‘Do you need a lift?’ I asked, smiling, but before he even responded, I felt his lips on mine and his long kiss left me breathless. My mind spun when he finally pulled away from me. My excess magic was buzzing through my skin.
He chuckled. ‘Good evening to you, too.’
‘I haven’t made up my mind yet,’ I said to him as he told Roberto to drive to my apartment.
‘That’s why I’m here, so I can convince you,’ he said, leaning in and inhaling my scent, which was stronger than usual, because he stirred my magical senses.
‘Don’t get your hopes up. Even if I invite you to my apartment, you’ll have to keep those fangs of yours put away.’
‘You are insulting me, Julia. I'm a gentleman, so I don’t even know what you are talking about. Let me just spend an evening with you.” He wrapped his strong arms around me.
Why does he have to smell so good?
‘Have you been at work today or were you just waiting outside this whole time, stalking me?’
‘I was working, and I have an advantage because I don’t need to worry about the sunlight. My secretary must have passed over five messages from your competitors.’
‘Competitors?’ I asked, confused.
‘Yes, I think there are two other recruitment agencies in London that deal with paranormals, and there is an annoying troll who keeps calling and wanting to talk to me,’ he explained.
‘Well, imagine if you’d had a meeting with him first, then we would never have met,’ I said, thinking about the other agencies. I’d been persistent and it paid off, securing the meeting with Nathaniel. Rufus mentioned there were other agencies that wanted to get this exclusive contract. Paranormal Personnel was one of the longest standing.
‘And that would have been unfortunate,’ he added.
I was nervous about inviting Nathaniel to my apartment. My body wanted more of him, and if he started kissing me on my sofa, I didn’t think I would be able to control myself. The attraction between us was screaming for me to take the next step to the bedroom, but I was still hesitating.
Don’t be an idiot, Julia. There is no rush.
I relaxed when the car arrived at my street and we said good-bye with another long, deep kiss and I went home.
The next few days passed quietly. Nathaniel mentioned that he found out about something, but he wanted to hold the information until he was sure. Dad called during the week to tell me he was still searching for suspects. He asked again whether I was sure about what I was doing with Nathaniel. I knew he was only worried about me and I wanted him to get to know Nathaniel a little better.
‘What about Jasper? Have you managed to speak to him?’ I asked, hesitating at first to ask him about my arsehole ex-boyfriend.
‘I informed the Wizards Association, and at the moment he is in hiding. My instincts are telling me he is aware he upset my little girl.’
‘I thought I would hear a bit of good news, but hey, you can’t have everything.’
Jasper was clever; he knew that after my assault, my father would interrogate him and this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation.
I planned a night out with the girls at the end of the month and a special dinner next week. Nathaniel had been sweet the past few days, taking me out nearly every night and spoiling me with presents. And since our phone conversation in the office, Jennifer kept asking me about him every day. She wanted to know whether the rumours spreading around paranormal nightclubs were true and that we were dating.
I couldn’t understand how anyone could already know about me and Nathaniel, unless someone close to me was talking. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to respond, as technically we were dating, but in theory it was a bit more complicated. During my few evenings with Nathaniel, I had a chance to get to know him a bit better. The coldness vanished and I began to see in front of me a man who was caring and loving. I learned he wasn’t patient at all and the more he was around me, the more he struggled to control his vampire urges.
Over the past few days, everyone in the office found out that I was dating Nathaniel La Caz. The vampires looked at me as if I wasn’t going to live for more than twenty-four hours. Jennifer wanted to know all the juicy details, whereas Kate and Alexandra were too busy to care about the gossip. When I finished work and shopping on Friday evening, I had an unexpected call from Dad
‘Hi, Dad, what’s up?’ I asked, answering the call as I opened the door to my apartment.
‘Julia, I need you to come to the station to identify a suspect for me.’
‘A suspect? The one who tried to kidnap me?’ I gasped, feeling it was way too early for this kind of conversation. ‘What about Claudia? Did he say anything about her?’
