38. Third
Companion: a person who frequently spends time with you, associates with you, or accompanies you when you go places.
Aldrich
He pushed me away. He didn’t want me. They didn’t want me. Fuck this. All I wanted was a mate of my own, settle down when everyone wanted nothing but my sexual companion.
“Aldrich, um… Where can I find the chef?”
Tessa’s voice interrupted my thoughts when I saw her walking into the kitchen. I was heating a blood bag since I was on rotation to guard the perimeter for the night. It was the second day she had been staying at the den, and strangely she fits in nicely with everyone. I guess partly because everyone had been tiptoeing around her, not sure of how to proceed with the strange human lover of their King.
“They usually left after sundown. It’s one of our rules unless we demanded them otherwise. Can I help you with something?”
“Cheese, yes… yes, I talked to one of the chefs earlier today asking him to contact Lucius’s chef for a recipe. I wonder if he had made the fondue and set it aside for me?”
Of course, her cheese obsession.
“I believe I saw a grilled cheese sandwich in the oven earlier. But no, no fondue, though with chefs they probably will take a day to get the proper ingredients since not all might be available here in the den.”
“Ah, yes, of course,” she smiled and walked straight to the oven and let out a delightful sigh when she saw the grilled cheese sandwich.
I was about to leave her to enjoy her dinner when she told me to stay.
“Come on, I don’t have anything to do. I can’t work since Nero still forbids me to go out and the man can be very persuasive in his ways.” She winked and I couldn’t contain my blank expression. This little human can pull out anyone’s humorous expression whenever she’s around. It was strange. Considering that she’s a psychopath, though I do think she was bordering on sociopath. But still, her blood lust was probably what made her fit perfectly with us. The woman didn’t even flinch when I poured the warm blood into my cup and took a big gulp from it.
“Is it good?” She asked curiously as I took another gulp of the blood.
“It’s okay, we like it better when it’s pumping from a healthy heart. But we are trying to keep the human population and our kind under control.”
She nodded understandingly as she took a bite of her sandwich. “So, have you seen Vesper? I thought you two are glued to the hip.”
Her smile was polite, though her words should’ve made me upset. Yeah… no, with her putting on that innocent face, I couldn’t let out a snarky comment. Instead, I shrugged and told her what I know.
“He hadn’t asked for me. I assumed he was out with Marius.” The thought sent a dull knife to my soul, of course, Vesper was avoiding me. He didn’t want me to latch on to him, at least until he required me to be on my knees for him. The less we spend time together the better, I’ve tried and failed to convince myself. Just like always.
“Oh, I was curious if he had found out more about my half-brother. Anyway, I guess… I’m going to take this and get back to my canvases.”
I offered to escort her back to her room but she dismiss me, telling me to enjoy my meal and so I did. Until my phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Vesper: Meet me at Lowell’s. Marius had to go. Let me know if you’re available.
Of course, I was available. I’d easily switch my schedule with Cortland, the King’s guard was younger than me in terms of vampire years. But he had the experience. He was one of the great commanders in the 1800s Napoleonic wars and it had been a great relief to have him serve as one of the King’s primary guards.
Cortland had helped me maneuver and calm me down in meetings with the human liaison, hunters, and more tactical measures needed to be taken to ensure my sanity when it comes to other beings. Honestly, I just don’t have the patience. I’d kill them all if it was left to me, but being the primary guard for the King I’d say that wouldn’t look good for Nero’s image.
I left the den after telling him about Vesper’s situation. The man told me to go after assuring me that he had everything under control. It was going to be a quiet night at the den, so I excused myself after I informed King Nero that I’d be escorting Vesper and Cortland will be resuming my position at the den.
******
Less than an hour later, I was at the address Vesper had given me. The dramatic Prince was well hidden behind the backyard trees, looking bored as always but managing to stay sexy as expected. I shook my head, thinking that I really need to get rid of the feelings. I was there to work, to be his second lookout not to ogle the sexy prince. Yep. Definitely nope. Yesterday was definitely our last. Now, if only I could make it a reality.
When he saw me, Vesper pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips on mine within a fraction of a second and all I managed was a moan. I could never resist him being dominant toward me. Well, both he and Ammar. I should really focus on distancing myself from these Princes.
“Took you long enough,” Vesper said as he pulled away from our kiss.
“Is he home?” I asked, forcing myself to calm myself down.
“Yeah and I think it’s time we confront the guy.”
“The sooner the better,” I added.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
“My thoughts exactly.” He grinned and took my hand and kissed my knuckles. Ugh, why does he has to be too fucking sweet? But then the knuckle kissing escalated to lip locking and then, he was pushing me against the tree bark in no time.
His hand slipped under my pants and his kissing was getting more demanding. He must’ve been really bored watching the guy. And I must’ve been really horny that I didn’t even hear the guy until he was meters behind us.
“Fuck,” I cursed and got Vesper behind me, ready to protect the Prince with my life.
“Why the fuck are you leeches making out in my backyard?”
The amused chuckle from Vesper let me know that this was all an act. He must’ve sensed Lowell and wanted him to acknowledge our presence without seeming that we were a threat to him.
“I heard from someone that you’re the man to see, for a certain price. See, me and umm… my boyfriend here wanted third.”
The fuck? I should’ve known Vesper would try something like this. Now, I send him a scrutinizing look. I was convinced that Marius was sent away just because he likes to mess with my head. It was like he needed more dramatics in his life and I was there to entertain his crazy antics.
“Uh, oh… but I don’t swing your way.” Lowell said, looking a bit too flustered that we knew his secrets but then more embarrassed that Vesper was proposing that he’d be our third.
“Really? Because I’d love to make you swing our way.” He winked and produced a thick roll of bills which gets Lowell’s eyes rounded like a saucer.
“There you go, now, is there somewhere private where we can continue this? Preferably with you sandwich between us?” He snickered and pulled me closer to his side only to kiss my neck and made me shudder.
This was going to be a disaster. I knew it. But instead of resisting, I was letting Vesper take the stage and put on his act to steer the wolf to a more secluded place. We were reeling the guy too easily for questioning. His eyes went back and forth between us before he checked out my bulge confirming that I was rock hard before he nodded and grabbed the roll of cash from Vesper’s hand.