Page 3 of Unsanctioned (Devilish #2)

Every second of his conversation with Audor ate at the back of Waylon’s mind all day and night.

He kept hoping they would cross paths, but no.

With Audor working the daylight hours, his powers were dulled.

He had to drive like a human, which should have made it easier for Waylon to find him.

It was a small town of just over twenty-five hundred residents.

Waylon drove around, keeping an eye out for Audor’s truck.

It didn’t seem like there were too many places he could hide, but Wulfe was on the edge of Gifford Pinchot National Forest. That gave Audor over a million and a half acres to disappear.

Still, his job was supposed to be shadowing Frost. He shouldn’t be too far.

Waylon scanned the hospital parking lot as he walked toward the door. He didn’t see Audor or his truck, even though Frost was parked in his usual spot. It took Waylon a few minutes to find Frost, which gave him the excuse he needed to search every corner.

Frost was all smiles—the way he always was—when he saw Waylon headed his way. “Sheriff Black.”

“How long are we going to have to be friends before you call me Waylon all the time? Not just when I’m off duty.”

A nice-sounding chuckle rumbled from Frost. “I just like making you feel important while you’re in uniform.”

Despite the way his chest ached, Waylon laughed. “I don’t know. At this point, I think I’d feel a lot more special if I wasn’t the least bit important any time of the day.”

Frost’s smile disappeared. He eyed Waylon. While Frost was mostly human, Waylon wasn’t sure that was true at all. According to Audor, he had magic in his blood. Waylon had never been sure how much Frost saw in other people. For all he knew, Frost could read everyone’s mind.

“Do you want to go to lunch?” Frost’s offer caught him off guard, but not in a bad way. He had planned to hang around the hospital and hope he caught Audor. This was better. Audor’s responsibility would be in Waylon’s care.

“I’d love that. I’ll drive.”

“Sounds great. Just let me send a text so hospital staff knows to text me if they need anything. Then we can go anywhere you’d like. I’ll buy.”

Judging by Frost’s gorgeous five-bedroom cabin, he could afford it, but Waylon had lived a long time and he could too. Plus, he was the alpha here. “Nah. I’ve got it.”

Frost smiled and shook his head. “You may be the alpha, but you’re not my alpha. Let someone else take care of you for once.”

Damn. That sounded a hell of a lot like Frost had read his mind. If that was the case, then Frost saw his feelings. He couldn’t hide. “I’d like that.” No one knew what that confession cost him, but it was Frost. He wasn’t just anyone, and Waylon didn’t know how to explain that.

Thankfully, Frost didn’t let his pride sting. He simply sent his text. When he was done, he met Waylon’s stare. “I’m ready when you are.”

Together, they headed for the door. Waylon’s gaze never stopped moving.

He knew if he could just see Audor, talk to him, then he could explain he wasn’t good with words.

He hadn’t meant to insinuate he wasted his time on Audor.

Waylon massaged his chest. Fuck. Why was he so dumb?

He opened the passenger door for Frost before climbing into his patrol car, ensuring Frost was safe first.

“I can feel your pain.”

Waylon’s head whipped around at Frost’s words.

Frost flashed him a sad smile. “I didn’t want to say anything inside where we might be overheard.

While I’m not sure about anything that comes with this new role, I know it’s growing stronger.

I feel when people are hurting. It’s like I’m being called to action.

I can’t really explain it. I just know you’re hurting and that I could probably help in some small way.

But I need to know what’s wrong first, and I’m not sure you care to tell me. ”

Waylon took a deep breath and started the car. “Let’s run through the drive-thru of that new sandwich shop and find a quiet place to talk.” While Waylon absolutely did not want to bare his soul, Goddess Celeste had sent Frost to their town for a reason. He would trust in that.

Still, as he ordered their food and then drove to the parking lot of a nearby hiking trail, Waylon couldn’t think of what to say or where to start.

He picked through every inch of his mind and came up short.

Waylon wasn’t much of a conversationalist. Talking about his feelings sure as hell was off limits, but he kind of had to.

“I upset Audor and now he’s ignoring me.” Waylon had spent the entire night and day begging Audor to listen. His texts and mental pleas had gone ignored. He felt only a black spot when he tried to feel him.