‘Yes, we are all feeling sure it’s him. He matches your description and the image from CCTV. Just get here quickly and I can explain more. Can I send a car for you?’
‘No, I’m fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can,’ I said. I put away my groceries and texted Nathaniel, telling him about Dad’s phone call. Within a minute, my phone started buzzing.
‘I will pick you up in half an hour. Be ready,’ he said and hung up. I frowned, staring at the phone for several seconds. I didn’t see the point of calling him and telling him I was fine going on my own. My father was going to be present in the room, after all.
It’s too late. You should have kept your mouth shut.
I changed so I’d feel more comfortable and half an hour later, I was sitting in Nathaniel’s car. He looked tense.
‘Maybe you should wait for me in the car. My dad hasn’t gotten used to you yet,’ I began, trying not to sound ungrateful.
He shrugged. ‘I’m not letting you go inside alone. You never know how you might react.’
‘The guy isn’t going to see me. So please don’t treat me like a child.’
‘I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not,’ he said, indicating this was the end of the conversation. I gave up on arguing with him.
We were just outside Dad’s workplace. In East London the Paranormal Unit looked like any other police station, but most of the staff had some type of supernatural genes. Nathaniel opened the door for me and we walked inside.
My dad was waiting for me and when he saw I wasn’t alone, he wrinkled his forehead and shot me a sharp look.
‘Mr. La Caz,’ he said.
‘Mr. Taylor, I hope you are well,’ Nathaniel said, and they shook hands. I could feel my father’s magic boiling inside him.
Dad gave me a look that said, Why the hell have you brought him here?
The police officer sitting behind the desk glanced at Nathaniel with interest, secretly patting her blond hair. The station wasn’t as busy as I expected, but a few dirty, miserable-looking trolls were sitting on benches, being guarded by two werewolves. My stomach lurched and I took Nathaniel’s palm. He smiled and squeezed my hands.
Dad said, ‘Mr. La Caz, I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to come in. I shall take my daughter alone.’
‘Dad, I want him with me,’ I said quietly.
‘I think it would be better, Mr. Taylor, if I’m with Julia,’ said Nathaniel.
I swallowed hard. Dad looked at me again, as if he wanted to say something, but after a few moments, he nodded and asked both of us to follow him. He was fuming.
We walked down a long corridor, and a few elves in uniforms stared at Nathaniel with interest. Dad stopped us in front of a black door.
‘Are you all right, hon?’ he asked me, looking worried; his blue eyes scanned my face, searching for any kind of hesitation.
I don’t want to be here, but I want to see these bastards behind bars.
‘Let’s just get on with this,’ I stated, feeling my magical energy beginning to stir. Nathaniel’s thumb was pressing my palm.
Dad opened the door and we entered a dark room. Three other people were there: Stewart, whom I’d met once, and two witches, all dressed in police uniforms. Nathaniel looked like Zeus, just emerged from hea
ven. My palms were damp with sweat and my heart was pounding way too fast. Stewart smiled and nodded casually; the two witches looked alert, glancing from me to Nathaniel in astonishment.
‘This is my daughter, Julia, and this is’—he paused for a moment—‘her friend Nathaniel La Caz.’
Gee, this can’t get any worse.
Chapter thirty-seven
This is not the way my father and my new boyfriend should interact.
‘Julia, stand in front of the glass. You will see five different creatures, mainly giants, in front of you. Let me know if you recognise the one who kidnapped you. Just focus and we will talk later,’ Dad explained.
I looked at Nathaniel, who nodded and whispered, ‘I’m right behind you, so don’t worry.’
Panic rushed through my body, but I wasn’t going to pull out. I didn’t remember much from that moment when I realised someone was trying to force me into the black van, but I wanted to get that bastard to tell us where Claudia was. I could feel Nathaniel standing behind me, his scent encircling my space. Finally the light came on in the room opposite. Five people stood in front of me. I felt a bead of sweat roll down my back as all of them were looking directly at me. I knew they couldn’t see me, but I could feel their eyes on me nonetheless.
