“What if it’s permanent?” Justin asked dejectedly. “What if I can never bask in its warmth again?”
Justin said it as if being denied the sun was the end of the world. “Then we’ll deal with it,” Demetri said. “But don’t dwell on it right now.”
“How can I not?” Justin asked. “My life is changing so fast that I feel as if I can’t breathe most days.” He curled into a tighter ball. “I sometimes wish for when things were much simpler.”
“Like being sick all the time?” Demetri asked. “Or when I was just a prominent figure in your life, nothing more?” He couldn’t stop the bitterness from entering his tone.
Justin’s eyes widened. “No, I would never wish away what we have. I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember. Never that, Demetri. But this hunger and now the sunlight? How much more will I have to give up?” Justin’s eyes widened. “My classes! I won’t be able to finish college.”
Demetri ran his fingers through the silky red strands of Justin’s hair. “You’ll finish, even if I have to pay your professors to come here and teach you.”
“But even if I manage to graduate, my degree will be useless if I can’t go out during the day. How can I become an administrator in the social work field if I’m trapped in Frost Manor?”
“Calm down, love,” Demetri said. “We’ll deal with all of that when and if we find out this is permanent or temporary. You are causing yourself undue stress.” Demetri spotted Wulf walking back to the car, blanket in hand. “Cover your head with my jacket while I grab the blanket from Wulf.”
Justin ducked under Demetri’s suit jacket before Demetri opened the car door and grabbed the offered blanket. “Open the front door, Wulf. I’ll be racing up the steps.”
“Already did.” Wulf turned on his heel and walked around to the driver’s side.
Demetri closed the door again and then spread the blanket over his lap. “Come, Justin.”
Justin placed the jacket over his chest and then slid into Demetri’s lap. Demetri could see how much Justin hated this. His jaw was working back and forth, and his lips were thinned. He curled into Demetri as Demetri wrapped the blanket around his slim frame, making sure that every corner was tucked and no sunlight would touch the man’s skin.
Opening the car door, Demetri raced up the steps and bolted through the front door. Aberdeen slammed it closed behind them. “Is Mistress Justin okay?”
“Yes, thank you, Aberdeen.” Demetri strode to his study before he placed Justin on the couch and unwrapped the man.
Justin glared up at him. “Let’s try not to do that again. I felt like a kidnapped child being carted off in the middle of the night.”
A throat cleared behind Demetri. He turned to see Caleb standing there, a slight smile pulling at one side of his mouth. “Some sort of kinky game?”
“Oh, no,” Justin said quickly and then crinkled his nose as he sat up and knocked the remaining blanket off his body. “Not in the least.” When Justin stood, he nearly tripped over the blanket that was still wound around his foot. Demetri snapped his hand out and caught the man before Justin fell on his face.
“Then what was with the burrito?” Caleb asked as he cocked his head to the side.
“The sun,” Justin said begrudgingly. “It seems to burn my skin.”
Demetri took a seat behind his desk and watched as the two talked. He would have his say, but it appeared that Caleb and Justin had some things to discuss. His eyes slid over Justin’s thin body, and Demetri found himself growing hard once more.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a vampire?” Caleb said, seeming pissed. “I thought we didn’t keep secrets from each other.”
“Really?” Justin asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Because if I recall, you didn’t tell me about your wolfy side.”
Demetri hid his grin.
“That’s different,” Caleb sputtered. “I’m not allowed to run around and announce that my family can go all furry.”
“I didn’t ask you to announce it,” Justin argued as he stabbed a finger at Caleb. “But you could have told me.” His voice lowered as well as his hand. “I thought we were best friends.”
“Me, too,” Caleb said stubbornly. “When did you find out, or have you known all along that you were vampire?”
“I just found out,” Justin argued. “That’s why I’ve been sick all this time. Apparently I was starving.”
Caleb furrowed his brows. “Damn, J. That’s fucked up.”
“No shit,” Justin said. “And I hate it. Now I find out that Abaddon is my father.”
“What!” Caleb’s eyes rounded. “You’re shitting me!”
“No.” Justin shook his head and sadness crept into his gorgeous green eyes. “I wish I were. Do you know what it’s like to find out your dad is evil?”
Caleb glanced toward Demetri, and his amber eyes softened. “No, I wouldn’t know how that feels.”
“And your father failed to mention that you were fighting your uncle,” Justin added.