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Ryder set him down carefully on trembling legs. Grayson stood there, quietly, looking at the fire and not at him. It popped and cracked. The golden light it gave off painted Grayson’s tawny skin. Ryder traced the light and shadows it cast on Grayson’s shoulder with his fingertips.

“Perhaps you should speak to an Ashyr Vampire. Maybe they could help you learn to use your powers better,” Ryder offered, even as inwardly he cringed at the idea.

Why? Shouldn’t I wish this for him? Ryder challenged himself.

But he knew that once the Ashyr were involved that he would be barred from seeing Grayson. They would all think that Grayson was Ashyr reborn, come back to them. And no filthy Weryn would be allowed to soil their possible Immortal’s skin with his lips and breath and cum. No, Grayson would be Courted by the most powerful of the Ashyr Vampires. Though Grayson said he did not wish to be a Vampire now, they would change his mind. Or they would make it happen.

Doesn’t his being Ashyr explain why the other Immortals cluster around him? Yes, it does...

“I think Balthazar took the memory of that Ashyr Vampire away. Otherwise, I think they’d already be here,” Grayson said with a shrug.

Ryder’s breath skipped. “Ah? Yes, yes, you’re probably right.”

“They’d want to know what exactly I can do and maybe why. They’d probably be freaked out that a human can do this,” Grayson said.

No, they would think they already know why. And they might be right...

Grayson turned around in his arms, smiling again, seemingly focused on him again. Those eyes were “open” but perhaps not as much as in the beginning of their coupling. But Grayson was smiling. His hands ran up and down Ryder’s chest, seeming to relish every inch of him.

“But I don’t care about them right now,” Grayson said, his voice a little low and breathy.

“Oh?” Ryder’s cock was already starting to harden again.

Stay here, his mind whispered treacherously. Stay with me.

Grayson’s still hard cock pressed against his thigh. “No. I’m just interested in you.”

And Ryder’s heart did not skip a beat then, or so he would tell himself later. He did not feel a sense of joy that was so piercing it almost hurt. No, that couldn’t have happened. This was just a light, fun time that he did not want to have stretch on forever like an endless road in the moonlight.

No.

No.

No.

Grayson’s arms slid up and around his neck. He had to get up onto his tiptoes to have his mouth reach Ryder’s without Ryder lowering his head. He pressed a soft kiss to Ryder’s lips. He pulled back, tilting his head to the side, still smiling, and leaning in to kiss him again. He licked his lips as if Ryder was a fine wine or a sweet he was tasting and evaluating whether it was to his taste or not.

“You are so serious now, Ryder. I’m going to think that you’re offended that I don’t want to spend eternity with you,” Grayson murmured.

Ryder’s smile was a little rigid. “I couldn’t have you even if I wanted you… and you wanted me.”

Grayson frowned. “Oh? Oh. Right. No fledglings from the school. Even though I’m not really a student, I’m close enough, right?”

Ryder gave a curt nod. “Exactly.”

“This game of chicken you’ve got going with Balthazar, Caemorn and the others, do you really think it’s going to work?” Grayson looked like he didn’t think so.

“It must. It is not safe this way.”

“All right. I see you’re married to that idea. So… why are you upset?” Grayson asked.

“I’m not.” Clipped. Curt. Cold. Ryder grimaced. He was upset and he did and didn’t know why. “I’m… I’m not. Not in the way you think.”

“I only know you’re upset suddenly and it has to do with me or something I’ve said,” Grayson told him.

“No, you’re wonderful. You’re perfect.” Ryder paused. Is that what he meant to say? Yes… Grayson was perfect in all of this. He wasn’t being so perfect. “I just… I like you. And even though I’m saying what’s between us is fleeting, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter.”

Grayson looked away. “Okay.”