Forever Midnight

MIA MONROE

Copyright © 2023 by Mia Monroe

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Cover Design by: Wicked By Design

Photography by: Xram Ragde

Editing by: Kate Wood

Proofread by: Charity VanHuss

Content Warnings

This book features a team of vampire assassins who take out really bad people. Neither of the MCS are involved in the following events. There are brief discussions of events that happen off page that include:

Physical/domestic abuse

Sexual abuse

Stalking

Drug Use/Abuse

Death of someone via suicide off page (one sentence about it)

On page violence includes vampires being vampires and bad guys doing bad things.

The relationship between MCs is low angst and the book has an HEA.

Prologue

London, England 1536

Sweltering heat engulfs me as I scrub the marble floors of the palace, the hard stone digging into my knees. Just beyond where I work, my master and one of his many lovers are whispering in the hall after a morning of loud and passionate lovemaking. His lack of discretion, the way his dalliances humiliate his pious wife, and his moneyed arrogance turn my stomach, but what bothers me the most is that I’ll be next. His insatiable appetite has no limits or class restrictions. For him, I’m just as good as an aristocrat.

The wooden double doors to the room open and Master’s butler enters, averting his eyes from the two men kissing and feeling each other up.

“Sir, your guest from France has arrived.”

Lord Arden tears himself away from his lover, the two men still engaged in laughter. “Please bring him to the sitting parlor, William. I’ll be there shortly.”

William bows his head, backing out of the room while Lord Arden’s lover, Lord Faust brushes past me. I can feel his predatory eyes on me as strongly as his hands when they grope my body. Lord Arden has made me available to any of his visitors, and I am powerless against their advances.

He approaches me, pausing while I continue to work. “Leander.”

I gaze up. “Yes, Lord?”

“How do I look?”

Lord Arden is a vain but handsome man, striking in his richly textured clothing in mauve and brown, white tights, and embroidered shoes. His thick beard is neatly trimmed, and with eyes as blue as the sky, he stands out among the plain and pale types typical of England.

“Quite handsome, sir.”

Lord Arden preens, puffing his chest. “Clean up and present yourself in twenty minutes. Our distinguished guest will delight in beauty such as yours.”

“Yes, sir,” I answer even as my stomach sours.

Another man he will sell me to for a night or two, securing his name in the most decadent circles of society.

Rising from my chores, I set the bucket aside and shuffle off to my room in the servant’s quarters, well aware of what’s expected of me. I wash up with a basin of water, using a bit of perfume my master gave me, then change into my best clothing: a loose-fitting white shirt that shows off my chest, pants with a lace ruffle at the knee, white thigh-high tights, and my black leather shoes. My hair is wild and wavy just as Master likes it.

With a deep exhale, I steel myself to be poked and prodded, publicly molested as Lord Arden encourages his guest to explore this body. It stopped being mine alone years ago.

As I pass through the mansion, the other servants glance at me with sympathetic eyes. They all know what is going to happen to me. Many have witnessed it. After all, he bought me for this very purpose.

William nods when I arrive at the parlor, opening the door for me, and when I step in, Lord Arden smiles.

“Ah. Come, sweet boy.”

Inside I cringe. I despise being called a boy. I’m a man, but my youthful looks allow him to indulge in a fantasy.

The guest turns to face me and I stumble over my feet. He’s…beautiful.

“Leander, this is our esteemed guest, Yves Orpheus, visiting from Paris.”

I bow before him, bending my knee. “Welcome, Lord Orpheus.”

The stunning man chuckles. “I am no Lord,” he says, his softly accented voice drifting around me like a song. “You may call me Yves.”

Swallowing hard, I nod. “Yes, sir.”

The doors open again and Abigail enters with a tray of biscuits and teacakes. She glances at me, smiling, as she sets the tray down and takes her leave.

“Please sit, Yves,” Lord Arden says. “Would you like Leander to warm your lap?”

“I think that would be nice, thank you.”

I settle on Yves’s lap, avoiding the pretty gray gaze of his eyes. He smells incredible too, like exotic spices and mulled wine. His hand rests on my lower back, but he makes no other attempt to touch me.

Lord Arden is going on about the estate and his standing in society, but Yves seems only partially interested. He brushes his nose against my arm, inhaling deeply, and his eyes flutter.

“Where did you find this lovely creature?” Yves asks, interrupting Lord Arden’s babbling.

“Greece,” Lord Arden answers. “I went on an archaeological tour and there he was selling fruit in the market. I couldn’t allow such beauty to be unadmired, so I lured him to my estate.”

He conveniently leaves out the part about how he seduced me with money and luxury, promising to be my lover, only to relegate me to the servant quarters once the novelty wore off.

“I see,” Yves says, gazing up at me. “And is he available for relocation?”

My heart rate speeds up. Yves wants to take me away?

Lord Arden chuckles. “I could never give up Leander. Look at him. Would you release such a prize?”

Yves smiles, but his intense gaze is still on my face. “Not easily, no, but surely there’s something I could do to tempt you.”

“He is yours while you enjoy your time in London, but no more.” Lord Arden’s voice is tense now, his smile tight. Losing me would handicap his ability to lure in London’s closeted gay community. He won’t let me go.

You are not an object to be sold, traded, and mistreated.

The words are as clear as day, and sound like Yves, yet his lips do not move. Am I imagining things?

Trust me, Leander.

I study Yves’s face as he simply winks at me.

“You are tenacious, Lord Arden,” Yves says aloud. “But I understand your desire to keep this stunning man in your grasp. I am happy to entertain him during my time in London.”

Lord Arden smiles, his shoulders relaxing. “Wonderful. Now, on to business…”

I block out everything after that, focusing all my attention on Yves. For once, it’s not a hardship or an act. Yves is handsome, sophisticated, and respectful. He doesn’t paw me or grab my private parts, even though he could.

Every so often he glances at me, smiling, before returning his attention to Lord Arden. After an hour of talking, my master stands.

“Leander, pack a bag to go with Yves.”

“Yes, sir.”

I slide off Yves’s lap, and as I pass Lord Arden, he grips my arm, whispering in my ear, “I expect your return, or I will make your life hell.”

Nodding, I gently pull my arm away. There’s no way he’ll ever let me go willingly. Not unless he finds someone he thinks is prettier than me to replace me.

Twenty minutes later, as I sit in the carriage next to Yves, he wraps his hand around mine.

“You are not willingly with Lord Arden, are you?” he asks.

Something in his eyes draws the answer from my lips. “I was at first, but it wasn’t what he said it would be.”

“You are a slave to him.”

I nod, pulling my eyes away, but Yves puts his fingers under my chin to lift my face to him.

“Do not be ashamed, Leander. It’s not your fault.” He smiles, searching my eyes. “Besides, I’m here now, and you will never do anything you don’t want to do again.”

“Until you have to return me.”

“I told you earlier to trust me.” He drags his hand through my hair, gently scratching my scalp. “Can you do that?”

I don’t know why or how, but I find myself nodding. “Yes.”

“Good.” He presses a kiss to my cheek. “You’re going to be a perfect addition to my family.”

I don’t know how to respond to that, so I stay quiet for the remainder of the ride, until we pull up to a gorgeous home in London city center.

Yves leads me from the carriage, opening the door and calling out, “Alessio?”

A man comes down the hall, his long brown hair flowing in a breeze I can’t feel. He’s just as strikingly handsome as Yves, both of them in their French finery. Alessio has olive skin and honey eyes, and a face so nice, it calms my nerves even more. Alessio’s face lights up.

“Hello,” he says with a sophisticated Italian accent.

“Hello, sir.” I bow.

He waves his hand. “None of that. I am Alessio and your equal.”

Equal? “I am Leander.”

Yves puts his hands on my shoulders, beaming like he’s found some kind of treasure. “Leander is in an unfortunate situation, but luckily, I discovered him.”

Alessio bows his head slightly. “Our family grows.”

“Yes,” Yves says, gazing at me. His eyes seem to glow the longer I look at them. “Listen, Leander, if you wish it, I will take you away from Lord Arden and you will begin your life with me and Alessio.”

“But how? He said he will make my life hell if I don’t return.”

Alessio laughs at that. “Lord Arden has no idea what hell is.”

Yves leads me down the hall to a sitting room. The three of us sit on the sofa, me fitted between them both.

“You should know we are not regular men,” Yves says.

“That’s obvious.”

“But you don’t fear us. Your energy is calm and accepting,” Alessio says.

“Yves treated me with respect. That in itself is unusual.”

Yves takes my hand in his. “I have a gift I can offer you, Leander. A beautiful gift that will change your life as you know it. You will never be forced against your will. Never passed around like a toy, and if you accept, you will never return to Lord Arden’s estate.”

My stomach flutters. “Will I go to France with you?”

“You will go everywhere with me. Alessio and I will be your family.”

My mind swirls with chaotic thoughts. “What do you want in return? I have no money, no stature. Nothing to offer you.”

“Oh, you have something to offer me, Leander,” Yves whispers while Alessio rubs my back.

I watch in shocked awe as Yves parts his lips, revealing sharp white fangs. I can only gasp in response.

“If you accept my gift,” Yves continues, “I will give you eternal life. I will give you strength and power, and most of all, independence. You are not our slave. You are our companion.”

“Why me?”

“I sense something in you,” Yves says. “Something intriguing. Besides, I hate people who abuse their power. Lord Arden doesn’t deserve you.”

There’s nothing in me that wants to run or reject his offer. Some part of me knows I’m selling my soul to something I don’t understand, but following the rules hasn’t gotten me very far in life.

“All you have to do is say yes and I will change your life for the better,” Yves says.

Searching his eyes, Alessio’s warm presence behind me, I nod. I have no idea what I’m getting myself into, but anything has to be better than the life I have.

“Yes.” I nod. “I accept your gift.”

A smile spreads across Yves’s face as he cups my cheek. “It will only sting a bit.”

As he sinks his teeth into my neck, I fall back, supported by Alessio. The strength in my body slips away, but a quiet whisper reaches me, telling me everything is going to be okay. Everything will always be okay.

This is my family now. What a gift.

Chapter One

MIDNIGHT (LEANDER)

Current Day

Lurking in the shadows, stalking my prey is by far my favorite way to spend a Saturday night. Eros is on the roof above us, watching the street for our intended target. I don’t know shit about the guy except for what details Yves gave us. Apparently, our target is considered very dangerous.

I don’t know what he’s done or who wants him dead, and I don’t give a fuck. That’s not my concern. My job is to make sure he doesn’t live to see the sun rise. I’m braced for a fight though, warned by Yves that this one isn’t going down easily. Even better.

Eros clicks his teeth to get my attention, the sound easily reaching me despite the noise of a busy downtown street. I step forward slightly, still hidden in the darkness as the intended target appears, walking briskly to his apartment building. He’s obviously nervous, glancing over his shoulder and jumping at every unexpected noise. His hand sits at his hip, displaying the holstered gun there.

Foolish mortal. Bringing a gun to a vampire fight.

Chuckling at my own thoughts, I step into the man’s path as Eros leaps from his position to block him in. The man snarls at me, the thick scar across his face from forehead to chin stretching menacingly.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” he growls.

“No can do,” I answer. “Henry Stanton.”

The man scowls, obviously confused by the use of his legal name. Someone with a name like that should be heading some kind of corporation in one of the high-rises in the city center, not hanging out in skeezy areas causing drama.

Henry pulls the gun from its holster, aiming at me, then panicking silently when he notices my stealthy partner behind him.

“Wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Eros says softly, reaching forward to take the gun away from a shocked Henry.

Not surprisingly, our target makes a break for it, shoving past me and running as fast as his legs can take him. Which isn’t very fast at all. Henry isn’t exactly built like an athlete, with his short legs and paunchy stomach.

He makes it to the end of the block, glancing over his shoulder. He stops, bending over to pull another weapon from his ankle strap.

Eros chuckles. “I love it when they put up a little resistance.”

“Same.”

I walk with purpose in his direction, my trench coat shielding me from the cold wind blowing between buildings. It should be warming up by now, but we’ve had an unusually cold spring. Not that the cold bothers me.

Henry pulls the trigger, the bullet hitting me in the shoulder, which only irritates me.

“Now, Henry, this would’ve been a lot easier if you hadn’t done that.” I pluck the bullet from my shoulder, flicking it in his direction while Henry stares at me wild-eyed. “You’ve just pissed me off.”

“What the fuck do you want? Money?”

“Nah, I’m good.” When I’m almost to him, I speed up so quickly he can’t detect it, gripping his neck and slamming him up against the wall.

A couple turn the corner onto the block, pausing and spinning around quickly when the man sees what’s happening. Henry screams for help, but he won’t get it. Not in this neighborhood.

Eros leans against a wall, a bored expression on his face. “What did you do wrong, Henry? Who’d you piss off?”

“Fuck you,” the man says, clawing at my hand around his throat.

“Not if you were the last dick on earth,” Eros replies, and I chuckle.

Henry tries to punch me, but I easily avoid the blow. “Answer the question, Henry.”

“Is this…Are you here because of my wife?”

Wife? Interesting. I have no idea who our client is though.

“Did you do something to your wife? Something that would make her want you dead?” I ask.

Henry, sensing he has some kind of upper hand, smirks at me. “I beat her ass. Finally put her in her place for always talking back to me.”

“You hit a woman?” Eros asks, eyes glowing. Unfortunately for Henry, violence against women is a huge trigger for Eros.

“She fucking deserved it, that whore.”

“Sounds like a good enough reason to me to kill this piece of shit,” Eros says, cracking his knuckles.

“I agree. Only weak men hit women.”

“Weak people,” Eros clarifies. “He’s not a man.”

Reeking of fear, Henry seems to be catching on to what’s going to happen. “I got, um, got some money and other shit I could give you,” he offers. “I got pictures too. You can use them, you know, to get money.”

Bingo. I bet this is why we’re here.

“What kind of pictures, Henry?”

He chuckles, lowering his guard for a few seconds. “Ever heard of Carlton Werner?”

Carlton Werner. He owns half of New Onyx through his real estate development company. He’s well respected and supposedly a fair boss. He’s also a pillar of society, active in his church and other philanthropic ventures.

“What about him?” I ask.

“Old Carlton has a massive addiction to being fucked by boys. And I mean just on the cusp of being legal. That whole internship program he started for disadvantaged college graduates? Yeah, he uses the applicant list to find young guys to fuck him.”

I shrug. It’s not illegal as long as there’s consent, even if the dude is fucking sixty or something. “Not my problem,” I answer.

“Yeah, well, it’s not mine either. But he hooked up with the wrong dude. An acquaintance of mine bragged about it, I arranged a tiny photo shoot, and boom, instant income stream.”

“And it didn’t dawn on you at all that Werner might go to extreme measures to protect his secret?” Eros asks in a bored voice. “So you’re as stupid as you look.”

Henry doesn’t miss a beat. “If you let me go, I’ll split the money with you. We can go upstairs right now.”

“How much did you get?” I ask.

“A cool million. All cash. Whatcha say?”

I’d say Veil Protection is probably getting paid more than that. Not that it matters to me or Henry. I wouldn’t take a bribe no matter what. Besides, I’d do this job for free.

“I have a better idea,” I reply, blowing out a breath as my fangs release. “How about we kill you?”

“I like that plan,” Eros says. “Wife beater, blackmailer, probably some other dirty deeds in there.”

“Yeah, nobody will miss this loser.”

Henry kicks his feet, yelling for help, while I just laugh. I let him go, knowing he’s going to run, which will antagonize the predator within me.

Eros nudges me with his arm. “It’s too easy sometimes.”

“I know. I was hoping he’d be a little harder than this. Ah well. I’m hungry. You?”

“Very.”

“Let’s eat.”

The two of us walk down the block calmly while Henry runs, panicked, trying handles on closed stores in desperation. When he reaches the end of the street, he looks both ways, deciding between the drug-infested homeless camp on one side and the abandoned factory buildings on the other. He chooses poorly, heading for an abandoned building.

“Like shooting fish in a barrel,” I muse as Eros chuckles.

We pursue Henry, catching up with him easily as we slip into the building he entered. It’s so dark that a mortal would have difficulty navigating the space, but we aren’t mortal. I sniff the air, finding the scent of fear easily. I point up and Eros nods.

We take the stairs silently, Henry’s rapid heartbeat leading us straight to him. I find him crouched behind a massive stone column, his back turned to us. He has no idea we’re so close to him. I approach him in stealth mode and whisper his name when I reach him.

“Henry.”

He screams, tearing off again. Looking over his shoulder, he misses the column in front of him and slams straight into it, knocking himself back. Eros laughs while Henry scrambles up again. I push off my feet, flipping through the air and landing directly in front of him.

He stops suddenly, shock and horror all over his features as he tries to run again. I’ve had enough fun, so I grab the back of his jacket, swinging him around and slamming him against a brick wall.

Henry grabs his ribs. “Please. I’ll do anything.”

“You’re negotiating for no reason, Henry,” I say. “I was hired to do a job. It’s nothing personal.” I exhale, revealing my teeth. “But thanks for the cat and mouse game. It was fun.”

“Shut up now, Henry,” Eros says. “You’re boring me.”

Henry’s expression crumples. “You’re gonna kill me?”

“I thought that was obvious by now,” I say, twisting his collar in my fist. “Goodbye, Henry.”

I tear into his neck, delighting in his screams as he claws my shoulders. Eros strokes the man’s hair back off his sweaty forehead, offering strange comfort.

“Shh, Henry. It’ll be over soon,” Eros coos. “All of it. No more struggles.”

“I…I need a priest,” Henry struggles to say. “Last rites.”

Eros smiles. “I’m afraid even a priest can’t save you now.”

Eros joins me, biting into Henry’s arm. His blood is tinged with fear and sweat, doused in stress hormones, and unfortunately for me, filled with pain, misery, and bad deeds.

With my gift came the ability to literally feel my victim’s emotions and see their memories for as long as I feed and they still live, and Henry is one massive piece of shit.

Repeated images flash across my mind of the many women Henry has abused, his poor treatment of the sex workers he hires, and the many petty crimes and thefts. The final image as I drain his life force is Henry beating an old man while a woman watches on, crying and screaming for Henry to stop. His father. He beat his father to death.

Finally, the images stop as Henry’s lifeless body slumps against me. I release him, pulling my teeth from his flesh and shaking my body to rid myself of those terrible memories.

“Kind of tasted like ass,” Eros complains. “And not good ass.”

I laugh, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, not the best meal we’ve had, but at least our work is done.”

“Yeah. Was his inside dark?”

I nod. “One of the worst.”

“Sorry, my friend.”

“It’s okay. It makes his demise even sweeter. Want to clean up and get out of here? I could use a drink.”

“Let’s do it.”

After a quick photo for proof requested by the client, Eros and I make quick work of dismembering Henry, preparing to scatter the parts in nearby wooded areas. The city’s wildlife will take care of the rest.

Once our task is done, we head in the direction of The Lair—a vampire club where we can be ourselves and drop the mortal act for a little while.

As we walk, I catch a familiar scent and I stop in place, grabbing Eros’s wrist.

“What is it?” Eros asks.

Gideon.

I’ll never forget it.

“That guy we rescued from Malek Dane.”

“Yeah?”

“I can smell him.”

Eros sniffs the air. “I got nothing. Smells like normal city stuff.”

I shake my head, glancing in all directions. “I know he’s close.”

“And? You want to fuck, feed, or kill?”

My chest tightens as my inner beast reacts to the question. “Definitely the first two.”

Eros grins. “Let’s find him then.”

I continue to sniff as we walk but the scent is getting weaker. A block from The Lair, disappointment sets in. “I lost him.”

Eros grips my shoulder. “Hey. If he’s in this city, you can find him again. Maybe it’s just not the right time.”

I nod, letting Eros lead me to the club’s door. “Yeah, you’re right.”

As I enter the club, I glance over my shoulder one more time. I haven’t stopped thinking of the fragile man we rescued from Malek a month ago. Something about him lingers with me. I want to know more about him. Want to see him again. Want that scent close to me. If Gideon is out there, I’m gonna find him.

I have to.

Chapter Two

GIDEON

Perched on a stone wall at the top of a sloped street, I watch my current object of interest conduct his third drug deal of the night. Vinni Knuckles, now in charge of the Malice, has no idea I’m watching him, and why would he? He thinks he’s running the streets of New Onyx unseen, but I see him.

He’s oblivious to my attention, just like Malek was until I fucked up. A shiver runs down my back as memories of that night flood my mind. If it hadn’t been for those dudes who showed up in the nick of time, I’d be a dead man. But they did show up, and I live another day to take care of the men who could ruin my family.

Unfortunately for me, Vinni wasn’t with Malek that night, and he’s picked up where Malek left off since then, becoming the most powerful dealer in town and keeping the asshole’s sinister plans in place. It’s well known he’s actively looking for the men who killed his friend, but something tells me he isn’t going to find them.

They came with stealth, taking all of us by surprise, and the one with the soulful eyes scooped me into his arms and swept me out of there. I would’ve done anything to stay in those strong arms and keep staring into eyes that saw the depths of my soul. It’s just that I can’t be distracted right now. Not until I’m sure my family is safe from these lunatics.

My attention is drawn away from Vinni for a second when I notice two men crossing the street. I watch them, confidence in their strides, ignoring the violence and chaos of the inner city around them.

My heart rate speeds up and my stomach flutters. It’s him. Midnight. The man who rescued me from certain death a month ago. Tempted to jump down from my spot and follow him, I continue to watch as he and the person he’s with disappear down the street.

I want to pursue him, to satisfy my curiosity about him and his friends, but raised voices directly in front of me grab my attention. The man talking to Vinni is yelling at him, but then the thugs with Vinni grab the man’s arms from behind, and Vinni proceeds to punch the man repeatedly.

I have to look away from the brutality of the assault, but the sound of flesh hitting flesh still reaches me, turning my stomach. Only a few minutes later, the noise stops, and I open my eyes to see the man slumped on the ground, groaning as Vinni kicks him one last time then walks off, laughing.

Of course, I have no idea what the man did, but it still pisses me off. No one stops to check on him or call for help. Not that it would do any good. The police never come.

Jumping down from my spot, I decide to walk in the direction I saw Midnight go, abandoning the idea to continue stalking Vinni. If his pattern is consistent, he’ll be all jacked up after that incident and ready to spill more blood. If I don’t want it to be mine, I better move on. At least for tonight.

I jog down the street, hoping to catch up with Midnight and his friend, and spot them several blocks away just as they slip into a sleek black sports car of some kind. Interesting. I wonder what they were doing down here. Are they vigilantes of some kind? A new crime family, or just your run-of-the-mill criminal troublemakers?

The car speeds away, leaving me filled with questions and a renewed obsession to learn the answers to them. Something tells me I’m playing with fire, but when has that ever stopped me?

The next morning, I’m awoken by a soft knock on my door. I groan, pulling the blankets over my head, but a second knock comes.

“Come in,” I moan.

“Gideon.”

I tug the blanket down to smile at my mom. She looks beautiful as usual, with her long black hair tucked up and a cute sheath dress on.

“Hey, Ma.”

“I’m meeting Pilar for brunch. Why don’t you join us?”

I stretch, considering the idea of eating at some fancy place. “Nah.”

My mom walks over and sits on the edge of my bed, rubbing my arm. “We’re meeting on campus. She wants me to try the new Persian restaurant.”

I perk up at that. “Oh. Not the country club?”

Mom chuckles. “No. Come on. Your sister wants to see you.”

Nodding, I sit up. “Okay, Ma, I’ll come.”

Her face lights up. “Good. You have thirty minutes to get dressed.”

“I’m on it.”

After she leaves my room, I slide out of bed and head to my en suite bathroom. No one would believe that our affluent little family in our perfect house in the best neighborhood is on the verge of disaster, but here we are.

Every day, I wait to hear the news that it’s all blown up and Lucia’s secret has been exposed, but so far so good. It’s just that damn clock ticking in the back of my mind that makes it impossible to feel comfortable. The sooner I get to the men making her life hell, the better for all of us.

Twenty-five minutes later, I smile at our driver and slip into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce next to my mom.

“Have you heard from Lucia?” I ask.

My mom’s happy smile dims for a moment. “Yes. She’s doing well. Still progressing.”

“Good.” I bite my bottom lip, staring out the window as we pass by all the pristine buildings and clean streets that couldn’t contrast more with the seedy side of New Onyx I inhabit at night. Thank fuck for Midnight and his friends saving me that night. I can’t be the cause of family tragedy. Lucia already has that market cornered.

“Maybe we can see her for the holidays,” Mom adds on. “If she keeps improving.”

“That would be nice.”

And it would be. I love my sister, but she really fucked up. More than my mom or dad even know. That’s why it’s on me to make sure they never find out.

My mom reaches for my hand, squeezing it gently. “But let’s focus on Pilar. She’s doing so well in school.”

“Yeah. Dad couldn’t make it?”

“He had to cover for a judge who fell sick.”

“Bummer.”

“Yes, but Pilar will still be excited to see you there.”

“I know, Ma.”

I turn my attention out the window again, thinking about the double life I’m leading. Not for the first time, my thoughts drift to the potential danger I face almost nightly, but if it keeps Lucia and the rest of my family safe then it’s worth it.

All I have to do is not get myself killed.

Chapter Three

MIDNIGHT

Yves is going on about the new cases we got this week while I’m doing my best to pay attention. It’s just that I can’t stop thinking about Gideon. For the past five nights, I’ve stalked the streets of New Onyx, desperate for a whiff of his magical scent, but coming up short.

Thorn nudges my arm, nodding in Yves’s direction as he says my name—not for the first time based on his tone.

“Uh, sorry, Yves. What’s up?”

Syn’s brow crinkles as he looks at me, his mate and our new team member, Bowie, perched on his lap.

“What’s up?” Yves repeats.

Clearing my throat, I straighten my shoulders. “I have a job?”

“Yes.” He slides a manila folder closer. “Details inside. It has to be done before Sunday when the target leaves town again.”

“Got it.”

I take the folder, flipping through the details but not really seeing anything. The meeting wraps up when Viper knocks on the door and enters.

We all greet the pretty woman who is slowly getting our business organized and up to twenty-first century guidelines. Bowie’s been working with her on some sophisticated encryption for our computer systems to prevent any kind of hacking, which calms Yves considerably.

“You okay, man?” Thorn asks as the meeting breaks up and we head to the common area.

“Yeah. Totally.”

“Still thinking about a certain someone?” Eros asks in a sing-song voice, twirling around me.

Rolling my eyes, I wish I could deny it, but I’ve never been good at lying so I just shrug in response.

“Leave him alone, boys,” Syn says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “It’s not easy when you feel the draw to another.”

“It’s not like you and Bowie,” I blurt out, more defensively than I intended. “I mean, I don’t even know him.”

Syn smiles knowingly, which is more annoying than it should be. Thorn grins and Eros gives me a sympathetic look. I stomp over to the bar and pour myself a glass of the blood I picked up at Lair last night with a splash of pomegranate juice.

“Anyway.” I wave my hand, effectively ending the conversation.

Now brooding and mopey, I slump down on the couch and put my feet on the coffee table, soothed by the sounds of my brothers talking. Their voices all mixed together are like music long played in my mind—there’s something about it that settles me. It’s home.

But almost immediately, thoughts of the mysterious Gideon fill my head again, along with questions. Why does his scent stand out to me so much? And most of all, where the fuck is he?

“Need help with your target?” Syn asks, sitting next to me as he nudges my arm with his.

I scoff, well aware that his angle is more than being helpful. Syn never invites himself along. He does the inviting. “Nah, I’m good.”

“Did you even look at it?” he asks.

“Nope. Doesn’t matter. Whoever it is is on borrowed time. I’ll find them and deal with it.”

“I know you will.” He leans a little closer. “You know I’ll keep your confidence.”

I turn to finally meet his gaze. If Yves is our big brother, then Syn is second in line. He’s the calmest among us, taking his level-headed cues from Yves, but since Bowie came into his life, he seems even more connected to us than he was before. That’s the opposite of what I thought would happen.

“Yeah, man, I know.” I squeeze his hand. “I don’t have anything to say yet.”

“Fair enough. Just know the offer stands.”

Syn rises, joining Bowie and Thorn across the room as they argue over the best vampire movie. Bowie says it’s Interview with the Vampire while Thorn enjoys the far more violent Underworld. I’m with Bowie on this one, even if it’s not exactly authentic. Can’t blame a mortal for trying.

While sipping my drink, I open my folder to learn about my target. The sooner I get it done, the sooner I can return to obsessing about Gideon, but when I read the name, a thrilling shiver goes down my back. Damn. I owe Yves a hug for this one.

“What are you grinning about over there?” Eros asks, perched on his favorite window seat, his long blond hair in a messy pile on his head.

“I get to take out Jack Ellis. He’s supposed to report to the court tomorrow but it’s the third time he’s managed to post bail on charges. He could leave the country and avoid trial.”

Silence falls over the room and even Bowie gasps.

“The rich dude that’s been trafficking young boys on his private island for years?” Bowie asks.

“That’s the one.” I rub my hands together. “Yves knows how much I enjoy ending pedophiles.”

“Lucky.” Thorn pouts. “How come I didn’t get him?”

“You got the last rich bastard,” Raphael says, stroking Thorn’s hair. “Don’t be a greedy boy.”

“Like telling the sun not to rise,” Eros deadpans. Thorn sticks his tongue out at him.

“Who would order that hit?” Bowie asks.

I shrug. “Could be anyone. A victim’s family, the government, someone afraid of the association.”

“That’s my bet,” Syn says. “If the media reporting is accurate, Ellis has a stable of high-profile men in his circle. No way all of them abstained from the activities.”

Bowie crinkles his nose. “Make him suffer, Midnight.”

“Have no fear about that, Bow. He’ll beg for his death.” Rising from my seat, I wave at my brothers. “Duty calls.”

By the time I’m changed and heading out the door to the parking garage, adrenaline pulses through me. Since this loser appeared on our radar a month ago, we’ve all been jonesing to teach him a lesson, but Yves said we had to be patient and allow the legal system to do its thing. But then Eros did his research thing and found out this isn’t the first time Ellis has escaped the arms of justice. Whoever ordered this hit isn’t taking any chances this time. By morning, Ellis will be a dead man and his victims will have one less boogeyman to worry about.

In my favorite Lamborghini, I cruise through the streets of New Onyx for about five miles, to the posh district of mansions where the loser lives. He’s got security cameras everywhere, but lucky for me, I move too quickly to be detected.

I park a couple of blocks down from his house, swiftly moving up the hill to his gated property, the sounds of many voices reaching me. Shit. He’s not alone. Partying it up before he has to appear tomorrow would be my guess.

That’s okay. I got time.

I hop over the gate easily, slipping unseen to the side of the house, where I scale the building and perch on top in the darkness. Eventually his guests will leave or go to sleep, and then it’s my turn to pay this piece of a shit a visit.

Until then, I wait.

Chapter Four

GIDEON

As nighttime falls, I leave my house and jump into the waiting Uber. I can’t exactly drive one of the family cars to the neighborhood I’ll be spending my evening in. The driver smiles nervously at me, no doubt wondering why a guy like me is heading to an area like that, but I’m under no obligation to share my plans. In fact, as far as he knows, I’m going to a nightclub.

While he drives, I focus on my phone and the constant stream of social media posts. I figured out early on that interacting here is a good way to have an alibi. I loathe social media, but it’s finally proved useful to me.

My feed is full of pictures of me and my family, me at our pool, me playing tennis with my dad. Me in all the trendy, affluent areas. No one would ever tag me in the places I really haunt at night.

The driver pulls up in front of the club, if that’s what we’re calling it. Dive bar is closer to reality, but it’ll do.

“Thanks,” I say, opening the door.

“Uh, you sure you know what you’re doing, man?” the driver asks.

“Oh yeah. I’m meeting a friend here. It’s all good.”

He nods but still looks worried. Extra tip for concern on the way. I slip out of his car and plaster myself against the crumbling brick building. Nineties hip-hop blares from inside every time the door is opened, so at least they have good music taste, but this isn’t my last stop for the night.

As soon as the driver is good and gone, I dart down the alleyway, stripping off my sport jacket. I’m hoping Vinni is at his usual post, but I have a quick stop to make before I get there.

I locate the building where I stashed my weapon, kneeling down and looking both ways before I remove the loose brick. Reaching inside, I smile when my fingers brush over the cool metal of the gun. My body still shivers as I tuck it into the waistband of my jeans, shoving my jacket in the hole for safekeeping. I never thought there’d be a day when I carried a weapon.

Shaking my shoulders out, I take a nervous breath and head in the direction Vinni can usually be found. I wish I could just blow his head off, execution style, but it’s not that simple. I need to know where the incriminating evidence is kept. Only then will I know my family is safe.

