Page 53 of Absolution

“Boy pussy?” Seiran seemed to think about that for a bit.

“When your hole looks a lot like a lady hole?”

“How would you know what my hole looks like?”

“I don’t and would like it to stay that way.”

He blinked at me. “How do our conversations always spiral like this?”

I shrugged. “It’s a gift. Anyway, so you want to know what to do? Advice from the king of screwups? Give him an ultimatum. Leave the big man if he doesn’t go to ground.”

“And if he doesn’t pick me?” He sounded so broken asking that question that I took the container of ground oats from him and put it on the counter so I could wrap my arms around him. I’d never been a hugger before this group. Still wasn’t really, but I knew sometimes it was necessary just to keep us from falling apart.

“You are the Pillar of fucking earth, Ronnie. First male in known history. You’re Father Earth. Connected to the big rock unlike anyone could ever dream.”

“Which isn’t always a good thing,” Seiran grumbled.

“Agree with you there. But stop thinking of yourself as less. You’re not weak, you’re a Pillar. You’re not unlovable, you have a whole slew of us idiots following you around. You’re not useless, ‘cause the earth would explode without you right now. So why do you let someone make you feel that way?”

“Never pegged you for a pep talk.”

“Yet you came to me and shoed my guys from the room so we could talk. You could be with Kelly or Jamie right now.” I let him go, and he returned to his kitchen chaos.

“They’re upstairs at Jamie’s place.” His face flushed. “Sort of doing what you did.”

“Party?”

He nodded.

“Wow, that’s some power.” I wondered if I could tune into it and then why I would want to. “You maybe need some more training to focus that power?”

“I have to take care of the twins. They are my priority.”

“Not blowing up the earth should be at the top of that list too. The whole world-go-boom thing would make for no babies.”

“Haven’t blown it up so far,” Seiran said.

“Luck. Pure luck. I’m sure of it.”

“Bastard.”

“Jerk.”

“Help me cook while I think.”

“I suck at cooking, but I can clean and hand you ingredients.” Best to keep the witch focused on chemistry rather than biology. “It can’t be just Jamie’s suggestion that has you up here ready to cook for an army.”

“He’s mad,” Seiran said.

“Gabe is mad? Why?” I said, knowing instantly he was talking about Gabe and not Jamie.

“Because he can’t get any QuickLife. Jamie disabled his wi-fi and phone. He’d have to leave the building to get it, and he can’t do that till dark. I offered him blood. He refused. I pointed out there’s blood in the freezer. He said he hates the stuff. I understand it’s not great. But why refuse me?”

That was an interesting revelation. “How long has it been since he fed on you?”

Seiran shook his head. “I don’t know. Months at least. Since long before you went to ground.”

Was it Gabe’s last way of protecting Seiran? Maybe he was so hungry that if he started he wouldn’t stop? Or maybe he feared the witch would bring him clarity he didn’t want? I really was at a loss for what might be going on in his head. “If it makes you feel better, you’re still the best blood I’ve ever tasted. Even better than Luca who is like a fucking Dom Perignon.” Not that I’d ever tried the wine, but it was the principle of the thing.