“This is a complete waste of our time,” Josial said before Marcus could speak the words. “We have more important matters to deal with.”
“More important than the total exposure of our species to the vindictive and fearful humans?” Darilina countered. “We all know what would happen if it became wide knowledge that there were vampire aliens in their midst.”
“It is possible that humans wouldn’t react badly. They are unpredictable, but they are capable of great tolerance.” Fabian said.
“And great intolerance,” Gerard said. “I can cite more instances of intolerance than I can of tolerance.”
“This is an old argument,” Marcus broke in. “And we aren’t here to discuss the merits of revealing ourselves to humans. That will wait for when the queen decides it is time and we must debate whether to allow it or not. We are here to discuss the ramifications of a broken law and the risk this person has taken that might have exposed us before we are ready. The thoughtlessness and carelessness of the act are unconscionable…but I an not certain it merits a death sentence.”
“He has been warned before. Sanctioned before.”
“What was his punishment last time?” Marcus asked, flipping through the few short pages he had on the vampire.
“We demoted him from a bank steward to a teller,” Fabian said.
Marcus winced inwardly. That was quite a demotion. To go from someone trusted to manage the financial affairs of several vampires to basically counting out money, a job any ATM could do.
“Still, I find death to be too harsh a punishment,” he said. “Especially when no harm was done.”
“As far as we know,” Darilina said.
“I’m sure the other vampire who witnessed the entire thing would have taken care of any witnesses. If he was careful enough to note the conversation he would be careful enough not to let anyone be exposed.”
“And we certainly would have heard by now if we’d been exposed. Besides, it’s hard to imagine anyone giving credence to someone reporting a conversation about vampires…without proof or anything to support it they would seem mad.”
“Perhaps they are gathering proof. We don’t know how much he revealed. Maybe where to find us. Maybe he led someone to the building…this protected space. It wouldn’t take much for someone to camp out and wait for someone to follow and see them hunt.”
“It’s not as though we make a habit of feeding n public,” Marcus said with a sigh. “Really, you’re being paranoid.”
“And you’re not taking this as seriously as you should,” Darilina said sharply.
“I take it very seriously. Don’t tell me how I feel or how I think. You don’t know me well enough for that,” Marcus said, a snap in his tone.
Darilina looked suitably chastised.
“Very well. What do you suggest we do?”
“I find his suggestion of him being curtailed and interesting one,” he said slowly. “I realize this inconveniences others, but perhaps there is some merit to it. Perhaps there is no need to be so harsh.”
“Curtailing his freedom would indeed be punishment enough,” Spectre said. “But for how long?”
“A year,” Fabian said.
“That is a long time to go without the freedom to walk about. All for simply misspeaking,” Gerard said.
“It’s better than death,” Marcus said. Very well. If we’re all agreed send him back in.” He nodded to the steward.
The hapless vampire was led back into the chamber and was made to kneel before the committee members as sentence was pronounced.
“Oh thank you!” he said with panting breaths. “Bless you and thank you!”
“This is your last chance,” Marcus said firmly. “Another infraction and you will lose your life. Now go while we deal with your partner in crime.”
He hastened to leave the room under guard of the authoritarian who had brought him in after Marcus gave brief instructions to him to put the vampire under house arrest. The authoritarian agreed with a nod and the room was emptied of all but the committee.
“Well then. There’s your first case taken care of and neatly done,” Gerard said expansively. “I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship. I hope you see there’s no need to shake thinks up by replacing one of us. We are well suited and well balanced.”
“Even though I am conservative and Danton was more liberal?” Marcus asked.
“You are fair,” Fabian said. “That is all that matters.”
“I am glad you see it that way. And please don’t be worried. As it stands right now I have no plans to replace any of you. That may change in the future, but it will be for other reasons rather than change for the sake of change.”
He saw Darilina sit back, saw the tension in her shoulders obviously relax. Was that the reason for her abrasive behavior? Fear of being replaced? Or was she always so abrasive? Regardless, she promised to keep him on his toes. They were both conservative so it was unlikely they would clash much. This was disproved however with the very next case, the other half of the conversation about vampires.
“He should have the same punishment,” she said.
“No. This is his first infraction. Sanction him. Warn him. He works in the same bank. Demote him as we did originally to his companion.”
“If we keep this up the bank will have no one in the upper levels of our banking.”
“That is an exaggeration. And besides, he can earn his place back in a couple of months.”
“Two? Three?”
“Two,” Fabian said.
“Three,” Darilina said.
“Let’s split the difference. Seventy-five days,” Gerard said.
“Excellent,” Marcus said.
Chapter Thirteen
The rest of the afternoon went similarly. There were only three cases in which ultimate punishment need be seriously applied. It was three cases too many in his opinion. Really, what was so difficult about adhering to some simple laws? What made a vampire willing to put his life on the line for a small infraction?
In his opinion he was far too generous his first day. However, he would ease his way in. He would catch on to the rhythm of things and be able to exert more influence.
Yes. He would fit in well here.
