Page 3 of The Vampire and the Tattooist (The Vampire and Series Book 4)
Everyone was still in Gavin’s room when his phone pinged with a message. Gavin knew straight away it was Hunter. Everyone else who would have texted him was already with him.
Raz smiled at him and nudged his shoulder. “Is that your man texting you?”
Gavin sighed and everyone laughed.
“He is so your man and you know it,” Dave replied. “What does he want?”
Gavin pulled a face at him and signed.
“I fully admit I’m nosey. Now open your message and see what he wants,” Dave said happily.
Gavin shrugged, but a smile was tugging at his lips. He grabbed his phone and opened the message. He read it, his eyes filling with tears again.
“What? What’s wrong?” Mathis asked, practically snatching the phone out of Gavin’s hand and looking at the message, ready to run over there and punch the guy in the face if needed.
“What did he say?” David asked, growling.
Mathis looked up. “He invited Gav to dinner at the local Italian restaurant.”
“If you don’t like Italian, Hunter won’t mind you changing restaurants,” Dave told him.
Gavin wiped his eyes and then signed.
“You’re seriously throwing over dinner with Hunter for the party my mum is organising for you?” Dave asked in shock.
Gavin nodded and signed.
“We understand, Gav. If you need to be surrounded by family today, then that’s what we’ll do,” Mathis said. “Maybe tell him you’re not feeling so good, and you’d take a rain check on the date.”
Gavin bit his lip and then nodded. If he said he wasn’t feeling well, then that should give him a couple of days before Hunter asked him again.
He held his hand out for his phone and shot a message off to Hunter.
That sounds nice, but I’m not feeling well today. Can we rain-check until I feel better?
Once sent, he set his phone down and looked at Mathis before signing.
“Gabriel understands. He knows you need me,” Mathis replied.
Gavin signed again.
“I’m not leaving. You need me.”
Gavin rolled his eyes and signed again.
Mathis shook his head. “I didn’t understand all of that.”
“Gavin said that Gabriel needs your support, as well. He’s just announced he is the coven leader and leader of the southern witches. He’ll want you there. I really don’t mind,” Dave translated for him.
“You could always go for a little bit, then come back for the party,” Raz suggested.
Gavin nodded.
“Okay, let me go and message him, but I’ll be back for your party,” Mathis said, pulling Gavin into a hug.
Gavin patted his back and let Mathis go.
Mathis looked at Raz, who nodded. He knew what Mathis was asking: look after our brother and call if you need me.
Mathis looked at David, who nodded, as well.
“Thanks,” he said to everyone, then walked out, closing the door behind him. He pulled his phone out as he went and rang Gabe, who picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, Vampie,” Gabe said. “How’s Gavin?”
“Sad but coping. Annie’s throwing him a ‘I killed my first person’ party tonight. She’s sent Willard out to get red balloons and fake fangs, and she and Thomaz are cooking all his favourite foods.”
Gabe laughed. “Gotta love Annie.”
“Yep. Open a portal, little witch.”
Gabe gasped. “No, you need to be there for Gavin.”
Mathis smiled. “I have been, and now I’ve been kicked out so I can spend time with you. Open a portal, little witch.”
A moment later a portal opened, and Mathis saw Gabe there smiling at him.
Mathis hung up the phone and walked through it towards him. As soon as he was close enough, he pulled Gabe into his arms and kissed him, the portal closing behind him.
* * *
Hunter checkedhis phone and smiled when he saw he had a reply from Gavin. He opened the message, and his smile dropped off his face when he read it. Poor Gavin. He wondered what he could do. Chicken soup was supposed to be good when one was feeling rough. He should find a takeaway that delivered and send him some. Yes, he would do that. He went online and found a local restaurant that did chicken soup and delivery.
Hunter shook his head. He didn’t have Gavin’s address. He couldn’t ask Gavin for it, as that would spoil the surprise. Maybe Dave would know where Gavin lived. Well, he could hope, anyway.
He sent Dave a message. Now all he had to do was hope Dave knew.
* * *
Dave and Gavinwere playing with Bruno when Dave’s phone dinged. He pulled his phone out to read his message, smiling when he saw who it was from. He opened the message and read.
Hey, Dave. Do you have Gavin’s address? He’s feeling under the weather, and I want to send him some chicken soup to help him get better.
Dave grinned and shot back a message with the address, saying how nice that was of him. He put his phone away, still grinning.
Gavin looked at him and then signed.
Dave laughed. “I’m not being weird. I’m just happy.”
“You’re always weird,” Raz said helpfully from his seat.
“I still prefer unique,” Dave replied.
Bruno barked.
“Thank you, Bruno. Nice to see you agree with me.”
Raz just laughed and shook his head.