(10) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Linden knew Piers well enough to know that he sometimes got very morose for the first couple of nights after Roderick took off for parts unknown. So early the next evening, after waking him, Linden asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I miss him already but I'll be fine. We just have to find something exciting to do."

Linden cocked an eyebrow and grinned, even though he knew that what he was thinking wasn't what Piers had in mind at all. They'd had a very brief affair thirty years ago, after hooking up at a club. Then, during a moment of intense lovemaking, Linden had bitten Piers and tasted his blood.

The effect had been electrifying, like the strongest drug imaginable. Totally unprepared for that, but wanting more, he'd tried to bite him again the next time they'd made love. Piers had stopped him and then, after what seemed like hours to Linden, although he knew it had only been minutes, Piers slowly, haltingly explained what had happened. By the time he'd finished Linden was both horrified, and yet fascinated by the idea of becoming Piers ghoul.

It took a week, and many long talks with Piers, before Linden decided that was what he wanted. The only down side to their new relationship was that Piers had ended their sexual relationship, never explaining why. All he said was, "I just have to." However, Linden never gave up hope that someday that would change.

Now, Piers rolled his eyes as he sat up in bed. "You want that, go bag Helmut," he suggested with a wink.

Linden shuddered. "That man scared me," he admitted. "One meeting was more than enough."

"And probably all that you'll get, at least in his human form. The shifters are very stand-offish, to say the least." Pulling on his robe, he got up, heading to the bathroom. "Did you eat dinner already?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Oh yes. Too much of it to be honest. Mrs. Pope is a fantastic cook. I'm going to gain a ton while we're here."

"Well, tonight you'll lose some of it because we're going hiking. I want to show you a special place, now that Rod's not around."

Before Linden could ask what it was, the bathroom door closed.

"Why do I have a feeling it might be somewhere we're not supposed to go," he muttered to himself. "Because I know Piers," he answered himself with a chuckle.