the present was all he had, and he didn’t see much of a future.
Valentin glanced at the man sleeping next to him. A jaguar. Who would have thought? Valentine chuckled silently and risked another glance. Shawn looked so peaceful, so… relaxed, like he had no care in the world.
A pang of regret stabbed Valentin, regret that he’d dragged Shawn into his world, a place where he couldn’t provide any kind of shelter. Throwing Shawn to wolves would have been a kinder death. Maybe parting ways, no matter how painful the mere thought was, would give Shawn a fighting chance. That way, the men following Valentin might forget about the cat. Maybe.
Shawn sighed in his sleep, and Valentin’s eyes wandered back to him. What is it about you that has me so hooked up? He reached out and tucked one straying strand of hair behind Shawn’s ear. The man stirred in his sleep.
“Shhh. It’s okay.”
Shawn mumbled something in response and slouched lower in his seat.
Why am I doing this to myself? He’s probably just experimenting. A fling. And when he has satisfied whatever curiosity he might have, he’ll go. His stomach rebelled at the thought. Sure, Shawn had said they were mates, but it was said just before sex, and every sane person knew better than to trust that.
I will enjoy it while I can. It’s not like I am in love with him. But he was afraid he was. A wave of nausea rose in his throat. He shoved his fist against the wheel with a low thump, cursing out loud.
“What’s wrong?” Shawn was suddenly fully alert, his eyes wide and worried.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I was just thinking.”
Shawn’s eyes darted pointedly to the steering wheel and one of his brows quirked quizzically.
“You often use your fists when thinking?”
“It’s been known to happen.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
He didn’t. Talking meant he’d have to face his feelings, and that wasn’t something he often indulged in. Or cared to. Not one for retrospection, his usual cure for ennui was fucking, fucking and then more fucking. His sire’s favorite pet, he’d been spoiled rotten from the get-go, and while he knew the attention wasn’t due to any personal merit but his good looks, he found it much too easy to flow with it. This unusual turn of events was proving to be particularly hard on him.
“I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
“Into what?
“Into this mess. I cannot protect you.”
“Aahh. This again. You didn’t drag me into anything. And I definitely don’t need protection. I can take care of myself.”
“How can you be so calm about this? Matheus, has seen you.”
“I’ve seen him, too. So?”
“He won’t stop hunting you.”
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
Unbelievable. Unbe-fucking-lievable. “You are either crazy, or an adrenaline junkie.”
“Neither. And I am concerned. Why do you think I asked you to drive us to Bucharest? Sightseeing?”
Valentin shrugged. “I figured you wanted to try and blend in. It is a big city, after all.”
“Would it help?” He sounded merely curious, like their lives weren’t at stake.
“No, not really.”
“Just what I thought. As I could follow your scent everywhere, I reckon they could, too.”
“What do you have in mind then?”
“I have some friends there. They might be able to help.”
“Do you want to bring this over them too?”
“No, I don’t. But I’m not sure what we’re up against, and this gives me the willies. Until I figure things out and know you’re safe, I’ll take any help I can get.”
“Why would you care what happens to me?”
“Haven’t we been through this before? You are my mate.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I was hoping it would get through to you eventually.”
“Can you, please, be serious?”
“I am.”
“There is no such thing as mating between vampires and shifters.”
“And why is that?”
“I don’t know, there just isn’t.”
“You can’t possibly believe that. I am sure that it’s not the first mating of this kind. Or the bond between mates is not something your people recognize?”
“We do, but it’s just so rare.”
“The same with my kind. Mating between wolf kin is more frequent. Felines, most of them, don’t mate for life.”
“If they are just as sparse as you say, how can you be sure?” Jealousy ate at his belly. “Or have you been mated before?”
“No, I haven’t. But when you meet your mate, you know.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Do I have a sign over my head saying mate?”
“Of course not. It’s how I feel about you. When I first saw you in the bar, I should have wanted to kill you, but my first thought was shit, if Alec sees him, he’s dead. I was attracted to you, when I’ve never gone for men.” Shawn grinned widely at Valentin. “Does this answer your question?”
“Just one thing.”
“Shoot.”
“Who’s Alec?”
“He is, was my prime. Why now, baby, are you jealous?”
“What? Of course not.” Okay, that was a blatant lie. Shawn’s nostrils flared and he grinned wickedly, but he didn’t call him on it.
“What happened to him?”
