Page 11 of Bound in Blood (Vampires of Boston #1)

Marco considered his words carefully, “We are adverse to the sun. Small doses will just weaken you, maybe sting a little. But anything more than ten minutes or so might cause serious damage.”

“Weaken me? Am I stronger now than I was as a human? Faster?”

Marco shrugged. “It depends. Most vampires are considerably stronger than humans, yes. But you’ve been one of us for less than a full day.

It might take time for things to manifest.” He paused for a moment before adding, “The strongest vampires I’ve seen were able to do things like lift train cars and race jets.

The weakest are around the skill set of Olympians. ”

Logan nodded, considering. “Okay, so, what if I got hurt? Tried to lift something too heavy or whatever. Will I heal?”

“Yes. Much faster than a regular human. It’s not instantaneous, but it’s quick.

I once saw a vampire recover from an amputation in a matter of hours.

However, be careful, as not all scars heal, even on an immortal body.

” Marco shuddered at the thought of the healed decapitation he’d once seen, the jagged scar cutting across the vampire’s throat.

As Logan continued to ask his questions, Marco found he didn’t mind answering.

It was a bit fun, he thought, sharing all this knowledge he’d accumulated over the past eighty or so years.

Logan’s reactions were fascinating to him.

The little fledgling was much more offended over the fact that his taste for human food would die as he got older than he was about the fact that if he ever wanted to die, the only way to do it would be to set himself on fire.

As an Italian, Marco couldn’t help but understand.

“No stake? Garlic? Holy water? ” he’d asked, to which Marco had just laughed.

“Nope. Just fire and sunlight. The body has to be reduced to ash. Honestly, a lot of the more prominent vampire weaknesses were made up by vampires to make humans feel safer,” Marco had admitted sheepishly.

“Except the garlic thing. When you eat garlic, it acts like a blood thinner. Easier to drain a target quickly.”

Logan nodded in understanding at that. “Yes. Vampire fast food. Makes sense. Do you have to take all the blood from your victim when you feed?”

“Not recommended, no.” Marco looked away sheepishly. “Last night was a lapse in judgment. Just a pint is more than enough. The only vampires that drain their targets are either feral or evil.”

“Feral?” Logan cocked his head in confusion.

“Vampires who succumb to bloodlust, usually by refraining from feeding. They turn against their will, but deny their base instinct, and it turns their brain to mush.” Marco grimaced.

“Like a vampire zombie?”

Marco nodded. “That’s one way to put it, yes.”

“Poor ferals.” Logan frowned. “I’m glad I figured out the fang thing.”

Marco opened his mouth to apologize again, but Logan seemed to recover quickly, jumping straight back into his line of questioning.

“Alexei asked permission before he entered my apartment.” He tilted his head thoughtfully.

“Yes.”

“Is that a requirement, or was he being polite?” Logan glanced over at the door, no doubt thinking about how he’d accidentally explicitly invited them in the night before.

“A requirement. Only with human homes. Consent must be given willingly and without duress. Public or common spaces and any private residence owned by other vampires is fair game.” Marco smiled. “Strange rule, I know.”

“I think that is arguably one of the least strange things that has happened today.” Logan paused for just a moment, thinking of his next question. “Do you have to take all of someone’s blood to turn them?”

“No. Just a drop will work. Think of it like equivalent exchange. I take from you, then you take from me,” he paused. “Binding, kind of.”

Once they had passed all the standard questions, Logan got into ones that Marco hadn’t ever thought of.

Yes, vampires can see their reflection in mirrors.

No, Logan wouldn’t ever be able to turn into a bat.

Yes, he could still cross running water.

(Marco had never heard of that myth before.) No, Marco had no extra power over Logan as his Maker. (Not that he’d use it, anyway.)

“What about you?” Logan finally asked, after nearly an hour of questioning.

“What about me?” Marco replied, blinking back his confusion. He didn’t know he’d agreed to personal questions, and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to answer any.

“How did you and Mateo turn? Was it at the same time?” Sometime during his questioning, Logan had laid his head down in Marco’s lap, and now, as he was blinking up at him adorably, Marco almost wanted to answer him. Almost.

He opened his mouth, ready to attempt a deflection, when the front door swung open, a much happier Mateo crossing over the threshold.

