Bed and Breakfast [Bloodkin 1] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (6 page)

The servants scattered, obeying Vane’s orders to the letter. Vane left as well, and Moss was left with the tiny maid. “I’m Pena. I usually help out the master’s companions with daily issues like wardrobe, washing, things like that.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Pena,” Moss replied automatically. “Okay, then. Lead the way.”

* * * *

Yet again, Vane retreated to his study, seeking to get rid of his need and arousal before he saw Marlais again. He considered touching himself again, but knowing his luck, either Kier or Marlais himself would burst in on him, and that would be very embarrassing.

Vane sat at the desk, absently looking over the papers he’d set out the night before. Everything represented a task he intended to appoint to his new human secretary. He admitted he’d been disappointed when the human had not shown up, but it truly hadn’t surprised him. He even knew where Marlais had gone, of course. He’d have chased him down into the harbor, but he disliked sunlight, more so since he’d spent quite a long time without blood now. His kind usually built up resistance to the sun through a heavier consumption of blood. Vane couldn’t wait to test it with his new companion.

Vane’s fangs emerged at the thought of drinking Marlais’s blood, and he cursed. His nature seemed to be emerging more and more with each second he spent in the human’s presence. The young man had been right about this being a bad idea, but Vane couldn’t make himself let go now. It felt too right. Having Marlais—or rather, Moss—by his side had quickly become essential.

Even their small conversation in the carriage convinced Vane of this. Articulate, educated, and intelligent, Moss showed genuine interest in the bloodkin and arousal at Vane’s touch. He was perfect, too perfect.

He was also alone now, alone with Pena. A growl emerged in Vane’s throat at the thought of anyone else but him seeing Moss naked. He’d done it out of habit, since it never bothered him before when servants took care of his “bed and breakfasts.” But Moss couldn’t be compared to those past whores. Vane should never have told Pena to help him with settling in, or at least, he should’ve kept watch over them.

In a blur of motion, Vane left his study and rushed out. The room he’d assigned for Moss held a luxurious adjoining bathroom and he crossed the distance from his study there in a few seconds.

Even before entering the room, he heard a conversation taking place. He stopped, deciding to see if Moss intended to make a move on Pena. “Thank you for all your help,” Moss said. “Sorry about the clothes.”

“You don’t need to apologize, my lord,” Pena replied. “It’s my job.”

“Yes, but…I’m really confused about this. So I hoped maybe you could help out, tell me how I should act.”

Vane didn’t want Moss to need anyone else but him. Shocked at his own thoughts, he began to back off, only to realize he couldn’t make himself leave. First, he had to mark Moss as his.

Without allowing himself a moment to change his mind, Vane sauntered inside the room. The bathroom door was cracked open and Vane noticed Moss half-naked with Pena. Jealousy swelled hot inside Vane, and his vision turned dark and red. He growled low in his throat. How dare she touch what belonged to him?

He didn’t know what prevented him from just shooting into the bathroom and pulling Moss away from Pena, perhaps the very realization that the first time in centuries, he’d fallen prey to his instincts. Up until that moment, he hadn’t truly acknowledged the extent of his peculiar attachment to Moss. Moss had been in his house for maybe an hour total, and Vane was already going berserk. He couldn’t understand it.

Someone else might have rushed out to lick his wounds in private or surrendered to the emotions. Vane did neither. Instead, he filtered everything through the reason that governed his every moment. In a flash, he had his control back. Just in time, too, because Pena had heard the noise. For a bunch of household spirits, brownies really did have acute senses.

Pena slipped out of the bathroom, with Moss behind her. Both gaped when they saw him. “My lord?” Moss asked hesitantly. “I thought I was supposed to join you in the study?”

“I changed my mind.” He turned to a wide-eyed Pena. “You’re dismissed, Pena. Thank you.”

The maid nodded, curtsied, and hastened out. Like all the people here, she was used to living in a bloodkin’s house. Her kind generally accepted all the peculiarities of their current master, and neither Pena nor the rest of her kind had ever shown any surprise or distress regarding Vane’s habits. Besides, Kier did a good job of keeping the servants in line and pacifying them with honey cakes, so Vane didn’t worry too much about what they thought.

