"Julia, how nice to finally see you," a sexy voice from behind me sang. He took me by surprise; I turned around and somehow, tripped over Loony’s foot, landing on the floor.
"Are you all right?" he asked, automatically helping me up. My face matched my dress within a moment. I’d just ruined my grand entrance. Fucking great!
“I'm fine," I said through the gritted teeth.
"Oh, Julia! Are you Okay?" Loony asked, looking pissed about the fact that he wasn't the one who gave me a hand. A shot of electricity whipped through my spine; Nathaniel’s touch still drove me insane.
“I'm all right. It’s just an unfortunate fall," I said, staring at Nathaniel who was dressed casually in a navy jumper and black trousers. He didn’t use aftershave; he had his own signature smell that left me breathless every time he was near. "Nathaniel, this is Loony—my date."
Nathaniel’s eyes drifted away from me and rested on Loony. His expression didn’t change. I was glad when he let go of my elbow.
“It's a pleasure to meet you," Nathaniel said. “I'm curious to know how you two met?"
I was just about to reply when Loony spoke first.
"Her fairy friend set us up on a blind date. Unbelievable, don’t you think?"
"Is that so?" He was laughing at me; I knew him well.
"Yes, that’s what happened," I cut in, annoyed. “Aren't you supposed to introduce me to someone?"
"I would rather hear from Loony about how the date went. You can meet those rich businessmen later on."
“I'd rather do that now. If you’ll excuse me."
I turned around and walked away, leaving them alone. I couldn't stand there and listen to what Loony was about to say. I didn’t remember much from the date with him. Nathaniel wasn't fooling me. I knew he wasn't curious; he already sensed that the setup was a mismatch.
“You're a terrible liar, my firecracker. You’re not dating him," Nathaniel said, unexpectedly appearing by my side.
"Will you stop calling me that?" I hissed. "Just introduce me to whoever you were planning and let me get on with it. I’m fed up with your games."
He was standing too close to me and my energy was scoring through my body.
"Why did you bring him here? I ought to believe I was supposed to be your date as it’s my dinner."
"We’re over; don’t you remember? You finished it?" I balled my fists, ignoring my lusty sensations mixed with fear. I glanced at Loony who was talking to a tall witch, glancing at me and Nathaniel. A few vampires turned their attention toward Loony, probably aware of his intoxicating scent. I didn’t want Loony to notice how I reacted when Nathaniel was around. It was still early, and I had a long evening ahead of me. If everything went well, then Loony would have no idea that Nathaniel and I used to date.
"I made a mistake. I want to fix us," he murmured, moving closer. My throat went dry and I idly wondered if there was any place I could hide.
"I didn’t come here to discuss our failed relationship." I shrugged, but there was so much unease in my voice that it was difficult to hide it. He knew I wanted him, more than anyone in this room, but I couldn’t do this to myself again.
"It didn’t fail—I got scared," he replied, sipping his whisky.
"Scared of what? That we were getting closer?"
"You know that’s not why I left."
"Nathaniel, I’d rather not—"
"Let me introduce you to a few people; I don’t want to talk about us here," he cut me off. "We can finish this conversation later."
"Or never," I muttered. I was going to tell him that there was no point in dwelling on the past; we were better apart.
A few minutes later, he introduced me to an owner of a large pharmaceutical company. I expected him to leave me alone, but he kept caressing my back while I was presenting my pitch. I kept pulling away, but he didn’t stop, causing an eruption of blazing heat in my core. It was hard to concentrate, but between the times when I knew what I was doing, I learned enough to keep people interested in Paranormal Personnel. I had the perfect opportunity to sell our services, but deep down, I wasn't that bothered if people were up for it or not. Rufus was still in the back of my mind and I couldn't quite figure out how the agency would run without him.