I walk through the dark streets, dodging people offering their wares, from drugs to pleasure. I’ve practiced keeping my head high and a confident gait to keep the facade going that I belong here and I’m not someone to be fucked with. Sure, I’ve never shot anything but cans in the woods, but at least I know I can shoot it if I have to.

When I turn the corner, I come to a sudden stop at the sound of muffled voices and what sounds a lot like stirring mushy spaghetti. It doesn’t make sense in this setting, so I creep forward carefully, not sure what I’m about to confront.

The noise intensifies as I get closer, but my physical reaction to it is what takes me aback. A shiver runs down my back, and there’s a distinct feeling of having been in this situation before, but that’s impossible. Instead of fear, curiosity spurs me forward, until I peer around the corner of a building.

Two men are on their knees, their backs to me as they hover over what appears to be the bloodied body of another man. It’s a murder. Shit.

I swing around to get the fuck out of there, but I barely take a step before there’s a hand on my arm stopping me. Instinctively, I pull my gun, holding it up with a shaky hand, but the face gazing back at me takes my breath away.

Midnight.

“Hello, Gideon,” he says, his voice rich and textured like an intricate composition.

“I didn’t see anything,” I blurt. “I mean, nothing I would say anything about.”

Midnight nods, his gaze focused on me. A tiny part of me yells to look away, but it’s overpowered by the desire to fall into his eyes and drown. Even in the dark, they’re vibrant, sexy, knowing, as if I’ve stared into them a thousand times before.

“Are you okay?” Midnight asks, pushing my hand with the gun down, and I nod.

“Totally. On my way somewhere.”

“Do you need backup?”

“No.” My eyes flicker to the body on the ground and the man with the interested expression watching me.

It’s not the man Midnight was with before, and a niggle of something I haven’t felt before tugs at my chest. Jealousy? That doesn’t make sense. I don’t even know him, and clearly he’s a dangerous man.

“What are you doing, Midnight?”

His fingers move under my chin, gently stroking my skin. “Are you afraid of me?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Good. I’m taking care of business, Gideon.”

“Tru. Um, I go by Tru. It’s my middle name but I only let friends call me Tru.”

His full lips tug into a slight smile. “Am I your friend?”

“You saved my life.”

Midnight nods, his brow crinkling as he studies my face. “Will I have to again?”

Shaking my head, I answer, “No. I fucked up last time, but I won’t again.”

“Hand me your phone.”

I do so without question, as if Midnight is speaking to a part of me that can’t resist him. He punches his name and number into my phone, then shoots himself a text before handing it back to me.

“Don’t hesitate to use it if you need to.”

“Thanks.” My eyes shift to the ground again, but the body and the other man are gone. The question of how that happened without me noticing bounces around my brain, but Midnight’s fingers on my cheek pull my attention back to him.

“You have beautiful eyes,” Midnight murmurs, holding my gaze.

“So do you.”

His expression relaxes into a smile as he finally pulls his hand away, but the lack of his touch leaves me yearning.

“I should go,” I mumble.

“Take care, Tru.”

“You too.”

I walk away, glancing over my shoulder at him until I’m forced to turn a corner. Once I’m out of sight, I slump against a wall, my body deflating like it was being held together by some kind of force field. Midnight has a strange effect on me, but I don’t hate it. In fact, I think I want a little more.

But first I have to save my family from impending destruction.

Chapter Five

MIDNIGHT

“What did he say?” Eros asks, returning after disposing of our target.

“Nothing major. I used just a tiny bit of compulsion to soothe his concerns.”

“Smart.” Eros claps my back. “I’m surprised you didn’t throw him over your shoulder though.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, turning to face my brother.

Eros chuckles. “You didn’t sense your own emotions?” Dragging a hand through his long blond hair, he raises an eyebrow. “It was pouring off of you. You haven’t reacted like that to a mortal since…” His words trail off and he shrugs.

His message hits me like a brick to the chest. “I don’t understand it, Eros.”

Eros rubs my arm. “You really didn’t notice? Something happened. I don’t know what, exactly, but that little mortal’s presence has a striking effect on you. It was like the two of you were in a bubble, and the way he looked at you was…touching.”

My hand moves instinctively to my chest. I didn’t notice. “I thought I was being chill.”

Eros cackles at that. “Cute. For what it’s worth, I enjoyed it. Maybe it’s time to try again, Midnight. It’s been a very long time since you’ve allowed someone to touch your heart. Something about that particular man is different. You should explore it.”

“I don’t think I have a choice. He’s not afraid of me.”

“Promising. I ditched the body. Should we sniff around your mortal a bit more?”

“Should I?”

“Will you think of anything else tonight if we don’t?”

I growl at him, but Eros simply wraps his arm around my shoulders.

“Come on, grumpy,” he says, leading me through the dark streets of New Onyx.

As we walk, my mind swirls with thoughts, many of which make no sense.

“He doesn’t belong here,” I finally say. “He’s out of place.”

“I noticed,” Eros answers.

I’m tempted to admit that when I look into Tru’s eyes, I feel like I’ve stared into those same eyes a million times before, but that borders on obsession. I don’t even know the man.

Only minutes later, we round a corner and duck down when we spot Tru crouched behind a crumbling brick wall, his attention fixed on a group of men I recognize as being part of the Malice gang.

“He’s still fucking around with Malice,” Eros whispers.

“It doesn’t make sense.”

“He must have a reason. He obviously knows how dangerous they are, but he keeps going back for more.”

“I have a feeling we’re going to be needed again tonight.”

Eros snorts a laugh. “Got all the time in the world.”

As Tru steps out from his hiding place, determination all over his face, I brace for trouble. I have no idea what this man is up to, but I’m about to find out.

Chapter Six

TRU

Iapproach the group of thugs with far more bravado than I actually feel. “Vinni.”

He stops talking and turns in my direction, eyes narrowing. “Who the fuck are you?”

“I need information that only you can give me,” I reply, ignoring his question. “Does the name Lucia DePalma mean anything to you?”

Vinni lunges at me, but I jump back, obviously quicker than the muscular older man. “Who the fuck are you?” he demands again.

“I’m the guy who’s gonna put a bullet between your eyes if I don’t get the tapes.”

Vinni laughs now, the three men around him following his lead. “Oh, you’re gonna take me out, big man? You won’t even finish your sentence—”

I pull the gun out, pointing it at him before he can finish closing in on me. Narrowing my eyes, I pull the hammer back, focused on Vinni’s ugly face and using the pain and humiliation this group caused my sister as fuel to follow through.

“I want the tapes, Vinni. I won’t stop until I’ve got them.”

Vinni, clearly not intimidated, turns to his buddies. “This guy thinks he’s gonna threaten me. Fuck you, man. You ain’t getting those tapes until we get Lucia back. She signed a contract, man.” His face twists angrily. “Now we gotta teach you a lesson too.”

The two men with him descend on me so fast that in a panic I pull the trigger, nailing one of them in the thigh. He falls to the ground, but the other one closes in on me and grabs my gun before I can react.

Pain radiates through me as the man’s fist makes contact with my cheek, easily knocking me to the ground. Ah hell. I fucked up. I’m about to get my ass kicked, and if I make it to morning, it’ll be a miracle.

But then everything around me shifts. The weight of the man attacking me lifts away, and the sound of cracking bones and pained groans fills the air around me. Rolling onto my back, I spot Midnight and his friend taking on my attackers, and then he’s next to me, scooping me off the cold ground again, just like he did a month ago, and carrying me away.

This time I don’t have it in me to fight him off and maintain some respect. I simply sink into his arms, thankful that because of him, I’m going to live to see another day.

“Vinni got away,” I hear the other man say as the scent of fine leather surrounds me.

“We need to find out what’s going on.” That’s Midnight’s voice.

My eyes flutter as I struggle to keep them open, my head pounding and ears ringing. Midnight’s hand brushes hair off my forehead.

“Stay awake for me, brave one.”

Brave one? Why does that endearment feel so comforting? I grip Midnight’s arm, my tongue stumbling over a thousand words I want to say, but the only one that comes out is, “Thanks.”

“You’re safe now, chaton,” he whispers.

I nod, still clinging to him, not knowing what the last word means, but too weak to ask. I’m aware that we’re in a car. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but it can’t be worse than where I was. Is Midnight a murderer? Pretty sure he is. A distant, self-preserving part of me pushes its way through my cloudy, pained thoughts, but it has no chance right now. Reason is out the window and only survival remains. If Midnight wanted to hurt me, he would’ve done it by now.

That much I know for sure.

“What happened to him?”

“Shit. That’s a bad cut on his cheek.”

I blink, focusing on the worried faces gazing down at me. A pretty woman with red hair hovers over me, touching a cotton ball swabbed with something rank to the cut on my cheek. I hiss with pain, and she offers a comforting smile.

“I promise it’ll feel better soon,” she says.

I search for Midnight and realize he’s holding my hand. Trying to sit up, I flinch with pain, giving up on that idea quickly enough.

“Where am I?”

“My home,” Midnight says. “You’re safe here.”

“I gotta get home.”

“Not like this,” the woman says. “Do you live alone?”

“No,” I mumble, realizing it hurts to even move. “Why does it hurt so much?”

“He got you good,” the other man who was with Midnight says. “Gotta make sure you don’t have a major concussion.”

“No hospital,” I groan.

“We’re better than any hospital,” the woman says again, holding a vial up to my lips. “Drink.”

I pull back. “No.”

“Tru,” Midnight says, his voice instantly soothing. “Please let us help you. You can trust us.”

I focus on his face, nodding as comfort spreads through me. “Okay.” I let the woman feed me the terrible-smelling liquid.

“You’re gonna feel awesome soon,” a young man with long wavy hair says as another man hovers behind him. I remember seeing the taller man before, then it slowly sinks in that these are the men who saved me from Malek.

“Let’s give Midnight and his guest some space,” yet another man says, his tone authoritative but still kind.

“Call me if you need me,” the woman says, kissing Midnight on the cheek.

“We’re alone now,” Midnight says a moment later. “You can sleep.”

“What…time?”

“Just after one. Is someone expecting you?”

“No. I gotta be home by morning. Mom worries.”

“I’ll wake you up in a few hours and get you home in time. Just relax.”

“Relax,” I repeat, my eyes heavy with exhaustion.

All the tension seeps away as I allow myself to believe that Midnight will keep me safe and get me home. I don’t know why I trust him. I just do.

Chapter Seven

MIDNIGHT

Slightly before five in the morning, I reluctantly wake the sleeping beauty beside me. Tru has been sound asleep since Viv gave him her famous healing elixir, and if it were up to me, he would stay here all day, but I have to honor my promise.

I whisper his name, brushing his hair back from his forehead. His beauty is remarkable—wild and untamable when he’s awake, but angelic when his guard is down. I could stare at him for eternity.

Tru’s eyes flutter open, and as he focuses on me, his brow creases. “Where am…” His words trail off as he nods. “Right.”

“It’s almost five. You wanted to be home?”

Tru groans, touching the healing cut on his lip. “Um, I look like shit, don’t I?”

“No, but you do look like you’ve been in a fight. You’ll be better by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Tru blows out a breath. “Any chance my phone survived?”

“Yes.” I hand it to him from its spot on the nightstand, cracked but not broken.

“Okay. Um, can you not say anything while I make this call?”

“Of course.”

Tru nods, unlocking his phone and pressing a button that says, “Mom.” I can hear it ring and then a chipper voice answers.

“Hey, Ma,” Tru says. “Just wanted to let you know I decided to spend the night out with a friend.” His eyes shift to me as his mother asks him a stream of questions he doesn’t bother to answer. “Ma,” Tru interrupts. “Remember the talk we had about me being an adult and you respecting my privacy?”

I have to fight back a smirk. His tone is respectful, but it’s obvious he has a doting mother.

“I’m not sure when I’ll be back. I just want to hang out here.” He rolls his eyes when the next question comes in. “No, Ma, it’s not ‘someone special.’ Just a friend. I’ll see you when I see you, okay?”

She rattles on about a few other things, and Tru listens patiently until he finally wraps it up.

“Sounds good, Ma. Bye.”

Tru ends the call and lays his head back on the pillow, his eyes shifting to me beside him.

“I thanked you, right?”

I nod. “Yes.”

He nods, looking at the scrapes on his hand that are quickly healing thanks to Viv.

“My mom, she’s uh, kind of overprotective because of something that happened. Not to me. To my sister. She has trouble remembering that I’m an adult. I even moved back home to be with her since my youngest sister is in school and my other sister, well, she’s away right now.”

“You are under no obligation to explain anything to me, but I welcome it just the same.”

Tru’s brow creases. “How are you so proper and shit?”

“Proper and shit?”

“The way you talk sometimes.”

I chuckle without directly answering his question. “Do you want to tell me what last night was about?”

Tru’s expression hardens. “No. I should though.”

“If you’re planning to do it again, it might be helpful.”

“Why? So you can follow me around and make sure I don’t get myself killed?” He scoffs at his own words. “Sorry. I’m pissed off. I was in over my head, and without you, I would’ve done the opposite of what I intended. The whole point is saving my mom from heartbreak.”

“I’m listening.”

Tru wrings his hands together. “Any chance I could get some coffee first? Then I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

“Of course. If you’d like to shower, I can have your clothes washed.”

He pulls the blanket down, looking at his dirty and bloodied shirt. “Uh, yeah, that would be cool.”

“I’ll be right back.”

I exit the room to go to the linen closet and retrieve a towel, toothbrush, and guest robe, then return to my bedroom. I should have put Tru in the guest room, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Something about the feisty man compels me to stay close to him.

“The bathroom is right in there.” I motion to the closed door. “When you’re ready, I’ll be in the kitchen.”

“Thanks, man.”

“Midnight.”

“Right.”

I leave the room again, closing the door behind me, but lingering with my back pressed to it. All the gods know I should not get myself tangled up in the messy affairs of mortals, not without being paid for it, but I already know I’m strangely attached to the man on the other side of this door. At least I can find out if there’s a way to help him and stop him from getting himself killed.

The thought of a lifeless Tru is more than I can bear.

Thirty minutes later, Tru joins me, wrapped in a fluffy white robe and carrying his soiled clothes. I rise from my seat at the kitchen table and take them to the hallway, where I drop them down a concealed chute that goes to our laundering service, then I lift the residence phone and call down.

“The clothes I just dropped take priority. I have a guest waiting.”

“Yes, sir,” the man answers.

After the call, I turn to find Tru standing behind me, fidgeting and looking nothing like the fierce man I first met.

“Please sit. I’ll bring you coffee. How do you like it?”

“Black, please.”

“Coming right up.”

Tru sits at the small marble table I imported from Italy, his fingers tapping on the cool stone as his gaze flits around the room. “Nice place,” he says.

“Thank you.” I carry his mug over and sit across from him. “I live here with my brothers.”

“Those men you’re with sometimes are brothers?”

“Of a sort. Not blood, but sometimes the bond is stronger than any birth connection.”

Tru nods, lifting his mug to his lips and closing his eyes as he takes a sip. “Wow. This is delicious.”

“It’s a special blend. Raphael, one of my brothers, is something of a coffee connoisseur. He found this place in the city that does custom blends and addicted us all to it.”

Tru finally smiles and the sight causes my heart to stutter. An odd sense of familiarity washes over me, as if I’ve lived this exact moment before, but that’s impossible.

“I’m ready to spill my secrets,” Tru says, his smile fading. “I owe you that.”

“You owe me nothing, Tru, but I’d like to know what’s going on with you.”

“You rescued my ass twice.” He gazes into his mug. “I would’ve been killed both times if you hadn’t shown up.” Then his unusual blue-gray eyes shift up to mine. “Can’t lie and say I’m not curious about what someone like you is doing in that neighborhood all the time.”

I can’t exactly confess what I do for a living or that his scent robs me of all rational thought. No. Instead, I smile. “You first.”

He huffs a breath, dragging a hand through his damp curls. “Okay, so, um, my dad is Louis De Palma.”

I have no reaction to the name, which seems to confuse Tru as his brow furrows.

“Louis De Palma,” Tru repeats. “Owner and CEO of De Palma Industries?”

“I’m sorry. I’m not familiar.”

“Wow. Finally someone who doesn’t know my dad.” He takes another sip of coffee. “I thought everyone did. Fuck knows I get plenty of people trying to get close to him through me.”

“What does your father do?”

“He runs a corporate mega machine. He’s the largest employer on the Eastern Seaboard, he co-runs a huge charitable organization with my mom, and he’s very visible and prominent.”

“I see. And your troubles with the Malice gang are connected to your father?”

“Sort of. It’s really more about my sister, Lucia.”

The shift in his energy is palpable, his delicious scent soured by stress and anger. I want to pull him into my arms to make it go away, but I force myself to stay planted.

Tru lifts his eyes to me as they fill with tears. “It’s really bad, Midnight.”

Chapter Eight

TRU

“Take your time,” Midnight whispers, his expression soothing and non-judgmental.

I haven’t told a single soul about this, not even Pilar, to make sure it didn’t accidentally leak, but there’s something about Midnight that draws the words to my lips. Maybe it would feel good to actually tell someone.

“Two years ago, Lucia went through a bad spot. Rebellious. She was twenty-three, and I don’t know, but she just broke free. My mom said she was like a wild animal we tried to domesticate. She would disappear for days and come back a mess. She was partying, hanging around with the wrong people.”

Midnight nods, still listening with a concerned but otherwise neutral expression.

“It caused all of us so much stress. My mom couldn’t eat or sleep. My dad was hiring people to look for her, but she eluded everyone. Then one night she found me at a club I was at with friends. She was—” My voice breaks as the memory of that night rushes back to me.

Midnight reaches across the table and rubs my hand in an attempt to comfort me. Releasing a shaky breath, I nod.

“I’ve never said any of this out loud.”

Midnight nods, silently encouraging me.

“She looked bad, Midnight. Cuts and bruises, obviously tweaking from whatever drugs she was on. She had these deep bruises on her wrists. She told me she did something bad, really bad, and she didn’t know what to do.”

I stare into my mug, taking deep breaths to steady myself before I break down crying. Midnight rises from the table, returning a second later with a carafe of coffee. It’s a small comfort but it helps.

“Thank you.” Clearing my throat, I press on. “Lucia told me that she was seeing this guy. Turns out he was part of Malice and…” My jaw trembles as I push back the rage and sadness coursing through me.

“I don’t think he was genuinely interested in her. He knew who she was the first night they met. He saw an opportunity and he took it. She was…used.” I blow out a breath. “Not gonna lie, she was into it at first. I think rebelling against my family. She liked being able to do whatever she wanted. They kept the drugs flowing for three days, filmed her being…” I shake my head. “Being passed around. She was there willingly but she never consented to being filmed. They made her sign some stupid contract saying she belonged to them.”

“Shit,” Midnight mutters, his face now a mask of anger.

“They told her to get a million bucks and they would let her go, but in a rare sober moment, she heard them talking about their plans. They were gonna get the money and then…keep her. Traffic her. Send her off to some bullshit operation they have down in South America somewhere. She knew she had to get out.”

“Fuck.”

“I still don’t know how she managed it,” I continue. “She doesn’t either, but she found me using the location on my phone. I got her home and we got her into rehab far away from here. I told her to trust me, that I would fix it. The money was easy to get. My dad doesn’t give a shit about how we spend money.”

Midnight’s eyes bore into me, as if he can see straight into my soul, but instead of unnerving me, I feel seen. Heard.

“The night you guys rescued me from Malek was me trying to deliver some justice. A month before that, I had arranged the delivery of the money to him, but he refused to hand over the tapes until he got Lucia back. Obviously, that’s not gonna happen.”

“No.”

“I thought I could handle it.” I scoff. “I don’t know why. I’m just some rich kid from the burbs, but the desire to protect my family is stronger than my sense, I guess. It would break my mother’s heart if she knew what happened to Lucia. If it got out, it would be really bad. It could ruin my dad and any future Lucia has.”

“I see.”

“But obviously I’m in over my head. You had to save me twice. Did you kill Vinni?”

“No. I wanted to, but something held me back.”

I blow out a breath. “Thank fuck. He might be the only one who knows where the tapes are besides Malek.”

Midnight leans across the table closer to me. “Let me help you, Tru.”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble over me.”

Amusement flickers over his features. “Tru, my chaton féroce, my entire life is trouble.”

I tilt my head. “What language is that?”

“French. It means fierce kitten.”

I should probably be annoyed, but I can’t be. The endearment feels kind, not mocking. I never wanted to accept help, but I’d be an idiot not to take Midnight up on his offer.

“Are you sure?”

“Very,” he responds. “Vinni and his gang are dangerous. You need support.”

I nod, blinking back the tears threatening to fall. “I just want to save my family.”

“That’s what we’ll do then.”

Exhaling a slow breath, I force my eyes to meet his. “Your turn. Pretty sure I witnessed you and your brother murdering someone last night.”

Midnight nods. “You did.” Then a slow smile spreads across his face. “You shared your story, so I’ll share mine. I’m an assassin.”

Holy fuck.

Chapter Nine

MIDNIGHT

Tru hasn’t responded to my confession, which rattles me. If he can’t handle this news, he certainly can’t handle the rest. I should have known not to get myself tangled up with a mortal. My only choice now will be compulsion to make him forget.

After the longest minute of my life, Tru rises from the couch, walking across the room to the windows, where he stares outside. I remain silent, waiting for his reaction before I choose mine.

When he turns to face me, I’m surprised by the wide smile spreading across his face.

“You’re an assassin. You kill people for a living?”

I nod. “Correct.”

Laughter bubbles up from his chest and he bends over, hugging his stomach. “I have to be the luckiest idiot on the planet.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You’re an assassin and I need someone to be assassined. Wait. Assassinated. Right.”

Smirking, I nod.

“How much will it cost me to have you do it?” Tru crosses the room again, plopping down on the couch and tucking his feet under him. “Whatever your price, I’ll pay it. Getting myself killed would pretty much ruin my plan to protect my family too.”

“I’ll have to run it by Yves, but I’m sure we could sanction it. Are you sure you want to pass it off to me?”

Tru pulls his head back, a perfect eyebrow quirked. “Oh, hold on there, slayer. We’re partners.”

“Slayer?”

“Uh, yeah. Pretty sure it fits.” He grins. “Anyway, count me in.”

I scoff at that. “Sorry, but civilians aren’t allowed.” I run my fingers under his chin. “Why don’t you just sit back and let me do what I do? Our practices aren’t open to the public.”

He pops his bottom lip, which is surprisingly effective. “Come on, Midnight. Teach me what I don’t know.”

“I would if your professional goal was to become an assassin, but as this seems to be a one time event, I think it’s best to leave you out of it.”

Now Tru tries a different tactic, softening his eyes seductively as he drags a hand down my chest. Oh, he’s tempting and playing dangerous games.

“Okay, but couldn’t you teach me a few things? What if I’m alone and one of them gets to me?”

“I’m well aware you’re manipulating me.”

“Maybe a scootch.” He smiles. “But I’m not lying when I tell you that…” He pauses, shrugging. “I don’t know. I like this other side of me. This protector. Even though I got my ass kicked, I feel like a new person. Not just some trust fund baby who shops and attends events on my mother’s arm.”

“I can relate.”

“Were you a trust fund baby once?”

I laugh softly, brushing my fingers down the smooth skin of his arm, noticing how he shivers at my touch.

“No, but I was far more civilized once upon a time.”

“You seem pretty civilized now.”

“How quickly you forget what you saw earlier.”

Tru chuckles. “Who am I to judge? I was out there trying to do the same thing.”

“Your cause is noble. I have no cause.”

“Why did you save me from Malek that night? You had no idea if I was good or bad. Maybe I deserved what was happening to me, but you didn’t hesitate.”

“Call it a sixth sense,” I answer dryly.

“Or maybe you’re not so morally broken as you pretend.”

He has no idea.

“Are you gay, Midnight?”

His blunt question startles me. “Er, um, I’m attracted to men.”

“Not gay. Bi?”

“For a time in my past I was interested in women. I’m exclusively with men now. That is, when I date at all.”

“Work keeping you too busy?” he asks with a mischievous grin.

“Something like that. Why do you ask?”

Tru does that thing where he nibbles on his bottom lip, tempting me to take over the task. “Maybe I’m wrong, but the way you look at me makes me feel like, well, you know. Like you could be into me.”

Once again, I thought I was being discreet. All I can do is confess. “You are a stunning, complex creature. I’m intrigued, certainly, and I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to stay in my bed awhile.”

“You aren’t going to ask if I’m gay too?”

“I assume you’re at least open to it or you wouldn’t have asked.”

“Fair point, slayer.” A shyness falls over his features. “Thanks for letting me stay today.”

“Of course.”

“I talk a lot of shit, you know, but not gonna lie, you intimidate me. Like, hooking-up wise. I’ve never met a man who looks or carries himself like you do.”

“But you’ve thought about it.”

Tru shoves my arm playfully. “Yeah. Like, who hasn’t when they look at you?”

“You give me too much credit.” I lift his hand and press a kiss to the back of it. “Don’t be intimidated. I’m a man with flaws like any other.” He opens his mouth to speak, but I continue. “But you are under no obligation to do anything with me. If it happens naturally, we’ll discuss.”

Tru nods, searching my eyes. “My parents don’t know.”

“Don’t know what?”

“That I’m gay.”

His words are jarring, taking me back hundreds of years in an instant. Ah. Another one of life’s painful lessons, I see. Drop a pretty mortal in my lap then make him untouchable.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” is my only response.

Tru’s brow creases. “Your vibe changed. Does it make you mad?”

“Mad? Of course not. I’m sure you have your reasons.” I stand, pulling my hand away. “You must be hungry.”

“Guess we’re not talking about it,” Tru mumbles, following me to the kitchen.

Exasperated that he won’t drop the subject, I turn to him. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“I guess your family was totally cool finding out you like dick?” Tru says, his chest puffed out and eyes narrowed. “No one in your family has politicians in their pocket who actively vote against your kind? Well, lucky fucking you.”

His words irritate long-buried memories, picking at the scab so tenuously held in place. “I am not judging you, Tru.”

“Whatever.” He pushes past me and slumps against the island, arms crossed over his chest and a dark expression on his face.

Fuck, he’s beautiful when angry. Like a violent thunderstorm wreaking havoc—dangerous, but so stunning you don’t dare pull your eyes away.

“I’m gonna tell them,” he mumbles. “I was always gonna tell them. I’m waiting for a reason. Like, you know, meeting someone. Someone important. Someone worth…” Tru pauses, blowing out a breath and lifting his stormy gaze to me. “Someone worth the fallout.”

A flutter of hope passes through my chest, but I stuff it down. I need to keep my head around this dangerous beauty. He could lure me to my ruin with his wild emotions and staggering aura. The last thing I need is a repeat of the situation that nearly broke me.

Chapter Ten

TRU

Midnight’s been acting weird since I told him I’m not out to my parents. I know it’s an issue for a lot of people, but no one lives with the pressures I do.

“My parents aren’t bad people,” I whisper, sipping from the fresh mug of coffee Midnight poured for me.

“I’m sure they’re not,” he answers flatly.

“When I was a teenager, my mom came into my room and started saying all this weird shit about being different and how it’s okay. I figured she must have sensed it.” I bite my bottom lip as the memory of her words plays back in my head. “I was right on the verge of telling her, but then she said that discretion was important. We always had to be aware of who was watching us, waiting to pounce on a powerful family. I knew what she meant.”

Midnight’s dark gaze sends shivers down my spine. “I’m sorry, Tru. It’s a burden to hide one’s true nature from the world.”

Nodding, I hold the mug close to inhale the aroma. “I figure once this shit with Lucia is done, maybe I can focus on my own life a little. I’m tired of being a trophy.” I scoff. “Fuck, I’m such a privileged dick. My parents are good. I have everything I could want except for the one thing your parents can’t give you.”

“And that is?”

“Romantic love. Duh. Want me to blow your mind, Midnight? I’m thirty. I live at home, have no career but a shit ton of degrees, and I’ve never been in love. Sweet, right? I could go buy a Lamborghini right now if I wanted to, but I don’t want that. I just want someone who wants me more than my family’s name or my dad’s money.”

“Money isn’t everything.”

“No.” I drag my hand down my face. “Anyway. I’d love your help with Lucia, but I have to see it through. If we can’t do it together, I’ll do it alone.”

If the color black was an emotion, Midnight would be the embodiment of it right now. I’m guessing that’s where the nickname comes from.

“You win,” he concedes. “We’ll do it together, but I have to talk to Yves first.”

Fighting back a grin, I nod. “Sounds good.”

After my clothes are returned, freshly laundered, I dress and follow Midnight out of his apartment into the main area he calls the common. Several men sit around it. The one I saw him with last night sits perched on a window seat with a notepad in his hand. He glances up and smiles before looking down again. Another man with darker hair is tucked into an oversized armchair and appears to be sketching.

I recognize them all, of course. His brothers. My saviors.

Midnight puts his hands on both my shoulders from behind and clears his throat to get everyone’s attention.

“Proper introduction time,” he says. “Everyone, this is Tru. Tru, my family. Raphael.” The man in the armchair nods his head. “You met Eros last night.” He waves. “This is Syn and his…lover, Bowie.”

The pause is interesting.

“Yves is in his study, I’m sure,” Midnight explains.

A man with long, wild hair pulls himself up from the couch, a maniacal grin on his face. “Don’t I get an introduction?”

Midnight chuckles. “Didn’t see you. This is Thorn.”

Thorn leans over the back of the couch, his eyes taking me in before he whistles. “Where oh where has New Onyx been hiding all these pretty boys?”

“Thorn,” Midnight warns, his tone suddenly dark.

Thorn only laughs in response. “Calm down, tiger. I’m only looking. First Syn finds Bowie, then you snatch up Tru. I want a pretty boyfriend.”

I wait for Midnight to correct his assumption, but he only grips my wrist, pulling me closer to him. “Perhaps if you spent your time looking for love instead of your next indulgence, you would find one.”

Thorn grabs his chest, pretending to be wounded, but then he laughs. “Your barbs cause no harm. Obviously, the perfect man for me is into indulgence.”

“He makes a valid point,” Eros says. “How are you feeling, Tru?”

“A lot better, thanks. Whatever that gross stuff I drank last night was, it works.”

Bowie laughs. “It sure does.”

With all the men staring at me, I find myself leaning into Midnight.

“We have to go see Yves,” he says, leading me away.

“Did that go well?” I whisper once we’re in the hallway.

“Yes. They like you.”

“How do you know?”

He smiles. “I just do.”

We enter another apartment, pausing to talk to the woman who helped me last night and a darker haired woman next to her at the desk.

“This is Vivienne.” He points to the redhead. “And Viper. Vivienne keeps our lives together while Viper does the same for our business.”

“Nice to meet you both,” I say.

“How do you feel?” Vivienne asks.

“Great. Thanks for your help.”

She smiles and nods.

“Is Yves available?” Midnight asks.

“Yes,” Viper answers. “But fair warning, he’s looking over the new computerized client intake system and it’s stressful for him.”

“Yves is a little old-school,” Vivienne says, winking.

“To say the least,” Midnight murmurs. “Thank you, ladies.”

Midnight rests his hand on my lower back, leading me past where the women are working and into a room that feels like one of those old studies you see in movies. There are books packed into bookcases, heavy wood furniture, moody lighting, and leather chairs.

Behind the desk sits a man I assume to be Yves. He’s striking in appearance—handsome, yes, but something else as well. Something intangible but intriguing. Like you just want to sit down and listen to anything he wants to tell you. He has pale skin, light brown hair, maybe slightly red, and an intense expression as he stares down at a laptop.

“Yves,” Midnight says.

“Yes?” he answers without looking up, but then, realizing Midnight isn’t alone, he sits back in his seat and smiles. “Hello.”

“Hi.”

“Yves, this is Tru. You remember him,” says Midnight.

“Tru. I thought your name was Gideon.”

“It is. My middle name is Tru and I prefer that,” I say.

“Ah. Are you well?”

His voice is so deep it vibrates through me, and I instinctively step back. “Yes. I’m good. Thank you.”

Yves chuckles. “Don’t be afraid of me, Tru.”

“How did you…” I don’t bother to finish my question. I don’t think I want to know.

“Tru has a problem,” Midnight says.

“I gathered that when we first met him,” Yves responds, folding his hands on the desk. “Please sit.”

We do and Midnight smiles at me. “Go ahead and tell him what you need.”

“Oh, um, okay.” I blow out a breath, hoping for a dose of courage. I’ve faced down major gang members. I can handle Yves, right?

“My family is being blackmailed by Malice. My sister got into some trouble with them, and I’m doing everything I can to get the evidence back and keep my parents from finding out. My parents and the public.”

“I see,” Yves says. “That’s why you were with Malek Dane?”

“Yeah. I was in over my head, obviously. Still am. Midnight saved my ass again last night.”

Yves only nods in response.

