Birds chirping roused Lucien awake as he basked in the warmth around him. Sunlight pooled in from the closed curtains and he blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. It was difficult to abandon the soft blankets cocooning him, but when he couldn't wriggle himself out, he realized it wasn't just the blankets that had kept him toasty during the night.

He was nestled between Sebastian and Castor with all his blankets. Castor had his muscular arms wrapped around Lucien, his body resembling a portable heater with a small smile as he dozed peacefully on the pillow they shared. They were so close, that if Lucien truly wished to, he could have leaned in and kissed him. Of course, he'd never do such a thing to his friend.

On the other side of him, Sebastian had made his chest into a cozy pillow. Lucien reached down, his fingers tangling in the vampire's soft black hair, and brushing over one of his pointy tipped ears. In response, Sebastian let out a low rumble that resembled a purr.

Heartbeat hammering in his chest, Lucien experimentally touched his ear again to earn another similar purr. However, Sebastian shifted himself up from his chest and nestled his face against the crook of Lucien's neck. Unlike Castor's molten hot body pressed tightly against his other side, Sebastian was as icy as snow on a winter's morning. The contrast was quite pleasant.

Lucien had fully awakened the moment Sebastian pressed his hips against his. Nerves fluttered in his chest at the closeness and the taboo of the entire situation. His folks would murder him for merely speaking to a vampire. Instead of trying to move away or forcing Castor to wake up, Lucien traced Sebastian's strong jawline until he parted his lips to reveal a pair of sharp fangs. He should've pulled back. Yet curiosity bested him and he traced his finger along the seam of Sebastian's lower lip until his crimson eyes fluttered open in confusion.

"Good morning," Lucien whispered softly as heat flushed his cheeks.

"What the hell were you doing?" Sebastian hissed.

"Sorry, you were so close and I was just curious..."

Sebastian frowned. "Curious about what?"

"Your fangs," Lucien said. "What it feels like to be bitten."

"Is that so?" Sebastian leaned in, flashing him a predacious grin with sharp fangs. "It scares many of your kind to be bitten by us."

"I know." Lucien gulped, twisting his body ever so gently to come face to face with him. All the while, Castor continued to sleep behind them.

"As curious as you might be, you're still terrified too." Sebastian reached out to touch his face, his fingers caressing his cheek. "I can sense your fear. Your heart's pounding in your chest and your breathing is rapid and shallow."

"I'm not scared," Lucien said, despite how he trembled at the vampire's touch.

"No?" Sebastian brought one hand around the base of his neck and tugged his head back to expose his neck.

Icy nails brushed over his sensitive skin and Lucien whimpered at his touch, anticipating the sharp bite that never came. Instead, Sebastian pulled away with a teasing smile as he reached down for Lucien's hand. Although his lips weren't warm, they were oddly soft when Sebastian pressed them against his wrist.

"Do you really want to know what it feels like?" Sebastian asked.

Lucien nodded and a breathless, "yes" sputtered from his lips.

In a swift motion, Sebastian parted his lips and let his fangs elongate before sinking them into his tender skin. Lucien winced at the sharp pain, but it soon ebbed to a numb pulsing that felt weirdly pleasant.

Warmth seeped through his veins. Lucien's body relaxed against Castor as he savored the waves of pleasure that washed over him. Only when he arched his hips instinctively did he feel his arousal straining against his bottoms. Castor's warm breath suddenly on his neck as he stirred awake at the worst possible moment did not help at all.

"What are you doing?" Castor asked in a groggy voice.

Sebastian released his arm, licking the droplets of blood that trickled from the pinpricks in his skin. "Lucien was just giving me breakfast."

Lucien rolled away from Sebastian only to be confronted by Castor's mountain of muscles. "Morning?" He awkwardly avoided eye-contact with his friend. "Uh sorry, I just need to use the bathroom."

Castor slid out of bed to let him escape and he prayed to the Gods above that he wouldn't be interrogated by his friend about what he'd let Sebastian do. Lucien hadn't even bothered to grab his glasses on the way toward the door.

"That's a normal response for first timers, Lucien," Sebastian said as he rose from the bed, his lips stained with blood. "Nothing to worry about."

"What do you mean by first timers?" Castor asked.

Instead of answering, Lucien darted down the hallway and locked himself in the safety of the Vales' washroom. He turned the shower on to drown out their voices coming down the hall. Castor had literally warned him not to let a vampire drink directly from the source, and what the hell did he do? He offered himself up to Sebastian like a breakfast burrito.

After stripping down, Lucien stepped into the shower and let his troubles float away with the warm water that washed over his bare skin. As he stood underneath the waterfall of water, magical energy pulsed all around him. It was why he loved using their shower so much.

Once he finished up, he realized he had not thought things out too thoroughly when he escaped Castor's bed. A knock on the door startled him, and he hurried to wrap a towel loosely around his waist.

"It's just me," Castor called out. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure." Lucien unlocked the door and cracked it open.

Castor eased himself inside the washroom, carrying a fresh change of clothes for him, then closed the door behind him. "Brought you these." He placed the bundle on the sink's counter. "Now tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?"

"What? No."

"He didn't force himself on you or make you give him blood?" Castor asked.

"No, I willingly let him have a little of my blood," Lucien admitted as he adjusted his towel. "He never hurt me or forced me to do it."

"Where did he bite you?" Castor stepped further into the washroom, until he stood right in front of him. Warm hands touched his tender neck, gliding over his shoulders and down his bare chest. A patchwork of scars marred his pale skin. "And where did all these come from? Did someone else hurt you?"

"No, they're from magic training." Lucien cleared his voice and brushed Castor's hand away. "Charlotte never held back and neither did I."

Castor stepped back, eyeing his towel suspiciously. "Don't tell me you let him bite you down there."

"I did not." Lucien blushed as he held up his wrist. "This is where he bit me, you perv."

Castor folded his arms across his chest. "Didn't I warn you how dangerous it is to provide vampires with blood directly? And in my own bed, Lucien? Seriously?"

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever. Just get dressed and meet us back in my room." Castor huffed under his breath. "Don't do this ever again either. Giving vampires your blood directly has consequences. You're lucky Sebastian's a decent vamp because he could have killed you. I would have woken up with your damn corpse."

Shame scorched Lucien's face as he gazed down at his bare feet. "I'm really sorry."

Castor didn't respond, instead he walked out to give him privacy to redress. At least he was kind enough to bring him a change of clothes and his glasses.