Wicked Sunset (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 4) (36 page)

Perhaps it had been the overly-long flight or the recent adrenaline-laced events, but aggravation quickly overtook me, and I took each of them by the hand and strode in the direction of a nearby empty conference room.

“Where---” Kat began.

“Just follow me,” I said.

I closed the set of double doors behind us and turned my back to face the two most beloved women in my life.

I felt quite put out, and for emphasis, I hiked my hands atop my hips.

“All right. You both listen to me, right now,” I said. “I don’t want any hard feelings or arguments between you two. Everything worked out okay in the end tonight, so let’s just count our blessings.

“You’re going to patch this up between you right now. And if I even get a hint that you two have fought, I’m getting on the next damned plane out of here and I won’t look back. Got it?”

Both women started to open their mouths simultaneously.

“And before either of you get indignant, I’ll remind you that I
earned
the right to demand this of you. Both of you are scary-as-hell dangerous, and I don’t think I’d survive trying to break up another fight between you,” I said.

Both of them fell silent and stared me.

Kat looked completely mortified, while Paige’s expression turned to one of utter regret.

“Thank you for your help tonight, Paige,” Kat said quietly. “You did what you thought was most appropriate.”

Paige nodded and swallowed. “I’m sorry for leaving our boy, Red,” she said. “I’d thought that he was going to be fine, and your vampires were in a really tight position at the time. I probably should’ve stayed with him and sent Lamport instead. I won’t let that happen again.”

Kat nodded. “I understand that now. And thank you. I just worry---”

“Yeah, I know,” she interrupted.

I looked up at each of them in turn, and felt satisfied that I’d made my point.

Then Paige lurched at me and gave me a bear-like hug. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I love you.”

Returning her hug in kind, I patted her on the back. “It’s okay. Love you, too, Paige.”

This is way better.

Afterward, I said nothing, but merely opened the doors to the conference room and headed across the marble-floored lobby toward the elevator.

I heard two sets of footsteps close behind.

“I think I’m heading to the bar for a drink before I go upstairs,” Paige said.

“Nite, Blondie,” Kat said.

“Nite, Red.”

As I neared the main counter, a pretty young woman hurried toward me.

“Excuse me. Mr. Taylor, I presume?” she asked. “I received a call a few minutes ago that you were coming. This is the keycard to your suite.”

The woman turned to call out to Paige. “Ms. Turner, here is your suite keycard, as well. I hope that both of you enjoy your stay with us.”

Then she returned to the main desk.

“Sleep well and mind your Dom, tiger,” Paige said, and headed in the direction of the bar.

Oh, don’t even go there.

“Whatever,” I said.

I proceeded to the elevator and felt the presence of Kat at my back. Her hands touched my shoulders and began lightly massaging them.

Oh, that feels simply amazing right now.

“A Dom who also massages,” she mused. “You’re one lucky guy.”

“Mm,” I moaned, completely smitten with that idea and how wonderful her fingers felt as they kneaded at my muscles.

Most of all, it was a relief to feel safe once again, and finally arrive at the hotel.

God, I’m beat.

We stepped inside the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, I looked up at her; she was gazing down at me with adoration.

“I love you so much,” she said.

She enveloped me in her arms in a manner that made me instantly feel both loved and secure.

“Please don’t be angry with me over what happened earlier,” she said.

“Sure,” I said. “But it’ll cost you a kiss.”

Her eyes flashed bright green and her soft lips pressed against mine in a passionate kiss.

In contrast to my body’s recent sense of exhaustion, a surge of passion erupted in me. I returned her kisses with a hungry intensity as she pinned my body against the wall of the elevator.

The elevator doors opened, but I gave it little attention.

I was heedless of time as my recent feelings of desire, worry, and love were communicated through our lips.

She parted from our kiss and stared into my eyes. “I’m suddenly very happy you’re here.”

“Me, too,” I agreed. “And did I mention you look smokin’ hot in that outfit?”

“Once or twice as a matter of fact,” she said. “I like what this outfit evokes in you.”

“Of course, you’ll look even hotter once you’re out of it,” I said.

“Play your cards right, and you might get to find out,” she said.

“You wouldn’t be playing hard to get, would you?” I asked.

She chuckled and unwound her arms from around me. I took her by the hand and turned to depart the elevator.

That’s when I noticed two suit-clad vampires, a man and a woman, standing in the hallway observing us with wide-eyed expressions.

I felt the heat immediately rise in my cheeks as I realized the spectacle they must’ve just seen, or worse yet, heard.

“Welcome back, General,” the fellow said. “Everything’s clear here.”

At first, the woman stared at me with intrigue. Then a look of subtle amusement formed on her lips.

“General,” she said.

Kat released my hand and wrapped her arm around my shoulders possessively, once more in command of her surroundings…and of me.

“Mr. Schaffer, Ms. Devereux, this is my mate, Caleb Taylor,” she said.

Both nodded and greeted me in unison. “Mr. Taylor.”

“Hi,” I said with a slight wave of my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Good evening to you both,” Kat said.

She swept me in a tight semi-circle, nearly causing me to stagger, and guided me toward the suite at the end of the hallway.

“My mate looks particularly cute when he blushes,” she whispered.

Behind us, I heard Devereux stifle a laugh.

Oh, brother. Kat’s really pulling out the stops tonight.

“
Kat
,” I whispered, to which she affectionately squeezed my shoulder.

* * *

Kat shrugged out of her trench coat and took my jacket to hang them both up in the small coat closet near the door.