“Guess who’s back from robbing a hospital!

” He said in a sing-song tone, before glancing over at Logan, head still in Marco’s lap, Marco’s hand rested on their mate’s chest. “You two look cozy.”

“I was asking Marco how you two were turned,” Logan explained. “I think I’ve run out of lore questions. Now I want to know who the vampire gods forcibly married me to.” He looked up at Marco, smiling a real, genuine smile.

He trusted them, Marco realized, which is crazy, considering all Marco alone had done to him.

His throat tightened at the thought. The guilt that had sat like a heavy weight in his chest since he turned Logan was slowly twisting into something warmer, something terrifying but comforting at the same time.

Mateo, of course, immediately went for levity.

“Vampire gods, huh? First a lawyer and now a priest. Marco, our mate contains so many multitudes.” He plopped down on the couch at Logan’s feet.

“Better make peace with it, tesoro, you’re stuck with us for eternity.

No god, vampire, or otherwise, can save you now. ”

Logan giggled, flexing his feet against Mateo’s thighs. “Yeah, yeah, eternal damnation. Whatever. Answer the question, please.”

“Sorry, kid. We don’t get into tragic backstories until at least the third date.” Mateo tsked, “And inviting us up to your tiny apartment after work doesn’t count.”

“We’re literally… okay fine. How old are you two, exactly? Can you answer that, at least?” Logan asked, only slightly annoyed at Mateo’s deflection. Marco was quietly glad he didn’t push. He hated that story.

“Hm… I mean, we were born in 1914. I lost count,” Mateo hummed, tilting his head in mock contemplation.

Now it was Marco’s turn to roll his eyes. “That is because you’re an idiot, Teo .”

Logan snorted. “Wow. And here I thought you didn’t look a day over ninety-nine.”

Mateo’s jaw dropped, hand over his heart in mock offense. “Oh my God. You’re a bully. Marco, he’s bullying me!”

“You’ll live,” Marco deadpanned, his hand making its way into Logan’s hair just as it had before their nap.

Logan leaned into the touch, his eyes closing slightly.

Marco could feel the habit forming as he wound his fingers around the individual strands, but it was fine.

Logan’s hair was soft, and he didn’t seem to mind.

“One more question, and then I’m done, I promise.” Logan paused before adding, “For now.”

“Of course.” Marco nodded. “Shoot.”

“You’re really up to date on modern slang,” Logan said, as if he were trying to figure out how best to word his question. “If you were turned so long ago, how do you keep up? Especially if you can’t go out during the day.”

“I mean, do you expect us to sound like mobsters?” Mateo teased. “That feels xenophobic, Logan. I’m telling on you to Twitter.”

“Don’t forget ageism,” Marco added, “I think he expected us to specifically sound like Al Capone.”

“Right, I’ll add it to the callout post.” Mateo made like he was grabbing his phone from his pocket. Logan kicked his thigh. “Ouch! I’m just kidding, Logan. No need to get violent.” He laughed, fending off Logan’s feet with his hands.

“We adapt, just like any species,” Marco explained. “While our bodies freeze in time, our minds don’t.”

Mateo nodded. “The nightlife in this city helps. Spend enough time around drunk college kids at clubs, and you pick up all the fun new words.” He levels a suggestive look at Logan, before adding, “Makes seducing cute bartenders incredibly easy.”

“You’re insufferable. But until you’d like to get into your sordid past, I am out of questions,” Logan said, stretching out his arms with a yawn.

“Perfect. Now we get to make you slightly uncomfortable.” Mateo grinned. “Marco and I were talking while you were turning.”

“That’s never good, is it?” Logan tried to joke, but his renewed nervousness made it fall a little flat.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” Marco pointed out, before Mateo had the chance to scare Logan off.

“Well, other than drink blood, and live forever, and other vampire shit.” Mateo added unhelpfully.

“Fuck you. Too soon.” Logan sighed, but it lacked any real heat. “What are you about to ask me to do?”

Mateo paused, and Marco could see the gears turning in his brain.

They disagreed often, but this had been a no-brainer.

They didn’t want Logan to be uncomfortable, no matter what.

But the question had to be asked, especially with Logan’s vampirism being so new.

Bond or no bond, navigating these things wouldn’t be easy.

So—

“Move in with us.”

* ? Dear