Chapter 27

Ashley was reading through the skeleton draft of the report Jack had been working on, more as a distraction from the scary fucker that was Sebastian Hewel still being at the hall. He’d sent word to his father about the aswang, tidying up the investigation and that the Head of the House of Hewel had turned up. Niall had called and told him to be careful. He was wondering if he should have admitted his involvement with Ben then thought that might be something to do in person and have a stiffly brewed pot of mint tea on hand.

Ben entered the reception. He was usually the embodiment of suave but he looked like a manic peacock “Oh, thank fuck you’re here. We need to get your report to Niall ASAP.”

Ashley put down his tablet. “I’ve spoken to my father, he knows it’s on its way and I said we’d found nothing to prevent you from becoming the next Dark Earl.”

“Does Niall know about the aswang?”

“Yes, and that she was behind the protocol being triggered. We just have to finish off a few things and we’re done.”

“Sebastian has made it clear that I need to have all this wrapped up before the week is out.”

Ashley didn’t see the concern. “The report will be finished in plenty of time for that.”

“No, Ashley, he wants it all done. As in me exonerated and in place as the next earl.”

The bureaucracy behind an organisation like the Vampire Council meant nothing moved quickly.

“I’m not sure that’s feasible.”

“It has to be feasible. Or Sebastian will be… unhappy.”

No one wanted an unhappy Sebastian Hewel so he would need to contact his father straightaway. Ashley glanced down at the report. “It won’t take much more to finish. Jack’s broken the back of it and I was going to run a couple ofsections by you so we made sure our stories matched. Let me call Niall. I think we’ll need to alert him to the situation.”

“I’m really sorry. Sebastian knows it was me, he thought it brilliant that I was able to pull it off, but now he wants it sorted. I didn’t think I’d cause trouble to anyone else, but as there’ll be a report exonerating me he can also blame the Invigilators for a delay.”

Ben was an entitled arsehole. He’d wanted more time to write his bloody book, and had caused a shit ton of work for Ashley and Jack, and now his father. It was a fucking good job Ashley loved… He stopped his mental tirade at the thought. Fucking hell he was so fucked.

“Fine, let me speak to Niall.” He handed the tablet to Ben. “Have at the report, write what you like and we’ll get it finished in a couple of hours. Jack can file it as I’m also going to have to admit to my dad that we’re… involved.”

Jack arrived carrying a plate of jam tarts. “Mrs Weather gave me these. Oh, Ben, didn’t realise you were here.”

“We’ve an added complication.” Ashley rolled his eyes. “Can you work with Ben on the report? I need to see Niall, now.”

“Now? What’s so desperate?”

Ashley opened a portal. “Ben can fill you in. Suffice to say none of us wants to piss off a psychotic eight-hundred-year-old vampire.” He raised an eyebrow at Ben. “You better make this worth my while.”

Ben smirked. Fucker. “I will. I promise.”

Niall Niven kept to a strict schedule, which was why Ashley knew he’d find him in his office at home. If he hadn’t been there he would have been really worried. “Ashley,” Niall said, surprised. “It’s not like you to show up unannounced.”

“We’ve a problem.”

Niall sat back in his seat. “Last time you said that to me there was a revolution in Russia.”

He remembered that, and to be fair he had warned several people that Rasputin had not been a good occultist and he couldn’t be blamed for most of the rumours. “This is a little closer to home. Sebastian Hewel has been made aware of the outcome of our investigation.”

“How is that a problem? The report’s not final, but I can’t imagine he’d be upset to hear that Ben is Mr Golden Balls, and we found nothing incriminating.”

“Exactly, as there was nothing, he wants Ben Redbourn to take his Council seat as Dark Earl of Crofton by the end of the week.”

Ashley had never seen Niall turn pale before. “What?”

“Sebastian has dealt with the aswang,” Ashley had skirted certain details of what had happened to her because they weren’t part of the investigation, and weren’t in the Invigilator’s jurisdiction, “and has spoken to Ben about how it has been discovered that the aswang was behind the threat to Ben’s future as earl.”

“Right, so he’s pissed off we’ve found nothing and seemingly allowed the name of his House to be besmirched by a creature even worse than himself?”

“Pretty much.”

Niall rubbed his temples with a lavender rollerball he kept on his desk. “I suppose he’s worried about a situation like the Denmouths so wants it dealt with, which is understandable if not terribly inconvenient.”

Niall seemed to be taking this a lot better than he was expecting. “I can have the report to you in a few hours.”

“As soon as you can, Ashley. Only once I have it officially can I call the Vampire Council for an ad hoc meeting and there’s other legal things needed. I’ll need Jack’s help.

“Speaking of Jack, it might be better if Jack is the signatory on our report.”

Niall’s eyes narrowed. Ashley had seen that look before, not for a while, and it had accompanied him being bollocked, usually for good reason. “Why?”

