Nine Shillings

Only Thinking

London - 1842

As soon as we got home Josef went upstairs to check on the girls. Nothing was going to happen to them with Bran home but I wasn't going to comment. Sometimes there were three vampires in the house and I was still compelled to check they were tucked up in bed, safe and warm.

Bran was asleep on the couch in the library with a book abandoned on the floor and his feet propped on the arm of the couch. I kicked off my boots, they missed the rug and thudded against the wood floor. He stirred and peeked at me, then smiled and closed his eyes again. I tossed my jerkin and trousers over one of the chairs, straddled him and lay against his chest with my head tucked under his chin.

'Sorry,' he murmured and put his arms around me. 'I didn't find anything and fell asleep.'

I nuzzled his neck. 'I could've given you a lovely wake up.'

'It wouldn't have lasted long.'

'Darling.' I kissed the hollow of his throat. 'If you lasted a long time, I'd take it as a personal slight.'

He went quiet as he tried to work out whether it was good, bad, or a joke.

I traced my fingers down his throat. 'You're delicious but whoever told men bigger was better has never tried to suck one, gives me jaw ache.' I kissed him softly. 'I'd prove how delicious you are but maybe you should go to bed.'

He smiled. 'Will you come with me?'

I touched my nose to his. 'Are you flirting, Brandon?'

'Trying,' he murmured.

'I like it.' I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

The library door opened and Josef came in. 'I don't think you'll find your answers in Charlotte's back molars.'

Rather than break our kiss Bran slid his hands down my back to cup my rear. I grinned against his mouth. Once upon a time Bran was embarrassed to give me a fleeting kiss in Josef's presence, and there we were happily entangled right in front of him. I snuggled into Bran's chest before my poor impulse control gave way, he made a contented sound and pressed his face to the top of my head.

In a blink Josef was by the drinks cabinet. I'd been impressed until I realised he could only do it over a short distance in a straight line and I could outrun him by taking a corner.

'Why do I never get cuddles?' Josef sat down in the armchair opposite.

'Be a good boy and, maybe, one day I'll give you a hug,' I said.

'You are generous and benevolent,' he replied, frowning at his whiskey as he swirled it. 'So, what do we do about mysterious monsters?'

'I take offence at that,' I said. 'It brings disrepute on the profession of monster.'

'I know not if it is he, she, they, human, or otherwise. I'm open to suggestions.' He sipped his drink as if daring me to do something.

'Person?' I suggested. 'Being as we, too, are murderous monsters.'

'You're not a person?' he said.

'I'm a figment of your over-stimulated imagination,' I replied, not really listening. 'If you keep caressing my back, I might fall asleep on you, Brandon.'

He kissed my temple. 'Wouldn't be the first time.'

'You shouldn't be so comfortable then.' He'd fallen asleep on me more than once so I figured we were even.

Josef gave an exaggerated sigh.

'Go away, Josef, we're trying to enjoy a cuddle.'

'If I'm imagining you, I don't have to listen to you.' Josef grinned.

'Arsehole,' I muttered and caught the tail end of Bran rolling his eyes. I shifted to kiss him and stopped short. 'Was that a sarcastic eye roll?'

He blushed. 'No.'

I chuckled. 'Flirtatious and sarcastic, delicious.' I kissed him.

'I love you,' Bran said.

I smiled and nuzzled his neck. 'I love you too.'

Josef's fingers tightened on his glass and his jaw worked, making a muscle in his cheek twitched.

'Something wrong?' I asked.

He glanced at me and tried to look relaxed but it didn't work.

'Is that so?' I sat up.

Bran's gaze flicked between us.

Josef smiled and shook his head as if I was being silly but it wasn't convincing. 'Of course.'

I fixed him with a look. 'You're a terrible liar, Sef.'

'I'm an excellent liar,' he replied.

'No illusions, remember?'

Bran rested his hands on my crooked knees in a silent suggestion I was pushing too hard.

'Nothing was bothering me.' Josef sipped his whiskey.

I nodded.

'Stop looking at me like that,' he said.

'Like what?' I scowled.

Bran's fingers tensed against my legs.

'Like you can see right through me.' He downed the rest of his whiskey in one and slammed the glass down on the table beside him. 'Anyone with a look like that is trouble.'

I shrugged. I couldn't deny I was trouble, I went looking for it on a regular basis and, if I couldn't find it, I could always make some.

'Stop it,' Josef said.

'Methinks he doth protest too much,' I replied.

He strode out of the room. He was hiding something from me, I was sure, something beyond vengeful vampires or even his feelings about saying he loved me and me never saying it back.

Bran caressed my legs. 'You're too hard on him, he's not used to this. Josef's like you, even when he's been with people, he's been alone. He's seen too many people die.'

I smiled. 'Well, none of us are alone anymore.' I kissed him. 'I feel I should apologise now.'

He arched an eyebrow. 'To Josef?'

'Of course not.' I kissed his jaw.

'You don't have anything to apologise for,' he murmured between kisses.

'I like apologising.' I kissed down his neck.

'No, you... oh.'

I suppressed the urge to laugh and kissed his chest.

'I can't,' he said, frowning at the ceiling.

I raised my head.

He ran his fingers through my hair, kissed me deeply, and swung us round so he was on top.

I yelped in surprise and laughed. 'Very impressive, Mr O'Connor,' I said between kisses.

He broke away and glanced at the door, Josef had left and everyone else was asleep. Then he pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside before returning to my kiss.

'I love you so much,' I murmured, hands exploring his gnarled back.

'I love you too.' He smiled. 'Can I kiss you?'

I loosened his hair and ran my fingers through it. 'My wifely duties are such an affliction.'

He chuckled. 'You're definitely teasing.'

'Yes, on both counts.'

He kissed his way downwards and teased my thighs with soft lips and the scratch of his stubble. I gasped and arched.

The things he could do with his tongue were too good to be legal.