“I could use help, but Midnight says you guys work alone. I get it, but if there’s any way you’d consider an exception, I’d appreciate it.”

Now Yves’s eyes shift to Midnight. “You’re asking permission to involve us in this situation?”

“I am,” Midnight answers, stoic and emotionless.

Yves’s expression hardens. “Would you excuse us, Tru? Midnight and I need to speak privately.”

His tone leaves no room for rebuttal, so I just get up and hustle out of the room. On the other side of the door, the two women look up at me.

“You okay?” Viper asks.

“Is Yves always so intense?”

“Yes,” both women answer at the same time.

“Good to know.”

“But he’s got a big heart,” Vivienne says. “He would do anything for this motley crew of his.”

“What about the orphans they pick up along the way?” I ask.

Viper laughs. “Bowie was an orphan once. Now he’s part of the gang.”

“Okay.” I glance around. “I think I’ll wait for Midnight in the common area.”

I walk out, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I really hope he’s not getting yelled at over me.

Chapter Eleven

MIDNIGHT

“Ihave to say, I am caught unawares. You want to involve yourself in this mortal mess?”

I nod, holding Yves’s questioning gaze. “I’m already involved. I have been since we rescued Tru from Malek. He damn near got himself killed twice. Without us, me, he’s going to die.”

“Lots of mortals die every day, Midnight. Why is this one so precious to you?”

“I wish I knew how to answer that.” I exhale slowly, sitting back in my chair. “Fuck knows the last thing I need is to be beholden to another mortal, but I can’t shake this one.”

“Ah. You want to keep him.”

“Honestly, I have no idea what I want yet. He…” I pause as painful memories of the past rush back. “His family doesn’t know he desires men.”

Yves frowns, obviously aware of why this is an issue for me. “And you are afraid the past will repeat itself?”

I nod.

“I see. Obviously, I don’t know the man, but I’ll gently point out that we are centuries apart from what happened before. It’s a very different world, Midnight.”

“I know, but what if I’ve finally met someone compelling and I find myself with a choice between love and family again?”

“You’re jumping too far ahead,” Yves says. “Unless you’ve already declared your love—”

“I am not in love. I am in…infatuation.”

“Then again I say, you’re ahead of yourself. Seduce him, keep him in your bed and your care. If your feelings bloom into something else, confront it then.”

“So rational.”

Yves chuckles. “A trait I’m proud of. Now, back to the issue at hand. The goal is what?”

“Malice has damning video evidence of Tru’s sister in compromising situations. Apparently, in the throes of a drug high, she signed some kind of contract saying she belongs to them. After embezzling a million dollars, they still refuse to hand over the videos until they get the girl back. She’s in rehab.”

Yves nods, staring straight ahead with the distant look he gets when thinking deeply. I wait quietly, giving him space to form his thoughts. He already knows I’ll go rogue regardless of his support, but I’m respectfully asking for approval.

“Malice is a stain on an already dirty city,” Yves says, shifting his gaze to me. “That said, they aren’t a small-time group that is easy to pick off. You need a strategy.”

“I know. I wanted to discuss it with Syn.”

Yves nods. “Good call. You have my consent to proceed. I’ll deduct our usual payment from your year-end bonus.” The rare smirk on his face is a welcome sight.

“We don’t have year-end bonuses.”

“I guess you’ll owe me one then.”

Standing, I reach across the desk and squeeze his hand. “I owe you my life.”

Yves’s eyes soften. “Be smart, Midnight. The Malice gang is smarter than they seem.”

Nodding, I release his hand. “I know. Thank you, Yves.”

“You’re welcome.”

I take my leave, searching the common area for Tru and finding him sitting in one of two armchairs near the marble- and glass-tiled fireplace. He’s chatting with Bowie, both of their expressions serious. As I stand in the doorway simply watching, Tru tucks a lock of hair behind his ear, and the gesture sends a ripple of familiarity through me, like I’ve seen that exact movement before.

Tru turns his face towards me, the question in his eyes, and I nod. He smiles, his shoulders relaxing, and this is the moment I know Tru is going to be a significant part of my life. Who knows to what extent and in what capacity, but maybe I’ll take Yves’s advice and just stay open to it.

Syn appears next to me, his hand resting on my shoulder. “Something is different about this mortal,” he says softly. “You must sense it too.”

My chest tightens with Syn’s acknowledgment. “Yes.” I turn to face him. “I need your advice.”

“I’m all ears.”

“I need to help Tru with Malice, but we can’t just go in and take them out. They have information that needs to be destroyed. Sensitive information.”

Syn nods, his eyes trained on Bowie. Waves of love mixed with desire swirl around him, and my own heart thumps a little harder in response. Could I ever find the kind of love he has?

Syn rubs my back, smiling as my emotions reveal themselves to him. “Patience, my friend.”

I nod, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment to center myself. “The sooner the better. Tru’s life revolves around getting to these bastards.”

“Can’t say I wouldn’t like taking them out. They serve no good purpose.”

“No.”

“You and I could pay them a visit. A bit of torture tends to loosen lips.”

“I wish it were that easy. Tru demands to be involved.”

Syn frowns. “That complicates things.”

“Greatly. Obviously, he doesn’t know what we are, and I’m not interested in him finding out.”

Eros, Thorn, and Raphael appear, handing us each a glass of blood-tinged wine. I’m thankful for the drink, knowing the blood will clear my thoughts.

“Why don’t we use compulsion?” Eros asks so quietly a mortal would never hear it.

“He hands over the evidence, then we tear his heart out of his chest,” Thorn says, smiling as if we’re talking about what dishes to make for dinner.

“Not a bad idea,” Raphael says. “And we can compel without revealing ourselves.”

I nod, dragging a hand through my hair. “It could work. We find the group, focus on Vinni, compel him to hand over the goods, then tear any members apart.”

“But not in a vampire way,” Bowie says, approaching behind Syn.

“Where is Tru?”

“Bathroom. Relax, vampire,” Bowie says, smiling. “You gotta kill in a human way.”

“Boring,” Thorn complains.

“But accurate,” Eros says, nodding at Bowie. “Unless, of course, Midnight whisks the mortal away and the rest of us deal with the leftovers.”

“Negative,” I say. “Tru insists on being involved.”

“Why do I feel like I’m the subject of this conversation?” Tru says, returning from the bathroom. Fortunately for us, his presence was easily detected before we said anything we couldn’t retract.

“Just strategizing,” I answer, gazing at the pretty man.

His face lights up. “I have some ideas.”

“Do you now?” I grin.

“Well, yeah. If I have people to help.”

The group of us move to the leather sectional near the windows, where we all settle in. Tru sits cross legged but turned in my direction next to me.

“Okay, so here’s what I know about Malice. They don’t give a shit about gender. They’ll fuck anyone. They fuck for pleasure, but mostly, they fuck to sample the goods before they traffic the person. Everyone thinks drugs are their big business, but they’re not. Ever since they hooked up with this dude from South America, that part of their business has been booming.”

“We didn’t know that,” Syn says. “We mostly ignored the gang because their actions didn’t intersect with ours.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not shocked they stayed under your radar,” Tru says. “They mostly go after people who won’t be missed too quickly. You know, runaways, drug addicts, that sort of thing, but Lucia, my sister, she did hear them talking about going after ‘premium product’ as they call it. People from the burbs, classy, virgins. That kind of shit.”

“Fucking disgusting,” Eros murmurs.

“No doubt,” Tru says. “That’s how they got to my sister. Fuck knows if they’ve targeted anyone else high profile, but my guess is they will. They got a million bucks from my family already.”

“Sadly, it’s a profitable business,” Raphael says.

“Malice is no joke,” Bowie adds. “I spent many nights avoiding them.”

My throat tightens with concealed rage, and I drop my head to avoid Tru seeing the features pushing their way to the surface. Memories of the night we first found Tru, naked and vulnerable, flash through my mind again. The thought of someone touching him against his will, of selling his body, riles the beast within me.

Calm yourself, brother.

Yves’s unspoken words reach me, which means I’m radiating too much emotion if he can sense them from within his home. I blow out a breath, hiding my beast away.

“We need to deal with those fuckers.” I look up. “Now.”

Chapter Twelve

TRU

As if I didn’t already think Midnight was hotter than the sun. This dark, moody thing he has going on is doing it for me. A man who gets pissed off at the idea of innocent people being taken advantage of is just a bonus.

“I have a job to do down there tonight,” Thorn says. “I can snoop around and let you know when I’ve found them.”

“No,” Midnight says, his jaw tight. “I’ll handle it.”

“Don’t you think you should stay with Tru until he’s fully healed?” Syn asks in a way that, at least to me, says ‘don’t argue with me.’

“I feel fine,” I offer.

Midnight isn’t looking at me, but his arm is pressed against mine, and I’d swear his emotions are like a rope binding us together.

“Syn is right,” Midnight grumbles. “You need another day.”

“How do you know what I need?”

“Vivienne’s medicine takes that long,” Bowie offers with a smile. “Ask me how I know.”

“I see.” I cross my arms over my chest, slightly annoyed, but giving in to the internal voice telling me to heed the warning. “Fine. I’ll rest.”

Midnight noticeably relaxes. “Please let me know what you find tonight, Thorn.”

“Of course.”

Midnight takes my hand, and I let him, allowing him to lead me back to his unit. I can’t tell what he’s feeling, so I guess the best way to find out is just to ask.

“Yves gave permission, I guess?”

“Yes. It’s not like any of us want Malice around, but now that I know what they’re really up to, I’m even more determined to deal with them.”

I sink into a velvet armchair, tucking my feet underneath me. “Thank you.”

Midnight nods, his expression softening. “I’m happy to help. There must be a reason our paths crossed.”

I bite my bottom lip as his words settle somewhere in my chest, releasing the ball of stress there just a little. “Yeah, I guess so. I gotta say, it feels pretty good not to be dealing with this on my own anymore.”

“You’re very brave, if a little reckless.” His tone is soft, even amused.

“Fair enough.”

“Are you hungry?”

I shake my head. “No, but you can eat if you are.”

“I’m fine.”

Midnight sits on the sofa across from me, that intense gaze of his trained solely on me. “You’re too thin, Tru. The stress is a lot to bear. You need to take care of your body as well as your mind.”

“Is that how you do it? You kill people for a living, but you seem cool.”

“There’s a certain detachment all of us live with. It helps.” He glances out the window for a moment before shifting his eyes back to me. “But yes, it’s important to find balance. My brothers restore my soul and keep me sane. Community matters.”

I nod, nibbling at my lip again. “I don’t really have that. Community. I used to have friends, you know? Lots of them, but I distanced myself.”

“Because of your sister?”

“No.” I blow out a breath, picking at a cuticle. “I’m not really sure why. I think I was just getting tired of the bullshit. My parents are society people, you know? We have to be seen to stay relevant. Our lives are under a microscope, with everyone just waiting for one of us to fuck up so they can all celebrate the downfall. I don’t know what it is about people, but we love to see others fail way more than we like to see them succeed.”

“Sadly, that’s true,” Midnight says. “Everyone loves a scandal.”

“Right. I guess I just woke up and realized my friends weren’t really friends. We were either people thrown together by similar circumstances, like rich, powerful parents, or they were fame chasers.”

Midnight nods.

“And I’m not even famous. I’m just my dad’s son, but that makes me interesting to people like that and to the media. That’s what fuels me to stop Malice. Those bastards can’t wait to find dirt on someone and then use it to fuck up lives.”

“We’ll get to them, Tru. You have my word.”

I nod, slowly meeting his eyes. “Enough about me. What about you? What do you do when you aren’t working?”

“I hang out here with my brothers. I read a bit. Watch movies sometimes. Nothing terribly exciting.”

“You don’t date?”

His face reacts to the question, his features flinching for just a second. “I haven’t in a long time. My lifestyle isn’t really suited to dating.”

“But Syn has Bowie.”

“That’s a unique situation. Syn is the first in dec—many years to have a permanent lover.”

“Permanent lover?” I raise my eyebrow. “Boyfriend?”

“Uh, yeah. Boyfriend works. Their relationship is very intense and unusual.”

“Bowie seems cool though.”

“He’s a wonderful person. He makes Syn happy, which is good enough for me.”

“That’s good. How old are you?”

Midnight looks shocked by the question before he clears his throat and shifts in his seat. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was calculating his age in his head.

“Forty.”

“Forty? Seriously? You barely look thirty.”

“Good genes.”

“I guess so. You must work out a lot.”

“No. My physique is…natural.”

Tilting my head, I narrow my eyes. “Are you lying to me, Midnight?”

“Lying? No. Why do you think that?”

“You’re just being weird. Hesitating a lot and shit.”

“I’m not used to talking about myself. That’s all.”

“Okay. Maybe I could use a piece of toast or a bagel or something.” I’m not hungry, but this conversation is awkward.

“Certainly.” Midnight stands abruptly, obviously just as eager as I am to get some space.

He’s kind of strange, but there’s something weirdly comforting about him. Almost familiar.

While he’s gone, I stand and wander around the front room a bit until I stumble across a nook that has a black grand piano in it. Smiling, I hurry over to it, running my fingers over the shiny finish. The tips of my fingers tingle, vibrating almost.

Without understanding why, I sit at the bench, desperate to get my fingers on the keys even though I’ve never played the piano a day in my life. But…sitting here feels so right. Normal.

I don’t understand how or why, but my fingers dance over the keys, a melancholy song filling the air. My heart beats so fast it could come right out of my throat, and when Midnight enters the room, the plate he’s carrying falls to the floor, shattering into pieces.

With wide eyes, he stumbles backward, pressing against the wall like he’s seen a ghost. I yank my hands away from the piano, just as startled.

“How…” Midnight’s breath rattles from his chest. “How do you know that song?”

Staring at my hands and then at the piano, I slowly look up. “I have no idea. I don’t know how to play the piano.”

“What?” The volume of his voice causes me to jump.

Shaking my head, I climb off the bench and back away. “Never. I just sat down and it’s like something took over me.”

Midnight hasn’t moved. He’s just staring at me.

“What’s happening right now?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “It’s not possible.” Midnight squeezes his eyes closed. “This is a dream or something.”

“We’re both dreaming the same thing?”

His eyes snap open and he blows out a breath. “Tru. I don’t know how you did that, but that song…it doesn’t exist.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I’m saying is the song was written by someone long ago and it died when he did. It was never published, never heard by anyone but me. It is literally impossible that you knew how to play it.”

Now trembling, I wrap my arms around myself. “Not to mention that I don’t fucking know how to play. A. Piano. Am I, like, possessed or something?”

“Possessed,” Midnight whispers, dragging his hand over the instrument’s aged wood. “This is a very old piano. Maybe…somehow…”

His words trail off, leaving me hanging. “Somehow what? Somehow the piano taught me how to play a song that doesn’t exist?”

Midnight moves so fast I barely see it, but suddenly he’s standing right in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. He focuses his gaze on me, and as I stare back into his eyes, a wave of warmth spreads through me, instantly settling my panicked thoughts.

I sway in his arms, watching his lips move but not really understanding anything he’s saying, just responding to the vibration of his voice, the warmth in my belly, the calmness of my thoughts. My eyes grow heavy, and I give in to their weight, closing them and sinking into Midnight’s comforting touch.

Whatever was happening before can be handled later. For now, I just want to sleep.

Yes, that sounds good.

Chapter Thirteen

MIDNIGHT

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

After laying Tru in my bed, I burst from my door and head straight to the common. I need counsel and I need it fast. I find Syn and Bowie, and before I even make it there, Yves opens his door, his eyes searching wildly.

I walk straight for him, falling into him when I reach him. Yves wraps his arms around me, holding me up as he nearly carries me to the sofa. Bowie turns off the TV while Syn’s forehead crinkles in concern.

“By the gods, what happened?” Yves asks. “Your energy shook my walls.”

“He…he…” I squeeze my eyes closed. “Tru. It’s not possible.”

“Take a deep breath, brother.” Syn’s calm tone reaches me through the chaos in my mind.

“Breathe,” Yves whispers.

I take several breaths until the world stops spinning around me. Squeezing Yves’s hand, I nod, indicating I’m okay. Bowie appears with a much-needed glass of blood. I guzzle it, exhaling as it spreads through me.

“Thank you,” I manage, handing Bowie the empty glass. “I can barely believe my own experience, but Tru just sat down and played at the piano. He played ‘Lovers Lost.’”

Both Yves and Syn gasp.

“What does that mean?” Bowie asks.

“It’s a song,” I say, even as my voice trembles. “A song written by my one true love. His name was Benedict.”

Pain sears through my chest simply from uttering the name I’ve refused to speak for decades. Centuries. I rub my forehead and push on.

“It’s impossible that anyone else knows that song. Even more alarming is that Tru says he’s never played the piano. He felt drawn to it. He said it was like his fingers knew the song.”

“All the gods,” Yves whispers, his eyes wide.

“Where is he now?” Syn asks.

“I compelled him. He was panicking and I had no answers, so I put him to sleep.”

The four of us are silent for a minute until Yves speaks up. “There has to be meaning to it. Tru has some sort of connection to Benedict.”

“How?” I ask. Rising from the sofa, I pace in front of the coffee table. “I have looked for a million signs in a million lovers that somehow Benedict would return to me, but it’s never been true. Not once. I knew I was deluding myself. So how can it be that this person, this man, just did what he did?”

“I think it means you weren’t deluding yourself,” Bowie says softly. “You looked for signs because some part of you knew it could happen one day. Seems like it has.”

I stare at Bowie, my mouth agape while my mind tries to process all of this.

“Do you think the piano could be haunted?” Bowie asks. “Like, I don’t know, Benedict’s memory is still embedded in the keys?”

“Haunted?” I say.

“Stranger things have happened. Around here, at least,” Bowie says.

“Bowie makes an interesting point,” Yves says. “The piano did belong to Benedict.”

“But why now after all this time?” I ask.

“Has anyone else ever played it?” Syn asks. “You won’t allow us to even sit at it.”

Blowing out a breath, I shake my head. “He didn’t ask. He just went to it.”

“Like he was called to it?” Bowie asks, smiling. “Maybe it’s just time.”

Some part of me, buried deep inside, springs to life with hope, but I shove it down again. Benedict haunting his piano sounds about as plausible as me becoming a vegetarian.

“Your pain causes your doubt,” Yves says, clearly aware of my thoughts. “My advice would be to stay open to it. Explore it. Don’t push away the signs, but lean into them. Perhaps Benedict is blessing your discovery of Tru. What a joy that would be, Midnight. It’s a new day. You could try again.”

My chest tightens with panic. I shake my head, already filled with a thousand reasons why it can’t work this time either.

“Even if somehow it were true, we might be doomed to repeat the same tragedy. Tru already confessed he’s not out to his parents. Their standing in society prevents it. It’s the same shit all over again.”

“Except it’s not,” Syn says. “That was nearly two hundred and fifty years ago, Midnight. It is not outlawed for two men to love each other. The modern world embraces us. Trust in your connection that this time fate brought you together for a reason.”

“But how do I know? How can I be sure Tru won’t reject me once he knows what I am?”

“Obviously, I wasn’t there back when you were with Benedict,” Bowie says. “But after meeting Syn, I believe that the person made for you will understand and even accept it. If you’d asked me a few months ago if this would be my life, well…” He laughs. “All I’m saying is that I believe in destiny now. I believe in the impossible being true. I believe in timing. Maybe the timing wasn’t right for you and Benedict before, but it can be for you and Tru now.”

Slumping into an armchair, I rub my forehead. “So I have the challenge of discovering whether my piano is haunted, if Tru even desires me, and telling him I’m a vampire. Easy.”

“Don’t doubt his ability to understand,” Syn says. “The gods know I had no idea how Bowie would react to such news, but here we are today.”

“Right.” I nod. “I feel terrible for compelling him.”

“You did what was right in the moment,” Yves says. “This should be handled delicately for both your sakes.”

“Yes. You’re right.” Shaking my shoulders, I turn my gaze to Yves. “I need to kill something. Please tell me there’s a job I can pick up.”

He smiles. “Find Raph. He’s stalking his target for the night.”

“Where are Eros and Thorn?”

“Still out looking for Vinni.”

“Do you want me to come along?” Syn asks, squeezing my shoulder.

“Nah, I’m good. I just need to get my feet under me again. I’ll go now while Tru sleeps.”

Pulling myself up, I drag my hand through my hair and push away thoughts of haunted pianos, broken hearts, and tragic love.

Chapter Fourteen

TRU

Itwist in the sheets, slowly gaining awareness of my surroundings. Midnight’s bed. As I sit up, gazing around the dark room, I try to remember how I got here. We were talking about…Huh. I got nothing. I don’t remember drinking, but I’ve lost a couple of hours.

Once I crawl out of bed and take care of my bathroom needs, I roam the house looking for Midnight, but it’s obvious he’s not here. A niggle of panic tugs at my chest, but I push it away in favor of trusting that he wouldn’t go behind my back to handle Vinni without me. He knows how much this means to me.

In the kitchen I find a glass and pour myself some water from the fridge, peeking around his cabinets and pantry. There’s almost nothing to eat. He must go out for every meal. Or maybe they have some kind of communal cooking arrangement.

As I roam around his empty apartment, I start to actually notice the art on the walls looks very old. Even the frames. It’s all very ornate, but his actual furniture is sleek and modern. I don’t know shit about design, but I do know what midcentury modern furniture looks like thanks to the girl I pretended to like in college. Except for the wall art and a few sculptures, Midnight’s home definitely reflects that time period the most.

I wander down the hallway, stopping at the entrance to a music room, where a large black piano dominates the space. It’s very beautiful, and something draws me closer, even though I know shit about pianos.

Setting my water down on a small marble table nearby, I exhale as a shiver rolls through me.

Gideon.

I twist around at the whispered sound of my name, but I’m alone.

Gideon.

There it is again. Unless I’m going crazy. Or maybe I’m still asleep and this is some kind of weird dream.

Play, Gideon.

My eyes dart around the room. Still alone. Sweet. I’m definitely going crazy. I turn to leave, but it’s almost like my feet are stuck in place, and instead I move toward the piano. When I reach out to drag my hand over the distressed, aged wood, my fingers tingle. I pull my hand back, staring at it and then the piano, then backing away from it.

A wave of nausea hits me the farther I get away from it and I stumble back to the bedroom, where I crawl into bed, curling up under the blankets until Midnight gets home.

Then I remember he put his number in my phone, so I grab it off the nightstand and press the button next to his name.

“Are you okay, Tru?” is how he answers.

“Yeah. Where are you?”

“Out doing a job with Raphael. I should be back in less than an hour.”

“Okay. Any chance I can get you to grab me a burger or something on your way back?”

“Of course. Cheese?”

“And bacon, please.”

“You got it. Just stay put. I’ll be home soon.”

“Okay.”

I end the call, deciding I should send off a text to my mom to let her know I’m still fine. I should go home, but I don’t really want to. I shoot her a text indicating I might stay over again for a movie marathon. She’s so excited that she thinks I have a friend, she doesn’t even question me. I scoff. If only she knew I was hanging out with a bunch of murderers. She’d shit her pants.

After the call, I push away thoughts of what just happened in the music room and instead snoop around Midnight’s apartment. He has a lot of books and art, but otherwise, his place is pretty sparse. As I gaze at a shelf of books, one of them grabs my eye. It sticks out from the others, almost like I was meant to see it.

I pull it down, taking it to the couch with me where I sit. The book seems old, with its crackled cover and binding that creaks when opened. The pages are yellowed, the edges tattered. Very carefully, I flip through it, my eyes roaming over the stylish but antiquated handwriting. It looks like a journal of some kind, and it’s definitely not English. French maybe, but it’s hard to tell.

I notice the name Benedict several times, and the longer I read, the more the words become clear. Random since I don’t know a damn word of French. It’s reminiscent of English though. At least some of it is.

17 Janvier 1796

Benedict refused to see me this morning. He insists that distance is the only way our torrid affair can end. Does he not understand that my soul is so deeply entwined with his, that separation equals death for me? My breath is his, my eyes see only him. Yet, he tortures me with his absence.

Someone Midnight loved once. My stomach twists and flips while I reread the paragraph. The date at the top of the page makes no sense though. Oh. Maybe he wrote some kind of historical romance novel. That would be cool. I continue reading.

Yves tells me to let Benedict go. He insists that love will find me again someday, but I reject his optimism. Benedict is my soulmate. This I am sure of.

My chest tightens the more I read, my heart speeding up slightly. Why am I reacting like this to some flowery diary entry?

I flip forward several pages, scanning as I read.

22 Avril 1797

What a glorious week! I stole my love away to the Riviera to avoid all the tension in Paris. The war is never ending. There was a moment as the morning sun washed over Benedict that I wanted to share my secret. To tell him what I really am. We could spend an eternity together, watching a million sunrises and sunsets. I know he loves me as I love him. I just have to be brave.

I read forward a few more pages, stopping when I see only one sentence on the page.

He does not accept me.

What kind of secret could there be that would keep two men apart? Hmm. It was the eighteenth century. It was probably considered scandalous to be gay. Maybe. I have no idea how France saw those things.

So it’s a tragic love story. Did Midnight write this, or did he find it somewhere? It’s too old to be contemporary. Unless there’s some kind of aging technique that looks really authentic.

I continue flipping pages until I come across a piece of paper folded up and tucked into the crease. I open it carefully, aware of its age.

My dearest Leander,

I wish I had better news, but sadly, I must ask that you discontinue contact posthaste. While I loved the man I knew, this other part of you is not something I can simply overlook. I am angry with you, Leander. You should have told me sooner. You should never have kissed me the way you did or offered your heart when you carried such a shocking secret. I gave you my body, my heart, but I cannot give you my soul.

You have destroyed me. Ruined me for all others. How will I go on? Who will love me now? Who will erase your kisses from my memory? It is impossible.

I hope you are as ruined as I. I pray my kisses torment your mind as yours do mine. I wish to forget the nights in your arms. With much pain in my heart, I must say goodbye, Leander.

Benedict xxx

4 Octobre 1789

Ouch. Savage breakup letter. I read over it again, my fingers tingling as I touch the words on the page. What a sad story.

I flip a few more pages, curious how the story ends, but when I find out, I’m not prepared.

He is dead!

All the gods, Benedict is dead!

It is my fault. I was his ruin. His shame. His heartbreak.

I will never forgive myself. Never. If I could, I would join him in his afterlife right this moment. Only death could ease my wounded heart. Only his kiss could soften my pain.

Oh, the fates are cruel mistresses. To find such a perfect soul only to have it stolen away. By his own hand!

I am dead now. I will never know love again. For all eternity I will suffer. It is hardly just penance for tearing Benedict’s beauty from this world, but it is all I have.

My heart races as I flip the page, but there’s nothing else after that entry. If it’s a novel, it either has a weird ending or the author never finished it. Did Midnight write this? If he did, he should finish it. I bet a lot of people would like to read a historical romance between two men during the French Revolution. I mean, I would.

I attempt to tuck the book back on the shelf, but just before I do, an overwhelming sense of ownership overtakes me and I hold the book to my chest, strangely disoriented. A wave of panic hits me until I remember that strange drink the pretty redhead gave me. I bet all this sleeping and weirdness is a side effect. That has to be it. I do feel better though, so I guess it’s worth it.

I carry the book with me back to the couch, tucking in to read it again. It’s such a sad story, but something about it draws me in. It’s visceral and real. I can’t wait to ask Midnight about it when he returns.

While I wait, re-reading the text, my thoughts drift a bit. Knowing Midnight is out there right now killing someone should freak me out, but it doesn’t. Maybe because I’m all too aware of how unbalanced the world can be.

No one should have to suffer forever because of a mistake they made. So Lucia got caught up with some bad dudes and made a few crap choices. Ruining her life and her family’s lives isn’t fair at all. If Midnight can help me make it right, why should I care how he makes a living?

Settling in on the sofa, I lose myself in the tragic love story once more.

Chapter Fifteen

MIDNIGHT

Creeping through the alleyways, I find Raphael perched on the bottom step of a fire escape, his gaze trained on the apartment below. As usual, the intense scent of urine, vomit, and decomposing rats fills the air, but I do my best to push it away and retain the lingering scent of Tru.

I join Raph as he nods. “What are you doing here?” he asks.

“I needed to make someone bleed. Yves suggested I find you.”

Raph grins. “Is your houseguest riling your bloodlust?”

“Something like that,” I grunt. “Who’s your target tonight?”

“Piece of shit pedo,” he answers. “This one leads some big church in the city. I recognized his face as soon as Yves handed me the file.”

“Oh, the dude that got acquitted?”

“That’s the guy. Yves wouldn’t tell me, but I’m pretty sure the dude’s wife is the client. Even though he got off, they lost their standing in society, he’s been sued a dozen times in civil suits, and his son accused him of molestation too.”

“Ugh.” I growl. “What the fuck is wrong with people?”

“Who knows? The religious ones piss me off the most.”

“Same.” My mouth waters at the mere thought of bleeding this guy out.

“We have to make it look like murder. No suicide or it voids his life insurance. I guess it’s not something anyone would believe he’d do anyway.”

“Narcissists never do.”

“Nope.”

“What’s going on in the apartment?”

“Don’t know. The walls are soundproof even for me. He went in with some shady looking guys about five minutes before you got here.”

“Well then, should we crash the party?”

Raphael grins. “I like how you think, my man.”

The two of us swoop down, landing silently next to the building. Raphael opens the beat-up metal door that should have a code to enter, but that’s been long destroyed. Inside the dim space, it’s clear that no one lives here anymore. The doors to each unit are open, the sole light in the hallway flickering. It smells like moldy carpet and old blood, making my sensitive nose twitch.

“Fucking shithole,” Raphael mumbles as we approach the only closed door at the end of the hall.

“It won’t be the first time someone died in this building.”

“No it won’t,” he says.

We listen at the door for a moment, but all I can hear are muffled voices. Stepping back, I lift my leg and kick the door off its hinges.

Two of the men inside immediately pull guns and start shooting, hitting both me and Raphael, but bullets won’t do shit to us. Only piss us off.

Raph goes straight for the target, a middle-aged white man with an obvious hairpiece, fake tan, and cold eyes, while I focus my pent-up energy on the two dipshits with guns. My beast pushes forward, my eyes glazing over, fangs dropping, and nails lengthening.

“What the fuck?” one of the men shouts as he backs away from me.

The other one makes a run for the door, but I grab the back of his shirt, slamming him into the wall next to his colleague.

“Who are you?” I demand. “What’s your business with the preacher?”

The two men exchange looks until one of them just blurts it out. “He wanted to hire us to kill his wife.”

“Dammit, Nick,” the other one says, then groans, realizing he’s given me a name.

“Tell me your sins,” I whisper. “Tell me the bad things you’ve done.”

“Fuck you, man,” the one named Nick spits at me. “We don’t gotta tell you shit.”

“Then tell me something good you’ve done and maybe I’ll spare your life.”

Neither man has a response for me.

“I’m going to ask again. Tell me your sins.”

The preacher screams behind us as Raph grips the man’s neck, holding him in the air like he weighs nothing. Raphael’s face is a mask of violent rage as his eyes glow and his fangs glisten.

“Wh-what the fuck!”

I turn to face my prey. “Last chance,” I growl. “Tell me your sins. Tell me now.”

The sour smell of urine reaches me as the one called Nick literally pees himself, trembling against the wall.

“F-fuck,” he stutters. “I’ve done lots of stuff. Stealing, drug deals, shit like that.”

“Murder?”

He nods, his face pale now. “Twice.”

The other man stares at me in terror. Twitching to control my beast, I narrow my eyes.

“Your turn.”

His heart rate kicks up as the scent of fear and panic wafts off of him.

“Oh, you’ve done very bad things, haven’t you?” I ask. “Confess.”

“I-I…” He can barely get the words out as his eyes shift to his partner in crime. “I’m sorry, man.”

“What did you do, Jamie?” Nick asks.

“It-it was me. What happened to Stacy. It was me.”

Nick’s eyes go wide. “You son of a bitch.”

He tears away from the wall, lunging at Jamie and punching him in the face several times. I could stand here and watch them tear each other apart, but it’s boring and will do nothing to cure my bloodlust.

I grab Nick by the collar, tossing him across the room. He lands with an oof, groaning as he watches me press Jamie to the wall.

“You’ve been a bad boy, Jamie.” And then I sink my teeth into his neck.

My eyes flutter as his blood flows into my mouth, but with it comes a flood of memories. A pretty girl with blond hair cowering in fear, three men searching the house for her, loud music pounding in the background.

Another flash as they hold her down and—I blink it away, not wishing to feel the rest of it. I’m pretty sure I know how it ends.

I lose myself to the bloodlust, allowing my beast to take over and drain Jamie first, then I turn on Nick, who is watching the scene, frozen with fear.

“Your turn.” I smile. “Stand up, Nick.”

