Page 32 of With the Stars

Why are you asking?Peter’s smile widened. He knew Minho had the day or night off, so would be at his place waiting. That meant Minho had Rex for company. Oh, to be a fly on the wall to watch Minho and Rex together without Peter present.

Rex is asking me about my grave. Where is it? Do I teleport there when I need to restore my energy? Do I carry a box of mygrave dirt around with me? Do I have a box full of dirt under the bed?

Peter chuckled as he shook his head. Of course Rex would ask those types of questions. He wouldn’t put it past his son to have been online researching stupid questions to ask to see how Minho would react.Interesting. I never noticed a box of dirt under my bed. Should I check?

Hmm. Why do I think you’re enjoying this?

Because you can feel I am.Peter finished mopping the floor then carried the mop and bucket into the back of the shop.What else is my son asking?As he poured the dirty water away, Peter waited for Minho to answer.

If I knew Vlad Tepes?

Peter paused.Who?

A fifteenth-century voivode, which means prince of a place called Wallachia, a part of Transylvania. He was called Dracula or son of the devil because he liked to torture his victims, usually by impaling them.

He sounds like a nice man. Remind me not to invite him around for lunch. Any other questions?

He’s been researching. Asked me if I can change into a bat.

Peter burst out laughing. “Rex. You do make me laugh.”He’s trying.

Not sure what. When are you coming home? Do you need me to come and get you?

You need me to rescue you from your step-son?

No. He’s entertaining. Hurry home, Peter. I miss you.

Peter felt his body flood with warmth and closed his eyes absorbing the feeling. Minho. Always making sure he knew how much he loved Peter. The heady feeling of having a man or vampire who looked like Minho love him—

“He knows.” The words whispered low next to Peter’s ear caused him to jump, his heart race in his chest. He went to turn, but a hand to the center of his back stopped him.

“Who are you?”

“Watch your back. He’ll come for you at some point. You don’t want him to get his hands on you or your sons.”

Peter spun around but no one stood behind him. Impossible… unless you had the ability to teleport, which meant a vampire.

Minho. Get here now.

“Peter?” Peter rushed through to the front of the shop, moving straight into Minho’s arms. “Hey, you’re shaking. What happened?”

“Someone was in the shop, Minho. Stood behind me. Warned me. Told me he knew and to watch my back and Sammy and Rex’s too. I turned and he had gone. Just disappeared.”

“Vampire, and one of Maxim’s if we’re to believe the message. What can you tell me? Sex? Age? Height from where the voice came from?”

“You can get all of that from a voice behind you? No, don’t bother.” Peter moved out of Minho’s arms and paced in front of him. “Man, young, maybe Sammy’s age. Tall. The voice came near my ear, not too short or tall so around my height. I’m six foot, so around that.”

“Good. You couldn’t see any part of him?”

“No. He stood directly behind me, put his hand on my back to stop me turning.”

“Where did he appear? In the back?” Minho asked as he walked into the back of the shop. Minho walked slowly around the area, then stopped. “I can’t scent anything. No aftershave or deodorant. Cleaning fluid only.”

“Yeah, I’d been cleaning before I did a stock check.”

“Good time to come. He teleported in, warned you, then left. Why warn you, though? No one else who has mated a human has been given a warning.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know many on your team. You know, who do security. Key and Kelvin and Gray. I’ve heard of them but I haven’t met any yet.”

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