Sevastyan

His phone ringing was the first thing to bring him back to consciousness. Rei was still in his arms. Lisa’s eyes were fluttering, but he too appeared to have been sound asleep, sprawled across the other half of the bed. He still held Rei’s hand.

Sevastyan reached behind himself and grabbed his phone. Alexi. Fine. He could take this call.

“Sevastyan.”

“Alexi.” Sevastyan smothered a yawn. “What’s on your mind?”

“Apologies. Did I wake you?”

“Long flight.” Sevastyan rolled onto his back and rubbed his face. “Just getting in a few hours. What can I do for you?”

“How’s my slave?”

Sevastyan pulled the phone away from his ear and changed the call from voice to video. He turned the camera towards Lisa and Rei. The two slaves were face to face, both adorably mostly asleep.

Alexi sighed, then murmured, “He looks thin.”

Sevastyan switched the call back and put the phone to his ear. He put a hand on Rei and motioned at Lisa to stay as he swung out of bed. The covers slipped down Rei’s back. Sevastyan pulled them back up, making sure both slaves were covered, and found his robe. “One moment.”

He put the phone down to wrap the soft robe around himself, belted it, and then went out to the living room with the call, shutting the bedroom door as he went.

On the couch in the living room, he returned the connection to video.

“He was thinner when he arrived, before he was sick. Rei is supervising his diet.”

Alexi grimaced. “I received only good reports on his health in Morocco.”

“Then fire someone.”

“Noted. How is he? Details.”

“He’s put more than half a kilo of weight back on already, as of his weight check last night. I’ve only been back a few hours and we were all sleeping. I can call back in a while once I’ve checked him over again. He’s been so tired, I didn’t pull him out of bed early this morning when I arrived,

still sleeping about twelve hours a day. It’s helping.”

“And you're certain you’re happy to have him?” Alexi sounded pensive. “You’ve always kept your bases private.”

“Rei’s been alone too much,” Sevastyan answered. “He did better on this trip with your boy to fuss over.”

“Perhaps your boy can tame mine in ways I cannot.”

Sevastyan gave his mentor a gentle look. “Lisa is never going to be like your others.”

“I know.” Alexi ran his fingers through what was left of his hair. “I should have sold him on, but he’s . . . he’s my lisa. Untamed, ill-mannered, and somehow utterly beautiful. I can’t bring myself to end things. Watch him, will you? Perhaps it’s time for a new perspective.”

“Morocco was bad,” Sevastyan said.

“The managers had nothing but praise for him.”

Sevastyan glanced towards the bedroom. “And perhaps that’s exactly what went wrong.”

Alexi held a moment of silence, eyes looking away from his phone. “You think he stopped fighting.”

“Rei pulled him out of the snow. He was lying there in nothing but a jacket. Played it off as a ploy for attention but . . . I’m not sure that’s the full truth.”

Alexi ruminated for several long seconds. “I’ll send funds to cover his upkeep, if you’ll look after him. I always said that I wanted you to train another slave but . . .”

“What rights do you wish to grant?”

“Full rights, no long-term modifications. You have my trust, you know that. Tell him he’s forbidden from traveling without our permission. Not till he’s stronger.”

“Understood. Can I send him on errands in the city?”

“Of course, or let him travel with you. Just don’t . . . send him off to another place on his own for a while. Who knows what might get into his head.”

“Right now, Rei is grounding him. As you saw. They work well together, they always have.”

“Your boy is special. He’s the only one he gets along with. I’d bring him home, but . . . lately Jonathan is the only one who doesn’t start spitting when they see him. I’m back at my estate.”

Sevastyan nodded. “So far, it’s been no trouble. I might have to leave him with Rei again with how things are blowing up in California, but I should never be gone long. I’ll make sure they can contact you in case of an emergency.”

“Does he still have his phone? I’ll message him so that my fox hears it directly from me.”

Sevastyan stood and checked. He found Lisa’s phone by the TV. It wouldn’t turn on. He found a plug. “Battery is drained. I have it charging.”

“Appreciated. He knows better than to let it die, but considering how ill he was . . .”

“Personally, I’m willing to let it slide,” Sevastyan said. “He was out of his mind, and he’s still on gentle foods and only awake for periods. If it happens again, I’ll discipline him.”

“Agreed.”

“One other thing,” Alexi said. “There are more rumbles about Dirk. You’re not the only one he’s pressuring. There was a meeting between him and the wife of the client your target killed. Someone in the Yadro is backing him.”

Sevastyan rubbed his chin. “Wonderful.”

Alexi shrugged. “Nothing about you has come up.”

Sevastyan nodded. “I may have a lead on a new artist that would be to your taste. I’ll send photos.”

“Which medium?”

“Etched steel and mixed medium.”

“I’m interested.”

Sevastyan said his goodbyes and checked the rest of his messages.

He took care of those that could be handled quickly, foraged a stale croissant from the fridge, and wandered back towards the bedroom, typing with one thumb.

Alexi might have been a pleasant call, but it had not come at an opportune time.

He needed more sleep to function at his best.

Perhaps he could catch a few more hours.

Lisa was awake, lying protectively over Rei’s sleeping body. Sevastyan frowned. Lisa tensed.

Sevastyan put his phone down and chewed the last of the croissant.

He lay back on the bed. His stomach hurt with how tired he was.

He closed his eyes. “You’ll be staying with us for the foreseeable future. Alexi just gave me full rights and responsibilities over you. Your phone is charging in the living room. Keep it charged from now on. He’ll be contacting you to tell you directly.”

It felt like there was something else he could do or say, but his head was throbbing and he was falling back into the greedy clutches of Morpheus. No, there was one more thing. “No traveling until Alexi or I give you permission. We won’t be giving it until you’re stronger.”

“I have to see Master Alexi in a month, for the chip.”

Sevastyan nodded. “I’ll remind him.”

“Should I go prep?” Lisa’s voice was terse, almost angry.

What would he be prepping for? They weren’t traveling any time soon. Sevastyan blinked his eyes back open and gazed at Lisa over Rei’s slowly breathing form. “Prep?”

Lisa jerked his hand towards his mid body.

Prep. Lube. Stretching. Things Lisa had not been doing.

Sevastyan blinked and shook his head. “No. But feel free to shoot anyone who comes through the door that’s not me or Rei. Unless it’s the fire department.”

“So I’m the guard dog, not the whore?” Lisa snarled.

Sevastyan’s eyes refused to stay open. Lisa as a guard dog was a good visual. Vicious. Angry. To the point. “Both can bathe in the blood of their enemies.”

There was no response. There should have been a response. But he couldn’t stay awake any longer. If anyone did try to come in, hopefully Lisa did shoot them dead.