Page 35 of Tell No Tales
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Klaus
Klaus lay on the mattress in the dark, staring up at the outline of Vadim's sail. The shouting on deck had stopped, but Vadim still hadn't come back for him. He debated whether he could risk going into the hold and grabbing a night shirt, or if he dared to sleep naked again.
Vadim had seemed worried about whoever was coming. That was enough to keep him clothed and lying on the mattress, staring into the darkness. He sensed a ship with two strong wind weavers, an earth weaver, and a healer nearby, and another water weaver strong enough to rival Captain Efren on the deck above him.
"We can talk tomorrow." Vadim's voice echoed in the hallway. "I still need to read more of the journal before I can be sure. Meet me for lunch?"
"What are you hiding?"
Klaus didn't recognize the raspy voice.
"Go back to your ship, Nola. We'll talk tomorrow."
There was a long pause, and a shuffling of feet.
"Fine. This isn't over."
"It never is with you," Vadim grumbled. Klaus heard a strange popping sound, and the door opened. Then, the sound of rustling leaves filled the crate before Vadim shut the door behind him.
"Klaus?"
The pen light lit the small space, and Klaus had to squint and look away. "Who was that?"
"Nola, captain ofWildfire."
Klaus recognized the ship's name, but not the captain's. "The pirates are attacking us now?"
Vadim laughed. "No. She wanted to kill Martiz. She thinks we're on a fool's errand to the capital. She's probably right."
"Is it safe to grab my night clothes?"
Vadim frowned at him. "Yes?"
"You told me to stay here!"
"I thought you slept naked."
"Only when I'm trying to get a sexy death weaver to fuck me." He huffed. "It didn't work, and now I'm tired from lying awake trying to figure out what was going on."
Vadim returned to the door, unlocked it, and held it open for Klaus. "Come on, then."
Klaus had hoped for a sign of Vadim's inner turmoil, but he received nothing for his efforts but a deepening scowl the longer it took him to find his feet. He had to steady himself against the wall on the uneven mattress. He still wasn't completely recovered, but he felt better after each period of rest.
He gathered his night shirt and considered putting on a show, but when he glanced toward Vadim's trunk, he found the man had already exchanged his tunic for a longer one and was pulling on a pair of form-fitting tights. Before Klaus had removed his shirt, Vadim was already on his way back to the crate.
Klaus didn't know many ways to seduce a man. The pleasure houses' paying customers were a sure thing. Besides, he thought Vadim was a sure thing after their shared kiss that morning. Now, he seemed as distant as ever.
Klaus had never been so obsessed. Yes, he'd crushed on the wealthy customers who frequented the Blue Rose, always wondering what it would be like if they picked him instead of the others, but as soon as they did, he tired of them. He should already be over Vadim, since he'd come twice and stared into Vadim's eyes as he came undone, too.
Maybe Klaus needed to fuck this obsession out of his system. He was willing to try anything.
Once in his night shirt, he returned to the crate to find the door open. Vadim was already cocooned in his sail bed. While the bed looked sturdier than most sail beds, and Vadim kept his word by hugging one side of the sail with his back to the middle, Klaus wasn't ready to try it. He lay on the mattress and covered up with the blanket instead.
He tossed and turned, rolling over for the third time in as many minutes. He couldn't get comfortable on the lumpy mattress. It got more unbearable the more they walked on it.
"I can hear you thinking," Vadim said.
