Page 11

“Bah,” the other man scoffed, then paused as he stared hard at Carson. Finally, he asked slowly, “Mathias? Really? How interesting. Are you certain, brother?”

Rolf nodded. “He belongs to Mathias.”

Almost to the doorway, Carson pulled to a stop, trying and failing to hold Rolf’s gaze. He couldn’t keep his eyes locked on the other man’s. For some reason, he found himself looking at anything other than Rolf, gaze skittering all over. “Where is he?”

“He abandoned him? He’s left him like this? That’s unexpected.” This from the woman, and the stark surprise and fear in her voice helped to anchor Carson in place. “It’s unlike our brother to be cruel. How long?”

“A week now, and this after reaping for at least three weeks.” Rolf’s head tilted and he hissed at the other man, “You heard whose he is.” Carson turned to see the man had crept closer, still poised at the boundary of light and dark, but following the advancing shadows ever closer. “The ecstasy will leave you in a moment, and you will regret what you’re considering.”

“He smells strong. So strong. And familiar. It’s irresistible.” She breathed deeply, lashes fluttering on her cheeks as her chest rose and fell. “It’s very much like Mathias himself, but not. It’s...more.” The woman rested one hand on Rolf’s shoulder, fingernails gleaming white in the refracted light. “You’re certain?”

“Yes, Mathias offered no room to doubt.”

“Why would he leave him, though? What’s he playing at? We all know the rules—he more than most.” The man to Carson’s left shook himself like a dog as the sun set and light and shadow dissolved together into the gloom of dusk. With the brusque movements, it seemed as if he grew inches in size, swaying in place with a euphoric expression on his face that slowly dissolved. “Our sister is right about the scent. That is absolutely brilliant.” He grinned, the expression strained, lips pulled back to expose white, even teeth in a silent snarl that fit the leonine persona Carson had given him in his mind. “And you’re right too, Rolf. I would have regretted it.”

“Carson. My sweet Carson.” Softer than a sigh, the words reached Carson’s ears and he strained forwards, head swinging side to side as he sought the source. Mathias. “Listen to me.”

Head nodding slightly, he stared at the screen of the laptop. The software asked if he was still watching, and Carson hesitated for only a moment before tapping the Play button, cueing up the next episode of the show he’d been watching all night. Yawning, he settled in, feeling strangely keyed up and jittery. He’d been so tired these past few weeks, and it felt good to have the energy to stay up even an extra hour. He yawned again, mouth gaping so wide his vision blurred with tears. Jaw cracking, Carson reached up to wipe at his eyes, only to realize his hand scarcely shifted, his jerky motion shoving the laptop from its precarious perch.

His arms felt nerveless and he watched as the laptop fell, eyes tracking the certain trajectory towards the unforgiving floor until it was caught at the last moment by strong hands. Carson’s head lolled back and he looked up to see dark hair, familiarly styled, over a pale face with strong features.

“Sleep,” Mathias told him, and Carson watched as the man set the laptop on the coffee table, sliding it back and away from the edge. There was a small smile on his face when he turned back to Carson, the expression morphing into a tiny frown as Mathias said again, “Sleep.”

Carson fought the urge to close his eyes, managing to hold them at half-mast for the longest time, long enough to see Mathias’ frown revert into a smile that sweetened and grew as he leaned close. “Exquisite,” he breathed, his lips grazing along Carson’s jaw, leaving a chilled trail behind. “You came to find me.” There was the pinprick of pain at the corner of Carson’s bottom lip, the coppery taste of blood followed by a wild wash of cold nothingness. “I’ve never met anyone like you before, Carson.”

With the last of his strength, Carson lifted a hand and stroked clumsy fingers along Mathias’ jaw. He watched up close as Mathias’ eyes dilated, black pupils growing to cover the brilliant color of the iris, then felt lips move across his cheek towards his ear. Soft and sweet, he heard the one repeated word.

“Sleep.”

