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.”“Thank you for getting me out of there,” Sal said from the shelter of Stiln’s arms.“But I don’t know what I’ll do now.I can’t return to the pack after Bran killed me in front of them.”He had a point.The pack wouldn’t accept him after everything he’d done, even if he did it for Luc’s benefit.“You and Stiln can stay here with me,” Luc said.“Really?” Stiln’s face lit with joy, an expression Luc couldn’t remember ever seeing before.“Thanks, Luc.I won’t be here forever, just until I can figure out what to do with myself.” He nuzzled Sal’s cheek with his nose like an affectionate cat.“And my lover.”Luc watched as Sal glowed.Who knew that his psychotic one-eyed brother was a closet romantic?He turned to his own lover.“Bran, we still have the problem of where you’re going to live.You can’t just leave your pack.And Jerrod and Carn can’t go and live with the wolves.”Bran held Luc’s face between his two large hands, forcing him to look into his eyes.“Despite my past behaviour, I know where my future lies.I will come and live with you.I want to sleep beside you, wake up beside you and fight over who gets the first cup of coffee in the morning.I’ve missed your skin next to mine, and if one day you decide you wish to be a demon lord, I’ll murder a basketful of kittens in a playground full of kindergarteners if it will send me to hell to be by your side.”Luc stroked Bran’s hands with his own.“I don’t know if that is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard or the most disturbing,” he said, leaning up and placing a soft kiss on his lover’s lips.“I give up, I can’t compete.” The pair turned to see Nikkolai looking at them with disgust.The vampire had his hands on his hips as he regarded them.“You win, Bran.I release any claims I have on Luc.Sorry, Luc, but Bran’s your man, and from that display, I can see I don’t have the devotion to even be in the running.But I guess you knew that.”The vampire gave a self-effacing grin.“Jerrod would give his life for you, your demon would let you take him back to hell to be your servant, the wolf let himself be killed so he could help you and this one,” he waved his hand towards Bran, “would do anything for you.I love you, but I don’t think that I’m ready for the amount of commitment you require, and according to Michael, I’m not supposed to for several years any way.”He gave an evil glare to the werewolf who glared back.“Luckily, werewolves don’t live forever and by the time your devoted pet is gone, I’ll be ready to be yours.Until then, consider me your mate in waiting.”Luc stepped away from Bran and walked over to the vampire.Looking into Nikkolai’s eyes, he removed his necklace and placed it in the vampire’s hands, closing his fingers over it.“Then why don’t you hold onto this until we’re ready.”Nikko nodded and slipped the priceless necklace into his pocket.He put his hands on Luc’s shoulders.“If you ever need anything, anything,” he said with a little shake, “I will be here.” He leant forwards and whispered in Luc’s ear, “I know what you did for me with the demons and I owe you one.”Luc smiled and gave Nikkolai a soft kiss on the lips, barely brushing them.“Maybe you should look for another mate instead of waiting for me.”Nikkolai laughed.“You’re kind of a hard man to replace.No, you can live happily ever after with your wolf, and when that part of your life has run its course, I’ll be here waiting.”“Make sure you have hot sex with a lot of hot guys while you’re pining.” Luc laughed.Nikko placed a kiss on each of Luc’s cheeks.“Will do, but know that all of them will wear your face.”Luc nodded, but couldn’t keep the sadness from his expression as he watched Nikko leave.He gave a smile to his lover when Bran walked up behind him and gave him a hug.“He’ll be fine,” Bran whispered in his ear.“I know,” Luc said, turning to kiss his lover.“I know.”* * * *Nikko left Luc’s house, fingering the necklace in his pocket.When he got to his room above the club, he went to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of aged brandy.“I will have you one day, my love,” Nikko said, sipping.“One day, we will be together.”Nikko knew he had done the right thing.He couldn’t stand the thought of Luc torn between the two of them for the next few decades.Letting the beautiful half fae off the hook was the biggest sacrifice he could make for his lover.He knew something was lacking when he was the only one not willing to go to hell for Luc.Did that make him weak or just practical, he didn’t know, but he knew he wanted his lover to be happy.A conflicted lover wasn’t going to be a contented one.Although it was tempting to take out the werewolf sooner than later, he’d rather have a sad-eyed beauty leaning on him for support than an angry hell lord sending him down under.Sitting in an elegant upholstered chair in his beautiful empty suite, the powerful vampire leader leant his head back and dreamt of the day when he could call Luc his own.About the AuthorAmber Kell is one of those quiet people they always tell you to 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