There were underwear, socks, shirts and other clothing, all marked XXXL. He scratched at his arm thinking of the tight cotton on his body once more. He wasn’t sure how long he could take dressing like an ape in a suit.
He hung the shirt and vest up. Then he shucked off his pants and placed them neatly on a chair. He walked in his boxer briefs to the adjoining bathroom. Throwing on the water, he didn’t even wait for it to warm before stepping in. He needed a cold shower. A cold shower and a whole night to decide what he was going to do. He needed a new plan, a plan that centered on not falling in love with a Vampire lord.
Chapter 11
Mason pushed his way past Danika and out of the car when they reached the office the next evening. She bristled at his brisk nature, but said nothing. It was best, she reminded herself. She needed to keep things professional, but it still bruised her pride that he hadn’t so much as glanced at her since they’d gotten in the car that evening.
His mountainous frame blocked the entire view. After a moment, he reached into the car and offered her his hand. She squeezed against him to get by. He didn’t look at her, but his muscles went rigid as their bodies touched.
He tried to move, but with the door behind him, he had nowhere to go. He sucked in a breath as she lingered near him for an extra moment to adjust her skirt. Then she walked up the stairs to the entrance. Mason barely made it to the door before she got there. He looked down at her with a frustrated glare and opened it. She strode into the lobby and passed the receptionist, who held out messages, eyeing Mason lustfully. Anger coursed through Danika. Rounding on the receptionist, she pinned the girl with her stare. The receptionist didn’t notice at first, but when the men stopped moving and followed Danika’s gaze, the receptionist bowed and sat down, staring at her screen.
“My lord?” William offered her his arm.
Danika nodded and took William’s arm. With all this new crap going on in her head, she was going to need someone levelheaded like William. Mason looked like a coil wound too tight. The elevator doors opened and Mason pulled her inside, stepping between her and the opening.
“I need to see Chase first thing. Then I’ll need you to compile a list of all real estate holdings in the Chicago area, William,” Danika said. “We’ll go through them and research the backgrounds of the owners. We have to find this club and the Vampire responsible for the rogue vamp that hurt you.”
“Are you going to ask Neeman to look into it?”
“I don’t know yet. We have to see where the information leads us. But for now we’ll keep this between us. I need to find out what’s going on in this town. After everything that’s transpired, it’s only a matter of time before the incident reaches the Vampire Kings. And I don’t need to give them any more reason to look at us, this company, or our coven.”
“Of course,” said William.
The doors opened and Mason walked out, then he stepped aside and let Danika out. She tried to push down her annoyance. After all, that was why she’d gotten him, but she wasn’t used to it. Striding to the center of the waiting area, she noticed Chase’s door ajar.
Handing her briefcase and jacket to William, she crossed to it. Raising her hand to knock, she felt a presence behind her and turned.
“You don’t need to follow me everywhere, Mason,” she said, exasperated.
“It’s what I’m here for, isn’t it? To protect you?”
“I’m aware of that. However, this is Chase. My uncle. I’m sure he isn’t going to attack me.” She planted her hands on her hips.
“Do you want me to protect you, or don’t you?”
“Mason—”
“Then let me do my job, please.” He folded his arms over his chest. “My lord,” he added as an afterthought.
She scowled. He was right, but the fact that he was so close overwhelmed her. She had work to do, and his nearness caused her head to swim.
“Mason,” she started again. “I know why you’re here, and I want you to do your job, but I’m not used to being followed around, or having someone leave the car before me, or get out of the elevator before me. Or go into meetings with me. So...just...” She couldn’t think of the words. “Just...act like you aren’t there.” It sounded harsher than she’d meant it, but there it was.
“I’m good at that,” he said, a hint of a smile on his face.
Danika stared at the handsome smile that made his eyes crinkle at the edges. She cleared her throat, sure that Chase had heard the entire conversation. Embarrassed, she knocked anyway.
“Come in, Danika.”
Chase sat at his desk, working on his computer. His office was modern, dark wood with an oriental rug on the floor, dark bookcases and desk. There were no windows in case he needed to sleep in here.
“I need to speak with you about a couple of things.” Danika sat down in a dark leather chair.
“About William? How’s that working out?”
“William is quickly becoming my voice of reason. He’s a great comfort to me. I hope that as his mentor, I’ll be able to do the same for him in this time of transition.”
“It’s a big undertaking. Are you up for it?”
Danika twisted her ruby ring around her finger and bit the inside of her cheek. Chase might be her uncle, but he was still part of the old boys’ club in the society. And according to the old boys, female vampires were china dolls to be protected and revered; not coven lords, not the head of billion dollar companies, and not mentors for new male vampyr. “I’ve been through a lot and I believe that I’m stronger for it. Besides, it’s time I lead the coven the way that it should be led.”
Chase sat for a while and finally said, “Xenock was not your fault. He went bad on his own, there was nothing you could’ve done to prevent what happened.”
