Page 14

Chapter 13

A dler woke slowly at the crack of dawn, not yet opening his eyes but enjoying the comfort and warmth of sleep for a few more minutes. He was generally an early riser, but especially so after the full moon when he felt relaxed and refreshed from running in his wolf form.

Stretching, Adler sniffed the air. Hmm. Roses . He wasn’t in bed alone—and not his own bed either, but Gordon’s—and Gordon was still soundly asleep. In fact, the vampire was so soundly asleep that Adler had to suppress the rush of panic at the lack of regular breathing. But that was a vampire thing, especially when they slept.

Adler, however, was breathing quite a lot, and there were reasons for that. Chief among them was that he was naked. He hadn’t found his way under the covers either, so everything was out on display, and Adler wasn’t sure whether this was better or worse than the inappropriate alternative of him snuggling a sleeping Gordon in that state.

Secondly, Adler was fully erect, and the arm he had draped around the gorgeous vampire next to him probably had something to do with that. Or rather the vampire had. Another issue was Adler’s post-shift hunger and thirst, both for food and water and for release. Shit. What was I even thinking, spending the night here? This isn’t right. Gordon never agreed to having a naked guy in his bed, certainly not one with morning wood.

But Adler knew what he had been thinking. Being in his wolf form didn’t turn him into a slave to his baser instincts like the stories humans told would have it. No, Adler had felt a deep-seated need to comfort Gordon, and when he was a fluffy wolf, that was so easy.

There would need to be words, they would have to talk about what Gordon had revealed, but last night, touch and nearness had been enough, and being a big dog made inviting that always so much simpler. It was so easy apparently that he did let me into his bed…

Gordon hadn’t done a lot of talking last night, not after dropping the initial bombshell. He’d told Adler he needed to do some reading of old case reports to get all caught up on the Ripper case, and Adler had been okay with that.

He had lain down on Gordon’s feet, a very dog-like move to be sure. And he had kept calm like a good dog would, at least on the outside. On the inside, different desires had built in Adler. He’d imagined playing with Gordon in a companionable manner like he would with another wolf, tackling the vampire and pressing against him, tasting him with his tongue and learning all his scents, exploring the places where they were fainter and those where they were strongest.

That had been Adler’s fantasy, and then Gordon had gone to bed. At first Adler had stayed behind in the living room, but then Gordon had made a tiny sound, just a sigh really. Adler, worried, had followed the noise, had jumped onto the bed, and Gordon had said, Fine, you can stay , and that had been that. All those fantasies about tackling and licking had turned into erection-inducing dreams past that point.

And now I’m rock hard and about ready to poke a hole in his back. Adler moved in an attempt to not do that.

“Mmmhmph,” Gordon moaned, then turned on his back. His eyes blinked open a crack, their pretty blue irises catching the first light, and if anything, Adler got harder.

“Good morning,” Adler said, aware of how husky his voice was. He just needed a glass of water, some food, and…well, he couldn’t have what else he needed, not without Gordon consenting fully.

Gordon focused on him, on his face, bless the sleepy vampire. “Hi. What’s the time?”

“Early. Go back to sleep, sweetheart.” What did I just say?

Gordon’s eyes opened further. “You’re in my bed. Why’d you call me that? You called me that before.”

“Yeah, sorry. And I don’t know. Also, sorry for waking you.”

Gordon turned, and Adler was too slow. His erection brushed against Gordon’s thigh.

“You’re also naked. And aroused,” the vampire said.

Adler cleared his throat. “Yes, well. Yes. You’ll have to loan me some clothes.”

Gordon stretched under the sheets, and heavens, that did things to Adler. He wanted to devour him, that sinuous vampire with the elegant hands and nimble fingers.

“I don’t think I want to get out of bed yet,” Gordon said. “What big eyes you have.” The vampire reached for Adler’s head and pulled him down to him, pulled him into a kiss.

Colors exploded in front of Adler’s eyes, and all his awareness narrowed to Gordon’s body, Gordon’s breath, Gordon’s tongue dashing into his own mouth, Gordon’s hand on the back of his head. He couldn’t have expressed in words what he wanted to do to the vampire, but he knew he wanted to be as close to Gordon as the laws of physics allowed, wanted to grind himself against and into Gordon, wanted to feel and taste and touch.