Four giants and a troll entered. The first one, a giant, was tall, broad, with large muscled arms; his nose was slightly turned to the right. I passed him, because his face didn’t bring anything to my mind at all. The second one was definitely a troll, as I could recognise those ugly watery eyes anywhere. He had a flat nose and was much smaller than the rest of the group.
No, that wasn’t the one. Couldn’t be a troll. The guy who grabbed me didn’t smell of anything specific.
Then I moved to the next one. He had to be over six foot four, built like an athlete with dark messy hair and white skin. I looked at his eyes and felt the magic rush to me and my fingertips started to shine.
‘Julia, are you all right?’ asked Dad, but then I felt Nathaniel’s hand on my back.
‘I think this is the one,’ I said, pointing to the third one, but my voice was trembling.
‘Are you sure about this?’ asked the witch standing farther away; her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
I looked at the tall giant again and closed my eyes for a second, trying to bring forth the face of my captor. The giant in front of me looked familiar. I glanced at the other two, but I was certain they weren’t involved.
This has to be the one.
‘I’m eighty percent sure I saw number three,’ I said. The other witch sighed.
‘Maybe you should take more time, hon?’ Dad said, looking disappointed.
‘There is no point. I don’t recognise anyone else,’ I said.
‘Okay, tell them to take them away,’ Dad ordered, and Stewart left the room. Nathaniel took my hand, and my fingertips stopped sparkling. Dad looked annoyed. The room with the suspects went dark again.
‘The suspect you identified doesn’t seem to remember anything,’ said Dad after a moment, tensing his jaw.
‘He doesn’t want to or he can’t?’ I asked.
‘We tried casting a few useful spells to help him remember, but nothing seems to be working. I believe someone used dark magic to play with his mind. Do you think he might be the one that took your cousin?’ asked the taller witch with short violet hair.
‘I don’t know. Possibly. It was dark when I saw them,’ I explained, dejected.
‘So someone wanted to make sure he wouldn’t talk?’ asked Nathaniel.
‘Presumably, yes. Agnes recognised the traces of dark spells in his eyes and she can’t reverse this process back. So for now we still don’t know who is behind these mysterious kidnappings. It’s another dead end,’ Dad explained.
‘Is that all, Mr. Taylor?’ asked Nathaniel.
‘Yes, yes. There is no point keeping her. Let me walk you out.’
I was disappointed that we still had nothing. Maybe Dad was dealing with someone very skilled who’d obviously planned everything. There couldn’t be any more tension between Dad and Nathaniel. Dad was still reserved about him, afraid for my safety.
He walked with us outside into the bitter cold. ‘Mr. La Caz, do you mind if I have a private word with my daughter?’ Dad asked.
Nathaniel’s hazel eyes sparkled, but he nodded. ‘Of course, I will get the car. It was nice meeting you again, Mr. Taylor.’ They both shook hands again.
This is not the way my father and my new boyfriend should interact.
‘Dad, you could be a little nicer to him,’ I said, searching for my gloves.
Dad twisted his lips with irritation. ‘So you are seeing him, then?’
I rolled my eyes. ‘I guess so.’
‘I did some research about Dhampir. They might look more like humans, but they still feed on blood, Julia, so why don’t you spare yourself some tears and leave him before he hurts you?’
‘Come on, Dad. If he wanted to bite me, then he would have done that already. I like him, so please don’t ask me to break up with him just because he is a vampire, a half vampire for that matter.’ I was getting tired of this conversation. ‘What are you planning to do now? What about Claudia?’
‘We will keep looking. We’re in the middle of a major undercover investigation, so don’t worry. I’ll find her.’
‘Great, I hope she is still alive.’
‘We can only hope. Now I know it’s your life, but just remember…vampires are dangerous.’
‘You married Mum and she was a human. It would have been so much easier if you had chosen someone magical,’ I said.