“Couldn’t I? I knew he was unhappy. In the months preceding his death, I knew something was wrong, I just didn’t want to deal with it. But that has nothing to do with William. William is not like Xenock. William is vampyr. They’re two completely different creatures.”
“Yes, well, with all due respect, Nika, might I suggest that you keep your relationship with him professional until such a time that he’s through his transition. You wouldn’t want his head anywhere but where it needs to be.”
Danika’s cheeks flushed. “I have no intention of becoming involved with William.” She gritted her teeth. Danika had never explained to anyone why she’d started a relationship with Xenock. What they’d had was out of her need for contact, her need for a connection to another being after losing her parents and turning Neeman away.
The temperature rose around her and she remembered Mason was behind her.
“But there actually is another reason that I came to you. I need you to give William the file of the real estate holders in the city.”
“All of them?”
“I’m looking into a recent development that came from the rogue vamp. I’m not sure that it’s anything yet, but I need to follow up with everything that comes my way.”
“Of course. Is it something I can help with?”
“I’m going to have William do most of the legwork. You have more important things to attend to.” She stood to leave. “Oh, before I go, I’d like you to meet Mason.” Danika turned and motioned to Mason. He moved forward.
“Well now, I do believe that he’s the biggest guardian I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. But wasn’t he supposed to stay with Neeman another week?” Chase looked Mason over from head to toe.
“He was, but under the circumstances, I thought it would be best if he were here now.”
“Under the circumstances?”
She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to tell Chase that she had a strange feeling that someone was trying to kill her. She couldn’t afford for anyone to perceive her as weak. Even Chase.
“William is no longer my slave and I needed one, as you said before. So I decided it would be best if Mason came to me now.
” It sounded plausible enough.
Chase walked to where Mason loomed behind her. He circled Mason. “You’ve trained with Neeman. Did you learn anything?” he asked.
“I did.”
“Do you think you’re up to the task to protect my niece?” Chase still rounded Mason.
Mason didn’t move a muscle; only his gaze flickered down to Danika’s face and rested upon her. He seemed conflicted by the question. “I am capable of strengthening her position.” Then he said, “I would give my life for her.”
Heat rushed to her belly. The words seemed to hold more meaning than he was trying to let them convey. The way he looked at her made her want to rip his clothes off right there in Chase’s office. Propriety be damned! She tried to keep her breathing level so Chase wouldn’t notice.
“I’m sure you would.” Chase came to rest behind Danika. Chills ran down her neck as she felt his eyes upon her.
“Yes, well, anyway.” Danika cleared her throat. “If you would be so kind as to get the list to William as soon as possible, I’d be most appreciative.”
Danika and Mason turned to leave. Mason, always a step ahead of her, opened the door and stepped out into the waiting area. She squeezed past him and walked through the white carpeted waiting area to William’s desk, motioning for him to follow her.
She plopped into her chair and let out a huge breath. Holding her head in her hands, she closed her eyes. She was playing a dangerous game. Sooner or later, Chase was bound to find out what the rogue had said. Then he would find out the reason that she wanted the list of real estate holders in the city. And when he did, what would he think of her? What would all of them think of her if they knew there was an underground blood club, and she had no knowledge of it? Soon the information would get back to the three kings, and then she’d have a real problem. Her position was tenuous at best: the youngest coven lord, owner of a billion dollar company, a female with no mate and mentoring a male vampyr. Any combination of them could cause the three kings and the Council to look her way, but all of them combined was dangerous. She couldn’t let her father’s legacy be turned over to someone else. She needed to prove herself to them all.
Ever since she’d taken over the company after her parents’ deaths, and the kings had given her the coven, they’d just been waiting for a reason to take it away. The problem was, they had none. Her being young and inexperienced was not a legal reason. Chase would’ve been a much better choice. But since her father had left the entire company to her, they’d given her the coven as well, so there’d be no conflicts. The three kings and the Council hated conflict. They’d do almost anything to preserve their peace and their way of life. Which meant she had to find the blood club and stop it, quick.
“William, Chase is going to get the real estate holdings to you in the next few hours. What I need you to do is to find all properties that have been bought, or changed hands in the last five years. Then see if there are any people who’ve bought several pieces of property in the past ten years.”
He nodded, then paused as if trying to figure out how to formulate something.
“What is it, William? I have things to do, just tell me, please.”
“You had a call from...Lord Garon. He said he needs to speak with you.”
“Great.” She had no desire to speak to him. “Call him and see if you can find out what he needs.”
“Me?” William squeaked.
“Yes, you. You can do this. Call him, tell him I’m very busy at the moment, and ask if you can help.”
William’s mouth opened and closed several times before he cleared his throat and finally said, “Yes, mistress,” in a hoarse voice.
“Good, now leave me please and let me know when you have new information.”
William nodded before leaving.
She shifted her gaze to Mason after the door closed.