“I’m sort of involved with Ben,”

“Sort of involved? What’s that meant to mean? You don’t accidentally fall over and land on a vampire’s cock, Ashley!”

“It’s complicated. We got exposed to some magic and thought we needed to get it out of our systems, but it’s turned out I like him, and I don’t want to stop seeing him.” He stood a little taller. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before.”

Niall groaned. “For fuck’s sake. You know what, there’s nothing in the laws about it, I’m not getting involved. But yes, Jack needs to be the author of the report and you better not be covering something up because you fancy yourself in love with a bloodsucker.”

He didn’t think he was going to get any more of a blessing from his dad. “I know you felt the same way about Mum.”

“Your mum was special. Never been anyone like her since.”

She’d been a witch, mortal, and had died from old age, leaving Niall and Ashley. It was a long time ago now, and he was never sure if his memories of her were real. As far as he knew, Niall had never been with anyone since who did more than scratch an occasional itch. “With Ben I won’t have to watch him grow old and die. I know it might put you in a difficult position, but I’m happy.”

“It’s only been five minutes,” Niall scoffed. “We can talk again when the hormones have settled and you’re asking him to floss bits of humans out of his teeth before he gives you a blow job.”

“Dad!”

Niall held up his hands. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. But be careful, Ashley, he’s a vampire, soon to be one of the most powerful and influential of his kind.”

“Yeah, not seeing how that’s a downside, if I’m honest.”

Niall seemed to be rethinking his statement. “You’re not wrong there. But you’re going to have to limit your involvements with the Invigilators, can’t have someone accusing us of being impartial.”

Another thing Ashley didn’t see as a downside. “I have plenty of other things to occupy me, if anything it’d be my preference not to get drawn into babysitting the vamps.”

Niall sniffed. “I’m sure you’ll be doing other things than babysitting Ben Redbourn. I don’t want reports of you sneaking around, you pair are either publicly together or you’re not. Anything else just opens us all up to blackmail.”

“I’ll need to talk to Ben. I don’t think we’ve thought that far.”

“Ashley, I’m not suggesting you marry him and adopt a Hell chihuahua, just go out on a few dates and not pretend you don’t mean anything to each other.”

“Right.” He would have to bring this up to Ben, and as much as he liked the idea and didn’t think Ben would have any objections, he couldn’t agree without his permission. “Let’s get past the next few days first.”

“I mean it, Ashley. You pair play nice or I’ll speak to Sebastian myself.”

He knew his dad did not issue empty threats. “I will.”

Niall waved him off. “Get the report to me ASAP. I’ve a succession ceremony to plan and you have no idea how grumpy some of the vamps can get.”

All things considered, the talk could have gone a lot worse. “I’ll send Jack.”

He opened a portal and stepped back into the same room he’d left in Crofton Hall, seeing Jack and Ben hunched over Jack’s tablet. “I spoke to Niall.”

“And?” Jack said.

“He wants the report pretty much now, and your help to get everything sorted from a legal perspective.”

“Seeing as you don’t appear to be charred in any way he must have taken it well.”

“Surprisingly so.”

Ben stood and came over to him. “We’re pretty much done on the report. If you give it a final read it can go.”

“I can’t sign it, so as long as Jack’s happy I’m fine.”

“There’s nothing new, just rephrasing in my inimitable legalese style.” Jack winked. “I’ll go straight to Niall and let you know what’s happening. I suspect Ben will receive a summons and the rest of the Council a strongly worded invitation to attend. That’s as mandatory as we get for this.”

Ben frowned. “I thought the last time I was called was mandatory.”

“That’s different. The Council were informed of something that had a negative impact, you taking your seat is in line with protocol. Don’t be too upset if the Dark Earl of MacLove doesn’t come… I’ve heard he’s not the most social in this realm.”

“This realm?” Ben asked.

“He’s King James of his fae tribe, it tends to take precedence over an earldom here.”

“King?” Ashley said. Ben looked equally surprised.

“Yeah,” Jack said. “Come on, you must have known. He’s not exactly forthcoming with information, but it’s all there if you care to look.”

“I thought he was important, but not that important.” Ashley couldn’t recall a direct engagement with MacLove. “But then I’ve not had cause to interact.”

“I suppose when you put it like that you have a point. My involvement was a legal contract between the Houses of Hewel and Cartwright.”

“Is that the one with Robin? The arranged marriage?” Ben asked.

“I think I’ve probably said too much already.” Jack held up the tablet. “Best get going.”

He disappeared into a portal, leaving Ashley with Ben. “I didn’t know vamps had arranged marriages?” Ashley said.

“It’s not typical. I was also in the running, Sebastian wanted closer ties to the House of Cartwright but since I wasn’t chosen, I don’t know the details.”

“Would have made our situation tricky.”

Ben stepped closer and placed a hand on Ashley’s hip. “Put it this way, I don’t envy Robin in the slightest. I’ve got me a rather spectacular warlock.”

