No, truly, mon amour, I will come to you somehow—I swear it.
Through the link Paul caught a quick flash of Laurent’s worry for him, as well as the other man’s surroundings. Laurent was standing in a small, windowless room that was a hive of activity. People were coming and going and at least three of them were working on getting Laurent into some kind of fancy outfit. He was wearing tight black pants tucked into high leather boots and a long pale green brocade coat with lace dripping from the neck and sleeves that concealed the silver bracelets locked around his wrists. The clothing looked like something out of one of the period piece movies Lucia was always making Paul watch when it was her turn to pick on movie night.
What the fuck are they doing to you—what’s with the outfit? You look all Masterpiece Theater and shit, Paul sent, glad to have a distraction from his own impending doom.
They are preparing me to stand before the council—the ruling body of elder vampires. They must approve me as fit before I take my father’s title.
Hmm, I’m guessing the approval process isn’t helped any by the fact that they caught us together, huh?
It does complicate the matter some. My father is trying to hush it up but— A sharp slap across the face broke Paul’s concentration and he lost the tenuous connection.
“Look at me when I talk to you.” Angel was right in his face looking pissed. “What the fuck is wrong with you anyway?” He ripped the duct tape off Paul’s mouth, taking plenty of skin with it.
Paul winced and jerked back. Through the link he could feel Laurent feeling the echo of his pain. He thought of tuning the vampire out but somehow he just couldn’t— even though Laurent couldn’t come to him physically, Paul needed the emotional support he was pouring through their bond.
“I said what the fuck is wrong with you? Answer me!” Angel demanded.
“Nothing.” Paul spit blood from a cut lip. “Just thinking, that’s all.”
“Yeah, thinking about how we’re gonna fuck ’im up.” Chulo laughed and the other wolves joined in until Angel held up a hand for silence.
“Leave us, all of you. I need to talk to Paul on my own.”
“Why you need to see him alone? I thought this was gonna be pack justice.” Chulo looked sullen.
“Yeah, pendejo, this is pack justice and I’m the packleader. So do what I fucking say or you’re going to be next after I finish with him,” Angel growled.
“Sorry.” Chulo and the rest of the wolves slunk out of the room. Mercedes was the last out the door. She blew Paul a kiss on her way out.
“Hasta la vista, cabron.”
“Bitch,” Paul growled.
“Witch,” she corrected him. “And I have some more Wolf’s Bane with your name on it as soon as Angel is finished with you.”
Angel frowned. “No more of that shit, Mercedes. It’s toxic to all of us—you shouldn’t be fucking around with it. Leave Paul to me.” “Yes, packleader.” But there was an unpleasant gleam in her poison-green eyes as she left, shutting the door behind her.
Angel started pacing. Paul, still kneeling on the hard wooden floor with his arms tied behind his back, watched warily. He could feel Laurent in the back of his head, watching and listening. The vampire didn’t say anything but he was sending waves of comfort and support through the bond that made Paul feel calm even though he knew none of this could end well.
“Okay,” Angel said at last, stopping in front of him. “I get it that you’re into other guys. I guess I always kind of knew that about you.”
“Knew it and used it.” Paul looked up at him. “Don’t try to deny it. You liked having me on the string but you were never going to deliver.”
Angel frowned. “That’s fucked up. Don’t talk like that.”
“I’ll talk however I fucking want. Tell me, Angel, were you ever going to give me a taste? Or did you just want to keep me close to shore up your position as packleader?”
“I told you, don’t talk like that. I’m not…that way. I’m not fucking gay.”
Paul laughed even though it hurt his split lip. “You sound like me two weeks ago.”
“That’s right, two weeks—it’s only been two weeks! What happened to you?” Angel knelt down, getting on Paul’s level. “How could you do that, ’mano? And with a fucking vamp? Are you under some kind of spell or something? I saw the way they can make you do things you don’t really want to do—the way that other one convinced me not to fight even though I wanted to kick his ass. Is that what he did to you?”
“Laurent didn’t do anything but love me,” Paul said softly. “I met him in the park the night you sent me to take point and there was this… I don’t know, this instant connection. His people have a name for it— Coeur de Sang. It’s like you have a soul mate out there you never knew about but once you touch them…” He shrugged. “That’s it.