Page 40 of High Stakes and Soulmates (Fanged Mistakes #3)

EZIO

“You sure you’re okay coming back here?” I ask Cyrus as I pull into the parking lot of Donovan’s club. “It’s only been a week.”

“I’m mostly healed. So yes.”

He knows that’s not exactly what I’m asking, but I don’t press it.

Honestly, I don’t feel overly reassured.

Being unable to find Phil Witt led to Cyrus wanting to leap out the door and go full detective mode, but I really didn’t want him to set foot outside of the house.

Anxiety tore through me at the idea of him going back to the place where he was mauled.

Even so, he was adamant and assured me that he had the same amount of protection whether he was sitting in Casimir’s house surrounded by vampires and a wolf or outside surrounded by vampires and a wolf.

I’m still not convinced.

My training on how to assassinate taught me that you had the upper hand in a location you knew. Even subconsciously in the heat of a fight or the dead of night, you knew how far away the table was, where the doorway was… but out here… we’re vulnerable.

“I have a literal vampire army here to murder anyone who looks my way,” Cyrus says as I look into the back of the SUV where everyone else is crammed.

Yorick is dressed in the sexiest outfit I think I’ve ever seen. But what stands out the most are the faux leather pants that are so tight, he seems to be struggling to get out of his seat. This is proven by the way he reaches for Julian, who stands up to exit the three-row SUV.

“Julian, help me up,” Yorick whines.

“You chose to wear those pants, you must suffer,” Julian says, enjoying this more than he should. It’s highlighted by the way he’s eating some crackers he’d picked up from a gas station, using them like it’s dinner and entertainment.

“You want some, Cyrus?” he asks.

“I’m alright, thank you,” Cyrus replies, too fixated on Yorick to worry about anything else.

Yorick whines as he holds his hands out to Casimir, who plows right through them when he exits the vehicle. “Casimir, help me up.”

“I’ll help you into a delivery box and ship you back to whatever country you came from.”

The shirt, if one could call it that, is neon green fishnet.

His long hair is pinned back just on one side to show off the silver earring in the shape of a long snake that goes halfway down his neck.

I think all attention was on him when he strolled out of the room he was staying in and met us in the foyer, but really, the only attention he seems to want is from Atticus.

Now all attention is on him while he wallows in his seat because his pants are too tight and he can’t get up.

“I think your pants are too small for your ass,” Atticus says, like Yorick couldn’t determine this for himself.

“Didn’t we decide he’s actually very intelligent?” I whisper.

“We suspected it,” Julian whispers back, as if the vampire couldn’t hear. “Now I’m not so sure.”

“Excuse me! I was accepted into Harvard. But then I got so bored because I already knew everything they were blabbing on about that I just decided it wasn’t for me! I made Atticus pay, of course,” Yorick says.

“Why would you pay if you hate him?” I ask, quite curious.

“Because I wanted him to feel like he owed me,” Atticus says.

Julian grins. “How did that go for you?”

“Not well,” Atticus admits. “He enjoys splurging with my money. You should have heard him cry when I cut him off my credit card.”

“Why was he on your credit card?” Casimir asks.

Yorick cackles about this question. “I stole it. It took him nine years to realize I was using his card. Nine years . And I was splurging . Everything you see me wear, purchased by his card.”

Atticus looks minorly irritated. “I… admittedly … maybe don’t check my accounts very often.”

“Johnny doesn’t?” I ask, rather surprised.

“This parasite fooled Johnny into thinking that I gave it to him,” Atticus says, looking back at Johnny who came as well.

“A blunder I am most apologetic for,” Johnny responds as he bows his head. “I will work until the day I die to make up for my mistake.”

“Johnny, what have I told you about being so dramatic? Now come on.”

“Yes, sir,” he says as he picks Yorick up like he’s a child and sets him on his feet outside of the vehicle.

I turn to Cyrus and find that he has already turned to look at me so we can silently share thoughts on the ridiculous scene we’ve just witnessed.

“I feel so safe,” he says with much sarcasm. “Like as long as Yorick doesn’t have to run, I think I’ll be so safe. But if he does have to run… I’m not sure we’re going to make it.”

“Would you like me to wear pants like that?” I ask.

“Why yes. When Yorick’s done with them, I’d like to see you try to wear them so you can waddle around. I mean… is that sexy?” he asks as we both turn to Yorick who is strolling with ease now that Johnny’s righted him. “Okay… it’s kind of sexy, but the rest isn’t. Why are our friends so strange?”