He doesn’t move, nearly hyperventilating against the wall. Exhaling in a huff, I grab the collar of his t-shirt and lift him up, biting into his neck. His blood is far less sweet, and I’d bet he’s a drug user. They always taste bitter.

As I feed, I see the pretty blond girl again, lifeless in a tub of water, her wrists slashed and bleeding. My beast feeds on Nick’s sadness, his inability to help his sister, his rage at finding out his own friend hurt her.

“Shh, no more pain now,” I whisper as Nick takes his last breath.

I drop Nick’s body and twist around to see Raph shooting a bullet through the head of the preacher. There are no other signs of death, and enough blood was left to make it realistic. He then walks over and shoots both the dead men at my feet.

“Feel better?” Raph asks.

“Yes. All done?”

“All done.”

We leave the building, walking silently through the dark streets. I’m anxious, but also nervous as fuck to get back to Tru. Our earlier interaction left me shaken. Hopefully, it was nothing but a blip.

I won’t allow myself to consider it wasn’t.

Chapter Sixteen

TRU

The creepy feeling of being watched pulls my eyes open. I flinch when I focus on Midnight hovering over me, his face a mask of confusion and…Is that fear?

“Hi,” I whisper. “Are you okay?”

“Where did you get that? That’s mine.”

I follow his eyes to the book I’m clutching like a teddy bear. “Oh. I’m sorry. I was just looking at your bookcase and…” I shrug. “It called to me.”

“Called to you?” he repeats. “What do you mean?”

“It’s hard to explain, but it felt like I had to read it.”

Midnight still looks horrified, his skin paler than usual. When he doesn’t speak, I continue.

“I’m sorry if it was private. It was beautiful. Tragic too. Did you write it? If so, you’re so talented.”

“Talented?” He tilts his head. “What?”

“I assume it’s like a historical novel or something?”

Scoffing, Midnight takes the book from me and stomps off. I hustle after him, watching as he puts it back where it was. He swings around to face me, his gaze intense and serious.

“You may look at anything you wish in this house, but not that, please.”

Nodding, I take a step back. “I’m sorry, Midnight. I didn’t mean to offend you. I should probably go home anyway. I’ve obviously worn out my welcome.”

“No.” He blows out a breath, dragging a hand over his scruff. “You haven’t. That book is just very special and very old. I reacted strongly. My apologies.”

“You don’t owe me an apology. But yeah, I can go.”

“I have your burger.” He smiles, his whole demeanor shifting with the small gesture. “You should eat.”

I nod just as my stomach growls. “Sounds great.”

Midnight holds his hand out towards the door, indicating I should exit first, so I walk down the hallway like a punished child. Once we’re back in the living room, the scent of grilled meat and bacon hits me and I nearly pounce on the bag.

Midnight sits next to me, smiling as I kneel and dig into my meal. “Thorn said this place had the best burgers,” he says.

“I owe Thorn a beer then, ’cause he’s right.” I shove a fry in my mouth then lick ketchup off my finger.

Midnight watches me eat, a passive expression on his handsome features.

“Did everything go okay?” I ask between bites.

“Yeah. It was easy but worth it.”

“Can you tell me about it?”

His eyes narrow slightly, but not like he’s mad. More like he’s trying to figure me out. Good luck, man. I don’t even know what I’m about.

“The target had two men with him. Raphael could have handled it on his own, but it was helpful I showed up. I took out the other two.”

“What did they do?”

“Lots of terrible things. I doubt they’ll be missed.”

I think over his words as I chew. “How does a guy like you become an assassin? I mean, you guys don’t exactly look like thugs.”

“We’re not thugs,” Midnight answers. “We’re skilled at what we do.”

“No offense meant.”

“None taken.” He exhales slowly, glancing out the window for a moment before returning his gaze to me. “It was Yves’s idea. We’re all a bunch of misfits in different ways. He saw our potential as a family and so he created it. As time went on, he had a vision of how we could contribute to the world. Some would see us as monsters. Others would see us as heroes. It depends on the lens.”

“Right.” I chew on a few more fries.

“How do you see us, Tru?”

“Badasses.”

Midnight chuckles. “I’ll accept that.”

I smile, thankful the earlier tension seems to have dissipated. “Any news on Vinni?”

“None yet, but we’ll find him. It’s what we do.”

I huff a breathless laugh. “And to think I did all I could to get away from you when you saved me from Malek.”

“Why is that?”

I shrug. “Out of the frying pan into the fire, I guess. I didn’t know if you were another group who planned to fuck me up, you know?”

“Makes sense.”

“I hated that I was vulnerable too. I think my thirst for vengeance is stronger than my ability.”

“You don’t have to worry now, Tru.”

“Thanks.” I sit back against the couch, finally full. “You don’t eat much?”

“I ate earlier.”

I nod. “Cool.” I don’t know what it is, but things feel weird now. Different from earlier.

“How was your nap?” Midnight asks.

“Great. A little confusing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t remember falling asleep. It’s like I lost a chunk of time.”

“You’re still healing, remember?” he offers.

“Right. Yeah.” I pick at my cuticles for a second. “I saw your music room.”

Midnight freezes, his eyes fixed on me. I can literally feel the tension coming off him.

“I didn’t touch anything. It’s nice. The piano looks very old.”

“It is.”

His response is clipped, and I get the distinct feeling I’ve overstepped again. “Well, um, thanks for dinner. I can Venmo you or something.”

“Venmo?”

“To pay you back.”

“Oh. That’s not necessary.”

“Cool. Well, thanks. I’m gonna get out of here. I should really show my face at home.”

Midnight’s jaw ticks as he says, “I would prefer you stayed.”

“Why, Midnight? I’m obviously in your way.”

“No, you’re not.” His voice softens as his features relax. “I’m just not used to having someone else around. I don’t want you to leave though.”

“Why?”

Midnight leans forward, resting his arms on his knees. “I can’t explain it, but…” His brow creases as his eyes search my face. “I feel better when you’re close.”

“Better how?” I ask, even as my insides are already turning to mush.

Midnight rises from the chair, crossing the space with his elegant gait and settling on the floor before me. He takes my hand in his, and the tiny gesture sends a shiver down my spine. As I gaze into his eyes, I’d swear the colors swirl.

“I don’t know why or how, Tru, but I do believe our paths crossed for a reason. I want to understand why. Don’t you?”

I nod, biting my bottom lip. This close, Midnight is hypnotic, his voice soothing some chaotic mess inside me. His eyes see through to my soul, to who I really am beyond who I’ve been told to be. His lips, full and lush, tempt me to taste them. I find myself swaying closer to him, like I’ve had too much to drink.

“So pretty,” Midnight whispers, sliding his hand up my neck and into my hair. “So…familiar. Do you feel that too?”

“Familiar?”

He nods. “I’m thinking crazy thoughts. I do find you appealing though.”

“Appealing?”

He chuckles. “You’re gorgeous, Tru.”

I can sense the heat moving up my neck and onto my cheeks. It’s not like no one’s ever told me I’m hot before, but something about it coming from Midnight just feels different. Better. Special.

“You’re hot too, Midnight.”

His smile grows. “Thank you.”

As he moves closer, I close my eyes and part my lips, more than ready for him to kiss me, but as his lips land on my forehead, I frown, opening my eyes.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” Midnight teases. “I’m not taking advantage of you.”

“Uh, I didn’t think you were. You didn’t want to kiss me?”

Midnight’s expression softens, practically melting into something so sensual and inviting my stomach actually fucking flutters.

“I do want to kiss you, Tru. Very much so.”

“So do it.”

His hand grips the back of my neck, holding me steady as his gaze roams across my face. “Mon petit chaton féroce. Accepting my kiss is not for the faint of heart. My affection is not casual. I don’t fuck and move on.”

Searching his eyes, I draw closer to him. “Say that again.”

“Which part?”

“The French part.”

“Mon petit chaton féroce?”

Rubbing my knuckles over my sternum, I nod. “I really like that. I wouldn’t like being called a little kitten in English.”

Midnight chuckles. “Fierce little kitten. It’s fitting. What you lack in stature, you make up for in character.”

I laugh, still rubbing my chest. “I feel funny inside when you speak French to me. Maybe because it’s just hot.”

“Perhaps,” Midnight says, lifting my hand and kissing my knuckles.

His warning a few minutes ago knocks around in my head, but in spite of it, I push forward, slamming my lips against his. Midnight stiffens, pulling back abruptly, and I think I know why. If he felt what I did, it was like an electric shock.

I touch my lips. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Midnight whispers, but his eyes are filled with concern. “I think we should—”

A hard knock on the door interrupts him. He rises, moving so quickly I barely register it. I hear muffled voices in the foyer, then Midnight returns.

“I’ll be right back,” he says. “Quick business meeting.”

“Okay.”

He pauses, as if torn between coming back to me and doing what he has to do, so I wave him away.

“I’m fine. Go do what you gotta do.”

“I’ll be back quickly.”

As the door closes behind him, I drop my head onto the couch cushion. Just when I think my life can’t get any more complicated, it does.

Chapter Seventeen

MIDNIGHT

After ensuring Tru is comfortable, I hurry to the common area, summoned by Raphael. When I enter, everyone stops talking and Eros and Thorn are focused on me.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“We have a serious problem,” Eros says.

“We were casing the city looking for the Malice gang, and unfortunately, we found them being hustled into an empty warehouse on the south side by some guys we’ve never seen before,” Thorn explains. “They’ve got Vinni.”

“And?” Yves asks. “How hard could it be to infiltrate a warehouse with thugs?”

“That’s the serious problem,” Eros says, glancing at Thorn.

“They aren’t thugs,” Thorn says. “They’re vampires.”

“Vampires?” Yves pulls his head back. “Impossible. No clan would dare come onto our territory unannounced.”

“Well they did,” Eros says. “For what it’s worth, they didn’t even seem aware of us lurking. They were totally focused on the Malice guys.”

“This is war,” Raphael states, tugging black leather gloves on. “They must want a fight.”

My head spins. “If they kill Vinni, we could lose any track of the tapes.”

“Yeah, but it’s a little worse than that,” Thorn says, glancing at Eros. “We think they must have a witch on their side too. We couldn’t even get close to the building.”

Yves growls, his eyes glowing and fangs descending. “Then those fuckers do know they’re in our territory. Why else would they have a ward in place?”

He stomps off toward his unit without further discussion, but my thoughts are torn between tearing off into the night to find these vampires and hiding Tru away and pretending none of this is happening.

Yves is back mere seconds later. “Get dressed. Viv is on her way. We have some vampires to hunt.”

I hurry back to my place, adrenaline coursing through me, lighting up all my senses. Inside the apartment, it’s eerily quiet. Too quiet. I rush to the bedroom to find Tru, relieved when I see him curled up on my bed. He must be exhausted still from the healing potion Viv gave him.

I head to my closet for a quick clothing change to make sure there’s no lingering blood from the last kill. Don’t want to tip off the vamps. I move as silently as possible so as not to disturb Tru. It’s best he doesn’t wake up right now.

When I exit the closet, I would swear the energy in the room has shifted. I glance around nervously, almost afraid I’ll come face to face with Benedict, but then I shake the thought away. It’s honestly ridiculous to think that his spirit lingers, trapped in a piano, and that after all this time, he would choose to show himself to Tru.

Tru read my diary, but I can’t focus on that now. I have work to do.

Before I leave, I brush his hair from his forehead, whispering a promise to help him. I do believe our lives have intersected for a reason. I just have to figure out what it is.

Seconds later, I join my brothers as we descend the stairs in a flash. Vivienne waits for us on the sidewalk below, dressed in a body-hugging black jumpsuit, her red hair tied back, with a bag slung over her shoulder.

“Ready, boys?” she asks.

“Ready,” Yves says. “There will be bloodshed.”

A smile blooms on Viv’s painted red lips. “I’m here for it. Let’s go.”

Yves scoops up the pretty witch so we can move swiftly without detection. If any mortal was to encounter us, we would appear as nothing more than a passing shadow to them.

We’re across town to the abandoned building in just a few minutes, all of us standing opposite it as the wards block our entrance.

Yves sets Vivienne down and she approaches the invisible shield, holding her hands out over it. Then, with a wicked grin, she looks over her shoulder.

“This is amateur hour. Give me one sec.”

Kneeling down, Viv digs in her bag, producing a small velvet pouch and a vial of liquid. On the ground in front of her she pours some of the powder from the pouch, then adds some of the liquid. It sizzles and emits green smoke, then, like the parting of the sea, the ward splits in two, giving us ample space to pass through it.

Vivienne stands, waving for us to enter it. “I’ll stay here in case it closes,” she says.

“Thank you,” Yves says, kissing the witch on the cheek before proceeding to the front door of the building.

It’s a heavy steel door that isn’t an issue for any of us, but Yves is so mad that his territory is threatened, he tears it off the hinges, flinging it across the overgrown field beside us.

“Oooh, Yves is gonna fuck some vampires up,” Thorn says, grinning with bloodlust. “I love when the boss gets his hands dirty.”

“We all do,” Eros says.

“Just don’t kill Vinni,” I whisper, knowing they all can hear me. “I need his sorry ass.”

“Heard,” Yves growls in response.

We scale the walls in silence since it’s obvious the rusted stairs won’t hold us. On the second floor of the warehouse, a single dim light glows from a room. The closer we get, the louder the voices. The grunts and moans, the metallic scent of blood, and the unique aroma of fear tickles my nose. We might be too late to save Vinni.

Yves kicks the door open and stomps inside. The rest of us are right behind him, ready to face off with whoever is on the other side.

Three vampires turn to face us, fangs out and eyes glowing. All three of them are massive in stature, with white-blond hair, crystal-blue eyes, and skin so pale it’s almost translucent.

Yves’s eyes narrow. “Dimas. What the fuck are you doing in New Onyx without alerting me?”

The middle man, Dimas I presume, offers a sadistic smile. “Because my business has nothing to do with you. I’ll be in and out before you know it.”

Vinni and friends sit slumped on the floor, their hands tied behind their backs, barely conscious.

“Too late,” Yves says. “What do you need with the Malice gang?”

Dimas approaches Yves, but I sense no aggression. Thorn growls just in case.

“Settle down, friends,” Dimas says, glancing at Thorn with appreciation. “The boys here fucked up. Promised a shipment that never made it to me. We had to hunt them down. We’re only here to get what is owed us. We don’t want any problems with the House of Orpheus.”

“Then why didn’t you follow protocol?” Yves demands. “Your ward indicates you were well aware of our presence here.”

“I was, yes,” Dimas answers, gazing at all of us. “I assure you, my intention was to deal with these boys and get out of your way.” Reaching out, he runs his hand down Yves’s neck.

Syn looks ready to tear the vampire’s arm off. Yves steps away from Dimas.

“We need the heavy one in the middle. He cannot die.”

Dimas turns and looks at Vinni, clicking his teeth. “Mm, how unfortunate. He is in quite a bit of trouble. Surely, you would do the same in my place, Yves.”

“Hand him over, vampire,” I seethe. “We have priority here.”

Dimas turns his head slowly to face me, his eyes flashing with anger. “I will not, vampire, until I get what I came for.”

Yves narrows his eyes. “Do not make us force the issue. You know we will.”

The two men behind Dimas grin, clearly more than ready to fight us. Yves turns around to face us.

Get Vinni out. We’ll handle the rest.

Yves’s thoughts reach me and I nod just slightly.

Unfortunately for us, Dimas apparently has the ability too, and makes a run for Vinni. Syn and Yves descend on the vampire while the other two rush me, Raphael, and Eros.

Fists fly and bodies wrestle as all hell breaks loose. While fighting off the asshole trying to rip my throat out, I struggle to keep an eye on Vinni. He’s still against the wall, and I swear to Hades, he better not die or Dimas and his crew will not live to see another moon.

The vampire above me slashes his nails across my face, and I hiss in pain before throwing him across the room. Back on my feet, I stalk after him, ready to tear him apart. I lunge at him, tearing at his flesh, and blocking his teeth from my neck. He bites into my forearm, and I bite his bicep, spitting his own blood in his face.

He throws me off him, but I’m right back for more, ready to drive the crowbar by my feet through his heart, but then Dimas lets out a shriek that shakes the stone walls.

All fighting stops and we look at the wall where the gang was, but they’re gone. They got away.

Dimas flings himself out the window before the rest of us can even react, but once we snap out of it, we quickly follow him. Down on the ground, we sniff the air, but as exhaust fumes fill my nose, I turn to see Vinni and crew speeding away. We could catch up with him easily, but I’m just relieved knowing he’s not dead. Not yet, anyway.

Dimas twists to face Yves, his face filled with rage. “You let him escape.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” Yves retorts.

“What does he have that is so important anyway?” Syn demands.

Dimas wipes blood from his lip even as it begins to heal. Injuries from other vampires take longer. “A vast sum of money,” Dimas says. “I supplied him with documents he neglected to pay for.”

“Documents for what?” Eros asks. “Are you part of their trafficking ring?”

“I have no idea what he wants them for, nor do I give a fuck. I’m not part of anything. I provide a service.”

I surge forward, ready to squeeze the vampire’s neck, but Thorn holds me back. Dimas laughs. “Ah, vampires with morals? How quaint.” Dimas steps toward Yves. “The sooner

you realize the mortals are trash, the easier it is to deal with them.”

“You were mortal once,” Raphael says.

“Sadly, yes, but look at me now.”

Yves ignores the comment. “You need to leave, Dimas. If you have business with Malice, you call them to you. Not the other way around.”

“Not very hospitable, Yves-y. Where are your manners?”

“I’m warning you, Dimas.”

He huffs with a pouty look on his face. “Fine. I was wrong coming here without notifying you. I apologize.”

“Thank you, but you still have to go.”

“But I need the money.”

“We’ll get it for you,” I call out. “Vinni owes us stuff too. If we promise, will you let us handle him?”

Dimas gazes at me as if considering my question. “Yves has always been a man of his word. I will leave if you promise to keep me updated if the money isn’t found.”

“It’ll be found,” Yves says, his face stoic.

Dimas nods, motioning to his friends. “Come along then.” He reaches out and touches Yves’s face again, drawing Syn’s protectiveness to the surface, but Yves doesn’t even flinch. “Good to see you.”

“Goodbye, Dimas,” Yves says.

The three vampires take off, disappearing into the night. Thorn releases my arm once I relax.

“Who the fuck is that douchebag?” Syn asks.

Yves exhales, twisting his neck back and forth. “An old friend. Former friend.”

“Did you fuck?” Thorn teases with a grin.

“No. We did not. Not for lack of trying on Dimas’s part. He never sat right with me. There’s something unhinged about his energy that makes me wary.”

“If he touched you one more time I was going to tear his arm off,” Syn growls.

Yves smiles. “Save your protective streak for your mate. I can handle Dimas.”

“I still don’t like it,” Syn grumbles.

“Yeah, he’s gross,” Eros says.

“Bad vibes,” Thorn agrees.

“At least he didn’t kill Vinni,” is all I have to say. “Now, we have to find him. We need those tapes and the money to keep Dimas out of our territory.”

“Go back and be with Tru,” Thorn says, patting my back. “I’m fired up after that interaction. I need to burn some energy off. I can start hunting.”

“I’ll stay with Thorn,” Eros offers.

“But I should go with you,” I say.

Yves grips my shoulder. “Thorn is right. Let them hunt. You’ll be called when Vinni is found.”

Exhaling slowly, I nod. “Okay.”

Reluctantly, I let them lead me back while Yves and Syn catch Viv up on what went down. By the time I enter my unit and kick off my shoes, I’m ready to sink into bed next to Tru, but when I enter the bedroom, it’s empty.

Tru is gone.

Chapter Eighteen

TRU

Gah, I hope Midnight finds the note I left. I couldn’t sit still anymore. Not when my brain wouldn’t stop taunting me with thoughts of Vinni getting away with all of this. The nightmare I had of waking up and finding the scandal all over the news pushed me over the edge. I have to do something. I can’t sit around waiting for Midnight to act.

Guilt tugs at my chest. He’s been so awesome, and I just took off like a dickhead. Ugh. What is my problem with getting close to people? Midnight is too perfect, too gorgeous, too…special. If I’m honest with myself, I know my panic isn’t only about Vinni. It’s about my growing need to be close to Midnight. It’s the images every time I close my eyes of the two of us tangled in the sheets, our bodies moving in sync, our breaths shared.

The weirdest part of it all is how familiar it feels. It takes me months to get naked with someone—I’ve known Midnight for barely a week. Hell, most of that time was just fleeting interactions. So why does it feel like he’s in my veins, flowing like blood, sustaining me?

I had to get out of there. Had to break away from how good he smells. Had to shake off the weird tingling I get when I touch his things. Finding Vinni was just a good excuse.

But the streets are quiet tonight. I wonder if the cops are lingering around or something. The usual clusters of troublemakers are absent. Even the streets where the sex workers hang out are mostly empty. It’s like something came in and scared everyone away.

As I walk, hands shoved in the pockets of my jacket, I swear I see a shadow up ahead, but when I blink, it’s gone. Now I’m seeing shit. Cool.

I shake my head to clear my thoughts, then head down the street where Vinni and his gang usually are, but the warehouse is silent. Where the fuck is he?

Pausing on the sidewalk, I consider where I should go next. I could try the dive bar they sometimes go to, but the owner is armed and doesn’t put up with any drama.

A hand on my shoulder from behind makes me gasp. I turn around swinging on whoever it is, only to find Thorn. He grabs my fist, gently lowering it with a wide smile on his face.

“What are you doing out here without Midnight?”

I step back, annoyed. “I’m allowed to go places without Midnight.”

Thorn tilts his head. “Yeah? Are you allowed to hunt without us? I thought you agreed to let us help?”

Squaring my shoulders, I jut my chin out in defiance. “So help then.”

“What do you think we’re doing?”

Eros drops from a building above, landing softly, his eyes wide and my eyes, well, I’m not sure if they just popped out of my head but it sure the fuck felt like it.

“Oh. Hey, Tru,” Eros says, casually.

“How did you—” I shake my head. Pretty sure I don’t want to know how he did that. “Nothing.”

“Midnight is worried sick,” Eros says with a smile that manages to be terrifying instead of comforting.

“I left a note.”

“Uh huh, a note that said, ‘be back soon.’ Would that work on you?”

Thorn chuckles. “Mortals.”

I pull my head back. “What?”

“Midnight will be here in a few moments,” Eros says, nudging Thorn with his arm.

“Is something going on?” I ask. “It’s weirdly quiet around here tonight.”

“We thought so too,” Eros says. “We didn’t find anything, so it must be an off night.”

I sense Midnight’s presence before I see him, his footfalls quickly approaching. As I turn around, Midnight rounds the corner, his trench coat billowing in the breeze, a stern expression on his face. As soon as he spots me, his features relax. He was worried about me. That’s kind of sweet.

Without words, he stomps toward me, grabs me around the waist and throws me over his shoulder like some kind of goddamn caveman. I hear Eros and Thorn snickering, but I can’t bring myself to look up at them.

“Midnight.” I say his name calmly.

“No,” is all he says in return.

That’s my cue to stay silent until we get home, which seems to happen much faster than it should. Midnight doesn’t set me down until we’re back in his living room. He paces in front of me, huffing breaths through his nose and dragging his hand through his hair.

“Why do you torture me?” he finally asks.

“Torture?”

Exhaling a slow breath, he shakes his shoulders out. “Tru, I thought we had an understanding.”

“We did. I mean, we do, but I just…” I pause, unable to hold back the defiant part of me. “You’re not my dad.”

Midnight scoffs. “Obviously not.”

I blink and he’s suddenly right in front of me. Damn, this guy moves fast.

“Apparently you don’t understand that I care about you and your safety. There are…threats out there. Threats you aren’t even aware of. You could’ve been hurt, Tru.”

Biting my bottom lip, I nod as tears cloud my eyes. Midnight brushes his thumb across my cheek.

“I’ve upset you.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You’re right. It was stupid. I just…I feel so helpless.”

“I understand.”

“Do you? Have you ever been helpless a day in your life?”

Midnight’s features immediately cloud over. “There was a time in my life when I was truly helpless. It lasted for years until Yves rescued me.”

“Oh?”

Midnight nods, but there’s something in his eyes I can’t read. A secret, maybe. “Someday, maybe I’ll tell you about it.” Cupping my cheek, he presses our foreheads together. “Can you just trust me a little longer? Please.”

“Yeah.”

He pulls back, gazing into my eyes, and in them I see all the things I want to be true. I see possibilities, affection, a future.

Launching myself into his arms, we fall to the floor as I smash my mouth into his. This time I don’t sense any resistance from him as he parts his lips to let me in. Our tongues tangled, teeth clashing, I shamelessly grind against him, gasping when his erection bumps into mine.

“Tru,” he whispers against my lips.

“Don’t stop me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Mmhmm,” I murmur as I drag my lips from his mouth to his neck. “So much.”

Midnight flips us over so he’s above me. He searches my eyes and as he does, I’d swear this exact moment has happened before. This is some serious déjà vu.

“Whoa,” I whisper.

“What?”

Shaking my head, I smile. “Nothing big. Just…I get all these weird déjà vu moments around you. Like we’ve been here before.”

Midnight doesn’t say anything, but his brow creases.

“I know it’s impossible. It’s just a vibe, that’s all.” Reaching up, I rub the back of his neck. “I want you though, Midnight. Do you want me too?”

“Yes.”

“Here I am.”

Disappointment smacks into my chest when Midnight pulls away, but it’s gone quickly enough. He grips my wrist, gently pulling me to my feet.

“Go to my bedroom. I’ll be right there.”

I practically skip down the hall, stripping out of my clothes. It’s been longer than I want to admit since I’ve hooked up with someone. Not since before things went down with Lucia.

Completely naked, I dive into the bed, laying myself out like a carnal offering to him. I close my eyes, inhaling Midnight’s scent, feeling him in the room more than seeing him.

The bed dips and his body casts a shadow over me. “Open your eyes.”

I do, gasping when I see his face. He looks…different. Somehow more perfect than usual. More intense for sure.

As Midnight’s eyes roam across my bare body, instead of feeling self-conscious, I feel like a god. Before I can say anything, Midnight is on me, claiming my lips in a heated kiss. I wrap my body around his, rubbing against him even though he’s still clothed.

His kiss is almost overwhelming, like he’s claiming parts of me beyond my body. I’ve never felt tingles and shivers dancing across my skin from just a kiss.

“Tru,” Midnight whispers as he grinds against me, kissing and gently nibbling at my neck.

I struggle between us, fumbling with his zipper to get his jeans off. He finally helps me, wiggling his hips and then kicking them off. When his rock-hard cock bumps against mine, I arch my back off the bed, desperate to get closer, to ease the tension building deep within me while he pulls his shirt over his head.

“Midnight,” I cry out, rutting against him as he holds me tight, his face buried in the crook of my neck.

I dig my nails into his shoulders and he bites me a little harder, sending another shock through me. Why does it feel like this with him?

“Fuck, I want you inside me, Midnight. Please.”

Midnight moans in response. “I bet you feel amazing.”

“Find out. Take me.”

“Patience, chaton féroce.

“Unf. I love when you speak French to me.”

“Veux tu…tu veux que je te chuchotes des pensées coquines?”

“No idea what that means, but yes, keep doing it.”

Midnight chuckles. “Mon beau trésor, mon doux chéri, mon tendre désir. Ma raison d’être ruiné.”

My chest tightens with his words, both foreign yet somehow completely familiar.

“More,” I beg.

“L’objet de mon plaisir. Mon chéri, ma faiblesse.” He kisses my neck. “Ma joie.”

Our bodies move in sync, both of us breathing hard and stealing kisses as we chase an orgasm. I want him inside me, on top of me, all around me. His words, his kisses, leave me breathless and dizzy.

Midnight hooks his arm under my knee, pulling it up so we get even closer. With my eyes closed, I fall over the edge, clinging to Midnight as words I’ve never spoken before slip from my lips.

“Mon prince ténébreux.”

Midnight stills, his arms tightening around me, our bodies sticky with my release.

“Tru,” he whispers, my name dragging slightly. “How did you…”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “It just came out of me. I don’t speak French.”

It takes several seconds for Midnight to look up, his eyes searching mine.

“Do you feel weird when we touch too?” I ask. “Like, I don’t know, a shock of electricity?”

His mouth falls open. “Yes.”

“There’s a connection of some kind between us. Do you believe in soulmates, Midnight?”

“No. I used to, but…I don’t know anymore.”

“But you have to admit something is happening between us. Right? Or am I just going crazy?”

“Something is happening,” he admits. “I’ve made a mess of you.”

I’m all too aware of his attempt to change the subject. “Do you regret being with me?”

“No,” he answers quickly. “Absolutely not. It was wonderful.”

“Is it over? Was it one and done?”

Midnight shifts his gaze away from me as he sits up. “I desire you, Tru. I enjoy your company. I want to get to know you more.”

“But?”

“It’s difficult for me to open up. It’s been a very long time since I’ve even wanted to, and that ended in tragedy. The only thing I’ve ever been afraid of is loving someone who can’t love me back.”

“Love? Isn’t that kind of rushing it a little?”

“I don’t enter relationships with any other intention.” He smiles. “How about a bath?”

“You didn’t come, did you?”

“No,” he answers, shaking his head. “Your pleasure was more than enough for me. Bath?”

“Are you going to join me?” I ask.

“If I’m invited, then I would love to.”

“You’re invited.”

Midnight climbs off the bed and heads to the bathroom, leaving me with my chaotic thoughts. He feels what I feel but he’s obviously worried about pursuing it. Which makes sense, I guess. I’m living a double life. What can I offer a man like Midnight long term? I can’t even tell my parents I like dudes.

Rubbing my forehead, I imagine my normal life with Midnight next to me. Attending charity events, always being aware of everyone’s eyes on you, the fake smiles and people sucking up to my family. No. He doesn’t fit there, but neither do I. I like it here in his world. Sure, it’s dark and there’s murder, but he’s free to do as he wants. He’s got a family he adores. Could I fit in with him? Would his brothers accept me? Could I finally figure out how to step into being the man I’m meant to be?

And if I did, would Midnight want to be there with me?

Chapter Nineteen

MIDNIGHT

Ihope the water is perfect for him. It’s difficult for me to gauge how hot is too hot for a mortal. While dragging my hand through the water, my thoughts replay. Touching him, kissing him, it was…like a perfect memory. So familiar, but also new. I desperately wanted to enter him, be inside his body, merge with him, but the small remaining bit of honor within me wouldn’t allow it.

Not until he knows what I am and I know if he can accept me.

His disappearance earlier made it clear that I am deeply invested in his safety, but it was more than that. I felt his absence in the depths of my core. Cutting off an appendage would be more comfortable than being without him. Which is a problem. A very big problem.

Tru has a life and a family. Could he give that up to join my world? Would he? These are the questions I have to know the answers to before I can move forward.

Tru appears in the doorway, naked, his hair strewn wildly around his face, his flesh stained with dry cum. Fuck. Just the sight of him like that, knowing I did it, stirs my beast. Holding in my bite took an act of unnatural strength, and with him standing so close, his desire still pouring off him, his eyes silently offering his body once again, I have to wonder whether I’m strong or fucking insane.

Tru smiles, his eyes taking me in. “When’s the last time you took a bath with someone?”

“I can’t remember.” Centuries, I’m sure. “You?”

“Never.” He grins, but as his cheeks turn pink, the desire to snatch him up and hide him away so he never looks like that at anyone but me is strong. “I’ve always wanted to though. It looks fun in the movies.”

“I hope it doesn’t disappoint.”

Tru walks closer, but his steps are tentative. “I doubt you could disappoint me.” When he reaches me, he stands between my legs, his fingers carding through my hair. “Can I say something probably kind of weird?”

“Yes.”

“Earlier you told me that when I’m close you feel better.”

I nod.

“Well, I feel…different. Like there’s some kind of unexplored part of me you’re helping me discover. Almost like I buried a version of me that wants to come out now.”

“You’re safe with me, Tru. You can be whoever you want.”

“Can I?” He bites his bottom lip. “It scares me a little. It took me a long time to accept what I am.”

“Gay?”

Tru shrugs. “Sure, but…” He smiles. “I want to get in that water.”

“Let’s do that.”

Taking his hand, I help him balance as he steps in.

“Ooh, yeah, it’s so hot.”

“Not too hot?”

“No, I love it.”

I join him, sitting opposite and giving him space for his legs on either side of me as he sinks down into the bubbly water.

“This feels incredible,” he whispers, his eyes closing as he drags his hands through the water.

I remain silent, simply soaking in this moment, wondering—hoping—it will last.

“I get scared sometimes,” Tru says softly. “Scared of what would happen to me if I really stopped holding back who I am inside. I lead a life that’s completely fake, and being here with you is the closest to authentic I’ve ever felt.” He chuckles, dragging a wet hand through his hair. “And that’s so weird. We barely know each other, but on some level it feels like I’ve known you forever.”

