8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Etienne/Stephen

Etienne

Staring into Ryker's gorgeous eyes took my breath away.

Leave it to me. He'll be ours forever.

"I'd like to talk to both of you if I could about the charity, but first, where's my friend, Cubby? I saw him with your nephew— Oh! Is he Stephen's son? Neither of you looks old enough to be Rory's father."

See, I can be nice. He even said it himself. Go to the third floor and let me come out. I'll talk to him since you're too prim and proper to do it. I want to fuck him into the mattress. You want to read poetry with him and talk about flowers.

"No. Rory is Sabine's son. He and Cubby were going to Biloxi for a few days to enjoy the beach. He should return by Thursday. I understand if you're concerned about the pace of their relationship. I was surprised by it myself. Rory told me they're going to get their own apartment when they return, which is sudden, I know, but in my experience, young love has a mind of its own."

"You're telling me Cubby is love struck and has thrown all common sense he had out the window? He graduated in the top five percent of our class, Etienne. I find it hard to believe Cubby fell in love so quickly." That shit only happened in movies.

"Matters of the heart are complicated. I'm sure Cubby will be in touch when they return to The Quarter. They wanted time alone to get to know each other, and Rory and Cubby live on the second floor with my sisters and Thomas. Not the privacy a new love deserves for it to blossom."

Go upstairs and let me out. All this sickeningly sweet bullshit you're spewing is about to make me puke. Go now, or I will scare the fuck out of everyone here by making an immediate appearance.

I could feel the beast growing inside me, and I knew he meant business. "Excuse me for a moment, Ryker. I need to attend to something. Have another drink."

I hurried back through the kitchen and up the stairs to my rooms on the third floor. I stood in the middle of the room and relinquished control. "Thank you, Etienne. Give me my sight."

This time, it was me without a voice. No. You know the deal. If you can't easily see the humans, you won't harm them!

"You are truly an idiot sometimes, Etienne." He counted the steps to the table where I kept his white cane because I refused to relinquish sight to him. We'd played the game for centuries, and I didn't see us changing things now.

Stephen

I patted my hands down the body I shared with Etienne. The lace and the ruffles were too much for me, so I went to my closet and found an outfit to my liking. A pair of leather slacks and a silk shirt. I slid my feet into the leather monk strap boots we'd fought about and stretched my fangs because I could.

Once I was ready, I grabbed my cane and went downstairs, tapping as I made my way through the kitchen, restaurant, and into the bar. I'd forgotten to ask which stool Etienne had occupied, so I followed my nose.

Etienne thought he could trip me up by not sharing certain aspects of our unfortunate existence because he believed himself to be the supreme vampire, but if it wasn't for me, he'd have been dead as a doornail after that dust up with Killian's beast. I had to give Etienne credit. He'd put up a hell of a fight that night until he nearly got our head ripped off, which was when he released me. I'd taken care of the problem in short order.

If I could get Etienne to see that sharing mutual time with me would be more productive, we could peacefully co-exist. He refused to see it as a workable solution because of Killian's horrific behavior. He was convinced all the beasts behaved in that fashion. I was a much more dignified beast than Killian's. Etienne and I were far more alike than he wanted to admit.

Once Ryker's scent hit my nose, I followed it to the beautiful human with the intoxicating pheromones. "I'm sorry I didn't come down sooner. Etienne didn't tell me until a moment ago that you were here. What are we drinking?" I carefully sat on the stool next to the sexy man and folded my cane.

That was the one thing Etienne had over me. He could restrict my eyesight if he wished, and he did it most of the time just to be an asshole. He gave me free rein when we were hunting because he benefited from my actions. The rest of the time, he didn't trust me. I believed him to be a control freak, but I kept that to myself.

"Etienne, this is ridiculous. Take out those stupid contacts and talk to me. And you changed clothes for what?"

God, the man was glorious. I'd seen his smile through Etienne's eyes the night Ryker and Cubby came to the restaurant for dinner, and it lit up the room. Etienne and I agreed on that one. Ryker was a beautiful human.

