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HOW TO HIDE YOUR VAMPIRE KID
CLOSET BABY CHRONICLES
BOOK THREE

ANNA WINEHEART
 CONTENTS
How to Hide Your Vampire Kid
1. Never Slam The Door On Your Boss
2. Samsen Runs Out Of Options
3. Valor Is On The Prowl
4. Valor’s Interrogation
5. Almost His Worst Nightmare
6. Big Boss Babysitter
7. An Awkward Dinner
8. Samsen’s Secret
9. Only One Bed
10. Waking Up With The Boss
11. Everything That Boss Master Wants
12. Under-Desk Shenanigans
13. The Fight
14. Making A Family
15. Pregnancy
16. Courting A Samsen
17. Attacked
18. The Confession
19. This Is Not A Party Bonding
20. Birth
Epilogue
Also by Anna
About the Author
Copyright Anna Wineheart 2024
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This novel contains graphic sexual content between two men. Intended for mature readers only.
Warnings: brief violence, brief gore, brief mention of suicide attempt, mention of murder
 In loving memory of Huz, who gave me wings so I can fly
.
To all of you out there:
You are beautiful.
You are worthy.
You are loved.
.
Special thanks to all of you for your support, because it allows me to write these books for a living!
LINKS - ANNA’S BOOKS
Cartwell universe:
Closet Baby Chronicles
Shifters of Cartwell
Meadowfall universe:
Men of Meadowfall
Meadowfall Firefighters
Meadow Street Brothers
Meadowfall Professors
Daddies for Dumpster Omegas
Santas of Alpha Ridge
The Danger Alpha Brotherhood (Coming in 2024)

Other books:
Taboo (consensual shifted sex) - banned from Amazon
Taboo (noncon) - banned from Amazon
 LINKS - SOCIAL LINKS
Follow Anna on Amazon for the latest book releases!
Plus, sign up for Anna’s newsletter and catch super sneak previews at Anna’s Wine Shack (Anna’s reader group).
Anna’s Patreon | Anna’s Ream
Bookbub | Goodreads
 H OW TO H I D E YO U R VA M P I R E K I D

IT' S OK to steal from your workplace, right? For your baby? As long as your hot new boss doesn't find out?
Samsen's been scraping by at his job, sneaking blood bags to keep his baby alive. But the new boss—Valor—is sharp-eyed and
unfairly handsome, and it's like he can smell Samsen's deceitful ways.
It doesn't matter that Valor feels like mate. Valor is suspicious; of course he is.
As much as Samsen wants a bite, a taste, the fact remains that the closer Valor gets, the more likely it is he'll unearth Samsen's
secrets. He has the power to snatch away everything Samsen has. And Samsen's been starving too long to take that risk.
 1

N E V E R S L A M T H E D O O R O N YO U R B O S S

S AMSEN ’ S best kept secret was that no one had caught on to him stealing the blood bags.
Granted, he didn’t do it often. Only on days like today, when the Center was so busy with a donation drive that there were
volunteers in every chair, bags hooked up to their arms.
He carefully pressed a cotton ball to a woman’s elbow and held it down, slipping the needle out. “Keep a firm pressure on this
for two minutes,” he said, wrapping a bandage around her elbow. “And leave the bandage on for four hours.”
While she was distracted, he tucked the blood-filled IV tube into the biohazard waste container, sealed off the blood bag, and
took it to the storage fridge.
It always felt so weird opening that fridge. On the outside, it was just a large steel contraption.
On the inside, it was packed with blood bags, trays and trays of blood on every shelf.
Samsen’s stomach twisted with hunger; he could feel his fangs start to drop. He shoved the bag into its designated tray, and
hastily closed the door. He held down the thrumming need in his body.
How long since he’d had a proper feeding? He couldn’t remember.
In a perfect world, he’d have this fridge of blood all to himself, and it’d be enough to feed him and Mazie for a long while.
But it wasn’t meant for him. Even taking one bag filled him with guilt; these were needed to save lives. He could go without for
a bit longer.
Tonight. He’d sneak one before he left for home.
Samsen swallowed hard and made himself walk out of the storage room, even though his instincts were begging him to return to
the fridge, and bite into a bag of blood.
As he drifted back through the Center, the metallic scent wafted into his nose, courtesy of so many blood draws. The scent was
subtle enough that it didn’t trigger any primal reaction in his body; he’d taken precautions anyway, wearing colored contacts so
no one would see the change in his eyes if the scent became overwhelming.
Elsewhere in the Center, a tiny voice whimpered for food.
Samsen winced. Had Mazie woken from her nap? Hold on for a bit longer, he thought. The last thing he needed was Mazie’s
crying getting loud enough that people realized there was a baby somewhere in the building.
He returned to the woman volunteer and pointed her to the refreshments area where she could get something to eat and drink.
Then he took the biohazards bag as casually as he could, and walked away from the public areas.
The moment he reached the unclaimed office, Samsen slipped inside and locked the door behind himself. The whimpering
grew louder; Mazie could sense his presence.
Actually, she was his biggest secret.
Samsen hurried over to the desk in the shadowy room, dragging the office chair away and crouching in front of the leg well.
And there, on a large mat spanning the entire leg well, was a pile of newsprint.
He pushed aside the paper cover to reveal the basket beneath, his heart unclenching when Mazie looked up at him, all wide-
eyed.
“Aaah!” she said, reaching for him with her tiny hands.
Samsen couldn’t help smiling and scooping her up, keeping them behind the boundary of the spelled mat that hushed Mazie’s
sounds and kept her nearly undetectable. “Hey, precious,” he whispered, cradling her close to his chest. “Were you bored all
by yourself?”
Probably, seeing as she’d tossed her rattles and stuffies out of the basket, and there was nothing left in there but her blanket.
She beamed up at him, tiny fingers curling around his shirt. “Wa wa wa,” she said, nosing into his chest as she tried to suckle.
Samsen’s chest began to leak in response.
“Shhh.” He hurried to sit back against the desk, pulling up his shirt so she could start nursing.
Any time he brought her across the mat’s boundaries, he couldn’t help feeling anxious. Mazie was young enough that she didn’t
have a scent, but sounds could travel. There were species that could pick up sounds through walls; with the number of people
in the vicinity, it was inevitable that someone would be able to hear her at some point.
So keeping her distracted and quiet was absolutely necessary... or he’d get fired.
And he couldn’t risk losing access to their main source of food.
When he was sure she wouldn’t unlatch, he pulled over the forgotten biohazard waste bag, fishing out an IV line.
Before Samsen had been turned, he’d always thought of the IV tubes as a terrible waste. Not all of the blood from a volunteer
made it to the blood bags; there was always some stuck in the tube between the needle and the bag, and it inevitably went into
the trash.
Now, it was his saving grace.
Samsen tore off the needle, slipped the blunt end of the tube into Mazie’s mouth alongside his nipple, and gently blew on the
other end. Blood began dripping into her mouth alongside his milk; her brown eyes flashed an icy blue, and her pupils
elongated like a cat’s.
When that tube was drained, he pulled out the next IV tube, and did the same.
There was only one last tube of blood left by the time Mazie was done nursing. Samsen popped the blunt plastic end into his
mouth, sighing when the coppery fluid trickled onto his tongue.
It wasn’t enough to feed him. It wasn’t even enough to be a snack.
But it was something. Enough to keep his spirits up for the rest of the day.
When his shift ended, he was going to palm a still-warm bag of blood, and bring it home to share with Mazie. His stomach
squeezed again.
Footsteps rang down the hallway outside. Samsen froze and listened hard.
For a second, the person paused at the door to this office. Were they... listening? Then they drifted away, and Samsen blew out
a sigh of relief.
He burped Mazie and changed her diaper, playing Peek-a-boo so she’d gurgle and laugh. That put a smile on his lips,
especially when she farted and made herself giggle at the sound.
Mazie was the only family Samsen had. He didn’t have the money to hire a nanny to watch her while he worked. Maybe he
could’ve left her with his friends—Elson and Liem had rich boyfriends now—but it made him anxious to be away from her for
too long.
So, hidden under a desk it was, where Samsen sneaked in every other hour for cuddles; hopefully she didn’t feel so alone.
But Mazie was growing older; she was starting to try and escape the basket. Samsen’s spelled mat wouldn’t keep her hidden
for too much longer.
“I don’t know what to do,” he confessed in a whisper, tucking her back into her nest of blankets and arranging her toys around
her. “Be good while I’m gone, okay?”
She whimpered and looked at him sadly; Samsen swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry.” He stroked her hair and covered her back up with the newspapers, his heart aching.
With the biohazard waste bag in hand, he made his way to the door, opening it as quietly as he could.
Someone stood in the doorway.
Someone with broad shoulders and sharp eyes, and he was so tall that Samsen didn’t have a chance of escape.
He leaped back with a yelp, his heart thundering. Then he realized who it was.
The new boss. Valor Trailforger.
In the two weeks since he’d begun working at the Center, Valor was always dressed in a suit. A nice suit that clung to his
wonderfully muscled shoulders and girthy biceps, but occasionally, like right now, he left the top button of his shirt unbuttoned,
revealing the start of lush pecs, and a fine dusting of chest hair.
But that wasn’t all. Valor was tall. Tall enough that Samsen had to crane his neck to look at him. Tall enough that he would have
to duck under the door lintel to enter the room, and his spiked blond hair would probably brush it anyway.
Right now, his gaze was locked on Samsen. His hazel eyes were flecked with gold, and there was a wildness to them that made
Samsen nervous. It made Samsen feel like prey. Like Samsen wasn’t a vampire with fangs and claws.
Samsen took a step back, tensing when the man followed him into the office. “I-is there something you need, Mr. Trailforger?”
Valor glanced around the room, sharp eyes darting around. “Who else is in here?”
Crap! Samsen’s heart tumbled. Valor’s gaze snapped back to him.
Had he heard Mazie’s giggling? “Um. N-no one?”
Valor narrowed his eyes. “That’s a lie,” he murmured, so softly that Samsen’s stomach dropped.
Samsen grabbed the door, halfway through slamming it in Valor’s face when he realized that (1) Valor was already past the
threshold of the office, and (2) Valor wasn’t just his boss. Valor was the big, big boss that ran the Center.
The door hit Valor’s shoes and who knew what else.
Samsen panicked.
He stumbled backward and flailed. Valor shoved the door open so hard that it bounced off the wall. And he prowled toward
Samsen, his eyes flashing—more gold than hazel.
He wasn’t human, not completely. The wildness about him thickened like a fog, and now more than ever, Samsen noticed his
strong, stubbled jaw, his red lips, the rise of his chest as he breathed.
Somehow, Valor smelled good. He smelled like earthy pine, he smelled like safety and home.
Why the hell Samsen’s body thought that, he had no idea.
His ass hit the edge of the desk. He cowered under the man’s—the giant’s—glare, bracing himself to be fired. He’d have to
grab his bag, grab Mazie and run. He’d have to find a new place to work, fill in job applications all over again. And he’d have
to beg some blood off his friends so he could feed Mazie—
Valor leaned in, caging Samsen against the desk with his arms. He leaned in so close that the heat of his body soaked through
Samsen’s thin clothes, warming his entire front. Samsen couldn’t breathe.
For a moment, Valor’s narrow-eyed expression flickered. His nostrils flared, and he—
He sniffed at Samsen.
Something else darted through his face. He sniffed again. Then he shoved himself away with a curse, turning for the door.
“Don’t let me catch you doing that again,” he snarled over his shoulder.
He left the room, leaving Samsen weak-kneed and shaky, half-hard in his pants.
What the hell had that been about?
 2