An hour later, a few more people joined me, and I had another opportunity to present the agency in a positive light. When Nathaniel finally left me alone, I was relieved. An intense conversation with a few other paranormals went on for about an hour; I managed to gain a few business cards. A stocky wizard who I’d met during the networking event was among the people I was trying to pitch. All of the sudden, our formal conversation turned into a debate about the recent murder.
"The traces of magic were obviously strong; a wizard must have been the killer," he said.
"My dad works for the Paranormal Unit; he agrees with you. Unfortunately, he still doesn’t have any suspects," I told him, making sure no one was listening.
"Does he? Well, I’m glad we met again," he said. "Dark magic has been prohibited but only a few paranormals ever cared about rules—these days we’re hungry for power."
“It's difficult to say who must have wanted him dead," I said, playing dumb.
"I shouldn’t say that I believe that a wizard is behind this crime, but, no offence, elves’ or fairies’ magic has never been that strong."
The announcement that dinner was ready came, so I didn’t have a chance to disagree with him. A stocky wizard named, Michael, promised to talk to me later, but I was glad to get away. When I sat down, Nathaniel found the place next to me. Loony smiled, sitting on my left. The food was delicious, but I couldn’t concentrate on what I was eating as Nathaniel’s arm kept brushing mine. He didn’t react when I shot him a sharp look, pretending that he was immersed in a serious conversation with the witch opposite him.
There was an odd mix of creatures around the table: two vampires, a shapeshifter, wizards, and a witch who was running a dating agency. It was difficult to find common ground, especially when the men talked about football.
"So, Julia, Nathaniel mentioned that you used to go out?" the witch asked unexpectedly, shifting the subject away from sports.
I nearly choked on the piece of bread that I was about to chew. Everyone stopped talking and looked at me. Loony shifted in the chair next to me.
"Yes, we used to date." There was no point pretending I didn’t know what she was talking about. Everyone at this table, apart from Loony, knew.
"Dhampir and an elf—don’t you think that’s a bit risky, La Caz?" Michael chuckled, sending me a wink. My face heated up and I started playing with my food, hoping that Nathaniel would shift this uncomfortable conversation away.
"Keep your nose out of my business, West. You shouldn’t ask inappropriate questions during a business dinner," Nathaniel said calmly.
Michael started laughing. “I'm only teasing; don’t get all grumpy," he added. “We're all curious to know if you’re ever planning to settle down?"
"If I do, then you’ll be the last to know."
Michael laughed out loud but didn’t continue with the subject. I exhaled, wondering if my date with Loony could be any worse. Now, I didn’t have a choice. I had to explain myself to him. After dinner, two vampires that owned a bakery cornered me, so I had to talk to them. When I finally found Loony, he was alone drinking champagne.
"Hey," I said, approaching him. “How's it going?"
"You were right; everyone wants to talk about business, not pleasure," he joked.
"Listen, Loony," I began, contemplating how to start this awkward conversation about Nathaniel, “I'm sorry that I didn’t tell you about Nathaniel and me."
"I guessed that there was something between you two," he said, wrinkling his forehead with effort. "The air changes when he’s around you."
"I should have told you. I’m sorry that you had to find out like this."
“Don't worry, Julia, I understand. You probably felt awkward."
"Really? You aren�
��t upset?"
He shook his head. "We all have secrets." He laughed. I smiled but kept wondering if he was ready to date me. He was handsome, had a good job, and wouldn’t have a problem with commitment. Nicky was right: he was ideal for me. Maybe I should consider giving him another chance?
Chapter 9
His dessert.
Later on, the witch who ran the dating agency approached me and started asking about the fire at the agency. She knew an awful lot of details for someone who’d never heard of Paranormal Personnel. It was close to the ten when I finally had a chance to get away to the bathroom. My magic was unsettled, accumulating again, giving me a terrible headache. The current of light was lifting the hair on the back of my neck, causing pain in my joints. My breathing was rigid. Nathaniel was around so my magic was more active.
"Can you give me your car keys? I think I left my clutch bag in your car," I told Loony, hoping to sneak outside to cast a simple spell so I could relax a little.