"I promise you, Ryker, these are not contacts. I truly cannot see. Hence the cane." I tapped it on the bar for emphasis.

"Stephen. What can I get you to drink?" Sabine was one of the bright lights in my abysmal world. She and Etienne had attempted a relationship long ago, and things were going very well until Sabine wanted things to become sexual between them. That wasn't where Etienne shined, so it wasn't surprising that her beast tried to court me. When I rejected her, Sabine and Etienne stopped seeing each other because Sabine merged with her beast to look for another lover.

I'd made it known to all in my coven that I was only interested in men, which had been met with mixed reactions. Etienne still hid his sexuality like it was a dirty secret. He had for years. I loved to flaunt my attraction to men at every opportunity just to piss Etienne off. I'd tried to help him with Farrah, but she still died by her own hand. Etienne had held it against me ever since.

"Whiskey, please, Sabine." I then turned my face toward Ryker. "Do you like Giles Danvert? Seems like an uppity asshole."

Ryker's deep laugh made me smile. "I shouldn't say anything against a man you're interested in hiring to establish a nonprofit organization. What exactly are you hoping to accomplish with your new endeavor?"

Not directly answering the question. Very diplomatic. The sound of Etienne's voice in my head was like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Sabine placed the glass on the bar next to my hand, and the pungent scent of the alcohol tickled my nose. I got no buzz from the whiskey, but I did love the smell. Etienne had been a prohibitionist back in the day, and he still believed liquor was the undoing of humankind, though he had loved his wine during his human days. Myself, I loved the taste of hard liquor. It was even better through a human source as it overtook their bloodstream. That was a great fucking time—literally.

"As Etienne conveyed, we have money lying around that could do some good in the community. You impressed him with your passion project comment. Etienne came to me with the idea of hiring your firm to help file the paperwork to establish a nonprofit because we don't know how to begin the process, but I made certain to ask Giles Danvert that you be involved. I hope I didn't do anything detrimental to your future at Danvert & Rogers."

Ryker was quiet.

"Did I say something to upset you? I can't see your face, which means I can't read your body language."

Don't you dare try to take him away from me. He wants to be friends with me. He won't tolerate your crassness or deviancy.

Etienne was never one to share, not that I wanted to share Farrah. My tastes were more selective and dick-centric, but I'd had hopes Etienne and I could find a peaceful co-existence when he was with Farrah.

My host, or other half, believed I had everything to do with Farrah's death, but her demise had never been my goal. I wanted Etienne to be happy because the happier he was, the more he'd relinquish control to me while she slept or went about her hobbies. We could live a dual life without hurting anyone, or so I'd hoped.

Had Farrah been honest with him regarding her sapphic leanings, perhaps we could have all made a winning arrangement where the two of them pursued their liberal arts interests as friends, and I was allowed an evening a week to fulfill my carnal desires. Sadly, Farrah's constant dismissal of Etienne's weak, chaste advances hadn't registered with him until it was too late. She'd wanted Tara, not Etienne. How was that my fault?

"This is for real, then? Where's Etienne?" Ryker scooted his stool closer to mine, his scent entering my nose and making my cock hard.

"He wasn't feeling well. I'm here to oversee the restaurant, pardon the pun, until closing."

Ryker chuckled, which was music to my ears. "I'm sorry for laughing. You have a sick sense of humor, Stephen."

I laughed with him. "Thank you, Ryker. Will you have dinner with me?" I took a sip of my whiskey, wishing to fuck Etienne wasn't such a selfish bastard so I could read Ryker's face.

"Uh, sure? Here?" Ryker sounded a bit apprehensive.

"While our food here is delicious, I try to patronize other establishments in The Quarter when possible. There's a favorite of mine just down the street, Mort-vivant? They have great burgers."

