by Janice Jones
Conner Gale, Founder and CEO of Gale Enterprises and the head of the Council of Pure Blood Vampires, returned the gesture. His perfect smile and classic handsome guy features struck Jason all at once. If he hadn’t been one of the richest men in the world and a vampire, Jason was sure Conner would be important in some other way.
“Don’t apologize. I’m sure your day has been as long as mine,” Conner replied. “I should apologize for making it that much longer with this, but it couldn’t be helped.”
“I understand, sire,” Jason answered. “How can I help you?”
Conner shifted in his seat and the easy smile faded slowly. Jason couldn’t tell where he was, but he seemed very uncomfortable there. He was wearing a gray sport coat and navy shirt. Without a tie, he looked like any other human Jason might come across at a meeting or some other social function. His brown hair was cut close on the sides, but wavy on top. His longish nose complemented his big green eyes and high forehead. He looked like a typical billionaire, if there was such a thing.
“Well I’d like to ask a favor if I could,” Conner said.
“Of course, sire. Anything,” Jason gushed like an awestruck teenager.
Conner smiled. “I’d like you to go to Texas and speak with Coop’s contact.”
Jason’s heart began to race in his chest. He stood to take a bottle of plain water from the center of the table. It cracked open and he almost finished it in one long swallow.
“Why? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I don’t think Cooper is being completely honest with us,” Conner replied. “My hope is to have someone from the former team on this assignment. I’d feel better if they were there to protect you and our interest in Romania.”
Conner had a serious look on his face. Jason couldn’t remember a time when Conner looked this serious about his safety. He had no faith in Coop’s abilities either, but to have Conner voice that same concern and throw his confidence in Jason was something to be proud of.
“Our agenda won’t be the priority.”
Conner smiled again. “It doesn’t have to be, Jason. I just want to be sure you are protected. So, you’ll be on a plane first thing?”
“Of course, sire,” Jason said as he stood. “But what will be the incentive to help us?”
“Offer your assistance with their current problem. The Council of Pure Blood Vampires will cooperate fully with their investigation if this former team member will accompany you to Romania. I think that will pique their interest enough, don’t you?”
“I’ll leave first thing in the morning, and I promise you they’ll be on board,” Jason stated confidently.
Conner laughed, then the screen went dark. Jason let out a hard breath as he dropped back down in the chair. One of these days his ego was going to get him in trouble. He didn’t have the first clue as to how he was going to convince her to take the assignment. Then it came to him like a jolt of electricity to his heart.
Chapter 5
“You’re leaving?” he yawned and rubbed his eyes. “I thought we were going to dinner?”
“Rain check,” she replied with a pat to his foot as she rose from the edge of the rumpled bed, “I just remembered a meeting, so . . .”
He sighed, rolled over and stuffed the pillow under his head. A claustrophobic feeling came over her as she slipped one foot into her runner, then the other. The hoodie was still draped over the lamp. Once it was on again, the desire to be out of his apartment overwhelmed her. Her keys were where she’d dropped them. As she looked around to make sure nothing of her remained in this place, his sigh turned her in the opposite direction of the exit.
He leaned his naked body against the door frame as the light from the bedroom dropped a dim shadow over him. Rich, dark skin covered his well-defined muscles from every angle. The feel of that skin against hers was a momentary distraction from her long day. He was good at being there to help her release some stress, but this was not a permanent relationship.
“Will you be at the game at least?” he sighed, scratching at close cut waves of hair.
“Umm, I’ll try,” she said. “I’ve got . . .”
“A meeting,” he interrupted the lie she was about to tell. “Is this all I get from you? A quick fuck then you’re gone?”
Alex had done this dance with one man or another over the last few years. It used to be that casual sex, or ‘friends with benefits’, was the thing. And he certainly never complained before.
“Was there supposed to be more?” she asked, standing in the middle of his living room, trying to get out the door before he said something to piss her off. “I thought you were okay with this.”
With a sideways glance, he shrugged, “I guess I’ll have to be, huh.” He stepped forward and grinned, “Wanna go again?”
Alex shook her head as she backed away and opened the front door. “Next time.” She was out the door and inside the elevator before the “walls closing in on her” feeling started to subside.
Once she was home and showered, she settled down with her laptop and a drink. Someone had sent her a news item from Los Angeles. The body of a young man had been found in a park two weeks ago. As she scanned the article, she wasn’t sure why anyone would send this to her, then the picture at the bottom took her breath away.
“Damn,” she huffed and speed dialed Ben.
“Hey,” he yawned at her.
“Did you email me a news article tonight?”
“Nope,” he yawned again. “Why?”
“Patient nine was found dead in L.A. a couple of weeks ago, that’s why.” She heard a rustle on the other end than a loud bang like he had just throw something against the wall.
“Send it to me,” he groaned.
The ping in the background meant he received the email.
“He was one of the hybrids, right? I thought they were keeping them under lock and key at 51. What happened?”
“I have no idea,” she sighed. “I thought you might know. I thought you sent that article.”
“Not me,” he replied.
“Let me know what you find out, if you can get that close. And Coop’s coming here about that body in Vegas last night. You know why he’s bringing this to me?”