S A M S E N RU N S O U T O F O P T I O N S

F OR THE REST of the day, Samsen scurried around jumpily. He kept an eye out for tall, angry men as he flitted between
volunteers, hunching his shoulders to shrink himself as small as he could.
Twice, he saw Valor in meetings; always from afar, speaking to the other bosses in the discussion rooms well away from the
donation areas.
He rescued another two bags of biohazard waste, slipping into the unused office and contorting himself halfway under the desk.
He had to be extra-careful this time because he’d left the door open, but with the top half of his body safely within the spelled
mat’s protection, he fed Mazie without a hitch.
Then, it came time to leave work.
It would’ve been easy most other days, because Samsen had developed a well-oiled routine by this point.
But that was before Valor Trailforger had discovered him hiding secrets.
Samsen clocked off, his newest blood bag still warm in his hands. He was so close to his dinner now. So close to having a full
stomach, for once.
Before he could leave the blood storage room, heavy footsteps thumped down the hallway outside.
Samsen’s pulse hitched. It wasn’t Valor, right?
Except that familiar suited figure strode by the doorway right then and paused, his hazel eyes locking onto Samsen.
Samsen froze, acutely aware of the blood bag in his hands. “Uh. Just—Just putting this in the fridge.”
He walked slowly over to the humming fridge, waiting for Valor to leave.
Valor watched him.
And did not walk away.
Damn it! Samsen opened the fridge door and unwillingly tucked his warm, warm bag of blood in there, promising himself he’d
come back for it later.
He closed the door. Valor was still there.
“Uh.” Samsen waved awkwardly. “You don’t have to wait for me to leave.”
“By all means, go ahead,” Valor said, waving to the empty hallway in an ‘After you’ gesture.
Samsen didn’t have a choice, did he?
He stepped out into the hallway, feeling the heavy prickle of Valor’s stare. He turned toward the employees’ locker room and
made himself step in, but it felt so wrong without his blood bag and baby.
When he’d fished his bag woodenly out of his locker, he found Valor standing in the hallway. Still watching. This was turning
into a nightmare. Samsen gulped. “Don’t you have big boss-y things to do? Aside from following me around?”
Valor lifted a pointed eyebrow. “This is one of them. Making sure I can trust you.”
Samsen’s stomach dropped a little further. He hitched his bag higher on his shoulder and walked out of the building, and all he
could think about was Mazie still under that desk.
“I’m leaving,” he blurted to Valor, who was still standing at the front door.
Samsen walked over to the far side of the building, went around to the back of it, and waited anxiously there for five minutes.
Then he slowly crept around to the other side, peeking around the edge of the building at the front door.
Valor was still there, looking at his phone.
Samsen’s heart thumped. As though the man could hear it, he looked up.
In his panic, Samsen turned himself into smoke. Valor hadn’t seen him, right?
He flew across the parking lot to the strip mall on the other side of the road, hoping like hell Mazie wouldn’t start crying. It
took some effort to pull the pieces of himself together.
When he finally popped back into his physical body, Samsen doubled over, panting, his limbs trembling.
He didn’t have enough strength to do that again; he was so hungry that his insides hurt.
But the thought of finding a victim to bite into... that made him feel sick to his stomach.
He’d never wanted to be a vampire. He didn’t want to be a parasite. He didn’t want to accidentally kill someone again.
Samsen tucked himself behind the dumpsters, waiting for the minutes to tick by. Valor had to be gone by now, right? He had
things to do. Who knew how big bosses spent their time? Certainly not waiting around at their workplace for a low-level
employee.
He made himself wait anyway, his nails biting into his palms through several excruciating minutes.
Finally, he got the idea to distract himself. Samsen pulled out his phone.
NoMoreFangs77
I’m stuck (sad emoji)
Mazie’s under the desk and my boss is suspicious. He’s hanging around the building. I can’t go in to retrieve
her
HotMess69
Omg, Samsen.
What happened?!?!
NoMoreFangs77
I think he heard me when I was feeding Mazie. He was right outside the door when I opened it, then he
backed me into the office.
I thought he was going to sniff out Mazie and kill me
He’s not all human
WolfCubDad
Is this where we come up with an elaborate plan to seduce him?
Is he hot?
NoMoreFangs77
Well... he is (sad emoji)
I think he’s 10 years older than me
WolfCubDad
Then you know the sex will be good, at least.
NoMoreFangs77
Why would he want to sex me?! I’m just me. Not much to look at
Besides, he’s too suspicious
And Mazie can’t wait that long. She needs to nurse again. Soon.
 If she starts crying, we’re both fucked
HotMess69
Damn it
You have a cute butt though, Samsen. Maybe that’s enough
WolfCubDad
Do you need blood? We can drive up. It’ll take a while, but at least you’ll be able to smoke your way back in.

At the thought of turning into smoke again, Samsen’s body trembled with exhaustion.
JoeyNotAKangaroo
He’ll think you’re hot, Samsen! You can bring him back to the safe house and distract him while we break
into the Center, I promise we’ll do good.
HotMess69
No, we don’t know him. We can’t just let him into the safe house.
NoMoreFangs77
It’s getting dark. I don’t think I have time to seduce him. Hopefully I can do the smoke thing one last time.

Samsen shoved his phone back into his pocket, drawing a deep breath. All he needed was to get Mazie, and a bag of blood.
He would eat there, maybe feed Mazie, and then get them out.
Samsen pushed himself upright, creeping around the shops to peer at the Center. The windows were all darkened now; only the
exterior lights illuminating the front of the building.
Gods, Mazie. Samsen felt so bad for her, all alone with only their connection for company.
He gathered the last dregs of his strength. This time, it took much longer for him to turn into smoke.
The moment he did, he flew back across the road to the Center, slipping in through a vent and following the ducts until he ended
up back in the darkened office. There, he pulled hard on his smokey bits and collapsed behind the desk, shaky and sweating.
Mazie’s whimpering stopped. She felt his closeness now; she could always feel when he was nearby, and it soothed her.
The knot in Samsen’s chest unfurled with relief. “Hey, sweetheart. I’m sorry I took so long.”
Samsen raised his leaden arms to brush aside the newsprint. He shrugged off his shirt and fished out a sling from his bag,
carefully, shakily wrapping Mazie against his bare chest so she could start suckling.
It took several tries before he could get his feet back under himself. Samsen pulled his shirt back on over Mazie and stumbled
through the dark hallways, his colored contacts obscuring the light he needed for his full night vision.
He made it to the fridge in the storage room. He pried the door open, relief filling him when he found the blood bag he’d tossed
in there, cradling it against his chest.
He was so close to having a full stomach.
The room lights flashed on. “What’re you doing?”
Samsen cried out in shock, shoving the blood bag into his backpack. Had the intruder seen?
Slowly, he turned around, knowing before their eyes met who it was.
Valor stood in the doorway, his hazel glare fixed on Samsen.
“I...” Samsen’s body gave out. He lurched sideways, grasping for the counter so he could keep himself upright. Black spots
winked through his vision. Gods, he was so exhausted. So hungry.
Valor swore. He was next to Samsen in an instant, large hands grasping Samsen’s shoulders, holding him in place. “Why are
you back here?”
Samsen’s stomach growled. He closed his eyes and cradled Mazie against himself, trying to protect her. “I’m leaving. I’m
leaving now!”
He just had to... had to get somewhere safe. Somewhere he could gulp down some blood so he could escape.
This close to Valor, he could smell the musk and sweat on the man, he could almost feel the blood rushing through Valor’s
veins. He could imagine Valor’s heart pumping, sending that sweet fluid through his body, so much of it. Enough for Samsen to
have a taste.
Samsen didn’t want anyone’s blood.
But... what did Valor’s taste like? It’d be so good, wouldn’t it?
Samsen fought down a full-body shudder, his blunt fangs extending. He had to turn his face away to hide them, to hide who he
was.
If Valor found out, he’d fire Samsen immediately.
“Let me go!” The words were muffled because Samsen was trying to keep his mouth shut. He shoved weakly at the giant.
“No.” Valor hauled him sideways and pushed him down; Samsen landed hard on a chair. “You can’t even walk straight,” Valor
said. “If I let you go, you’ll just fall flat on your face.”
“I’ll crawl,” Samsen blurted. “I’m good on all fours.”
Immediately after, he wished he hadn’t said that.
Valor’s hand tightened on his shoulder; his growl rumbled like a physical touch down Samsen’s spine. “On all fours, you say?”
the man murmured.
Why did that sound like interest?
Actually—would it save Samsen’s job, if he did what Liem and the others had suggested?
Samsen swallowed hard, his pulse ratcheting. “Y-yes.” His face prickled as blood tried to rise to his cheeks, but he didn’t have
enough of it. “I’m—very good. I like being on all fours.”
Valor blew out a long, slow breath. Samsen couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Just—I need food first,” Samsen mumbled. “But I can, um. I can... be ready for... for things later.”
“I will consider it,” Valor said quietly. “What food do you need?”
Samsen shook his head. “You can’t provide it.”
An amused huff. “What is beyond my ability to provide?”
Well, it wasn’t beyond Valor to give Samsen his blood, but why would he? He was leagues beyond someone like Samsen,
powerful and strong and suave. Samsen would never in a million years get to touch him. Much less taste him that intimately.
“Do you have a mate?” Samsen blurted, then flushed. “I mean, a-a boyfriend. Girlfriend. Special person.”
For the longest time, Valor just stared at him.
Then he said quietly, “No.”
“Oh.” So maybe he needed someone to hold down and mount. Samsen’s body tried to blush again. “I need to, um. Go home. I
need to help my baby first.”
He gestured vaguely to the lump in his shirt that was Mazie, and Valor’s gaze locked onto her. Were his ears twitching?
Was he listening? To Mazie?
“What food do you need?” Valor asked again.
Samsen sucked his lips into his mouth. He couldn’t ask Valor for the one thing he really wanted. And he couldn’t let the man
have any idea how reliant on the blood bags he was. “Um. I’ve got it covered. I just... I need to use the washroom.”
Valor narrowed his eyes like he was suspicious, all over again. Samsen’s instincts fluttered with apprehension.
He shrugged weakly. “You have access to my records. Phone number and address and everything.” He just needed to get out of
here, and erase all traces of the blood bag he’d stolen. “Can I... go to the washroom?”
Valor nodded reluctantly, grasping Samsen’s arm to haul him to his feet. Samsen was thankful for that—Valor’s grip was sure
and warm, and his touch made Samsen’s insides flutter.
He marched Samsen to the nearest washroom like a prisoner, standing so close that his warmth soaked into Samsen. Samsen
tried not to let his eyes roll back in pleasure. It was just body heat!
But he hadn’t felt so warm in a long time.
When Valor released him outside the men’s restroom, Samsen slipped in, hurrying to the last cubicle. There, he pulled out his
blood bag and pierced it with a claw from his index finger, his stomach clenching at the coppery scent of blood.
Mazie whimpered, smelling it too.
“There, there, I’ll get you some,” Samsen whispered.
He sealed his mouth over the tear and gulped down several mouthfuls of cold, plastic-tasting blood. The blood hadn’t been in
there long enough for it to taste truly awful, but it wasn’t anything like drinking from the source, either.
As his body began to absorb the rich liquid, strength swelled all the way to his fingertips and his toes. It tugged on the scattered
strings of his mind and drew him back to alertness; it sharpened his senses and made him stand taller. Samsen pulled out a
needleless syringe from his bag and drew a small volume of blood into it, carefully pulling up his shirt to fit the syringe tip into
Mazie’s mouth. Mazie drank the blood hungrily.
A knock came at the door. “Are you still in there?”
Samsen jumped. For a moment... he’d forgotten that Valor was waiting outside. “I, um. Yes!”
But he wouldn’t be for too much longer.
When Mazie was done with the syringe, Samsen filled it up again, tucked it into his backpack, and drank the rest of the blood in
the bag.
His stomach felt so pleasantly full—such a rare feeling. He wasn’t going to feel guilty about this. Not right now.
Instead, Samsen made sure the sling was secure against his body. He made sure his backpack was all zipped up, and breathed
out.
The transformation into smoke was so much easier this time. He turned Mazie into smoke along with him, and took them out
through the ceiling vent.
 3