But the wolf was always wide awake during a full moon and not yet fully back asleep yet. Adler was aware, and so he found himself pulling back, noticing with delight that the vampire’s lips were slightly puffy from their kissing.

“What are we doing?” Adler asked. I need to be sure. I need this to be real .

“Seizing the moment,” Gordon said and tried to pull Adler back to him for a kiss.

Adler stopped him with a hand on the vampire’s forearm. “Wait, Gordon. Fuck, you don’t know how much I want to. But I want you to want it. Not because you’re randomly turned on but because you chose to wake up next to me. Not because you tolerated a big-ass wolf sneaking into your bed. I guess… I don’t just want to have sex with you. I want more.”

Gordon rubbed his face with his hands. “Oh, fucking hell. Are you kidding me? You want commitment instead of fun, now?”

“I think so, yes.” Adler’s heart hammered in his chest, but the words felt right. The thought felt right. He wanted more. He wanted everything. He wanted Gordon .

Gordon groaned. “Can’t even get laid when I have a naked man in my bed. Just perfect.”

“It’s not that. What you told me last night, I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re in a vulnerable emotional state.”

Gordon snorted and looked up at Adler. “Oh, thanks for informing me about my own damn emotional state, detective.”

Adler smiled down at Gordon. “I deserve that,” he said, and ran the knuckle of his first finger gently along Gordon’s jaw.

“Pfft. Fine. Have it your way.” Gordon looked off to the side. “I have sweatpants and an old NAU sweater that’ll fit you. Walk-in closet, on one of the shelves on the right.”

At least he’s not throwing me out, which he’d have every right to . Adler lingered a moment longer, because, heavens, Gordon smelled like Gordon, and he was so close, and the way his lips had tasted—

No . With a sigh, Adler made himself get up. There was fairly little he could do about being naked and hard, but he also found he didn’t mind very much if Gordon saw or not. I hope you see, and I hope you like.

“The bathroom’s down the hall, in case you want a shower,” Gordon said. He’d propped himself on an elbow, clearly watching.

“Shower sounds good, thank you. Should I make you coffee?”

Gordon snorted and dropped back into his pillows. “You all should stop waking people up at these unreasonable hours, is what you should do. But yes, since I’m awake, coffee would be nice. Mmm. There’s even some food in the kitchen, crackers and whatnot in the event of non-vampiric guests.”

That is excellent news . “Great. Black? Cream? Sugar?”

“Strong and sweet,” Gordon mumbled, clearly back to dozing.

“I can do that.” Adler found the clothes, which did indeed fit him. To his utter delight, they smelled of Gordon.

Adler padded down the hall and to the kitchen on bare feet. On the way, he peeked into a large room that looked like a sanctuary for the nerdy. It held comic books and toys still in their packaging, framed and signed drawings, and shelves filled with more stuff. Well, he has a hobby. I could get into comic books. Perhaps he’ll let me read some of his, if I ask very nicely.

The coffeemaker was one of the fully automated ones, and Adler found a mug each for Gordon and himself, dropped two sugar cubes from the jar on the counter in one, then let the sweetness dissolve in the hot brew.

He was just about to make himself a mug when he heard a quiet knock on the door.

“Gordon, you expecting anyone?” Adler said, walking out to the hallway. The walls were full of movie posters and more comic art, framed, some of it signed as well. Adler had noticed that last night, but daylight made the colors stand out brighter, and from his human-shaped vantage point, he could actually make out titles and learn Gordon’s tastes.

“Too early,” Gordon moaned from the bedroom.

So Adler walked to the door and opened it a crack.

“Kim? What are you doing here?” he said to the teenage werewolf on the other side who looked bored and annoyed in a way perfected by teenagers of every species.

“Willa sent me. Called her vampire buddy to ask for the address and mentioned why she was asking. Anyways, clothes and all the rest of your stuff.” Kim held out a bag to Adler. “And I stopped and got you bagels and doughnuts.” She handed him a second paper bag that smelled of sugar and carbs. “Took some cash from your wallet to pay for it, but I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh, of course I don’t. Thanks, kid.” Adler was gladder than he cared to admit for the food. If I sleep over after the moon again, I’ll have to plan this out better. I’ll have to do some shopping in advance and store it here if he lets me.

Kim’s annoyed growl made Adler focus on her. “Don’t call me kid. Anyways, Willa said I was supposed to ask, suggestively, whether you had a good night, so I’m doing that, wink-wink.” Kim kept her expression remarkably blank.

