“I brought your elevator codes.” He held up the index cards. “And I thought I'd see if you'd be interested in a tour.” Immediately, he mentally kicked himself. Where the hell had that come from?
Gwen smiled and stood. “I'd love a tour.” She glanced at Isla. Neo was unsure if it was for her approval or to see if Isla wanted to go.
Please let her say Gwen shouldn't go, for one reason or another. Neo thought to himself.
Shut up and stop interfering with my plans here. I'm working hard to make this happen. Neo heard his dragon’s voice echo in his head.
“Getting to know where we're staying is a good idea.” Isla turned back to Neo, “We'd love a tour.”
“Let me grab my purse.” Gwen turned toward her bedroom.
“You won't need it, unless you leave the resort,” Neo said, stopping her. “Everything you need here can be charged to the room with these codes.” He lifted the index cards still in his hand. With his own words, he saw the wisdom in giving each person their own code, so later, should they choose, they could divide charges by who made them. “Except for gambling. You need cash for that.” Neo corrected himself.
“I'm not interested in gambling, at least not now.” Gwen watched Isla. “What about you?”
“No, I have never been much for gambling. Our destination and the sins it's known for were a consideration when we were selecting who would accompany you for this trip. The gambling is why Ellis came and not Liam.”
Gwen blinked. “I'd wondered about that.” She glanced toward the room looking uncertain.
“Just leave it,” Isla waved one hand, “but you'll want shoes.”
Gwen stared down at her feet for a moment as if she'd forgotten she was barefoot. “I guess that would help.” Shaking her head, she disappeared through the open bedroom door, only to reappear moments later with soft flats on her feet. “I'm ready.”
“I'm good.” Isla said.
“Oh, here.” Neo handed over the cards. “There's one for each of you. I don't know if you'll want to leave Ellis's here, or what. I take it he's asleep?” He glanced around the room again and noted one of the bedroom doors was closed with no light leaking from beneath.
“He is. We’ll take turns on protection detail, one working so the other can sleep.” Isla set the card with Ellis’s code on a table beside the sofa. “I’ll give this to him later.” She looked at her own for several long seconds before ripping it in several pieces and dropping it in a nearby wastebasket. “We ready?”
4
Gwen followed Neo down the short hallway to the lift, wondering what it would take to get rid of Isla so she could get to know Neo a little better. His timing had been superb. Knocking on their door as she had been contemplating calling him about the codes. It was almost as if there was a connection between them already, though she knew it was impossible. After being trapped on the plane for hours, she needed to move and get a little exercise, and what better way than wandering the casino where they were staying? Remembering the codes, she repeated hers in her mind several times until she was confident she would remember it, then realized as the lift door opened onto the main floor, she'd been lost in her own head and hadn’t paid a bit of attention to what Neo was saying. Gwen had a feeling he was telling them things they would need to know. Glancing over, she caught Isla's eye, her bodyguard gave her a tiny nod and Gwen breathed easier. The other woman had noticed Gwen wasn't on top of things and had been paying attention.
“Is there somewhere specific you want to see, or a full tour?” Neo turned to watch them both once the three of them stepped off the lift.
“Nowhere in particular.” Gwen shrugged. “I just need to move some. Planes make me uncomfortable, especially long flights.”
“The full tour it is.” He clapped his hands once and rubbed them together as he scanned the room. “Let's go this way.”
Neo led them around the perimeter of the casino floor, telling them about every shop and point of interest as they passed it.
Gwen quickly stopped paying much attention to what was being said and what they were being shown. Isla was, and Gwen knew she'd fill her in later.
Look at the way he moves, her dragon's voice whispered through her mind. There's muscle you can't see. I bet he'll be dynamite in bed.
Will you knock that off? I know he's our mate, but I need to be able to think clearly around him too. And not just about sex. We are here for a reason, and it's not for a booty call.