"Yes, you look a bit pale. Are you are all right?"
“I'm fine. I just need a bit of fresh air. Be back in a minute."
He didn’t insist on coming with me, and I was glad to have some time to myself. Nathaniel wasn't stalking me, so I had the perfect opportunity to get away. I left the apartment and called the lift. My heart was pounding in my chest, my skin tingling. I took a few deep breaths as I got into the lift. The doors were just about to close when Nathaniel slid inside.
"Going somewhere?" he asked as the door closed.
"What are you doing here?"
"I told you, we need to talk."
"We have nothing to talk about, Nathaniel," I said, raising my voice.
“You're glad to see me, stop denying it." He smirked. I didn't press any buttons, but the lift began to move. I could feel the hair on my arms lift as he moved closer.
"I needed some air," I explained. "I wanted to be alone."
I was trying to count to ten in my head. Nicky told me that it was quite a distracting exercise, but as soon as I caught his scent, my pulse skyrocketed.
"I want you back."
His voice drew me away from his body; his words rang in my mind. Nathaniel was only saying that because he saw me with another man. He was the one who left me and, now he thought he could say one word, then I would come running back to him.
"Fuck you," I spat, then the lights starting to shimmer, and the lift began to shake. My heartbeat quickened. The air filled with desire, scratching my throat, pulling through my lungs. There was a loud bang, then the lift stopped. We were stuck on the sixteenth floor.
“What's going on?" I asked, pressing the buttons with panic.
“I'm not sure. Let me call downstairs," he said and pressed the number for security, but nothing happened. “It's off."
"What do you mean, it’s off? I want to get out of here," I hissed, feeling suffocated.
“Don't stress. At least we’ve got each other." He casually leaned toward me.
"I hate elevators. Please tell me you can get us out of here."
"There is a possibility that it’s a power shortage," he said. “Don't stress; you’re safe with me."
I wanted to cry, being stuck in an elevator with Nathaniel when my magic was getting out of control was my worst nightmare. He couldn’t possibly think that I could give him another chance after he left me in my apartment, wounded, when I needed him the most.
"Why are you doing this to me? You will never get over your commitment issues, and remember, you were the one who left me," I said, raising my voice. His eyes moved over my face and then he dragged his body closer, wrapping his mind-blowing scent all over my skin. His hands were on my shoulders.
“I'm sorry that I abandoned you like that. I was afraid that if I stayed you’d be in danger," he said, not breaking eye contact. “I've missed you so much."
His touch—the sound of his voice—made me want to forget how much he’d hurt me. My heart ached for him, but my body fought hard. He couldn't change because I wanted him.
"But you did leave," I whispered. "I don’t want to go through this again. I don’t expect you to understand. Stay away from me."
The wind picked up, ruffling his sandy hair. I was still counting, but his penetrating eyes were like glowing diamonds. I was failing, badly, at keeping my distance; my body leaned into his; magic filling my pores.
"So, you want me to stay away from you, even if I do this?" He brushed his lips gently over mine. A shiver shot down my body, but I refused to react.
"Yes," I responded, but my voice cracked.
"What about this?"
This time I wasn't quite ready when he kissed me. Fierce throbbing sliced through my core when I realised what was happening.
"Yeess," I dragged out with effort.
"You drive a hard bargain, my firecracker." He pulled away, but only for a second on two. His breathing was rapid. I was lost in desire even before he touched me. Instead of pushing him away and calling someone who could rescue us, I looped my arms around him, then pressed my shaking body to his. The lights began flashing and I knew if we didn’t stop kissing, it wouldn’t be long before I killed us both.
I grasped his hair while he sucked on my earlobe. He stretched my arms to both sides, moving down to my neck. He parted my legs with his thigh and pressed himself against me, so I could feel his expanding erection. My pulse pounded in my throat and I kept telling myself that I should stop, but the steaming energy that started building up inside me was too much to bear.
