Chapter Six

“ W ho will keep me safe from you?”

Kelvin didn’t answer, and he didn’t need to as Key fell asleep. No one would hurt his mate, including him. He would die to protect Key.

Reaching out, Kelvin stroked the brown hair from Key’s forehead, pushing it back and staring at his mate’s beauty. The bruising was already evident on Key’s pale skin, and Kelvin fisted his hands. Breathing deeply, he slowly unclenched his fists and watched his mate sleep. He would deal with Maxim when the time was right, but here and now, his mate needed him.

Sitting on the floor next to the sofa, Kelvin sighed heavily. He wasn’t entirely sure how the conversation about him being a vampire went. He sensed Key didn’t believe, or a part of Key didn’t. Just because you read about a mythical paranormal entity didn’t mean they actually existed. Mythical being the key word.

Key murmured something and Kelvin turned to watch him, noticing how his brow furrowed. A dream or his pain, he didn’t know which, and checking the time, Kelvin realized Key was due more medication for his injuries. He loathed to wake him up, so decided to wait.

His mate wouldn’t be suffering like this if Kelvin had approached him sooner. They could have been mated already, and Key would have developed some of Kelvin’s abilities, healing being one of them. They were stronger, faster, healed quicker than humans, but there was always a trade-off.

Vampires couldn’t reproduce like humans. They tended to only have one or two children and their pregnancies were longer. Almost double that of a human female, which was understandable considering what they gained. Kelvin was glad to be a male. He wasn’t sure if he could do the whole pregnancy and giving birth thing. Vampires were strong and their females were stronger still.

He needed to call Gray and have him check the area around Key’s apartment to see what time Maxim appeared. How long had Maxim been tracking Key? When did he first show up? How long had he known of Kelvin’s interest in Key and when did he figure out who Key was to Kelvin?

He’d put his mate in the firing line, and now Kelvin had to keep him safe.

Grabbing his phone, Kelvin called Gray and quickly told him what had happened as soon as he answered.

“Not good, but it does tell us something. He’s either watching you or he has someone watching you.”

“He knows who I am. He could be keeping an eye on those of us who police the vampires.”

“True, but now he knows you have a mate. That puts him in danger. Have you told him who and what you are?”

Kelvin turned to Key and softly stroked his fingers over Key’s cheek. “I tried, but he’d taken a knock to the head, so I’m not sure he believed me.”

Gray grunted. “Might not even remember the conversation.” Key heard Gray tapping away. “I’m in. I’ll go back thru the CCTV footage and… Got him.”

“Is he still here?”

“No, he left after your altercation. He arrived around ten minutes before your mate, so he knew what time to expect him. What’s security like where he lives?”

“You can’t tell?” Kelvin continued to watch his mate sleep, chuckling softly when Gray snorted.

“I can, but you’re there, so confirm it for me.”

“He has the usual security in his apartment and its key access to enter the main block.”

Gray hummed. “We could beef that up for his apartment. Extra locks on the doors and window and motion sensors inside, or you could say fuck it to the laws and mate him.”

“And where would that get us?” Kelvin thought about mating Key. Of course he had. This man was the one person meant for him and he wanted Key in his life for as long as possible, but to break the laws? He couldn’t risk what would happen to Key if he did that. He would rather die than lose Key.

“I know, but some laws are meant to be broken and some are out of date and need to be removed all together. Mating being one of them. We aren’t those vampires anymore, and most of us weren’t those to begin with. A subset of vampires forced us to make those laws to protect humans, and here we are now. How many vampires have walked away from their mate because they’re human? How many have had to watch their mate grow old and die? How many mourn someone none of us know about because they can’t reveal their mate was human?”

“Gray,” Kelvin murmured.

“Not me personally, but someone I knew. She isn’t with us now.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago, and I wasn’t surprised when she did what she did. She suffered after her mate passed. She loved him and watched him die, knowing he would be alive if it wasn’t for the law. I don’t want you to go through that.”

“I’ll think about it.” Gray rarely spoke about his private life, so for him to reveal this meant it was personal and had deeply affected him.

“Do that. Now, I can arrange all the extra security to be installed, but he has to agree to it or it won’t happen. I won’t do something if Key doesn’t agree.”

“Understood. I’ll ask him when I wake him up. He needs his pain meds soon, and I have to check him for a concussion.”

“Maxim is crawling out of the dark. If he’s willing to attack a mate, then there is something happening we don’t know about.”

“You think he might be preparing an attack of some sort?”