“You were very comfortable with her,” Vane noted, carefully keeping his voice neutral.

Moss fidgeted. “She’s nice, and I’m used to having servants around, so I kind of fell into the routine.”

“Did you?” So Moss had grown up in a rich family, then, and had his fortune spent because of bloodkin. Vane made a mental note to inquire into their current situation. Knowing more about his human’s past could always be helpful. “Well, I’m glad you’re getting along with the staff.”

He remembered he’d intended to ask something which had pissed him off. “Why didn’t you tell me to call you Moss?” Finding out his human’s nickname during a conversation with the help frustrated him beyond belief.

Moss gave him a confused look. “It just never occurred to me it would be important.”

“Of course it’s important,” Vane answered. “I need to know the person who I received into my home.”

He didn’t say he typically didn’t ask any questions of his companions, and he’d almost forced Moss to come here. To soften up the conversation a bit, he said, “It suits you.” The human’s eyes were green, just like the beautiful moss native to the Tachakan plains, but that would’ve been too corny to say.

Moss didn’t answer this time, but he did go red, and Vane noted the charming blush went over the human’s chest, too. He cleared his throat and looked away. “Very well, then. Go wash up. Don’t take long.”

If he did, Vane might lose control again. Thankfully, Moss obeyed and rushed into the bathroom. Vane remained alone in the bedroom, wondering how he’d ever manage to stick to the terms he himself had set for this contract.

* * * *

Moss tried to calm his racing heart and knelt on the cool, marble floor. Every moment spent with Vane seemed charged with a tension he couldn’t really understand. Moss surmised Vane must feel the same intense attraction Moss did, but that didn’t help Moss figure out what to do.

Forcing himself to calm down, Moss got up and advanced toward the large washing area. Yet another incredibly lavish convenience, the pool boasted some of the latest advances in technology, including plumbing. Moss’s parents had planned to save and try to make the addition to their home, but that dream had faded after the bloodkin’s appearance.

The thought sobered him, at the same time bringing back his doubts. In Vane’s presence, he forgot about anything but pleasing the other man. One thing was certain, he needed to be more careful with his thoughts and feelings. He’d just met Vane the day before and the man already dominated his every desire.

In fact, Vane had given him an order, not to delay too much with washing up, and Moss was already taking ages with it. He quickly discarded his shoes and breeches and stepped into the pool. He used the liquid soaps Pena left him to clean his skin and his hair. They smelled sweet, like lavender honey, and the scent reminded him of home. He’d have lingered more in the water, but already he’d made Vane wait for too long.

Moss rinsed the foam off and left the water. He snatched a clean, white towel and dried himself off, then covered his nakedness with a robe. It was hardly an appropriate attire to meet one’s boss, but Vane would surely understand. After all, the man had come to his quarters. What did that even mean? Moss didn’t know.

His legs unsteady, Moss opened the door to the bathing chamber and reentered the bedroom. As luxurious as the rest of the house, his quarters held an air of decadent exuberance, although Moss registered very little of the ornaments. A huge canopied bed dominated the room. Next to it, Vane waited, tapping his foot impatiently. Moss gulped, shameless thoughts invading his mind yet again.

“You took a long time,” he told Moss.

“Apologies, my lord,” Moss answered. “It’s just—”

Vane lifted his hand, and Moss forgot what he wanted to say. “How many times have you done this now? You didn’t come here as established, you didn’t tell me your pet name, and now this.”

Moss would have tried to protest, but all of a sudden, Vane was next to him, having crossed the room in the blink of an eye. He backed Moss against the wall, trapping him between his body and the solid stone. “You’re sorry for lying, aren’t you, Moss?”

The sound of his name on Vane’s lips made Moss shudder. He hadn’t lied, just broken a promise, and he did regret it, to a certain extent at least. If it caused Vane to treat him like this, Moss would break promises more often. “Yes, my lord.”

