"WE SHOULD enjoy the night, Pen." Joaquin lifted Penelope's blouse to bury his head inside. His voice was muffled by the flesh on her stomach but Penelope understood him clearly when he said, "It's just the two of us. Why don't we make love?"

"Why are you so eager tonight?" Penelope asked but her hands were already roaming his chest and his shoulders. The warm muscle made her bite her lips in excitement. 'It has been too long... and his touch felt just like the first time.'


"Play with me. We can cover our scents in the morning. Everyone should be asleep by now."

"Hmn-mn? Is that so?" Penelope struggled to keep her voice intact despite the threat of it breaking because of the intense need to kiss Joaquin. "Lance and Irlan might come in."

"They're on something tonight. They won't come back soon." Joaquin's hand found its way to Penelope's back. Successfully taking off the hook of her bra. "Pen, please... please."


Penelope swallowed as she felt his knees in between her legs. "Then... hurry," she whispered, "hold me tight, Joaquin."

His resounding laugh made Penelope even more giddy. "Always, my love."


'DAMN IT to hell and right back.' Lance woke up to the nasty scent of a strong ointment. He almost spat his heart when itchiness assaulted his lungs. 'What the fuck happened?'

He had warned Irlan. Thankfully. But that doesn't guarantee the kid's safety against whoever that enemy who's against them.

That man's magic felt like a plague. It hurts his nose and his lungs burned because of it.

'Thank goodness, there's this ointment right here.' Lance laid back with his eyes still close. Savouring the ointment even though it may scar his soul right after.

'It makes me want to sneeze.'

"Are you okay now?" A familiar voice inquired as a hot hand held his forehead gently. "I was not sure at first if it's you but the blue hair was a dead giveaway. I'm glad you're safe, Lance."

'It's Samael.' Lance gripped his wrist. He doesn't want him to see this state of his. It's embarrassing. He always made a point about how he doesn't need his help but right now, he might just as well eat his words back.

"I know that you have something important to do in this pack. I... trust you. You look so innocent, Lance. I know you won't do anything bad." Samael's hand caressed his cheek. "I have no right to ask you this but can you promise that I won't have to see you in this situation again? Promise me that I won't see you hurt and unconscious... praying that you're not dead?"

'Oh... shut up.' Lance harrumphed. Samael went silent when he saw his reaction but in the end, he only sighed and said, "You don't want me as your mate, I get it. Honestly, I laughed when I came to know that you're my fated mate. I mean... I had it all figured out, hmn? I want to live alone when I'm old. Somewhere I can watch over a majestic mountain view after killing so many shifters..."

"But then guess what? Your existence means I have to change that future. Your existence means I have someone to take care, even if they don't like me back."

"I'm sorry." Lance covered his eyes with his hand. "I'm sorry that I came to your life. I never imagined something like this to happen. But I have something to ask, Samael."

"What is it?"

"Do you hate it? That I am your mate? Maybe you regret it... I'm a male yet I'm your fated mate." Lance would like to laugh it off but it came out parched and awkward.

Samael tried to lift his hand but Lance resisted. He's still so weak that he couldn't change his blue hair and pointed ears. That vampire drained not just his force but his energy as well. He have to borrow some more from Adarmus.

"Lance, what's there to regret?" He can hear the smile in his voice as he answered, "You're really beautiful, which makes it so hard to hate it. You're so amazing I tend to forget about your nasty attitude sometimes."

Lance nodded before saying softly, "Fuck you."

Samael laughed. "Okay, that's enough."

"Can you close your eyes for a moment, Samael?"

"Why?" His hands tightened around Lance involuntarily. "Are you going to escape again?"

"No..." Lance removed his hand and saw Samael with his eyes closed. "Done, your highness."

Lance tried to trace his face onto his memory. When he's done memorising every detail of his expression, he leaned closer to seal their lips.

This time, Lance did not hide it anymore.

'I'm starting to like you real bad, Samael.'

"Why do you have that little bottle?" Lance inquired to change the subject. He tried to move out of Samael's arms but the man wouldn't budge. "Let me sit."

"It's from someone I know. I had a headache a while ago and he said it helps. No. Don't get up. Not yet." Lance was situated between Samael's legs. He hugged him from behind while gently letting him inhale the ointment in his hand. His back was against his chest and Lance can hear his heartbeat loud and clear. "Let me calm down for a moment."

Lance' clouded mind cleared in an instant. "What?" When he forcefully shifted to a sitting position, he accidentally came in touch with something that he shouldn't.

He froze. Lance did not dare move. "Samael, is that—"

Instead of being horrified, Samael chuckled and hugged him close. "I'm sorry. It won't just quit."

'Why are you hard?' Lance' scalp was tingling. He doesn't know how to react. "Let... let me up, okay? You... should deal with that alone."

"Fine, fine. I'm sorry." Samael clicked his tongue. "But now that you personally got in touch with it, you can now stop worrying whether I like you for real or not."

"What?" Lance's mind is about to explode. Samael is clearly doing this on purpose!

"I won't get hard for someone I don't want, Lance."

Lance found out that he can be unbearably shameless at times. And that was included to the list of why he likes the man.