“Do you think your parents would reject you if they knew?”

“I’m not sure, honestly, but I know I could never be out publicly. People would use it to hurt my dad.” His brow furrows. “It’s fucking stupid that in this day and age, people still get twisted over someone’s sexuality. Why should it matter?”

“It shouldn’t.” I lift one of his legs from the water and gently massage his calf and foot. “You’re welcome here though, Tru. You can be whoever you want with me.”

“That’s not really true. It bothers you that I’m not out to my parents.”

“It’s none of my business.”

“But?”

“Let it go. My personal feelings about it don’t matter right now.”

“But they do.” Tru sits up. “That’s why you’re holding back, isn’t it?”

“No.” Not entirely.

“Please don’t keep things from me, Midnight. If you don’t like me enough—”

“That’s ridiculous. You know I like you. We just had sex. How am I holding back?”

Tru leans back again, his eyes trained on mine. “I can just feel it. The part of you that you protect, that you hide away from most people, you’re hiding it from me too. So tell me, Midnight, how can I be me, when you aren’t being you?”

“We’re on different journeys.”

Tru huffs a laugh. “Fine. I’ll drop it for now. Tell me where you got that name. Midnight isn’t a normal name.”

“A friend of mine from a long time ago called me that because I stayed awake all night and slept all day. He said my favorite time of day was Midnight. Then it just stuck.”

Tru nods, still searching my eyes. “Then what’s your real name?”

I gaze back at him for a silent moment, considering the weight of all the things I want to tell him but can’t bring myself to. My given name is innocent enough, I suppose.

“Leander.”

“Leander,” Tru repeats. “Leander,” he whispers again, his eyelids fluttering as a smile pulls at his lips. His hand moves to his chest, rubbing in circles.

“Are you okay, Tru?”

He nods. “Yeah. I guess I just like the name, but it doesn’t feel like you. Midnight is better.”

“Thanks.”

I continue massaging his feet as he floats across from me, eyes closed and face relaxed.

“Should we talk about how I randomly spoke French earlier?” Tru asks after several silent moments.

“What is there to talk about?”

“Oh I don’t know. The fact that I don’t speak French, have never taken a French class, but all of a sudden, a whole-ass phrase comes out of my mouth?”

“You must have heard it somewhere before.” The memory of his words washes over me again, jarring me like I saw a ghost. I almost feel like I did. Benedict used to call me his dark prince all the time.

“Let’s say I did hear it somewhere,” Tru says. “Why the fuck would I repeat it during sex with you?”

“How would I know, Tru?”

“Sorry.” He blows out a breath. “It’s just a little freaky, that’s all.”

“It is,” I admit. Now I wish I hadn’t erased his memory about the piano. Maybe there really is a ghost and it’s affecting him. It would be just like Benedict to decide after all this time to haunt me.

We fall into a silence that I wish were comfortable, but it’s far from that. It’s filled with unspoken words and emotions. My desire to keep him close to me swirls between us, the beast inside me ready to claim him for eternity.

And fuck me if I can understand why I have this reaction to him.

Chapter Twenty

TRU

Time feels like it has no meaning. The hot water soothing my worn muscles combined with the man across from me still massaging my calves and feet is like stepping into some alternate reality where I can be out and into a guy.

The sex we had earlier replays in my head, my cock hardening with desire again, a situation Midnight definitely notices. The sexy smile on his face as his hands move up and down my legs sends ripples across my skin.

“Have you ever been in love?” I ask, shaking my head when the words leave my mouth. “I was only thinking about it. I didn’t mean to ask it out loud.”

“Why? Do you not really want to know the answer?”

“I do, but it’s not my business. Unless you want to tell me.”

Midnight shifts in the water, leaning back as he places my feet on his stomach, his erection rubbing against the backs of my legs.

“Yes,” he says quietly. “Once. A long time ago.”

“Was it, like, true love?”

“It was…all encompassing. It was torrid and clandestine. It was, ultimately, my ruin.”

I nod, studying the faraway expression on his face. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to hit a nerve.”

“It’s okay. You’ve shared your body with me. The very least I can do is answer your questions.”

“That’s why you’re hesitant about opening up to me? Because you’re still hurt?”

“I’m not hurt anymore. I’ve made a certain peace with what happened, but I intend to learn from my mistakes. Sometimes…” His words trail off as he runs his hands over my skin. “If I’m honest, Tru, there is a part of me that desperately wants to spill all my secrets to you. Unfortunately, self-preservation prevents it.”

“So you think I won’t accept you. You think you could be something I would judge? I already know what you do for work and I’m fine. What else could there be?”

Midnight scoffs. “I wish it were that simple.” Sitting up slightly, he reaches for my hand. “Get to know me more. Really pay attention. If you decide you want to pursue something with me, something real, then I promise I’ll tell you everything about me.”

“Shouldn’t that be the other way around?” I ask. “It’s not really fair to get me hooked and then drop a bomb on me, is it?”

His face goes blank for a second. “I never looked at it that way.”

Leaning forward, I close the space between us, climbing onto Midnight’s lap. His hands move down my back to my ass, squeezing gently as he fixes his gaze on me. “I want to know all your secrets.”

I press my lips to his, sinking against his body as he wraps his arms tightly around me. As usual, the tingles start up again as soon as he opens his mouth to me.

“Tru,” he whispers, rubbing his thick cock against mine.

Gripping his shoulders, I climb up his body as much as I can, the slickness of the soapy water slowing me down. Midnight digs his fingers into my hips, lifting me easily, and I gasp as he presses kisses to my belly.

“Oh fuck,” I moan as Midnight closes his lips around the head of my cock. I throw my head back with my hands pressed to the tiled wall for support, but on some level I already know there’s no way Midnight would let me slip.

I’d swear the man is attempting to swallow me whole with the way he hungrily sucks my entire length down his throat, and hell, maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. My fingers move to his thick hair, tangling and twisting his waves as shivers of ecstasy roll through me. I can honestly say I’ve never felt this good during sex.

As I cling to Midnight, memories that don’t feel like mine flash through my mind, leaving me breathless.

Stolen kisses in a grand ballroom.

Lovers running through the woods with lanterns.

Passionate lovemaking in luxurious bedding.

They’re like historical movie scenes playing in my mind. None of them makes sense, but there’s a feeling of peace and rightness about them.

Mon prince ténébreux.

I hear the words in my head. In my voice.

Mon chaton féroce, mon chéri. Midnight.

I’m jarred back to the moment as my orgasm rumbles through me, bursting out with so much pressure that I shout Midnight’s name as he sucks my length down his throat, swallowing every drop I give him.

With no energy left to hold myself up, I slump into his arms, finding myself wrapped in a towel and carried to the bed moments later.

“Want to make you come too,” I murmur. “Not fair.”

Midnight chuckles. “Do not worry your pretty head about me. I am happy.”

Is he telling the truth? What guy is happy just getting his partner off?

Midnight lies beside me, the two of us on our sides facing each other. He brushes my hair off my forehead, his eyes roaming across my face. A jumble of words fills my mind, but only one sentence makes it out.

“Tell me about the man you loved. Tell me everything.”

Chapter Twenty-One

MIDNIGHT

Tru’s request unnerves me. I haven’t told anyone outside of my brothers about Benedict, but if I intend to keep this beautiful man close to me, and I do, then I owe him a bit of honesty.

The truth, however, isn’t easy to reveal. How can I tell him what went wrong without exposing secrets I’m not ready to share? But then again, what right do I have to hear his secrets, taste his kiss, or enjoy his body, if I can’t be honest? How do I tell the truth but hide it at the same time?

“Where did you meet him?” Tru asks, breaking the ice.

“At a party. He was outside alone. I stepped out for some air and found him there.”

“Was it love at first sight?”

“For one of us, yes.” The memories rush back, tightening my chest. “I had never seen someone so beautiful until that night.”

“What was beautiful about him?” Tru asks, dragging his fingers down my chest.

“Physically, he was stunning. He had blond curls and green eyes, flawless skin, and a pretty pink mouth.”

“You have a thing for blonds then?” Tru asks, winking.

I chuckle. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

“Tell me more, Midnight.”

“Benedict was very intelligent, but not in the boring academic way of so many other smart people. He was worldly, but curious. He devoured knowledge simply for his own enrichment.”

“So hot and smart. I get it.”

“He was both. I pursued him aggressively, nearly obsessed with getting close to him.”

Tru watches me as I speak, his eyes searching mine, his attention somehow drawing the words from my lips.

“I’ve never spoken about him since it ended. It hurt too much, but I want to tell you about him.”

“I’m listening.”

Nodding, I play with Tru’s fingers as I continue. “Benedict came from a powerful family. His father practically owned the city.”

“What city?”

“Marseille in France.”

“France,” Tru whispers.

“We shared so many beautiful nights together,” I continue. “Which suited me.”

“You always preferred midnight,” Tru says.

“Yes, but as time went on, I knew I wanted to be with him forever. I confessed my undying love, told him all my secrets and flaws. I felt safe.”

Tru’s brow crinkles. “What happened?”

“He couldn’t accept…aspects of who I am.” My chest twists with the pain I still keep there. “Not only that, but he wouldn’t ever tell his family about his desires.”

Tru’s expression is pure sadness. “Shit.”

“But he loved me, and I loved him. He tried, he really did, but when faced with the reality of what life would be like with me, he chose…” Unable to speak the words, I fall silent, pressing my forehead to Tru’s chest.

Tru’s hand cards through my hair as he kisses the top of my head. “What did he choose, Midnight? You can tell me.”

Can I? Painful memories rack my body, the beast within me crying out for the one true love we lost. Yet, right now, with Tru’s warm body wrapped around me, I feel able to push on. To speak the words that have been buried inside me for centuries.

“He, um, he…” I clear my throat as my voice breaks. “He chose death.”

Tru gasps, then blows out a shaky breath. “Fuck. Oh, shit. Midnight. I’m so sorry.”

“I never forgave myself for robbing the world of his beauty,” I whisper, clinging to Tru now. “It was my fault. I pushed him to make such a terrible choice, when I should have just left. As soon as I knew we could never be…Why didn’t I leave?”

“Because you loved him,” Tru says, pulling back enough to cup my face. “You loved him.”

“I destroyed him, Tru.”

“I don’t understand. You told him something about yourself and he couldn’t accept it? That’s on him, not you. Not to speak ill of the dead, but fuck that, Midnight. Love is acceptance. Warts and all.”

I shake my head. “It’s not that simple.”

“You told me you murder people for a living. What could possibly be more intense than that?”

“It’s not what I do. It’s who I am.”

“I call bullshit, Midnight. If you really love someone, you accept all parts of them. Unless you, like, kick puppies or something.”

“No.”

“Right. You kill bad guys.”

Closing my eyes, I know I have to tell him the truth for this to go any further. “I want to tell you, Tru, but I’m scared I’ll lose you too.”

“Well, no offense, you’re hot and all, but I’m not taking myself out for anyone.”

His answer draws a small laugh from me. “That’s good. You’re very strong.”

“Yeah, I am. Maybe stronger than Benedict. Maybe…” He pauses, clearly thinking over his words before speaking them. “I don’t know, Midnight. All of this is weird as fuck. The way we met, the way we connect with each other. You don’t scare me. Nothing about you could scare me.”

“I desperately want to believe you.”

“So believe me. Trust me.” He takes my hand and puts it on his chest over his heart, and the move stuns me. I’d swear electricity pricks across my skin. Tru must feel it too as his eyes go wide. “See?” he says. “We’re connected by something neither of us understand. I think we were meant to meet. Maybe we’re even meant to fall in love.”

“That would be incredible.”

“I told you before, Midnight, and I meant what I said. I will tell my parents. The more time I spend with you, the less I want to go back to that old life. You’ve made me see there could be something else. Something more. Something exciting.”

The tiny well of hope in me bubbles with life. “Do you mean it?”

He nods. “I do. I really do. I always told myself that if I met someone special, I would come out. I never thought I would, honestly, but I’d be an idiot to deny what’s obviously happening between us. Assuming you feel the same.”

“I do.”

Tru’s face lights up with his pretty smile. “Good. You can trust me, Midnight. Whatever secret you have that you think is too much for me, I want you to know it’s not. I can handle it because I want to be here with you. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it together.”

As I search his eyes, a sense of peace I haven’t felt in centuries washes over me, and with every ounce of courage in me, I part my lips to confess to him.

“Tru, you may find this hard to believe but I swear on all the planets and the stars and Hades himself, it is true.”

Tru nods, holding my hands to his chest.

“I am, um…” I blow out a breath. “It’s not easy to say.”

“Take your time,” Tru says softly.

Nodding, I close my eyes for a moment to hold back the parts of me that want to show themselves physically. The very idea of him believing me, accepting me, makes my gums throb, desperate to release my fangs and taste his essence. Could it happen?

“Okay. Tru. I’m a—”

The front door blows open and Syn steps through, followed quickly by Thorn and Bowie. I’m out of bed before they can make it to the bedroom. Bowie blushes, glancing away when he sees my naked body.

“What the fuck, guys. Can you knock?”

“No time for knocking,” Syn says. “Two of the guys that were with Vinni showed up dead under the North Bridge.”

“Vinni?” Tru asks, appearing next to me with a towel around his waist. “Did you find him?”

“No,” Syn answers. “But we have concerns that he’s in trouble and someone else is going to get to him before we do.”

“I can’t let that happen,” Tru says.

“That’s why we’re here, little madman,” Thorn says.

“Who are you calling a madman?” I ask.

“Tru, obviously. Dude is feisty for a little guy. It’s not an insult.”

“I can live with that nickname,” Tru says, “but we gotta find Vinni.”

I blow out a breath. “Give us five minutes to put clothes on.”

“Sorry,” Bowie groans.

I wave my hand to dismiss his apology. Syn was right to interrupt. Everything we’re working for goes to shit if someone takes out Vinni before we get the answers we need.

“Raincheck to continue this conversation when we get back,” Tru says, kissing my cheek. “Let’s go find us a piece-of-shit gang member.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

TRU

Barely thirty minutes later, Syn stops the SUV near the North Bridge and we all pile out onto the sidewalk. Fuck, I forgot how shitty this part of town is after being insulated from it at Midnight’s place. The smell of urine and body odor is a scent I could do without for the rest of my life. It must be awful down here at the height of summer.

Midnight has his hand wrapped around mine as we all walk together like one big shadow. It doesn’t take long for me to notice that the guys don’t make any sound. No loud breathing, barely any footfalls. The only person making noise at all is me. Weird.

We make it to the bridge and the metallic smell of blood mixed with dirt makes me gag. Midnight rubs my back, unaffected, but that makes sense given his profession. The two bodies are mutilated—missing fingers, numerous slashes covering visible skin, and their faces are close to unrecognizable. But they both have the telltale Malice tattoo on their necks, the giant M with a dagger through it.

Thorn kneels down beside one of the bodies, sniffing at it, then looks up at Syn and Midnight and nods.

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“What?” Midnight asks.

“Why is Thorn nodding? Is there a question I missed?”

Thorn, still kneeling, tilts his head, a borderline manic smile on his face. “Do tell, Midnight.”

“Stop it, Thorn,” Syn growls.

“What is going on right now? I feel like I’m being left out of an inside joke.”

“There is no joke,” Midnight says, glaring at Thorn before turning to me with much softer eyes. “Apologies, Tru. Given our work and the amount of time spent together, we’re often able to understand unspoken words.”

“Uh huh.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Go on.”

“We discovered some unwelcome visitors to New Onyx, also looking for Malice. We think they’re behind this killing.”

Narrowing my eyes, I step back. “And you didn’t think this was information I needed?”

“No, because Yves made an arrangement with them to leave Malice to us.”

“Well, obviously that worked out great.” With a huff, I stomp off, unsure where I’m going, but so close to falling apart that I don’t know what else to do.

I reach the end of the parking lot just as my legs fail me and I drop to my knees, giving in to the pain in my chest. My entire body shakes with unshed tears. I’m not gonna be able to fix this. Then what?

“Tru.”

“Leave me alone, Midnight.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible and you know it.”

“You’re keeping shit from me. I think I should go home.”

“No. Please, Tru.”

He kneels in front of me, pulling my hands away from my face, but I scoot back. “Don’t. I can’t handle this. I’m in way over my head, and now…Vinni’s probably dead. Who knows where the tapes are. My family is going to be ruined, Midnight, and there’s nothing I can do to fix this.”

“Hey,” he says softly, stroking my cheek with soft fingers. “Deep breaths.”

I release a few shaky breaths until the shaking finally stops and I slump against Midnight. He wraps his arms around me, and instead of pulling away, I climb onto his lap, letting him hold me and stroke my hair.

“You’re not doing this alone,” he whispers. “You’ll never do anything alone as long as I’m around.”

The tears finally fall, which only pisses me off. Some badass I am.

“Quiet your thoughts, chaton lféroce. You are so strong and brave, but I’m here too. My family is here. We’ll figure this out.”

Sniffing, I wipe my face. “Are you sure?”

Midnight pulls back enough to meet my gaze. “Absolutely. This is literally what I do for a living. Our clients hire us because no one ever gets away. Do you understand that, Tru? We will not rest until our target is eliminated. There’s a reason Vinni isn’t there with his dead friends. The attackers kept him alive. We’ll find him.”

I nod. “Yeah. Okay.”

He cups my face, gazing into my eyes, and suddenly I feel warm and calm, like curling up with a blanket and cocoa. “You’re an enigma, Midnight.”

“I promise I’ll tell you all my secrets. I just need you to trust me and know I would never harm you.”

“I know that. I do.”

“Good. Are you ready to rejoin the guys?”

“Yeah.”

Midnight helps me to my feet, and with his hand on my lower back, leads me back to the group. Syn is on the phone with his head down, Bowie lingering close to him.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Thorn says.

“You didn’t. It’s just the whole situation that got to me.”

“We have an idea where our friend Vinni could be,” Syn says after ending the call. “Let’s go.”

Our group heads back toward the SUV, but instead of getting in, we walk past it and into the worst part of town in New Onyx. Without Midnight, there’s no way I would come here on my own. People die just for turning down the wrong street.

After walking for several minutes, Syn stops in front of an abandoned house. Bowie clings to Syn’s arm and a quiet conversation passes between them. Syn turns back to the rest of us standing nearby.

“Go to the apartment building on Nevermore,” Syn says. “We’ll catch up.”

“You got it,” Thorn says, nodding his head in the direction we should walk.

“What’s happening?” I whisper to Midnight.

“That’s Bowie’s old family home,” he explains. “Some really bad shit went down there. My guess is Bowie just needed a minute.”

“Gotcha.”

Thorn twirls and dances down the sidewalk, completely at odds with the way he’s dressed. He looks like…well, like an assassin, but he acts like a teenager on his way to an epic house party.

“Do you think we’ll get to kill anyone tonight?” Thorn asks, his tone almost like a song. “I need it.”

“Not Vinni,” I say. “Not until I get what I need.”

“Copy that, little madman,” Thorn says, grinning. “But there’s more losers than just Vinni out here.”

“Feel free to kill anyone you like,” Midnight answers. “Just not Vinni, as our little madman stated.”

I find myself grinning at the nickname. I guess I am a little unhinged for believing I could take these guys on by myself.

When we finally reach the apartment building Syn mentioned, we stop on the sidewalk, just looking at the darkened building.

“It’s a notorious drug den,” Thorn says, rubbing his hands together. “Lots of squatters and addicts inside. A lot of other shit too.”

“Other shit?” I ask.

Midnight’s face hardens. “Rape, murder. Other shit.”

“I hope we find someone fucking up inside,” Thorn says. “I wish a motherfucker would try to rape someone in front of me. I’d have fun with that one.”

His words should probably scare me, but instead, I find them pretty cool. They don’t kill for no reason or just to be assholes. There’s a method to their madness.

Just a few seconds later, Syn and Bowie show up and the four men exchange knowing glances. I’m aware that somehow they communicate silently, but I push back my annoyance this time. I told Midnight I trust him, so I’m going to.

“Ready to go in?” Syn asks.

Midnight shifts his gaze to me. “Are you?”

“The sooner we find Vinni, the sooner this nightmare is over. Let’s do it.”

Syn kicks the door open and the five of us enter. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m damn sure glad that I’ve got Midnight by my side.

Chapter Twenty-Three

MIDNIGHT

I’m not really sure how we plan to take out some rogue vampires without revealing ourselves to Tru, but nevertheless here we are. We burst through the door, hoping the element of surprise gives us an advantage, but they are vampires, so we have to be on alert just in case they’ve sensed us.

“It’s quieter than it should be,” Thorn notes.

“Yeah. Something’s up.”

“Guys,” Bowie says. “Do you hear that?”

A low hum of murmured voices reaches me. We’ve noticed that Bowie’s sense of hearing is more sensitive than ours, perhaps because he’s new and hasn’t learned to block as much as we have.

Syn nods, pointing down a hallway that leads to the sounds. I grip Tru’s hand, aware of how he trembles. How brave he is to be so afraid but willing to do it anyway.

We find the room where the noises are coming from only to discover three vampires fucking their mortal victims. The scent of sex and blood is as thick as fog. One of them finally notices us, but makes no move to stop what he’s doing. I scan the room, relieved when it’s clear Vinni isn’t here.

“What the fuck are you guys still doing in New Onyx?” Syn demands, kicking the leg of one of the vamps while a clearly drugged out man rides his cock.

“What, you guys have a run on who can have fun here too?”

“Yes,” Syn growls. “You promised you would leave. Besides, I don’t think sexual assault counts as fun.”

“These guys came willingly,” another vampire says, pounding into a barely aware man. “Besides, we didn’t say we’d leave. We said we’d leave your gang alone.”

“Yeah you did,” I reply, kneeling. “So why did we find two bodies under the bridge?”

The third vamp, leaning against the wall getting sucked off, shrugs. “Wasn’t us. Dimas told us we could blow off some steam before we left, but we had strict orders. Besides, we don’t leave bodies just lying around. We’re civilized. What kind of vampires do you think we are?”

I cringe as the words leave his lips, twisting around to look for Tru, but he’s just watching the scene with no reaction. Maybe he didn’t hear it?

Thorn grabs one of the vampires by the throat. “Tell me again you didn’t do it.”

The vampire hisses, but repeats his words. “We didn’t kill anyone. We’ve just been here partying.”

“And the mortals,” Thorn demands.

“Came willingly. We used a bit of compulsion so we can feed, but we won’t harm them.”

Convinced, Thorn releases the man with a slight shove. “They’re telling the truth.”

“And you saw or sensed nothing?” Syn asks.

The one against the wall pushes the man he’s with off him as he stands. “We did scent him,” he says. “But it was gone quickly. We didn’t pursue him because we have orders not to.”

“So he was in the area,” Bowie whispers.

“But we scented…our kind on the bodies,” Syn adds.

The vampire quirks his head. “Perhaps it was from our earlier interaction. Dimas would have our necks if we disobeyed. It wasn’t us.”

“Fine,” Syn says. “When can we expect your exit from New Onyx?”

The one standing squares off with Syn, but I can see the moment when he decides against it. I wouldn’t fuck with Syn either.

“Within the hour,” the vampire answers.

“Perfect,” Syn says. “We’ll leave you to your…entertainment.” His tone is pure disgust and on any other night I would laugh my ass off, but there’s too much at stake right now.

“Now what?” Thorn asks once we’re outside again. “The guys were telling the truth. Someone else was responsible.”

Syn’s phone rings a second later and I know it’s Yves judging from his tone.

“Okay, got it,” Syn says. He ends the call, looking up at us. “That was Yves. He confirmed Dimas’s whereabouts so it’s not him either.”

Tru hasn’t said a word. He just walks beside me, arms folded around his body, eyes on the ground. I grab his arm and hold him back from the group.

“We’ll find Vinni.”

Tru nods. “I know.”

“What’s wrong then?”

Tru shakes his head. “It’s hard to explain. When we were in the building, it was like I blacked out even though I was wide awake.”

“Blacked out?”

He blows out a breath. “Everyone sounded really far away or, like, in a tunnel or something. I swear I was floating above it all, seeing it but not part of it. It was quick. I blinked and I was back, but it was fucking weird.”

“It could be stress getting to you. It almost sounds like a panic attack.”

Tru nods. “Yeah. That’s probably it. I can handle it though. I can.”

“I know you can.” I press a kiss to his forehead. “Are you ready to keep going?”

He nods. “Let’s do this.”

We walk back to the SUV in silence. Tru leans against me for support, and I become aware of the rage building inside me. Finding Vinni has to happen, and it needs to happen soon. He’s ruining my kitten’s happiness, and I won’t have it.

I’m going to enjoy ripping his throat out while Tru watches. Then I’ll tell him what I am and hope to Hades he still accepts me. I have no idea how I’ll survive if he doesn’t.

Chapter Twenty-Four

TRU

What the fuck is wrong with me? Everything around me is hazy, like I somehow disconnected from reality. I cling to Midnight, almost afraid to let go.

We return home in silence, but my thoughts are anything but quiet. What if Vinni gets away? What if he gets desperate for more money and goes straight to my dad this time? What if—

“Hey.” Midnight brushes his lips against the top of my head. “You’re not alone, remember? We’re here to help. We’re very good at what we do. We’ll find Vinni.”

“How did you know what I was thinking?”

“How could you be thinking of anything else?”

I nod, practically curling up next to him in the car. “I just want this to be over with. I want to move on, you know?”

“I do.” Midnight tightens his arm around me. “Trust me, it’s what I want too. It kills me knowing how it hurts you.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and when I pull it out and see my mom’s name on the screen, I panic. “Oh god. What if something’s wrong? What if they found out about Lucia? What if…” I blow out a breath. “I have to answer it, don’t I?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, I answer, doing my best to sound normal. “Hey, Ma.”

“Oh, you are alive. I was beginning to wonder.”

I relax immediately when I hear her tone. If something was wrong, she wouldn’t tease me.

“Alive and well. What’s going on?”

“Just wondering if we should have your things sent somewhere or if you’re ever planning to show up at home again.”

“Come on, Ma. I’m a grown man and I told you where I was.”

“For two days? Almost three?” She sighs. “I know I need to give you your freedom, but with Lucia away and Pilar in school…”

She doesn’t finish her guilt trip. She doesn’t have to.

“I’ll be home in the morning, okay?”

“Really? We can have brunch?”

“Yeah, brunch sounds nice.”

“You could always bring this friend of yours so I can meet them.”

I immediately tense up. Could she tell from looking at us together that we’re so much more than friends? “I’ll ask. Why are you up so late, anyway?”

“I was playing bunco with the girls. The house is so quiet I guess I started pining for my children.”

“Where’s Dad?”

“Asleep. He has to leave for a business trip tomorrow morning. He’s closing that deal he’s been working on for three months.”

“That’s good news. Uh, I promise I’ll be around for brunch tomorrow.”

“Okay, have fun tonight.”

“Thanks, Ma. Night.”

“Night.”

After ending the call, I bang my head against the buttery leather seat several times. Midnight holds my hand with a sympathetic expression on his face.

“She wants you to come to brunch tomorrow.”

Midnight nods as if he already knew that. He must have heard the conversation.

“And how do you feel about that?” he asks.

I shrug. “Don’t know. I’ve never had anyone come around. Friend or otherwise.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t like the feeling that people might hang around me to get close to my family. To use us.”

“You wicked rich or something?” Thorn asks, twisting around in the front seat.

“I’m not, but my dad is. He’s also really influential. Politician friends and shit like that. He doesn’t know…” I pause, too embarrassed to admit it out loud again.

“He doesn’t know you’re into dick?” Thorn asks.

Midnight literally growls, but I just shake my head and laugh. “No, he doesn’t know that.”

“You think he’d be mad?” Thorn asks.

“I’m not sure. My parents are decent people, even if they do live in a fantasy world they created, but I just worry about how it would affect them, like, in business and socially.”

Thorn scoffs. “It’s not 1798.”

“Oddly specific year,” I murmur.

“People get over shit, Tru,” Thorn continues. “And if they don’t, you won’t be alone. You have us now. We can be your family too.”

His words warm something deep inside me, instantly calming me down.

“These guys are the best,” Bowie says, glancing at Syn. “You’d always be welcome with us.”

“That’s good to know,” I answer, squeezing Midnight’s hand.

“You already know how I feel about it,” he whispers. “If you don’t want me to come tomorrow, if it’s too soon, I understand. But if you do want me to come, then I will.”

I don’t know what to say. I want him to come but I’m also really afraid of that. Gah, I’m such a coward. Willing to take on the city’s most dangerous gang members but too chicken to tell my parents I’m gay and I’ve met someone special. I’m gonna ruin everything with Midnight if I can’t step up and face this.

We pull up to the apartment building and step out. The guys go ahead, leaving me and Midnight to stroll together, my hand in his.

“I’m scared,” I admit. “But I always promised myself that if I met someone amazing, I would tell my parents. Now it’s here, and it’s overwhelming.”

“I’m someone special?” he asks, a smirk on his lips.

I roll my eyes. “Duh. I like you a lot, Midnight.”

He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it. “I like you a lot too.” He stops walking, shifting his gaze up to the clouds, then back to me. “We both carry our secrets, and neither of us intended to reveal them, but for whatever reason, our lives collided.”

“Yeah.”

“But there’s no need to rush anything. No need to push ourselves. We can just let it happen naturally and in good time.”

I nod, biting my bottom lip.

“If the day comes that you want me to meet your parents, I will happily do so. I will stand by your side, proudly,” he whispers the last word. “But now is not that time. You have too much to deal with, and I’ll be here when this problem is resolved. We have all the time we need, Tru.”

I release the breath stuck in my chest. “You are so amazing. I’ve never met anyone like you.”

He chuckles. “I doubt you ever will. Tell you what, let’s go inside and have a warm drink and sleep. Everything will look better in the morning.”

“Good plan.”

By the time I’m sitting with my mother at brunch, I’m almost sick to my stomach from not being with Midnight. I haven’t had a reaction to another person like this ever. Our goodbye early this morning was sweet. Midnight smothered my face in kisses and made me come again, and I’d swear I can still feel his lips on mine, his hands gripping my flesh.

“I’m sad your friend couldn’t make it,” Mom says, placing her cloth napkin in her lap. She looks pretty today, with her blond hair in a bun on top of her head and a floral dress with bright pink flowers all over it.

“He wanted to, but his work is busy right now. He got called in to handle something.”

“Where did you meet?”

“Just out at a club.”

She lifts her water glass, taking a sip before setting it down. “I wondered if your friend was female. A love interest.”

I drink my water too, ignoring her implied question.

“I know that making friends isn’t that easy for you, so this person must be special.”

“What are you getting at, Ma?”

“You might not think I’m very up to speed on things, but I am. I’m aware that a love interest can also be a man. I decided long ago that I wouldn’t assume any of my children’s sexuality.”

I stare at her wide-eyed as my chest tightens. She knows?

She reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers. “It’s okay with me, Gideon. If that’s the case, it’s fine. I just want you to be happy.”

“I…um…”

“I figured it had to be something romantic for you to stay over for several days. Unless I’m wrong.”

With a shaky hand, I lift my water glass and take several sips, giving myself time to find my voice. “You’re, um, you’re not wrong, Ma.”

Her expression relaxes and she smiles. “So, you have met someone special?”

“Yeah. Really special.”

“Did I say the wrong things when you were younger to make you think you couldn’t tell me this about yourself?”

“No, ma, you didn’t. I just worried because of Dad’s position, you know? I didn’t want him getting shit because his kid is queer. The kind of people he does business with probably wouldn’t be cool with it.”

She sits back in her chair. “Well, who cares? I can confidently say that you come before any client. I know your father would agree with me.”

“Really?”

“Gideon, honey. We’re not blind. You’re almost thirty and you’ve never had a girlfriend. You’ve never even talked about a girl you liked. You never had celebrity crushes growing up like your sisters did. We didn’t know, but we suspected it, and we’re fine with it.”

“Are you saying you and Dad talked about me being gay?”

“Yes. Honestly, we talked about Pilar too. Her female friendships were almost always more intense than a normal friendship would be.”

“I actually have no idea. She hasn’t said anything to me.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to confirm her status anyway. That’s up to everyone when they feel comfortable, but I always hoped we’d created an environment at home where that would be possible.”

“You and Dad are great, Ma. It’s more about external pressure. Remember when you guys told us we always needed to be discreet? You know how things have been. Any chance they get to throw mud at Dad, they do. I just wanted to avoid that.”

“Discreet is one thing. Attracting media through reckless acts is what we meant. You can’t live in hiding at the cost of your happiness.”

“I haven’t. Not really. I’ve never met anyone worth coming out for.”

“Until now?” she asks, her smile growing.