But what if we could do both? Are you telling me you would give up a chance to be with our mate because it's not why we were sent?
No, that's not what I'm saying at all. Gwen was getting frustrated. Why couldn't her dragon see things her way just once?
Gwen had worked hard to get where she was. To be trusted with something as big as negotiating this tourism treaty, she wasn't going to blow her big chance by chasing a piece of ass. Not even her mate. The treaty agreement came first. It had to. Gwen wasn't going to forfeit the reputation she'd worked so hard to earn. Not for anyone. Not even a man who had the potential to be her perfect other half.
Shooing all thoughts of anything but work from her mind, Gwen looked around the large, loud room, filled with normals and supes alike. She frowned at the odd mix and started a mental list of things to bring up during treaty talks.
Much more quickly than Gwen anticipated, they had made their way around the perimeter and were once more at the lift where they'd began.
“Is there anything else I can show you?” Neo asked.
Gwen hadn't been paying attention for much of the tour so she remained silent for a few seconds as she tried to remember what they'd seen, or to think of what might be missing, or what she might need later. Nothing came to mind. Isla saved her from having to say anything by speaking up.
“Is there,” Isla glanced around, “somewhere quieter we can talk? I have some questions, if you don't mind.”
Neo pulled a phone from his pocket and checked the time. “Sure, why don't we go to the cafe? This time of day, there's a dining area that's closed. We can sit there, eat, and not have to worry about being overheard. You can ask whatever you like, and if I don't know the answers, I'll find them for you.”
Isla glanced at Gwen and when Gwen gave a slight nod, turned back to Neo. “That will be acceptable.”
Gwen forced herself to pay attention this time as Neo led them to the establishment he'd mentioned. Without stopping, he led them past the hostess and into the restaurant. There were fewer than a half-dozen patrons in a room that could easily sit eighty.
“Megan,” Neo spoke to the norm who was keeping busy filling sugar bins, “we're going to sit in here.” He motioned to a darkened room with a sign in the entrance that read 'Dining Room Closed.' “Will you bring us some water and menus?”
“Of course, sir.” The norm picked up her things and hurried away.
“This way.” Neo flipped a switch on the wall and the lights flickered a moment then lit, leaving the room as bright as the one they were in. Instead of moving the closed sign, Neo stepped around it and out of the way so Gwen and Isla could follow.
Neo motioned to the room with one arm, “Where would you like to sit?”
“My only preference is a chair, not a booth,” Gwen said.
“And I would prefer to face the entrance,” Isla put in.
Neo scanned the room for a moment then led them to a table near the center. “Any table would have let you keep an eye on the main entrance, but from here,” he set one hand on the back of a chair, “you'll be able to keep an eye on the door to the kitchen as well as the one back there, which goes to a maintenance room with several entrances.”
Isla lifted her brows and took the chair Neo offered without a word. Gwen had spent enough time with her to know it was Isla's impressed look.
“Which seat would you like?” Neo watched Gwen.
“This one is fine.” She chose the one closest to where she stood. It also happened to be next to Isla at the small
round table. Neo pulled her chair out and waited as if he was going to help her move it closer again, but backed off when Gwen smiled and said, “Thank you.” Moving around the other side of the table, he sat opposite Gwen, on the other side of Isla.
It seemed as soon as they were seated, the norm, Megan Neo had called her, appeared with water and menus.
“Can I get you anything else to drink?” she asked after passing out menus.
“Just water for me.” Gwen opened her menu to look over the food options.
“Water for me as well,” Neo said.
“Can I get an Irn Bru?” Isla asked.
The waitress looked confused for a moment. “I'm sorry, I don't know what that is.”
“No worries. Just bring me -” Isla paused as her eyes scanned the menu for where the drinks were listed, “Pepsi, please.”
They placed their meal orders and the waitress left again when Neo cleared his throat. “What was it you wanted to discuss?” he looked back and forth from Gwen to Isla as he waited.