“Welcome home,” she said.

I gazed around the suite’s spacious and rich-looking interior. It appeared very much like the one we’d stayed in at the other end of the hallway in the spring, except with an opposing view of the city.

I noticed the place failed to look particularly well-lived in.

Her arms wrapped around me from behind, trapping my arms to my sides, and she kissed me on the cheek.

“Something the matter?” she asked.

“I’d hardly know you were staying here,” I said. “It looks like we just arrived.”

She sighed. “Well, I don’t spend a lot of time here,” she said. “Frankly, it’s not as enjoyable without you.”

I turned around in her arms to face her, or rather, looked directly into her sternum.

Man, she’s even taller in those boots.

I craned my neck to look up at her, and she gazed down with an amused expression.

“You’ve lost weight
and
height, my love,” she teased.

“Oh, so funny,” I said.

She kissed me on the tip of my nose and then pressed her lips against mine in a deep, long kiss that nearly drew the breath from my lungs.

My heart soared with passion and love for the woman holding me in her arms. She was, by far, the most wonderful, amazing lover I could’ve been blessed with.

On top of that, she was ravishing.

“You’re absolutely gorgeous,” I said. “No, you’re stunning.”

And I love you.

The endearing look she bestowed upon me was award-winning; it reflected heartfelt, raw emotion.

She pressed her lips against mine, and we shared another long, passionate kiss.

My pulse raced as my body hungered for hers.

Before I knew it, we were undressing each other. Clothing fell around us as we kissed our way back to the bedroom.

Then we fell onto the bed, laughing.

The passion we shared felt magical, and time seemed suspended.

* * *

When I awoke, it was morning, and I was alone in bed.

She’s gone already?

I suspected that Kat must’ve been called to some important duty. After last night, I sensed that her command role was central to everything that seemed to be going on in Alton’s world.

Reaching up, I felt at my neck where she’d partaken in my blood after sharing the most wonderful sex in recent memory.

I felt no welts, so I was confident there’d be no visible marks; her saliva typically healed everything nicely.

All that remained was a slight telltale sensitive spot just beneath the skin. But even that would probably abate by later that day.

It was strange, but I actually relished sharing my blood with her; it was something decidedly unique and intimate I could offer of myself.

The bedroom curtains were open and I noticed it was cloudy and bleary-looking outside, though the UV-protective coating on the window made it look much darker outside than it actually was.

Ahh, London and its clouds.

Still, I felt very happy to be here. It was far better to be in the same city with Kat rather than half the world and an ocean away.

I could spend every waking minute with her.

She was like an addiction to me. Maybe I was obsessed, but I didn’t care. All I wanted was to have her in my daily life; everything else seemed negotiable.

I stretched and glimpsed a note on the nightstand, held in place by my prototype flashlight that was standing upright like a candle. The note was in Kat’s handwriting.

My Love,

I adored watching you sleep last night, and I hope you slept well.

When you’re up and around, Alton would like to meet with you in his office. Please use the underground passageway. And please bring your new toy with you.

Love,

Dom-Kat

I smiled as I lay the note aside.

My loving Dom-Kat.

If that made me her Sub, then I couldn’t imagine being happier as anything else.

At least until Paige razzed my ass about it endlessly.

Then something about her note triggered in my mind.

Wait a minute. Toy?

I rolled out of bed and stretched. A glance at my watch revealed I’d slept away most of the morning already.

I didn’t want to keep anyone waiting on me, so I immediately went to shave and get dressed.

Chapter 29

Caleb

Twenty minutes later, I grabbed my leather jacket and walked out the door to find two sets of suit-wearing vampires staring at me.

One of them, a dark-haired and youthful-looking male, said, “Good morning, Mr. Rawlings.”

Rawlings? Really?

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I stared at him.

“Good morning, Mister—?”

“Kempf, sir,” he replied.

“Kempf,” I said, and continued my walk to the elevator.

The other male vampire gave me a courteous nod and then glared over at his partner. “Good morning,
Mr. Taylor
,” he said with emphasis on my last name. “I’m Adamo.”

I looked at him with approval. “Good morning, Mr. Adamo. You, I like.”

He grinned. “Kempf’s relatively new to our group, as well as rather aloof.”

I glanced back over my shoulder at Kempf, whose crestfallen face may have paled even further than his vampire features normally dictated. “I see.”

“My apologies, Mr. Taylor,” he said. “It was a slip of the tongue, I assure you.”

“Yeah, be sure and tell that to the General, Kempf,” Adamo muttered with a chuckle and a wink at me.

Yeah, I definitely liked Adamo.

“No harm, Kempf,” I said, heading toward the elevator.

Adamo fell into step behind me and I turned to frown at him.

“I’m to accompany you, sir,” he said. “General’s orders, you understand.”

Oh, Kat. So protective…

I nodded and the two of us took the elevator to the lobby.

“Not planning on going outdoors, I hope,” he prompted.

“Nope, the tunnel leading next door to Alton’s—Mr. Rutherford’s—office,” I replied.

“Very good, sir,” he said.

Alton had ordered the construction of the underground passageway prior to our visit in the spring. It connected the hotel to his office building, of which he owned both.

Minutes later, we arrived at Alton’s upper-floor offices. Just as I recalled from our last visit, the offices were staffed almost entirely by vampires.

“I’ll just wait here for you, sir,” Adamo said, taking a seat in a chair in the small waiting area near the elevator.