Love's Indulgence Read online

  “I’ll let Manny know you’ll be here and then bedrest the next week,” Bowie said.

  “No, please, please don’t tell them,” I begged, tearing up again. “I’ll do whatever you say and come here when you want, but please don’t let them get someone else to help. I really am good. I’ll help with the desserts, and my own bakery sounds amazing. I’ll start slow. I do it well and know how to work a kitchen—”

  “Okay, okay, settle down,” Sam cut in, sounding in pain as he leaned in and hugged me. “Sorry, my gift is to feel others’ pain. Great for a doctor, but it’s hard on me. Let’s get you a bit better and happy.”

  “You’ve been around too many upset and hurting lately,” Bowie worried. “You need a break too, Sam. Let me call Seneca. Please?” He let out a shaky breath when Sam shook his head. “Please, my mate?”

  “Yeah, okay,” he sighed before glancing at me. “You can help Manny, but half days to start, and you’re right back here after and overnight. If you weren’t prepared for your transition, you’ll need to get caught up on how to handle it.”

  “Yes, thank you, sir,” I agreed, relieved for the compromise and chance and trying to relax now that I knew it hurt him too.

  “What is the easiest thing for you to make in bulk to help Manny and not push you?” Bowie asked after Sam showed me how to chug down the blood bag. He was also hooking me up to more along with muscle relaxers and pain killers that would make me sleepy.

  “Everyone wants more treats around the holidays,” I muttered, thinking of the list I would have been working on right then back at the coven. It was a week before Christmas, and that meant everyone wanted to overindulge. “Muffins, brownies, and cakes. If he gets me the tins and pans, what he normally makes, it’s great. Pies if he has the shells are super easy.” I sighed when I saw what was in his eyes. “You’re going to tell him.”

  “Yes, but only so he doesn’t think you’re lazy or you worry him because Manny is a softie like that,” he confessed. “I’ll tell only him, and any help would be great for him.”

  “Then he’ll know how I can help. Whatever he needs,” I replied, my eyelids getting really heavy as I snuggled down in the cot. “Please just don’t make me clean for bitches and do all the laundry. I’ll be a servant in the kitchen. Please let me cook.”

  “What the hell has he been through?” Bowie worried.

  “I don’t know, but he’s in a lot of pain more than his transition, and I’m shocked he made it this long before collapsing,” Sam replied. It was the last thing I heard before I was out again.

  2

  Manny was amazing. He was as talented as the instructors I’d had at culinary school plus way nicer, and honestly, I adored him. That first night he’d come to check on me and left me a list of what he could use help with along with everything he’d had delivered to Nero’s huge mansion.

  Muffins and brownies. That was it. That was all he was asking help for. Such a nice person. I was so used to only mean people that I almost burst into tears when I saw the very short request.

  Sam let me use the shower the infirmary had since I was up super early. He also gave me a pair of scrubs to use and asked Bowie to give me a ride. They knew I was a guy but wasn’t about to bust me, so I appreciated that. Apparently he wasn’t just the warrior in charge of the clinic and a medical doctor but a researcher, as he was up that early working in an attached lab. Cool.

  Really cool since my coven painted all warriors as muscle head morons. Not that I trusted them on anything they said, but it was nice to get to learn for myself that wasn’t the truth.

  Bowie showed me how to drive the ATV with the cargo back and even a latching lid. It took me a few tries, but I caught enough to be able to drive it slowly back to the camp to deliver morning muffins. Even I could handle that.

  There were a ton of disposable supplies and a stuffed fridge with ingredients now. I was going to talk to Manny more about my recipes, but for now he had me making basics. I wasn’t offended. It was smart since they didn’t know me.

  That didn’t mean I wouldn’t completely wow them. I raced to change my undergarments, thinking the scrubs great to wear in the kitchen if I could get more, and added makeup. I could do something cute with my hair when it was dry, but I had work to focus on.

