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

Linden headed out the side entrance of the manor house, on his way to the outdoor swimming pool, his towel tossed over one shoulder. He jumped, letting out a squeak of surprise when a strong hand gripped the back of his neck.

"You look mighty cute," a voice growled next to his ear.

"And almost dead from a heart attack," Linden growled back.

"I'm very good at mouth to mouth." Helmut turned him around, winking at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be off guarding something?"

"I am. I'm making sure no one sneaks in and bothers that sexy ass of yours."

"That was—one of the lamest excuses I've ever heard."

Helmut laughed. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it? But it's still sort of the truth. Every once in a while tourists try to get onto the grounds to see how the other half lives."

Linden's eyebrows went up in amused disbelief. "And some were spotted today I suppose." He turned and continued on his way to the pool.

"If I said 'yes' would you believe me?" Helmut followed him, dropping down to sit cross-legged by the side of the pool, waiting for an answer.

Ignoring him, hard as that was to do, Linden tossed his towel on one of the deck chairs and dove into the cool water. Swimming the length and back again twice, he finally came to a stop, resting his arms on the edge of the pool to look up at Helmut. "Nope, don't believe a word you say. I've been told to steer clear of you because you're—" he tried to remember Mrs. Pope's words. "Basically you can't be trusted," he extemporized when he couldn't.

Helmut chuckled. "And let me guess who told you that. Mrs. Pope?"

"Well, yeah. Why?"

"She and I get along, but—she's always after me to settle down and that's not my thing, which she knows."

"Ah ha, I see. So if you and I were to, umm, make a connection, it would only be until you got tired of me."

"Or you got tired of me," Helmut replied.

"Well, it's something to consider then," Linden smiled at him, "for when I'm terminally bored and need something to keep me out of trouble."

Helmut laughed. Standing, he looked down at him. "Shot down by a mere boy."

"Obviously you haven't done your homework. If I weren't Piers' ghoul I'd be fifty plus and counting. I'm not as naïve as you think, or," he grinned, "as I act."

"Boy, you are far from naïve in your actions." Leaning over, Helmut cupped Linden's up-turned face in his hands, kissed him fast but hard, and then turned and strolled away.

"Holy hell, I think I'm in trouble," Linden murmured, touching his lips. "Real trouble."