Friday night arrived far too quickly.
Kai stood in front of his closet, glaring at the hangers like they were personally responsible for the chaos in his chest. Why was he nervous? This wasn't a date. It was dinner. With a vampire. Who he was working with. Who just happened to have perfect hair, an unfair jawline, and a tendency to say things that made Kai blush like a damn teenager.
Yeah, no big deal.
He finally settled on dark jeans and a soft grey sweater that made his eyes pop out not that he noticed. Or cared. Obviously.
Meanwhile, Adrian was pouring over his wine collection, indecisive for the first time in a century. "Get a grip," he muttered, choosing a bottle and pulling it with a bit more force than necessary. "It's dinner. With a werewolf. Who smells like cinnamon and stormy weather."
He didn't want to admit he was... excited. But he was.
When Kai arrived at Adrian's apartment, he took a moment in the hallway to steel himself. He knocked once. The door opened almost immediately.
And damn.
Adrian stood in a black dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, sleeves rolled to his forearms. Casual, but the man wore it like it was couture. His hair was tousled in a way that said intentional but not trying too hard which pissed Kai off a little because it worked so well.
"You're overdressed," Kai said, stepping in.
"You're underdressed," Adrian replied smoothly. "We're both wrong. Perfect balance."
Kai scoffed. "You flirt like it's your job."
Adrian's smile tilted. "Maybe it is."
The dinner was surprisingly… nice. There was laughter. Real conversation. And god, the wine was good.
"You know," Kai said after his second glass, cheeks flushed, "I expected your place to be more… coffin-chic. Less penthouse with a view."
Adrian sipped his wine. "I outgrew the castle-in-the-dark-woods aesthetic around the 1800s."
Kai leaned back, eyes fixed on Adrian. "You're ancient."
Adrian grinned. "And still prettier than you."
Kai rolled his eyes, but his smile was soft.
The conversation drifted from work to life, to music, to books, and then to the topic they'd both danced around since day one.
"Do you hate me?" Kai asked suddenly, voice quieter.
Adrian tilted his head. "No."
"But you're supposed to."
"Are you asking if I hate you because you're a werewolf?" Adrian leaned closer, resting his elbow on the table. "Or because you make me think things I haven't let myself think in decades?"
Kai's breath caught.
Adrian's voice dropped. "Because it's not hate I feel when I look at you."
The air between them shifted heavy, charged.
Kai stood up abruptly. "I should go."
Adrian stood too, slowly. "Do you want to?"
Kai paused by the door, hand on the knob.
"No," he whispered.
Adrian took a step closer.
But Kai didn't turn. "This can't happen. You know it."
"I know," Adrian said softly.
And yet, neither of them moved.
Kai's fingers curled tighter around the doorknob. His wolf instincts warred with everything else common sense, pride, survival. He could hear Adrian's breath behind him, steady, controlled… too controlled.
And that made it worse.
"You're good at this," Kai muttered, still not turning around.
"At what?" Adrian asked, his voice low and velvet-smooth.
"Making people forget they shouldn't trust you."
Adrian stepped closer, so close that Kai could feel the warmth of him, even though vampires were supposed to be cold. "And yet you came here anyway."
Kai's jaw clenched. "I was drunk when I said yes."
"No," Adrian said. "You were curious."
Kai finally turned, eyes narrowing. "And what if I was? Doesn't mean I want to crawl into your bed, bloodsucker."
Adrian's lips curled, a teasing smirk tugging at the corners. "You wouldn't be the first."
Kai scowled, but a faint flush betrayed him. "Cocky bastard."
Adrian leaned in, gaze burning. "Only when I'm right."
Kai's heart beat just a little too fast, and the scent of it his rush of adrenaline and heat hit Adrian like a drug. His fangs threatened to descend, and it took everything in him to resist.
He backed off. Just a little. Enough to keep the hunger at bay.
"Fine," Kai snapped, raking a hand through his hair. "You win. Dinner was good. You're not as terrible as I thought. But don't think for a second this means anything."
"I don't," Adrian lied smoothly.
Because it did.
It meant everything.
Kai huffed, stepping back. "I'm going before I do something stupid."
"You sure?" Adrian asked, voice dangerously soft. "I've been told I make stupid things… feel good."
Kai let out a half-laugh, half-growl. "Fuck off."
And then, he was gone.
The door clicked shut, and Adrian stared at it for a long, quiet minute.
He didn't chase him.
He didn't have to.
Because they were already tangled in something far deeper than either of them was ready to admit.