“Until now,” I admit. “He’s really great, and he would have come along today, but I wasn’t ready and he really does have work to do.” Saving my family, but I keep that part to myself. “You’re sure Dad would be cool with it?”

“I’m positive. Just last night we talked about who you might show up with today and were both accepting of whoever it was. You matter more than any jerks out there. Your dad can handle it.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not like it’s a sex scandal,” she adds, laughing, and turning my stomach at the same time.

“Right.”

After our meals arrive, I bravely tackle the next topic. “I think I’m gonna spend more time at his place.”

“You don’t think moving in is too soon?”

“Not formally moving in. Just hanging out there. He’s got a nice place. A condo. And all his brothers live in the same building.”

“Oh, so he’s close to his family?”

“Yeah. His parents are gone though.” I think. We’ve never talked about it.

“Well, it’s nice that he has his brothers. What’s his name?”

“Midnight.”

“Midnight?”

I chuckle. “It’s Leander, but he goes by his nickname. He’s a night owl.”

“Ah. Okay. Good family?”

“No idea. They aren’t part of New Onyx society.”

“Well, if he’s nice to you that’s all that matters to me. As long as he’s not a serial killer or something.” She laughs again at her own joke.

“Ha ha, nope. Not a serial killer.” I shove a piece of bacon in my mouth to avoid saying more.

An hour later, when I step into my family home, that strange sense of disconnection hits me again. This doesn’t feel like home anymore.

“I’m gonna pack a few things and head back over to Midnight’s.”

Mom nods, smiling. “Thank you for coming to brunch. I hope you won’t forget about your poor mom.”

“Trust me, I think about you all the time.”

I pack a few things and some clothes so I can return to Midnight. I have to hustle since I called a ride share and asked them to wait on the main road. I don’t like strangers coming up to the house.

I see the car already waiting for me, so I hop in the back seat. It only takes a second to realize I’ve made a huge mistake. Vinni twists in his seat, glaring at me. In a panic, I try to open the door to get out but the guy in the passenger seat aims a gun at me. My throat feels like it’s closing.

“Who are you working for?” Vinni yells at me. “What gang?”

“What? I’m not in a gang.”

“Stop fucking lying, man,” Vinni yells, tearing off. He’s driving erratically and at this point I have to hope for a cop to pull him over.

“I know you know something,” Vinni says, whispering ominously. “You guys got Malek, didn’t you?” He turns and looks at me, swerving out of his lane for a second before returning his eyes to the road. “I’m gonna fuck you up so bad, man. You’re gonna beg me to kill you.” He smacks his own forehead. “You took my brother!”

“I didn’t. It wasn’t me. I just want the stuff about my sister.”

“Shut up, man,” Vinni grunts. “I’m gonna ask you again. Who are you working for? You tell me the boss, and maybe I’ll let you go.”

“You said we could fuck him first though, boss,” the other man says. “We still can, right?”

My stomach turns at the thought of that man touching me.

“Find his phone, Joey,” Vinni says.

For once, I’m glad I took my dad’s advice to use a throwaway phone for things like deliveries and car services. My actual phone is safely packed away in my bag.

Joey, I guess, turns in his seat and I offer my phone right away, hoping it satisfies them. I have a feeling my real phone is the only thing that might save me. Fuck! I wish I had my location services turned on.

“But we can fuck him, right, Vinni?” Joey whines.

“Yeah, yeah, you can fuck him. I don’t care.” Vinni smacks Joey across the chest. “Keep an eye on him.”

Vinni heads out of town and my nerves kick up. I don’t know if acting scared or playing brave is the right move, but I choose the latter. “This doesn’t end until I get the shit back you have on my sister.”

Vinni laughs. “Big words for a dead man walking.”

Some time later, he pulls over into a field and Joey grabs a pillowcase and puts it over my head, blinding me to the rest of the location. My hands and feet are taped together too. I’m so fucked. All I can think about is the sadness my death would cause my family, and worse than that, Midnight’s gorgeous face playing in my head. I can’t leave him. Not yet.

“Here’s what’s gonna happen, you little shit,” Vinni says as we speed down the road. “You’re gonna die ’cause you get on my nerves. Then I’m gonna take your sister’s slutty tape and sell it to the highest paying tabloid.”

I thrash in my seat, my stomach knotted with disgust.

“It’s gonna be all over the news. Everyone’s gonna know.”

“Fuck you, Vinni.”

He laughs, making a sharp turn that causes me to slide to the other side of the car.

“And ain’t no one gonna find you where we’re going.”

Joey laughs. “No way.”

I have nothing left to say as the car slows down, the tires sounding like they’re rolling over gravel. My dad’s kidnapping tips kick in, reminding me to pay attention to details in case there’s any way I can get out of here. I’m yanked from the car minutes later, and dragged across gravel and dirt. A door that sounds like it’s made of metal slides open, and the smell of musty air and stagnant water hits me even through the pillowcase.

I’m shoved against what feels like a cement column, and the heavy thud of something falls beside me.

“That’s your phone,” Vinni says. “You’re gonna lay here and slowly die, listening to the phone ring, all your friends and your family and whoever the fuck your boss is looking for you, but you can’t answer. They can’t save you.” He kicks me hard in the stomach. “You should’ve stayed out of it, little man. Now I gotta make a point.”

Suddenly the pillowcase is lifted. Vinni grabs my chin, forcing my mouth open and shoving pills in. I spit them out, but the cool barrel of a gun on my cheek causes me to freeze.

“You swallow them or Joey puts a bullet through your head. Unless you prefer his dick. He obviously wants a piece of you.”

Joey grins, making my stomach turn.

“Pills or dick?” Vinni demands as Joey shoves the gun against my cheek.

“Pills,” I mumble, hoping that’s the end of it. “I’d rather die than let you fuck me.”

Vinni chuckles. “Sorry, Joey. We don’t have time anyway.”

None of this makes sense. Vinni’s babbling confuses me. “Wh-why p-pills?”

“Drag it out. You’ll try to fight it off but you won’t be able to for long. I want you to lie here dying and thinking about how you fucked up. Maybe you’ll get lucky and just pass out, but maybe you’ll choke on your vomit. Only time will tell.”

Another guy watches as I take the handful of pills in my mouth. I try to hide them under my tongue, but he kicks my leg and motions to the water bottle. “Drink up or we put a bullet in your head.”

“And I’ll record it and send it to your parents. Is that what you want?” Joey taunts while Vinni forces water in my mouth.

Reluctantly, my eyes filling with tears, I drink the water and swallow them down, opening my mouth to show them.

“Now, I gotta go,” Vinni says, like we’re friends. “Got shit to do. We’ll be back later, and maybe Joey can get his wish. You have a nice nap there, buddy. Oh, and fuck you.”

Vinni and Joey laugh while walking away from me. I listen to their footsteps, on the verge of a panic attack.

Tears stream down my face and I squeeze my eyes shut to stop the panic from pushing me into full on hysteria. I need my strength. I have to fight.

I have to reach Midnight.

Chapter Twenty-Five

MIDNIGHT

Aballed-up piece of paper hits me in the head from across the room. I look up, glaring at the culprit, unsurprised when I see Thorn cackling like the maniac he is.

“Excuse you.”

“Come on, Mids,” Thorn whines. “I don’t like it when you’re somber. Want to go hunt?”

“Thorn,” I grumble. “You know I don’t like that nickname.” I set my magazine down. “I’m not leaving here until Tru returns. Besides, it’s daytime.”

“That just adds to the fun.” He sits up, bracing his elbows on his knees. “It will pass the time until your honey bun returns.”

“Do not call him a honey bun.”

“Why not?” Eros chimes in, peeking up from his notebook. “Honey buns are delicious.”

“Ooh, yeah,” Raphael says from his perch by the window. “Now I want one. Washed down with the blood of a virgin.”

Eros snorts a laugh. “Good luck finding one of those these days.”

“Adult virgins still exist,” Raphael says.

“In New Onyx?” Eros asks with one raised eyebrow.

“Okay that’s fair,” Raphael concedes. “We need to go to one of those super conservative countries where men and women stay virgins until marriage.”

“Yes, but most of them get married young,” Thorn says. “The window is too tight.”

Raphael scrunches his nose. “Ugh. It’s so hard to find one these days. Remember how it used to be? Virgins everywhere. Their blood was so pure, so sweet. I miss it.”

“But have you ever tried a heavy drug user?” Thorn asks, grinning again. “Divine, I tell you.”

“Too bitter,” I mumble.

“That’s because you’ve only tasted dabblers,” Thorn says. “Why do you think I hang out in the drug dens? Bonus, they require no compulsion. They won’t remember anything anyway. No witnesses because no one is paying attention. It’s really quite perfect.”

“If you say so.” Dragging a hand through my hair, I lean back against the sofa cushions. “I don’t want to taste anyone other than Tru.”

“You haven’t yet?” Eros asks.

“No, but the temptation is overwhelming me. I don’t want to lose control and bite without his consent. I already had to compel him over the piano incident.”

“When are you going to tell him?” Thorn asks.

Pressure builds in my chest just from his question. “I have no idea. I was close the other night before we were interrupted to go hunt vampires. He demanded I stop keeping secrets, but I’m terrified.”

“Yeah, but it’s not like it was,” Thorn says. “He’s not the same as Benedict.”

“True,” Eros says.

“And he’s considering it,” Thorn continues. “It wasn’t like that before.”

“I know.”

“And if he’s going to continue going out with us, he deserves to know,” Thorn says.

“Since when are you the voice of reason?” I ask.

Thorn grins. “I have my moments.”

It’s been hours since I heard from Tru. Worse than that, he hasn’t replied to my text message. I suppose he could be with family, but a sense of foreboding clings to me. My instincts tell me something is wrong, but I don’t know what. Did he decide being with me is too much to risk? Would he just leave without talking to me about it? I don’t believe it.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I retrieve it quickly, knowing it can only be Tru.

“Hello, chaton féroce. Are you ready to come back?”

“Midnight?” Tru’s voice is shaking, causing me to sit up straight from my position on my sofa.

“Tru. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know where I’m at. I don’t know…” He groans. “Oh shit. I’m hurt.”

“Fuck! I’ll come for you.”

“But…It’s dark. I think maybe it’s an old building or warehouse. There’s dripping water. I can…can hear it. And it echoes.”

“You’re alone?” I ask, already rising and heading to the common area to collect my brothers.

“For now. Yeah.”

“Who did this?”

“Vinni.”

Rage swirls through me so powerfully I nearly stumble, my beast pushing to the surface. “I will find you.”

“I know,” Tru whispers. “I know you will.”

“Stay on the phone with me, Tru.”

“’Kay,” he whispers, but his voice is weakening. “Just gonna close my eyes a little bit.”

Fuck. “I will not lose you. I cannot survive it.”

“No, you won’t lose me. Just find me.”

The sound of his shallow breathing spurs me into action. In the common area I find everyone, including Yves, Viv, and Viper. Everyone stops speaking as soon as I enter.

“Tru is in trouble.”

Yves is on his feet in seconds. “Where?”

“No clue. He was taken somewhere by Vinni. He said it sounds like a warehouse or an abandoned building with water dripping.”

Bowie approaches me. “Did he tell you anything else?”

I shake my head. “He’s still on the phone but I think he’s falling asleep.”

“Can I talk to him?” Bowie asks, reaching for my phone.

“Yeah.” I hand it to him, pacing with nerves. Viv walks over to me, rubbing my back.

“Tru?” Bowie says into the phone after hitting the speaker button. “Tru, can you hear me? It’s Bowie.”

“Bowie?” Tru whispers.

“Yeah. You remember me, right? I’m friends with Midnight.”

“Yeah, his brother.”

“Yep. Listen, Tru. Can you tell me anything about where you are? You hear water dripping. Can you turn your location services on?”

“Can’t read screen.” His voice is so weak I want to tear walls down to find him.

“That’s okay,” Bowie says. “Can you hear anything else?”

“Um…hold on.” We listen as Tru shifts, grunting as he moves. “Train,” he whispers. “I can hear a train.”

I nod, hearing it in the background.

“Okay, you’re by the train tracks,” Bowie says. “And there’s water dripping.”

“And the doors are metal and slide I think,” Tru says. “I heard it when we got here. The drive is gravel too. Pretty sure.”

Bowie shifts his eyes up to me. “The old flour mill on Ninth. It fits the description.”

“We’ll be there soon, Tru,” I say. “Just hold on for me. Okay?”

“Holding on, mon prince ténébreux.”

Syn and Yves both startle at Tru’s endearment.

“I know. It’s the second time he’s said it. By the way, he has no idea where it came from since he doesn’t speak French.”

“Curiouser and curiouser,” Thorn whispers.

“No time to waste,” I announce. “Let’s go find Tru.”

“What can we do?” Viv asks. “Need some glamour?”

“I think we may need some healing elixir for Tru,” I say.

“On it.”

“He’s gonna be okay, Midnight,” Viper says. “I can feel it.”

I squeeze her hand. “Thank you.”

The rest of us tear off into the night, heading in the direction Bowie leads us. The area we’re going to isn’t used by drug dealers or even the worst criminals. I’ve rarely been over here.

“How do you know this place, Bowie?” Syn asks.

“Stan wanted to buy it once. He had some bright idea to revitalize this area by building apartments and retail until he found out why the area wasn’t already developed. High water tables and proximity to the train track made it so undesirable no bank would consider a loan.”

“Look at Stan still coming in clutch for us,” Thorn says. “Because of him you knew where to look.”

“Stan can burn in hell,” Bowie grumbles. “But yeah, at least his antics did some good for a change.”

I hear the conversations going on around me, but my heart is on a mission to get to Tru. I swear I can feel him inside me, gripping my barely beating heart, urging each step forward. As soon as I get him back and he’s well, I’m going to tell him what I am. It’s the right thing to do.

Yves puts his hand on my shoulder as we walk, highly aware of my chaotic feelings. He doesn’t say anything, and he doesn’t have to. His support and comfort are clear through his touch.

When we turn the corner and a large cluster of decrepit, crumbling stone buildings come into view, I tear off towards the farthest one, knowing without a doubt I will find my kitten inside.

The closer I get, the more my beast takes over. My fangs descend as my skin tingles and my nails grow long. My eyesight sharpens just as I reach the large sliding metal doors. I tear them off the hinges easily, scanning the dark, dank surroundings.

I feel him before I see him, allowing my instincts to take over and lead me to him. There on the floor, wrapped in a dirty blanket is Tru. His breaths are short as I scoop him up. His free arm breaks loose from the blankets, cut up and bruised, and it’s clear he struggled to get free from his restraints to be able to call me.

“I’ve got you now,” I whisper, nuzzling his cheek. “You’re safe, Tru.”

His eyes flutter open, and as they focus on me, he smiles. “I knew you’d find me. I stayed awake just long enough.”

Then his head falls back and his eyes close, his body a heavy weight in my arms.

“Hades!” I shout. “No!”

Yves hovers his hand over Tru’s face. “He’s alive, but weak. Let’s get him back to the house. Vivienne will help.”

Nodding, I look Yves in the eyes. “I cannot lose him. Not again.”

“You won’t,” Yves says, his voice full of conviction. “Worst case scenario, we know how to save him.”

His implication is clear. Could I do so without his consent? Potentially against his will? What if he feels the way Benedict did and hates me?

“Tru is not Benedict,” Yves whispers. “Focus on now.”

“Right. Yes. Let’s get home.”

“Bowie and I will stay back and take care of these buildings,” Syn says. “It’s about time they come down once and for all.”

“Thank you.”

I take off into the night as quickly as I can to not waste another second to help Tru. When I get inside, laying him on the couch in the common area, Viv is ready, holding his head as she pours the liquid down his throat and we help him swallow.

Viper puts her hands over him, closing her eyes, while I look to Viv for an explanation.

“Energy work,” Viv says. “She’s been practicing.”

I nod, looking over Tru’s body. “He doesn’t look harmed.”

“Oh shit,” Viper says. “Someone get a bucket. He’s about to hurl.”

Eros is gone and back in a flash, holding a trash can out for me. I tuck it under Tru’s head and turn him on his side. Just seconds later, he convulses and vomits milky liquid with chunks of what look like blue pills inside.

“Yesss,” Viv says. “My elixir is forcing it out.”

“He drugged him,” I murmur. “That fucker drugged my Tru. He tried to kill him.”

Yves, hovering behind the couch and watching the scene, nods. “Tru is a fighter. He kept himself awake and alive long enough for you to find him.”

“Sweet little madman,” Thorn says. “This means we get to kill Vinni now, right? I’ll hold him for you while you rip his insides out.”

The image of doing just that calms my rage a little. “Yes. As soon as Tru is well, we’ll go and find him.”

“You sure you want to wait?” Yves asks. “It seems Vinni is getting desperate.”

“I promised Tru.”

“He’ll be okay in a few hours,” Viv says. “The poison is out. The elixir will repair any damage. He just needs to sleep now.”

I scoop Tru off the couch, carrying him silently to my unit. “Please let me know if Vinni is spotted.”

“Of course,” Yves says.

Once inside my unit, I take Tru to bed, where I strip his dirty clothes off before going to the bathroom for a warm soapy cloth. When I return, I delicately wash his body until he’s clean. His eyelids flutter, and the word that leaves his lips sends shivers down my spine.

“Leander.”

“I’m here, Tru.”

A smile pulls at his lips, and as his eyes open and focus on me, he says something else that leaves me breathless.

“It took forever to find you again, but I did it. We were always meant to be, Leander. I know that now.”

“What are you saying, Tru?”

He squeezes my hand as his eyes close again. “Mon prince ténébreux,” he whispers. “I know what you are, Leander. I know.”

With wide eyes, I grip his shoulders, shaking gently, but his soft breaths and peaceful expression let me know he’s fallen asleep.

He knows what I am? Could it be? But how? My questions will have to remain unanswered until Tru wakes again.

Chapter Twenty-Six

TRU

Slowly, I become aware of my surroundings before I even open my eyes. I’m warm, wrapped in cozy blankets, and I can smell Midnight’s scent all around me. As soon as I stir, he’s next to me, stroking my forehead.

“Do you need water? Anything?” Midnight asks.

I curl into him, pressing my head against his chest. “I’m okay.”

“Any pain or discomfort?”

“None. What happened? I can’t remember anything after I called you.”

“Vinni drugged you.”

I push back a little. “Fuck. Yeah. I remember now.” Squeezing my eyes shut for a second, I blow out a breath. “Ugh. It’s all coming back.”

“How did he get to you?”

“I was…Hold on a sec.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I am. There’s just a lot of clutter in my head. Memories and shit that don’t feel a hundred percent mine.”

Midnight watches me with concern. “Take your time. You’ve been through an ordeal.”

I nod, still clutching his hand, waiting for my thoughts to slot into place. “I was at home with my mom. I called a car to come pick me up and bring me back here.” Shaking my head, I scoff. “I saw the car and I just got in. I just fucking got in. It was Vinni with some other guy. Once I realized what happened, I tried to open the door to get out, but the other guy held a gun on me.”

Midnight’s expression is as dark as his nickname as he listens to me.

“Vinni was throwing so many questions at me that didn’t make sense. I stayed strong and told him I wasn’t going away until I got the tapes back. He pulled over somewhere, way out, and the next thing I know I have a bag over my head.”

I can literally feel rage pouring off of Midnight.

“We drove a long time after that. Vinni kept telling me he was gonna kill me and then sell the tapes to the highest bidder. He said no one would be able to find me where we were going and even if they did, I’d be dead.”

“Fucking hell,” Midnight murmurs through gritted teeth.

“They dragged me into a building and tied me up. He intentionally left my phone. He wanted me to suffer, hearing people call me but being unable to answer it or call for help. Vinni made me swallow a bunch of pills. I tried to spit them out but the other guy kicked me and told me to swallow them or get a bullet to the head.” A shiver runs down my spine as I remember. “I actually asked Vinni why pills and he told me he wanted me to suffer. Thank fuck. It gave me time to free my arm.” I glance at my wrist, which only has faint marks.

“That’s how you were able to call me?”

“It was just a dummy phone I had. I know they went through it. I keep my real phone separate. He left my bag, I guess ’cause he thought I would be dead. The dummy phone doesn’t have any special numbers saved. Maybe Vinni thought the cops would write me off as a suicide or accidental overdose.”

“He’s not very smart, apparently.”

I nod, rubbing my wrist. “I think I should feel a lot worse than I do.”

Midnight’s expression softens. “Vivienne gave you medicine. You vomited the pills mostly undigested.”

“That Viv is special. I need to buy her flowers or something. Second time she’s helped me.”

“She does so with happiness. As soon as you feel better, we’re going to hunt Vinni down and kill him.”

“I know.” I smile as relief pours over me. “All I could think about was seeing you again. I didn’t want to die. Didn’t want to hurt my parents, didn’t want to fail Lucia, but mostly, I didn’t want to leave you.” I grip Midnight’s hand as he gazes at me with intense affection in his eyes. “I told my mom. I told her I’m gay and that you’re special to me.”

Midnight’s mouth falls open. “What?”

“I told her,” I repeat as my eyes well with tears. “She kind of already knew, but I confirmed it.”

“How did she react?”

“So good. She’s happy for me and told me my dad would be fine with it. We can handle any shit people throw at us. Midnight, it felt so amazing to say it, but I know it’s because I got to talk about you.”

He kisses my hand wrapped around his. “I am so happy for you. You must feel so much lighter.”

I laugh softly. “Yeah, a huge weight off my chest.”

“Good.”

“Do you understand that I had the courage to do it because of how much you mean to me?”

Midnight nods, but his face is screwed up with concern. “You mean a lot to me too. The world, actually.”

“Then why do you look like you’re smelling rotten eggs?”

“I have a past, Tru. Some of it is dark. I kill people for a living.”

“I know. I don’t care.”

“I appreciate that, but—”

“No, Midnight. Listen to me.” I cup his face. “I’ve waited a thousand years to feel as good as I do now.” I laugh. “Or, you know, thirty years or so. I know your heart. Nothing else matters to me. I’m…I’m falling for you. I knew it in that dark place when I thought I might not see you again. I hope you feel the same.”

Midnight searches my eyes, a tentative smile pulling at his lips. “Do you mean it?”

“Absolutely.”

“Mighty Hades,” he whispers. “What a beautiful moment.”

“You feel the same about me?” I ask.

His smile grows. “Absolutely.”

“Good.” I rise on my knees. “Then can we finally bang? Like, all the way? Turn me inside out, Midnight. I need you.”

“You should rest.”

“Midnight,” I say firmly. “I need you. Can you do that for me?”

He smiles. “Fuck yes.”

“Sweet. You stay there.”

I hop out of bed and into the bathroom, where I brush my teeth and freshen up. In spite of what happened to me last night, I feel like a million bucks.

When I return to the bedroom, Midnight is exactly where he was, but naked. Seeing him reclined on the bed, his body on display like a sculpture, my belly tingles in response.

I climb back on the bed and into his waiting arms, nuzzling his neck with my lips before stealing a sweet kiss.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Midnight asks.

I bump my erection into his thigh for effect. “I’m sure.”

He smiles, sliding his hand up my neck and into my hair. “I have dreamed of this moment.”

“Me too.”

Then Midnight stops holding back, claiming my mouth in a heated kiss as he wraps his arms around me, pulling me completely on top of him. His cock is hard and thick against mine, and I grind into him without conscious thought, desperate to feel more.

Midnight grips my hips, pulling me up his body as he kisses me from chest to belly, then flips us over. I land on the mattress with a light “oof” and a giggle. Midnight’s expression is intense, his brow furrowed, and his eyes doing that thing where they seem like they’re glowing, but it’s gotta just be the way the light catches them. His lips are slightly upturned, like he wants to smile but he’s also concentrating. It’s super sexy.

His strong hand grips the front of my neck, squeezing gently as he searches my eyes. “You have a pretty neck, kitten.”

“Do I?”

“Mmm, long and slender. Perfect for biting and marking.”

I buck my hips into him. “Please,” I moan. “Please mark me. Bite me too. Whatever you want.”

“Do you desire my bite?”

I nod rapidly, scratching my nails down his arms. “I want everything.”

Midnight doesn’t say anything, his lips pressing together as he moves down my body and settles between my legs. He spreads my legs wide, breathing warm air over my cock and balls. I swear I could crawl out of my own skin with want at this point.

Midnight dots my inner thighs with kisses as he makes his way to my dick. I’m expecting him to lick me, but he just kisses me sweetly there too. I’m about to beg for more but the words die on my tongue as his fingers find their way to my hole.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” I whisper. “Midnight.”

“Yes, mon chéri. Tell me what you need.”

“You. Want you inside me.”

“Do not fear, kitten. I will take care of you.”

He traces a finger around my rim, blowing softly before dragging his tongue over it. Arching my back, I tangle my fingers in his thick hair.

“Yes, like that,” I moan.

“Fuck,” Midnight whispers, tasting me again. “You taste like paradise itself.”

He buries his face between my legs, the scruff on his cheeks rubbing the delicate skin of my thighs, his tongue pushing inside me, soon joined by one finger, then another.

I give myself over to pleasure, completely lost in it as my skin tingles and ripples with pleasure. I have no idea how Midnight makes me feel like this, but I don’t much care. It’s just so damn good.

A moment later, he’s hovering over me, gazing down. He doesn’t speak as the head of his cock catches my rim, his excess of precum slicking my hole to ease his entry. Still doesn’t speak as he enters me slowly, each inch stretching and filling me up. My mouth hangs open as my eyes water, the sting deep within me both pain and pleasure.

Midnight looks like he’s seen an angel, his expression serene and even awestruck as he searches my face. Somehow, he looks even more perfect than usual.

My eyes flutter closed as he begins to move within me, and as he nuzzles my neck, sucking and gently nibbling, a thousand fleeting memories swirl through my mind, like they’re caught in a tornado. Slowly, they slot into place, and the very palpable sensation that I’ve been here before, with this man making love to me, is cemented in my mind.

Images of Midnight, his hair longer and his eyes definitely glowing, appear behind my closed eyelids.

The two of us walking in a garden at night. Our clothes are…not modern.

Arguing, crying, Midnight on his knees, his hand outstretched for me.

Me, crying in a lavish bedroom, clutching a letter with Midnight’s name on it.

What is all of this? I try to open my eyes, but it’s like I can’t. Even when I feel the sharp sting at my neck, I can’t break free of the images.

More images come to me. Midnight, holding my hand, our bodies slick from lovemaking.

“Benedict, I love you, my Benedict. My sweet prince.”

Benedict? Why is he calling me that?

“I love you too, Leander. But my family…”

It looks and sounds like me, but I’ve never said those words before.

“I have to tell you my secret and pray your love remains.”

I can see him so clearly in my mind, his vulnerable eyes and trembling tone.

“I’m a vampire, Benedict. I want you to join me. Be my love for all of eternity.”

My eyes fly open. “Vampire.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

MIDNIGHT

“Vampire,” Tru says a second time, his body shaking in my arms.

The word startles me, especially since I couldn’t snap him out of the trance he’s been in since I entered him.

“Tru. Can you hear me?”

He shifts his wide eyes to me, his face pale, our bodies still joined together. “Oh god,” Tru whispers as tears trickle down his cheeks. “Oh, Midnight.”

“What’s happening right now?”

With a shaky breath, Tru reaches up and touches my cheek. “Leander.” His eyes dart around the space. “I saw…all of it. I felt your bite.”

“I didn’t bite you, Tru.”

He shakes his head. “No. Benedict. You bit Benedict.”

I pull my head back in shock. “How did you know that?”

“I saw it. You loved him so much. He…” Tru closes his eyes again, his body jolting beneath me several times, until he blows out a breath. “He knows he was wrong. He didn’t mean to hurt you. He didn’t want to leave. Oh god,” Tru moans.

I adjust to pull out, but Tru grips my arm. “No. Stay.”

I nod, staring at him helplessly.

“As soon as he left, he regretted it. He had to find a way to tell you…oh…”

“Tell me what, Tru?”

“Soulmates,” he whispers. His lips turn up in a slight smile. “Oh, yes. It took a long time, mon prince ténébreux, but I found you. I’ll never leave you again.”

“Tru?”

His voice is different, lighter, as he slips into full French, telling me about the walks in his parents’ garden, the stolen kisses at the Louvre, the nights of passion in my Parisian apartment. I have no words as his eyes open and he utters his next words.

“It’s me, Leander. It’s your Benedict.”

“That’s…impossible.”

“Not when your souls are fated, your destinies entwined.” Tru squeezes my hand. “I live again through this man. His soul, my soul, combined so that we can finish the love story we started.”

“Benedict?”

“I was wrong,” he continues in perfect French. “So wrong to reject your love. I thought we were star-crossed, but fate intended us to be together. And then I ran out of time to tell you. That’s why you’ve never found anyone else to love until now.”

I can barely speak as the words ring true.

“This man though, Gideon Tru De Palma, is strong enough to love you the way you deserve. Wholly and eternally. Fate helped me make things right. Tru will never leave you, never doubt, never reject your gift. Trust him, for part of him is me.”

The tears sliding down my cheeks startle me. I haven’t shed a tear since Benedict died.

“Admit your love and your gift. Tru will understand you better than I ever could.”

“Are you…you’re part of Tru?”

“Much of the soul you fell in love with is his own. Just enough of me remains to fulfill fate’s destiny. For you, Leander. You will have a companion for eternity, one who loves you with all he is. He will be loyal to you and your coven. He will never stray from your side.” Benedict cups my cheek, my skin tingling from the touch. “Now that you know, I can rest. I’ll go back to my quiet corner where I’ve always been waiting for your paths to cross. Oh, Leander, you are as beautiful as you ever were. You did not fail me. It was I who failed.” He smiles. “You have a fresh start now in your modern world with this man who loves you.”

“Mighty Hades,” I whisper, still awestruck.

Benedict exhales. “Oh, it uses so much energy to take over.”

“Will Tru remember when you go away?”

Benedict nods. “He will. Goodbye, Leander. Please let yourself love Tru. He needs you, and so do I.”

Tru goes lax in my arms, his eyelids fluttering until he opens them and focuses on my face. His breathing is heavy, his expression awed.

“How do you feel?” I ask.

“Well, I just had someone take over my body and speak through me, so pretty good, all things considered.”

“You felt it?”

“Hell yeah, I felt it. I heard my own voice speaking French, but somehow I understood every word. Part of Benedict is in me?”

“Yes.”

“Like reincarnation?”

“I believe so. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“And…we were meant to find each other because of it?”

My heart flutters in my chest. “Apparently.”

Tru blows out a breath. “There’s only one thing I’m still trying to figure out.”

“What’s that?”

“Could we go over something again? Am I crazy or are you a vampire?”

I nod. “You’re not crazy. I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you.” With all that’s happened in the last few minutes, I finally slip from his body, unable to keep my desire. I have to believe that what Benedict told me is true.

“Benedict rejected you,” Tru says more than asks.

“For several reasons, the least of which was my…nature.”

“Nature. Were you born a vampire?”

“No. I was made. Created.”

“By who?”

“Yves. He chose all of us to be his companions.”

Tru nods. “Okay.” Blowing out a shaky breath, he pulls himself up to a seating position. “Tell me how it happened, all the way up to Benedict leaving you.”

“I was born in Greece in 1511 in a small village near Athens.”

“Wait. 1511? That means you’re…”

“Over five hundred years old, yes.”

“Wow. You look good.”

I laugh. “I am forever twenty-five, but I try to age myself up to fit my disposition for a modern world.”

“Tell me more.”

“I was very poor. My family struggled for food and basic necessities. I had no schooling. I had to work in the fields with my father and sisters. Eventually, my two sisters were sold off and married.”

“Sold off?”

I nod. “Yes. At that time it was very common to sell your daughters to improve the family status. Wealthy men seeking beautiful virgins would pay a lot.”

“I can’t imagine.”

“One day, a man showed up in town. He charmed and seduced me into his bed and eventually I agreed to go to England with him for a much better life.”

“Oh wow.”

“I was fooled though. Lord Arden was a vulgar man. Very rich and very debauched. He lured young boys to his bed, women, aristocrats. He admired beauty and demanded to have it for himself. It wasn’t long before he mostly tired of me and made me a houseboy.”

Tru gasps. “Like a… servant?”

I nod. “Similar, yes. I was trapped though, forced to endure my circumstances. I felt nothing for Lord Arden except disgust, and he felt nothing for me except ownership. He realized quickly that his guests would love to spend a night or two with me in their beds, so he loaned me out. For a fee, of course.”

“Dude, he pimped you out?”

“He did. As the years went on, I knew he was tiring of me. He called me to his bed less and less. I knew sooner or later he would find someone younger, prettier, and then he would send me away. With no skills or education, I would be lost in the streets.” I smile, playing with Tru’s fingers. “And then one day, Yves arrived. Lord Arden thought himself showing off by parading me around, but Yves saw something in me. Something beyond my physical looks. Something he wanted. He played Arden’s game and took me away, never to return.”