Frost munched on the corner of his sandwich while looking lost in thought. It was as if he turned inside himself to find an answer Waylon didn’t have. “Tell me a little more.”

Waylon wanted to growl at Frost’s demand. This was already more than he discussed with anyone else. Still, Waylon took a deep breath and tried to pick a place to start.

“I guess you probably know we’ve had a bit of a thing since he came to town.”

Frost nodded.

Waylon kept going. “I guess I didn’t take it too seriously or think he did either, since we can’t be mates.”

“Why does that matter? I mean, obviously, I know how different a mate feels from just dating someone. But before I met Gemini, and I didn’t know he existed, there were times when I still believed I’d been in love.

I still had the excitement and passion and turmoil.

It just wasn’t what I have now, but I hadn’t yet experienced this to diminish that.

From what Gemini says, not everyone has a mate.

If that’s the case, then maybe you can feel just as strongly as you do for a mate for anyone you want. Maybe you just get to choose.”

Waylon chewed that over. He had to admit the passion with Audor was off the charts. Surely things wouldn’t be that way if he had a mate. Maybe Audor didn’t have another half either. It was possible they could simply choose each other—like humans choose a life partner. He didn’t know.

Waylon shook his head. He had gotten off track.

“I guess I’ve been alive so long and seen so many fated mates that I can’t stop believing I’ll have that one day.

Since meeting Audor, I’ve swung pretty wildly between happiness and not wanting to get hurt or hurt him when a mate appears for one of us.

People are moving here like crazy since they learned we have a healer.

I think part of me kind of hoped and feared one of these new arrivals was meant for me.

Then again, I’m also terrified maybe they’ll be meant for Audor.

We’re more likely doomed than not.” Waylon made a wild gesture.

“That’s neither here nor there. What I’m getting at is I haven’t let him in the way he’s done for me.

Despite knowing this was likely pointless, he hasn’t held anything back.

Last night, I decided I’d be the same. He deserves better, but then when I tried to say that, everything came out all wrong.

He disappeared and is ignoring me now. I don’t know.

Maybe it’s for the best.” Even as he said the words, Waylon tasted the lie.

He felt the pain. Waylon didn’t want them to end. He wasn’t ready to give up Audor.

Frost set his hand on Waylon’s arm. Warmth traveled up his arm and settled in his chest. “This is a small town. He can’t avoid you forever. Maybe Gemini and I can have a small barbecue this weekend and get you both under the same roof. You can kidnap him… during the day, anyhow.”

They exchanged a smile that turned into a laugh. Waylon felt better. He had a plan. The weekend was still a couple of days away. Maybe he would manage to corner Audor before then. If not, Frost’s plan sounded like a win. He would take what he could get.

Audor hadn’t told Waylon, since he hadn’t really gotten a chance, but with more vampires headed their way, Audor didn’t have to spend every single day shadowing Frost any longer.

He had extra help now. He could take some days off a week.

Audor had planned to surprise Waylon today by sticking to him like glue and enjoying some time together.

He hadn’t expected things to end so quickly.

Now he had unexpected time off and nothing to do but think.

When Gemini had put his home up for sale to move in with Frost, Audor had quickly bought the place before it slipped away.

The house was small, but he was only one vamp, and the garage was huge.

Plus, the two hundred acres surrounding him gave him the illusion of the old days before the air stank of pollution all hours of the day.

He had to admit people smelled better, making his meals easier.

Not all progress was bad. Audor also enjoyed a cozy bed and heat in the winter.

Air in the summer too, truth be told. Okay, so he liked more than he hated about today’s world, but he was still happy with his purchase.

Between guarding Frost and spending his nights in Waylon’s bed, he hadn’t gotten around to doing the things he wanted with the property.

Audor focused on that now, hoping to keep himself sane.

The automatic bay door system on the garage didn’t work, so Audor fixed that first. From there, he went to work on a stack of lumber.

He built shelves and a table. The daylight hours might weaken him, but he was still faster and stronger than any human.

He kept his hands busy and made his muscles scream.

The hole in his chest wouldn’t let him forget it was there, but Audor would be damned if he dwelled on it.

“Would you like some help?”

Audor spun so fast, he almost tweaked his back. He had been so focused on not thinking, he hadn’t felt Riku coming. “Holy shit. Where did you come from?”