  They were the large muffin trays, and I had six ovens, so once I got going, time blew by and breakfast was starting. I loaded everything I had already done on the back of the ATV before putting more trays in the oven and then carefully driving to the camp on the path Bowie had used. There wasn’t a direct road from the subdivision to the camp, so instead I really had to go out of the subdivision and drive down the road and into the camp.

  At first I’d looked at Bowie like he’d lost his mind to do that while dark out and zakasacs could be about. Even I knew the camp was a huge target and had been attacked before. But after he promised Nero could sense them and over a ridiculous distance, I was extra glad I was staying with Nero.

  His house would be the safest place to be. Awesome, because I was sheltered, I knew that. The world outside of the Orlando coven was terrifying for me, and even with culinary school, it had been close to the coven in Italy I’d stayed at so I hadn’t done much beyond that either. Well, that had been more about money since I wasn’t given an allowance or even pay for all the years I’d worked for the coven.

  I shook off those thoughts as I pulled up to the main building. That was the past, and I had a chance for a real future now.

  “Need help?” a deep voice asked as I opened the cargo top.

  I glanced over and saw several warriors who must have come from the dorm. I nodded. “Yes, thank you. Manny’s waiting for these.”

  “They smell great,” that same guy said with a smile. Everyone grabbed a few of the gigantic disposable trays that people bought for cooking turkeys or huge dishes. They had lids so they worked perfectly for transportation in this way.

  “So what do we have here?” Manny asked as he joined us by where the muffins, morning pastries, bread, and bagels went from what the warrior told me.

  “Coffee cashew chocolate chip,” I answered as I opened the first container. “Peanut butter banana, pumpkin hazelnut, cinnamon strudel that I normally put apples in but didn’t have any, and banana cherry white chocolate chip. I have more in the oven.”

  He bobbed his head and reached for the first option, giving me a shocked look when he bit into it. “You weren’t kidding you know how to bake. This is awesome.” He gave me a wink when I didn’t respond, unsure of how to reply to that. “I’ve had some fluff their resumes a bit. Going to culinary school isn’t graduating from it and all of that. Or taking cooking classes isn’t the same.”

  “I attended and graduated with honors,” I told him, getting what he was saying. I named the school and hurried to set up more muffins on the trays waiting for them when he blinked at me. Yeah, it was a good school and hard to get into. Most who graduated wouldn’t be the cook for a coven but instead would find a prestigious restaurant or kitchen where they could get their feet wet and make a name for themselves.

  “So you speak Italian?”

  “Fluently,” I answered. “My instructors were very kind that I didn’t know at first, but I wanted to learn. It was great to learn it there while immersed in the culture.”

  “Good, I won’t keep you. We’ll talk after breakfast.” He gave me a wink and headed in back. The others helped me unload the trays, showering me with praise as they sampled the warm muffins. It was such a difference from what I was used to, people only speaking to me when they wanted to bitch at me about what I made.

  Normally it was just an excuse to yell at me or have someone to kick like the dog that ended up taking all the shit. There was never a problem with the food I made unless they didn’t specify something to me, and some of them were assholes who just changed what they wanted to be dicks. One in particular had changed how he wanted his steak done and had acted like I was a moron who couldn’t get it right
.

  To me he was a moron to go that far to bully me and not only waste food but also eat it ranging from rare to well done just to pull off the ploy. Seriously, get a life.

  It was on my second delivery that I saw the guy from yesterday. I was unloading the last of the muffins when I heard him behind me.

  “Shit, this place is so much better than our last camp,” he groaned. “These muffins are awesome. What was this one?”

  “Someone said coffee cashew chocolate chip,” a guy who looked just like him answered. “This pumpkin hazelnut is good too.”

  “Let me try,” he said before swiping it.

  “Seth, come on, go get your own,” the guy snapped, grabbing it back.

  “That is good,” Seth muttered, glancing between the muffins. “Shit, I don’t know which I like better. Is their cook that great?”

  “I hear he is, but those were made by someone who came in from the Orlando coven. She’s going be helping with baking.”