Ben laughed. “Why would I? Me and him aren’t exactly Facebook friends you know.”
“I’ll deal with Coop. Call my . . . Dr. Carlisle and find out what happened, please.”
“You know, you can refer to him as your father, Dagger,” Ben chuckled then exhaled. “You forgave me. Don’t you think it’s time to forgive him too?”
“You apologized,” she stated. “He hasn’t.”
The line went dead. Once she was settled, she turned out the light and tried to relax. Sleep was not going to come easy after all.
Chapter 6
“Just tell him,” Dr. Carlisle stated, in the condescending tone he always seemed to have when he spoke about anything that had to do with Alex. “Conner feels quite confident that Mr. Stavros will at least convince her to consider the offer and not turn it down out of hand, like she did you.”
Coop hated the way he chuckled. Mostly because the slight was at Coop’s expense. “Dr. C, that’s probably not a good idea. Jason tends to come on a little too strong around women. She may toss him out the window before he can get to the point.”
“And if she does, who cares?” Dr. Carlisle chuckled again. “Let him try.”
Coop shrugged and sent the email with her name and business address to Jason. He asked if he should meet him there, but he had replied no. “He plans to be here first thing. Won’t this be fun?”
_______________
All the press Jason could find on her suggested Alex Stone had a taste for young athletes. Not too young, but young enough to keep her rep solid in that world. Who would’ve guessed she was hiding such a great secret. He smiled look
ing over the pictures his contact had emailed to him. Even in this day and age, Alex Stone being caught with a woman would turn some heads.
_______________
The next morning her office bustled with activity. Alex strolled in with breakfast in hand. In every unused space, boxes waited to be opened. The models came and went. Every department coordinator was busy with set up for the big meeting this afternoon. She moved through the boxes and people without a sound or a word spoken to anyone. No one really seemed to notice her at all.
As she passed the main conference room, her personal assistant was preparing the space. The projector mounted from the ceiling cast the company logo on the white wall at the end of the room. They placed leather bound reports at each chair. Water, pastries, sandwiches, coffee and soft drinks were lined neatly on the tables by the entrance.
Inside her office, Alex plugged in her laptop, opened the files, and pulled up the photos from last night for the meeting. Unfortunately, Coop’s phone call was real last night and so was the dead body in Vegas. She couldn’t ignore that, or him for that matter.
While Alex mulled over how to explain taking time off in the middle of launch prep, Ivy walked in, pushed the door closed then put her back against it. Alex glanced up then back at her computer screen. “Hey. What’s up?”
When Ivy didn’t answer, Alex looked up again. There she stood, against the door, arms folded over her chest, eyes sparkling.
Alex picked up the stuff for the meeting and stopped in front of her.
“What?”
Ivy’s full red lips spread into a smile. Her bright smile almost rivaled the sunlight as it poured through the windows. “You are a sneaky little bitch, aren’t you?”
Alex smiled back, but she wasn’t sure why, “What are you talking about?”
“He’s standing in our lobby asking for you.”
“Who?”
Ivy led the way down the hall toward the lobby. They stopped at the glass that separated it from the workspace. With the sound of Top 40 music swimming around them, Alex and Ivy turned to the glass together. Ivy hummed with the tune as Alex prayed for a gun. Son of bitch!
In the center of the room were two models, two huge bodyguards and one gorgeous, tall, dark-haired man. His tailored suit and leather shoes looked new and expensive. Against the shiny marble floors and overhead lighting, he looked human, almost.
It was obvious Jason Stavros took pride in his appearance. Judging by the way he stood, it was apparent that confidence was not an issue he struggled with. Alex rolled her eyes as his dazzling smile melted everyone else in sight. His longish nose had a small rise in the bridge. It had been broken long before he was turned; becoming a vampire wouldn’t erase the past.
The face of the limited edition Zenith timepiece on his left wrist sparkled as he talked to the pretty redhead to his right. Against the rich fabric of the jacket sleeve, his watch looked even more expensive. Most young guys would throw a Rolex on their wrists to show how much they were worth, but a Tourbillon Quantieme made a different kind of statement. His accessory announced he had taste and the means to express it in the most unexpected ways. Wearing a watch that cost more than a Ferrari was pretty unexpected.
As she stepped back, her head bumped the wall with a hollow thud. “Fuck me,” she whispered.
“I don’t think Jason Stavros would mind doing that,” Ivy giggled as she ogled him through the glass. “When did you meet him?”
“I haven’t met him yet.”
“Then why is he here saying you guys have a meeting this morning?”
“I don’t know,” Alex said as she placed her things in Ivy’s hands. “I’ll be right in as soon as I’m done.”
When she stepped through the door, all eyes turned towards her.
The receptionist went back to buzzing phone and her models excused themselves politely as Jason turned in her direction.
“But . . . I want to meet him,” Ivy whispered as Alex pushed her back through the door.
“Not now. Go.”
