by Crissy Smith
He hadn’t checked out of his old room, keeping the charges open on his company card. If his purchases were being monitored, this suite wouldn’t be found. He’d used his personal card under a false identity that he had set up many years ago. He’d learned a trick or two in his time with the Organization. Not even Remy or Angel would be able to track him down now.
The staff had brought up the extra blankets and pillows he’d requested and dinner should arrive in another half an hour. Kieran piled the bed with the extra covers and pillows, making a soft and comfortable nest much like his bed at home.
Since his body ran cooler than a human’s, Kieran preferred to sleep buried in the coziness of blankets. It was something he allowed himself that very few people knew about. He was old enough to know craving comfort wasn’t really a weakness but Kieran wasn’t used to sharing any part of himself at all. It was hard for him to accept that what others learned about him wouldn’t be used later to hurt him. Only his partners knew his secret but he was sure they’d take it to the grave. Kieran finished throwing the covers on then sauntered to the bathroom.
White tiles and dark-green marble covered the walls, floor and shower stall. There was a vanity with two sinks and plenty of counter space. He’d already unpacked his bag and set his toiletries out. Next to the large glass shower was a huge sunken-in Jacuzzi tub. He might relax in there later but at the moment he just wanted to wash the scent of sweat and city off him. Getting Dakota’s shifter’s smell off him would also help him relax. It was barely there, but Dakota’s sweet aroma seemed to haunt him.
He turned the water on hot before he began to strip off his clothes. He’d throw them into the dry-cleaning bag provided on the back of the bathroom door and would have them cleaned later. He did enjoy not having to find a laundromat and washing his own clothes. Maybe he should have a hotel to live in when he returned home. Nah, too many people around, and he’d get tired of it.
Once naked, he stepped into the shower and groaned as the water cascaded over his shoulders. Three different shower heads rained a refreshing stream over him and it felt amazing. He grabbed the shower gel he’d set on the ledge earlier and poured some into his hand. He quickly scrubbed his body then went about washing his hair. It felt good to be clean again, and the only scent he could now pick up was the light spice from his soap.
He was probably cutting it close to the time his dinner would arrive but Kieran had one more piece of business to take care of. He grabbed his body wash again and added more to his hand before he gripped his hard shaft. Even though he could no longer pick up on Dakota’s orange and cinnamon fragrance that had clung to him since she’d touched him, his cock was still rock hard. And what the hell had been up with that? No one touched him—ever. Not even his two partners, who he was closer to than anyone else.
Just remembering the heat from her hand had him closing his eyes while leaning back against the wet tiles. Kieran ran his thumb over the head of his cock before he stroked down. The heat from the shower helped warm him but he wondered if Dakota’s palm would heat him up in the same way if her hand replaced his. He gasped as the thought had his balls aching and his cock twitching.
Kieran had slept with plenty of humans after he’d joined the Organization. Shifters? That was different. What those animals had done to him in captivity could not be called sex.
No! He wouldn’t think about them. Not when he was hard and ready to come. Kieran tightened his grip as he reached down with his other hand and started to tug gently on his balls. Oh fuck, that feels good. Faster, rougher, he jacked himself off. If Dakota were in the shower with him, this would be the moment he would push her down to her knees. Yes, he could picture himself stroking off with Dakota in front of him with her mouth open. He’d position the head of his cock at her mouth… He grunted as he came. Kieran kept rubbing his shaft until his seed covered the tiled floor and was washed away.
He turned toward the water and rinsed off.
Now that he was clean, sated and relaxed, he was starving. He hoped his food would arrive soon. He turned off the faucets before he grabbed a white fluffy towel off the warmer.
Ah, he moaned as he dragged the fabric over his body. He finished off by scrubbing his hair with it. Once he was dry, he dropped the towel into the pile with his clothes and strolled back into the bedroom. He picked up a pair of thick pajama bottoms and pulled them on as a knock sounded at the suite door.
“Dinner,” he said hopefully. He walked out of the bedroom and into the main living area. Before another knock sounded, he opened the door and waved the room service attendant inside. “Please set it up on the table.”
The young man nodded, not even looking twice at Kieran answering the door in only sleep pants. Kieran watched as the human carefully set the covered dish and carafe of coffee on the dark, square table. Kieran didn’t see anything suspicious in the man’s actions so he relaxed. He did take a deep breath so he could remember the man’s scent later if he did need to find the human again. Just precaution, he told himself.
The dark-haired human finished then turned the cart around and wheeled it toward Kieran. “If you’ll sign this, please, sir.” He held out a black leather pouch.
Kieran added a generous tip then scrawled his false name. The human slipped it behind his back then nodded and pushed the cart toward the door, which Kieran still held open.
“Have a good night, sir.”
“Thank you,” Kieran murmured.
Once the attendant was gone, Kieran locked back up before he strode over to the table. He removed the silver dome, revealing his rare steak, loaded baked potato, carrots with cheese sauce, green beans and rolls. There was a crystal glass filled with ice water along with an empty mug. The carafe of coffee smelled strong and fresh and he quickly poured himself some.
