his possessions in Europe were now property of the Ministry as well. No matter. They were just things. His true wealth was invested or locked away in secure bank vaults.
Glancing around the room, he found this one to be decorated differently than the rest of the house. The furniture was larger and seemed as if had been chosen for comfort. There was an enormous TV hanging on the wall and what looked to be a gaming system. There was also a tall shelf filled with movies. This was a private sanctuary just for the family.
“I will admit that I’ve never put up Christmas decorations,” Ronan admitted as he stood over the chaos.
“Well, I was going to string the tree with lights, but I need a step ladder to reach the top. So, I thought I’d work on the Christmas village, setting the pieces along the fireplace mantel over there,” he explained, pointing at the now empty mantel.
“I can help with that. Or would you rather me fetch a ladder?”
Ethan shook his head. “Ladder can wait. Let’s design the Christmas town.” He held up a small ceramic structure that was colorfully painted. Ronan accepted it and smiled to see that it was tiny toy store.
“Where should I—”
Ethan was already waving a hand at him and smiling. “Anywhere on the mantel. That’s the fun part. Making the town look however you want.” He dug back into the discarded paper and boxes. “I also have a town hall, a Christmas tree lot, a candy shop, and a cute house.”
Ronan walked over to the mantel and carefully placed the little building to one side. Yes, and then the candy store would go beside it. Town hall in the middle of the village. That all made sense. Right?
Of course, because what else would the European Ministry’s top executioner be doing but settling up a tiny ceramic Christmas village?
“I’m guessing I’m the weird one,” Ethan said suddenly as he handed Ronan the tree lot complete with several prickly green trees.
“What do you mean?” Ronan paused, holding up the little display, trying to figure out the best place for it.
“Last year we didn’t really decorate for Christmas because Marcus was still dealing with me being a brand-new vampire and mourning the loss of their mother. Things also got crazy with the American Ministry. This year, I swore we’d decorate and celebrate the holiday. Everyone looked at me like I was strange. They’ve never really decorated for Christmas. Said it was a vampire thing, but that doesn’t make sense to me.”
Placing the tree lot, Ronan turned to find Ethan holding the Town Hall with a troubled expression on his face, but Ronan didn’t think it had to do with how he was arranging the village.
He took the building but continued to face Ethan. “You’re not weird. You’re just young.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means vampires feel time differently, particularly when you get older. You stop paying attention to holidays and other things that mark time. It will just sort of…flow around you, like you’re a large rock in the middle of a stream.”
“Instead of when I was human and I moved with time?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s sad. I love Christmas.” He turned and picked up a house with delicate gingerbread details and a roof covered in glistening fake snow. “I lost my family when I was young. Vampire attack. Spent a lot of time getting shuffled around between foster care and orphanages. I didn’t get a consistent Christmas experience, but when I found a home with Marcus and the rest of the Variks, I wanted to have the real Christmas experience I’d always dreamed about.”
Ronan’s heart lurched in his chest as he listened to Ethan. How in the world was he a vampire now, in love with a vampire, surrounded every damn night by vampires, after losing his entire family to them? And it was clear he truly did love the Variks. He loved being a vampire, but he was discovering some drawbacks that had nothing to do with blood and sunlight.
Setting the little building on a nearby sofa cushion, Ronan carefully placed both of his hands on Ethan’s thin shoulders. When the young man looked up at him, he smiled gently. “There is one critical rule about being a vampire: fuck what everybody else thinks you should do.” Ethan snickered and Ronan continued. “That’s the secret to living as long as I have. You have to be you. You can’t make yourself into something you’re not. If you want to