Since they’ve transitioned him to living here at the estate and helping out, though, he’s done a one-eighty. Plus, he loves cooking and is pretty damn good at it.

“How is Doctor Jae’s proposal coming along?” Haruka asks.

“We talked about it yesterday. I think he’s confident in figuring things out after our conversation. I’ll let you know when I get the official report.”

Haruka nods, then rakes his fingers through his hair again. “The doctor perplexes me. Why is he somewhat physically appealing to my nature? And you mentioned before that you could discern a scent from him. Not the typical unembellished human scent, correct?”

“Yeah,” I say, leaning with my elbow on the table and cradling my face. It feels like Doctor Jae Davies is slowly occupying more and more of my world. “You don’t smell any unique scent from him?”

“I do not. What does he smell like? May I ask?”

I frown. “Why does that matter?” Scents are a very subjective experience for ranked vampires. It is literally a case where one man’s trash could be another man’s treasure. My source smells like ham to me. Flat out. I like ham, but it’s not very appealing to my nature and intrinsic thirst as a vampire—I don’t necessarily want to fuck ham. If I told him that he would die.

I should tell him.

“Talking about scents is a little personal.” I turn my nose up, brushing it off. But then I tilt my head in a pointed gaze. “What does Nino smell like to you?”

“Cinnamon. And oak. Sunlight.”

I sit up straight, scratching my head. “Alright, apparently we’re not embarrassed… How does sunlight smell, exactly?”

“It is difficult to describe. The sunlight aspect is more of a perceptual sensation.”

“Got it.”

“Hey, Jun.” Nino walks into the kitchen, smiling. Handsome sunlight.

“Hey—what does Haruka smell like to you?” Double or nothing.

Nino pauses at the counter, folding his arms. “It’s complicated. The simplest answer is roses. But when I feed from him, it’s very visual—transcendent. As if I’m in a different place altogether… like the soul of him is a rain-soaked garden with lush greenery and roses in full bloom. Sweet and fresh. It’s perfect.”

Haruka is openly grinning now and staring at his mate. Nino walks over as if a silent beckoning has occurred. Haruka lifts his chin and Nino leans down, smoothly placing two firm kisses on his mouth. When he stands straight, he reaches into his back pocket. “Oh, here.” He pulls out a thin black stretchy headband. Haruka scrunches his face as Nino quickly maneuvers it over his head, then works it back up to rest against his scalp. Haruka’s overgrown hair is officially out of his face.

“Thank you, my love.” Haruka sighs, then looks at me with his eyebrow lifted. “Your turn.”

God. I have to confess after transcendent roses in a rainy garden? “Like something sweet… a baked dessert. With spiced peaches?”

“What’s spiced peaches?” Nino asks. “Sounds delicious.”

“How Doctor Jae smells to Jun.” Haruka blinks his burgundy eyes at me. Examining me.

Nino laughs. “Aw, that’s cute.”

“Yeah, whatever.” I frown. Fucking humiliating. Like I’m a kid with a fruit cup obsession.

“Do you all want coffee? I can make some before I start lunch.” Sydney is already at the coffee pot, tinkering.

“Yes, please.” Haruka smiles in his genial and sincere purebred prince way. “Thank you very much, Sydney.”

The young vampire flips around smoothly, opening cabinets to get mugs. “It’s my pleasure!”

Haruka told me candidly that it makes him uncomfortable—having this young, emotionally and physically traumatized purebred serving them like this. But Sydney genuinely enjoys himself, and in combination with his weekly therapy sessions, his progress is irrefutable.

When I took him out for his first beer, I asked him about it—if it would be better to have his own place and be more independent. He told me he likes Haruka and Nino’s estate because he can keep busy, and it feels happier and safer than any place he’s ever known. I couldn’t argue with that.

“Typical humans do not register such distinct smells to our senses, Jun. Have you specifically asked Doctor Davies about his biology?”

I shrug. “No. He’s human.” But he’s apparently been fucked and bitten by quite a few lower-level vampires, so maybe there’s some kind of buildup? I keep that inelegant information to myself.

Haruka folds his arms. “There is more to him than meets the eye.”

“Uh oh…” Nino says. “The vampire Historian is officially invested in this case.”

Haruka shifts his gaze toward me, serious. “You should feed from him.”

“No. A month ago you snapped at me for even joking about biting him.”

“Feeding from humans long term and as a primary resource is detrimental to our biology and bloodlines. Doing so once or twice in a long while won’t cause much damage.”

“‘Much damage.’” I scoff. “The last time I fed from a human, the sun literally burned my skin immediately after. I couldn’t go outside for two full days. It was terrifying… My flesh looked like the paper burning off a cigarette.”

Nino draws back, his teeth clenched. “Ew. Jesus.”

Sydney hands Nino a coffee cup, then walks around the counter to bless me and Haruka as well. After we thank him, he walks back to the inside of the counter and starts pulling pots and pans from the cabinets. He glides around the kitchen as if he’s always been here. Effortless.

“I have never known you to properly pursue anyone within the aristocracy,” Haruka says. “Aside from Ren—”

“I am not pursuing Ren.”

“Of course.” Haruka nods politely, graciously stepping over that particular conversational landmine. “I have always wondered, do you exclusively date humans? Are you opposed to your own kin?”

The question is loaded, and when I flick my eyes up, everyone is staring at me and frozen where they stand—Nino, Sydney, and even Asao is suddenly here. He smirks when my gaze falls on him.

“When the hell did you get here?” I ask him.

He lifts his chin, haughty. “I live here. Or did you forget? Answer his question.”

Sitting back, I take a breath. Asao already knows the answer to this question. We talk about it at length when we go drinking.

It’s rare for the spotlight to be turned on me when I’m in this house. Usually I’m checking on them, making sure they’re okay. Staying humble. I’m much older than both Haruka and Nino. Even though we don’t operate by strict hierarchal standards (which is one reason why I like them), I’m not blind to the age gap. Instinctively, I feel big-brotherly toward them.

I fold my arms because this topic makes me defensive. My perspective is not the norm. “I don’t like dating ranked vampires because they’re arrogant and fussy.”

“You’re a ranked vampire, Jun,” Nino says. Captain Obvious.

“And he’s arrogant and fussy,” Asao chimes in.

“Right.” I nod firmly. “Why the hell would I want to be in a relationship with someone exactly like me?”