VA L O R I S O N T H E P R OW L

VALOR DIDN ’ T NOTICE the silence in the washroom until he shook himself out of his thoughts.
Then he realized it was far too quiet inside—no pattering heart, no anxious breathing, no nursing sounds.
With a low growl, he pushed his way into the washroom, stalking over to the cubicles in disbelief. That man was just in here.
With a baby.
And somehow they’d slipped out from under his nose—like how they’d slipped into the Center with absolutely no warning at
all.
He was furious at the lapse in his own attention. That man was keeping secrets; Valor knew that much.
Valor hadn’t even thought to ask his name.
He snarled at himself, following the sweet scent of aged paper to the very last cubicle. Here, the smell was more concentrated,
tainted with the coppery tang of blood.
Clearly he shouldn’t have left the man alone. Clearly.
Valor growled and stalked back out of the Center, mad that he’d come no closer to unraveling the secrets that weak, infuriating
man was hiding.
That weak, infuriating man who smelled amazing.
He yanked out his phone, opening the chat his new friends had added him to.
Valor
I can’t believe I let my employee get the better of me
I caught him lurking in the office after hours.
And he escaped.
Yaeger
Getting slow in your old age, Valor
Telos
Hey, that’s my line!
Onyx
How did he even escape? You’re a wolf
Valor
I wasn’t paying attention. He was feeding his child

Telos
Oooh, what kind of child?
Valor
Damned if I know. I had no idea the two of them existed until today.
Onyx
Not a regular human, then.
 Valor
No.

Yaeger
Well, you could sleep with him and find out
Valor
... Is that how you solve all your problems? I heard that’s how you and Elson got together.
Yaeger
Hey, it worked, didn’t it? And now I have the perfect mate who’s only too happy to take my dragon knot.
Hmm. We should take a picture of the knotting. Elson always looks thoroughly fucked when that happens.
(smiling emoji, eggplant emoji)
Onyx
Gods forbid you ask your butler to take that picture.
Yaeger
Lol you know Henry probably already has pictures of Elson and I fucking. Shifted sex won’t be too different.
Valor
I regret going with your butler suggestion, Yaeger
Onyx
That is me.
All regrets, all day.
Yaeger
I’m sure Hudson brings joy to your clearly colorless life, Onyx.
Get it? Colorless like your skin?
Onyx
Fuck off.
He told Liem the worst stories from my childhood. The absolute worst stories. Even my parents were proud
of HIM.
They’re supposed to be on my side. Ugh.
Valor
Lesson learned: Keep my butler out of my private life
Onyx
That’s going to be a lot more difficult than you think. Especially with the butler you have.
Yaeger
Good fucking luck.
Valor
Sounds ominous.
Yaeger
Btw, tell us if you bring your employee home (smirk emoji) Maybe take a selfie when you knot him. That’s
always hot.

Valor shoved his phone back into his pocket, trying not to think about being inside that man. That not-human who’d slipped
through his fingers twice. And Valor couldn’t even look him up in the HR database, because he didn’t have a name.
He growled and stalked over to his car, cursing himself for caring so much. Cursing that vanilla-y old book scent he couldn’t
get out of his nose.
Tomorrow. He’d get his hands on that man tomorrow.

VALOR SPENT hours at the Center the next morning, before he caught sight of the man again.
He’d been in the middle of a meeting. By the time he’d excused himself, the scrawny not-human was stepping out of the same
office Valor had found him in yesterday, the door tapping gently against the wall.
It felt like he’d missed catching the man red-handed.
The man startled violently when Valor stepped in front of him.
Definitely hiding something.
“What’s your name?” Valor demanded.
“Um, Samsen.” Samsen’s heart beat a quick staccato.
Now that Valor was looking closely, he realized that the man looked better today. Stronger. He’d looked exhausted and
extremely pale yesterday, barely staying upright on his feet. Today, there was a pink tint to his cheeks, his face slightly rounder.
He was still gaunt in a way that sat wrong in Valor’s gut, but it didn’t take away from the exquisite beauty of his face. The depth
of his whiskey-brown eyes, his tousled dark hair, his slightly-parted lips.
The way his pink tongue flicked out and disappeared.
Valor dragged his attention away from that mouth. Samsen was waifish, too thin, too pale. Extremely short. His head came up to
Valor’s chest, and his clothes hung loosely on him.
He needed food.
Why couldn’t Valor kill the urge to feed him?
“Last name?” he growled through gritted teeth.
“None of your business!” Samsen squeaked, then flushed bright red. “Um, Petesworth.”
Valor narrowed his eyes, grasping Samsen firmly by the arm. He all but dragged the man into his own office and shut the door.
“You will start talking,” Valor growled. “Or receive punishment.”
Samsen’s eyes grew wide. “P-punishment?”
“Yes.”
“The—The sex kind?”
Valor’s mind plummeted straight into the gutter. I’m very good on all fours, Samsen had said last night.
Take a selfie when you knot him, his friends had said.
Valor fought down the low, dirty heat in his gut. The temptation of pressing Samsen down into a bed, sliding his cock between
Samsen’s smooth cheeks.
It had been a long time since he’d been with anyone. And he wasn’t—he wasn’t—about to sleep with someone who was
keeping secrets from him.
But what if he could fuck those secrets out of Samsen?
What would that pretty face look like, when Valor hit every nerve inside him?
He leaned in, grasping Samsen’s chin to tip his gaze up. The distance between them shrank until Samsen was a few inches
away, his heart pattering, his scent sharp with nerves.
“I shouldn’t reward you for keeping secrets,” Valor murmured.
Samsen yielded easily when Valor moved him. He turned at the slightest pressure of Valor’s hands, he bent right over the desk
when Valor pushed down on his shoulder, so his pert ass was right there.
Just a few layers of fabric separating them, his body ripe for the taking.
“But?” Samsen breathed, his pulse rabbit-quick.
Valor pressed his nose to Samsen’s nape. No. This close, he was even more irresistible. The scent of him. The way he
quivered beneath Valor. It made Valor’s wolf press up under his skin, eager to find out what Samsen smelled like at the crook
of his neck. At his armpits. Between his legs.
Instead, he held Samsen’s narrow hips more tightly, pulling him higher so he stood on tiptoes, completely submissive.
Valor couldn’t resist touching. He wrapped his hand around Samsen’s arm, splaying his other hand across Samsen’s chest. Just
feeling the lean muscle on him, the too-prominent ribs under his skin.
Then, he slid his hand lower, over Samsen’s stomach—it fluttered against his fingers—and his belly. His fingertips grazed the
edge of Samsen’s pants.
Samsen began panting. “Are you—?”
Valor smelled a hint of sour fear sweat. But it wasn’t overwhelming—a background fear next to the waves of musky desire
rolling off him.
“What are you hiding?” Valor growled, skimming his fingers over Samsen’s bulge, touching him shamelessly.
A shudder rippled through Samsen’s body. “Valor! I-I-I mean, um. Mr. Uh. Crap. Mr. T-Trailforger.”
Valor gave a sharp smile, lost on the back of Samsen’s head. “You think of me by my name?”
Samsen tensed beneath him; his ears turned pink. “I, uh. You, uh. You have a pretty name.”
That almost made Valor laugh.
Samsen peeked warily over his shoulder at Valor. Valor couldn’t resist cupping his throat. The most vulnerable part of him, his
jugular fluttering against Valor’s fingertips.
He couldn’t resist licking along the shell of Samsen’s ear, either. Just a baseline taste. Just to profile him.
Samsen tasted... cold. Like he needed someone to warm him up, either with a blanket, or body heat. But he also tasted like a
very faint sweetness, almost addictive.
This was dangerous. Samsen had little protection from Valor, but more than that, Valor was letting himself get close to a
stranger. Whose powers he wasn’t completely sure of.
“Start talking,” he growled into Samsen’s ear. “I don’t have all day.”
Samsen shuddered. “I can’t.”
“You can’t, or you won’t?”
Samsen sucked in a shaky breath. “I guess I won’t. I have things at stake.”
“Like your baby?”
Samsen’s pulse stumbled. Bingo.
“What does your baby have to do with the Center?” Valor couldn’t help asking. He pressed his palm over Samsen’s chest; the
thump of his heart was heady against his skin.
Samsen’s scent thickened, musky arousal and fear both swelling.
“What if I were to take your baby away?” Valor said.
 4

