Page 7 of Surging Reef

Kazimir woke to someone shaking him.

“Hey, sleeping beauty, I think we’re here.”

He forced his eyes open and stared at Ashby. The sun had risen while he’d been sleeping, and he saw Ashby in daylight for the first time. The flashlight hadn’t done him justice. He was an attractive man, had the whole tall, dark, and handsome thing going.

“Can you be out in the sunlight?” Fuck, what if he’d burn now that the sun was up?

“Yeah, sunlight is fine, as is garlic and religious symbols. You can take my picture too if you want, and I show up in mirrors.”

“But you’re allergic to silver. Wait, are you a werewolf?”

Ashby huffed. “We’re here. Your first wish has been fulfilled.”

Kazimir looked around. Yup, they were parked outside his little townhouse, and Alan Anderson from next door was glaring at them from his driveway.

Fucker. Kazimir couldn’t wait until he’d be able to buy his lighthouse and be far, far away from neighbors.

He grinned and waved, which had the fucker turn away and show Kazimir his back.

“Charming.” Ashby’s tone was droll.

“If you want to eat someone, I bet he’s tasty.”

Ashby grinned. “Is it your second wish?”

“Nah, I have to think for a bit.” He undid his seat belt. “Want to come inside? I need to log in at work.”

“You need to eat, drink, and rest.”

His words shouldn’t make Kazimir go all warm and fuzzy, but they did. It had been a long time since anyone had cared. “I’ll eat and drink while I work.”

Ashby looked as if he wanted to object, but Kazimir opened the door and ended the conversation.

He went to unhook Pharos and carried him to the tiny patch of grass in front of the stairs.

It needed mowing. All the others kept their patches in mint condition, but who cared about a miniature lawn?

Last year, he’d tried to turn it into a meadow with wildflowers—it was better for pollinators, after all—but the neighbors had ganged up on him and demanded he cut it.

“Nice place.” Ashby looked up at the white three-story building. It was a nice building, but Kazimir didn’t like it here.

“I inherited it. It was my mom’s, and when she passed, five, almost six, years ago, I moved in. I figured I could live here while looking for my dream place instead of paying rent to some landlord, but the neighbors suck.”

Alan cleared his throat in the driveway next to his, but Kazimir didn’t so much as glance over his shoulder.

Ashby grinned widely. “I see.”

Kazimir nodded. “The key is the one next to the car key. You can let yourself in. I’m only waiting for Pharos to do his business.

” He gestured at Pharos, who was trying to raise his leg to pee, only to realize he couldn’t with the cast and had to pee like a puppy who had yet to find his balance.

He glared at Kazimir the entire time, as if it was his fault he had a broken leg.

Oh God, he didn’t think it was Kazimir’s fault, did he? What if he believed Kazimir had hit him? Nah, he couldn’t…could he?

When Pharos was done, Kazimir picked him up, so he didn’t have to walk the stairs, and put him down once they’d crossed the threshold.

“This is nice.” Ashby was looking around the hallway and into the kitchen.

One flight of stairs up was a living room and a small office, then up another flight, Kazimir had his bedroom, and there was a closet-sized guest room.

He guessed it might’ve been a closet, but his mom had a bed in there for when Kazimir had spent the night, so he’d kept it.

“There is a tiny guest room on the third floor if you want to take a nap. There is a bathroom there too, towels in the linen closet right outside.” Kazimir looked down at his bare legs.

Oh, it would give Alan something to gossip about, how Kazimir had shown up at dawn without pants and in the company of a strange man. Great.

As if Ashby could read his mind, he chuckled. “Are you sure you don’t want the shower first?”

“Maybe I should run through it before I log in to work.”

Ashby nodded, and Kazimir started the endless climb toward the third floor. Normally, he didn’t mind, but today it was like Mount Everest.

* * * *

Ashby bolted upright and looked around the claustrophobia-inducing bedroom. He blew out a breath and curled his shaking hands into fists. He was at Kazimir’s, not in the lighthouse. He was whole and well-fed, not starving or having his flesh burning away.

He got out of bed, put on his still-damp jeans, and left the room.

He needed clothes. Anne had taken his phone, but he’d left his wallet at home when he’d gone to see her the night she’d locked him up.

He never left without his wallet, but something had told him not to bring it.

So, clothes, wallet, and he would like to retrieve his laptop as well.

The rest he could do without. It would suck to start over with nothing, but he’d never been a person who had a lot of things.

