Page 18 of Threads of Crimson 2

But I needed him close, so I pulled him down onto my lap. He immediately looped both arms around my neck and leaned his head against mine. “What do you need, Lysandro?”

He didn’t know it, but I couldn’t have handled all of this stuff without him, without his presence. Navigating spending time with him had prepared me for a fledgling I’d never intended to mentor better than anything or anyone else could have. His willingness to let me rant about how fucked this situation with Ego was, and then help me make plans to fix it was something I was coming to depend on.

He was like a healing balm to a soul that had been shattered so long ago. I knew he cared deeply about me, and I knew I wasn’t a good bet, but I’d been a selfish man in life, and apparently, I’d become one even more so in death.

I’d hold on to every bit of affection and companionship he gave me for as long as he wanted to be here. And maybe even beyond. In the comfortable silence that followed, he let me hold him without demanding any answers, which was exactly what I needed. By the time he fell asleep, my nerves had calmed, my beast had settled, and I felt in control again.

Benji

I’d received another stupid letter, and this one was creepy as fuck. Pulling it out of my back pocket, I read over it one more time.

Benji,

You are a walking vision. I picture you spread out before me like a vixen, ready and waiting for me to feast upon your lips. I know the distance between us is hard, my darling, but your absence is only making my heart grow fonder.

Until we can be together again,

Your true love

What was wrong with this person? I’d put off telling Lysandro for too long. It was silly to hope whoever this was would just go away. I knew Lysandro had been so leery about bringing me here in the first place, and if it was one of the vampires from Velvet Vein following us, I hadn’t wanted to give him a reason to send me away. We’d grown close enough now that he probably wouldn’t. Maybe.

“Hi, Benji,” a soft voice said.

Spinning around, I found Scotty, so I shoved the letter back into my pocket. “Hey. How are you?”

He shrugged. “Okay, I guess. Do you have a few minutes to chat?”

“Sure.” Not wanting to disturb anyone else, I led him back into one of the study rooms. “Is everything okay?” I asked.

Scotty and I didn’t know each other all that well, but since he’d become a part of what was going on with Ego and had been coming by to pick up a thermos of Lysandro’s blood fairly often, we’d both been making more of an effort to chat.

He slid into a chair and exhaled harshly. “I guess. I’m freaking out about this whole Dreamveil thing.”

Sliding into the chair next to him, I quirked an eyebrow. “Dreamveil?”

He groaned. “Ugh, I was hoping Lysandro talked to you about it last night. I’m so scared, and I could tell that Lysandro was, too, so I didn’t want to burden him with my fears.”

Lysandro was scared? Nothing scared him. He got cranky and pissed, but never truly worried. If there was a new thing going on with his fledgling—because that was definitely who Ego was, whether Lysandro created him or not—then now wasn’t the right time to bring up the creep sending me letters. Dammit.

His words hit me, and my eyes widened. “Oh. You mean you’re here for me?”

“Is that okay?” He scrunched his nose. “I figured since I’m kinda Ego’s person right now, and you’re Lysandro’s donor, that maybe we could…” He trailed off.

“Be friends?” I asked hopefully. “I left my best friend, Rafe, back in New York, so it’s been a little…” It was my turn to trail off.

“Lonely,” he volunteered. We exchanged knowing smiles before he continued, “That’s one of the reasons I used to like to study here. The guys at the manor are amazing. They’ve really made me part of the family since Chance gave me a job there, but I was kinda looking for a friend of my own.” He frowned. “Does that sound bad?”

“Not at all,” I said with a laugh. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“Yeah, and Lysandro’s great, and I’m glad we’ve gotten closer, but now he feels like—”

“Ego’s,” I said, cutting him off.

Scotty covered his face with one hand. “Ugh. I’m the worst. I sound like I’m in elementary school.”

I kicked his leg gently, and he looked up. “No, you don’t. It’s hard. Lysandro told me a little about your story and how you lost your brother. It’s hard being the new guy. That’s pretty much the story of my life.” I paused, thinking. “I can’t imagine all of Ego’s changes have been easy on you, either.”

“The worst.” He leaned toward me, whispering. “Did you know I didn’t even like him before? Then the next thing you know, I’m the holder of all his secrets. His cousin and the rest of the family know now, which is good, but I wasn’t prepared.”