VA L O R’ S I NT E R R O G AT I O N

VALOR WATCHED as Samsen began to struggle. The man’s nails were suddenly black claws; he dug them into Valor’s skin,
drawing blood.
“You won’t take her from me!” Samsen cried.
“But I could.”
Samsen snarled, a low, fierce sound coming from such a small person. There was strength in his body now that he didn’t have
yesterday, strength that had Valor wondering if he’d end up being flung aside.
Samsen moved, and Valor had to use all his weight to keep the man down, grasping his wrists so those claws wouldn’t gouge
his eyes out.
And still Samsen struggled like a hellcat, biting and hissing, his eyes flashing.
It shouldn’t have sent a surge of arousal straight to Valor’s cock.
“Leave her alone! She’s mine!”
Valor grinned. “That was a test.”
“How do I know you’re not lying?”
“I don’t lie.”
Samsen continued to struggle, his entire body squirming against Valor’s front, his pert ass grinding sweetly against Valor’s
hips. Valor let their bodies press flush together, a growl of pleasure bursting from his throat. He couldn’t help it. Especially
when his pants tightened, and Samsen’s lithe warmth rubbed against every inch of his bulge.
He’ll be a good mate for your pups, his instincts whispered. He’s ready to receive them.
He could smell the hint of milk on Samsen, had felt the dampness on his shirt where his nipples leaked.
Samsen was fertile.
Valor was suddenly struck by the thought: What if I put a baby inside him?
His cock ached.
Why the hell are my instincts going haywire? Valor swallowed. Is it because I haven’t gotten laid in a while?
“I don’t believe you,” Samsen panted.
“I don’t need your baby,” Valor said. “I can make my own elsewhere. My... tool... is in perfect working condition.”
And he pressed his bulge flush against Samsen, letting the shape of it indent his cheeks. Samsen’s breath shuddered out of him.
“See how hard I get?” Valor whispered in his ear. “It’s very capable of thrusting deep. Filling someone up with cum.”
Despite his fury, Samsen’s breath hitched, and his struggling eased.
Yeah, Valor could already imagine working Samsen’s pants down, cupping his pretty ass, spreading his cheeks to reveal his
vulnerable, puckered hole. His mouth filled with saliva. For a moment, he couldn’t think. He could only imagine opening
Samsen, putting his tongue and fingers inside. Finally letting his tip breach that tight entrance, letting Samsen’s body suck him
in.
What if he rutted deep, so Samsen howled and took every inch? How hard would he come?
Fuck, Valor was already leaking in his pants.
When he released Samsen’s wrists, the man didn’t try to attack him again. So he dragged his nose along Samsen’s ear, hooking
his thumb into Samsen’s pants. “Believe me now?”
“No,” Samsen growled. “But you can prove it to me.”
Valor slipped his fingers down the front of Samsen’s pants, stroking the trail of hair disappearing into his briefs. Then he
slipped more fingers into Samsen’s clothes—Samsen shuddered—and eased his pants open, grasping Samsen through the last
layer of cotton.
“Fuck,” Samsen groaned, bucking into Valor’s hand. He’d leaked through his underwear. Valor found his tip and lightly
squeezed it; a whimper fell from Samsen’s lips.
“So,” Valor murmured. “Do you intend to harm the Center?”
“No!” That sounded honest enough.
“But you’ve been sneaking around hiding something.”
Samsen covered his face, his reply coming a second too late. “N-no.”
Valor pushed his fingers into Samsen’s briefs, burying them in the thatch of wiry hair. Then he followed it down, his fingertips
bumping against Samsen’s stiff base. Samsen’s fear had mellowed into suspicion, and yet he still gulped down a breath when
Valor wrapped his hand around that velvety, heavy length—he was much smaller than Valor. Valor gave him a light squeeze,
stroking him lightly. Samsen’s spine arched. “Will you walk out of here, and continue to keep secrets?” Valor asked.
“I don’t have a choice,” Samsen snapped.
“All right.”
At that, Samsen peeked over his shoulder, incredulous. “Just that? ‘All right’?”
Valor gave him a sharp-toothed grin. “You’re not the only one with tricks up your sleeve, Sparrow.”
“Sparrow?” Samsen’s brow furrowed.
“So flighty. Small and fragile.” Valor stroked him once, a light drag of fingers up his length. Samsen choked, his breath rushing
out. He was so sensitive. So responsive. Valor thumbed the tiny slit at his tip; Samsen thrashed beneath him. “One of these
days,” Valor murmured into his ear, “I will fuck your secrets out of you. Spread you out under me, hold your legs open, and
push my big cock into your tight little hole.”
Samsen panted, clawing at the desk, his musk intoxicating.
“You like that, don’t you?” Valor growled, his precum leaking in response. “I think I’d tease you first. Rub my tip against your
hole, let you really feel it. Maybe stretch you out with my fingers, fill you up with some precum. Get you all slick and ready for
me.”
Samsen sobbed. His legs trembled; he was pushing up against Valor now, his hips high and seeking. “Please, please—”
“Want my cock, Sparrow?” Valor whispered.
“Yes.” Samsen’s voice cracked.
Valor kissed his ear, letting his bulge push an indent between Samsen’s cheeks. “When you’ve told me your secrets, I’ll let you
have it. Every single inch.”
Samsen made a low, melancholic sound that almost had Valor relenting. Almost. Valor reached down to grasp Samsen by his
inner thighs, spreading his legs, pulling him flush against his bulge.
And he began thrusting; hard, hungry strokes that had Samsen’s voice breaking, his breathing going ragged.
“Quiet,” Valor murmured. “Or the entire building will hear you. They’ll hear how much you want my cock shoved deep into
your tight little hole.”
Samsen’s scent deepened. It was so luscious that Valor panted, needing everything he’d promised this man. He wanted
Samsen’s wet tightness swallowing him down, he wanted to pound deep, show Samsen who owned him.
Samsen, it appeared, couldn’t control his sounds. Valor had to press his hand over Samsen’s mouth as he pushed his other hand
back into Samsen’s underwear, pulling out his throbbing cock to caress it slow and sweet.
Samsen choked and moaned, rutting into his hand.
“What else are you hiding?” Valor rumbled, flicking his wrist at Samsen’s tip. Samsen’s eyes rolled back. He was shaking so
hard that Valor knew he was close. “What do you do in that office when no one is looking?”
Samsen whined. “I-I-I can’t—”
There was loyalty there. Valor waited until Samsen pulsed in his fist, until he was right on the edge. And he took his touch
away, anchoring Samsen down as he thrashed.
“You can’t—” Samsen whined, bucking desperately, reaching down to bring himself off.
Valor caught his wrists before he could; he pinned them above Samsen’s head and pushed him down against the desk, leaving
enough space between the hard edge and Samsen’s hips so there was nothing Samsen could grind against.
A raw, desperate sound ripped out of Samsen; he thrashed and struggled, only to be left hanging.
“I’ll let you come if you tell me,” Valor whispered.
Samsen snarled and tried to kick him; he jerked his hips helplessly, his chest heaving. Finally, he realized that no amount of
struggling would bring him over the edge. Frustration colored his whine.
When Valor peeked over his shoulder, he found tears on Samsen’s cheeks. It made him feel bad. Just a tiny bit.
Enough for him to lean in, and lick away the salty wetness.
“What are you hiding in that office?” Valor whispered.
Samsen tensed. He was so obvious now that Valor could’ve smacked his past self. But there was no need to pursue this further;
Samsen had more than given himself away.
Something in Valor’s bones made him hold on to this man, though. He wanted to see how far Samsen could go before he broke.
He wanted to see... more.
He began stroking Samsen again, reaching under his shirt to squeeze Samsen’s nipples.
Samsen moaned. “You’re killing me.”
“I only kill people who deserve it.” Valor chuckled, his breath ruffling Samsen’s sweat-damp hair. “But I do want you under
me. All the time. Taking my knot so deep.”
Samsen choked, his hips jerking futilely.
“There we go.” Valor stroked him again. He brought his hand up to lick his palm; when he closed his fist around Samsen, he
spread the wetness everywhere, squeezing tight so Samsen’s breath stuttered out of him.
These moments, when Samsen lost control—these were real. Not lies.
Valor brought Samsen to the edge again, slowly, until the man was all but writhing beneath him, his musk heady, his briefs
completely soaked between his legs. He made slick when aroused, then. And he would take Valor so easily.
“You’re ready for my cock,” Valor murmured, knocking Samsen’s feet apart. “So close to the edge.”
“P-please.” Samsen trembled.
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“No!” Samsen tried to kick at him. One lazy stroke of Valor’s fist, and all the fight shuddered out of Samsen’s body; he clutched
at the desk and shook so hard, his neck completely red.
“Are you seeing anyone?” Valor asked, sniffing at him.
“N-no.”
“Do you want my cock?”
Samsen moaned and spread his legs, and fuck Valor couldn’t help himself. He ground hard against Samsen; he fumbled with the
zipper of his own pants. And he pushed down Samsen’s pants to reveal his ass clad in only his briefs, letting his bare cock rest
on it.
Samsen sniffed at the air, craning his neck to look. “Oh, gods,” he whimpered. “You’re so big.”
“I’ll open you up so wide,” Valor growled in his ear. “Fill you all the way. Make you come so hard.”
Samsen’s panting deepened. “Please—”
“Not until you tell me all of the truth.”
Samsen pressed his forehead against the desk, a helpless sound slipping out of him. Valor straightened him up, pushing his tip
down the back of Samsen’s underwear, skin on bare skin.
Samsen squeaked. Valor pushed into the intimate space between Samsen’s cheeks, drawing a slow breath at how cold Samsen
was. Samsen needed to be warmed up somehow. With body heat?
But Samsen wasn’t shivering. Beads of sweat dotted his neck; he rocked against Valor like he was trying to pull one of those
emergency room tales, where he somehow fell onto Valor’s cock.
Valor smiled and whispered, “I’m going to cover your ass in my cum. Gonna let you walk around all day with that marking on
you, Sparrow. You’re gonna smell like you belong to me.”
Why did that sound right?
Samsen’s breath hitched. He came apart the next moment, shuddering, his cum spurting all over the front of Valor’s desk.
He liked what Valor had said.
Valor’s balls pulled tight. He caught some of Samsen’s cum and smeared it over his own cock, imagining Samsen on all fours
beneath him, ready to be mounted. Taking every inch Valor gave him. Offering the long line of his neck.
He came then, harder than he expected, an explosion of bliss that ripped through his body and wrenched so much cum out of
him, he couldn’t stop.
He left his marking on each of Samsen’s cheeks. He pushed his tip down the velvety cleft of Samsen’s ass, pumping several jets
down his crack. He pushed further south, letting his tip graze Samsen’s hole.
Samsen jerked against him. Was his hole covered in cum now? Valor’s cock shot even more, eagerly, needing a mate to claim.
No. This wasn’t about mating.
Valor yanked himself out of Samsen’s underwear, leaving white streaks on Samsen’s shirt, his pants, his shoes.
Fuck, the man looked good like that. Covered all over in Valor’s marking. Valor wanted to reach into Samsen’s briefs and push
his cum into Samsen’s hole, but that was going too far.
Not yet.
One day.
He rubbed the streaks into Samsen’s shirt and pants. He grasped Samsen’s ass, making sure his cum was smeared all over his
cheeks. Then he straightened Samsen’s underwear, zipping his pants back up.
Zipping his cum inside.
“Wear it like that,” Valor growled. “You will not change out of these clothes.”
Samsen squawked. “But my ass—”
“Is wet with my cum. Yes.” Valor grinned, all sharp teeth. “Is it on your hole, too?”
Samsen’s face turned a deep red.
It was. Valor had made sure of it, and his instincts hummed with satisfaction.
He patted Samsen on the ass, taking a step back to straighten his clothes. His zipper caught against the growing swell of his
knot. Maybe someday... he’d get to knot Samsen, too.
Why couldn’t he stop thinking about that aggravating man?
Samsen wandered dazedly out of Valor’s office, his gait uneven as he tried to adjust to the wetness in his pants.
Valor watched as Samsen busied himself with his duties at the Center. After some time, Samsen returned to the disused office,
looking around carefully before slipping inside, closing the door behind him.
He emerged some time later, walking out as though he wasn’t hiding something in there.
Valor couldn’t believe this had been going on for so long without anyone noticing it.
Through the afternoon, Valor kept an eye on that office. Samsen returned almost every hour like clockwork, always looking a
little better when he left the office. Happier somehow, even if he still seemed exhausted and downtrodden.
When this had gone on long enough, Valor stepped into the office and looked around.
He checked the cabinets. He rounded the desk.
As he rolled the office chair away, he noticed the pile of loose newsprint in the leg well, sitting on a plain white mat.
What could it be covering up? Stolen goods? A bag? Certainly not a living creature, since Valor hadn’t heard a single sound
from this room.
When he brushed the newspaper aside, he found a basket, and a wide-eyed child looking up at him in surprise.
A baby.
Valor swore.
Why hadn’t he thought of that? Of course it was Samsen’s child. That explained why Samsen had been so reluctant to leave
yesterday. Why he’d sneaked back into the Center last night.
Valor didn’t feel stupid very often, but he certainly did right now.
He stared at the baby. She stared back at him. She opened and closed her mouth, too, but made no sound. Why?
Suspicious, Valor gave her his finger, eyebrows rising when she took it in her tiny fist. She opened her mouth enthusiastically,
looking like she was forcing sounds out—just that he couldn’t hear her.
When he looked down, he realized that the mat’s pale blue edge wasn’t just decoration. Instead, it was a long line of tiny runes
squeezed close together, so it looked like a solid stretch of color from afar.
The mat was spelled, and trapping all the sounds the baby made.
She blew spit bubbles and smiled up at him.
“You were saying something, weren’t you?” he asked. “The spell’s keeping you quiet.”
The next moment, Samsen skidded to a stop outside the office, his eyes wide with panic.
 5

A L M O S T H I S WO R S T N I G HT M A R E

S AMSEN ’ S HEART STOPPED . “No, no, nonono.”

