Page 35 of From the Shadows
“I… do,” Diego admitted. “You’re the first person who has shown me a level of kindness that I don’t deserve. I know you’re doing it because of Jeremy, but?—”
Shay scowled. “Wait. What? My God, the doctor was right. Youarean idiot. I like you, Diego. In fact, there is no one here I don’t like. I would go to the wall for any of you.”
So it wasn’thimthat Shay found special. That was okay. Mostly.
“Especially you,” Shay admitted softly, swallowing hard.
“Me?” Diego squeaked.
Shay’s shoulders slumped. “Maybe it has something to do with the blood-tying, I don’t know. It’s just… I think about you a lot. More than I should, maybe. I lay in bed at night, wondering what you’re doing. Are you sleeping? Reading?” He coughed softly. “Jacking off?”
Diego snorted. “It’s been so long since I’ve had sex, I’m probably squirting dust by now.”
When Shay snickered, Diego’s face warmed. He liked Shay, a lot. He was sweet and kind, but had no problem taking anyone to task when they didn’t do what was expected of them. When Ranna pushed her plate away at dinner one night, Shay sneered at her. She explained that as a vegetarian, she couldn’t eat the meatloaf he’d made. He gave her a kind smile and said, “What the hell, Ran? You think I don’t know what you eat? Jeez, I’m vegan, and I baked that particular meatloaf for both of us. It’s made from Impossible Meat, a vegan substitute.”
“But it looks so real,” she whined. “Are yousureit’s safe?”
He grabbed a fork, sliced off a chunk, and popped it in his mouth. A moment later, his eyes went wide and he started retching and choking. Ranna looked horrified, until Shay stuck his tongue out at her, then swallowed.
As he dabbed off his lips, he leveled a gaze at Ran. “My cooking might not win awards, but please trust that Idoknow how to do it. I have all your preferences committed to memory. And if there’s ever a time you’re uncertain, don’t just dismiss it. Ask me. I promise you, I will always be truthful.”
And he’d kept that word in everything he did. He was always honest, sometimes brutally. Even with Jerm, he never held back, although he tempered his words with the kid.
“Do…. Do you really like me?”
It made no sense. True, by vampire standards he was still prettyyoung, but he stood atop the food chain. Few things were stronger than a well-fed vampire, but Diego hadn’t been fed properly in years. And here he was, pleading with a man—ahuman—to say there were redeeming qualities in Diego that appealed to him.
“Oh, Diego,” muttered Shay.
He stepped forward and lifted a hand to Diego’s cheek. It was surprising how warm it was. How soft. How gentle. Diego leaned into it, desperate for a touch he hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.
Diego would give anything for this moment to be sealed in amber. To be able to look upon it in a hundred years when Shay was nothing but dust, and Diego was alone. Again. He shouldn’t do this. Best to not get involved. Knowing he would eventually lose Jerm tore his heart out, but the fact that he’d lose both of them?
Not for the first time, Diego wished he could die, just like everyone else. Then Shay kissed his palm, and Diego stared at him.
Yes, he wanted to die.
Just… not now.
Chapter 11
“Diego!”Shay roared as Diego lifted his hips, bending him backward, while he slammed in and pegged Shay’s gland yet again. It was as if there was a homing beacon in his ass and Diego found his prostate with each energetic thrust. He no longer cared if this feeling that rushed through his body as Diego manhandled him was due to being blood-tied or just the fact that he was so fucking horny, he could pop.
Thinking back, maybe it was Diego’s expression when Shay kissed him. All wide-eyed wonder, disbelief, and so much need, it nearly undid Shay.
“You okay?” he’d asked.
“Why did you do that?” Diego questioned, a tremor of fear in his voice.
“Wanted to,” Shay answered, then did it again. “Wanna do it more too,” he said.
“Shay, I?—”
“Talk too much,” Shay replied, pulling Diego down and kissing himdeeply.
“Stop, please….”
The breathy plea stopped Shay, not wanting to hurt Diego. “What’s wrong? Are you too weak? I didn’t think….”