“Nothing.”
“Why the past tense then?”
“Because he is no longer my prime.”
“Aha. I understand.” No, he didn’t. “Why not?”
“Because he is a good man and a fair leader and I didn’t want to challenge h
im for the position just to please my stepfather.” Bitterness poured from every word and his lips pursed in distaste.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why? It’s not your fault my stepfather is a bastard.” Shawn shrugged, dismissing the topic as no big deal, but his body posture said otherwise.
“Why would Fate choose me as your mate?” Valentin mused out loud after a while.
“I don’t understand it myself.” Shawn regarded him pensively. “What is this really about?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” he was quick to answer. Too quick maybe, because his lover pursed his lips and tssked incredulously at him.
“Don’t you? We both know it has nothing to do with your inability to smell much or with your being sick. So what is it?”
God, was he so easy to read? Valentin glanced over at Shawn to find those striking, gray eyes watching him patiently and decided to put his cards on the table.
“I don’t understand why Fate chose me for you. There is nothing special about me.” The words were laced with a poorly concealed anxiety. Could his lover know how much this admission cost him?
“How are mates chosen? On what grounds? Physical? Moral? I don’t have the answers. I’m not sure it matters either. But I know this. There’s never been a case when the mates weren’t the best match for each other. Not that I’ve heard of.”
“But why me? Don’t get me wrong. You’re hot and sexy and I’d be lying if I said I’m not attracted to you.”
“Are you, now?” Shawn drawled out. Valentin rolled his eyes in exasperation.
“You know I am, you can smell my arousal. Apparently you can smell everything.” Shawn snorted a laugh, but didn’t deny it. “But my point is, you could do much better.”
Shawn sighed and turned to look idly through the window.
“Listen. I’ll be honest here. I can’t say I’m thrilled to have a vampire for mate. You are not what I was looking for.”
Valentin gasped and blinked away the tears in his eyes. How could a few simple words hurt so badly? This wasn’t anything he didn’t know or hadn’t thought about himself, but to hear it said out loud so callously was beyond harsh. He opened his mouth to argue, to somehow defend himself, to lash out, to say something, anything, but Shawn raised a hand to silence his protest.
“No, let me finish. Two days ago I didn’t even want a mate. Especially not a man. And then you showed up and turned my world around. One whiff of your scent, one look in your eyes, and I was done. I tried to leave. I even convinced myself that I could walk away from you. But I wasn’t fooling anyone. Even if you’d have managed to disappear on me, I would have tracked you down. I’m good at that, you know. I have no idea why you were chosen for me, and I don’t care. You are mine and I intend to keep you.”
“Don’t I have a say in this?”
“Of course you do. If you don’t want me”—he swallowed audibly, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down— “just say the word and I’m out of your hair.”
Perhaps Valentin was lousy at smelling lies, but he was a good judge of character, and he knew Shawn was telling him the truth. He shook his head. Nope, he didn’t want that. Just the thought of it made him hyperventilate. His life in the coven had been led by rules meant to assure peace and security, but Shawn was an unknown variable.
“No. I don’t want that.”
Tension drained from Shawn’s body and he regarded Valentin with a serious look.
“I would very much like a shot with you. I’m not saying I’ll be the best boyfriend in the world, as I’ve never been in the position before, but I can promise I’ll try.”
Valentin couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Hell, he couldn’t even think. Words, feelings, hidden dreams, deepest fantasies, all swirled in his head at blinding speed, and he couldn’t catch any long enough to analyze. Shawn took his silence for it what was, his smile, though a little sad, said as much.
“I don’t want an answer. Not right now. Let’s get through this alive and we’ll see where we stand then.”
Relief coursed through Valentin. Relief and a spark of hope.
“I would like that very much.”
Shawn reached over and threaded his fingers through Valentin’s on the gearshift. Valentin squeezed them gently in response.
They rode in compassionate silence for a while, fingers entwined.
“Who is this friend of yours? You’re sure you can trust him?”
“His name is Andrei Enache. I met him at college. I haven’t seen him in few years. My stepfather’s doing.”
“College? How old are you anyway?”
“I’m twenty-seven.”
“You look younger. So can you trust him?”
Shawn sighed and looked out the window pensively. “I don’t know. A while ago I would have said yes, no doubt about it. Now, I don’t know. But I have to trust someone, and he is the only one who springs to mind.”
“Does he know about shifters and vampires?”
