Page 20 of Sandro

Leo lifted his head again, then pushed up. I was about to hold him in place, but he moved too quickly. “Yeah, that’s…there is such a drastic difference between us. I didn’t even think about that,” he said as he sat up fully on my lap. Despite the intensity of the orgasm I’d just had, my body was reacting to having my young, sexy beloved sitting naked on my lap. I knew already just how hot and slick his body was for me, and of course, my dick wanted to be buried as deeply in him as I could. Leo’s head dropped, and he sighed. “I’m a mess. We’re a mess. And I just realized where you came because I’m not sitting in it.”

I started laughing. I felt…alive again. Already, he was bringing happiness to me. “Yes. I recommend you go take a shower and get cleaned up. I’ll strip the bed and get it changed for you.”

Leo swung a leg over and was now knee walking to the edge of the bed. “No, you should shower with me, and then we can change the bed together. Then we’ll climb in and get some actual sleep. Maybe. I don’t know. What time is it even? Is it almost sunrise?”

“I couldn’t say. My phone is downstairs. Is yours up here?”

There was a sudden glow, and then Leo groaned. “It says 4:27. So the sun comes up in what? Two hours?”

I sat up and scooted to the side and stood. “I’m not exactly certain. I didn’t really pay attention to the time yesterday. My body was still very much on Italy time when we watched the sunrise.” I wrapped my arms around Leo’s body and pulled him back into my chest. I kissed his hair and took a deep breath. “Thank you,” I whispered. “You don’t know how much what you willingly gifted to me helped.” Was I healed? No. Did his blood help with some of the physical pain I’d been feeling? Yes.

Leo turned, and I loosened my hold on him. “You don’t have to thank me for giving you blood, Sandro. I’m a shifter, and I understand vampires. I know you’re going to need it.” Leo placed his hands on my chest and ran them upward. “You never answered earlier when I asked how long you go between feedings.”

“I did get a bit distracted.” I leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I can normally go a couple of weeks. But I’m still considered young for a vampire, so three weeks is really pushing things for me. Because I’m still healing, I need to feed more frequently. It was daily for a while, but I’m back up to once a week. Rio thinks that if I feed from donors, I’ll heal quicker, and he’s probably right; I’ve just not had the desire to.”

“And from me? How will drinking blood from me help you? I’m your beloved. So it’s different between us, right?”

“It is,” I said. My voice was suddenly gravelly. “You are my beloved, and your blood is sweeter than any I’ve ever had. Already, my body is craving not only more blood from you, but other things as well.”

Leo pushed his hips into me. “Yes, I can tell. Did you know that feline shifters have a high sex drive? Especially after they meet their mates?”

I cleared my throat. “No, I was unaware of that fact.”

“Hmm…yes.” Leo sighed. “I should go shower, and you should join me because at this point, things are getting itchy, and it’s not a good feeling.”

I was in agreement with that. “Very well, let’s go shower, then.”

We carefully made our way around the bed and into the bathroom. “Watch your eyes,” Leo said. He turned the lights on but immediately dimmed them, which I was incredibly thankful for. “I thought you guys were supposed to be able to see in the dark.”

“I thought cats could as well.” Leo looked unimpressed. “Yes, we can, but I have to tint my eyes. Not that it would upset you. Unfortunately, the fact that we have to tint our eyes and then we walk around the streets of Rome or Naples at night with glowing red eyes does kill our element of surprise a bit.”

“Oh, I bet. I don’t exactly fit in with the pride. I’m a snow leopard, and almost everyone else is a lynx. There are a few foxes, but that’s only because they’re mated to others in the pride. But Mom and I were the only snow leopards.”

That was interesting. “That’s not your mom’s birth pride, then?” I had thought he’d mentioned before that it was, but that didn’t make sense, unless his grandparents had left the pride already.

“I thought it was, but honestly, I can’t say for certain now. My birth certificate doesn’t have Mom’s last name. It has Dad’s. I just don’t know, honestly.”

There was something there. Something that needed Marcello to go digging into. I reached into the shower and turned the water on, then grabbed a cloth off the shelf. “Do you mind if I share that info with Marcello? I really want him to look into things. Actually, maybe Master Vincent would be better. He’s quite good at digging up information about other organizations. It’s what has made him so successful for as long as he has been.”

“I don’t mind. I’m not sure what there is to find though. Maybe everything. Or nothing,” Leo said as he shrugged. He was quiet for a moment. “Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything at any time. Always.”

“Why didn’t you claim me?”

I had assumed this question would come up at some point this morning. “Because it wasn’t the right time,” I said. “We haven’t discussed last night, nor have we talked about what it is that you want from me.”

“What do you mean? About wanting from you, that is. I understand the last night thing. But we did some things already. Why not go ahead and claim me?”

“Yes and no,” I told him. “I’m concerned that I lashed out at you as I did. I don’t recall ever doing that before, and it worries me.” I was grateful that he was able to defend himself, but that wasn’t what he should have to do with his mate. I shouldn’t ever be a threat to him. What if I did that in the future and he was pregnant and couldn’t shift?

“You didn’t hurt me though,” Leo said as he stepped into the shower.

“Not this time. But what if it happens again? What if you can’t shift? I would never be able to live with myself if I were to harm you, even unintentionally.”

Leo shook his head. “You didn’t hurt me, Sandro. And why wouldn’t I be able to shift? I did last night without any issues. I’m usually a fast shifter, and I was able to get away from you, so it’s not something to worry about as far as I’m concerned.”

I joined him in the shower and pulled him close, thinking about everything he’d been through in the last twenty-four hours. It had been more than what most people could handle. But not my beloved. I reached up with one hand and ran my fingers through his wet hair. “Leo, if you become pregnant, you won’t be able to shift. You know that, right?”