Page 26 of Bound in Blood (Vampires of Boston #1)

“Mateo just likes that you’re wearing his clothes. Make sure you put on a jacket, though, so humans don’t look at you funny,” Marco noted, heading for the stairs.

“You sound like my mother,” Logan grumbled, but snatched a jacket on the way out the door anyway. Marco tried not to let it go to his head too much when the jacket Logan grabbed was one of his.

Marco hadn’t meant to work Logan up in the car ride to the bar, but accidents happened, he supposed.

He hadn’t had anything even close to a release in days, and Logan was like his own personal brand of catnip.

Whenever he was near, like when his body was pressed up against Marco’s in the backseat of someone’s shitty Nissan Altima…

Marco couldn’t help if he got a little handsy.

Nothing that was going to get them arrested, but he made sure to tip the driver a couple of hundred in cash just to be safe.

But, God, what a perfect little plaything Logan had been.

Within seconds, Marco and Mateo had him squirming, flushed, and barely able to keep himself quiet.

They whispered straight filth into his ears, breath ghosting over either side of his neck, like they’d sink their teeth in if they could.

Hands ghosted all over Logan’s body with practiced precision, and by the time they pulled up to the bar, Logan was a wreck.

Marco could hear the unsteady rhythm of his unnecessary breath, see the way his fingers twitched like the second they stepped out of the car, Logan would be testing how easily his new strength would let him yank them into the nearest bathroom stall. Fuck, Marco wanted that.

But this was Logan’s place of employment, and there was a Romanov-era vampire in the booth nearest to the door watching their every move as soon as the three of them walked in. Maybe there would be no update, and this would all be very quick. Marco was banking on that.

Mateo noticed Alexei at the exact same time Marco did, if the heavy sigh he let out was any indicator. He ran a hand through his hair, grumbling under his breath, “God, just his face is a fucking mood killer.”

Logan snorted a laugh before snapping back into focus. Marco hadn’t expected the boy to bounce back so quickly. Maybe he and Mateo hadn’t been trying hard enough in the car. He would personally ensure they didn’t make that mistake again.

Alexei didn’t wave them over. Didn’t gesture. Hell, he didn’t even look up from his phone. But he knew they were there, if the smirk on his face was anything to go by. Like he knew what the three of them wanted to be doing, and that it was about as far away from whatever this was as possible.

Marco sighed.

Well, no use delaying the inevitable.

He tipped his head toward the booth, his hand pressing into the small of Logan’s back.

As they approached, Mateo took the seat closest to the wall, pulling Logan in after him.

Marco squeezed in on the other side of Logan, and if the lack of room in the Altima was bad, this might be unbearable.

Marco was for sure going to be hard the entire time, but he wasn’t about to sit next to Alexei.

Alexei finally looked up from his phone, smirk deepening into something just shy of smug. Marco wanted to punch him, just a little.

“Get here okay?” Alexei asked, locking his phone and placing it face down on the table in front of them. His tone was light, casual. Like they weren’t here to discuss murder.

Marco’s patience was wearing thin already, but he knew better than to show it.

Alexei seemed to love getting in the way of anything fun, all the time.

Hell, he’d even been calling Logan pet names when they’d first met him.

Probably trying to cockblock them then, too.

Still, he couldn’t suppress the urge to lean close to Logan, his hand possessively on his mate’s knee as he settled in.

Mateo wrapped an arm around Logan’s shoulders, and Logan shifted subtly as he relaxed into their touch.

Marco loved how every little move he or Mateo made affected their mate, whether it was to relax him or work him up.

Alexei tilted his head, watching Logan visibly become more at ease.

Marco wondered, briefly, how well Alexei knew Logan.

They’d been bantering like old friends when Marco and Mateo had wandered into Logan’s bar last week, and Alexei seemed very…

protective of Logan. Didn’t Logan say he’d just moved here?

Marco didn’t know his mate nearly as well as he’d like to.

“You three are fucking disgusting,” Alexei mused, voice low. “Aren’t we a bit old for the PDA?”

Mateo snorted, shifting to get more comfortable, though there wasn’t much room. “I’m so sorry,” he started sarcastically. “But I’m not entirely sure I care about your comfort.”

“Don’t hate us ‘cuz you ain’t us.” Logan added, reminding Marco once again that he had been born in a completely different century.

Alexei exhaled through his nose, something between amusement and unimpressed. “Oh, yes, that’s exactly it,” he deadpanned, “Every day I lie awake, unable to sleep, for fear that I will never become a baby-faced ginger sandwiched between two Italian men with no concept of self-restraint.”

Marco wondered, briefly, how much truth there was to that. Not that Alexei wanted to be with them, of course. Marco wasn’t so vain as to believe everyone wanted a piece of him. But in the entire time Marco had known Alexei, he’d never been with… anyone, really. It had to be lonely.

Logan grinned at Alexei’s comment, sharp and pleased, like Alexei being irritated with him was the highest of compliments. “Maybe they’d have better self-restraint if you stopped interrupting the fun all the time. This is kind of like bothering someone on their honeymoon, you know.”

Alexei’s smirk twitched, something sharp flashing behind his eyes before he smoothed it away. He tilted his head at Logan, expression mostly unreadable. “Honeymoon after knowing each other less than a week? Are you a vampire fairytale princess?”

“Can we get to the reason we’re here?” Mateo cut in, voice laced with impatience.

Alexei sighed, stretching his long arms out along the back of the booth, fingers drumming lightly on the worn vinyl.

He looked… tired, now that Marco was studying his features a little closer.

Like he wasn’t getting nearly enough sleep.