“You are a lucky individual.”

“Dare I ask what you said to Niall?”

“I told him we had an understanding, and he made it clear that he expects us to conduct our relationship out of the shadows.” He wasn’t sure if Ben would be on board with the idea, and at first he’d be reticent but he didn’t see the point of hiding. “My dad’s view is if we’re not open about what we’re doing we’d be found out anyway and it could be used as blackmail material.”

Ben pulled him flush against him. “You mean I’d get to swan around and show you off? I can’t say I don’t like the idea, although we might want to be strategic on the places we’re seen together. Some of the vampire favourite spots get a bit… sticky by the end of an evening.”

“I know you feed, but I also know you eat normal food, so dinner without a human side dish would be a suitable option. I’ll have you know, I’m a member of a few exclusive places myself, so don’t go thinking the showing off will be all one-sided.”

Ben kissed him and Ashley moaned into it. He still couldn’t get over how well they were suited. His body moulded against Ben’s and he wished they were elsewhere as they couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t be interrupted. “I think we should celebrate,” Ashley said. “Not every day you get to be a Dark Earl.”

“How about I get a bottle of champagne set up in my rooms, and we hide away for a few hours, I assume we’ll have a little time before we hear from Jack.”

If Jack knew what was good for him, he’d leave Ashley alone until tomorrow. “I should hope so. Nothing should need our involvement for the rest of the night.”

Ashley let Ben lead him out of the room.

Billins floated into the hallway.

“Ah, perfect timing. Can you have Karl drop in a bottle of the 2008 Bollinger to my rooms?”

“Yes, my lord.” Billins stared at Ashley. “Two glasses?”

“Yes. And I don’t want to be disturbed unless the world is ending. That includes any communication from the Vampire Council… or Charles. Actually, I don’t want to be disturbed full stop.”

Billins waggled his eyebrows and Ben laughed, there was something deeply disturbing about that action from an elderly ghost. “Message received, and understood, my lord.”

Ben grabbed his hand. “Come on. I want to celebrate not just that I’m going to be the earl, but I snagged me a sexy wizard!”

“I’m a warlock.”

“I’m sure you’ve a way to make sure I get that right in the future.”

He allowed Ben to pull him along the internal passageways to his bedroom, he was getting used to not having windows but he did like to watch the sunrise so there would have to be some negotiations in the future. The fact his future sleeping arrangements were at the centre of his thoughts and not getting Ben naked left him a bit flustered.

“Are you all right?” Ben asked. He picked up the champagne bottle and popped the cork.

“I just surprised myself with what I was thinking.”

“I’m wearing black underwear today if that was the predicament.” He handed Ashley a glass.

“No, I was thinking that in the future I’m going to miss watching the sunrise as these rooms don’t have windows, and I might have been getting a bit away from myself.”

Ben smiled. “I’m not averse to moving rooms for the right person. Alex has enchanted the windows but I bet you could add your own flavour to get to your liking.”

Ashley raised his glass. “Let’s drink to seeing where this goes. But I would admit that I quite like you.”

“Quite like me? Gosh, that’s a grand statement. I guess I quite like you too.”

Ashley sipped his champagne and then put down his glass and took Ben’s glass away. “Words are pretty rubbish, how about you show me.”

He’d expected the all-consuming bruising kisses that Ben excelled at but instead the kiss was gentle and explorative and it made his toes curl. Ben walked him back towards the bed and he muttered a spell that had them both naked before they hit the mattress.

“I have to admit that is a very useful trick,” Ben said, trailing kisses across Ashley’s collarbone. “I look forward to exploring other aspects of your repertoire.”

Ashley forgot how to breathe as Ben sucked his nipple, and the way his fingers, slightly cool to the touch, danced across his skin made his head spin. He hadn’t expected the gentleness, the way Ben worshipped him with his touch and kisses before collecting the lube. And as he prepared him, Ben took his time, worked him open, distracting him with a light caress or teasing lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a partner be so affectionate during sex, it brought with it a different intensity and when Ben entered him he was close to begging, the closeness completing him in a way he hadn’t experienced. They rocked together finding a natural rhythm, bringing Ashley to his release in a maelstrom of colliding stars, he cried out as he came, Ben following close after and they clung together.

Ashley’s cheeks hurt from smiling as they shared another kiss and Ben eased out and lay next to him. “I think we can both agree that was a worthy celebration.”

Ben propped himself up on an elbow, grinning. “It’s not every day that a well-crafted plan comes to fruition, the hero—of sorts—gets the guy, and has both sides’ blessing. There must be celestial bodies aligning for this to happen.”

Ashley bit back his cheesy line about Ben having a celestial body he’d like to align to, somehow the quip didn’t seem right. He cuddled close, claiming a spot on Ben’s chest, and he had no intention of giving up his place any time soon.