Adler nodded. “I’ll let Willa know.”

The young wolf held out a hand, propped the other on her hip. “Cab fare?”

Adler rolled his eyes but dug for his wallet and handed Kim a bill. “You are so selfless, Kim. Thanks again.”

She shrugged. “I plan on traveling abroad after I graduate, so I cannot afford selfless. I have to do savvy.” She walked off down the hall, never once smiling, because smiling seemed to have fallen out of fashion with the young.

Adler closed the door and turned.

“Who was that?” Gordon asked, upright now and leaning against the bedroom door.

“Kid from the pack. Willa sent her to drop off my stuff, and she also got me some breakfast for entirely selfish reasons. Fair warning, I think Willa may have called Maxim to ask about your address.”

While he said it, Adler admired the sleepy vampire. Even in a tee that looked old enough to fall to pieces and very stretchy shorts, Adler would have rather put the vampire in his mouth than the sugared baked goods. The bedhead Gordon had going made him even more desirable to Adler. I want him to look this tired and spent after I’m done with him,

Gordon rolled his eyes before rubbing them. “Early mornings are never any good, I swear. You wear that better than I do.”

“Your sweater?”

“Yeah.”

Adler nodded, self-conscious. “I have your coffee,” he said instead and walked to the kitchen.

Gordon followed him and took the steaming mug from Adler. There was a cute breakfast nook with a small square table and two chairs, and Gordon took one. After a moment, Adler took the other.

“Believe it or not, I was never in Seneca Park for a full moon before last night,” Gordon said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Also never had a wolf follow me all the way home and then refuse to have sex with me.”

A part of me is already regretting that. “I just think I should really take you out on a date first. And then about that thing at the morgue… Well, fuck. I am sorry about that, real sorry. That was messed up, and I would be lying if I told you that it will never happen again because werewolves sometimes do get a bit irrational around the full moon. More so if we care about a person. Most of the time, when there’s a physical component, that component is helpful for working through moon-enhanced emotions.” Adler lowered his gaze, hoping that Gordon would understand and accept the apology.

Gordon almost spilled his coffee with laughter. “Oh, so you’re saying you wouldn’t have refused sex yesterday? Because fucking cures the jealous?”

Adler shrugged. “I’m saying there is no wolf that isn’t horny so close to a full moon. And yes. Uhm, there is a…well, when someone allows you to put your scent all over them, that soothes all feelings of jealousy, yes.” Adler got up and rounded the table until he could get on his knees next to Gordon. It was a wolf’s instinct, the baring of the belly, the pleading. “Please tell me you don’t hate me for it. I would swear to you that I would never hurt you, but that means little. If you’ll let me, I will show you who I am.”

Gordon’s eyes widened in surprise, both at the gesture and the words, Adler thought. And he was thinking about it, didn’t just say yes or no. When he put a hand on Adler’s shoulder, Adler tensed before he relaxed.

“I don’t hate you. And you may show me who you are, detective.”

Adler’s heart nearly shattered his ribcage with its beating. He lifted his head, knowing full well his grin was probably so wide it was bordering on ridiculous.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” He stood and put one of the pastries Kim had gotten for him on a plate. He devoured the thing in about three bites. Food always tasted better after a full moon, and after what Gordon had said, it tasted divine.

“You can eat,” Gordon said, not looking at all like he wanted to ridicule it.

Gordon stood and walked over to the living room, so Adler followed, though he took the time to grab another pastry. The vampire slumped down in an armchair, and so did Adler. I just love that everything here smells of you , Adler thought, unable to take his eyes off the sleepy vampire.

After a while, after they had both enjoyed half of their coffee in companionable silence, Adler said, “I’m sorry about your sister.”

Gordon looked at him. “I told you I don’t talk about it.”

Adler nodded. “That’s fine. I just wanted you to hear it. And if you ever want to talk, or just want someone to listen, Willa tells me I’m a much better listener now than I was five years ago.”

“Well, that sounds like high praise.”

“It’s also true. So can I take you out tonight?”

“Hmm?”

“On a real date. One that doesn’t involve a vampire setting us up or murder or other wolves.”

Gordon leaned back in his armchair. “Seven sound good?”

Adler grinned. “Perfect.”