Was it ironic that the vamps who ran the place called it Undead in French? Completely, which made me love it. Unfortunately, I rarely got out to play. If this was my night on the town with the handsome Ryker? I was going to enjoy it to the fullest.

I tossed money on the bar from the stash I had and stood. "You'll be back?" Sabine asked me.

"Of course. Don't I always come back?" Sabine laughed as I slid my arm through Ryker's. I would milk everything from the night, including being close to Ryker.

We walked the crowded street to Mort-vivant, where a group of people already waited to get inside. The Ranier coven, which consisted of only three vampires, owned the restaurant. Christian was the coven's leader. He had a mate, Ariana, and her sister, Iris. They were nice—as far as covens went—and didn't bother anyone. Like us, they hired human workers and paid them well to look the other way in many instances.

My coven had established a reciprocity agreement with the Raniers not long after Killian was eliminated. The gist was that if one coven needed protection or assistance of any type, the other would come to its aid. To date, we hadn't required the Raniers' assistance, nor had they needed ours, but the agreement was in place as a precaution.

Standing at the host stand was Ariana, whom I recognized by scent. She was two hundred years old and could be a bitch when in a bad mood. I tapped my cane on the hardwood floor to get her attention. "Stephen! How are you?" Luckily, it seemed we'd caught her in a rare good mood.

"Good evening, Ariana. We'd like a table for two, please."

Ariana sniffed the air and purred, sharing time with her beast. Etienne and I could have that same relationship with Ryker if only Etienne would agree.

"Follow me, Stephen. How's Etienne? Is the whiney bitch still playing Princess of the Manor?" Ariana led us to a table by the window, her comment making me chuckle.

"I'll be sure to pass along your regards to Etienne. May we have two whiskeys?"

"Sure, Stephen. Are you eating tonight?" The snark in Ariana's voice made me grin.

"I told Ryker you have the best burgers in The Quarter. What's the burger of the day?"

A pleasant breeze came in through the window as Ariana placed a menu in front of Ryker. "The burger of the day is a pastrami burger. It's a four-ounce beef burger patty topped with four-ounces of pastrami, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing. It comes with your choice of fries, sweet potato fries, or potato salad."

"That sounds delicious. I'll have that with fries." Ryker handed over the menu, and Ariana left us before I sensed Ryker's eyes on me. "So, she confirmed you are Etienne's twin. How did you lose your sight, if I may ask?"

"It's a latent condition and not easily explained. Does it bother you?"

I wouldn't go into any details. There might be a time when the explanation would make sense, but it wasn't right now.

"Have you ever had your sight? I can't imagine losing something so important." Ryker's voice was filled with empathy, which I appreciated. It wasn't often a human was compassionate to our kind. Though Ryker didn't know my true nature.

"Early on, it would come and go. Sometimes I can see still shadows. I've learned to make the best of it."

Ryker touched my arm. "And Etienne has none of the same issues?"

I wanted to say it was his fucking fault I couldn't see, but that would put voice to the bitterness between us. "No. He was spared. I've learned to manage my lack of sight because I don't see it as a disability. I believe it's an opportunity to see things differently, if you will."

We chatted about Ryker's job and what the Tremblay family wanted as far as a charitable organization was concerned. Ryker pecked information into his phone as we talked, and I smiled at his astute ability to determine which things were important to note. The guy wasn't stupid in the least.

After Ryker finished his burger, I paid the bill, and we left Mort-vivant. "Can we take a walk?" I wanted to have a more intimate discussion with Ryker.

"Sure. Which way?" Ryker had slid my right hand through the crook of his elbow.

"I don't care. I can take a car back to my house. I can't usually talk anyone into walking with me."

Ryker patted my hand. "Let's head toward my house, okay? I can drive you back home."

I could tell by the scents that we were headed up Canal, which was fine. Dauphine was a beautiful neighborhood with colorful, mixed housing styles: Creole cottage, Italianate, craftsman, just to name a few. I didn't know where Ryker lived, but I was sure it was lovely.

