Page 49

R elaxing back in a chair at the kitchen table, Harlow struggled to keep the smile off his face as Foxx stood at the island, happily babbling away to Gavin and the witch, while mixing the sugar cookie dough.

He liked seeing Foxx happy and talkative. This had been a good choice. Harlow would have preferred if they weren’t talking about him though.

“So THAT’S really how you got them to change that stupid law they had?” Gavin rasped. “Though I suppose threatening them with a rampaging dhampir, followed by the first vampire, would make them highly motivated to listen.”

“Yep, I did all of that, and I even got Harlow to stop and focus on me for a second, but then some idiot tried something and set him off, so I had to call Daydric. And then he shows up dramatically with all his fancy wind, and starts looking at my poor old man like he was going to kill him. And I tell you, after almost being dragged off to my own bloody execution, I certainly was not going to let that happen!” Foxx said with a huff.

“Daydric, that old coot, still as difficult to deal with as always.” Mari cackled, before glancing towards Harlow. “So what exactly did Daydric say when he saw you?”

Harlow snorted. “Threats, a few warnings, with one being something he definitely found humorous, and other vague, unhelpful bullshit that told me he knew something about why I react to Foxx the way I do, but found it more entertaining to not tell me.”

Foxx giggled. “Yep, that about sums it up!”

“So he pretty much told you nothing useful about what you are?” The witch tsked. “The truly old paranormals, they can’t help but find any way they can to amuse themselves. It’s time, you see. It drags on a bit too much for them, I’m afraid.”

The vampire hummed. “Daydric does like to keep himself entertained, that's for sure.”

She frowned. “Let me check something.”

Harlow’s brow rose as her eyes went blank for a moment, snorting as they regained focus. “You can do that on command?”

“I can do much. But in this case, it appears I get to ruin Daydric’s fun, which I find quite amusing.” Mari cackled again. “So, children, what he didn’t tell you is that dhampirs—while mostly fun, and very unstable homicidal maniacs—can in fact find themselves grounded. And you, my young friend, have lucked out in life. You’ve managed to create an anchor for yourself.”

Harlow frowned. “An anchor?”

“Anchor, tether, whatever you’d prefer to call it. You have found the one person who is able to reach you, to draw you back from the edge of insanity.”

“Sounds very romance novelly,” Foxx said with a hesitant laugh.

She snorted. “I assure you, it’s not some sort of supernatural bullshit like a ‘mate’ or whatever. Dhampirs are very unstable as a species, and it is hard for them to connect to others due to the way their brain developed and their personality issues. Rare though it is, when they manage to form this connection, whether through friendship or more, that person, for them, as I said, is a way back from the edge. Their anchor, their tether back to themselves.

“I have known a few dhampirs in my lifetime and most I know, or knew in many cases, never found that person. The ones who did, it had taken them many hundreds, even thousands of years to meet someone who could be that for them. Most never live long enough to. So, for you to find yours so young is almost unheard of.”

Foxx was his…anchor? Harlow looked at the man in question.

He found the vampire staring back, the man smiling as their eyes met. He snorted at how giddy the idea seemed to be making Foxx. The little vampire was even bouncing where he stood.

“So was the connection made before or after he claimed my ass and told me he would kill anyone who touched me?” Foxx asked with a giggle.

Mari let out a bark of laughter. “Oh my. I mean, I imagine it was likely before that point, but I can’t say I don’t find that a bit romantic in a neanderthal caveman type of way.”

Gavin made a fake gagging noise. “Please, don’t talk about claiming in front of me. I don’t want to think about it, as I’ve heard you two do it enough already.”

Foxx wiped off his hands on a towel and said, “Well then, you better look away as I’m about to claim his lips.”

The dragon covered his eyes with a groan, but the vampire ignored him. Harlow slid his hands over the man’s waist as Foxx came up to him and gave him a peck on the lips.

He kissed him back, pulling away with a smirk. “Who would have thought a crazy, torture-loving cat is what would keep me grounded?”

Mari giggled almost giddily. “If it works, it works. And it’s wonderful that you found the person who can bring you back at this age.”

