Page 40 of Colin

Of course, now that Luc and Jamie had taken up residence (Jamie having the gall to claim seniority in the territory based on his twenty-three human years in Tucson), they did their own part, aided by Jamie’s freaky little ability to see glimpses of the present and future—an ability he’d been honing in his vampire state.

“We should probably check in with the two assholes,” Fox mused, uncannily reflecting the direction Dane’s thoughts had wandered to.

Dane glanced at his brother, surprised. It wasn’t like Fox to suggest cooperation.

“They’ll want to know we caught a strange vampire scent. Maybe you and Jamie can compare notes or something. Plus…” Fox glanced to the side, pretending to be fascinated by a group of thirtysomethings wandering by. “Colin’s friends with the green-haired punk, remember?”

“And you want Colin’s friend to, what, approve of you?”

Fox shrugged, giving a nod to one of the passersby.

Dane gaped at him. “Oh my fucking God.”

“What?”

“You want to keep him.”

Fox met the accusation with a level stare. “And you don’t?”

Dane didn’t know what to say. He’d already known, hadn’t he? He’d been feeling it through the bond: Fox didn’t just lust after Colin; heyearned. There was possessiveness, delight, affection, every single time he looked at the human. Reflections of Dane’s own growing feelings, if he wanted to be truthful with himself. Reflections of his devil’s obsessive grumblings every time Colin was near (or far, for that matter).

He settled for the truth, even knowing Fox wasn’t going to want to hear it. “Wecan’t, Fox.”

“Why the fuck not?”

Dane clenched his jaw, frustrated his brother was making him say it. “The same reason as always. We’re already bonded. If we were to turn him…” He kicked at the ground again, setting the swing into a more violent motion than he’d intended. “There’s just no guarantee.”

“Life is full of uncertainties.”

Dane bared his teeth at him. “Oh yeah? You wanna watch him mate with someone else?”

The growl Fox let out matched the growl of the devil in Dane’s head. “He wouldn’t. He’sours.”

“Except he isn’t,” Dane argued, hating every word that was coming out of his own mouth. “He’s a random human who showed up on our doorstep, looking to flirt with danger.”

Fox let out a noise of disgust. “You don’t actually feel that way.”

“Feelings don’t matter. I’m talking facts.”

Fox leaned toward Dane, planting both feet on the ground, halting the swing midmotion. “There’s something here,” he insisted. “Something real. Who says you can’t have more than one mate? That you can’t bond with more than one person?”

Dane couldn’t meet his eyes, the intensity in them too much for him to bear. “I’ve never heard of it,” he muttered.

“Lots of vampires haven’t heard of the kind of bond we have either.”

Dane let out a bitter laugh. “So freaks either way, huh?”

He started as Fox grabbed his wrist. “When will you stop giving a shit, Dane? So we’re freaks.” He squeezed. Hard. “Who the fuckcares. Do you want to be freakswithColin or without him? Because he doesn’t—he says there are different kinds of intimacy, different kinds of love. Hegetsit.”

Of course Colin got it. He’d been nothing but accepting of them from the beginning. He was curious but never judgmental, the opposite in every way of the dicks they’d lived with when they were newly turned.

But acceptance wasn’t everything.

Dane gripped Fox’s wrist in turn. “And what if we’re wrong, huh? What if he’snotours? What if we have to watch him leave?”

“Have some faith,” Fox pleaded, a desperate look in his eyes.

Dane swore under his breath. He could feel his resolve weakening. Still… “Maybe he doesn’t want to turn, have you thought of that?”

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