My stomach rumbled. I heaved myself up off the bed and stripped. I needed a shower and food. Then I needed to really ponder if heading over to the vampire’s room was a good idea.
My stupid heart fluttered again. This time it wasn’t as welcomed. I was in great danger here, and not like I’d originally thought. I wouldn’t lose myself to Darius because of his species, but I might in the way a woman loses herself to a man.
The hot water falling over my skin felt good. The absence of the hollow, cold magic felt good. And when I got out, wrapping myself in a white, fluffy towel felt great.
I stood in the center of my room, looking at the white door leading to Darius. He wouldn’t come in to pressure me, I knew. He wouldn’t open the door and ask if I was coming. He would wait for my decision, and respect it, whatever it was.
I heaved a sigh, tried to resist, and walked to the door.
On the other side, I smiled at the fresh rose petals littering the ground and bed, then cocked my head in confusion at all the unlit candles.
“Afraid of a fire hazard?” I asked as I stepped into the room, officially making my decision.
He was dressed in a robe and had draped a big arm over the back of the chair.
“I thought you could light the candles,” he said. He stayed where he was, waiting for me to come to him.
“You’re not playing those hunter-and-prey games you said you liked, huh?” Heat infused my body. Concise balls of flame sprang to life around us, then drifted toward the candles.
“No.” Darius lifted a hand to stop me. “Light them with a thought, not with that method.”
I snuffed the little balls of flame. My fingers curled into fists as I concentrated, imagining all the different little wicks spread across the room. With a push, they lit as one.
Darius smiled. “Perfect. And I already told you, I hunt until my intended fully succumbs to our joined pleasure. As you did last night. When that happens, I fully succumb as well. We are past games, you and I. We are equals, and both of us are completely invested.”
“That’s heavy.” My instinct was to meander around the room, trying to get comfortable or work up the gumption to leave. I knew where I would end up, though. I knew that when I’d walked through the door.
So I just cut to the chase. And dropped my towel.
“When’s dinner coming? I’m starving,” I said, heading toward him as my body surged with need and my core tightened in desire. I’d fight it tomorrow. Tonight, I’d succumb, as he’d said.
“Soon,” he whispered, his eyes feasting on me. “But first, let me worship you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
A hard knock sounded at my door.
I frowned, because I didn’t think J.M. was the type to pound, but I wasn’t expecting anyone else.
I sprayed a bit of hairspray on my newly styled hair and headed out of the bathroom.
It was Monday. We could’ve returned yesterday evening, but the whole crew had decided it was a great idea to take a day to recuperate, sightsee, and actually enjoy the town. Oscar had been shocked when I told him it was over. He’d began asking questions about the specifics, but just as quickly backed off and decided to investigate the remains of the site. Half of the information he got from me he wouldn’t be able to explain anyway.
Little did we know the guild mages would be stalking us the whole time. Looking menacing for long periods was actually harder—and more exhausting—than I’d expected. It kept the idiots away until we could make it back to the Edgewater Hotel, though, a place the guild didn’t seem to want any part of, so I wasn’t too put out.
I’d asked Darius what was going on between the mages and the vampires in that area, and how he’d come to know Penny, but he hadn’t given me a thorough answer. What I could deduce was that he’d helped out Mr. Regent the month previous, but didn’t have any direct dealings in Seattle. From his vague answers, I figured that the vampires didn’t like anyone having jurisdiction over them. They had to tolerate the elves in the Realm, since no one could unseat the elves’ power, but the vampires had decided they would no longer tolerate the guild. Somehow, Penny and some other mysterious mage were the reason. Darius wouldn’t say how, or who this other rogue mage was, but I had a feeling it had to do with a massive amount of power.
I’d quickly decided that it wasn’t my problem. In the last couple of months, I’d had some pretty close calls. I needed to lie low for a while. I hated it, but Garret would stay the king of the NOLA MLE office for a while longer, the douche.
Tonight I would connect with J.M. to see if he’d made any progress on dealing with magical people, because I’d made a promise. Truth be told, I didn’t really care. I’d help the guy out if he needed it, sure, but after everything I’d dealt with recently, I would just as soon stay in with a bottle of wine.
I opened my door to the surly face of No Good Mikey.
“Hey,” I said, leaving the door open and heading to the kitchen. A glass of wine while I waited sounded like just the ticket. “Want a drink?”
“Am I supposed to come in, then?”
“What was your first clue, the opened door or the offer of a libation?”
“Her and her fancy words,” I heard him mutter. He appeared in the archway to the kitchen and promptly leaned against the side. “What do you got?”
“Wine, beer, whiskey, cognac, vodka, Baileys—”
“A beer, thanks. Any kind, doesn’t matter.”
“Good. Because I only have one kind.” I grabbed out a bottle, popped the top, and handed it over. “What’s up?”
“Where you been?”
“Seattle. For work.”
He grunted before taking a sip. “Smokey said it was quiet while you were gone. You know, for the stuff he watches. The normal crime in the area went up, though. Some thugs are trying to throw their weight around. Expand their territory.” Mikey huffed and took another sip. “I figured I’d let it roll until you got back. Let them try and mug you.”
“Mug me?” I poured myself a glass of red. What type specifically, I had no idea.
“Yeah. A pretty blond girl like you—when you have hair—walking all alone in the dead of night? They’ll think you’re easy prey.”
“That won’t be a nice surprise for them.”
“Like I said, I’ll wait until they try and mug you.”
I motioned for him to go back into the living room. He peeled off to the side to allow me out, then followed me. I plopped down on the couch. He hesitantly took the love seat, the first time he’d dared to get comfortable in my house.
“So what’s up?” I asked, because he always had a reason for coming around. I didn’t think he was the type to casually hang in someone else’s space.
“I’m not gonna lie—I’m still not easy about all that stuff I saw.” He threw an arm over the back of the couch. “That shit ain’t right.”
“Either you get used to it, or I kill you.”