Lazarus looked down at Jake's face, satisfied with the expression there and glad that Jake knew about his slaying a dragon. He'd been horrified to discover that most supernaturals in this city didn't know about it, or laughed at him like he was making a fucking joke about being a dragonslayer. There was no respect for him. He was an Ancient. He was a Dragonslayer. He was fucking Lazarus. He was eternal.
His indignant thoughts ceased the instant Jake spoke his displeasure upon hearing Ben's name. So, he was on that side of the spectrum. Ben was either adored or despised, there was no middle ground with him.
Then Jake poured it on a little too thick and Lazarus felt a surge of annoyance. He decided to ignore it, for Jake had at least erred on the right side of worship, and filled him in.
"I'm getting there, love," Lazarus said, pressing his thumb onto the cigarette to put it out and then tossing it onto the bedside table. With now free hands, he could toy with Jake's hair, and ran his fingers through it, brushing them away from Jake's cherubic face. "Patience," he whispered, focussing on the strokes until he felt as relaxed as Jake looked. "Eric told me that Charon himself would almost never use the limos, until a few months ago, and then three times a week Eric was called on to drive him to this fancy beach house on the cliffs. He would stay there a few hours while Eric had to wait in the car. He was obviously there for a booty call." Lazarus waited for a beat before continuing, wanting the 'booty call with Charon' to sink in. Initially when Lazarus had learnt the truth, it had felt like he'd been sucker-punched. He'd been mad, then he'd been sour and resentful, then he'd been maliciously happy to give Jake this news. "I got Eric to tell me the address, thinking I could go there and find out who it was that had so enraptured the head of the Sacramentum. I didn't need to visit after all, because I already know who lives there." His lips curled into a smile, but it was an ugly smile, and Jake would notice that Lazarus' eyes had glazed over, thinking back to that moment of realisation. "It's Ben, love."
Lazarus, the user, had never felt used by anyone. Only by him, by Ben, who'd managed to twist the knife in him three times now. He looked closely at Jake, drinking in the other's expression. How would someone, who already hated Ben, take the news that he was once again sleeping with the big gun in charge?