Page 3 of In the Dark

“Only because you’re too afraid to do what you should.”

“Say what you want, Kelvin. Your mate is there in front of you. He senses your presence. He knows when you are watching him. Go to him before it’s too late. Unless you want to watch him find a human to live his life with, watch him grow old, then visit his grave when he’s dead. Your decision, not mine.” Minho shrugged Kelvin’s hand from his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. “Can you do that, Kelvin? Watch your mate live his life with another man? Watch him have a family? Will you spy through the window as he fucks his partner?”

Minho walked away and Kelvin let him. Minho’s words were loud in his head, bouncing around until Kelvin closed his eyes. Watch Key marry someone else, have a family, grow old and die. Was Kelvin prepared for that? Could he live through that?

Staring at where Key had been, Kelvin stepped to the edge of the building and then off. He dropped to the ground, and when his feet landed, his body vibrated, the impact absorbed then dissipating as if he’d jumped one foot instead of thirty.

Walking over to where Key had parked, Kelvin inhaled deeply, his lungs taking in his mate’s unique scent, one he would never forget. Minho had made several valid points, and Kelvin didn’t want to accept them, but he knew he had to. Did he want tovisit his mate’s grave because he’d been too afraid to take what had been given to him? Placing flowers on the ground above his mate’s rotting corpse? Fuck. That image alone had Kelvin’s chest constricting, his breath catching.

The laws were in place for a reason. Vampires had been too dangerous back when they were put into effect. They’d taken any human they’d wanted, fed indiscriminately, fucked whoever they wanted, killed without mercy. The civil war had only worsened the atrocities committed against both human and vampire until they had split into two factions and an uneasy truce had come into existence.

Vampire families split in two. Mates separated; families destroyed.

Then, the laws had been needed, both factions agreeing to them. Both sides somehow coming together to create them and follow them. There were vampires who didn’t follow them, who didn’t agree with them, and they were held accountable, punished harshly, even put to death.

Vampire population had been virtually destroyed, and only now was it gradually increasing. One thing both sides had agreed to was that no human would know of their existence and no human would be mated to a vampire under any circumstances.

It was needed then. Vampires had seen humans as nothing more than cattle to do with as they wanted. If vampires had suffered through the civil war, it was nothing compared to what humans had endured, so the laws regarding humans and how they were treated had been necessary.

And it was those laws that had put Kelvin in the position he was now in.

A human mate. One, according to the laws, he could never be with.

Was he vampire enough to challenge the law regarding human mates? Was he the one to throw caution to the wind and takehis mate? Was he the one who would face the punishment? And what about Key? What would happen to him if Kelvin did cross that line and mate him? Would Key be punished as well?

Too many questions and no answers.

Kelvin closed his eyes and lifted his head, feeling the rain run over his skin. It felt like it was washing away his sins, his indecisions. He lowered his head and opened his eyes, then ran. He had a mate, and he needed to make sure said mate arrived home safe.

Chapter Two

Arriving home, Key parked and got out of his car, groaning softly when his lower back ached. He’d spent far too much time bent over his computer, figuring out a problem in a string of code, and now he was paying the price. He needed to work out more, but not tonight.

Locking his car, Key entered his apartment block and wearily trudged up the stairs to the top floor. Fortunately, there were only three levels, so it didn’t take him long. Opening his front door, he kicked it shut behind him and dropped his bag to the floor, then shrugged his jacket off.

He took a step, then paused, glancing over to the window. He could feel it. The sensation that someone was watching him, which was strange because he was nowhere near work, so how could he be feeling it? Yet he did, and it was the same as always. The same feeling, the same strange quiet that made his body both settle and rev up in excitement.

It confused him. How could he feel both at the same time? Walking over to the window, Key stared out into the dark wet night, seeing nothing, but he knew. He knew the personwho watched him was there. Key smirked, then waved before reaching to close the blinds but stopping short.

Maybe his mystery admirer would like a show. Chuckling softly, Key reached up and undid the top button of his shirt, then the next. He closed his eyes and reached out a hand, placing his palm on the window as his other hand undid another button.

Key wasn’t sure what had come over him. He never did anything like this. He undid another button and slid his hand inside, biting the corner of his lip as he rubbed his finger over his nipple. His body lit up, and he knew. He just knew what he was doing was affecting his stalker.

Opening his eyes, he stepped back from the window and smiled widely as he closed the blinds. He was being a shit, and he didn’t care. That surprised him. He had no idea who his stalker was, obviously, and here he was taunting him.

Turning away, Key walked over to the kitchen area and opened the fridge, grabbing a bottle of beer. Opening it, he drank some, then slammed the fridge door shut and walked over to the sofa. Sitting, he took another mouthful of beer, then cradled the bottle between his thighs as he closed his eyes.

With them closed, it seemed like his other senses came alive. His body tingled, and he rolled his head toward the window. He knew his admirer, or stalker, whoever he was, was still out there. It seemed as if his body was hyperaware of the other individual, and that both excited and scared Key.

Some random person stood out there watching him and Key liked it…kinda. The way his body tightened up at the thought of this strange man. Yes, Key knew it was a man. Reaching out for him had Key biting back a moan. That was what made him pause and made him question his own reactions.

A strange man stalked him and Key found it arousing. That scared him. The way his body reacted, the way he seemed to know when the stranger appeared and when he disappeared.It was at times when Key would be more vulnerable. When he was alone. Like now, the feeling of being watched was slowly disappearing, leaving his body humming in disappointment.

He was safe at home, so his watcher didn’t need to stay. Whoever it was appeared to have Key’s best interests in mind. His safety. Key had to find out who it was that watched him, stalked him, whichever it was.

Sitting up, Key opened his eyes and grabbed his phone. A security camera. That’s what he needed to install, so he could see who was out there watching him. A camera that Key could move around so he could locate this man. As soon as he had the feeling his watcher was there, Key could find him and then he would finally see what this man looked like.

Scrolling through various websites, Key found the perfect one and placed his order. Now he had to wait for it to arrive and then he would install it. Then he waited. Considering his watcher was there every night, Key knew he wouldn’t have to wait long, and once he had a face, he could track the man down.

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