This couldn’t be happening. Valor couldn’t be sitting behind the desk, on the floor, right in front of Samsen’s secret.
But he was. And from the way he looked at Samsen, he knew.
Samsen fought down his panic. He stepped into the office and shut the door, straightening his shoulders. “You said you
wouldn’t take away my baby.”
“I’m not. She’s still in there.” Valor nodded at the desk.
Samsen wobbled forward, releasing half a breath when he found Mazie still in her basket, her face lighting up when she saw
him.
He made himself crouch next to Valor to retrieve her. This made their legs bump together; Valor’s thigh was so thick and sturdy.
Samsen swallowed hard. He scooped Mazie out of her blankets, her tiny body so comforting against his chest.
Then she grabbed his ear and yanked, and he squawked. “Mazie! Why did you—”
“Wa wa wa!” She smiled so innocently that he couldn’t find it in himself to be mad at all.
“Yeah, sure, grab my face, why don’t you? I’m just another chew toy,” he grumbled, wrapping her in his arms and backing
away from the giant—Valor took up all the space between the desk and the wall.
Mazie babbled. Then she turned to Valor, reaching for him with both hands.
“No! Not him,” Samsen growled, taking her further from that man. “He just tried to steal you.”
Valor sighed. “I did not. I didn’t even think about removing her from her basket.”
“You could still do that.” Samsen scowled.
Did Valor look amused? “I’ve told you; I can make my own if I wanted one. Several, with enough time and effort.”
Hot embarrassment flooded Samsen’s face. It had taken a long, long time for the wetness between his cheeks to dry; even now,
he could still feel the remnants of it there. Could still feel the velvety heat of Valor’s thickness against his most intimate parts.
“Ahm!” Mazie said, patting his cheek with her little hand.
Valor tracked their movement across the room, his eyebrow quirking. “I was right, then. There’s a silencing spell.”
He glanced under the desk, and Samsen’s insides twisted.
“I feed her,” he said on impulse. “And I make sure she’s comfortable.”
The giant looked too deeply into him. “Yet you feel guilty.”
Samsen squirmed. He felt terrible leaving Mazie on her own for so long. She could feel his presence through their bond, but...
she wasn’t getting enough attention. Samsen knew that.
But it wasn’t as though he had much of a choice. He didn’t feel comfortable asking his friends for help with childcare every
day, and he didn’t make enough to afford a nanny.
“I come in early to make up for the time I spend feeding her and changing her diapers,” Samsen mumbled, looking at his feet.
Valor shot him a shrewd look. “Is she happy here?”
Samsen wasn’t sure. He wasn’t brave enough to think too hard about it. “I’m trying my best.”
But his voice cracked in the middle of that sentence, and he didn’t know what to do.
Valor narrowed his eyes. He stood fluidly, rounding the desk and closing the distance between them. “She needs more, doesn’t
she?”
Samsen’s heart clenched. “You can’t take her away.”
“I’m not suggesting that. What I am suggesting is that you leave her in my office—”
“In your office?” Samsen spluttered.
“With me.” Valor gave a sharp smile.
“With you?”
That was all kinds of wrong.
But... Valor had power and freedom that Samsen didn’t have. And... with the recent spate of baby-related crimes, someone
strong like Valor... might help protect Mazie better.
Just that Mazie was a half-vampire, and if Valor found out, he’d fire Samsen for stealing the blood bags, wouldn’t he?
“Why are you offering?” Samsen blurted.
Valor shrugged. He gave Samsen an inscrutable look, before turning back and retrieving the basket and mat.
“Come on.” Valor opened the office door.
Slowly, Samsen trailed after him. The back office didn’t encounter much blood at all; maybe Mazie wouldn’t reveal her
vampiric nature to Valor here.
But Mazie wasn’t just a vampire.
She was something else, too. And that made her a rare double-breed that the shady crooks might want to get their hands on.
Was Valor one of them?
Some of Samsen’s coworkers turned to stare as they moved through the hallways. The volunteer donation area was at the front
of the building, with nice offices and large windows, courtesy of some generous donations years ago. Toward the back, the
offices were more utilitarian, with plain walls and simple wooden doors.
If something bad happened here, no one would notice until it was too late.
Samsen pulled out his phone, snapping a picture of the back of Valor’s head. Then he opened the large group chat with all of
his friends, and his friends’ mates’ friends.
The people he could trust.
Samsen
Hi, my boss is volunteering to watch my baby while I work. I don’t know if I can trust him
[image sent]
I’ve attached a picture of him, I’ll get his face later
Onyx
What’s his name? We’ll do a search on our end.
Telos
Maybe include a picture of the front of his head
 There’s a special breed of person who can identify people by the backs of their heads, and that’s Mav.

Mav
I do not ID people by the backs of their heads.
Telos
Well, you certainly can identify ME by the back of my head.
Mav
....
Yaeger
Oh, is it drama time?

Valor turned then, and Samsen snapped a picture of his side profile. The giant frowned. “What’re you doing?”
“Um. Asking some people if I can trust you.”
Valor rolled his eyes. “You can trust me.”
He strode into his office, leaving Samsen to follow him.
Samsen
Here’s the side of his face.
[image sent]
Telos
OH.
Oh my word.
This is a very bad man
You absolutely have to spit in his face

Samsen froze. Spit... in Valor’s face? Just how evil was he?
Valor sighed and pulled out his buzzing phone. “What the hell is going on?”
He had Mazie’s basket propped under one arm. With his other hand, he swiped at his phone, his eyes flicking across the screen.
Maybe Samsen should flee with Mazie while he was distracted.
“What the actual fuck,” Valor said. He raised his phone as though he was taking a picture.
Then a new message came in on the group chat. Samsen backed away so he could peek at his phone.
Valor
[image sent]
This is the front of his face.
Fuck you, Telos

Samsen blinked several times. Valor was on his group chat? With the people he could trust?
“So... I’m not supposed to spit in your face?” Samsen blurted.
Valor gave a long-suffering sigh. “If you do, there will be consequences.”
“Like what?”
Those hazel eyes darkened. “Like I haul you over my lap and redden your ass.”
Samsen’s breath rushed out of him.
“And you don’t get to come,” Valor said dryly. “I’m not going to threaten you with a good time.”
The fact that Valor could so easily talk about Samsen’s bottom like that, like he was offering to touch Samsen there again...
Samsen gulped, backing even further away.
He could trust this man.
He could let Valor touch him.
What would it feel like, if Valor made good on his promise? Having that thick, silky length sliding between Samsen’s cheeks
again? His body thrummed with awareness and a low ache.
“Wa wa waaa,” Mazie squealed, kicking in his arms.
She broke Samsen out of his thoughts. For a moment, he stared at her, wondering how he’d even gotten here.
Valor’s smirk grew. A shiver went down to Samsen’s toes.
“Why are you even volunteering to watch her?” he blurted.
“Because I don’t want my employees distracted during office hours.” Valor glanced at Mazie. “And because that child deserves
better than being stuffed under some newspapers all day.”
Samsen flushed with shame. “I-I only work part time. And she’s usually napping when I cover her up.”
Valor shrugged and approached Samsen, shutting the door to the office. In a lower voice, he added, “I hadn’t realized you were
that Samsen. The one we’re currently harboring because of the risk.” He nodded at Mazie.
For a second, Samsen panicked. How much had he told Liem and Elson’s mates about Mazie? Did Valor already know about
his vampirism?
It didn’t seem like he did, from how he still hadn’t fired Samsen.
“I will send you home tonight,” Valor said.
“You what?”
Valor raised an eyebrow. “How have you been getting home?”
A mix of public bus rides and walking, especially when the safe house he lived in was so far away. Samsen shrugged
uncomfortably.
Valor frowned at his phone. “Do these guys not provide transportation?”
“I told them I’d handle it. You all have been doing way too much.”
“You know you’re at risk.”
Samsen sighed. It took a lot of manpower to provide protection; someone had to drive over to the safe house to pick him up for
work, then drive to his workplace, before they could carry on with their day. And someone else had to do the same thing for his
trip home. After a few months of it, Samsen had asked to be released from that part of the protection because he’d felt bad
about taking up everyone’s time.
Mazie didn’t often reveal herself to be a vampire child.
Much less the other thing she was.
“I’ll take you home tonight. Don’t leave when you clock off,” Valor said.
Samsen hesitated. If he was bumming a ride for just one day... That wasn’t so bad. His feet got so tired from walking home.
“Fine.”
Valor returned to the other side of the office, laying the spelled mat behind his solid wooden desk. He set Mazie’s basket on it,
right next to his chair.
“How is that better?” Samsen blurted. “She’s just going to stare at your shoes all day.”
Valor sighed and moved the mat and basket across the office, so Mazie would be able to see his face, too. “There. Now she can
watch me as I work.”
The basket was hidden from the office door by an armchair; Samsen grudgingly agreed that this was better. “Fine.”
“Good. Get back to work.”
Wow, he was brusque. Samsen scowled and flipped Valor off. But he couldn’t help feeling the weight of Valor’s stare as he left
the office; he couldn’t help the way his heart fluttered.
He didn’t like Valor. Most definitely not.
 6

