Chapter

Fifteen

CLAY

I ’ve seen Owen excited before, like how happy he was when I flew for the first time, or how he was glowing when he got an A on a quiz in Monster Anatomy.

He was ecstatic when Bat Nathanson was healed enough to take off his bandages and stretch his wings.

And of course, Owen loves a blow job as much as the next guy.

But I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as genuinely thrilled as he is right now.

Owen’s eyes have been sparkling since he got in my car, he’s been babbling about how world-class the Creelin Natural History Museum’s mammalian collection is and how excited he is to see the new bat exhibit.

Now he’s bouncing from foot to foot as we wait in line to enter.

Part of me hopes that his enthusiasm isn’t only because we’re going to the museum, but that he genuinely enjoys spending time with me.

Because he keeps touching my hand, my forearm, and my bicep.

He’ll knock me with his shoulder as he makes a point.

And all in all, I hope he simply likes touching me.

If my body temperature ever changed, I’m sure that the feel of his skin would warm my heart.

I’m feeding off of his excitement, wanting to get closer and closer to him the more I’m with him.

I focus on the dark brown depths of his eyes, how slim and animated his fingers are, and how passionate he gets when talking about the sea creatures that are supposed to be on display.

I like watching him. I like being around him. I like his gorgeous face and his deep-dives into subjects I know nothing about. He’s just so…pure. Sweet. Cute.

Sexy .

And his ass in those dark-wash jeans belongs in a museum. So I guess we’re in the right place.

“I haven’t seen the new exhibit yet, but I’ve heard all about it,” Owen says, squeezing my hand. I show my phone to the werewolf at the door, and he scans our tickets.

“I’ve never been here. I haven’t spent much time in museums,” I admit. “Normally I hate old things.”

“But you’re willing to do this for me?”

I shrug, gesturing for him to go inside. “It’s not a hardship. I enjoy spending time with you. Plus, I heard this place is great.” I grin at him.

The shy smile I get in response takes my breath away.

The moment Owen and I step foot inside the museum, I understand why people all over Fangstagram recommend going here on a date.

For one, there’s its location next to the Lin River.

With floor-to-ceiling windows along the back wall, we have an incredible view of the water.

I spy a group of phoenix shifters sitting in the cafeteria patio outside drinking white wine and enjoying the nice weather while some tiny cyclops children run in the grass.

I’ll definitely be taking Owen out there for lunch.

Then there’s the amazing entrance exhibit. Immediately upon walking in, there are fossils of huge dinosaurs, all fascinating and educational. The rest of the museum is probably just as interesting. I’m starting to see the merit in science and ancient objects.

“What do you want to see first?” I ask.

“I wanna see the hall of birds,” Owen says, reading a directional sign on the wall. “Maybe we can see one of those feather fossils, the ones that connect birds with Pteranodons, you know?”

“Because I lived through it, right?” I huff. A family of humans passes us, and some zombies head toward the sign that says, Insect World .

He shakes his head. “Nah. You’re not that old.”

I stare at him in surprise as we walk down the hall. “You turned down the chance to make a joke about how I was there with the dinosaurs.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard enough jokes about that to last a lifetime.”

“Thanks,” I say, feeling warm again. “I’ve been sensitive about my age for, oh, twenty years now. It’s hard to look like this and be as old as I really am.”

“I like you just how you are,” he says.

This man. He’s always perfect. Something lodges inside me, a feeling I’ve never felt before.

I care about this man. I want to keep him. Am I falling for him?

Owen peers at me through his glasses and gives me an unreserved, crooked smile. My heart bangs in my chest.

Yeah, I’m falling for him.

He needs to be mine.

I glance around, my stomach fluttering and my knees weak. “So, are you going to be my tour guide?”

“Sure! I think we should check out the west wing first.”

“Then lead the way.” I follow him with a light, bouncing step, smiling at nothing and everything .

Yes, we go see the birds and the bats and the sea creatures of all kinds. The museum houses some funny, old-fashioned dioramas of stuffed animals and all sorts of skeletons. We take our time in the exhibits, looking at fossils from all over the world.

But as much as I like the educational aspects of this institution, what I’m really enjoying are the dark nooks we come to where I can steal a kiss.

My favorite is the gemstone exhibit, since it’s almost entirely in the dark, with dramatic lighting only illuminating the faceted stones.