“I have some security concerns,” Isla said.
“All right. Care to elaborate?”
“All these people. I wasn't expecting anything this large. It is not possible to be sure there isn't one of us or another concealed among the,” she glanced around, “normals, looking to do ill.”
“I realize it is an issue in many cities, however, because we depend on human tourism, Las Vegas has strict regulations on what is allowed and where.”
Isla scowled.
“What do you mean?” Gwen frowned as she hadn't heard about any such regulations.
“It's not complicated. All casinos and resorts are off limits for anything that might reveal supes to the norms. Nothing is allowed anywhere it might reveal our existence.”
“All the supes in Las Vegas get along with no dissension?” Gwen was blown away. The different species of supernormals had never gotten along. Her clan had a long-standing antipathy with the local witches and wizards, which led to Gwen having a natural distrust of all witches, no matter where they were.
Neo chuckled. “No. Not by a long shot. We are just very careful to keep it out of the view of the normals.” They all fell quiet as the waitress delivered their food, and even once she was gone, they were silent for a few minutes as they ate.
“What you're telling me is, if our people remain in public areas, anywhere norms are, they should be relatively safe. Can you give me an example of where we might have to worry about other supes?”
“Anywhere away from the town, out in the desert where we sometimes go to shift, or even down in the tunnels. The ones we used on the way here.”
Gwen frowned again, trying to remember the details of the trip and where they had been, then remembered she’d fallen asleep. “If it's dangerous, why did you bring us through it?”
“There was little risk of anything happening, especially when we were in a group like we were. Most of the trouble is between locals, unless a visitor has trouble follow them here, or does something to offend one of the other Fractions. The biggest risk in the tunnels is getting lost. There is really very little risk here in Vegas.”
Isla watched Neo with narrowed eyes as she gauged the truth behind his words.
“I've heard rumors of supes disappearing here. Vanishing without a trace. Is there any truth to that?” Gwen had done her research and wondered if Neo would admit it. She hoped he would. Lying was something she abhorred, and while it might not be a deal breaker for either the treaty or the mating, it would make it hard for her to trust him in anything.
Neo stared down at his plate for a moment then met Gwen's gaze. “It's true. There have been several disappearances, but we think we have figured out who is behind them and we're working on taking care of the problem. In the meantime, basic precautions are recommended to all supes, locals and visitors alike.”
“What precautions are those?” Isla leaned back in here seat as she watched him with intense eyes.
“They're basic common sense, really. Stay in public areas when you're alone. If you need to go somewhere not so public, go together. At least two people, but more is better. All of the supes that have disappeared have been alone when they were taken.”
“You said 'we are recommending,' you mean the dragon clan?”
“The dragon and were Fractions, I'm sure of, possibly more.”
“You're sure of the weres?”
“I am. My sister's assistant recently mated the Alpha of the were Fraction. That’s helped things along as we forged an alliance with them.”
“Doesn't such an alliance put you on shaky ground with the shifters?” Gwen knew about the animosity between the two species. It ran long and deep.
“Not so far.” Neo shrugged. “Teya hinted about some tie between the two alphas, but I don't know the details.” They chatted about local hot spots and different casinos for the rest of the meal, then headed back to the elevator.
AS THEY LEFT THE RESTAURANT, Gwen wondered again what it would take to get rid of her guard, even for just a while. “Does this place have a pool?” she asked as they waited for the lift to arrive.
“Of course. Every major hotel in Vegas has a pool. To be honest, most of the tiny ones too. Are you interested in swimming?”
“I love to swim, but back home you either have only a short time to swim or you brave near freezing waters.”
“That's not a problem here. The water gets a little cool in the winter, but not bad.”
“Where would I find the pool? And when is it open?”
“It's on the roof,” he pointed to a button on the lift panel, “and it's open twenty-four hours. You can swim any time you like.”