His eyes narrowed and he exhaled, looking at the brand-new Aston Martin that pulled in front of us. ‘It’s not the same, Julia. Your mother and I—’
‘Jerry!’ someone called, not letting Dad finish.
‘I’ve got to go, hon,’ he said. He kissed me on my cheek and rushed back to the building. There was a secret grin on Nathaniel’s face when I sat in the passenger seat.
‘What?’ I asked.
‘So you like me, huh? I thought you couldn’t stand me?’
‘Have you been listening to my private conversation?’ I felt myself blush.
Damn vampire, nothing could sneak past his impressive hearing.
‘Don’t change the subject, my dear Julia. Not to worry, your secret is safe with me. I won’t tell anyone you like me.’ He chuckled.
‘It doesn’t matter that I like you. My father still wants to rip your head off.’
‘Not to worry. He will change his mind when he sees his daughter smile after I make love to her all night long.’
‘How are you so sure I’m going to sleep with you?’ I asked, but there was too much huskiness in my voice. Every time he was near me, the energy drew me closer and closer.
‘Eventually, we will end up sleeping together, whether you like it or not. Trust me, after the orgasm that I gave you in my office, I can assure you that you will experience something much more intense.’
Suddenly it was too hot in this car.
‘Although I spend a lot of time dreaming about making love to you, I also spend a lot of time worrying about you. I have looked into your attempted kidnapping and I still don’t know who would want to snap you off the street outside my office,’ he said, as he pulled up to my apartment. It was after seven in the evening, the night before our special dinner.
‘Well, maybe it’s not about you at all. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Many other fairies and elves have been kidnapped recently.’
‘I have many enemies, Julia, and now I have you beside me. Others don’t like to see me happy.’
I stared at him in disbelief. So I made him happy? I was glad to hear him say it. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Nathaniel.’
‘Roberto will pick you up from your apartment at six. I have an outfit for you so you can get ready at my place,’ he said, his voice now the one that was husky.
I drew a breath stimulated with my energy; t
he blood rushed to my ears and he was watched me as if he wanted to rip my clothes off. ‘I can pick an outfit,’
‘No discussion, Julia,’ he insisted, pulling me closer, sealing my lips with his in a searing kiss. I leaned towards him, getting even closer. I couldn’t help it; I needed to be near this creature.
Chapter thirty-eight
Then let’s just have sex already!
His hand came behind my head as he again placed his lips to mine. The air around us charged with an unknown spell as Nathaniel lifted me across the bucket seat so I was facing him, sitting on his lap, looping my arms around his neck. His hand burrowed into my tights, and slipped under my trousers, searching for bare skin. I gasped with pleasure and we both heard the front mirror crack. I leaned forward and pressed my chest against his. My nipples hardened instantly. He kept his hand on my flesh, slipping his finger between my legs. He moved his head away from mine, tracing his lips down my jawline and neck. He stopped at my chest, pulling my bra off with his teeth. His touch sent magical shocks through my body, boiling my energy to the edge.
We both knew if we continued, I might damage the windows. He suddenly stopped, sensing my hesitation, and drew a long, gasping breath. My mind was reeling and I clutched his shoulders, wanting to gain control of my power.
‘Goodnight, Julia,’ he said, sounding raw and uncontrolled. I was breathless and my magic was boiling to the bursting point. He lifted me back to the passenger seat and then gripped the wheel with both hands, taking long, steady breaths. I obeyed and got out of the car. My legs were like jelly as I walked back to my apartment. I didn’t look back because I was too afraid I would go back to the car and invite him in.
When I saw Roberto outside my apartment the next day, I had butterflies in my stomach. It was the end of January and today I was to accompany Nathaniel to his business dinner, officially as his girlfriend. I was excited and petrified at the same time. It had been three months since we met, but everyone around me kept telling me I was making the biggest mistake in my life.
Paranormal Personnel Saga Box Set - Books 1-3 Page 18