When he left Gordon’s apartment, Adler’s mood had been hugely improved despite the minor sexual frustration. He’d kissed Gordon goodbye, and Gordon had let him, and it had been a good kiss, the kind where leaving became very hard, where one just wanted to sink into the other person and forget time and obligations.

But Adler hadn’t wanted to ruin it, had pulled back. He’d gone straight to the station. Bachmann had left a file on Adler’s desk, the boyfriend’s contact information and a few other people of interest she’d come across.

The boyfriend was from out of town, just like Adler had suspected. Bachmann had even been able to alibi him—he was away on a week-long conference at the other end of the country, and Bachmann had called the conference hotel and confirmed he’d checked in and not left. That is good work, Adler thought. She deserves to get that promotion early.

Adler checked his email, or at least tried to. Concentrating was hard because he couldn’t get Gordon’s scent, the memory of Gordon sleeping next to him, out of his head, and he found himself imagining things he would do with Gordon, things that would keep them up all night.

It wasn’t even ten when Adler decided he needed a break, just a short one, to clear his head from the haze that settled over it every time he closed his eyes and thought of Gordon without fail.

Adler wasn’t the kind of detective to take long breaks or even leave the building, but he did today. The problem was his wolf side, restless like a caged animal because the wolf didn’t want to be at work, the wolf wanted to be where Gordon was.

Adler walked a few blocks, his long strides getting him to a small park with a few benches and a lot of cawing crows in minutes. He forced himself to sit on one of the benches where he bent forward and rubbed his eyes as if that would help to make the image of Gordon vanish.

I want my scent all over him, and I want to touch him and hold him. The wolf wanted to lick Gordon, Adler could tell. He let me sleep in his bed. He took me home.

Wind rustled the leaves of the trees all around him, and Adler’s nose twitched, taking in the scents of everything around him, grass and concrete, humans and pets, even the crows in the branches around him, inching closer as they realized what he was.

Crows and ravens had always had an affinity for werewolves, though why no one knew. City crows befriending werewolves and leaving them shiny gifts on their doorstep or windowsill was a more or less common occurrence.

One of them, braver than the other, fluttered down and landed on the back of the bench Adler had picked for his moping. It cawed at him.

“Don’t follow me around. That’s not what I came here for,” he told the bird who fixed him in its beady gaze. It cawed again.

Adler sighed. His imagination was haunting him. He wondered what it would be like to make love to Gordon, to be allowed all the things he wanted—no, to be asked to do all the things that brought Gordon pleasure. Adler’s fantasies revolved around Gordon’s tight body, the powdery rose scent more intense with arousal before Gordon began moaning to Adler’s every touch. Would the vampire whimper? Would he beg? Adler had no idea, but he longed to find out.

The crow cawed again.

“Fine, I’m leaving,” Adler said and stood.

The crow hopped after him across the gravel path before flying off again. Don’t they say crows can see the dead? It probably wants me to solve this case and not my love life.

It was still difficult to not think about Gordon, but the short walk had helped to take the edge off at least. When Adler got back to his desk, he realized he’d been so out of it, so preoccupied that he’d forgotten his phone.

There was a missed call on his phone. Maxim. Adler called him back.

“So I hear you made up with sweet Gordon,” Maxim said as soon as he picked up.

Adler almost growled, but Maxim was too much alpha to be shown that disrespect. “You know, sometimes even I am surprised how fast news travels.”

Maxim clicked his tongue. “Well, you definitely should know better. I have a missing fae coed.”

Oh, fuck. “How can I help?”

“There’s nothing you can do right now. I did in fact enlist Willa for tracking. I’m calling you because the fae, Gloria, Glory to her friends, was small, blond, much like the two fae girls that were murdered by the Ripper in London. Her roommate says she was a good student, not one to hang out late anywhere else but the library. The timing of this—”

Adler nodded. “Fuck.”

“Yes, reasonably accurate in this instance.”

“You could be wrong though. Maybe…maybe this is something else.”

Maxim was quiet for two beats then said, “I want to believe that too, Adler. I really do.”

The but hung right there, unspoken.

Adler rubbed his eyes with his free hand. “I’ll call the forensics unit about the letter, see if there is anything new and tell them to rush if there isn’t.”

“Yes, that would be excellent. I will let you know if we find her.”

They hung up, and Adler found his post-moon mood seriously dampened.