B I G B O S S B A B Y S IT T E R

VALOR COULDN ’ T SAY he’d ever been alone with a baby. Especially not one who kept blowing spit bubbles while she watched
him.
He finished writing his email and sent it, then turned.
Mazie’s large brown eyes were fixed on him, her mouth opening and closing as though she was making sounds. He couldn’t
hear her though.
Because of the spelled mat.
“Hey,” Valor said, since she could still hear him.
He wasn’t actually sure what to do with her; he had utterly no experience with children. All he knew was that they cried and
giggled and got mess everywhere.
And they could be family.
Pack.
He shoved aside those thoughts, turning back to his laptop. Samsen and Mazie were just transient acquaintances in his life.
Even if Samsen smelled so good that all Valor wanted was to drag him close, and bury his face in his neck.
He hadn’t wanted that before, with anyone. Hadn’t really given much thought to settling down when he’d lost his entire pack a
lifetime ago.
Hell, he’d been drifting from place to place, wary about making friends until Yaeger, Onyx, Telos and the rest had dragged him
to a bar, and stitched him into their friend group. Their friendship wasn’t even all that painful aside from the occasional prank
from Telos.
When he looked over at Mazie again, she had drool dripping down her chin. And she was looking at him expectantly.
Valor sighed. Babies shouldn’t have to feel lonely.
He grabbed a tissue and crossed the room, crouching in front of her. “Hey, kid.”
She moved her lips like she was saying Ba ba ba! and it made him smile. “You hungry yet?”
Mazie reached for him; he blotted off her spit and let her hold his fingers.
She was so tiny. So fragile. And yet her smile was so bright and innocent, it made his breath catch. It made him wonder if...
maybe he wanted a baby, at some point in the future. So he could have someone to hold and protect.
Mazie was so perfectly good in that moment, that Valor didn’t expect what happened next.
She tipped her head back.
Then, a glob of spit landed in his eye.
Mazie kicked her little legs, looking absolutely delighted with herself.
“Mazie?” Valor ground his finger against his eye to wipe out the—baby spit? “Fuck. I guess you’re not completely
defenseless.”
What species was she, anyway? He hadn’t figured out what Samsen was. He’d spent his life keeping to himself, not paying
attention to those around him. It was only now, having met the bundle of secrets that was Samsen Petesworth, that he realized
he should’ve paid more attention to the different magical races.
Someone knocked quietly on the door. Quietly, but hurriedly.
“Come in,” Valor said, listening to a quick heartbeat he was starting to find familiar.
Samsen slipped in and shut the door tightly. “Wh-what did she do?” he squeaked, hurrying over.
“Spat in my eye.”
The man dragged his hands down his face. “Oh, gods, Mazie. Why. Why did you have to ruin my job?” He scooped Mazie out
of her basket, frowning down at her. “Don’t spit at my boss! I need him to like you!”
Valor snorted. “I’m not offended.”
“You’re not?” Samsen’s gaze snapped to him.
Valor shrugged. “Were you hovering around listening in?”
Samsen blushed a bright pink. “No!”
But there was a stutter in his pulse. “Are you sure you’re not lying?”
“Oh, gods,” Samsen whispered. When Mazie began to whimper, Samsen wrapped a sling around her. “Anyway, I have to take
her elsewhere to let her nurse.”
“Why can’t you do it here?”
Samsen squirmed. “I—I need some privacy.”
His tone said there was more to this feeding than he was letting on.
“Feed her here.”
“She needs, uh, something else. I have to get it for her.”
“Then bring it here. Feed her in front of me.”
Samsen paled, his already-pasty skin turning almost white.
Valor raised an eyebrow. “You’re safer here with me than being out there by yourself.”
He saw the moment Samsen conceded. Samsen sagged a little, his expression turning so uncertain. “You have to promise that
you won’t look.”
After what they’d done in his office, Samsen was self-conscious about feeding a child? It didn’t make sense.
But Valor said anyway, “I promise.”
Samsen sighed and relaxed slightly. He kissed Mazie on the forehead and tucked her into her basket, before hurrying out.
Valor crouched in front of her, watching as she tried to stuff her foot into her mouth. “What are his secrets?”
“Pbbb,” she said with a smile.
Yeah, she was the only one who could ignore his questions, and he wouldn’t call her out on it. Maybe Samsen too, but in
Samsen’s case, Valor was going to watch that man carefully, until he let something slip.
Someone knocked—Samsen? That was quick.
When the door opened, it wasn’t the tiny man who stepped in, but Valor’s new butler, the one he’d hired based off Yaeger’s
recommendation.
“Boss Master, sir!” Hans exclaimed, dancing into the office.
Valor cringed. “What’re you doing here?”
Hans was... eccentric. There was no other word to describe him. His chosen appearance was that of a middle-aged man with
bright green eyes and an easy smile, and he looked like a stick of dough that had been stretched too thin. Almost like a
caricature.
Hans opened his mouth, about to answer, when he spotted Mazie kicking her feet. His jaw dropped comically. “You have a
baby? Do I need to prepare a nursery immediately?”
Valor pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. I’m just—babysitting.”
“You?”
Valor scowled. “Quit sounding so incredulous. I’m not inept.”
“Just last night, you were glowering at the baby clothes ads on TV. You must have caught a bug.” Hans hurried over, pressing
his cold fingers to Valor’s forehead. “Shall I call the doctor?”
Valor jerked back and slapped his hand away. “I’m fine.”
Mazie giggled, peering up at Hans.
“Aww, aren’t you a wee sweet one?” Hans beamed. To Valor, he said, “Are you planning to steal her?”
Valor groaned. “No. And please quit suggesting that, or her father is going to panic and take her away.”
Hans looked too closely at him. “You want her dad to stay?”
“He’s an employee. I don’t make it a habit of threatening my employees with baby theft.”
Except Hans’ smile grew. He perked up and glanced around eagerly. “Oh. Is that what it is? You’re courting her dad by offering
to watch her? You’ve been so lonely in bed; I can see why. This past week, you’ve been humping and groaning—”
The door opened right then, just in time for Samsen to hear the last few words. He froze in the doorway, one hand in his pocket.
Valor scrubbed his face. “I don’t need you broadcasting my private life to my employees,” he hissed. “Go home.”
“Home is where my boss is,” Hans sang, doing a weird twirl that had Samsen’s eyebrows scrunching together.
“No. Out.” Valor jabbed his finger at the door.
“You have to hump and groan in front of him,” Hans said meaningfully. “Demonstrate your loudest and most beastly growl.
Beat your chest. Deafen your competitors.” But he did walk over to the door—only to stop in front of Samsen, peering at him.
Samsen, understandably, looked wary. “Don’t worry, young man. I am just the Boss Master’s old butler. He really favors
doggy-style and neck-sniffing. But don’t make any dog jokes—Well. Maybe you can. He might not murder you.”
“Hans,” Valor hissed, embarrassment creeping up his neck. This wasn’t how he wanted to... further his interactions with
Samsen. How the hell had his butler ferreted out those things about him, anyway?
Samsen glanced at Valor, then Hans, and back to Valor, his cheeks growing pink.
What would he feel like beneath Valor?
“Boss Master has never watched over a baby in his life, Hans said in a stage whisper. “Looks like he’s making a big ol’
exception for you.”
Then he winked. At Samsen. And he flounced out of the office.
This left Samsen and Valor staring at each other, Mazie babbling cheerfully.
“Um,” Samsen said, wide-eyed.
“Just feed her,” Valor growled. “Ignore Hans. He’s insane.”
“Is he really your butler?”
Valor sighed. “Unfortunately. He’s a mistake. I’ll fire him the next chance I get.”
“I think... I think he has your best interests at heart,” Samsen said softly.
That made Valor snort. “You think so?”
Samsen nodded. “Have you really not cared for a child before?”
Valor shrugged, trying not to feel embarrassed. “I’ve never had a reason to.”
“Would you like me to show you?”
Seeing as how Valor’s new friends were all in on this baby-protection campaign... It was only a matter of time before Valor
found himself with a baby on his hands. “It wouldn’t hurt to learn,” he grumbled.
The blush on Samsen’s cheeks intensified. “O-okay,” he mumbled. “Um, later. When I’m done feeding her.”
He scooped his daughter into his arms and hurried to the far corner of the office, hiking up his shirt with one hand. Valor tried
to focus on his work. But he couldn’t help noticing the inch of skin above Samsen’s pants, the dip of his spine. Samsen was
unnaturally pale. Valor didn’t think he’d ever met anyone who felt so cold, whose skin felt like it lacked a good supply of
blood.
“There,” Samsen whispered as the suckling noises begin. “Sorry you had to wait so long today, sweetheart.”
He fumbled something out of his pocket, crouching on the floor to... balance her on his knees?
“Use the couch,” Valor grumbled. “You don’t have to be uncomfortable.”
Samsen’s neck turned pink. “I, uh. The couch isn’t in a good position.”
“Look, I can turn away. Just sit on the damn couch, all right?”
“Really?” Samsen peeked over his shoulder.
Why he was going this far to accommodate one man, Valor wasn’t sure. His instincts demanded it. So he unplugged his laptop
and made a show of turning away.
The couch squeaked ever so softly; Samsen gave a quiet sigh. He’d been hiding his discomfort.
Somehow, that thought got on Valor’s nerves.
He managed to rein in his reactions, all the way until he smelled a faint trace of blood.
“Is she hurting you?” Valor almost turned back around.
“No!”
“I smell blood.”
Samsen’s pulse quickened. “Crap. I, um. I have to go.”
“No, stay,” Valor growled. “You’re in the middle of nursing.”
Samsen’s indecision was so taut that Valor felt it across the space between them. Finally, Samsen sank back into the couch; his
silence felt wary.
The scent of blood lingered. Why would Samsen cover up an injury? He’d done it last night, too, in the employee washroom.
The moment Samsen whispered, “All right, we’re done,” Valor shoved his laptop back onto his desk and crossed the room,
yanking up Samsen’s T-shirt.
Samsen squawked, his cheeks turning bright pink.
There was no blood on him. No bleeding, no bite marks. But his nipple looked wet; the other one had milk leaking steadily
from it, smeared across his chest.
Something about that sight—it stirred Valor’s instincts.
Fertile.
His mouth watered. He tipped Samsen backward and leaned in, closing his lips around the neglected nipple. Milk rushed over
his tongue, a burst of liquid sweetness.
Samsen’s spine arched. He swore and dug his nails into Valor’s arm. “Valor!”
The only reason Valor pulled away, was because Mazie was there. He licked his lips and released Samsen, his lips tingling.
He couldn’t get Samsen’s taste out of his head. The salty tang of his skin, the bitterness of his cum, the sweetness of his milk.
It would be so easy to bring him home. Taste him thoroughly. Sniff him to his heart’s content.
If Valor did that, he’d stop obsessing over Samsen, right?
He made himself take a step back. “Show me how you care for her.”
Samsen flushed. “W-well, first I have to burp her,” he mumbled, holding Mazie upright against his chest, thumping her back
lightly. “She swallows some air when she nurses; this will help get rid of it.”
He had a towel draped over his shoulder. Valor understood the reason for it when milk dribbled out of Mazie’s mouth. When
Samsen was satisfied, he laid out a mat on the couch and showed Valor how to change Mazie’s diaper and wipe her down.
Valor hadn’t noticed before, but Samsen’s hands were sturdy and capable, confident in caring for his daughter where he’d been
nervous around Valor. When Samsen focused on Mazie, he seemed to get lost in his own little world, cooing and smiling like
she was his most important person.
Valor swallowed, distinctly uncomfortable. Where had that feeling come from?
Samsen met his eyes. “Now you know what to do if you rescue a baby.”
The words fell out of Valor’s mouth before he could stop himself. “You’d do it, wouldn’t you? Rescue a baby.”
Samsen straightened his shoulders. “Yes.”
“Even if it put you in danger?”
“If Mazie is safe, yes.” But Samsen bit his lip. “Well. Maybe. I’m all she has. I shouldn’t be putting myself at risk. But I would
if I didn’t have her.”
“I’ll protect you,” Valor found himself saying. “You and Mazie both.”
Surprise darted through Samsen’s face. “You don’t have to.”
“I want you both to be safe,” Valor growled.
Samsen’s mouth twitched into a smile. “Thank you.”
Oh.
Valor hadn’t seen Samsen’s smile before this. It was... It should be illegal, how it transformed the man and made him look
younger. Freer. Valor’s instincts rumbled under his skin, needing to mark Samsen, needing to offer him more protection.
But they’d just met. He couldn’t be feeling this way just because Samsen smelled nice.
“You will return to my office and feed Mazie every time she needs it,” Valor said. “You are allowed to use this room if I’m
away at a meeting. If I have visitors, I’ll text you when the office is available.”
Samsen blinked rapidly. “That’s—very generous of you.”
Valor shrugged and looked back at his laptop so he wouldn’t keep staring. “Just doing my duty.”
“Oh.”
Was it him, or did Samsen seem disappointed?
And why did Valor hate that he’d failed Samsen somehow?
 7