Shawn stared at him, mouth agape. “He is a shifter.”
“What? You’re taking me into therian territory? Why don’t you kill me now and be done with it?”
“Hey, what is wrong with you?”
“Do I have to spell it out for you? Fine. I’m a vampire. Vampires and shifters don’t mix.”
“Hello! News flash! I am a shifter, or have you forgotten that? And I have yet to harm you.”
“You don’t count.”
“Excuse me?”
“I didn’t mean you can’t be dangerous. You’re just... you.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I’m not afraid of you, okay?”
With an offended look, Shawn let out a loud roar.
Valentin rolled his eyes, then worried at his lower lip, as the reality sunk in. “Do you think he could help us?”
“I hope so.”
“Okay. Let’s go talk to your friend and see what happens.”
****
The late-afternoon light had faded away, night reigning fully over the land, and Valentin found himself forced to decrease the speed even more. He let Shawn’s fingers go from his hold and concentrated on his driving. The road soon turned to an unpaved, muddy path marred with deep tire ditches, which even the big SUV had trouble approaching. Shawn slid his right hand under the door handle and held on tight.
The car fishtailed, the back tires caught in the mud. Valentin gripped the wheel and pressed the gas pedal down another notch. The tires glided, dirty water spraying all over the place. He swore and tried again. More mud sprayed and then the wheels caught solid ground.
A few turns later the path disappeared into nothing under the trees. Shawn’s lips quirked, but he held his mouth shut. Valentin broke out in a new string of cusses.
“Did you know you are bilingual when you are ticked?”
“What? I am not.”
“Sure you are. I caught some Russian there, among the English litany.”
“That’s because I am Russian. You should be happy I remembered my English.” He slammed his fist against the wheel, the material bending under the shock. “We could try to turn back.”
“I’m not sure the car can take it.”
“Why are you not pissed?”
“Would it help? I could give it a try if you like.”
Valentin put the car in reverse and released the clutch. The ditch under the tires protested, and he punched the gas more. The back wheels skidded again.
“What’s the point of having an SUV if it’s not four-by-four?”
“It is four-by-four. I have no idea what kind of engines you are used to, but there aren’t many with high cylinder capacity around these parts.”
“You kidding me? With these roads? At this altitude?”
“Yeah, well. Have you seen the size of the villages around here? What’s the point of having a more powerful machine when the roads are mostly closed during winter due to heavy snow? Sometimes in the spring, too, due to flooding.”
/>
Astonishing. How do people live here? “Flooding? As in heavy rain?”
“No. As in the sky breaking loose and rivers spilling over, carrying with them trees, boulders, and everything in between.”
“That explains the condition of the roads. Or what passes as roads around here.”
Valentin stepped on the gas again, harder. The car skidded—fast—fishtailing again, coming to a stop, radiator first, on top of the nearest tree. The hood wrinkled and steam simmered from under it. Good thing they were wearing their seat belts, or the jolt would have sent them both through the windshield.
Valentin gawked at the mess, jaw hanging open. Shawn bit his tongue, hard, to stop himself from swearing out loud.
“How the hell did that happen?”
Shawn shrugged. “The tree always wins. And roads here aren’t helping either.”
“You call this a road? Trench is more like it.”
“Hey, don’t give me grief, it’s not my fault.”
* * * *
Shawn climbed down from the car and circled to check out the damage. Damn it!
“This baby ain’t going anywhere.”
Valentin joined him, hesitant to touch him, though he longed to. “I’m sorry. I never meant to ruin your car.” Shawn glanced up at him. He sounded so repentant, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
“It’s just metal. It can be replaced. Eventually.” He winked at Valentin to put his mind at ease. “I’m sure we can find other means of transportation as soon as we get back to the main road.” He grinned widely, pausing for better effect before continuing. “Worst-case scenario, you can hot-wire another car.”
Valentin flinched, but recovered quickly. “Yeah. A faster one.”
“See? I knew you would see my point of view. Though with your driving skills, a faster car would only get us so far.” Leaving Valentin no time to respond, Shawn glanced around, sniffing the air. “We should get a move on. Let’s get our things and head back. We could try to hitch a ride.”
“Yeah, we better. What do we do with your car?”
Shawn pursed his lips, thinking. It was, after all, his baby, and he was rather fond of it, but he didn’t want to upset his lover any more than he already had.
Perfect Timing Page 10