  “Well, that was lucky for us,” he snickered.

  I turned around when he glanced over my way, knowing he was looking at the muffins and not me. But I was fast enough so we didn’t lock gazes. I wasn’t sure my heart could take it after hearing he liked my food that much.

  He looked like a Seth. A very sexy and built Seth that probably had a ton of fans.

  I met with Manny, and we talked quantity and ordering ingredients to help with breakfast to start. I added a bunch of extras so I could at least help with holiday cakes if I felt up for it. He agreed and sent me back with a ton of premade pie crusts, saying more were coming in so whatever I could help with would be great.

  Awesome.

  I started with the brownies for lunch and dinner, glad to not have to rush back and forth. I also made one more batch of the coffee cashew chocolate chip muffins, telling myself it was just to thank him for the ride and being nice to me, not anything more. I wouldn’t even leave my name on them.

  It was like having a treat fairy that left gifts for nice people.

  Luckily there was only one Seth at the camp and one of the guys finishing the lounge at the new dorm knew which room was his. Someone chuckled as I hurried off like maybe I was showing up for me to be the present, but there was no way I was that confident. Plus, I had no idea if he was gay or not, and I had no experience in any of that, so yeah, there wasn’t a chance in hell I was bold like that.

  I left them at his door with his name on the container that held only six of them. I figured that was good for extras but not get sick of them or feel like he had to share. Maybe.

  I delivered the brownies before lunch even started and grabbed food for myself to go before checking in at the infirmary. It wasn’t Sam or Bowie this time but a guy with dark purple eyes. He glanced over his shoulder at me and seemed to be studying me in a way that made me feel uncomfortable.

  “Sorry, I have Sam’s gift but more advanced as I’m older,” he said as he stood and turned to me. “I’m Seneca. I’m also a healer as well.”

  “Jayme, nice to meet you,” I replied, dipping my head. “I’ll be in your care.”

  “You don’t hear that sort of polite speech much anymore,” he muttered. “Normally only from families who have served a certain bloodline for years. Were you raised like that?”

  “Something like that,” I muttered, hoping to sound like I didn’t want to get into it but not be rude either. The head butler had treated and taught me like that was true or of his bloodline, but I wasn’t actually so it was a sensitive topic. I simply defaulted to overly formal or polite when I wasn’t sure what to do.

  It was safer that way.

  “You don’t have to explain,” he said easily like it wasn’t a big deal. “Sam filled me in that you didn’t get blood right after your transition and you were in bad shape. So we’re still going slow instead of the normal.”

  “I didn’t realize I was that bad,” I admitted. “I think it was adrenaline. I had to catch that plane.”

  “Understood.” And I saw in his eyes that he did. He got it now that I was escaping. He promised to help and set me up on a cot, showing me how to control my fangs to drink some blood before giving me an IV. I finished my food but was sleepy from whatever they were giving me, snuggling down to sleep and grateful for the huge blanket he offered.

  “Shit, Sen, you’ve gotta try these brownies,” a huge, lean warrior said as he came into the infirmary. “There’s a chick who came in from Orlando that’s helping Manny. The muffins this morning were her and now these brownies. The food’s always been good here, but these are like awesome bakery brownies that normally cost a ton.”

  I heard him agree it was good as I fell asleep, tears burning in my eyes that for once someone appreciated the hard work I put into my baking instead of demanding it or tearing me down for being a guy who liked to bake and make sweets. I didn’t know how that was still a cliché thing when there were so many famous male chefs and long ago women weren’t even allowed to own their own businesses like bakeries.

  Who the fuck did people think made the desserts then? Not that I wanted to go back to that, no, I was a fan of the progress, but like progress enough to not tear down guys who liked to bake.

  I fell into a nice routine over the next few days. I’d get up super early at the infirmary and use the shower there since it was always open. Then I’d drive the ATV that was now declared mine back to Nero’s and get started on baking for breakfast as well as making coffee for the glass artists who were temporarily using Nero’s garage as their studio. They were all really nice and one in particular, Alexis, was the sweetest woman.

