"So… about my work…" Elias trailed off, not sure how to make the question sound anything but awkward.
"Yes?" Victor's head tilted, a few strands of dark hair catching the lamplight. His crimson eyes glinted with the kind of mischief that belonged more to a spoiled cat than to the executioner of gods.
Elias exhaled through his nose. "What do I do now? Go back to the lab, or just stay in your arms forever?"
Victor's mouth curved, warm and faintly dangerous. "Well, the latter is far more pleasurable for me," he said without shame, "but I've already had Stone transfer your work to the Numen labs. If you want to go back to it, it's there. Your PhD stands as well… Stone signed on as your academic guardian partly because he likes you, partly to spite Jonathan."
Elias lifted a brow in mock surprise. "Or because he wanted someone to exploit."
"That too." Victor's thumb brushed an idle circle at Elias's waist. "But he can't anymore. Not without my permission."
