Chapter 8

Louis watched Alexander with feigned disinterest. But hazel eyes followed every elegant movement, every ripple of fabric as it shifted and hugged the blonde's pale body. The eyes caught the slight worried crinkle in the golden brow. The tooth that worried an upper lip. The hands that fluttered and flitted over the sleeping boy's body.

Because that's all that young man was - a boy. Compared to the lifetimes that both he and Alexander had lived, this Kiol was a mere pup. A whelp of a human being. Why Alex still kept clinging to the fragile, useless things was way beyond Louis' ability to grasp.

He hid an inelegant snort, knowing full well that the vampire's ears heard it. Even clear across the room. Sure enough.

"Look. You do not have to stay if you do not wish it. I am fully capable of taking care of Kiol on my own."

"If you think I'm going to leave you alone with that freak Gideon running around out there on the warpath, you're crazier than I thought you were."

An annoyed flip of waist-length hair. "I am fully capable of handling Gideon as well."

"Yeah, sure. And I won the last World War single-handedly."

A beautiful whispering sigh. "Louis, don't do this. We have spoken about this many times and-"

"Yeah. I know. You don't love me. But now you're in love with that little… whelp that you found a couple of days ago. Aren't you?"

"Even if I were, it would be no concern of yours."

Louis stood abruptly, knocking over the gilded antique chair, which he had been lounging on. "No concern of mine? I think I have every right to be concerned. Who was the only one who risked his ass for you when this happened with Anne Marie? Huh?"

"This is not the same!"

"Yes! Yes, it is! But you- you just won't see it!"

A strong grip tightened on his throat. Startled, Louis vainly scratched and tugged at the slowly constricting fingers.

"This," Alexander spat, "is NOT like what happened with Anne Marie!"

The werewolf clawed and scraped, his hazel eyes staring into raging golden orbs. His feet dangled uselessly, managing only to nick the carved wooden leg of the overturned chair. He couldn't cough. He couldn't speak. Only plead with his eyes.

After desperate seconds that seemed to stretch into agonizing minutes, the flames of rage died in vampiric eyes and Alexander released his stranglehold. Louis fell to the floor with a gasp, trying to get much needed oxygen into his starving lungs. Alex couldn't have killed him like that, but it still hurt like a son of a bitch.

"It is, too," Louis coughed between breaths. "Gideon wants you for himself. If he can't have you, he'll do whatever it takes to ruin your life."

"I know that!" the vampire hissed. "Do you not think that I understand that? I have lived for hundreds of years, Louis. Give me a little credit. I am not an imbecile. Why do you think it has been over 200 years since I have taken a disciple?"

Deliberately avoiding the answer, the werewolf rubbed at his throat, almost as if still trying to dislodge the hand that had attempted to strangle him.

"I know all of this, Louis. We have been through it a thousand times." Gentle hands helped the hazel-eyed werewolf regain his feet. "You know I care deeply for you, Louis. I do. I even love you. But like a brother. My friend. My comrade. Not a lover. It has never been like that."

"Why?! Why hasn't it ever been like that, Alex? Why haven't you ever loved me?"

"I don't know, Louis. I honestly don't know."

"Why did you ever let me dream it then?! Why did you let me fuck you all those years ago? Pity? A sense of moral gratitude?!"

"Louis…"

"No! I've had enough! Enough of these games with you. Keep your precious human toy! And when Gideon rips his soul apart and eats you alive, this dog will not be there to catch the scraps that fall this time!"

"Louis!"

But the werewolf had already fled. His tail tucked safely between his legs.