"You can’t even imagine how much I missed you," he murmured, pulling away, staring into my eyes. I swallowed hard, taking short gasps of air. He didn’t let me catch my breath before kissing me again, this time harder, more fierce. I kissed him back, not thinking about the consequences anymore.
"Nathaniel, we can’t do this," I moaned against his mouth.
"Oh, yes, we can." He growled. "Your scent is like a breath of fresh air."
He pulled away, smiling, and his eyes darted downward. Before I could even process what was happening, he started unzipping my dress. "Beautiful, and all mine"
His hand moved around my thighs pulling the lower part of my dress up.
"You drive me fucking insane," he whispered, then leaned in and kissed my bare shoulders. "Mmmm, I want to fuck you in those."
I believed he was referring to the stockings I’d decided to wear tonight, but I was too turned on to care.
"Oh, god, I missed you, too," I mumbled, forgetting about the promises I made to myself.
A wicked smile spread across his face and, with fire in his eyes, he unhooked my bra. Heat flowed over my body when he sucked on my hardened nipples. My heart rate picked up dangerously fast. I moaned as his tongue swirled around my breasts. Sparks escaped my hands, melting the barrier that I held on to. Desire and lust infused their way through my body, moving though my veins; my heart jackhammering in my chest. A drizzling heat swamped me when he moved his hand between my legs.
"Always so ready for me," he whispered, caressing my sex. The renewing heat of blazing air filled every cell, easing through my lungs. He kept stimulating my clit with his skilled fingers; his movements forceful. I felt the intensity of an approaching orgasm. It had been so long since we’d been together. I was so close to the precipice. I drew in a shallow breath as the pulsing between my thighs increased; I was going to explode.
"Sweet and wet; what are you doing to me?"
I couldn’t respond as I lost control over my body; the pleasure filling me, and I came, screaming. Something burst, and I heard a loud crack somewhere beneath me. The lift started moving again. When I opened my eyes, Nathaniel was breathing hard next to my ear. I didn’t have to look at him; I knew that his fangs were extended, and the air smelled of sweat and sex.
"Julia, I want to be inside you right now," he said, pressing his cheek to mine. My body was pleasantly numb, and my hands were still shaking. Most of the lights in the elevator were out; the large mirror in front of us was cracked
. I was to be blamed for that. We were moving down quickly.
I wasn't even prepared for what happened next. The lift stopped, and the door opened, throwing us straight into a group of people. A flush crept over my cheeks as I tried to hide my ripped dress and whatever dignity that I had left.
"Mr. La Caz, are you all right?" a stocky werewolf asked, dressed in a blue uniform, looking concerned.
"We’re fine, Derek, thank you. We got stuck."
I couldn’t stay there so I hurried away, ignoring the intensive stares. When the warm breeze hit my lungs, I was relieved. People probably thought that I was some kind of slut.
I didn't care that I left Loony in his apartment. I just needed to get out of here.
"Julia, where the hell are you going?" Nathaniel shouted, easily catching up with me, but I couldn’t stop. I didn't want to talk to him. We were done and what happened back there was nothing more than a moment of weakness. The main gate was a distance away and there was no way that I could find a taxi anywhere near.
"Just leave me alone, Nathaniel. I need to go home," I yelled.
"Let me call Roberto, he’ll take you," he said. "Don’t you think we need to talk?"
I was a mess—my dress was in pieces and people in his building probably thought that I was a prostitute taking advantage of a man in the lift.
"No, we don’t need to talk. That was just sex. We aren’t good for each other. Don’t you understand that?"
I started running away from him in my high heels. I saw a taxi pulling up, dropping someone around the corner. I ran, not caring about anything anymore. Nathaniel was still shouting on the phone, probably trying to get through to Roberto. I jumped into the taxi, praying that he wouldn’t follow me. I gave the taxi driver my address, quickly shutting the door. I didn’t care that I was running away from him. I nearly had sex with him in the elevator when my date was still upstairs.
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