“Though, I really doubt this is what Aiden had in mind when he told you to rest,” Wyatt said.
“True, but he’s right. We need to get some sleep. Sunset and Winter will be here soon.”
Bel’s soft words were a somber reminder of what had brought them to Marcus’s home in the first place. River’s smile slipped away as he stared at Bel and he could see the question rising on his face.
“I’m so sorry about your house,” River murmured.
“Yes, Bel—” Wyatt started but the vampire was already shaking his head.
“No, don’t. The house and the stuff inside don’t matter. The two most important things are with me right now, safe and sound. The rest…it’s just stuff. Replaceable. You two aren’t.”
Wyatt sat up and grabbed the blankets, pulling them over their bodies. They were all sticky, sweaty, and in desperate need of another shower, but it could wait. River relished the idea that he had something of both Bel and Wyatt inside of him. Something to become a part of him forever.
Once the blankets were arranged, Wyatt leaned across to kiss Bel and then River. Bel settled close, sharing the same pillow as River. Their slow breaths mingled, and River could feel himself starting to drift off. As he slipped into sleep, he swore he heard Bel whisper, “I’ll protect you both no matter what. You’re mine.”
21
Bel sat at Marcus’s computer, his fingers flying across the keys. While the fire at the house had cost him his laboratory, equipment, and physical notes, it wasn’t a great loss. He kept all his experiment results, journals, and other important information in a series of files that were backed up to his cloud. He could access his data from anywhere that he had a computer and internet connection.
And today, he was looking for something very specific. Something that wasn’t supposed to exist.
He’d fallen asleep wrapped around his lovers, but he’d managed to find only a couple of hours of peace before he was awake, and his brain was churning over the situation.
The wolves were going to keep coming. Albert was going to keep coming for them. He needed a scapegoat, a distraction, for his pack. If he could destroy the evil gay werewolves and their equally evil gay vampire lover, then he was a hero. His pack would accept him and his lies.
Bel was not going to let anything happen to Wyatt and River. There had been some part of his brain that had lied to him. That had clung to its overconfidence. He’d been so accustomed to having no threat outside of the Ministry. Yes, other vampires could be dangerous, but he was a Varik. They wouldn’t mess with the Variks without very good cause. Plus, he felt he knew what to expect from vampires.
But Albert and his wolves had attacked his home during the daylight hours. They hurt his Wyatt, and they nearly killed his River. They would keep coming until his wolves were dead. Might even attack until they’d wiped out his brothers as well.
Bel needed to make sure that it never happened, even if it meant taking more drastic measures.
He’d eased out of bed while Wyatt and River were still deep in sleep. After a quick shower, he was relieved to find a large stack of his clothes sitting outside his bedroom door. They were many years old, things he’d left at Marcus’s long ago and never bothered to replace. But they fit and were clean.
He found jeans and sweaters that would fit Wyatt and River as well. Thank God for Ethan. The young man had been Marcus’s assistant originally, helping with his brother’s move to Connecticut, and he continued to serve in that role here and there. He was far more adept at getting his hands on things quickly than any of them. The clothes for his wolves looked brand new. Maybe he’d called Marcus’s business assistant, Janice, to fetch a few things during the daylight hours.
Either way, he was grateful. Wyatt and River would be able to move comfortably around the house and not have to put on their filthy clothes from the night before.
“What are you working on?”
Bel’s head popped up as the young vampire strolled into the room. Ethan’s blond hair was still damp from the shower. There was something still very young and fresh-faced about him. As if he hadn’t quite shed all his humanness yet. But then, Ethan had been a vampire for only about four months.
“Just looking for something,” Bel evaded and forced a smile on his lips. “Thank you for the clothes.”
Ethan gave a little shrug. “No problem. We can order more for you, Wyatt, and River later so you have plenty.” He paused by the desk, his expression turning sad. “Marcus just got off the phone with Winter. He was leaving your house and heading here.”