***

Carson woke in the dark, drifting to awareness slowly. He stretched, the movement going on forever. Every muscle in his body was profoundly relaxed, boneless, at ease, and even the deepest parts of his soul felt content. He took a deep breath and found the air sweetly scented with spice and musk. He stretched his neck, rocking forwards to bury his nose against the hard, male planes of the chest upon which he rested. There was an arm tucked across his back, fingers curling possessively around his hip. He sighed deeply, in sync with the man’s breathing, and pulled in another lungful of the scent.

The scent. That smell that had haunted him and driven him to the warehouse. It hadn’t been a dream. Mathias, his Mathias, was here in bed with him.

My Mathias.

He shifted closer, plastering his body tightly along Mathias’, surprised at the chill radiating from the flesh. His breath caught at the crisp tease of hair along thick thighs scraping the insides of Carson’s leg. He angled his head back, trying to see Mathias’ face in the dark, making out details he’d missed before.

Thick dark eyelashes rested on his cheeks, the color matching the messy hair on top of his head. His skin was pale, so translucent in places the veins were visible just underneath the surface, a maze of blue lines. His lips were less ruddy, and Carson became aware that Mathias’ breathing was deep and slow. He flattened his palm on that gorgeous chest in front of him. It took a moment, but eventually he felt a heartbeat. Carson wasn’t aware he’d been holding his breath until he let it out in a rush.

“If you’ve had your fill of looking at me”—eyes still closed, Mathias’ lips curved into a smile, his tone light and teasing—“perhaps I could introduce myself?”

“You’re real.” Rolling his eyes at the words that had burst from him, Carson forced a chuckle. “I mean, of course you’re real. But I was beginning to wonder.”

“No doubt.” Rocking his head to the side, Mathias stared down at Carson. Unlike Rolf, Carson found he didn’t have any trouble meeting Mathias’ gaze. Another oddity to catalog and circle back to. “And yes, Carson.” Mathias’ fingers held fast to Carson’s hip and pulled him closer. “I’m very, very real.”

“And here.” He didn’t elaborate, but from the smirking curve of Mathias’ smile, Carson assumed he didn’t have to.

“Yes, I’m here.” Mathias paused, then added, “In your bed.” Another long pause, broken by one word acknowledging everything Carson had been wrestling with. “Again.”

“I was right, wasn’t I? Everything I’ve been trying...? How? I remember things, a few broken moments, but it’s as if nothing I remember makes sense.” The frustration he’d been carrying through the past weeks boiled over, because somehow he knew it was all tied up with Mathias’ secretive entrance into his life. “There was a bar, but you left me there. But that same night, you were here. I know you were.”

Mathias pulled in a deep breath and held it for a moment before blowing it out through pursed lips. “Yes, to both of those. And yes, you are remembering things that actually happened. It’s a long story, Carson. Filled with facts that you’d have to take my word on, because I cannot prove any of it. But you know”—his fingers tightened more, five fierce points of pain on Carson’s side—“and you believe. Already you believe. Do you think you can take me at face value without asking for proof?”

“I—” He wavered, because going on faith like that wasn’t his way, something Mathias seemed to know instinctively. “I don’t know.” His gut said that truth was the right path, the only way forwards, no matter what it cost him. “I want to know, though. All of these memories mixed up inside my head, I feel half crazy most days. I’m remembering things that didn’t happen, places that don’t exist, forgetting things that have happened. On top of that, the way you smell...” He closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and took a deep breath, letting Mathias’ scent roll across his tongue. Heart racing, he admitted, “God. I’ve found all it takes is one whiff of you and I’m gone again.” He paused there a moment, wavering, and finally the real question, the one he wanted answered more than any other, burst out of him. “What are you doing to me?”

Mathias didn’t respond, didn’t say anything for so long that Carson wondered if he’d imagined the exchange. Finally, the chest in front of him rose with another deep breath, something that seemed to go on and on forever. The breath must have been taking in all the oxygen in the room, it seemed, because Carson found himself lightheaded, thankful to be prone with someone to hold tight to. Then, on the exhale, the longest one Carson had ever heard, Mathias began to talk.