“You’re claiming them as friends now?”

“I live a lonely life, Ezio. I have to take what is cheap and easy, and right now… they’re cheap and easy. Besides Atticus. He’s obviously fancy.”

“You think I could take his credit card too?” I ask.

“I bet you could take Casimir’s and tell him you’re buying something for his dog or his wolf and he’d never question it.”

“I bet you I could,” I say as I get out of the car and come around to his side. “You promise me you feel okay?”

“I know this is going to sound really weird… but I feel amazing. Like… who knew getting mauled could make you feel so good? Okay. The mauling didn’t. But I guess with the werewolfness now messing with me… I feel good.”

“Have you tried turning into a werewolf yet? Like in the secrecy of the bathroom?”

Cyrus laughs. “Sure as fuck not. Do you have my doggy underwear ready yet?”

“No, I didn’t know if you wanted neon pink or lime green. I didn’t want it to clash with your coat color.”

“What color will I be? Man, this sounds horrible,” Cyrus decides.

“You were just thrilled about how good you felt.”

“Yeah, and now I think it’s a horrible idea.” He sighs and I reach over and squeeze his hand. Apparently, telling him I was going to stay away from him isn’t going to work. I can’t seem to keep my hands off him, and when he lets me comfort him like this, it fills me with so much happiness.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I say.

“Oh! Don’t, please. I didn’t say it to make you feel bad or something.”

“You didn’t,” I assure him. “I just wish I could have gotten to you sooner.” In my mind, I add, And then I would have turned you into a vampire so I’d never have to live without you.

“You have that look on your face again.”

My eyebrows quirk. “I have no look. My face is perfectly… stoic.”

“No, you definitely have that look.”

“I was just trying out my brooding look. Like Atticus,” I say as watch him brood at Yorick who looks gobsmacked about something. It could have been something thoroughly astounding, or Atticus might have just not reacted appropriately to something Yorick said or did. It’s really a toss-up.

We walk into the club and the moment we do, all attention turns on us. I’m… not quite sure why. I’m not certain whether it’s the multiple brooding ancient vampires or the fact that the person who got mauled here last week actually chose to come back.

Cyrus nods toward the bar where a vampire is serving drinks. “Her name is Lauren, and she talked to me some last week.” She takes one look at us and promptly heads to the other side of the counter.

“Atticus’s face isn’t that ugly,” Yorick says. “Here, let me call her over.” He leans against the counter and taps on it before doing a hair flick like that’ll make her scurry on over but still, the woman ignores him. Yorick hesitates before turning to me. “Is… Is something wrong with my face?”

“Definitely,” Julian says.

Yorick’s eyes narrow. “Puppers… you bit me in the arse the other day, and now today you’re going to tear out my heart?”

Julian pauses before giving him a smile. “Nothing is wrong with your face. You look quite handsome.”

Casimir frowns as he looks over at him. “Excuse me?”

“I bit him!”

“Not hard enough,” he grumbles.

“She must not have seen me,” Yorick settles on. He leans on the bar as he gives her a seductive come-hither motion before biting his lip. She looks right past him to another guy who just casually walks up. “Evidently, this woman is blind to beauty!”

“How about you come over here,” Atticus says, and there’s something about his tone that seems to make the younger vampires uneasy. Lauren grimaces, sets a glass down, and hurries over.

Yorick gasps as Atticus smirks at him.

“What can I do for you?” she asks.

“Why are you avoiding us?” Cyrus asks.

“I get why you’d avoid the rest of them, but why me?” Yorick demands.

“I wasn’t. Do you wish to speak to Emily? She’s in the back. Please wait one moment.” And with that, she rushes into the back where I have to assume the offices are. When another woman comes out, I immediately tense, recognizing her as the werewolf who had attacked Cyrus.

Cyrus doesn’t seem to notice, but Yorick does. Almost at the same time, we slide in front of Cyrus as the woman stares at us before nodding toward the back where she’d come from.

“Let’s talk,” she says as she turns around and starts walking.

“Is she…?” Cyrus trails off.

“Yes,” I say as I reach down and squeeze his hand, hoping to offer even a bit of comfort.

“Hmm… not sure how I feel about that.”

“Do you want to wait out here? I’ll wait with you. Casimir and Julian can go back.”

“No,” he says. “Come on.” And with more confidence than I think I’d have after being mauled by someone now leading me to a small room, he heads into the back. Of course I don’t let him go first, but once we’re in an office, the woman waves to the chairs.