Page 5 of All Night Long

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Henry did not feel better when he woke up Sunday morning, but he didn’t feel any worse, which was something. He puttered around his apartment, doing some odd jobs and catching up on laundry. He met his sister, Ariel, for lunch, and caught up with the family drama.

“Now Alan is threatening to make him a eunuch. Apparently.”

“Hmm. Sounds pleasant.” Henry was one of three siblings, and the youngest was Hick, who was in college and messing around. That meant having sex, doing drugs, and drinking to excess. Hick was the first in the family to go to college, even though Ariel wanted to go. Their father, Alan, had refused, stating women didn’t need to go to college as they were the homemakers, intended to marry a good man and support him, raising the children while he provided for the family.

It had been several years since Ariel had spoken to Alan and was now taking night classes to earn her degree in business. She was married to Tisha, a gorgeous dark-skinned woman whoAriel loved and adored. They also had a little girl, Macy, who was the center of their world.

While they were having lunch, Tisha and Macy were baking cupcakes for their afternoon tea party with Macy’s friends. Something Henry had been told he couldn’t attend. At the time he’d pouted, earning a laugh and a kiss from Macy, but given the way he was feeling, he was actually relieved now.

“I need to go soon.” Ariel checked her watch. “I don’t want Tish to do too much right now.”

“How long has she got left to go?” Tisha was pregnant and Henry knew the due date was fast approaching.

“A month, but as you know, she was early with Macy, so we’re keeping an eye on her.” Ariel reached across the table and clenched Henry’s hand. “I can never say thank you enough.”

Henry rolled his eyes, earning a slap on his hand. “It was nothing. Well, a few minutes of work and that was it.”

“Not every brother would do what you did.”

“Ariel. I went in a cubicle and did what had to be done and now you have two gorgeous kids. Almost. Seeing you guys happy makes me happy and you know I don’t want kids. You do.”

“And biology had a way of saying no, didn’t it?” Henry went to say something, but Ariel shook her head. “I accepted it a long time ago and this way a bit of me is in our children because of you.” Ariel pushed a lock of her auburn hair over her shoulder. “I love you.”

“Love you too, sis. Now finish your cake, then you can go and see to your wife and daughter.”

“I’m looking forward to our afternoon tea party.”

“Girls only tea party.”

“It’s what Macy wants, but she promised next time Uncle Henry can come.”

“And I’ll be there. I might even bring some of the blueberry muffins Macy loves so much.”

“And you’d be her favorite uncle, too.” Ariel stood and grabbed her bag. Henry stood as well and gave her a hug. “My turn to pay, so eat up and I’ll see you next week.”

“Tell Tish and Mary I love them.”

Ariel smiled and left the table to pay the bill. Henry sat and stared at his half-eaten food, then sighed heavily. He wasn’t hungry and all he wanted to do was go back to bed. Tired. All he felt was tired. His body was sagging under it, his limbs heavy to move.

Pushing the plate away, Henry exhaled softly and stared out of the window as his stomach rumbled, but not in a good way. Sipping his coffee, he waited until it settled, then stood and left. He would be home soon and he could go back to bed and sleep it off.

The last thing he wanted was to feel like this when he had a twelve-hour shift ahead of him.

Twelve long hours. He was so looking forward to that.

Chapter Three

Afucking human for a mate. How was that possible, and why hadn’t he cared about the possibility while they were fucking or before they’d fucked? Why after they fucked and he’d bitten him? Why had he been cursed with a mate, and a human mate to top it off? Over two centuries walking this planet and he’d avoided mating and now this.

Fuck, he was mad as hell over it, and if what happened to Kelvin and Key did happen with all vampire and human matings, then any vampire who came near him would be able to scent whatever his name was on him. Well, not on him. The human’s scent was now part of his, braided together like Kelvin’s and Key’s were.

“Fucking fuck. Just fuckity fuck fuck.”

Work. How the fuck was he meant to work when he reeked of a human mate? Gray growled and stomped into his kitchen, glaring at his fridge. He pulled the door open and stared inside the full fridge, not seeing anything to eat. Which just made his day even better.

A human mate and no food to eat.

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