They stared at each other before he said, “What do you want me to do?”
Danika threw her hands in the air. “I have no clue! But you cannot stand there like that and stare at me all evening, or I’ll get nothing accomplished. What did you do before you were picked up?”
“Picked up?” His brows shot up. “That’s a nice way of putting it isn’t it?”
“Were you really that much better off before?”
“I was free.”
“Free? Free to do what?” she snapped.
“Whatever I wanted.”
“Like run in the shadows and steal from people?”
“Vamps are not people, they’re vamps. Humans are people.”
“Then what am I?”
He didn’t answer.
Danika pinched the bridge of her nose. Her anger was out of proportion as it had been the night before. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt such pressure in her life, but she didn’t need this right now, she had too much on her plate. She blew out a long slow breath. She’d never had a slave before. Why had she thought this would be so easy? “All right, Mason, I get it. You haven’t yet come to terms with being a slave and having to do the bidding of another. I can accept that. You may not have all of the so-called freedom you had before, but life won’t be so bad for you. You’ll have regular food, bed, comforts.”
“Is that all that’s important to you? If you were ripped away from everyone you knew, everyone you were supposed to provide for, and forced into slavery to the ruling class would you be fine with regular food and a bed?”
Danika opened her mouth and then closed it again. She’d never thought about it before. Humans were humans. She felt bad for what they’d been through but they’d brought it on themselves. She’d heard stories about how the humans now lived and she assumed that though they were technically slaves, they enjoyed being brought into the service of Vampires. Being given the luxuries that their rural camps lacked. Like Matthew. He enjoyed being a house blood slave.
The night before had been different; she’d been too relaxed and had let her hormones get the better of her. But talking to Mason now, she saw that they had very little in common. She was the master and he was the slave. She needed to bond him to her so he would learn that. It was strictly business.
“We should continue the bonding process, it will help you adjust. Let’s sit on the couch.” Danika stood and pointed to the small loveseat in the corner of her office.
Mason stared at her, his jaw muscles working hard.
She unbuttoned her blazer, tucked her feet under her, and sat as comfortably as possible.
Mason walked the few steps to where she waited for him. His thigh rubbed up against her in a casual way, due to the confined space.
“So this is how you plan to break my desire for freedom? By bonding me to you?”
“Like I said, it will become easier after the bonding is complete. You will feel my needs and understand—”
“What about my needs?”
Danika didn’t answer him. She wanted to tell him that she was a good person. That she would be a good master. That she treated her humans well and she wasn’t the monster he was making her out to be. She wanted to stamp her feet and scream in the air until he believed her. But she doubted it would do any good. Despite his apparent desire for her body, he was like all the rest of the males in the society, he’d judged her before even getting to know her.
The heat from his leg sent her body into a frenzy of lust. As need pulsed between her thighs, she swallowed hard. This was not a good idea.
* * * *
Mason scratched at his arms and pulled on the collar of his shirt. The office felt oppressive and his clothes two sizes too small. He tried to hold his body as far away from her as possible. Something was wrong. Danika seemed agitated, possibly with Chase, possibly with him. He was sure she wasn’t as unfeeling toward the plight of the humans as she inferred. She wasn’t like the Vampire who’d taken him as a child. He’d seen her gentleness with William, the way she spoke of him and to him. She wasn’t a Vampire like any he�
��d seen before. After what he’d witnessed between her and her uncle though, he got the feeling that her position was not one many of the male Vampires looked on favorably.
Mason had meant it when he said that he’d strengthen her position. With him at her back, no one would dare to mess with her, he would see to that. Again he saw the fragile girl inside the icy exterior.
It took every ounce of willpower for Mason not to push her down on the sofa and cover her with his mouth. He wanted to take his large hands and rip her hair from the tight bun she’d put it in, run his fingers through the length of it, making her forget her troubles. To press his hard chest against her soft body and feel her small frame as it melted into his. Emotions bubbled and churned inside him, forcing him to pay attention to her. Something inside craved the touch of her skin, the taste of her blood. The underlying need to protect her from everyone was all-consuming. He was in tune with her needs, though he was not able to bond with her. Mason wanted to steal her away. To speak ancient words that would take her somewhere safe. Somewhere he’d have her all to himself. To make love to her whenever they wanted without fear of consequences.
When she took off her jacket and threw it on the adjoining chair, his heart raced. Her low-cut blouse was just sheer enough to see the outline of her breasts. They were firm and round and silhouetted her small waist. She pulled up the bell sleeve of the blouse and bit into her creamy white flesh, holding it out to him. He wasn’t sure what to do. He wanted to taste her again, but his mind raced from all of the other things he wanted to do to her, as well. Finally, he took her wrist and pressed it to his mouth.
Though bonding to her as a slave was not possible, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to taste her and feel her cooling blood inside his body once more. Not once since taking in her blood the night before had the beast tried to surface.
Reign of the Vampires Page 13