“So cool,” Tru whispers.

“He brought me to the home he was staying at with Syn. They told me what they were and that if I chose, I could live with them forever. I would have a family, security, money, status, power—all the things a man like me could only dream of. Needless to say, I accepted Yves’s gift.”

“Just like that?”

“Easiest decision I ever made. I expected to be made their sex slave, but I was wrong. They treated me as their equal, taught me things, gave me books to read. With Yves and Syn, I became a gentleman.”

“Were you lovers?”

“With Yves, at first. Briefly. We weren’t compatible that way, and it didn’t take a genius to see he was in love with Syn.”

“But they weren’t a couple?”

“They tried off and on over the years, but it never clicked. Now we know why. Syn had a fated mate. It took a few centuries, but he did.”

“Bowie.”

“Yes. The amazing thing about Yves though, is that he doesn’t choose people solely based on attraction. He can see inside your soul. He knows what kind of person you are. He wanted me to be part of his family with or without desire. Over time, we grew our family into what we are today.”

Tru worries his bottom lip with his teeth. “So vampires are real.”

“I sit before you.”

He rubs his forehead. “That’s a lot. You drink blood?”

“I have to. Not daily and not to the point of death if I don’t want to, but yeah, I drink human blood. Now you understand why we became assassins.”

His eyes go wide. “Oh damn, that makes so much sense now.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so back to Benedict. You were in love with him?”

“Very much so. So much that I was willing to reveal myself to him, beg him to join me and allow me to love him for eternity. That was not to be.”

“Because?”

“Benedict came from a very prominent family. His father was a politician, his mother a high society lady. Benedict was never going to tell them he desired the touch of a man. Never. Out of desperation, I showed myself to him, and he ran. He was terrified of me. Disgusted.”

I blow out a breath as painful memories burn in my chest.

“I was despondent. His rejection brought me to my knees. I holed up in my room for weeks, refusing to come out until Yves and Syn forced me to feed. By that time, I was close to my own ruin. So weak I couldn’t walk or hold my head up. But they stood by me. Tended to me until I was well. In the meantime, the revolt was taking shape. The unrest that would eventually become known as the French Revolution. Benedict defied his parents and showed up to a protest to learn about the cause of the commoners.”

“Wow. Brave enough to do that but not brave enough to tell his parents he was gay?”

“Ironic, right?” I clear my throat of the emotion building there. “I was there out of curiosity. When he saw me, he fled. It was the last time I saw him before he took his own life.”

“Damn.”

“His last words to me were said in anger. He told me I had no right to claim his heart when I was a monster.”

Tru grabs my hand. “You’re not a monster. You’re not. He just didn’t understand, but he does now. I can feel it. He knows now.” Tru gasps, nodding. “He realized as he took his last breaths that he was wrong. He hoped somehow you would learn that you had his whole heart.”

“Is he speaking to you now?”

“It’s like a feeling inside me. An impression.”

“Tru.” I squeeze his hand. “You’re not afraid of me?”

“Not even a little bit. If you wanted to hurt me, you’ve had plenty of opportunities.”

“Do I…” I can barely make myself ask. “Do I disgust you?”

He scoffs. “No. I think you’re amazing, Midnight. I’ve never felt as good as I do when I’m with you. I told you earlier I was falling for you, and I meant it. That’s why I told my mom about us, and it’s why I’m gonna tell my dad. I don’t think he’ll reject me, but if he does, I’ll learn to live with it. Do you know why?”

I shake my head. “Why?”

“Because you have my whole heart, Midnight, and I’ll be okay no matter what as long as we’re together.” He smiles. “And those words are one hundred percent mine.”

“I cannot believe after all this time…A love for me. I waited centuries for you, Tru. I will spend the rest of them by your side, if you’ll have me.”

“I’ll definitely have you.” He scoots closer so he can climb into my lap. With his knees on either side of my legs, he wraps his arms around my neck. “Are you gonna make me a vampire?”

I search his eyes, seeking his emotions. “Would you consider it?”

His expression turns serious. “I already am considering it. I just want to fix this thing with Vinni first, and then I’ll be able to focus on the future. Our future. Is that okay?”

“Baby, it’s perfect.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

TRU

Dragging my hands down Midnight’s chest, I notice his skin is cooler than usual. When I meet his gaze again, there’s no doubt in my mind that his eyes have an otherworldly glow to them. He parts his lips, revealing shiny white fangs.

With a slight gasp, I reach up to feel the sharp tips. “You didn’t bite me earlier.”

“No, I swear to Hades, but I won’t lie and say I didn’t want it more than anything in the universe.”

“But you bit Benedict?”

“Once, yes. I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t have his consent. I was less in control of my beast back then.”

“You decide when it comes out?”

“To some extent. There are times when the bloodlust is too strong and I can’t control it. Anger, desire…” He draws in a breath. “Those two emotions make it difficult. I’ve had to turn away from you several times to avoid detection.”

“That must have been what I felt.” I rub my neck in the spot where it stung, feeling smooth flesh. “A memory.”

“Tru…” Midnight whispers. “It’s you I desire. You know this, right? Yes, I loved Benedict once, and part of me always will, but this between us, now, it’s about you and me.”

I smile, brushing my fingers down his cheek. “I know.” Shaking my head, I blow out a breath. “It’s hard to describe, but I can sense the part of my soul that came from him. I’m aware of the part that’s all me. Now it all makes so much sense. Why I can speak French, the memories that never seemed like mine.”

“The night you played the song Benedict wrote on the piano.”

Tilting my head, I search my memory and it comes back to me. “How did I forget that?”

“I made you. You were panicking.” He squeezes my hand. “My apologies for compelling you. It just felt like the right thing to do.”

“It was. Don’t apologize for protecting me.” We sit in silence for a moment. “So the act of making love brought Benedict to the surface, right?”

“That seems to be the case.”

“Maybe…” I rub my chest, feeling the answer come to me. “Yes. It’s because he knew then that we were ready.”

Midnight’s expression softens. “He knew then that you had my heart.”

“Do I?”

“You must know, my darling.” Midnight cups my cheek. “I adore you. You are a much-needed light and hope in my long life.” Pulling my hands to his chest, he smiles. “I love you, Tru.”

My heart flutters in my chest while my stomach is doing somersaults. “Wow. I’ve never heard those words romantically before. I used to dream about what it would feel like to love someone and be loved back, but my imagination wasn’t even close to how epic it is.”

Midnight’s skin cools even more as his eyes shimmer.

“Midnight, I’m not falling anymore. I’m already there. I love you. Thank you for saving me, chasing me, catching me.”

“I will spend eternity loving you.”

I press a quick kiss to his lips, pulling away as he tries to chase the kiss. “I think we should pick up where we left off before we had our visitor.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea.”

“I have one request though,” I whisper, dragging my hand through his thick hair.

“Anything.”

Swallowing hard, I summon the courage to say what’s running around in my head right now. “I want you to bite me. I want to know what it feels like.”

“Are you sure?”

Nodding, I answer, “Yeah. Very.”

“What a gift.” His lips part, his fangs brushing against them. “I can barely contain myself.”

“Is that what it’s like? When you like someone, you just want to taste them?”

“In every possible way. I want to feast on your flesh.”

“Cool.” I smile, rubbing my thumb along his bottom lip. “Let’s feast then.”

Midnight wastes no time, pushing me back as he closes his lips over mine. His body seems to flicker between cool and hot, finally settling on something in between, and my mind drifts for just a second, wondering what it would feel like to be a vampire.

“Strange at first,” Midnight whispers, kissing my neck. “I can feel your thoughts.”

“Feel?”

“Yes. That’s the only way I can describe it. It’s like they seep through you to me.”

“So cool,” I whisper, arching into his touch. “Does it hurt?”

“Yes, at first, but it’s over quickly.” His hand wraps around my throat, squeezing enough to know it’s happening, but not enough to hurt me. “Your body actually dies,” he whispers.

I gasp as his nails dig into my backside.

“But then you are reborn. Your old life is gone. A new life ready to begin.”

His words make me feel lightheaded, like they have some kind of magic in them. “You sound different. Old fashioned.”

Midnight laughs, dragging sharp teeth across my neck. “I am old, Tru. Very old.”

“You’ll look like this forever?”

“Forever. Never sick, never old, never dead.”

I push my hips up, hissing with pleasure as our cocks rub together. “But it’s lonely.”

“No.” He kisses me sweetly. “I have family with my brothers and our new sisters. Now I have love.”

“But before me?”

He pulls up slightly to meet my eyes. “I didn’t want love, so I wasn’t lonely for it. My physical needs were met when I wanted it, but it’s like I buried that part of myself. I threw myself into my work, and it was enough.”

“Because you never thought you’d find someone to love the way you loved Benedict.”

“Partly, but mostly I was afraid to love someone again and be rejected.”

I gasp. “That’s why you reacted the way you did when I told you I wasn’t out to my family. You thought I would choose them over you. Like Benedict did.”

“Yes.” He nods. “I was afraid you’d discover what I am and fear me the way he did. Run from me. Harm yourself just to get away.”

“But now you know that even though he’s part of me, I’m my own man. Times are different.”

“I know.”

I cup his face. “I choose you, Midnight. No matter what. Do you believe me?”

Happiness floods his expression. “I do.”

“Good. Now tear me apart.”

Midnight laughs as we fall into a kiss. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me upright until I’m on his lap, the head of his cock teasing my hole. As he enters me this time, I throw my head back. It’s much easier since I’m still stretched, but he’s so damn thick I’m definitely aware of it.

“You were made for me,” Midnight whispers, sucking my neck as he thrusts deep inside me. “Just for me, Tru.”

“Yes.” I wrap my arm around his neck. “Just for you.”

We gaze into each other’s eyes as we make love, but I swear I can sense his beast moving closer to the surface. It’s confirmed when his fangs lengthen even more and the irises of his eyes develop a pinkish-red ring around them.

Midnight opens his mouth wide, moving towards me. I tilt my head, giving my silent consent for his bite. When his teeth meet my flesh, I gasp, holding my breath as the sting moves through me, but then something else takes over.

Euphoria.

My body warms, practically melting in his arms. My head lolls back, supported by Midnight’s strong hand, and most shocking, my orgasm hits with no warning. Cum shoots from my cock, splashing my skin, but I’m somewhere else now.

Memories of the past and present fill my head, swirling together into one until my soul and Benedict’s unite.

I can hear my blood leave my body, and the sensation of it being sucked from my veins is heady. I cling to Midnight’s shoulders, his thick cock hardening and swelling deep inside me until I think I might split apart, but there’s no pain, only the most intense pleasure of my entire life.

“Oh god, Midnight,” I whisper. “Fuck. So good.”

He pumps inside me, deep and forceful, and somehow I get hard again and come for the second time in just a few minutes. Midnight pulls off my neck, claiming my mouth in a kiss that can only mean one thing—forever.

I taste my blood on his tongue, but it doesn’t gross me out. It turns me the fuck on.

“Come inside me,” I whisper, dragging my tongue up Midnight’s stubbly cheek. “Fill me up with you.”

“Fuck.” Midnight grunts, his forehead creased with exertion.

“Do I feel good, mon prince ténébreux? Do I make your beast happy?”

Midnight grips my neck, holding my gaze, but his eyes are wild with feral passion. “You are everything, Tru. My everything.”

“You’re my everything too, beautiful vampire.”

He releases a breathless sob, wrapping his arms around me and throwing me back on the bed. He then proceeds to do as I ask, tearing me apart as he pounds into me. The sound of our skin smacking together, his grunts and my moans, is my new favorite song.

When he meets his release, it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. His body tenses as a flood of hot cum rushes into me, filling me so deeply, I’d swear I can feel it seeping into every part of me. Midnight bites into my wrist, drinking again, his eyes fixed on my face as I grind against his cock.

“Yes, my vampire,” I whisper, nearly delirious now. “Take what you need from me.”

My eyelids flutter, my body trying to drag me into sleep, but I refuse to go. Through slitted eyes, I watch Midnight lick my wrist, then collapse against me. My body is sweaty and slick, but his is cool and it feels amazing.

Wrapped around me, he brushes my hair back from my forehead, dotting my skin with sweet kisses.

“What a gift,” he whispers. “I love you, Tru. Thank you for saving me.”

His words find the deepest broken part of me and heal it instantly. I saved him just as much as he saved me.

I give in to sleep with a smile on my face, knowing I’ve found my forever.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

MIDNIGHT

Asense of peace that has been notably absent from my life for centuries settles over me as I lie beside Tru watching him sleep. My heart beats harder than it has in years, reawakening a part of me I thought had died with Benedict. All my fears and hesitations are just gone. Erased by finding my mate.

As I stroke Tru’s hair, soothed by his rhythmic breathing, I allow myself to do the one thing I couldn’t before. I dream of a future. One filled with happiness and love and purpose, with Tru at the center of everything I do.

The idea that he may join me on my eternal walk, become what I am and be part of my family, is overwhelmingly beautiful. Why fate would be so kind to me is a mystery, but maybe it isn’t about me. Maybe it’s about Benedict and Tru.

My thoughts drift back to all the things Benedict told me. I laugh softly. I carried so much after his loss, but I can’t regret it. Not when Tru showed up. He’s worth every bit of it.

“Your thoughts are loud,” Tru whispers, his voice thick with sleep.

“You can hear my thoughts?”

“I think so.” His eyes open slowly as he stretches. “Or maybe you’re just giving off vibes.”

Carding my fingers through his unruly curls, I search his eyes. “I was imagining a future and letting go of the past.”

Tru smiles, tracing circles on my chest with his fingers. “Does it look good? Our future?”

“Oh, it’s perfect. Do you want to know the best part of having eternal life?”

“Yes.”

“I will never run out of time to love you.”

“Ooh, good one, vamp. You know how to charm a guy.”

Chuckling, I lift his hand to kiss it. “I just want to see you smile.”

Tru laughs too. “It’s funny to me now. All the times I thought I was seeing things. The way your eyes seemed to glow. Sometimes your skin would look so pale and flawless. Other times, you would clench your jaw. You were hiding your vampire.”

“Yes. It’s been difficult.”

“You don’t have to hide anymore. Unless I’m dreaming and none of this is real.”

“You’re awake, my fierce little kitten.”

He rubs his hand over his chest. “I feel different now. More…whole, maybe.” His brow creases as he shakes his head slightly. “I’m not sure how to explain it, but before what happened I always had this odd sense of disconnection. Like I didn’t know myself.”

“And now?”

“Now it feels like that’s gone.”

“Are you happy about it?”

“Yeah. Are you though?”

“Elated.” I smile. “I was a prisoner of the past until you came along to set me free.”

“It wasn’t me though. It was Benedict.”

“No. It was you. That’s why it happened now. Because you exist. Fate knew you would be the one for me. The man who would finally fill all the cracks in my heart. That’s why you were chosen.”

“That’s beautiful,” Tru whispers. “I didn’t really believe in any of this stuff, but I sure do now.”

“Right. Kind of have to.”

“So after we deal with Vinni, then what? Do we date like regular people?”

I snort a laugh, leaning down to nuzzle my nose against his neck. “I don’t do anything like regular people.”

“Fair.” He wraps his arms around me, holding me to him, as we lapse into silence for a few minutes until he speaks again. “I dreamed of being like you. I saw myself flying. Can you fly?”

“I wouldn’t call it flying, no. Not like a bird, but I can launch myself into the air. We like to jump across buildings at night.”

He nods. “I think I remember that a little.”

“Yes. What else did you dream?”

Tru curls into me, his warm body soothing to my beast. “I saw myself ripping Vinni apart like a wild animal. It felt so good.” He turns his face to me. “Does it feel good?”

“Letting my beast out feels more natural than good. It’s a relief to take the mask off and do as I wish. The job we do is perfect for what we are.”

“Is it difficult to hold back?”

“Only when highly aroused. It becomes easier over time. I can pass among the mortals.”

“Yeah, you can,” he says, laughing. “You always did seem different though. Unique. I guess that’s what drew me to you.”

“And fate. She made sure we would meet.” I brush my fingers across his cheek. “The minute I saw you, that was it for me.”

“I think it was the same for me. I tried to ignore you, but I couldn’t. I knew I should be focused on making things right for Lucia, but secretly I always hoped you would show up again.”

I nod.

“It’s kind of cool knowing there was some other force outside of us making sure it happened.”

“Yes, I agree.”

“Are you sad though? Sad that Benedict got it, but it was too late?”

“No, not sad. Free. I put my heart in a box for all these years. Centuries and decades and years and months and days of sorrow are over now. It wasn’t our time then. Benedict and I were not ready. Whatever journey he’s been on since healed the parts of both of us that still bled.” Cupping his cheek, I focus on his gaze. “But I want to be very clear, Tru. It’s you I love. You. Benedict is in the past, and I’m grateful for the message he gave us. I’m humbled that fate would bring our souls back together through you, but have no doubt, my sweet, beautiful man, that it is you who holds my heart in your hands.”

Tru smiles. “I know. I’m not sure how I know, but I do.”

“That’s good enough for me.”

An hour later, Tru and I leave my unit to join the others in the common area. I’m hoping for some kind of update on Vinni after my brothers spent the night hunting.

I spot Yves and Syn in a corner chatting over coffee. Eros and Raphael aren’t present. Bowie is sitting in an armchair reading a book, and Thorn is sleeping on the couch, as usual.

“Morning,” I say, approaching Yves and Syn. “Any news?”

“We heard from Eros two hours ago,” Yves says. “He and Raphael think they have a lead. They’re checking it out now.”

“Why wasn’t I told?”

“No reason to yet,” Syn answers. “You’ll be the first to know if he’s located.”

I grunt, watching Tru as he walks over to Bowie. “Last night I learned something.”

Yves and Syn watch me with interest.

“Somehow, a part of Benedict is tangled up with Tru. He came through, sharing with us that we were soulmates, he just didn’t know until it was too late.”

“Fuck,” Syn whispers. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. Somehow fate decided to reunite us through Tru. I don’t know how it works, but Benedict explained that only a part of him exists with Tru.”

“How do you feel?” Yves asks, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Free.” My voice cracks slightly. “Unchained from the past. Ready to love Tru. He knows now. He accepts me.”

Syn smiles. “Really?”

“Yeah. He even asked about accepting my gift after we resolve the situation with Vinni.”

“I had a feeling,” Yves begins softly, glancing at Bowie and Tru as they look at a book. “I didn’t bring it up because I knew you weren’t ready to hear it, but I sensed something in Tru. I knew he’d be around for a while.”

“For eternity if my luck holds out.”

“It isn’t luck, brother,” Syn says. “It’s fate.”

I smile at that as Bowie and Tru join us. Tru’s energy is off the charts. He nearly bounces as he grips my hand.

“What is this?” I ask.

Bowie grins, handing me the book in his hands. “I was doing a little reading up on reincarnation.” He shrugs. “I just had a feeling after the piano thing.”

“Wait till you hear it,” Tru says, still beaming.

“Okay,” Bowie begins. “So, what I learned is that among the cultures that believe in it, it can be different. But I found this one explanation that feels right for this situation. It’s from ancient western civilization and widely held presently in new age and occult communities.”

“Go on,” I say.

“Okay,” Bowie says. “So it’s not like the whole soul picks a body and jumps in,” he explains. “It’s just a portion. Some say the higher self. When the body dies, the soul or consciousness scatters into the stars. The bad parts die away with the body, leaving only the purest essence of that soul. When a new person is born, all the parts of scattered consciousness come together, along with new energy from the stars, and they create that unique person.”

“Isn’t it cool?” Tru asks.

“Yes,” I say. “Is there more?”

“Yep,” Bowie says. “Most people don’t realize their soul is made up of others, but there are theories that’s where hobbies, interests, and talents come from. Déjà vu is another example. It’s a memory.”

“Interesting,” Yves says.

“Yeah, but the important part to know is that even though we’re all made up of bits and pieces of the consciousness of people before us, we’re still us. We’re not them.”

“I’m all me,” Tru says, his smile soft and sweet. “Even if part of me came from him.”

“Benedict said the same, but his awareness…the ability to speak to me directly. How did that happen?”

Bowie smiles. “Well that was all just supernatural stuff. No one writes books about that and if they do, they aren’t taken seriously in our society. They don’t know vampires and witches exist either.”

“Good point,” I say.

“It’s such a neat idea,” Tru says. “When we die, our souls join the stars they came from, waiting for the day when part of us sprinkles down and lives again through new people.”

“Except for those of us who defy life,” Yves says.

Tru nods, shifting his gaze from Yves to me. “We never have to scatter to the stars again, hoping to find each other through time.”

“If you choose to join me.”

Smiling, he cups my cheek. “Like I could ever leave you.”

I swallow hard as my body immediately reacts to his words, my beast pushing to the surface. My chest swells with joy, my fangs dropping into place, ready to make it so.

Tru pats my chest. “Patience, my dark prince. We have business to attend to.”

“Wouldn’t you rather be a badass vampire first?” Thorn asks, lifting his head. I didn’t realize he was listening.

“No,” Tru answers earnestly. “I want Midnight to know I’m choosing him with no ulterior motive. He’s waited a long time for this.”

Ignoring my brothers around us, I scoop Tru into my arms and claim his pretty mouth in a heated kiss. That is, until Thorn makes gagging noises.

“Get a room,” he groans.

“Oh please,” Syn says. “As if you wouldn’t fuck on the couch if we allowed it.”

Laughing, I release Tru. “This is what you’re signing up for, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Chapter Thirty

TRU

“So what’s it like?” I ask Bowie as we return to the window seat. “Becoming a vampire.”

Bowie shrugs, chuckling. “It’s weird because it feels so normal now. It’s like you forget what it felt like to be mortal.”

“Yeah?”

He nods. “Syn tells me it can be different depending on the person. For me, it was…” He pauses, twisting his lips as he thinks. “It was like a release. I was so angry and bound by the past.”

“What do you mean?”

“My background is pretty shitty. My dad did bad things that left me alone. I struggled and kept all that rage inside until Syn entered my world. He showed me how to channel it into the work we do so that the rest of the time I can just be me.”

“You’re an assassin now too?”

“Yeah. I go out with Syn a lot. Sometimes with Thorn. He’s a blast to work with, by the way. I’ve also been working with Viper on the systems we use.”

“So they all accept you?”

“Right from the beginning. Yves just wants everyone to be happy and fulfilled. He feels responsible for them because he made them all.”

“Right.” I think of my next question for a second. “Can you tell me the best part of it?”

His face lights up. “The best part is knowing nothing can ever take me away from Syn. No one can hurt us, we won’t die. We get to be together for literal eternity.” He grins. “But the second-best part is the physical changes. None of the stuff that bothered you as a mortal does now. Sleep needs are minimal, you’re never sore or tired or worn out. You’re never sick. You can take a bullet and shake it off. And, if you don’t mind me getting personal, your libido is in overdrive. All you want is sex and blood.” He blows out a breath. “If I even think about it too much, I get agitated.”

“Wow. Is there a bad side?”

Bowie shrugs. “I have to hide it from my aunt Nelly. If you’re close to your family, it’s gonna be an issue someday. You won’t age, but they will.”

“Oh, right.” I nod, considering that for a second. “And you’re not allowed to tell them?”

“I don’t know if it’s a rule. It’s just that Yves and the guys know it usually doesn’t go well. Mortals don’t understand unless they’re deeply connected to it like we are. I would definitely talk it over with Midnight before you decide to do it.”

“Yeah, of course.”

He puts his hand over mine. “Are you considering it?”

“Absolutely. I want to be with Midnight forever.”

“Nice. It’ll be cool not to be the newbie anymore.”

We both laugh before I continue. “I’m kind of close to my family, but I’ve always felt separate. I never got into the whole status and money thing like the others.”

“You have siblings?”

“Two sisters. They love the lifestyle my dad’s wealth and name provide, but I never cared for it much. Maybe because it made me feel like I had to hide who I really am.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m gay, and I never told my parents. I came out to my mom recently, and she told me my dad would be okay with it.” I scoff a laugh. “Weird that I hid it for so long out of fear. Not that my parents would reject me, but that it would cause my dad issues. He lectured us so much as teens never to get into trouble. Never embarrass the family. That’s why I’m trying so hard to stop Vinni.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find Vinni. It’s what we do.”

“I know.”

“As for hiding who or what you are, I hate to tell you, but it comes with the vampire territory. I mean, would you have believed we existed before you knew us?”

I laugh. “No.”

“Right, but we have our outlets. Being here helps. The club too.”

“Club?”

“It’s called The Lair. It’s a private club for vampires. The only mortals allowed are guests of other vampires. We also get some witches and other dabblers who are aware of what’s beyond the veil.”

“And it’s fun?”

“Oh it’s a blast. We can just be ourselves. There’s dancing and talking and so much feeding.”

“Without mortals?”

Bowie scrunches his nose. “Sorry. I should be more clear. There usually aren’t mortals who are willingly there, but you know, vampires hunt sometimes and invite them in for sport.”

“Oh. People you intend to kill?”

“Usually. Our moral compass is a little off kilter, but we go out of our way to make sure our victims only make the world a better place when they leave it. Fortunately for us, there are plenty of shitty people in the world.”

“True.”

“But now that we’re talking about it, I’d say that’s the biggest shift when you turn,” Bowie says. “Yeah, the physical changes are huge, but everything that it meant to be human before changes. You adopt your maker’s views. It’s nothing to me to kill a person now, but at the same time, we aren’t just heartless beasts. We don’t kill for no reason. We don’t kill the innocent. Before Yves takes any job, he verifies it through his methods. We don’t kill children, animals, and rarely women. We have emotions, as you know. But when it comes time to do a job, we just do it. Some of us enjoy it more than others.”

“Let me guess. Thorn?”

Bowie laughs. “Definitely Thorn. He’s our hedonist. Everything is over the top for him. It takes a lot to satisfy a vampire.”

“Even you?”

“Yep. I could guzzle a bottle of tequila right now and it wouldn’t have any effect at all.”

“Kind of cool.”

“It is. Your emotions for your mate will be the strongest thing you ever feel. You would give your eternal life for them without hesitation, and they would do the same for you.”

“Is there anything you regret? Anything you would caution me to think about first?”

“I don’t regret anything. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I guess if I was gonna caution anyone, I would just say make sure this life is what you want because there’s no going back. You can’t change your mind. You can’t be mortal again, and you’ll be forever tied to Midnight. If you leave, you’ll destroy him. It’s not something you do lightly.”

“What about…” I pause as insecurity swarms around me. “Do you ever worry Syn will get bored with you or, I don’t know, just fall out of love?”

Bowie’s smile is soft and comforting. “That’s the best part, Tru. They can’t fall out of love. When a vampire falls in love, it’s absolute and eternal. It’s not like any mortal relationship you’ve ever had or even imagined. You are literally the center of his universe.”

His words bounce around my chest, settling into a spot in my heart that feels good and right. “Thanks, Bowie. I appreciate your perspective.”

“Anytime.”

I turn and look at Midnight just as his gaze seeks mine too. I smile, filled with love and desire for this man. All I can think about is ending this nightmare so I can get on with my future. My future with Midnight.

Hours later, Midnight and I lie twisted together on the sofa, naked and happy just holding each other. My thoughts are jumbled with ideas and images and dreams of the future.

“How was your talk with Bowie?”

“Good. I just wanted his perspective since he’s been through it recently.”

“Of course. Did it change your thoughts at all?”

I smile, brushing a kiss to his shoulder. My tough vampire is feeling insecure. “No. It just confirmed that what I feel inside is right and good.”

Midnight tugs me up slightly to claim my lips. I sink into our kiss, our tongues tangling the way our bodies do, but just as things are heating up, there’s a hard knock on his door.

“It’s Yves,” Midnight says without hesitation.

He stands, walking quickly to the door with no regard for his nudity. When he opens the door, Yves speaks so softly I can’t hear a word, but I can sense the tense shift in Midnight’s demeanor. He closes the door, twisting around to me.

“Eros and Raph found Vinni. We gotta go.”

As we throw on clothes, Midnight explains the situation to me.

“He’s in an old hangout,” Midnight says. “Along with several members of the gang. They are heavily armed and clearly protecting him. I imagine he’s worried about Dimas and his coven finding them.”

“Is that a concern we have too?”

“We have Dimas’s promise they won’t attack. Vampires tend to keep their word, but we’ll have to see.”

My heart beats rapidly. “Fuck, I hope this is it. I need it to be done, Midnight.”

“I know.” He walks over and kisses my forehead. “I’ll do everything I can.”

Nodding, I take his hand as he leads me from the unit to the common area. Everyone is gathered, decked out in black. Vivienne hands Thorn a couple of vials and pouches and waves her hand over all of us as she whispers a chant.

“What just happened?” I ask as my skin shivers.

“Protection spell,” Midnight answers. “She insists on it even though we don’t need it.”

“She cares about you guys.”

“Completely.”

“Let’s go,” Yves says. “He’s on the south side in the old Dally’s Bar building.”

Once we’re outside, Midnight bends down. “Hop on my back. It’ll go faster.”

“Got it.”

I jump up and he hooks his arms under my knees, taking off so quickly it leaves me lightheaded. It’s like one of those amusement park rides that goes so fast you can’t even focus on your surroundings.

But in mere minutes, we arrive on the block where the bar used to be. I’ve staked this place out a few times myself, but I thought they’d abandoned it after Malek was killed.

From our vantage point, we see there are several armed dudes wrapped around the building and a single dim light on in the upper floor. I exhale a shaky breath, praying to any god listening that this nightmare ends tonight.

“Can we go in now?” Thorn asks, bouncing on his toes like an excited child.

“Patience,” Yves says, his tone soft with his brother. “We’ve made a promise to Tru that he can be the one to deal the final blow to Vinni. Everyone else is fair game. Our role is to clear a path to Vinni and protect Tru doing it. Clear?”

“Clear,” everyone repeats.

Weirdly, my eyes tear up until I blink them away. I guess it just feels strange to be considered, especially by people who barely know me. Midnight, obviously sensing my feelings, rubs my back.

He turns to face me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll be right by your side, but please know, if it’s your life or his, I will take his in a heartbeat.”

“I understand.”

Right before we make a plan to descend on the house, my dummy phone buzzes still stuffed in my pocket. I pull it from my jacket, gasping when I see the text.

“It’s Vinni. Guess he figured out I got out of his trap.”

“What does it say?” Midnight asks.

“You’re running out of time,” I read. “The cost is two million and you can keep the girl. I need it by midnight tonight.”

“That’s two hours.” Yves scoffs. “What kind of lunatic is he? No one could get that kind of cash together in that short of time unless they had it in a safe.”

“There’s a desperation to the words even in writing,” Midnight says, glancing at the screen. “I bet he wants to run.”

“I’m gonna tell him I’m coming with the money,” I say. “But I want pictures of the tapes as proof.”

“Perfect,” Yves says. “Then we know he has them.”

I type out my response, resisting the urge to gloat about getting away, and gnawing on my bottom lip while I wait for a response. Several images pop up including photographs, tapes, and even one playing on a computer that turns my stomach as I look away.

“Jesus Christ, that’s my sister,” I grunt. “He’s a fucking animal.”

When I look up at Midnight, his beast has already taken over, his body vibrating with rage. His eyes glow, fangs shimmering under city lights. “I will destroy him,” he growls, and the sensation goes straight to my dick. Interesting kink I’ve developed.

“Thorn,” Yves says. “You take the front. Eros and Raphael, the guys in the back. The three of you can take care of the outside then join us inside.”

“Sweet,” Thorn says, rubbing his hands together.

Eros and Raphael simply nod.

“Syn, Bowie, you join me inside. There are more men guarding Vinni there. Midnight and Tru, we’ve got your backs.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

Yves nods with a slight smile. “Ready?”

“So fucking ready,” Thorn says, nearly crawling out of his skin.

“Does he always get this pumped for violence?” I whisper.

“Yes,” everyone answers at the same time.

I’d laugh, but my nerves are too twisted. Midnight grabs my hand, squeezing as we watch Thorn, Eros, and Raphael creep into the darkness. While the other two slip around the sides and back, Thorn launches himself at the man by the door, his black trench catching in the wind. Blood and guts splatter against the brick wall of the building before the man can even scream.

“That’s our cue,” Yves says, leading the rest of us onto the scene.

The men outside are already nothing but bloody parts as we enter the building and the others drag the bodies inside. My nerves kick in as we silently ascend the stairs with Syn, Bowie, and Midnight surrounding me like a shield and Yves in front.

When we reach the top, I wonder how sturdy the cracked wood floors are. Loud rap music blares from a room at the end of the hall, where the only light emanates from. Yves turns to look at us, silently sending a message.

