“No,” Constantine agrees and sits back down at his desk, well, Liv’s desk, to continue staring at his map.
Cole stands then. He needs to drink, and he definitely needs a shower. He goes to peer at what Constantine is looking at, but it is all foreign to him. It’s some sort of supernatural cartography, including mathematics and science. He wasn’t the sharpest kid at school. All he had were his looks, his athleticism, and the ability to become someone else in the blink of an eye. He was picked for every lead in the school plays and he didn’t find it hard to find work when he left home. He scraped by for a year with a few commercials before he got a TV role and the rest is history.
“I’ll leave you to your, whatever this is,” Cole mutters and leaves the library on Constantine’s grunt. He heads towards the kitchen and grabs a blood bottle out of the fridge. They had to throw all of Liv’s away so there is just his. He wonders why he is still doing this. Dawn has returned and without his sire’s disapproving glare, he could be killing left and right to get what he needs. But he knows as soon as she returns, she will be cross with him and that is something he just couldn’t bear. He chugs it down and grabs another to take upstairs with him. On second thought, he grabs a spare and, knowing even as he goes upstairs that Cade will refuse it, he will offer it anyway.
He knocks gently on Cade’s door and when there is no answer, he pushes it open. He peers round the door and is surprised to see Jess sitting on the bed stroking Cade’s hair while he sleeps. She looks up and smiles, but at Cole’s frown it disappears. “This isn’t what it looks like,” she says quickly.
No, it never is. “Does Devon know you are in here?” Cole asks.
She shakes her head and climbs off the bed. “I just come to sit with him sometimes. He’s in such bad shape.”
Sit with him and touch him in a way that only lovers would. Cole may not be book smart, but he isn’t stupid. He knows exactly what he saw. “How long have you been sleeping together?” he asks her as Cade wakes up.
“We aren’t,” she stammers.
“Sure, whatever,” Cole says, not in the mood for lies. “Here.” He throws the bottle to Cade, who just lets it fall to the ground.
“Don’t want it,” he says mutinously.
“Don’t have it then. Suffer more than you have to,” Cole says.
Cade just glowers at him and pulls the sheet over his head.
He turns to stare at Jess, who backs out and then he follows her. It isn’t his business who she screws, but he will be damn sure that if it is Cade, he will tell Devon about it. It will be up to him to dispense whatever justice to his charge that he sees fit.
He slowly drinks his other blood bottle and pushes open the door to their bedroom. He hasn’t slept in this room since they moved here. He doesn’t think Constantine has either. Neither of them wants to go to bed without Liv. He throws the empty bottle in the trash, not caring he didn’t dispose of it correctly. Not that it makes much difference in the Underworld, he supposes. He turns on the shower and strips off. He makes sure the room is steaming before he steps in. He can’t feel the scorching water, but he hopes that one day it will warm the chill inside of him. He sinks to the floor and lets the water beat down on him. He grabs Liv’s lavender shower gel and opens the bottle. He sniffs it as he lets the tears he has been holding in go and for a few moments, in his solitude, he wallows in his self-pity. The scent of the lavender churns his stomach and his balls are aching for a release. He touches himself, wishing it was Liv, stroking himself with a hand full of lavender scented bubbles. But it is useless. He is either too weak or just completely broken that he can’t even get it up anymore. If Liv is in the Dragon Realms worried he is cheating on her, then she needn’t be. Even if he had the energy for a bang, or the desire for someone else, he wouldn’t be able to perform anyway. Even though he is desperate, it is just hopeless, so he lets himself go and stands up. He dries off, still smelling Liv’s shower gel all over him and with a towel slung around his hips, he walks back into the bedroom.
Devon is sitting on the bed waiting for him and he looks up. “Hey,” he says.
“Hey. What’s up?” Cole asks, wondering why Devon is in here.
“Just wondered if you wanted to feed again,” Devon says nonchalantly, holding up his wrist. “You said it helped,” he adds.
“Yeah, it did. I just wasn’t sure…I wasn’t going to ask,” Cole stammers.
Devon shrugs and takes off his Rolex as he rolls his shirt sleeve up.
Cole goes to sit on the bed next to him, suddenly feeling very naked in just his towel and slams his eyes shut again before he sinks his fangs into Devon’s wrist. It’s just easier if he can’t see anything. Once again, the taste of him swells through Cole and he stifles his need to moan and bite harder. How is it he tastes just like their sire, but without the burning, spicy aftertaste? Does he taste like this too? Does Cade? He feels Devon’s hand tighten around his and Cole realizes he is gripping his hand. This is too weird. He pulls back and he hea
rs Devon sigh. Is he supposed to offer a feed in return so Devon can also get some comfort? He is unsure so he doesn’t say anything. Devon is straightforward and always speaks his mind. If he wants something in return he will ask, Cole is sure about that. He lets his sibling go and hurries to the dresser. He pulls a t-shirt over his head and he feels less vulnerable. He turns back around. Devon has stood up and is rolling his sleeve back down. Cole knows he has to say something about what he saw before.
“Err, did you know that Jess and Cade have slept together?” he blurts out.
Devon’s eyes meet his blankly and Cole thinks he has made a mistake in telling him.
“Yes, I know,” Devon says. “She told me.”
Cole blinks in surprise. “Oh,” he says.
“Why do you tell me this now?” Devon asks.
“She was in his room when I went to check on him. It was obvious,” Cole says with a slight shrug.
“They were doing it?” Devon asks with a raised eyebrow.
Well, good for fucking him if he can get it up, Cole thinks with a grimace. “No, but she was, well, there was an intimacy there I didn’t expect to see,” he finally gets out.
“Oh,” Devon says shortly. He does not look impressed, but she should know how Devon feels about Cade.