Page 51 of Vampire's Cupcake
Then he frowned as he took in the state Eli was in."Fuck."His angry tone had Eli jerking, but Thano was moving away.Fast.Eli wasn't sure if he'd moved or simply reappeared in front of the cleaning cabinet.There he grabbed a kitchen towel and ran the water.He believed he waited for it to get warm because it took some time.
"Eli?"Thano crouched in front of him, slowly wiping at the skin by the hem of his shirt.
"Yes."
The muscles shifted underneath Thano's skin as he moved his arm.Eli watched in fascination.He was beautiful.Deadly, but beautiful.
"Do you want me to remove the memory?"
Eli pushed him away.Thano must not have seen it coming because he lost his balance and sat on his ass.Eli hadn't been sure vampires could mess with people's memories.There were stories, but there were always stories."Have you...have you done that to me before?"
Thano got up on his feet again but remained crouched."No.But if this is too..."He grimaced."I can if you prefer it."
"Stay out of my head."
Thano nodded."Okay.Please eat."
Eli glanced at the bowl only to jerk when Thano moved the towel over his groin.He glanced down, Thano's gaze was glued to his cock.
"I should wash my hands."
"Sounds like a good idea."Thano gave him a small smile, and Eli's heart did a flip.He moved out of the way to give Eli room to stand.He did, but before he washed his hands, he removed the soiled shirt he still was wearing.He dropped it to the floor and washed his hands in the sink, then he washed his torso and groin too since their combined release had soaked through the fabric.
Thano remained by the table, watching him but not moving.Eli turned the water off and glanced at him."I'll grab a shirt."And a pair of pants.
A nod was all the reply he got.
Eli walked into his bedroom, grabbed a pair of holey sweatpants and a long-sleeved cotton shirt.He was dizzy, but if it was because of blood loss, lack of sleep, lack of food, or simply stress, he didn't know.
Lingering in the room for a bit, he delayed having to face Thano, but he didn't want to waste the food.He moved with slow steps.
Thano was sitting on the chair opposite the one they'd both been on."Eat.You need to eat."
Eli nodded, sat, and grabbed the spoon.He'd never had oatmeal with egg in it, but since he couldn't taste it, he guessed it was a good way to add some protein."I didn't think you cooked."
Thano shrugged."I had a period some decades ago when I taught myself to do a few basic things.I read this in one of Romeo's cooking books, though.You can add an egg to your porridge to get more nutrition."
"Some decades ago?"Eli stopped with his spoon halfway to his mouth."How old are you?"
Thano smiled."Old enough."
But he looked to be thirty or maybe thirty-five.There were some crow's feet by his eyes, but his skin was mostly smooth."Old enough to do what?"
"Anything I want."
Eli nodded.Not sure he wanted to know what it meant.
They didn't speak, but when Eli had finished the bowl, Thano got to his feet."Come on, get some rest."
Eli walked to his bedroom, convinced Thano would leave, but he didn't.He followed Eli into the room.When Eli turned to him, he undid his pants and pushed them off.What the hell?"Are you staying?"
"Yeah.I worry when I'm back home, and Romeo says you have every reason to be concerned.I'm not leaving you unprotected."
Eli gaped at him.He was here to protect him?
Thano crept into his bed and held the blankets up."Come on, let's rest."
Eli only hesitated a moment before crawling in.He should think this through, but he'd never shared a bed with someone, and the promise of feeling Thano against him all night made him block out the fact that Thano had bitten him.