Alexei had always taken too much responsibility on his shoulders, and maybe Marco and Mateo were being unfair by not trying harder to figure out what was going on.

“I believe we are not being proactive enough with capturing the rogue vampire. Now that we know he’s feral, we need to double our efforts,” Alexei said. “I wanted to get a clear description of him from Logan, and I know you don’t want to hear this, but it might be time to call?—”

“We’re not calling any of them,” Mateo said through clenched teeth. “We haven’t needed them in seventy years, and we don’t need them now.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Alexei narrowed his eyes. “Four bodies in three days is?—”

“a fucking disaster,” a voice said, cutting in as he approached the booth from behind.

Ah, yes, the vampire hunter. Fantastic.

The tension snapped like a live wire. Alexei turned sharply. Marco and Mateo stiffened. Logan’s shoulders straightened, like he was standing at attention.

Vik didn’t flinch under the weight of four vampire stares. He didn’t even slow down.

“Sorry to interrupt your little triple-threat snuggle sesh,” Vik said, tone dry as he slid into the booth next to Alexei, uninvited.

“But if we’re discussing murder, maybe take it outside next time.

Regulars are starting to notice the vibe in here’s gone from queer dive bar to homicide headquarters . ”

Alexei looked like he wanted to throw him back out with one hand. “You’re not part of this.”

“Maybe not,” Vik shrugged, resting his elbows on the table. “But I was there last night. And I’m part of whatever happens next.”

“You’re human, ” Alexei pointed out.

“And I’ve dealt with a lot scarier than the baby-faced feral we saw last night.

” Vik rolled his eyes. “I also have access to security cameras for the entire block, I have friends in Boston PD that can be bribed, oh, and I’m pretty sure I’m the only one here with experience killing your kind. Am I wrong?”

“I have killed vampires before,” Alexei murmured, but he had that look on his face like he knew he’d been defeated.

“I thought the whole point was to not kill him,” Logan pointed out. “What happened to ‘not every vampire deserves to die?’”

“‘Not every vampire deserves to die’ and ‘every vampire deserves to live’ are two different things, kid,” Vik sighed, rubbing his temples.

“Fair,” Logan muttered, shoulders sagging slightly.

Vik gave him a sideways glance. “Look, I’m not trying to come in swinging a stake. But this one is dangerous. And I’m not gonna sit on my ass while you guys bicker over strategy like some undead PTA meeting.”

Alexei’s fingers stopped drumming. “What are you offering?”

“Surveillance,” Vik said simply. “I’ve already pulled the last three nights of camera footage from every business on this block. I’ve set up motion alerts through the alley cam. And if you give me a couple of hours, I can route footage from the next street over, too.”

Marco blinked. “You’re that tech-savvy?”

“I’m a millennial with abandonment issues and too much time on my hands. Of course I’m tech-savvy.”

“I would like to see that footage.” Alexei nods, glancing over at Logan, “As much as I trust your description of the feral, Зайчик, I’d like to see him for myself.”

Vik continued, more serious now. “I’ll keep watch here during business hours. You three do whatever it is vampires do during the day—sleep in matching sarcophagi or braid each other’s hair or whatever. But when night comes, we work together. We catch him.”

“And then what?” Marco asked. “You stake him in the heart and light him on fire?”

“No,” Vik said, expression flattening. “ You decide what happens. I just get him restrained.”

There was a pause.

“I think there’s something in him worth saving,” Logan mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alexei turned to look at him, really look at him, and for once, there was no teasing in his eyes. Just something quiet. Thoughtful. Like maybe he understood better than any of them. Marco, personally, wasn’t a fan of that look, but he’d let it go.

“We won’t kill him unless we have to,” Marco promised, nudging Logan’s shoulder with his own. “If there’s anything human left in him, we’ll find it.”

Alexei stood, smoothing his coat. “I’ll come back later tonight. We will watch the footage together.”

“Meet in the back office after closing?” Vik offered.

Alexei nodded. “Fine. But it would be unwise to try to kill me, hunter.”

“If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead,” Vik replied, and though Marco couldn’t feel his emotions, he knew he meant it.

Logan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “So, uh… just for clarity… are we all on the same team now?”

“If you’d like to call it that. Don’t expect us to go group-bowling after all this is over or anything, though.” Vik snorted.

Mateo chuckled under his breath. “I don’t know, Logan’s pretty persuasive. Give it a month and we’ll be doing karaoke nights.”

“Over my undead body,” Alexei muttered, already turning to leave.

“Promises, promises,” Logan called after him with a cheeky grin.

Vik shook his head, but his expression had visibly softened. “All right, kid. When you come in after dark tomorrow, bring your guard dogs in case the feral stops by again.”

“Thanks, Vik,” Logan said quietly, a sincerity in his voice that made Marco’s chest ache a little.

Vik gave him a short nod, then got up, stretching his arms with a low groan. “Back to pretending this place is normal.”

When he left, the booth suddenly felt too quiet.

Mateo exhaled slowly. “I still don’t trust him.”

Marco nodded. “But I think he trusts Logan. That’s something.”

Logan sat back, folding his arms across his chest. “I trust him.”

“Of course you do.” Mateo rolled his eyes. “You woke up from Marco actually killing you, and it took ten seconds for him to regain your trust.”

Logan gave him a look. “He didn’t have to get involved. He could’ve ignored it all. But he didn’t.”

Marco reached for Logan’s hand again, threading their fingers together under the table. “We’ll keep you safe. No matter who we have to trust—or fight—to do it.”

Logan’s smile returned, softer this time. “I know.”

And for now, that was enough.