It was late afternoon before he made it back to his office. They had heard a total of seven cases that afternoon. That was a pretty good pace. But then again three of them had been cut and dried and two had barely been worth their time. He realized that not every afternoon would move at such a speedy, productive clip.
Committee days were not every day. Most of his time would rightly be spent at the queen's side. The reasoning was twofold. One, to protect and serve her. Two, to advise and support her and to keep abreast of all important issues in the vampire nation. Vampires served a five-day week, just as humans did, taking the weekend off…ideally. If Simone was anything like Leopold, she would have a hard time shutting off from her work…and being queen was no doubt a twenty-four/seven occupation.
Marcus crossed the reception area in front of Simone’s office and gave a wink to Darcy.
“She in there?” he asked.
“Always,” Darcy said with a sigh.
“Mind if I…?”
“Go right in,” she said.
Marcus grinned and walked up to the double wooden doors leading into Simone’s office. He hesitated only briefly before going in, taking a moment to put on his best professional face. He had been thinking about her nearly nonstop since he had left her that morning. He continually kept getting flashes of memory that would distract him at the damnedest times. The smell of her hair. The smooth feel of her thigh. The weight of her lush breast. The succulent way she tasted. All of this would swell in his head until he found himself daydreaming. He’d been caught out twice during committee today for the distracting thoughts. Nothing anyone really noticed…just brief flashes of interference.
He opened the door to her office and walked in.
The first
thing to hit him was the smell of her perfume. She wore a sultry scent that mixed potently with her body chemistry, making the aroma uniquely hers. Since she had spent so many hours cooped up nonstop in her office that day the scent was concentrated.
The next thing to hit him was the sight of her. She was standing beside her desk, her back to him, bending at the waist to replace her shoe on her foot. Why it was off in the first place he had no idea, but what it resulted in was a fine view of her derriere and the long length of her hair hanging in the open air, a gleaming curtain of red-gold.
She straightened, her foot lowering to the floor, and turned to see who had entered her office. Upon the sight of him she went notably still. Her eyes raked over him from head to toe and he felt an immediate and visceral response. That was no ordinary look. It was a hungry one. She was looking at him with great appetite…and he responded in kind.
He forgot all about being professional. He crossed the room in just a few long strides and caught hold of her around the back of her neck, under her hair. He drew her up to his mouth, hesitating only briefly in order to trade request and permission in their clashed gazes. He then fell against her lips, kissing her hotly, devouring her slowly.
She responded just as feverishly, her tongue tangling with his. Her body surged up against his, all of her lush, delicious curves meeting the harder planes of his body. They fit so well together. Hard and soft. Man and woman. He felt hungry fingers digging into the flesh of his shoulders as she clutched at him, her arms wrapped tight around him. It felt so good to be wanted so intensely. He had never been the type to crave overly intense attention, but this felt so right, and he was giving as good as he got. He craved her just as much as she obviously craved him.
HE turned her back to the side of her desk, let go of her briefly in order to push back the office clutter on the desktop, making room for her bottom to sit. She followed his lead, sitting on the desk and wrapping eager legs around him, her calves clinging to his buttock, her thighs bracketing his hips. It caused her short skirt to ride up her thighs and his hand eagerly went to stroke the bared flesh there. She was wearing nylons, the silky feel of them nothing like the silky skin of her bare legs, but the heat and strength of her flesh was the same.
All the while he ate at her mouth his hands roamed her body. One slid up her thigh while the other pulled her blouse free of her skirt and allowed him to slip his touch beneath the hem. Her fingers then skimmed up the warm skin of her side and then curved up over her sweet, full breast.
He grew instantly hard. Although he probably had been from the moment he’d seen her backside from across the room. She was just so arousing. So delicious. The smell of her was intoxicating, her flavor just as much so. Feeling her hands on his body did amazing things to his equilibrium.
She was unbuttoning his shirt and then sinking her fingers into the hair on his chest, her nails scraped across his sensitive nipples and his breath caught. She then broke away from his mouth so she could rain hungry kisses down his throat and onto his collarbone. She pushed his shirt further open and he was glad he hadn’t worn a tie that day. It would have gotten in the way. As she kissed her way across his chest, her tongue flicking out to find his nipple, she continued to strip him of his shirt until it was hanging down from where it was tucked in at his waist.
It was the cold air of the room on his heated skin that made him come to his senses. There was no locked door to this office. Anyone could walk in as he had just done…although he suspected Darcy would warn them, there were no guarantees.
“We can’t,” he said breathlessly as he tried to extricate himself from her seeking mouth, stroking hands and gripping legs.
“We can,” she insisted.
Using a ploy to lure him back into passion, she bit gently at his nipple, the sensation rocketing through him. He groaned and his hands came to grip her by her thighs, pulling her to the very edge of the desk so he could rub himself against the heat of her core. He felt that heat radiating through all of their clothing and he realized he wanted it more than he had wanted anything in a long time. It had been such a long time since he had felt such a need for something, such a desire for someone. Uncontrollable desire was one of the things that made life interesting and worth living. Yet nothing had appealed to him in so long. It was as if he had been dead and was now alive.
