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“You bulldoze people,” Fernando said bluntly. “With the best of intentions, but you’re still a bulldozer.”
Ronan muttered something that sounded like ‘got that right,’ so Zander could write off all help from that quarter.
Fernando ignored him and addressed Max. “I don’t believe you’ve met my mate, Noel?”
“No, I’ve only heard about him.” Max rose from the couch with an outstretched hand. “Hi, I’m Max.”
Noel accepted the handshake, looking Max over curiously. If Zander remembered correctly, there was only about a three-year’s difference in age, and Noel was likely very curious to meet someone like him. Who, you know, wasn’t Chase. Really, finding three mates so close together was mind-boggling to Zander.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Noel greeted in that soft manner of his. “I feel like we should get together soon, trade notes. I’m very curious about you, Max, and it’ll be nice to hang out with someone that Fernando isn’t wary of.”
Max seemed to like this invitation, although he did raise an eyebrow in question. “Wary of?”
“Vampires, in case you haven’t realized, areverypossessive.” Noel sent Fernando a speaking look.
That expression made Zander think his sire had once again done something to irritate Noel, but was he going to ask? No, he preferred life.
“Oh, I’ve certainly picked up on that,” Max replied, shooting Zander the same pointed look.
Which was entirely unfair as Zander hadn’t done anything to deserve that! Er, recently. At least, today he hadn’t.
Fernando wasn’t at all bothered by his mate’s subtle dig, just chuckled. “We have good reason to be protective, my heart. We don’t want other vampires around our mates. Frankly, it gives us hives. And as a result of our nature, we don’t normally have social gatherings with other vampire clans. Therefore, the true mates and compatible lovers rarely have a chance to meet.”
“Which I think is a shame. We humans have a lot of information and stories to share about you overbearing brutes.” Noel pulled out his phone. “So, Max, you’ll understand if I ask for your number.”
“Done.” Max was more than happy to provide his number and gain a sympathetic ear.
“I still want to have dinner with you,” Fernando said to Max with a gentle smile. “I want to know you better.”
“I look forward to it.”
“Good. Before I go—Zander, a word?”
He was going to get yelled at, wasn’t he? Resigned, Zander followed his sire out of the house and down the driveway, out of earshot of most people.
Fernando gave him the patented You Were Stupid look he pulled out with all his children. “Step one in a relationship: Do not worry your lover.”
“I’ll be careful going forward, I promise.”
“I’d hope so. Max might smother you with a pillow yet.”
Zander knew the answer but wanted to hear the words. “You like him, don’t you.”
“I do. He has made a good impression. His priority was you, and he wasn’t shy about feeding you in front of an audience if that’s what you needed. Demanding my support was also well done of him. Amusing, too. I can’t remember the last time I was lectured like that.”
In retrospect, it had been funny, watching Max face off his sire while only in a towel. Hot, too.
Sassy Max did something to Zander, no question.
“I noticed something last night,” Fernando continued, blue eyes narrowing. “Coupled with something I heard, it makes me suspicious. You said that on the night of the almost kidnapping, you were at the height of your rage. You used both Mesmerize and Prestige, correct?”
“Right.” Zander had no idea where he was going with this.
“But you were able to approach Max? He didn’t fear you?”
“Uh, no. I approached him several times as I dealt with matters. He told me later he wasn’t afraid of me. He didn’t act or smell it, either. Why?”
“Hmm. I realize you weren’t in a condition to observe much last night, so you might not have caught the full implications. He’s showing both signs: an immunity to vampire powers—even when a vampire is being dominant—and a positive reaction to vampire saliva.”
