Blood Mountain (BWWM)

Pups

Cade dropped his slight scowl despite the real danger of Ray being in town. "I do appreciate you. Sorry."

"S'okay, apology accepted." He gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You done here? I was about to head back."

Nodding in response, the two began a languid walk out of town. They couldn't look like they were in a hurry, even if Cade itched to be back inside the safety of his quarters, Halia tucked at his side. A slow breath left his lips and he ran an anxious palm through his dark hair. Gods, he was attached.

Ray noticed his obvious thoughts and a mirthful grin tugged at his lips. "How's the missus? Keeping her all to yourself, rascal?"

The jab to his side was chased by Cade's bark of laughter. "Shut up. I'm not keeping her anywhere she doesn't want to be. And I'm better company."

Ray guffawed, pretending to trip over himself. "Maybe if I could talk to her for more than five minutes she'd think otherwise." He waggled his brows and had to jump away for the hand that swiped at his head. "I'm kidding. No need to take my head off."

"You sure about that?" Cade was smirking. "I can think of a few good reasons."

Ray chuffed and flicked a piece of hair from his dark grey eyes. "I think your 'good reasons' are very different from mine."

They were at the edge of town now and the path leading to the forest was littered with stray branches and underbrush yanked from their roots by a previous storm. The crunch of dead sticks and foliage underfoot was loud to their ears in the following silence and Cade lifted the toe of his shoe to boot Ray in the back of the knee.

The shorter man made a sound of surprise as his knee buckled. He didn't fall, reflexes too fast for that, but still whirled around to launch a retaliatory kick. Cade chuckled at the attempt and held him at arm's length with a palm to his forehead.

"Does Halia know you're an actual child?" He whined and shoved the hand from his face. "I feel like she doesn't know."

Cade snickered and pulled the scarf back around his neck where it was dangling precariously from a shoulder. "I've gotten no complaints thus far."

"Well you got one now. From me."

"You don't count."

A hand clawed at Ray's chest, grasping the space above his sluggish heart. "Dick."

Green eyes crinkled in humor. "I thought I was a child?"

"Oh, so you think being one makes you immune to the other? You're both. Kids are notorious assholes."

Cade couldn't help but taunt. "You just said I was a dick. Now I'm an asshole?"

Ray rolled his eyes and punched him in the side. "Ya know what? You're a cheeky brat is what you are. Halia and I will be having words, count on that shit."

"Hey," Cade chuckled, trying to ruffle the shorter vampire's hair before being shoved violently away. "Don't talk shit if you can't take it. And you started it."

They were far enough out from the town that Cade was comfortable dropping his glamour, pupils returning to their normal shape as his fangs pushed back down from his gums. Ray whistled, impressed.

"Damn. Think you could show me how to do that?"

Cade looked at him in surprise but quickly stammered. "Uh, yeah, sure. I didn't know you practiced." He'd never been asked for help before, not where magic was concerned, and a thrum of excitement stirred in his gut. He thought Belamy was the only other active vampire. Wait...