A N AW K WA R D D I N N E R

“WE’ LL STOP by an Italian restaurant on the way back,” Valor said when Samsen clambered into the passenger seat of his car.
Samsen froze. “R-restaurant?”
Valor raised an eyebrow. “Are you not hungry?”
Yes, but not for pasta. It had been a long time since Samsen could stomach the food he used to love. “Um. N-no.”
“Pretty sure that was a lie.”
Samsen looked at the seatbelt release button, wondering if there was time for him to climb out, grab Mazie from the new car
seat, and run. “I, um. I don’t like restaurants.”
Not anymore, anyway.
“Too crowded? What about I cook you something at home? Anything you like?”
Samsen bit his lip. If he were still a human, if he were still normal, any of the above would’ve been so nice. As it was, all he
could consume from the grocery store now was raw liver, or animal blood. And that would be a dead giveaway. Not to
mention, it’d probably look really weird at Valor’s dinner table.
He shrugged. “I just want to go home, if that’s okay.”
“Ba ba ba!” Mazie said.
Valor had started driving. He shot Samsen a sideways look. “You don’t have much to eat at the safe house, do you?”
Samsen shook his head. At least he could be truthful about that.
“Tell you what. Why don’t I get you some food on the way there?”
Samsen winced. “You don’t have to.”
“You’re hungry. I know a good place.” Valor flipped his turn signal. Then they were pulling into the parking lot of a fancy
restaurant, and Samsen cringed.
“The pizza here is pretty good. They use recipes from Italy.”
“Um.”
Valor raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be quick. They don’t take long.”
It was late fall; the sun had set a while ago. Samsen watched miserably as the giant disappeared into the restaurant.
He twisted around, peeking at Mazie in the backseat. “Guess we’ll be stuck smelling food we can’t eat, huh?”
Well, maybe Mazie would be able to eat human food when she grew older. She wasn’t all vampire.
Mazie beamed and kicked her legs. Samsen pulled out his phone.
 NoMoreFangs77
My boss is driving me home, he’s getting me pizza for dinner (sob emoji)

WolfCubDad
Damn, that’s rough
I’m sorry, Samsen.
HotMess69
Oh, your boss is Valor! I can’t believe you hadn’t met him before this. He was at a few of the meetings with
Yaeger
JoeyNotAKangaroo
Does that mean the pizza is for me? (hopeful emoji)
NoMoreFangs77
I guess (sad emoji)
WolfCubDad
You could always ask him to get you some raw liver
JoeyNotAKangaroo
I’ll pretend that I really need some for liver and onion pie.
NoMoreFangs77
Sigh. I could. It’s not as good as blood though.
HotMess69
But at least he’d still be buying you dinner.
WolfCubDad
OR you could tell him your secret, he’ll let you suck his blood, and you’ll get together and live happily ever
after
NoMoreFangs77
It doesn’t work that way

Samsen shoved his phone back into his pocket, twisting around to play Peek-a-boo with Mazie. When Valor returned some time
later, Samsen gawked at the stack of pizza boxes Valor set on the center console. “That’s way too much!”
It smelled familiar, but off. Nowhere near as good as blood. Which really sucked, because he knew the boxes all contained
delicious pizza.
Valor frowned. “I bought a variety. Surely there’s something you like in there. Feel free to start eating.”
Samsen could’ve cried. He scooped the warm boxes onto his lap, staring at them.
“You’re hungry. Eat,” Valor said.
“I can’t,” Samsen blurted, then wished he could’ve clawed those words back into his mouth.
Valor froze. “What do you mean, you can’t?”
“I mean, I can’t.”
“You can’t be allergic to all of it.”
Samsen sighed. “I can.”
“Fuck,” Valor said. “What can you eat, then?”
“Um. Um. Joey said he’s making liver and—and onion pie. So we can get some liver for that?”
Liver was a terrible second choice. But short of going back to the Center for more blood, Samsen didn’t have anything else to
eat right now.
“Pie crust has wheat flour in it, same as pizza dough,” Valor said shrewdly. “You won’t be able to eat the pie.”
“I can eat the—the filling.”
“Fine.” Valor drove them to Fresh Goods, parked, and left Samsen and Mazie in the car again. Samsen buried his face in his
hands and groaned.
When Valor returned with several bags of ingredients—including a lot of liver—Samsen’s nose twitched, and his stomach
growled.
Then, finally, they were on their way to the safe house.
Joey was at the door when they pulled up, salivating at the stack of pizza boxes. He was scrawnier than Samsen, and just as
worn down. “That smells so good!”
“Yeah, well, good for you.” Samsen scooped Mazie out of the car seat, frowning when he found Valor striding straight through
the front door with all the grocery bags. “What’re you doing?”
Valor set the bags on the kitchen counter, pulling out the ingredients. “Where’s the recipe? I’ll make the pie filling. Liver and
onions should be quick.”
Across the living room, Joey and Samsen stared at each other, horrified.
“It’s my Mom’s recipe,” Joey said. “I can make it.”
“Hand it over.” Valor held his hand out.
“Why’re you doing this?” Samsen couldn’t help asking. “You’re my boss.”
The giant narrowed his eyes. “Right now, I’m the guy responsible for this safe house. You look like you’re about to fall over on
your feet. Sit down. I’ll make you something you can actually eat.”
Samsen gulped, feeling everyone’s attention on him. Joey grimaced and slowly backed out of the kitchen, pulling out his cheap
flip phone that... had no recipes on it. “Uh, you’re supposed to... blend all the liver together,” Joey blurted. “It’s supposed to be
almost liquid when you make the pie.”
And maybe Samsen could sneak away and drink the bloody milkshake?
Valor winced. “I’ve never heard of a liver and onion recipe that used liver slush.”
“That’s my mom’s recipe,” Joey said like the amazing friend he was. “You can almost drink it all down when it’s cooked.
Like... food for someone who can’t chew!”
Samsen nodded hurriedly. “Yes, like that.”
Valor narrowed his eyes. “Someone’s lying.”
Well, there was nothing Samsen could say to that. Valor’s gaze fixed on him, though.
Valor opened his mouth—except a sound came from outside the house, like someone was trying to open the front door.
Samsen’s stomach dropped. Valor was already moving; Joey had disappeared to grab his baby, Katie.
Samsen cradled Mazie to himself, making sure his sling was secure. When he was confident that he wouldn’t drop his daughter,
he hurried after Valor.
“Stay back,” Valor growled, turning off all the lights.
Damn it! For the second day in a row, the openings in Samsen’s colored contacts were too small for him to see in the dark.
But this was an emergency. He pinched them out and dropped them, breathing with relief when his dilated pupils caught what
little light there was, giving him his full night vision.
Mazie whimpered against his chest. She felt his anxiety, didn’t she?
“Shh, it’ll be all right,” he whispered, cupping her little head protectively.
He followed Valor to the door. Valor turned to glower, freezing when he saw Samsen.
Then he muttered, “Don’t step out of the house,” and threw open the door, taking off into the night.
“What’s going on?” Joey crowded close to Samsen, Katie cradled against his chest.
“Valor ran out to investigate.” Samsen squirmed. I don’t know if it’s just the one person. What if there’s more?”
He had decent hearing, but it was nothing like a wolf’s, or a shapeshifter’s.
The only thing he had a good nose for, was blood.
“I’ll text the others.” Joey pulled out his phone.
They kept the door shut tight, Joey’s phone lighting up the dark space. Vaguely, Samsen heard the sound of scuffling, a fight
breaking out. Someone swore.
Then there was a yowl, and footsteps thumping away.
Samsen and Joey exchanged a look.
“Don’t come out,” Valor growled from somewhere outside the house. “Let me clear the area first.”
Samsen and Joey clung to each other while Joey tapped another update to their friends.
Eventually, after much rustling, Valor stepped back up to the house. “All clear. The fucker ran off.”
Samsen remembered Telos’ face and voice changing to mimic any person’s, and winced. “How can we be sure that you’re
you?”
“I bought you pizzas for dinner, and you refused to eat them.”
That made Samsen smile. “All right. You pass.”
He drew back the bolts on the door, opening it.
The next thing he knew, the scent of blood filled his lungs.
It was strong. Overpowering. Thick and heady and rich. It wasn’t anything like the faint copper at the Center, no. This blood
had notes of earth and wildness; it smelled of strength. Samsen’s mouth watered.
He couldn’t stop himself from latching onto that scent. Samsen’s fangs dropped; his stomach hurt with hunger, and his irises
turned ice-blue, their pupils elongating like a cat’s.
But those reactions were all in the background, something he barely paid attention to.
He was out of the house before he could think, stepping onto the porch, pressing himself against Valor’s warm front, his tongue
seeking out the wounds before he could stop himself.
 8