He took a deep breath, pulling in all the mouthwatering aromas. He loved food and even though his late-night order would cost him hundreds, it was worth it. Kieran sat down and arranged his food. Rarely did a Day Walker have to take blood. His existence was nothing like movies or books showed. He didn’t hunt down prey and drink them dry. As a matter of fact, the older a Walker, the less blood they needed.
The line about him being undead was also complete bullshit. His heart still pumped, blood continued to flow, and his cock still worked. Still, humans loved to think of them as demons or something like that when in reality he had a rare blood disease. He, as well as all Day Walkers, had a poison in his body that he’d been born with. The bad blood ate up the good blood and he had to replenish the good blood by drinking from others. Just a few sips every couple of weeks or even a month. The more he exerted himself, the faster he had to drink but Kieran knew how to manage his body.
Kieran picked up his fork and knife and started to cut up his steak. Oh man, it was cooked perfectly. He mopped up some of the juices that escaped with a fatty piece before he popped the meat in his mouth. He moaned and stabbed another.
Maybe he did need to think about moving into a hotel after all. This was the best meal he’d had in ages. He tried some of the potato then carrots. As he ate, he reached over to his laptop and turned it on. As it loaded, he thought about what he wanted to look up. Every agent had some level of access but personal files were off limits. Although he did know someone who could easily get the information that he wanted. He just needed to find something that he could bribe Lettie with.
Oh, he had just the thing. If he could get to his storage unit in Utah and grab the box that he’d hidden over twenty years ago, Lettie would go nuts. Or maybe, just maybe, he could call a friend. Remy was close to his storage unit and would have to pass by on his way to Nevada. That would be perfect.
He finished the rest of his food before he jogged into the bedroom where he’d left his phone. He sent a quick text to Remy, who responded right away that he’d be happy to grab something for him on the way. Kieran guessed now he wouldn’t have a choice whether or not his partner joined him. Oh well, he’d take Remy out on the to
wn and introduce him to a couple of beautiful women. That would distract his friend long enough for Kieran to take care of the other agents. It wasn’t like he was going to hurt them. But a wild goose chase could be fun. He wondered what they’d do if they knew how much trouble he was about to go to in order for them to chase their tails.
Grinning, Kieran found Lettie’s personal number in his contacts and hit the Call button. This vacation might turn out to be the best he’d ever taken.
* * * *
Low jazz music played as Dakota sipped her drink. She’d been sitting in the small bar inside Kieran’s hotel for over an hour, waiting for him to leave his suite. It was almost two in the morning and at some point she would have to head home to get some sleep. She still had a job to do even if they were taking shifts keeping an eye on Kieran. Maybe he was in for the night?
Their plan had worked perfectly since Gabe had witnessed Kieran leaving the other hotel and had followed him here. They’d even confirmed he was inside the suite he’d rented in another name by sending Gabe in to deliver a meal. The others had all left, since it appeared that Kieran was probably not leaving again. Dakota wasn’t so sure. As keyed up as she was, Kieran had to be feeling close to the same.
It was better that everyone else had gone home, though. The conversation she wanted to have with Kieran was of a personal nature that didn’t need to be overheard.
She could go up to his room and knock, show him that they knew where he was. No, she’d rather he came to her. Dakota set her glass on the tabletop and stood, preparing to leave.
Kieran walked in.
With a smile, she sat once again and leaned back, hoping to come across as confident and relaxed even as her pulse sped up. He looked good in a pair of dark jeans and a black sweater that appeared soft. Kieran glanced around the bar before his gaze settled on her. He jerked a little but smoothly covered it as he narrowed his eyes at her. If she hadn’t been watching closely, she would never have seen his shock. Dakota picked up her drink and tipped it at him.
Kieran’s lips moved but she couldn’t hear what he said, which was probably best since he couldn’t be saying anything good as he glared at her. Dakota crooked her finger at him.
He stalked across the bar floor, and she admired the way he moved. Kieran was tall—at least six feet two but he moved with a grace that she had to attribute to his species. She wasn’t certain, since she’d never met another Walker, but just watching him, she could see the power of his body being restrained. Inside, her jaguar woke and came alive. Her training had taught her how to keep her shifter side close so she’d always be prepared to defend herself. Because of this her normal hazel eyes turned gold and she had the instincts of a jaguar that she had to contend with.
As much as she wanted to rub against Kieran’s leg and mark him with her scent, Dakota was pretty sure the Walker wouldn’t like that so she restrained herself. “Buy you a drink?” she asked once he’d reached her.
“How’d you find me?” he asked as he took the seat across from her.
Dakota smiled. “Now I can’t reveal all my secrets,” she said. “But I can buy you a drink.”
He finally sighed then nodded.
“Oh good,” she said as she lifted her hand to call over the waiter.
“Another whiskey sour?” the waiter asked.
“Yes please,” she replied.
“And for you, sir?” the waiter asked.
Kieran’s lips twitched. “The same.”
“I’ll have them right out,” he promised.
Dakota waited until the waiter walked away before she peered over at Kieran with a raised eyebrow.
“What?” he snapped. “So we drink the same. That doesn’t mean anything.” He was going to fight her every step of the way.