  She gave me a bunch of her old winter clothes so I wasn’t wearing sun dresses or scrubs and borrowed sweatshirts. It helped, especially since she had boots I could borrow.

  They would help me get the muffins and cinnamon rolls I had made over to the cafeteria while the two workers I now had watched the ovens. They were both teenagers who only found out they were vampires and were in the human foster system, so I couldn’t even imagine the shock of that, but they were siblings and had each other so hopefully that helped. Plus, they were good workers and said the smells of the kitchen helped them.

  Yeah, it did for me too so I fully understood how they felt.

  I’d set everything up and grab breakfast for the three of us and bring it back before the next load. Then it was pies, brownies, and working on Christmas cakes I promised Manny. The glass artists helped me again at lunch, and once all of that was delivered, I headed back to the infirmary.

  Well, with one quick stop to leave something for Seth. I couldn’t help it. He so, so loved my treats, and whenever I heard him gush about how good something was I just ended up leaving him some extras. He loved my cinnamon rolls. I thought he might seriously have orgasmed he moaned so much when he tried my cranberry maple cinnamon rolls. How could I not leave some extras for him?

  I was getting better though. My control over my fangs was good according to Sam and Seneca. I felt better, stronger than before my transition for sure. It was actually amazing to be able to move faster, pick up things easier. I followed the diet they gave me to basically inhale calories and not overdo it, getting the rest I needed to really give my body what it needed.

  But I was also excited to move past it. I was having fun making people smile. Manny said all my stuff went super fast and they loved the variety I was giving them too. I wanted to do more, bake more, have more smiles, and not just do half days anymore. Maybe after Christmas. Right then, I just had to get through Christmas and help Manny, and maybe then I could have a real place in the community like I’d never had before.

  Have a home like I’d never been allowed before.

  3 ~ Seth

  “Did the sweets fairy strike again?” Zach teased me as we returned to our rooms and I had something sitting outside my door again.

  “Shut up,” I muttered, biting back a smile when I saw it was a whole pie. “Shit, I love sweets fairies.”

  “Did you
seriously get a whole fucking pie?” Ryan demanded as he looked over my shoulder. “He did. It’s that peppermint marshmallow fudge pie he was gushing about at dinner yesterday.”

  “Seriously, what are you doing to deserve a whole damn pie?” Zach asked with a growl. “I’m nicer than you.”

  “I’m handsomer.”

  “Stuff it, dorks,” I growled at them as I unlocked my door. “I’m not sharing if you’re going to be shits.”

  “You’re going to get fat if you don’t,” Ryan threw right back. “You’re spoiled as the eldest.”

  “No, I am as the youngest son,” Zach argued, all of us knowing that wasn’t true. Our parents were selfish assholes, and spoiling anyone meant focusing on anyone other than themselves, so they never did.

  “Can we go to dinner?” I set everything down in my room before pushing them back out. I had a double suite to myself for the moment while they shared the one next door. The new dorm was awesome, totally amazing compared to any warrior dorm or residence I’d ever been in. And new was just awesome as everything actually worked, which was also rare, and we were just the unimportant muscle head warriors everyone forgot about.

  Until they needed us. Then we mattered. Yes, I’d become rather bitter about that over my years.

  They kept ribbing me as we headed to dinner to meet up with Alexis. Our baby sister was settling in well and making new friends as she always did. We’d had to warn off a few post-trans who were looking at her in a way we didn’t like.

  “Warn off” as in threaten to gut them while still alive if they even thought of going near her. She’d chewed us out for it, and while fully capable of taking care of herself, Alexis didn’t get how bad some warriors really could be. It was better to draw a line in the sand before there were problems and that way only someone serious would risk stepping over it.

  To which she replied to stay out of her life or she’d become a total slut and it would serve us right for getting involved in her sex life. Fair enough, but as her older brothers it was fairly hard to hear or think of.