Midnight leans down and whispers, “We’re going in first to clear the room, then you have a straight shot to Vinni. Do you have your knife?”

I pat my front pocket. “Got it.”

“Are you okay?”

I nod, blowing out a breath. “This is it. This is the night I save my family.”

He smiles. “It is. Just remember, you are not alone.”

“I know.”

Syn kicks the door open and then all hell breaks loose. Guns fire and there’s a lot of grunting. By the time I’m in the room just seconds later, Syn, Bowie, and Yves are tearing through a throng of people while Vinni is gathering tapes, money, and drugs, tossing everything into a duffle bag.

Summoning the cocky part of me, I clear my throat. It helps that Midnight is right beside

me. “Where are you going, Vinni? I thought you were expecting me.”

Vinni’s head snaps up, his eyes wild. He’s clearly coked out. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Aw, now, Vinni, you’re gonna hurt my feelings. You don’t remember me? Tru De Palma.

You destroyed my sister. You tried to kill me a couple of days ago.”

“Oh yeah, the whore,” he mumbles, still acting like he doesn’t recognize me.

My blood boils. “Don’t call her that. You losers drugged her.”

He shrugs. “She wanted the drugs, man. Where’s the money?” Something is really off about this dude. Like he’s checked out, only going through the motions.

Midnight scoffs but otherwise remains silent.

“I’d like to renegotiate your terms, Vinni,” I say, stepping closer. “How about you give me all the stuff and I kill you?”

Vinni looks both startled and confused. I’m guessing whatever drugs he’s on are fucking with his head. He gazes around the room at vampires literally feeding off his friends, but he seems detached from it.

“You can’t kill me. I’m fucking Malice, man.”

“Yeah? Well, I brought something way better than a bunch of drug addicted gang members.” I smile, nudging Midnight with my elbow. “I brought vampires.”

Vinni’s brow crinkles, his bald, tattooed head shiny with sweat. “You don’t make sense, man.”

He reaches into his duffle bag, producing a gun and pointing it at me, but before I fully process that, Midnight grabs the gun, squeezing it in his fist until it’s nothing but a ball of metal. Vinni takes off running for the window, and I let him go for a second, enjoying the fear on his face.

Midnight chuckles, walking in that direction like he has all the time in the world. He grabs Vinni by the collar of his t-shirt as he struggles to get the window open.

“What are you gonna do, Vin? Jump from the second floor?” I ask, approaching him.

His breathing is heavy as Midnight slams him up against the wall. I pull the knife from my pocket, unfolding it methodically.

“Tell me, Vinni. Tell me why you did it? Why did you take a pretty young girl and abuse her like she was trash?”

Vinni narrows his eyes, puffing his chest out a little. “You think your sister was special? She’s just another drug addict. She didn’t matter to us except to pay off her debt. It wasn’t personal.”

His casual disdain for what he did to her makes my blood boil. “Maybe it wasn’t personal for you, but it is for me. She’s a daughter and a sister. She’s a friend. She’s smart, and you nearly ruined her.”

“If she’s so smart, why’d she get caught up with us, huh, big man?”

I plunge the knife straight into his gut, almost surprised by my own actions. The smile on Midnight’s face makes me feel weirdly proud.

Vinni grunts, bending forward to clutch the wound, but unable to move much thanks to Midnight’s grip. I step closer, yanking the knife out of him before pressing the blade to Vinni’s thick neck. He reeks of body odor and cigarette smoke, making my eyes water.

“Apologize,” I demand. “Tell me you’re sorry for hurting her.”

“Fuck you,” he sneers, revealing decaying teeth. “I ain’t no punk bitch.”

I dig the blade into his skin hard enough to draw blood. Vinni groans in pain, his eyes darting wildly as the other vampires literally play with their food, tossing the barely living men around, allowing them to get loose before descending on them again.

“What is this?” Vinni whispers, his tone revealing the fear he’s trying to hide.

“I told you. Vampires. I’d let Midnight drain you, but he promised I could be the one to end you. We’re going to wipe out your entire gang tonight. By morning, no more Malice. No more Vinni. No more nightmares for my sister.”

Vinni trembles, staring at me with wide eyes.

“Is there anything else or is it all on the table?” I ask.

Vinni sets his jaw, clearly intending not to speak. That is, until Midnight uses a sharp nail to split his cheek open. Vinni yelps in pain.

“We can do this slowly,” Midnight growls. “Or you can end your suffering. Either way you’re dying tonight.”

That’s my man. All dangerous and sexy.

Vinni, shaking now, looks back and forth between us before he makes a decision. “It’s all there. Everything the club has. It’s there.”

“Good boy, Vinni.” I pat his chest. “Now apologize and I’ll make it quick.”

He seems to hesitate again, and something about him must shift, because Midnight slams his fist into the window, shattering the glass. He hoists Vinni halfway through the window, facing the ground.

“Say it or spend the rest of your life dangling from here as you bleed out, slowly and painfully.”

The smell of urine hits me and I gag. Vinni fucking peed himself.

“So-sorry,” he yells, scrambling to grab the windowsill out of his reach. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” I ask.

“Uh, sorry for hurting your sister.”

“Lucia,” I yell. “Say her name.”

“I’m sorry for hurting Lucia!”

Midnight looks at me and I nod. He drags Vinni back in, who slumps against the wall, his jeans stained with blood and piss, his face red, and panic in his eyes.

“Thank you, Vinni. I’ll pass it along.”

I shove the knife straight into his chest, twisting it to make sure it fucking hurts, and smiling as his eyes grow wide. “No pills for you.”

“May I?” Midnight asks.

“By all means.”

I have no idea what he plans to do, but I’m happy to watch. Midnight growls, tilting his head ominously as he uses his sharp nails to literally rip Vinni’s throat out. I step out of the way just in time to avoid being splashed with blood.

Midnight drops Vinni’s body and we stand over him for a moment, watching him gasp and cling to life. Funny how they have no problem taking other people’s, but fight for their own. Once Vinni takes his final breath, his eyes staring lifeless at the ceiling, I exhale.

“Come on,” Midnight says.

We walk over to the table, where piles of money, drugs, and all the incriminating evidence of Lucia’s mistake exists. Midnight pulls a lighter out of his pocket, but I stop him for a second.

“I want to tape it so I can show Lucia it’s over.”

“Good idea.”

I turn my actual phone’s video feature on, taping it all as Midnight sets everything on fire except the money. He tears the laptop apart with his bare hands, adding it to the burning pile. Surprising tears stream down my face as I watch it all go up in smoke. It’s finally fucking over.

Midnight stands behind me, his chin resting on top of my head, his arms around me. “I’m proud of you, Tru. You’re a total badass.”

“Somewhere inside me, I guess. I found it when it mattered.”

“Yeah, you did.”

When the last bit of evidence is nothing but ashes, we turn to look at the mess in the room. Thorn, covered in blood, leans against a wall smoking a cigarette, while Eros and Raphael sit in two chairs chatting. Syn, Bowie, and Yves are in another area, also talking. Body parts, blood, and guts cover the room, but they act like it’s just a normal day at the office.

Midnight guides me over to them. “It’s done,” he says.

“Excellent,” Yves says. “And New Onyx is finally rid of the Malice gang.”

“Thanks, guys. All of you.” I blow out a breath. “I literally couldn’t have done this without your help.”

“That’s how we do it, little madman,” Thorn says, blowing out a ring of smoke, his chin still covered in blood. “You’re family now. You never have to do anything alone.”

I lean into Midnight, filled with happiness and security. “Thank you.”

Bowie winks at me as Syn wraps his arms around him.

“Let’s finish this off,” Yves says. “You have the shield, Thorn?”

“Yep.”

“Shield?” I ask as we head downstairs.

“Viv gave us a spell to shield onlookers from what we’re about to do, which is burn this building to the ground,” Yves explains. “No building, no bodies. No bodies, no crime.”

“Whoa. This is some cool shit.”

Midnight smiles. “Indeed it is, little kitten.”

Chapter Thirty-One

MIDNIGHT

By the time we return home, my desire for Tru is all consuming. I can barely hold myself back from publicly stripping him down and claiming his body and soul for good. He seems to be aware of my dilemma, squeezing my hand and flashing that gorgeous smile at me throughout our walk. Just before we reach our building, Tru calls out to Yves.

“Uh, hey, Yves?”

“Yes, Tru?”

“I don’t know the rules, but would you consider letting me donate this money we found? I sure don’t need it, and it doesn’t seem like you guys do. Maybe it could do some good, even though it came from somewhere bad.”

A surge of love and affection bubbles up in me. He’s so kind, so good of heart.

“Hmm, Dimas said something about stuff Vinni took.”

“Fuck, Dimas,” Syn growls. “We did the heavy lifting. No vampire worth his existence is going to miss this amount of cash, and if he’s selling drugs, he can fuck off with that too.”

“Fair point, my friend,” Yves says, chuckling. “This was your job, Tru. You can do what you wish with the spoils.”

“But I’ll take the drugs if you don’t want them,” Thorn chimes in.

Tru chuckles. “They’re all yours, Thorn.”

“Nice.”

“What will you do with the money?” I ask as we walk on.

“Give it to a local rehab for homeless and disadvantaged people. Lucia’s in a top-notch facility that’s like a resort. My dad has the money for that and the ability to keep it out of the media, but most people don’t. I want to support groups that help people on the streets with no other resources.”

“You’re a good egg, little madman,” Thorn says, bumping his arm against Tru’s.

“I think my madman days are over,” Tru says. “My vendettas are done.”

“We’ll see about that,” Raphael says. “You’ve got a wild streak in you.”

Tru nods, gazing up at me. “I feel I should explain their comments,” I say.

“Okay.”

“One of the things about being turned is that who you are at your most core self is amplified. Yes, all your external ailments heal, but if there is darkness in your heart, it will rise to the surface. Likewise, if you have a good heart, that will rise too.”

“Can’t you be both?”

“Sure can, little madman,” Thorn says. “Case in point,” he adds, pointing at himself.

Yves chuckles. “Ah yes, our walking enigma. Thorn. Both the sweetest and deadliest vampire you can find.”

Tru nods, biting his bottom lip. “That’s what you were telling me, Bowie?”

Bowie nods. “Yeah. All that rage I kept inside of me found an outlet. It’s a lot better now that I don’t have to fight against it.”

“So it’s kind of like a weird form of therapy?” Tru asks and Eros snorts.

“I like the way you think, Tru,” Eros says.

“It’s why Yves made this for us,” Raphael says, softly and with a serious tone. “Who knows what we would have become without our work. The modern world changed so many things for us.”

“Right?” Eros says. “Back in the day, hunting mortals was a breeze. But now there are smartphones and surveillance cameras and drones. It’s difficult to remain unseen.”

Tru nods, clearly thinking over the conversation. “But you’re able to do what you do without being caught.”

“It took a long time,” Yves says. “To figure it all out. To learn the technology and find Vivienne. Her skills help a lot.”

“Like tonight,” Tru says. “No one could see the burning building.”

“Yes,” I say. “By morning it’ll be nothing but ashes and everyone will wonder how they slept through it.”

“So magic is real,” Tru whispers. “Vampires exist. What else?”

“All myths come from truth,” Yves says. “Many years ago, humans were aware of the veil blocking the supernatural world from the mortal one. They knew of the gods and goddesses and creatures. They knew of fairies and witches and vampires and demons.” He chuckles darkly. “Then with more education, more industrialization, their belief in the otherworld dissipated. It shifted to the religious world that still reigns today. Yet here we are, right under their noses.”

“And you don’t like them finding out, right?” Tru directs his question to Yves.

“It hardly ever goes well. Imagine your reaction if you had not developed feelings for Midnight first.”

“Right.” Tru chews on that sweet bottom lip again.

“Is there someone you want to tell?” I ask, sensing the nature of his question.

Tru shrugs. “Bowie told me you have to leave your family eventually.”

“Yes,” I say.

He blows out a breath. “I guess it won’t matter for a long time, right? I’ll still be young for a while.”

I squeeze his hand. “I don’t know from personal experience, but it can be difficult.”

“We used to move around a lot,” Yves says, gazing up at the clear night sky. “We have a whole system we use to get new identities, but we have found a home in New Onyx. We believe it to be big enough to avoid detection. We just didn’t realize some of us would find our mates here. Perhaps that’s why I felt such a draw towards this chaotic city.”

Syn squeezes Yves’s shoulder but stays silent.

Tru studies Yves for a moment before shifting his gaze to me and smiling. “A bridge to cross when we get there. If they can handle me being gay, maybe they can handle finding out vampires are real.”

Yves frowns, sending a thought directly to me. Tread lightly. We know what could happen.

Nodding, I send a thought back. He hasn’t even turned yet. It’s all new for him. Give him ten or twenty years to work it out.

Yves nods, seemingly satisfied with my answer. We arrive at our home, and once inside, we all scatter to spend our evening the way we want to. I lead Tru to our unit, pausing at my own change in ownership.

Our unit. Our home. Our life.

Tru plops down on the sofa, blowing out a long breath. “It’s weird,” he says. “Kind of anti-climactic. We just killed a shit ton of people, I got all the crap they had on Lucia, Malice is done, and I don’t feel that different.”

Smiling, I sit beside him. “Killing can have different outcomes. It’s never personal for me like it was tonight, but I would guess you had it so built up in your mind that it feels weird that it’s over.”

He nods. “Yeah. I guess that’s it. Does this mean I can actually relax and just be a regular guy again?”

“It does. Is that what you want? To be a regular guy?”

He shifts his pretty eyes to me, a smile dancing on his lips as his expression brightens. “I want to be your guy, Midnight. I want to be with you forever.”

My chest feels too tight with the joy his words bring. “But you understand the risks and the sacrifices?”

“I’ve spent my life wandering around looking for a reason for my existence other than being my dad’s son. We both knew a long time ago that I wasn’t going to follow him into the business world. That’s Pilar’s job.”

“Pilar?”

“My other sister. She’s wicked smart and she’s gonna run the world someday.” He blows out a breath, playing with my fingers. “But me? I’m just a trophy son. I’m gay, and I never wanted kids anyway, so I won’t even continue the family name. When all this came up with Lucia, I finally felt like I had a purpose. Now I know that wasn’t it. That was just the vehicle to bring our lives together. My purpose is you, Midnight. Loving you is the reason I was born. Any sacrifices are minimal compared to what I get.”

Gripping his hands, I hold them to my chest. “Tru, do you have any idea what this means to me?”

“Yeah.” He smiles. “You waited so long for someone to love you the way you deserve. Now you can let it all out. Shower it on me, baby. I can take it.”

I pull him close, pressing our lips together, and as he said, finally breaking the seal on this dusty old heart of mine. “I will never stop loving you,” I whisper, inhaling him. “Never.”

“I know,” he whispers back. “Now, you sexy, dangerous beast. I want you to fuck me so hard I forget my name, and then I want you to make me yours. Forever.”

“You don’t want to wait? Sleep on it?”

He smiles, brushing his fingers across my cheek as he presses my hand to his chest over his heart. “You tell me.”

The thump of his heart, beating in perfect time with mine, the calm whoosh of his emotions, the bubbling well of love inside him, brings tears to my eyes.

“Believe me?” Tru asks.

“I do.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“Absolutely.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

TRU

Ishould be nervous.

Why aren’t I nervous?

I just told Midnight I’m ready to become a vampire, and that thought is both bizarre and weirdly comforting. But I feel calm. More than calm. I feel safe and serene, a word I’m pretty sure I’ve never used about myself before.

Midnight scoops me off the couch and carries me to the bedroom, where he lays me down on the bed. Hovering over me, he begins taking my shoes off, then my socks, and finally my jeans. I tug my own shirt off before rubbing the growing bulge in my briefs while Midnight’s eyes roam over me like I’m the prey he chased and caught. Okay, hot as fuck, not gonna lie.

Midnight peels his own clothes off slowly, almost like a striptease, and with each discarded piece, my desire for his touch grows until I’m nearly vibrating off the bed. It’s not like we haven’t had sex before, but something about this feels different. Feels like…more.

Midnight crawls onto the bed like a cat, sleek and stealthy, his eyes glowing, and I watch in pure amazement as his fangs descend right before my eyes.

“Did that happen on its own?” I ask.

He nods, licking his lips. “Because of how much I want you. How much I need you.”

“I’m all yours, vamp.”

Then he descends on me, fully enveloping my body as his mouth finds mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, rubbing against him like a cat in heat, moaning every time his cock catches mine. I’ve never been kissed like this. Never felt it in every part of me. Never felt claimed, but that’s what Midnight does to me. I swear I could come just from making out with him.

Fortunately, I don’t have to find out. Midnight rises to his knees, tearing my briefs off with ease. I gasp as the cool air meets my hard cock, arching my back and keening for his touch.

“So fucking beautiful,” Midnight whispers as he drags his hand down my belly. “I want to devour you, Tru.”

“Do it,” I plead. “Devour me.”

“Oh, I will. Your body first, then your soul.”

A shiver ripples through me and my breath catches. “Yes.” I nod. “Please, Midnight. I’ve waited so long.”

He tilts his head. “Tru?”

I nod, but my head is hazy. My chest tightens and it only takes a second to realize what’s happening. “No,” I moan. “Go away.”

“Tru? Are you okay?”

Shaking my head, I rub my chest. “You had your chance,” I whisper. “It’s mine now.”

“No,” Midnight says. “This is not happening.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, aware of Benedict’s presence, but then something changes. He’s not taking over. He’s trying to tell me something.

“I’m listening,” I whisper, aware of Midnight’s panic as he holds me to his chest.

Words I can’t hear aloud wash over me and I see his face in my mind. He looks like me in some ways, with a head of curly hair more blond than mine and big blue eyes.

Thank you.

The words are clear, vibrating in my chest.

You saved him from the damage I caused. I won’t interfere anymore. I just had to make sure this happened. I had to make sure Leander would be taken care of.

Will I feel you anymore?

No. My purpose has been met. I was put here to guide you together. A part of me will always reside in you, but in the background, a piece of the whole.

I nod as a sense of relief washes over me.

Love him hard, Tru. Nurture his heart. He will worship and cherish you for the rest of time. Be the man I never could be.

Then he’s gone. I blink slowly, blowing out a breath. Midnight opens his mouth to speak, but I pull him down to me, attacking his mouth with renewed desire, my lashes damp with emotion.

Midnight is all mine now. I won’t share him with any ghosts of the past.

“I love you,” I whisper to him. “So much.”

“My darling,” Midnight says, gazing into my eyes. “You are my world.”

“I know.” I’m lightheaded and dazed, like the room around me is just a dream.

Midnight rubs against me before finding my hole and entering me, bottoming out in one thrust. It should hurt, but I think I’m too overstimulated to notice details.

“It’s me,” Midnight whispers. “I made it better for my own selfish needs to be inside of you now.”

“What?”

“Compulsion to relax your body. Forgive me.” His voice cracks as he moves inside me.

I open my mouth to speak, but my voice is stolen by the shockwaves of pleasure rippling through me. Sex has never felt like this before. I’m sure of it. Not like two people becoming one.

Midnight buries his face in the crook of my neck, his arms wrapped tightly around me as we move in sync, my cock rubbing against the hardness of his abs, pushing me fast to the brink of pleasure.

“Mid…” My voice breaks under the strain of overwhelming pleasure.

I’m silenced further when his teeth plunge into my flesh. My back arches off the bed and I hiss from the pain, knowing pleasure is coming soon.

Just seconds later, warmth floods my body and I sink into the mattress. I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling, knowing he’s draining me, drinking me in, claiming my soul just like he promised me.

I try to imagine what our life will be like after this, but I don’t think my mortal mind can even comprehend it. All I can see are swirls of clouds and ocean waves. As my body weakens, my family’s faces pop into my mind. I see Lucia healthy and smiling, my parents and Pilar proud behind her. Then I see the faces of Midnight’s family, their arms outstretched towards me, acceptance and belonging radiating from them.

The last image is Midnight, but it’s not a vision. It’s the man himself, eyes glowing, mouth stained with my blood, love for me all over his face. I watch, barely able to keep my eyes open as he slits his own wrist and offers the deep crimson liquid spilling from it to me.

Something new in me crawls to the surface, animalistic and feral, desperate for the blood of my maker. I grip his wrist, sucking with all the strength I have left. Slowly, the intense hunger subsides, but I can’t keep my eyes open a second longer.

“I’ll be here when you wake, sweet kitten.”

Awareness returns slowly as my eyelids flutter and I awaken from the deepest sleep ever. As I blink, Midnight comes into focus, leaning next to me, his eyes fixed on my face.

“Hi,” I whisper, my voice hoarse.

“Hello. How do you feel?”

“Not sure yet. Am I a vampire now?”

He nods, smiling. “Yes, my love, you are.” He brushes the hair off my forehead. “You are mine for eternity.”

A smile pulls at my lips. “Cool.”

Midnight chuckles. “Yes, it is.”

“What happens now?”

“You need to adjust. You’ll be hungry and horny for a few days before it dies down to a more manageable level.”

“So I get to feed and fuck? Not so bad.”

“Not bad at all.”

I glance down at my body, covered in drying cum and faded streaks of blood. Why is that so rad?

Cupping his cheek, I hold his gaze. “Did I make you happy, Midnight?”

“There are no words to describe how I feel. Happy doesn’t scratch the surface.”

“Good.” My body feels funny, like the skin is too tight. I glance around the room, aware of how much sharper my vision is. A leaf hitting the outside window pulls my attention to it.

“Everything is loud for a while. It gets better,” Midnight explains.

“Okay.” Dragging my hand down his neck to rest on his chest, I continue, “I have something to tell you.”

“I’m listening.”

“Benedict isn’t here anymore.”

Midnight’s eyes go wide. “No?”

“When it started happening, it was like I could have a conversation with him. I saw his face. I thought he was trying to steal the moment from me.”

“I thought the same.”

“He wasn’t. He was saying goodbye. He fulfilled the destiny fate wanted for you. He stayed long enough to make sure this would happen for us.”

“Gone?”

“Well, kind of. He said part of him would always be there, but absorbed by my soul. It’s just me now, Midnight. I hope that makes you happy.”

Midnight blows out a breath, his face drenched in emotion. “All the gods, I am overjoyed. This whole situation made me realize I was so ready to let the past go, to let it die with Benedict and embrace the unbelievably generous gift I’ve found in you.” He kisses my forehead. “Tru, my love. All I wanted was to shed the pain and guilt of the past and love you with all my heart. The pain and fear I felt when I thought Benedict was taking over was intense. I didn’t want to make love to him. I didn’t want to hold him or kiss him. I wanted you, Tru. Only you.”

“It was me all along. I’m yours now, Midnight. I’ll never leave you, never hurt you. All I have in me, I give to you.”

Midnight pulls me into his arms, kissing my neck. After a few minutes, he lays me down again, holding a glass of thick red liquid out for me. I don’t have to ask what it is. I can smell it.

Taking the glass, I guzzle it down, exhaling as I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “I thought it would be hard to drink blood. Why does it taste good?”

Midnight chuckles. “That is very fine, very pure blood, but the main reason is because you are ruled by your bloodlust. I will help you through it.”

My dick twitches between my legs, swelling quickly. “Fuck.”

“I’ll help you with that too.”

“Good. What happens next?”

“After you rest and get your legs under you, you should go visit Lucia and share the good news.”

“You’ll come with me, right?”

He looks slightly surprised, but also pleased. “I will do anything you ask of me, kitten.”

“Huh, I wonder if I can speak French anymore.”

Midnight rattles off a bunch of words that definitely sound like a sexy mess.

“Nope. Didn’t get a word of it.”

“Good.” He tickles his fingers under my chin. “Somehow, you are even more beautiful than you were.”

“I’d get up and look in the mirror, but I don’t think my legs will hold me yet. Besides, it only matters to me what you think.”

His expression turns serious as he grips my hands in his. “You are worth everything I went through to find you. I will spend every minute of our long lives making you happy. I promise you this.”

“Can we have a wedding? Like regular people?”

“Would it please you?”

“Yeah. It’s something I always hoped for. That someone would want to spend forever with me. That they’d want the whole world to know I was theirs.”

“My sweet kitten, you can have your wedding. Anything you want, if I can get it, it’s yours. I’d find a way to steal the stars if you wanted them.”

I tap his chest over his heart. “Trust me, this is enough.”

Epilogue

Epilogue ~ Midnight

One year later

“Talk about things I never expected to happen,” Thorn says as he pours another glass of champagne. “A wedding.”

“It’s what Tru wanted.”

“And what he wants, he gets. I know.” Thorn smiles. “I’m happy for you, brother. Love looks good on you.”

I bow my head slightly. “Thank you.”

“Stay still,” Yves says, still working on my bow tie. “It’s been ages since I’ve had to do one of these.”

“Are you nervous?” Syn asks, sitting in an armchair with one elegant leg crossed over the other.

“Yes. Being in a room full of mortals is always challenging. I just hope my beast stays under wraps.”

“We’re here to make sure it does,” Eros says, squeezing Raphael’s shoulder. “If anything does happen, no one will remember it but us.”

“Thank you.”

Yves finishes, smiling at his handiwork. “Take a look.”

I twist to see the mirror, slightly stunned. “It’s been a long time since I looked like a gentleman.”

Tru chose gorgeous slate blue tuxedos with black accents for us, and something about the look takes me back hundreds of years.

“You’ve always been a gentleman,” Syn says. “Now you just look like one too.”

“Thank you.”

“Isn’t it funny,” Raphael says, gazing at me. “Two of us have found fated mates after all this time. Why now? What does it mean?”

“No idea,” Yves says, leaning on the dresser. “I’ve given it some thought too. All I can figure is that fate has her own timing.”

“Do you think it’ll happen to the rest of us?” Raphael asks.

“Eew, gods, I hope not,” Thorn complains. “No offense to those of you in love, but I can’t understand why anyone would choose just one person.”

“That’s the thing though,” Eros says, his expression somewhat sad. “You don’t choose them. Fate does, and if it happens, there’s no resisting if you ever want to be happy again.”

I nod. “Eros is right. It isn’t a choice. It’s destiny. I believe I was destined to be a vampire, to join this coven, to have all of you. It’s not accidental.”

Thorn scrunches his nose in disgust. “Yeah, well, no thanks. If you’re listening, fate, I’m good.”

“Because that’s how it works,” Eros murmurs.

Yves squeezes my shoulder. “I agree. When and if it’s our time, we just accept it. There is far more joy in that than the alternative.”

“I’ll be going down with the ship,” Thorn quips. “I love my life exactly as it is.”

“Famous last words,” Raph teases.

“I pray fate has something in store for all of us,” Eros says softly. “We don’t always know what we need.”

“Yeah, well, you’re a romantic,” Thorn says. “You deserve to find someone to love for eternity.”

Eros smiles. “Maybe you do too, Thorn.”

He shrugs, chugging his glass of champagne. “I’m good. Are we about ready to do this?”

Yves, glancing at his watch, nods. “Yes, actually. We should get in position.”

My brothers lead me out of the dressing room and down the hall into the ballroom. Tru warned me his parents would make his marriage a big deal, and he wasn’t wrong. There must be five hundred people in the room, all of them watching me as I walk down the aisle with Yves by my side, my brothers trailing closely behind.

It’s hard to fathom everything that’s happened in the last year with Tru. First was visiting his sister Lucia, who now sits in the front row next to Pilar, healthy and past her lowest point. I can still see the hope and happiness in her expression once we showed her proof that all the evidence of her mistake was destroyed. She waves at me with a sweet smile as I take my place up front. I wave back, knowing her presence here makes Tru so happy.

After we tackled that, it was time for Tru to come out to his father, who didn’t bat an eye and was even upset that Tru had thought he had to hide it. He stood up for his son, ready to fight anyone who treated him wrong because of who he is.

And then there was introducing me. The most stressful night of my life until now. I feared somehow they would know what I was, or think I wasn’t worthy of him, but I found his family to be warm and kind. All they wanted, all they ever wanted, was for their children to be happy.

The doors open and I exhale slowly, ready to see Tru. It’s been hours and I miss him like I lost a limb. The music shifts and there he is, decked out in his tuxedo, his face beaming with love for me.

I say a silent prayer of thanks to fate for this man and this moment. Damn, I’m a lucky man.

Tru

When my eyes find Midnight, all the nerves instantly fall away, replaced by waves of love. My parents lead me down the aisle closer to him, and with each step my heart flutters with the knowledge that the man is mine. I still can’t believe that what started as a tragedy ended up here, but I’ll take it.

Midnight’s gaze on me feels as warm as a campfire, and I know without a doubt that he would destroy the world to keep me safe. I would do the same for him, and now I can.

The last year has been a wild one—from learning how to control my inner beast, to coming out to my family and joining Midnight’s, to figuring out what to do with my life professionally. After a lot of discussion with Yves and the other brothers, and knowing it’s nearly impossible to spend time apart, we decided I would join the assassins. Turns out Thorn and Bowie were right. There is a little madman inside me, and he loves the thrill of the hunt.

I reach the front, hugging and kissing my parents and waving to my sisters before I turn to join Midnight. Given my erratic control over my beast, I’m armed with lip gloss full of glamour, thanks to Viv, that will keep any rogue traits safely under control.

“You look amazing,” I whisper to Midnight.

“You look like a dream,” he whispers back.

Everything that happens next is a blur. Even though words are spoken and rings exchanged, my awareness is tuned into the man before me. I get to live this life with him by my side. I get to love him.

“I now pronounce you married,” the officiant says. “You may kiss.”

Midnight practically attacks me, pulling me close and claiming me in a kiss I can feel to my toes. I hear the applause and cheers for us as I melt into him. He pulls back, his gaze now glowing, but I’m sure my lip gloss will help him too.

“Thank you,” Midnight whispers. “For everything. I can’t believe fate thought I deserved you, but I will spend every day of eternity making sure I do.”

I brush my fingers across his cheek. “I have no doubt.”

He kisses me again briefly, then releases me so we can address our friends and family. Seeing my family together, happy and healthy, makes my heart gallop. Feeling the warm acceptance of my new family leaves me breathless.

Thorn squeezes between us, his hands on each of our shoulders. “Come on, lovebirds. Time to party.”

As Midnight and I walk back down the aisle, now legally married, I’d swear my heart is so big it could burst from my chest.

This is my life now. This man is my future.

My new husband lifts my hand and kisses the back of it as we revel in the love and joy from our friends and family.

My forever. My Midnight. What a life.

I hope you enjoyed Tru and Midnight’s love story. If so, please consider leaving a review to help others find the book!

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Ready for more vampires while you wait for the next Immortal Assassins installment? Check out Unmasked, a standalone MM romance, featuring friends to lovers, revenge on bullies, a vampire with a soft spot for kittens, and as always, plenty of spice.

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In July, my newest contemporary serial starts, titled Calculated Chaos. Here’s the blurb:

A weekend of discovery unlocks feelings I didn’t expect. Should we take a chance on love or return to the safety of friendship?

I’m a steady and responsible guy. I’m predictable, reliable... exciting, right? I guess some people might call it a rut. And by some people, I mean my friends and family. On the eve of my fortieth birthday, they stage an intervention. Traitors.

Led by my carefree best friend, Axel, I’m pushed into having fun (shudder), but I try to enjoy the experience for him. It’s all innocent enough until my purely platonic feelings for Axel start to feel like something decidedly more romantic. Which is weird since I’ve known the guy for thirty years… Did I mention we’re both straight? At least I thought we were.

A discovery like this requires thoughtful planning. My reputation for being the reasonable one might help us navigate our new reality. Life might’ve been flipped upside down, but I’m the one to rein it in before I make a mistake that I can’t fix. Will a little calculated chaos help me figure things out, or will I go rogue and lose everything that matters?

Calculated Chaos is a brand new high heat, low angst, contemporary MM romance from Mia Monroe, featuring two childhood best friends, a weekend of debauchery, double bi-awakening, opposites attracting, friends and family who meddle just the right amount, and an unexpected love decades in the making.

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About Mia

Mia is a USA Today Bestselling author of queer paranormal and contemporary romance. She's obsessed with vampires, mermaids, and tattoos, all of which make regular appearances in her books. She's fluent in sarcasm, addicted to caffeine, and easily amused by memes. She may or may not be a witch.

Her books are low to mid-angst, high heat, and celebrate the many ways people of all types can fall in love- even the paranormal kind. After all, love is love.

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Written in the Stars: Featuring low angst, found family, space nerd love set in a Boston Planetarium. readerlinks.com/l/2235254

Other Books and Series

The Jerk Next Door: Enemies (kind of) to lovers, bi awakening, low angst, high heat

Snow Big Deal: Winter-themed, holiday adjacent, crushes to more, fake boyfriend novella.

Deviate: Best friends to lovers, bisexual awakening, fake marriage

Damage: Second chance, tons of groveling

The Secrets We Keep: Forbidden romance, cheating with a twist