Being a vampire suited him. The beautiful smile and bright brown eyes were offset by dark waves of hair so shiny it looked wet. His long arm came out as he approached. There was a nice ‘just fed’ color to his skin. Fresh blood gave their usually dull pallor a sun-kissed appearance that would last for hours. When he was close enough for her to smell his cologne, she committed it to memory in case she ran into him in a dark alley some night soon.
“You sure can clear a room,” he said, as his large hand waited for hers. “Jason Stavros.”
“I know who you are,” Alex replied with a firm grip of his soft, warm, manicured hand. “What can I do for you Mr. Stavros?”
“Just a minute of your time, Ms. Stone,” Jason smiled. “I promise it won’t hurt, unless you’re into that.”
“Cute,” she grinned. “Why don’t you give me a call in a couple of days and we’ll set something up. Say, when Hell freezes over?”
Jason laughed as one hand slid down the front of his Italian wool jacket, smoothing the invisible wrinkles. Then both hands disappeared into his pockets. “You don’t really want to do this here, do you?” The temperature dropped slightly as he invaded her personal space. “Please. I’m just asking for a few minutes.”
Unfortunately, Jason was right, she didn’t want to do this in front of prying eyes and virgin ears. She stepped to the side and waved him toward the door as his two bodyguards followed them to her office. It had been awhile since she’d been this close to a vampire and even longer since she’d touched one. The experience then was not pleasant. Now, it wasn’t just pleasant, but oddly exciting.
Jason instructed his bodyguards to wait as he followed Alex inside the office. As he turned to take a seat, Alex felt a shiver roll through her body. His eyes were like deep pools of chocolate. When he smiled, his entire face lit up. No, glowed. His bronze skin brightened and his silky hair caught the overhead lighting, showing its true dark brown color. Most people would chalk it up to good genes, but Alex knew better. Supernaturally speaking, he had been born to be immortal.
He sat on the small leather settee and poured two cups of coffee in a very polite manner. She almost said ‘thank you,’ but caught the compliment before it left her lips. To thank him would be like admitting she enjoyed his company. She wasn’t ready to give him the upper hand just yet.
She took the chair instead of the cushion next to him. He gave it a pat and winked at her for good measure. When she didn’t take the bait, he dropped a spoonful of sugar in each cup and a small bit of cream with a shrug. The ‘Mr. Manners’ routine was meant to keep up the illusion. But since she already knew what he was, it was overkill and irritating.
He sipped his coffee with a calm expression.
Jason Stavros made the perfect poster child for the modern vampire. He was unbelievably charming and, of course, handsome as hell. With his chiseled chin and high forehead, no one would dare to mistake him for anything other than the classic all American boy. From his handshake, Alex felt his preternatural power. He did it on purpose, let just a bit of it through. He was probably used to holding back to fool everyone into believing he was mortal—everyone but her.
Keep it cool and casual, girl. Her eyes locked on his to keep her focus tight. If she allowed herself to be the slightest bit distracted, she’d lose her advantage. Don’t let him inside your head. Alex pretended she wasn’t impressed with him. She crossed her legs and placed her hands demurely in her lap. He seemed to like that. From his expression, Alex could tell he liked his women in heels and short skirts. And, as with most egomaniacs, he probably liked to be on top too. “I get the pun, by the way. Bite. Very clever,” he said slyly. The sound of his voice jumped her back to reality.
She shifted in the chair and moved her mouth into a small grin. It really was involuntary.
He grinned too, looking as though he wanted to fe
ed right here in her office. For a one hundred and fifty year old vampire, he was most likely very skilled at holding back those long white incisors when he needed to be discreet. The idea of a vampire like Jason Stavros denying his true nature when he was so clearly aroused and ready to strike was amusing. Contrary to legend, vampires were not mindless, blood-thirsty creatures. The desire to feed uncontrollably was resolved years ago. In order to keep the cravings under control, some super smart, pure-blood created a substitute. Although it isn’t real human blood, it does work as a suppressant during times when human blood isn’t available. Alex prided herself on keeping up to date on everything that happened in that world, even though she tried very hard to stay away from it these days.
Usually vampires didn’t deny themselves any opportunity to feed, but, if nothing else, he was smart. He knew something about Alex he shouldn’t, or at least enough to keep him from trying anything. If he was so inclined, he could compel her to offer him a taste. Mind control was a neat trick, when it worked. But she wasn’t susceptible to it and therefore, Jason was ‘shit outta luck’ in that respect. Glad you’ve fed already handsome, ‘cuz I’m not on the buffet, she thought.
Jason cleared his throat to break the silence. “So, I guess you’re wondering why I’m here.”
“Not really. I think I know.”
“You do?” he smiled.
“Yea,” Alex stated. “Just give me their sizes and colors and you can be on your way.”
“Sorry?”
“You want undies for your staff, right? . . . ‘Cuz that’s what I do, sell underwear.”
Jason laughed as he stood and walked around the space in a casual way. He knew what he was doing. He wanted to appear approachable, safe, just another face in the crowd. But millionaires that constantly have their faces in magazines, newspapers, and on every social media outlet in existence were not just faces in a crowd. This guy had a status far above the rest of the world. Even Alex, with all she had access to, would be turned away from some of the doors opened to him.