He’d never link memories or emotions to items and was fine with no more than he could carry as long as he had his phone, which he didn’t.

He’d have to get a new one, but to buy one, he needed his wallet.

And his laptop, so he could check his bank account.

Walking barefoot down the first flight of stairs, he took in the living room. Kazimir wasn’t there. The paintings on the walls were of lighthouses, and he shuddered. Ugh, if he never saw a lighthouse ever again, he’d die a happy man.

He crossed the room and looked through the door to the tiny office. Kazimir was asleep. His head resting on his arm on the desk, his mouth open, and the screen dark.

As soon as Ashby entered the room, Pharos got to his feet, his pink cast a little dirty. Ashby patted his head before moving closer to the desk.

“Kaz?” He placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, sweetie.”

Kazimir jerked awake and blinked at him.

“Don’t you think the bed would be more comfortable?”

“Aw fuck.” He touched the mouse, and the computer woke up. “I have to finish this. I was only…” He looked at the notepad he’d been sleeping on and frowned. “Yeah, I need to fix this.”

Ashby nodded and left him to it. He’d get him some food. Kazimir needed to eat. It hadn’t been long since Ashby had fed on him, and he didn’t think he’d taken good care of himself.

Opening the refrigerator, he was surprised at how well-stocked it was. Kazimir must cook. Awesome.

He boiled a couple of eggs, sliced them, to put on a couple of sandwiches with some lettuce and mayo. Then he poured two glasses of juice and carried Kazimir’s portion to the office.

“Hiya, made you…” He looked around for a clock. “…lunch, maybe?”

Kazimir looked at him, then at the screen, then at him again. “It’s twenty past three in the afternoon.”

Shit, he’d slept the day away. “Whatever label you want to put on it, I made you a sandwich, and I demand you eat it. Can’t have you anemic. It’s not a good look.”

Kazimir snorted.

“I’m serious. What would all the other vampires think if I mistreated my pet?”

This time, Kazimir spluttered, which made Ashby grin.

“Are you okay with me hanging around for a couple of days?” Ashby didn’t know why his heart was beating fast, but the thought of being on his own made him uneasy.

“Yeah, sure. You still have two wishes left to fulfill.”

“Are you sure? I assumed saving your life yesterday would make us even.”

The look Kazimir gave him did a good job of conveying how unimpressed he was.

“I saved your life, several times over, I think. I fed you when you were a skeleton—” He shuddered, and Ashby wished he could take the memory away.

Sadly, vampires weren’t blessed with any mind-altering abilities like in fairy tales.

“Then I got you out of the chain, out of the lighthouse, and away from the beach when they came for you.”

“I got us away from the beach.” Ashby crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t exactly sound like a superhero when Kazimir relayed the chain of events.

“Using my car, and you never would’ve gotten to the beach in the first place if it wasn’t for me.”

“Fine, you still have two wishes.” Absurd, since he wasn’t magical and couldn’t fulfill wishes.

When Kazimir smiled at him, he didn’t care. He felt pretty magical.

“I need to swing by my apartment.”

“What? No! Are you insane?”

“Eh…” He gestured at his bare chest. “I need some clothes. Anne took my phone, but my wallet is in my apartment. And my laptop.”

Kazimir stared at him. “No.”

“I need—”

“They’ll be guarding your apartment. If they went out to the lighthouse yesterday, they know you’re gone. Someone will be watching.”

Ashby didn’t reply. Would someone be watching? Yes. Anne would be looking for him everywhere. “I can’t disappear without money, and I need my driver’s license. I have nothing to put on.” He once again gestured at his bare chest.

“Then you’ll have to be naked. We’re not going to your apartment.” Kazimir typed something, then took a bite of the sandwich and moaned. “Fuck, I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

“Kazimir.”

He sighed. “Let me think. We can’t walk in there without a plan.” He was quiet for a moment. “Aren’t there moving companies that go into people’s homes, pack everything, and drive it somewhere?”

Ashby shrugged. “Anne would follow them.”

“Right.” He took another bite and chewed slowly. “I’ll break in, but not while people are awake.”

Ashby stared at him. “What? No. Vampires are guarding the apartment.”

“You have your key?”

Ashby shook his head. “Anne took it.”

“So, I have to pick the lock. It’s cool. Pharos and I are getting good at it. Now, let me finish this, and we’ll come up with a good plan, after.”

Ashby left the office with a growl. He did not want Kazimir breaking into his apartment when Anne’s goons would be guarding it. There might be someone waiting inside of it since she had the key.