SAMSEN’S SECRET

VALOR’ S BLOOD TASTED HEADY, spicy and full of life. It was better than the blood he stole from the Center. Better than any other
blood Samsen had ever tasted.
This blood thrummed with goodness; it was so fresh. Samsen groaned, dragging his tongue over Valor’s wound to taste him
again—
His tongue was on Valor.
Valor was his boss.
And Valor wasn’t supposed to discover his thirst for blood.
With a yelp, Samsen sprang back, his stomach clenching. “S-sorry, I-I—Uh. I.”
“You...?” Valor asked, watching him too closely.
“I was trying to get that fly out of your wound,” Samsen blurted.
Behind him, Joey groaned.
“A fly,” Valor said flatly, his gaze flickering between Samsen and Mazie, before locking onto Samsen’s face. “So your
immediate reaction is to fish it out with your tongue.”
“Yes.”
Valor prowled forward, grasping Samsen’s chin, tipping his face up. Samsen tried to jerk away; the giant caught Samsen’s nape
with his other hand, capturing him in place.
Theoretically, Samsen could overpower him. Probably. He had the strength now. But running from his boss would turn this
quickly into ‘running from his ex-boss’.
Valor pressed the pad of his thumb against Samsen’s extended fang; he slid that warm touch down to the blunt, almost-
horizontal end of it. “What happened here?”
Samsen cringed. “I-I filed the ends off.”
“You—” For a moment, the man stared as though Samsen had grown five extra limbs. “Why?”
“Can I go now? Please?”
Valor could probably hear the way Samsen’s heart tried to beat out of his chest. Maybe if they didn’t talk about this, Valor
would forget that Samsen was his employee? Somehow?
“Get back into the house,” Valor said roughly. “I don’t want us standing out here just waiting to be attacked again.”
At that, Samsen jerked himself backward, hurrying into the safe house, trying not to feel like he’d majorly fucked up. He’d
already ruined his life once, except this time he had Mazie to look out for, and he was ruining everything again.
Instead of snarling at Samsen, Valor locked the door and pulled off his shirt.
His pecs flexed; his abs rippled. Three long scratches stretched diagonally across his front, dripping blood. Samsen
swallowed hard.
Valor gestured at his injury. “Have at it.”
“Th-that’s it?” Samsen squeaked. “You’re just going to let me—lick your wounds?”
“Your saliva helps to stop the bleeding, doesn’t it?”
It did. Samsen nodded awkwardly, looking into those inscrutable hazel eyes.
He’d probably be fired after this. But he may as well be fired for making out with Valor’s glorious muscles covered in blood,
right? “J-just give me one moment. Mazie.”
Samsen hurried to set Mazie on a thick blanket on the floor. Ordinarily, he’d have fed her and rocked her to sleep first, but
Valor was still bleeding. This was an emergency.
Except when he crept back to Valor and stood in front of him, all empty hands and drooling mouth... it felt like the opposite of
an emergency.
Valor didn’t seem to be suffering, or in all that much pain.
“It’s really... okay?” Samsen blurted. “If I, uh, lick your blood?”
“Yeah,” Valor murmured.
Was it Samsen, or was Valor’s gaze softer now?
He ducked his head, carefully holding onto Valor’s belt loops and leaning in. The scent of Valor’s blood almost overwhelmed
him again. Samsen made himself focus on Valor’s other scents: his sweat and musk and earthy tones.
He paused with his lips a whisper away from Valor’s injury, his skin prickling under Valor’s gaze. “Y-you trust me?”
Valor sighed and cupped the back of Samsen’s head, pushing his face against his chest.
Samsen ended up with blood smeared all over his mouth, his nose buried in Valor’s skin.
A shudder rippled through his entire body.
Carefully, he licked the wound, his senses thrumming with the taste of Valor’s blood. He chased the next drop and the next,
pressing closer, sealing his lips over Valor’s skin, barely stopping himself from sucking on the man outright.
He didn’t realize he was moaning until someone made a sound.
“I’ll watch Mazie in the other room,” Joey said dryly in the background.
Samsen was about to answer when he trailed his tongue along the wound, and Valor sucked in a slow, tempered breath. “Does
it hurt?” Samsen asked against his skin.
“It’s better when you lick it.” Valor’s voice was lower now, rumblier.
Samsen blushed.
Heat radiated from Valor’s body to his lips. Samsen lapped up every drop, feeling guilty about taking his time so that more
blood would leak out of Valor the longer he delayed.
He finished cleaning the first scratch out of three. Already, Samsen dreaded the end. A soft whimper left him; he pressed his
mouth to the second scratch, thoroughly working his tongue into it because he had to make sure it completely stopped bleeding,
right?
“It just tastes so good,” Samsen whispered to himself.
Valor inhaled again, and his pec muscle pressed flush against Samsen’s face.
Gods, it was like a wet dream come true. Samsen reluctantly began licking the third scratch; this one was deeper than the other
two; he made sure to clean it thoroughly, warmth pooling between his legs. He licked all the way to where the scratch came up
against Valor’s nipple. As his upper lip skimmed against that nub, Valor made a sound in his throat.
“Sorry, sorry! I just—” Samsen tried to avoid touching it again by tilting his head, pressing his tongue flat against the wound.
It was safe like this. No large amounts of bleeding. Just Valor’s body letting Samsen have tiny droplets so there was no chance
of him sucking Valor dry.
Samsen hadn’t realized how much he’d missed fresh blood until now. He clung to the taste, burning it into his memory because
he didn’t know when he’d get another chance like this.
Eventually, there was no more blood on Valor’s chest. Samsen whimpered, nuzzling Valor’s wound, hating that he was still
ravenous. He hadn’t thought he was this hungry until he’d tasted Valor. And now he couldn’t get enough.
He made himself pull away, his body hurting with the increasing distance. He made himself look at Valor’s clean abs. The
wounds were now starting to heal, faster because of Samsen’s vampire saliva.
“You’ve got some—” Valor reached up, his calloused thumb stroking just under Samsen’s lower lip, sending another surge of
tingles through his body.
Samsen couldn’t let that blood go to waste. He leaned in, closing his mouth around Valor’s thumb, slowly sucking away the last
smear of blood.
“Fuck,” Valor hissed, his pupils dilating.
Samsen found himself shoved against a wall, suddenly. Valor was a solid block of muscle holding him up off the floor, pressing
their bodies together, a wildness to his eyes that made Samsen’s pulse stutter.
Then Valor lowered Samsen slightly, and something thick and hard pushed between his legs. Samsen shuddered, arousal
spiking through his gut. “V-Valor—”
Valor pushed his thumb back into his mouth. “Suck.”
Samsen pretended that he was sucking Valor elsewhere, hollowing his cheeks, dragging his tongue up the rough pad of his
thumb.
“That’s it,” Valor whispered. “You’ll suck my cock so good, won’t you?”
Samsen’s breath rushed out. Valor was thick between his legs, hot and hard and so big, he’d probably make Samsen come just
by being inside. Samsen squirmed, digging his fingers into Valor’s arms, his nails turning just the slightest bit pointed.
Valor’s smile was sharp and hungry. He ground their cocks together, a slow thrust that sent a jolt of bliss up Samsen’s spine.
Samsen gasped.
“Feel my cock?” Valor growled. “Want it to tease your tight little hole? Want it to make you stretch? Push deep inside?”
A moan burst of Samsen. “D-don’t just tease!”
Valor licked his lips, his eyes dark. And he plucked Samsen off the wall, turning and walking straight into Samsen’s bedroom.
A door slammed; Valor set Samsen down on the edge of the bed.
He began unbuckling his belt. Samsen couldn’t breathe. Gods, Valor didn’t beat around any bush. He undid his zipper with a
sharp rasp, pulling out his thick, flushed length. It glistened at the tip, foreskin stretched indecently around its glans, and as
Samsen watched, Valor pulled back that skin, showing Samsen the most sensitive part of himself.
“Suck,” he growled.
Just the smell alone was amazing, all musky and rich. The warmth in Samsen’s body burned hotter as he leaned in. Before he
could close his mouth around Valor’s tip, the giant slid his fingers through Samsen’s hair and tipped his head back, so his mouth
fell open.
Valor rubbed his tip over Samsen’s lips, smearing precum back and forth over them like he was marking Samsen with his
claim.
Samsen flicked his tongue out. He caught a clean, salty slipperiness, right before Valor pushed into him, his girth forcing
Samsen’s mouth to stretch wider, his cock hot and silky against his tongue.
He pulsed in his pants, panting, trying to suck, but it was so much. Especially when there was still more cock that he couldn’t
take deeper.
“You look good like that,” Valor murmured. “Debauched.”
When he pulled out, a clear thread of precum hung between his tip and Samsen’s lower lip. Valor caught it with his finger,
pushing it back into Samsen’s mouth.
“Just like my cum,” Valor whispered. “I want it all going inside you.”
“B-but if it goes inside my hole—” Samsen choked.
Valor’s smile grew. “I would like to breed you. You have shown that you are very fertile.”
Oh, fuck. Samsen’s balls pulled tight; he squirmed, but there was no mistaking the way his hole grew wet. “You don’t even
know me!”
Valor’s nostrils flared. Had he smelled Samsen’s arousal? Samsen’s wetness?
He smirked and pushed his tip back into Samsen’s mouth, all the way until it hit the back of Samsen’s throat.
Gods, he was so big.
Valor pulled out again. And pushed back in again. Unhurriedly. Over and over, he slid out completely, the first few inches of
his length glistening and obscene. “You look so good taking my cock.”
Samsen ground the heel of his hand against his bulge, trying to soothe his ache. He didn’t know how long Valor fucked his face,
only that Valor made a sound, suddenly, and flipped Samsen onto his front, hitching Samsen’s hips high in the air.
Then came the firm press of an odd, pointed shape against his ass. Samsen squawked and peeked over his shoulder, only to find
Valor’s nose buried in the seat of his pants.
“You smell like my cum,” Valor growled approvingly, huffing into Samsen’s pants like he couldn’t get enough of that scent.
“You didn’t wipe it off.”
Samsen could have. But he didn’t. His cheeks burned. “What’re you going to do about it?”
Valor gave a vicious smile. “Come all over your front. On your thighs and chest and cock.”
He flipped Samsen onto his back and yanked off his jeans in a rush of fabric. Then he stripped Samsen’s underwear, and rucked
up his shirt.
Samsen squirmed, feeling so exposed in front of such a massive, clothed man. But Valor’s cock jutted over him, thick and red,
and Samsen’s legs opened wide.
“Beautiful,” Valor whispered. He kicked off his own pants and underwear, his thickness already leaking and flushed and ready.
Samsen almost reached down to spread himself. Almost.
Valor lifted Samsen and laid him against the pillows. He crowded closer and skimmed his hot, velvety length down Samsen’s
inner thighs, the heat of it soaking into Samsen’s skin. Valor thrust it along the crease of Samsen’s groin, first one side, then the
other. He rubbed it all over Samsen’s abdomen, then prowled further up and rubbed himself all over Samsen’s chest, his throat,
his face.
It felt so obscene, but it also felt like a claim.
“Mine,” Valor growled, scooping Samsen’s head off the bed so he could grind himself against Samsen’s cheeks. “Now you
smell like my cock. Everywhere.”
Samsen shuddered. Valor pushed his tip back into Samsen’s mouth, giving three hard thrusts that sent Samsen’s precum shooting
out of him. That’d be what Valor would feel like further south, wouldn’t it? Valor would go rough on him. Mark him up, stretch
him out, fuck him ‘til he was loose and gaping.
“Please,” Samsen begged around his cock.
Valor smiled. He scooted back down the bed and pushed their cocks together, sending a shock of pleasure through Samsen.
Their most sensitive parts were touching. Valor’s length was smooth and heavy, and he gathered his precum on his hand,
wrapping it around both of them. Then he thrust, and Samsen writhed, moaning as Valor’s cock pushed illicitly against his,
over and over until he was on the edge.
Valor slid out of his fist, rubbing his tip over Samsen’s balls, down his taint, pushing it against his hole. Samsen keened.
“Imagine if I shot my load in here,” Valor growled. “Stretch your hole ‘til it opens right against my tip. I’ll pump every last
drop into you. Hold you upside down so my cum flows deep into your body. Let it coat your insides. When you stand, it’s going
to leak out of you. Drip down your sac and your thighs. So debauched.”
“Don’t say that unless you’re gonna do it,” Samsen shot back, too close to his own release to care.
Valor’s eyes flashed. He was up in Samsen’s space suddenly, caging Samsen with his entire body, grinding his heavy cock
against Samsen’s belly. “Yeah? You want to be held down, Bitey? Want me to mount you and push my big cock into you, make
you take every inch?”
Yes. Yes. Samsen dug his nails into Valor’s hips and pulled, and Valor’s eyes flashed gold.
Valor leaned in, sinking his teeth into the crook of Samsen’s neck. Samsen’s hips bucked up with no warning; Valor shoved
them back down with his own hips and fucked against him, their lengths sometimes pressing flush together, sometimes sliding
away, until they were both panting, drenched in precum.
“I want to stretch you, see your little pink hole open and swallow my cock,” Valor breathed. “Let you suck me all the way
inside, until you’ve got so much cock, you can’t think. All you’ll want to do is come. And I’ll fuck you good and hard, so hard
that the bed slams against the wall, and you’re howling my name, begging me to fill you up.”
Samsen came hard, thrashing as he tried to hold on to something, anything. But the pleasure was too much. He couldn’t breathe,
couldn’t think. Valor groaned and closed his fist around them both, thrusting savagely until he snarled and came all over
Samsen’s chest, his own fangs long and sharp in his mouth.
Immediately after, Valor released Samsen, running his clawed hand through the puddle on Samsen’s chest, mixing their fluids
together. He dragged their combined cum down Samsen’s abdomen, down his inner thighs, and smeared it all over his cock.
“Mine,” Valor said again. “Anyone will take one sniff, and know you’ve been thoroughly fucked.”
“But we haven’t,” Samsen blurted.
“Oh, we will. I’ll take you back to my den, stretch you out, hold you down, and breed you.”
Samsen’s insides throbbed. “I-I-I didn’t agree to the breeding part.”
“You smell interested.” Valor smiled, all sharp teeth.
“It’s t-too soon to talk about that, w-we don’t even know each other,” Samsen stammered. Valor had to be kidding. But he
didn’t look like he was.
The giant studied him for a moment longer, before getting off the bed, amusement glimmering in his eyes.
This was so far from what Samsen had expected that he blurted, “Aren’t you going to fire me?”
Valor blinked. “Fire you?”
Crap! Maybe he hadn’t connected the dots together. “Uh. Never mind.”
A thick eyebrow quirked. Valor’s smile grew. “Because you’re a vampire working at the Center?”
Samsen flushed. “I-I guess.”
Valor stepped back, pressing his clawed fingertips to Samsen’s chest, right over his heart. “You sound nervous. Are there more
secrets you’re hiding from me, Bitey?”
Samsen gulped. Valor’s smile grew.
“What are they?” Valor whispered.
Samsen tried to squirm away. “Nope. Nothing. You can go now,” he squeaked. “There’s nothing to see here.”
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