“I thought maybe we could talk,” she said.
“About what?” he sniped. His crystal-blue eyes were sharp and suspicious.
“About why you’re hiding from everyone,” she stated. “Why you don’t like shifters.”
He stiffened. “What do you know about that?” The change in him was scary. As he spoke his voice lowered and his eyes grew cold.
Dakota swallowed hard.
He moved fast and had ahold of her hand before she could avoid him. Kieran pulled her closer, his grip tight. “What do you know?”
“Nothing,” she told him. “Caspar just told us that you didn’t like shifters and I needed to be careful.”
“And he didn’t tell you why?” Kieran questioned.
“No,” she said as she tugged to try to dislodge his grasp.
“How is this you being careful?” he asked. “You touch me? You stalk me? You tempt me?”
Oh yes, she did. “So you admit you’re tempted?”
“You just don’t give up,” he said but he did finally release her. “You have no idea what I can do to you.”
She ran her finger over his wrist and felt his pulse jump. “So you go from suspicious, to angry, and now back to cocky.”
“I’m a mystery.” Kieran finished off his drink.
“You’re something,” she agreed.
“And you think you can figure me out? Better people have tried,” he told her. “Also, I don’t have the time or inclination to play with you.”
“I think you do,” she argued. He’d sat with her and was engaging in conversation. If Kieran really weren’t interested, then he could have just walked away, but he hadn’t.
Kieran grinned, flashing her some fangs. She wasn’t sure if he’d done it to intimidate her or if he was hungry. She really needed to learn more about Walkers. There had to be some more intel that was available.
“If I did, do you really believe I’d tell you?” he asked.
Now they were getting somewhere. “If we’re keeping score, I believe that I’m in the lead.” She spotted their waiter and signaled to get another round.
He nodded discreetly. Dakota scooted her chair closer to him, pleased when Kieran didn’t comment or move away.
“Perhaps you are,” he said, leaning forward. “But I might be the type of player that enjoys coming from behind.”
“I might enjoy that,” she teased while brushing her arm against his. The electric spark from the touch surprised her and she gasped. Kieran also jumped.
“What was that?” she asked.
With wide eyes he just stared at her.
“Kieran?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “That’s never happened before.”
“Huh, that’s interesting.” Dakota pushed the sleeve of his sweater up as she kept her gaze on his.
Kieran remained still but allowed her to run her palm over his bare arm. Again she felt a slight shock. “Wow,” she murmured as she continued to stroke his forearm. Kieran shuddered briefly and his eyelids fluttered. His skin was cool to the touch. She’d never felt anything like this.
The waiter set down two more glasses then disappeared. Dakota never took her eyes off Kieran, caught in the depths of his gaze.
“Kieran,” she said softly. He leaned forward and grazed his cheek against hers. She moaned then tightened her fingers over his wrist.
“Finish your drink and let’s go upstairs,” he whispered.
Her breath caught at the glow of his blue eyes. It was amazing and very nonhuman. She lifted her hand to sweep her thumb across his eyebrow.
“Scared?” he asked in a challenging tone, but Dakota could feel his insecurity. Deep down, Kieran wanted to be accepted but no one had been able to gain that absolute trust with him. She doubted Kieran himself even knew how badly he craved the connection.
“I’m not scared—intrigued and needy, but I’m not afraid of you,” she assured him.
“Let’s go then,” he said as he stood.
Dakota hopped up and reached for her purse.
“I’ve got it,” Kieran said as he dropped a couple of large bills on the table.
“No, I said I’d buy you a drink,” she tried to push his hand away.
Dakota placed her palm inside his. “Yes.”
He tugged her after him then they were strolling across the floor. She wondered what he was thinking as he led her away. He wanted her—that much was obvious—but they’d gone from challenging each other to rushing upstairs.
When she’d entered the bar, somehow she’d missed the private elevator close by. Kieran strolled straight to it as he pulled his key card out of his pocket. He swiped the card through the reader and the elevator doors opened instantly. Kieran pushed her in ahead of him, and as soon as the doors whooshed closed, he was on her.
His lips clamped down on hers as he gripped her waist. Dakota wrapped her arms around his back and held him close. He devoured her and she loved every minute. The electric current that ran between them traveled down her spine until she was crazy with need. She lifted her leg over his hip then dug her heel into his leg as he rutted against her.
She needed so bad. It had never felt like this before. The intensity of passion between them made her so damn hot. She wanted to tear off their clothes and she really didn’t care who might see.
Kieran ripped his mouth away and peered down at her with his eyes glazing. “The things I’m going to do to you tonight will make your head spin.”
His fangs were even more visible. “Bring it on,” she said as she yanked him forward again.
The elevator dinged before their lips could connect once more. Kieran laughed as he grasped her other leg and hefted her up. She was used to being the strong one in the relationship, professional and private, and it felt good to be able to depend on someone else.
He carried her out of the elevator and down the hall. Since his neck was right there Dakota licked a strip from his neck up behind his ear. He stumbled but quickly righted himself. Oh looky, she’d found a hot spot. She licked again but this time added a scrape of her teeth.
