Page 44 of Caller of Crows

"What is it?" Altair asked.

"It's just…" Mordyn paused, and then he smiled at Altair. "It's odd to see you care for someone."

Altair scowled.

"You haven't done that since—"

"That's enough."

Mordyn fell silent, and his smile faltered.

"I apologize," the other vampire offered.

"Apology accepted."

"I'm still curious, though."

"Mordyn." Altair's tone sharpened, but Mordyn didn't take the hint.

"He means something to you."

Altair didn't reply.

"You know you have my support, no matter what happens," Mordyn said.

"I know."

"Good."

"Leave. Now."

"As my lord wishes." Mordyn did leave, the door falling shut behind him.

Alone, Altair rubbed his temple.

It was fine.

Mordyn didn't know what he was talking about.

* * *

Sven didn't know how long he'd been asleep. It must have been several hours, going by how he felt when he woke up. So when he opened his eyes to find Altair asleep by his side, he was more than a little surprised.

Had the vampire been here this entire time or had he come back recently?

Sven's gaze fell on an alarm clock on the bedside table that hadn't been there earlier. It was 8 AM now, just past sunrise. Altair must have come here not long ago.

Sven took this opportunity to study the vampire.

How odd that he'd now woken up next to the man twice—and he still didn't know how to handle the situation.

In sleep, Altair's expression was soft, his lips slightly parted, his eyelashes resting gently on his cheek.

He was beautiful. Deadly, but beautiful.

Sven reached out, brushing his fingers over the vampire's face, tracing his jaw.

Altair's eyes snapped open and locked onto him, and Sven froze, caught red-handed.