Foxx smacked his chest, glaring. “I am not a cat!” But the glare dropped away to a frown as the vampire looked towards the witch. “Ah…the problem is, it doesn’t work. I haven’t actually managed to bring him back from blood burn. I mean, I can get him to focus on me, but we haven’t really made much progress beyond that. Maybe we just need to practice more…?”

Harlow grimaced. “I’d rather you not put yourself in danger to practice more.”

“You won’t hurt him,” the witch stated.

He sighed. “I almost drained him when I was first changed.”

“You didn’t mean to!” Foxx snapped. “You didn’t know it was me.”

“I could have killed you, and would have if you had shown up sooner than you had. We both know that.”

More than that, he knew for a fact, after the last flashback, that killing Foxx had been the plan when he’d first spotted him, before his mind had returned.

“Which would have been a very bad thing,” Mari mused. “A dhampir without an anchor is one thing, but a dhampir who had an anchor and lost it…is no better than a rabid animal. It’s why his instincts go into overdrive when it comes to you being in danger, because the fact is, he will not survive long after losing you.”

“Awww, my old man can’t survive without me!”

Harlow smirked. “Which means you will listen to me and let me and Gavin set up as much security as I want around our new house, right, Brat?”

“No!” Foxx snapped with a pointed glare.

“Can I look now?” Gavin asked.

“No, keep your eyes covered. You never know if I might try something.”

The dragon let out an irritated puff of smoke. When his hands dropped from his eyes, Harlow met the man’s glare with a smile.

“How exactly have you tried to bring him back?” Mari asked. “Explain in detail, if you can.”

“Well, I’ve tried talking to him…and running from him, which his dhampir side seems to enjoy as he tracks me, even if it hasn’t been helpful in getting him back.”

She nodded. “That lost to blood burn, he likely thought you were playing. How did you manage to finally get him to turn back, unless you called Daydric again?”

Gavin chuckled. “No, I stomped on him in my dragon form until he changed.”

Mari let out a snort before laughing. “Oh my, that certainly would do it. But…next time, don’t run. You…” She pointed to Gavin. “You run, or hide, or fly, just get out of view, while Foxx stays still.”

Wow, that was just… “That seems like a horrible fucking idea. What if I hurt him?”

“You won’t. That first time your dhampir side wasn’t even in control, that was pure blood lust, thirst, the change itself. Both of your brains were scrambled.

“Being past that point now, the dhampir part of you will never purposely hurt him. He could stab you in the chest, and even out of your head, lost to blood burn, you would likely take it and die before harming him. So next time, no running, just see what happens. I promise, all will be well.”

Take it and die, huh? Then again, I’d do that fully awake .

Harlow blinked as the thought floated through his head. Would he really? He had already realized that he’d let Foxx harm him, but…would he let him kill him? Harlow peered up into Foxx’s face and found the man was frowning.

“I’d never stab you…” Foxx grumbled, before cheekily saying with a smile, “Unless you really, really pissed me off.”

Chuckling, he cupped the vampire’s face and slowly kissed him. “That you would.”

“Ugh, please, stop!” Gavin cried.

He smiled as Foxx stuck his tongue out at the dragon.

Would he let Foxx kill him? The answer was…probably. For some reason, he found the idea oddly comforting. To be honest, if he had to die, dying by Foxx’s small hands wouldn’t be the worst option.

“Think it over, you two,” Mari chimed. “Now, why don’t we finish these cookies up, so you all can get some sleep? I even set up two rooms for you.”

“Oh, we have a hotel, and I’d hate to impose,” Foxx rasped.

“Nonsense! Stay, and in the morning, we can bake some more.”

“Oh, more baking!” Foxx looked back at him, a bright smile on his face. “We can stay, right?!”

He snorted. “Of course.”

“Yay!”

“Don’t I get a vote?” the dragon grumbled.

“No,” Foxx said brattily.

“I am going to have SUCH a complex after I leave you two!”

Harlow snickered. “A complex?”

“ALL OF THEM!”