“You don’t look sorry,” Vane pointed out. One hand lifted Moss’s arms and trapped them in an ironlike vise. The other slipped into Moss’s robe to tweak a pert nipple. All the while, Vane licked the shell of Moss’s ear, then down to Moss’s neck. Moss moaned when he felt a hint of fang scratch at the skin. Would Vane do it? Would he drink his blood?

He was so lost in the pleasure he didn’t register the exact moment when Vane pulled away. The heat of Vane’s body vanished, and the delicious pressure against Moss’s wrists evaporated as well. Unsupported, Moss almost fell to the floor, but he somehow managed to muster enough control to maintain some degree of propriety.

“I promised I would keep this platonic, and I shall,” Vane said. “You are just too tempting for your own good.” Vane shook his head and his expression turned neutral once more. “Have you eaten?”

The change in demeanor didn’t really take Moss by surprise, as he was beginning to understand the pattern in Vane’s behavior. Even so, he couldn’t make himself speak and just shook his head.

“Well, then, put something on. We’ll discuss the rest of the issues over dinner.”

Moss had the time to nod before Vane took off, leaving him aroused and frustrated. Once Vane vanished out the door, Moss took a few moments to calm down and then focused on the practical. It always helped him in moments of confusion.

He did indeed need to go to dinner with Vane, so he dried his hair then scanned the room for clothing. A suit had been already laid out for him, most likely by the efficient Pena. Perhaps she had returned during his bath. As he picked it up, he judged it to be his size and of impressive quality.

It was odd to dress into something like this once again, but just like with Pena, he easily fell into habit. In the past, he’d many times had servants dress him, but after they’d fallen into ruin, the staff in his home had been fired. The fancy clothing had been the last to go, so Moss had plenty of experience with dressing up.

He finished dressing up just in time, as a knock sounded at the door. Moss opened it, and a servant—this time, male—bowed at him. “If you would please follow me, His Lordship is waiting.”

Moss nodded and murmured an absent thank-you. The man led him through the strange corridors of the house and back into the main foyer. At one point, they veered right and after a few more twists and turns, reached a dining room. Vane already waited there, at the head of the table, nursing a drink.

“Ah, excellent. Please, sit.” He nodded toward the seat next to him, where flatware had already been placed.

Moss wordlessly obeyed Vane’s command. At this point, his body instinctively followed everything Vane ordered, and Moss ceased to fight it. “Do you have any preference? Fish? Veal? Venison?”

So mundane and bland. One would think the little episode in Moss’s quarters had just been his imagination. “Venison, please.”

“Very well.” Vane nodded. With a look over Moss’s shoulders, he told the waiting staff, “You can begin to serve.”

Maybe a minute later, dishes were rolled in, and Moss’s senses were assaulted by delicious aromas. His stomach growled, and his face heated when Vane gave him an amused look. “Go on. Dig in.”

They ate in silence, but it didn’t feel awkward. Throughout the dinner, Moss allowed himself to study Vane. The bloodkin was a mystery. Moss never knew what the other man thought or intended to do. Vane, it seemed, ran hot and cold. Moss recalled their talk in the carriage and wondered if Vane’s control over his needs meant so much.

Occasionally, Moss caught sight of the bloodkin watching him, studying him back. What did Vane see when he looked at Moss? Why had the man even chosen Moss for this job?

At last, the dinner ended with a delicious dessert. As much as Moss enjoyed the meal, he looked forward to having his questions answered.

As soon as they finished, the servants came and efficiently cleaned up. Benson reemerged, the familiar-looking documents in his grip. When had the butler returned?

Before Moss could ask any questions, Benson handed him the papers. “Read,” Vane urged him. “It’s basically the same thing I gave you yesterday, with a few modifications.”

Moss took the contract and began to examine it. He wanted to know exactly what he was signing up for. The contract stated pretty much what Vane had said, with the sexual part of it crossed out and Vane’s signature next to the modification. Another addition had been made, however. It said he’d be compelled to stay in this position at least one month in order to receive his pay.