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“I understand. When I arrived at The Sanctum I could barely bring myself to enjoy anything. How could I, when Elsabeth was still out there, alone? But I came to realize she wouldn’t want me to live like that.”

I tug him toward the boardwalk. “C’mon. Let’s make one or two more good memories together.”

The ice cream stand is still there, packed with a summer crowd. Lysander hangs back while I order two waffle cones, one dipped in chocolate and sprinkles and one plain. The look of delight on his face is everything.

“What flavor is it? What’s yours?” He sticks his tongue out and tastes the top. “Wow.”

“Berry crush and white chocolate for you. Peanut butter and cookie dough for me.” I hold mine out to him and watch hisdelicate blue tongue glide across it. He groans loudly and the back of my neck heats.

It turns out a double scoop of peanut butter and cookie dough ice cream is the best thing ever when you’re a kid, but stomach-ache inducing when you’re a grown up. I’m barely half done by the time Lysander polishes off his cone and starts eying mine.

“Go for it, sweets.”

He devours it and I watch him just as ravenously, the sight of his tongue doingthingsto me. It’s a good thing we couldn’t meet at my apartment. I’d have a hard time letting him leave the bed.

He licks his fingers clean, then catches me looking. A deep blue flush splashes onto his cheeks. I lean in, unable to resist.

His lips are cold and sweet. I take advantage of his surprised gasp to dip inside and taste him, and his tongue meets mine eagerly. He presses into me and his firm, lithe body rouses a scorching, familiar heat in my balls as one hand winds into my hair, and I —

— pull back.

He lets out a disappointed huff. “I could eat another one.”

I grin. “No problem.”

Later, while we’re walking, Lysander grabs my hand suddenly. “Let’s do it again next week. We’re being careful, aren’t we? I want to keep seeing you.”

God, I want that too. “Are you sleeping okay?”

His brow creases sharply. “That’s not important! You’re not just some cuddle toy to help me sleep better. Besides, I have Ezzy now. You’re my — my —”

“Friend?” I offer, voice rough.Person who wants to spend every waking moment with you?“Lover? Boyfriend? I didn’t mind being your cuddle toy, y’know. I might even be a bit jealous of Ezzy right now.”

His frown deepens. “My Ezra.”

The words slide straight between my ribs.Oof.

“Next week, then.”

The week passes like molasses. My life is brighter for a few hours, then it’s over. Having Fitzie around saves me from wallowing too much in my self-pity, but it’s not only Lysander I miss — I miss the bar, too, and the monsters who’ve become my friends. Honestly, I miss when everyone around me had fur, scales, and spikes instead of boring human features. Fact is, in The Sanctum I didn’t feel like so much of a failure.

The same can’t be said for the human world.

A few weeks of brief contact later, Lysander postpones our next meetup. I sigh and stare at our text conversation. Is there a way to tell him how gray the days are without him that wouldn’t make him feel bad? He’s trying to help Syril with business stuff, and while I adore his commitment to broadening his horizons, it’s hard not to pine.

“This sucks,” I tell Fitzie, raising my voice so he can hear it in the kitchen.

“That’s the fifty-eighth time you’ve said that.”

“You’re keeping count?”

“When it gets to a hundred I’m gonna go hunt down those freaky magic-vampires myself and stab them all to death so I can have some peace.” Fitzie appears in the hall. “I could do with the stress relief, honestly. Aren’t you seeing him tomorrow?”

“No,” I groan. “Thursday. He’s busy. I’m glad he’s keeping himself occupied, it just sucks.”

“Fifty nine. I’ll sharpen your kitchen knives,” he says, disappearing.

By the time Thursday comes around I’m antsy, and it makes me cranky, which in turn makes me feel like crap. I’m glad Fitzie’s here, but I can’t help wishing for my own space so I can wallow in peace. Job rejections are flying fast and hard. I’m already behind on my payments. Plus, I only get to see the person I like most in the world once a week.