“When it comes to Maxim, I like to keep all options open. You never know what that fucker is up to or what he’s planning. He was always a devious little shit. Got that from his dad before the bastard was removed.”

“And he’s just like his dad. Wonder if the son will turn out the same way.”

“How does the saying go? The apple never falls far from the tree, or something similar.”

Kelvin grunted in agreement, watching a grimace flash across Key’s face before he settled. He needed to wake him and check him out. “I have to go and wake Key. Let me know if you see anything else.”

“Will do.”

Kelvin hung up and stood, getting a glass from the kitchen and filling it with water. He grabbed the pain meds and walked back to Key, seeing his face screw up in pain again. He sat next to the sofa, placing the items on the floor next to him, and gently shook Key. Key grumbled and turned away.

“Key. Wake up.”

“Don’t wanna. Hurt.”

“I know you do. I have some pain meds for you.”

Key blinked his cobalt blue eyes open and then squeezed them shut. “You.”

“Do you remember what we talked about?” Kelvin wasn’t entirely sure if he wanted Key to remember or not. When Key didn’t respond, Kelvin shook him again and waited.

“No, and stop shaking me.”

“I need you to take these pills and let me check you over.”

“Why?” Key went to turn away and hissed. “Shit.”

“Yeah, it hurts, which is why you need to take these.”

“Who was he? I remember someone hitting me. Was it you?” Key tried to sit up and Kelvin reached out to offer support, but Key reeled away, his eyes wide. “No. I chased him away.”

Key didn’t relax or take his eyes off Kelvin, even when he winced in pain. Kelvin lifted the glass of water up and held the pills in his hand. Key looked at them and took them off Kelvin, checking the pills before swallowing them. He grimaced, then handed the glass back to Kelvin.

“Did you see who it was? Do you know him?”

“He’s gone, but you might want to improve your security in case he comes back.”

Key winced as he lay back down on the sofa. “Who are you?” he whispered.

“Kelvin.” Kelvin smiled. “We had this conversation earlier.”

“I remember your face, but not your name. You saved me?”

“I managed to chase him away, and I brought you here.”

“How did you know where I lived?”

Kelvin paused. He wasn’t about to tell Key the truth while he was like this. “You mumbled it when I asked.”

“I did?” Key frowned, then winced again. “I feel like shit.”

“The meds will kick in soon, and you can get some more sleep.”

“With you here? A stranger?”

“Do I feel like a stranger to you? Trust your instincts about me.”

“What?” Key groaned and touched his cheek, wincing. “I can barely speak and you want me to trust my instincts?” Key’s eyelids fluttered closed, then snapped open. “You can go now.”

“I need to wake you up again in a couple of hours. You took a hard hit to the head.”

Key’s eyelids fluttered again, and Kelvin could see him fighting off sleep. “I want you to go.” The words came out softer and again Key closed his eyes.

“I will later. I promise. Let me make sure you’re safe first.”

“Why?” Key didn’t open his eyes when he asked, his breathing slowing.

“I need to.”

Key hummed but didn’t say anything and Kelvin watched him fall asleep. His body needed to heal, and sleep was the best way to do that. Even with Key fighting it, his body took over and did what it needed to do.

Once Kelvin was certain Key was asleep, he pulled the blanket over him and watched Key sleep.

Not stalkerish at all.

Running a hand through his hair, Kelvin glanced away, then twisted around so he was leaning back on the sofa. Key had forgotten that Kelvin had told him he was a vampire. Not surprising really, but now he had to tell him again if he wanted a future with his mate.

“Damn,” Kelvin murmured. Though, now he could plan how to tell Key in a way that he would believe, rather than simply blurting it out. Would telling his mate after sex be good? Sighing, Kelvin closed his eyes. He knew if he got close to Key like that, then he would mate him, and that could fuck them both up.

He had too many things going on when all he wanted was a quiet life with Key. Doing things that mates did together and forgetting about laws and Maxim and different vampire factions. What he wouldn’t give to come home to his mate after a hard day at work and be able to relax, talk, fuck. The normal things, but no. He had Maxim and his band of merry conspirators to deal with.

Life sucked.

Key snored, and Kelvin couldn’t stop the small smile that crossed his lips. Being close to his mate was far better than watching him through a window. He could scent him, he could touch him. He just couldn’t mate him.

“Fuck.”

Maybe he should do it, anyway. A mate only came once. Was he willing to let him go? For some archaic law? Was he willing to do what so many had done before and walk away? Kelvin wanted to say yes, that he was a vampire that followed their laws, but being here next to Key made him question it.

Like Gray had said, some rules, some laws were made to be broken, but was he the vampire to break them?