"Have you done a lot of traveling?"

We, as a family, had moved many times over the years. As Ryker would see in our financial portfolio, we owned multiple properties around the world. Our ownership could likely be explained as simply investment properties or inheritances from extended family over time, though Ryker was damn smart and might see through the flimsy bullshit Etienne would likely make up. My host wasn't quick on his feet regarding things of the sort.

I could hear brisk footsteps behind us, so I stopped, tasting the air. A human was fast approaching us, and I could sense, based on the quick pace and the thumping heartbeat, that Ryker was in danger.

"Give me my sight now. You can hear it just as well as me."

You're the one who decided to leave the safety of our home with him. You knew the risks. If he is harmed, it's your fault. Fucking Etienne and his stupid goddamn grudge.

Ryker touched both of my arms. "Are you okay, Stephen? I wish I could give you back your sight. What can you hear?"

I exhaled, considering giving back control to Etienne, but then the fucker would think he'd won the war. "Someone is approaching. Go hide in the shadows."

"I'm not going to leave you here alone, Stephen. Come on. I'm sure nobody's going to harm us. We're just a few blocks from my house."

If I wasn't sure Etienne would wimp out on defending Ryker, I'd drop-kick his ass in the middle of this clusterfuck and let him get his smug face rubbed in the grime on the sidewalk before he pushed me back out to handle the altercation. Since his confrontation with Killian over Rory, Etienne was slower to challenge an aggressor.

"Ryker, please. Step into the shadows. I don't suppose you'd consent to—"

"Gimme your wallet, your cell phone, and any jewelry you two pretty boys are wearing, or I'll gut you both."

"Mother fucker." I folded my cane and held it out in Ryker's direction.

"Dude, seriously? I'll kick your ass." That was sweet Ryker making a heroic stand on my behalf.

The fucking moron who thought it was a good idea to rob us lunged, which I sensed, so I stepped in front of Ryker, the blade striking my abs and breaking. My skin was impenetrable by human weapon standards. To maintain the illusion I was human, I fell to my knees, and the stupid crook ran like a pussy.

"Oh fuck! Let me call an ambulance. Please, Stephen, don't die." I quickly slid my metal wallet from my back pocket into my front to give the illusion it had stopped the blade.

Ryker helped me roll to my back and began tugging at my clothes. "Where'd he get you?"

I slowly sat up and took Ryker's hands in mine. "He didn't stab me. He got my wallet instead." I reached into my pocket, scratched my nail over it to dent it, and produced the small rectangular wallet with a piece of metal on each side of the contents, showing it to Ryker.

He was quiet for a moment before he began laughing hard. "I can't fucking believe it."

You've got to be kidding me. I could hear the sarcasm in Etienne's voice, so I chose that moment to strike another blow, so to speak.

"Go out with me tomorrow night? We survived a near-death experience that should be celebrated." We stood from the sidewalk, and Ryker proceeded to dust me off. Feeling his hands on my body was superb. When his palm accidentally drifted over my hard cock, his breath hitched.

"I, uh, are you… Are you currently seeing anyone?" Ryker's heartbeat picked up with his question as he put my right hand on his shoulder to balance me, though I didn't need it.

He bent forward and picked up my cane where he'd dropped it, putting it in my left hand as I answered. "No. I haven't actually dated in quite a while." Then, I knocked it out of the guilt park. "The, uh, the blind thing turns most guys off."

You lying cochon! I laughed. Calling me a pig was aggressive for Etienne.

"I'd love to go out with you. I'll pick you up at your place tomorrow night at seven. There's this great pizza place outside the city. Do you like pizza?"

You better say no!

"Love pizza. I can't wait." I leaned forward and brushed my lips over Rykers, barely making contact. Tasting Ryker's warm breath on my tongue as it grazed his plump bottom lip was life-altering—even to the undead.

I'll kill you myself! Etienne was pissed and I was kissing Ryker DeWitt. Eternity didn't get much better.