As Owen pauses to stare at a huge, dark red crystal of some kind, I come up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist.

Oh, how I want to feed off his warm neck. Holy monster god, the pulse of his blood is overwhelming. I run my lips along the salty skin just under his jawline. I shouldn’t tease myself. Except, in response, he presses his ass subtly into my groin, and I want to moan.

I tsk into his ear. “Don’t get me hard in public.”

“It’d only be fair. You make me so horny all the time,” he murmurs.

“I feel like we have to keep stealing time when our roommates are away to get together.”

“Yeah.” He sighs.

“What do you think of this plan,” I say carefully, as we shuffle over to a large blue stone of some sort. “We get you some lunch at the café here, then I take you to a hotel and fuck your brains out.”

Owen’s eyebrows jump. He looks around and pushes his glasses up in his usual adorable way. “You know, I think I’ve absorbed enough museum knowledge for one afternoon. I’m good. Not even hungry. No lunch required. Haha!”

I smirk. I let him guide me by the hand to the nearest exit .

We’re on the same page for the second part of this date. Yuss .

Twenty minutes later, we’re pulling into a decent hotel nearby, the kind where parents of students stay when they’re in town to visit.

While I don’t mind quick sex in a car or a custodian’s closet, with Owen, I want it to be more special.

I want to take my time. I also want to make sure we have the proper space so I’m not bumping into the steering wheel—done that—or a mop bucket—done that too.

And Yuki might be sick of me kicking him out.

After I get the keycard for our rental, I raise an eyebrow. “I really want to throw you over my shoulder and fly you up to the room.”

Owen shivers. “Will that be faster? I think the room’s right there.” He points two doors down.

“Oh, right. Well, next time.”

He laughs nervously as he follows me to the door.

“Hey,” I say, studying his face and lifting his chin up with my finger. “If you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.”

“Oh my monster god, vamp,” Owen says. “I’m dying here. Stop stalling.” He pauses. “Unless you don’t want to.”

I step closer to him. “I very much want to.”

Using the keycard, I open the door and step inside the generic but clean hotel room.

The moment he’s inside and the door shuts behind him, I put my mouth on his.

He kisses me back ravenously, all trepidation gone in an instant.

His back’s to the door, and one of my legs is between his as I cage him in with my arms on either side of his head. Then I grip his chin with one hand.

“How do you want to do this?” I pant between kisses. My cock is hard in my jeans, my nerve endings are tingling, and I shiver in pleasurable anticipation.

“You, inside me,” he pants back, clawing at my back .

“Fine with me. I’m vers, so your wish is my command. What about a condom?” I ask. “I haven’t been with anyone since we’ve been hooking up, but I’ll use one if it makes you feel better or if you don’t want a mess.”

“No condom,” he whispers.

Stepping back, I reach in my pockets and throw some packets of lube and a few condoms on the bed. “If you change your mind, I brought some.”

“More than one?”

I shrug. “Vampires have stamina.”

“Especially jock vampires,” he mutters. He kisses me and takes a step back, angling his head toward the bathroom and kicking off his shoes. “Give me a moment, yeah?”

“Go ahead.” I wave him off, even though I don’t want him to go anywhere without me. But even I can let him take care of bottom preparations in private.

While Owen preps, I pace, messing with the lights until I think they’re sexy enough. I take off my shoes, and then I consider whether I should just strip, or let him do it.

I clear my throat and stare at myself in the small mirror above the TV. I’m blinking rapidly and my muscles are quivering.

Why am I so nervous? Get it together, Cannon.

It’s not like this is the first time I’ve had sex. I shove my hands in my pockets. Twenty-plus years in a twenty-year-old body is a lot of experience.

But with Owen, things feel different. Special.

Yes, I’m horny and so is he, but it feels like more than that.

We really like each other—at least, I really like him, and I think he feels the same way.

Or maybe I hope he does. He says he does.

It’s not so much that everything feels new or anything cheesy like that, but being with him feels right .

Some missing part of me clicks into place when he’s around.

He’s smart, caring, and strong in the ways I’m not.

I like to think that I do something for him, too.

The toilet flushes, the faucet runs and turns off, and then Owen steps out of the bathroom. My fangs descend.

Holy fuck .