“Come on,” he said breathlessly. “We have to compose ourselves. Or at least let me lock the damn door.”
“There is no lock on the damn door,” she said with an exaggerated sigh. “Remind me to have them fix that.”
To his infinite relief and his infinite sorrow she slid off the desk and stepped away from him. He watched her wriggle as she pulled her skirt down around her thighs once more and tried to fix the damage he had done to her hair with combing fingers.
He watched her try to regulate her breathing, just as he tried to, but she was looking at him with such famished, hot eyes it made it difficult to get himself under mental control. All he kept thinking about was getting her back up on that desk and sinking himself inside of her. She was clearly thinking the same thing. She moved so sensually, her hunger radiating from every movement if her body. She was so sexual just standing there, running absent hands over her hips and licking her lips to retain the flavor of him on her tongue.
“Enough! Stop looking at me as though you would devour me given half a chance,” he growled.
“You first,” she said with a chuckle and taunting emotion in her eyes.
She wanted the chase, damn her. She wanted to be the lure for the beast within him and its appetites. She wanted them to show themselves. However she was also correct. He was no doubt looking at her with equal appetite.
“Let’s occupy our minds with mundane things,” he suggested.
She groaned. “Today has been nothing but mundane. I rather liked injecting a little something interesting into my day,” she said mischievously. She then leaned over her desk, stretching her body out seductively as her eyes never left him or their lazy path up and down his body. She engaged the intercom. “Darcy. Get maintenance to put a lock on my office door.”
He heard the amusement in Darcy’s voice as she said, “Right away. Shall I hold all your calls and suspend any visitors?”
Marcus groaned as he understood Darcy was trying to facilitate a sexual encounter between them and at Simone’s gently arched inquisitive brow he shook his head.
“That’s not necessary Darcy. But do get maintenance up here soon.”
“It’ll be done right after you leave for the day,” Darcy promised.
“I’m leaving now. I have that appointment to keep.”
“Ah. Yes. Your appointment,” Darcy said. It was clear to hear the envy in Darcy's voice. He was instantly curious. “Will you be returning to the office after or going straight home? As you ought to do,” Darcy lectured.
“I’ll be home for dinner. Make it dinner for two,” Simone said with a smile before she disengaged from the intercom. She looked at him with appetite in her eyes. “Have dinner with me?”
“Oh, are we asking?” he asked archly. “Or is it a command? You told Darcy to cook for two before asking me so I’m not certain.”
“Call it a vote of confidence,” she said with the impish shrug of a shoulder.
“Where are you headed off to?” he asked as she moved away from him.
“I have a spa appointment. Care to join me?”
“I don’t tend to relax in that way. I prefer activity to get stress out. In fact I was thinking of hitting the gym downstairs.”
“You should. It’s excellently equipped.”
“I don’t doubt you have all of the best and latest equipment. You certainly don’t strike me as the sort to scrimp. You treat your people well.”
“I do what I can. This building is a village. A safe haven. I use it to provide all the comforts imaginable so that vampires can relax and be themselves without having to be on guard in the human world…watching what they say an
d how they behave. For instance, here a vampire can work out and display his full strength, something he couldn’t do in a human gym. Not without raising some eyebrows. It’s more than just worrying about exposure though. It’s about making this place a home.”
Marcus stepped close to her, erasing the small distance she had put between them. He reached up and cupped her face in his palm, his thumb tracing her jaw.
“You are an incredible and thoughtful leader,” he said. “And it’s an honor to know you.”
She snorted a little giggle through her nose. “You say that now, but wait until I have my first temper tantrum when something doesn’t go quite right.”
“I’m sure you do exactly the opposite of that,” he said with a smile.
“We’ll see.” She leaned into him and kissed his mouth with lingering softness, the kiss a promise of things to come.
“Where is this spa? I take it it’s in the building?”
“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “You needn’t worry about guarding me. Go work out. I have others who can guard me. I’m sure you’ve had a long day.”
“It has been a bit trying. But tonight promises to be better,” he said with a lascivious wink.
She laughed and kissed him once more, this time not lingering. She broke away from him and moved to exit her office. She glanced at him over her shoulder with her best come hither look. “Coming?” she asked.
“Not yet,” he bounced back. “I’m saving that for later.”
She laughed and they exited the office together.
Marcus did as he said, going to the gym located on the second floor of the building. As it turned out, the spa was located on the same floor. There was a hot tub and a sauna that was shared by both establishments. However he had noted the Simone had her own hot tub located on her balcony. Of course it was too cold for outdoor use at the moment. Although, perhaps it wasn't. Some people liked hot-tubbing in the contrast of the frigid cold.
He skipped using either amenity, choosing instead to go directly home after his workout. He didn’t know what time she was expecting him for dinner, but he assumed it wouldn’t be much later than seven and no earlier than six. It gave her plenty of time to be pampered, yet allowed for her to eat at a reasonable hour. However, just to be safe he shot her a querying text.