“That's good. Thank you.” The lift opened, revealing the hall on their floor. They exited and walked down the hallway in silence until Neo stopped in front of his door.
“Do you want me to stop by before our meeting tomorrow and show you where the conference rooms are?”
“That would be nice, what time?”
“The schedule Teya gave me says nine o'clock, so ten to nine?”
“Perfect. I'll be ready.”
“Have a good night.”
Gwen continued to the door of the room she shared with her guards, Isla already waited there, wondering if they would insist on going to the pool with her.
5
Neo sighed, punched his pillow and rolled over. The clock on the bedside table glowed bright, mocking him. 12:47 a.m., and he'd not had a moment's sleep. Thoughts and images of Gwen filled his mind, preventing him from relaxing. He'd thought he just needed to find release and had tried self-gratification while thinking about what he would like to do to her, but ended up just making things worse. Neo couldn't remember a time when he'd wanted a woman this badly.
“Fuck it.” He muttered as he threw the blankets back and climbed out of bed. Shuffling to the bathroom, he turned on the light and bent over the sink., staring at himself for several moments. “Why the fuck can't you stop thinking about her?” Neo asked his reflection.
She's ours, his dragon's voice echoed in his head.
Not possible, you know that. Neo shook his head and wondered where his dragon had come up with the idea. Maybe he needed to spend less time with mated couples and more on his own. The recent matings had given his dragon ideas. He seemed to have forgotten they were cursed.
Giving up on looking for answers, Neo splashed water on his face and decided to try what he normally did when he couldn't sleep - swim. After putting on his trunks and a t-shirt, he headed for the rooftop pool.
The elevator doors opened and Neo stepped out into the cool night. He took a deep breath and enjoyed the cool breeze he often encountered here, especially at night. After taking a moment to let the night air surround him and seep into his pores, Neo scanned the pool area and noted there was almost no one around. One staff member was skimming the surface of the water while another refilled towel racks. The bartender was at the bar, serving the one guest and washing glasse
s while he listened to the woman in the tiny pink bikini. Neo went to the towel cart and pulled one out for himself, then dropped it on the foot of the nearest lounge chair. He kicked off the sandals he'd worn and peeled his t-shirt off, dropping it on the towel.
The man skimming debris was done by the time Neo stepped into the water. He started at the shallow end, using the steps there as he made his way deeper into the water. He was a little more than waist deep when he dove forward and swam with practiced ease to the far end of the pool before surfacing only long enough for a couple of breaths before turning and swimming back the length to the other wall. He again paused for a couple breaths then turned again.
Neo had lost count of how many lengths he'd gone when he stopped to draw several deep breaths and blink the water from his eyes. Movement from the corner of his eye drew his attention and he turned to get a better look. He expected to see the bartender, but instead found Gwen. She stood beside the pool wearing an almost sheer, flowy top, which hung half way to her knees as she stared out at the lights of the city.
“Oh, hi.” Neo pushed the water from his face as he spoke. “You surprised me.”
“Hello,” Gwen glanced at him then looked back at the city. After a moment, she shook her head “Sorry. I wasn't expecting such a stunning view, especially at this hour. Most cities turn off the flashy lights before now.”
“Well, we are known as the city that never sleeps,” Neo watched her for several seconds, unable to turn away.
“Do you mind if I join you?” she waved one hand toward the water.
“Of course.” Neo realized his hand was trembling. “By the way, what time is it?”
“Almost three.” Gwen shrugged out of her cover-up, revealing a teal two-piece swimsuit hugging her body. It made Neo's mouth water.
It took him several seconds to realize she'd said three. He had been swimming for almost two hours without a break. Pulling himself up to sit on the edge of the pool, he signaled the bartender for a drink. Yes, a bartender at the pool at three a.m. was uncommon, but this was Vegas and the bartenders who worked this bar did double duty as lifeguards. This one was used to Neo's late-night swims and knew what he was after.
The Dragon Chronicles_City of Sin Page 20