visit Sai.”
Val tossed a pillow at Lorry. “Go get ready for school.”
Now that he was seventeen, Lorry only had one morning class. He spent the rest of his time working in administration at the Blue Sector Maintenance Department. Soon, he’d graduate and move into a full-time position, and Val wasn’t sure how he’d handle his son moving out and beginning his own life.
Lorry shrugged and continued to give him advice on his love life. “I’m just saying start small. Ease Death into doing more than having you know what with you.”
Val arched a brow. “You know what? A few minutes ago, you could say sex. What happened?”
Lorry made a face. “I can only say it so many times a day when it’s about you, Dad. I prefer not to think about you two together like that if I can help it. In my mind, you just come into your room to exercise or something.”
Val stretched his arms over his head. “Well, it is exercising.”
Lorry gagged and ran for the door. “Don’t say things like that.”
Val chuckled and got out of bed. He quickly changed the sheets and tossed the dirty ones in the laundry chute.
He looked himself over in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Just like any other Betonize, he had sharp fangs and claws. Otherwise, Val was a big man with black hair threaded with grey, light brown skin, and green eyes. He was in his late forties and liked his food a little too well. Nothing stood out about him except the scars he’d picked up working hard his whole life. Nothing.
Why would Veri love me? Maybe there’s a reason he hasn’t said it.
Val shook his thoughts away and quickly showered and dressed in his coveralls with the Blue Sector Maintenance logo on the back and his name printed over his heart.
The apartment they lived in was small but had an open floor plan and plenty of windows. Val had taken his time picking out the furniture for the new home he’d made for Lorry and him on Charybdis Station and loved the comfortable sofa and chairs.
He’d even managed to keep a potted orchid alive. One of his friends, Alois, had given it to him as a housewarming present when they’d moved here.
The rich scent of coffee hit his nose, and Val groaned. “My one true love.”
Lorry chuckled and stirred the eggs he was scrambling. “If Death ever stays in the room when I’m there, I’m telling him you said that.”
Val ignored him and poured himself a large cup. He’d need it to get through another day without his mate.
2
Death looked at the latest test results for the Pleuli Feciose vaccine. He made some mental adjustments to the formula as he sat back at his desk and made some notes.
His son, Wyatt, looked at the results on his own tablet. “We’re close. Another few months of testing, and I think we’ll have it.” He looked up, eyes tired. “I can’t wait for this to be over. Normally, I would love researching with you, but King Xaran is a piece of work.”
“That he is.” Death scowled. His powers as a Crellic Element allowed him to view souls. No one could hide their true nature from him, and the king of Dramacus was a selfish, petty, and cruel person. He’d been breathing down their necks from the very beginning of the project.
He’s suffering from the genetic disease, Death reminded himself. In addition to the King of Dramacus, three of his children, along with several other pureblooded Dramiads, were in the early stages of Pleuli Feciose. Death planned to make sure they all lived full lives, even Xaran.
Wyatt winced as he rubbed his back.
Death stood up quickly and led Wyatt to a well-cushioned chair. Their offices and labs in Charybdis Station’s medical district were far more comfortable than any other lab Death had worked in. “Sit down, son. The baby is due any day now. I don’t know why you’re still working. You should be home resting.”
“I’m okay.” Wyatt scowled and tried to stand back up.
Death tilted his head, sensing two familiar souls drawing closer. “Your mate is bringing you lunch, and it looks like my granddaughter is with him.”
Wyatt smiled through his exhaustion and sank back into the chair. “Estella wants to help.”
Death’s eldest granddaughter had just turned twelve, but she was smart and utterly determined. She also wanted to be a medical doctor like Wyatt. Death’s son had adopted her when her family was murdered. Wyatt had