Jae

In the morning, I open my eyes, and for a second, I’m very confused about being inside this posh cave. But I quickly remember where I am and what my life is now, so I inhale a deep breath to suck in the cool, damp air.

I can hear all manner of birds singing beyond the greenhouse just past the archway. The sun is shining brightly—practically pouring into the glass atrium. But from inside and where I’m lying in bed, it’s more shadowed in a muted white glow. There are stained-glass lamps meticulously positioned on shelves throughout the room, and all kinds of other glassy bits and bobs that shine in the dim light.

I’ve been able to see and experience quite a few beautiful things since I’ve started hanging out with these vampires, but honestly, this bedroom with its en-suite glass-encased bathroom takes the cake.

Usually… well, before, when I was human, I never woke up first. Jun always did. But apparently, I wore him out last night, didn’t I? Making our sex house look nice or whatever.

He’s halfway on his stomach, half on his side next to me and with his back to me. The white sheets are all bunched up low at his hips, so the full length of his spine is exposed. First, I run my fingers down the curve of it, because it’s beautiful—the soft concave of it juxtaposed to his muscled shoulder blades. Feeling greedy, I place one arm over his body so he’s trapped underneath me, then I kiss down the center of his back, enjoying the feel of his warm skin against my lips. When he groans and shifts, I pause. “Good morning.”

His voice is groggy, muffled. “Morning.”

I resume kissing the path down to his lower back, but I pause again to say, “You slept late.”

“Mm.”

“Did the skittish deer wear the wolf out?” I smirk. I’m not at all bothered by that characterization. It’s better than a raccoon, and it makes me seem much more majestic and graceful than I actually am.

Jun flips and turns toward me so fast that my heart skips. He grabs my arm and pulls so that I slide underneath him, then rests the full weight of his body on top of me. He’s heavy, and now I’m squished and flat against the bed, partially tangled in the sheets. I can only kind of move my arms at this point, so I press my hands to his chest and push. Honestly, I’m not putting much genuine effort into it though. “You’re heavy.”

In response, he locks his legs around mine, so now I’m really stuck. It’s so warm like this, and the sun shines a little bit brighter through the archway. I just breathe, calm and pressed into the soft mattress and underneath his weight. His soothing lavender scent. After a moment, my eyes flutter closed.

“Jae.”

“Mm?”

There’s a pause, and I open my eyes. I can’t see his face because his head is slightly above mine.

“I think it’s a good idea for you to talk to someone. I know you have some things to work through, but know that you fit in here. You belong with us. You are one of us. Everything else aside, please stop questioning that. Do you understand?”

I swallow hard, because it’s like he’s just punched me in the gut without any provocation. Everything wells up inside me at once, and the next thing I know, there are tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. I only have one hand free, so I lift it to wipe my face as best I can. My voice comes out faint. “Yes.”

He kisses the top of my head, then my forehead. He kisses the corner of my eye and I keep crying like a lemon, even though I’m happy. Really. He shifts down, still weighted on top of me but low enough to where his face is next to mine on the pillow. He doesn’t say anything else, just watches me and reaches up to grip my free hand within his, entwining our fingers together. I close my eyes, inhaling and exhaling to stop myself from being so damn weepy.

When I’m finally calm, I ask, “Do you think there are others like me?”

“I have no idea.”

“I can’t be the only one.”

He brings our hands toward his mouth, sweetly kissing my knuckles. “You’re probably right. But how would we ever know? I think our situation is unique—maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance that we found each other.”

“That you sniffed me out?”

“Like any proper wolf would.”

I laugh, but then inhale another deep breath, taking in this moment. “I’m glad.”

“Are you?”

Turning my head on the pillow to meet his gaze, I smile. “Yes.” I pause, staring into his eyes. The light streaming into the archway is behind me, but Jun is facing toward it. For the first time, I realize that his eyes aren’t achromatic. They’ve always registered as black pools to me, but… they’re actually a lustrous, very deep purple—like black but with a prism or sheen of purple. I’m just staring at him because I’m amazed by it. Incredible.

He blinks at me. “What is it?”

“You’re just… stunning.”

His mouth quirks up in that rare smile that tells me I’ve caught him off guard. I’m on a roll now, so I put all my effort into pushing him off me so that he falls over and onto his back. He laughs openly and swears from the surprise of it, and I throw my leg over so I’m sitting on top of him. “May I feed?”

He’s grinning like mad. “Oh, last night and this morning?”

“I’m hungry and you taste like heaven. Much better than those bags.”

“That’s a relief.”

I lean down into his neck, feeling his hands stroke down my sides and eventually cupping my arse. As I lick him, he lifts his groin and grinds into me just a little. This wakes my nature up, and I feel the heat of it building and fanning out of me. But I don’t stop it at all. Everything feels too perfect and sensual to interrupt it. I’m about to bite down when I hear Jun’s voice.

“You’re supposed to learn how to control this today with Nino, right?”

I pause, feeling it radiate warmly around us. My incisors are elongated and pulsing. My eyes are alighted, and Jun’s hands are still lazily stroking me and he’s hard underneath me.

“It might be nicer to just spend the day in bed and practice together… understanding your lovely, untamed aura. I think we could figure some things out? I can help you…”

My mind and body are set to full-on vampire mode at this precise moment, and I agree with him. The energy within me is already extended outward and resting. It’s liberating, and I want to do this with him—to learn and explore myself with Jun. I know he accepts me like this now… well, not just accepts. It’s much more than that.

I’ll find Nino today and tell him never mind. At some point, anyway.

Epilogue

A year and a half later…

Junichi

“Ne, abeoji. Jega gugeul mandeulkkeyo. Jega modeun geoseul da hal su isseoyo.”

Jae is standing on the small circular dressing stage in my studio as I finish up the bottom hem of his kimono. He’s talking to his father on the phone.

“Aniyo. Jega tteogguggwa gimchileul mandeul su isseoyo. Gimchileul gajigo osil pilyo eobseoyo.” Jae shakes his head, but he’s smiling.

I’ve been studying Korean for the past year. After he talked with his father and told him that we bonded, he literally booked the first flight out to England to meet me. It was surprisingly very serious, and he brought his sister, too. Jae had never met his aunt before—or anyone from his father’s side of the family. She was sweet. She cried and hugged him a lot, but she only spoke Korean. I felt bad about not being able to speak with her directly.

They’re planning to visit us here, in Japan, after New Year’s, so I’ll be ready this time.

“Ne, goenchanayo. Abeoji kimchiga deo masijyo.” He rolls his eyes before rubbing his palm down his face. Jae is telling him that he’ll have the New Year’s meal already prepared, but his father insists that his kimchi tastes better than Jae’s. My mate is conceding.

“Algesseoyo. Abeojikkeseo banchaneul deo mandeuleo juseyo. Abeoji, gomawoyo. Najunge malsseum deulikkeyo… Annyeonghi gyeseyo.” He hangs up, frowning. “I think my kimchi is better—honestly, he uses too much garlic.”

“Are you going to tell him that?”