using him as a shield.
Slowly, I stoop down as everyone in the room watches and pick up the eraser before turning to Karsyn who is holding a laughing Finn. He’s the only one enjoying this situation while Karsyn literally fears for his life. Before I can figure out if I can make an eraser go through skin, DeGray steps between us and cups my hand in both of his like he’s locking down the eraser.
“We promise to take wonderful care of Finn. I have to head out in a bit, but I know that Karsyn won’t let him out of his sight,” DeGray says. “If he’s alive, that is.”
“But…” I hesitate. “But Karsyn will be dead, so I’m not sure he’ll be able to watch him at all,” I growl. “Come here, Karsyn, let’s see if I can stake you with an eraser.”
Finn wiggles free of Karsyn’s grip and slips around DeGray to smile up at me. Why’s he look so damn happy? Is he not at all upset that his newly acquired friend is about to meet his maker?
“You can’t kill Karsyn.”
“Why can’t I?”
“Because he’s my buddy and his hand slipped. Has your hand never slipped before?” Finn asks as he tries to pry the eraser out of my grip.
“Yes, my hand is going to slip in just a moment. Karsyn, come.”
Finn snickers as he pats my face. “You’re adorable. Now go get some work done.”
He continues to try and pry the eraser out of my hand, but his weak human fingers are inferior to my grip.
“Grumpy Marcus, hand over the eraser,” he says as he holds his hand flat.
“Only for you,” I say as I set it in his hand. “Karsyn… watch your back, you never know when I’m coming for you.”
“With a box of blood for helping watch over me, right? That’s what you forgot to add to it, right?” Finn says with a grin.
“Yes, if it smells like rat poison it’s just a new flavor,” I assure him. “Finn, be safe.”
“I will be. You’re literally going to be back in like an hour. I’ll be fine.”
“You have that shotgun I gave you?”
“Not on me. But I have two guns. My tranq gun and my regular gun.”
“Hmm… Fine.”
I grudgingly back away as Finn stares at me longingly.
He has this way of making you feel like you’re abusing and torturing him while trying to keep him safe. It’s not a good look on him and I try to tell him as much. Thankfully, work has been relatively boring. Mostly mundane, everyday things. But I’m glad that there haven’t been any more attacks on the VRC. While we’ve dug into the people who attacked him on the bus, we’ve been unable to come up with anything that relates to Finn. Maybe that means by next week Finn will be back out in the field with me.
“Where’s Orin?” I ask as I walk into the bedroom I’m sharing with Finn while stuck at Orin’s. While the house is a mansion and has everything in it one could ever need, I’m still looking forward to going home. I’m not used to relying on or living with others. Before Finn, I hadn’t lived with someone for probably fifty or more years. And living with them was just out of convenience.
“He’s taking Aria and her boyfriend out in an attempt to regain his trust,” Finn says.
Uh-oh. “Is that why he was asking places I’ve taken you for dinner?”
Finn slowly lowers the shirt he’d been folding. “Oh no. What’d you tell him?”
“The place where we had our first date. I mean… you enjoyed it, so I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I decide.
Finn’s eyebrows arch. “You think… Orin taking a human who is terrified of vampires to a vampire-only restaurant will be fine?”
“I didn’t know he was taking the human there. He just asked for a nice place that you’ve enjoyed!”
“Oh my god. My sister’s going to be alone for the rest of her life.”
“It’s fine.”
“Ah, yes, I’m sure.”
I grin at the thought.
“Oh my god, you’re evil.”
I drop my bag and rush over to him before scooping him up. “Now would someone who’s evil love you the way I do?” I ask as I carry him over to the bed.
“Yes! You threatened to murder Karsyn today because he hit you with an eraser.”
I grin as I lay him down on the bed. “Tomorrow I’ll shiv him when no one is looking.”
Finn starts laughing as he pulls me onto the bed with him so I’m kneeling