“Shut up.” Layla rolled her eyes, solidly facing the promenade once more though she couldn’t help it; she was smiling now. Dusk had a point with his lurid innuendo – all Dragons had disastrously high appetites for fighting and fucking, and Dragon-relationships were far more complicated than anything Layla could typify in human terms. She was still getting used to it, and managing the urges of her magic was an hourly task despite her control since she’d bound Reginald.
Especially with the temptingly sexy Dusk around night and day now.
But as Layla faced the promenade, her heat flooded away to tension once more. She saw more Black Bentleys and Jaguars had arrived as she and Dusk talked, guests being escorted into the Hotel with baggage hefted over the shoulders of crimson liveried Hotel Guards. But none of the cars held her friends yet, and watching the guests already dressed in their finery for the Yule celebrations tonight, Layla’s impending position as a Hotel Courtesan hit her. Panic flooded her, thinking about her debut at the Yule Ball this evening – not knowing who would win her at her Courtesan’s Debut auction, or what she would have to do for them in the sack tonight.
It was something Layla didn’t want to think about just yet, but she had her final approval appointment with the Hotel’s new Associate Head later this afternoon to discuss it. Since Reginald Durant, Partner to her Courtesan-in-Training, was currently away, she would face Master Vampire Quindici DaPonti solo today for her final Courtesan’s interview. Reginald had more than prepared her for it, but that combined with her actual debut tonight and the fact that none of her human friends knew about any of it yet, was making Layla’s tension ratchet up to the boiling point.
But even as a flood of scorched bourbon-orange scent cascaded off her skin in the bright winter day, Dusk stepped in behind her. Winding his strong arms around her, he set his chin on Layla’s shoulder, kissing her neck with his soft lips and making a twist of passion surge through her rather than tension.
“I’m sorry you’re having a hard time,” he spoke knowingly, low and kind. “Stepping into a world where monogamy isn’t the currency of the realm is tough. Not just with your three Bound men, but also your impending position as a Hotel Courtesan. I can’t imagine what you’re going through, trying to come to terms with it all.”
“It’s driving me insane trying to reconcile the values I was raised with, with my new Dragon-appetites.” Layla agreed with a sigh, knowing she still had a lot of internal judgments to face about her own sexuality.
“I like how insane it’s driving you.” Dusk kissed her neck, grinning. “It’s nice.”
Layla smiled, feeling all the intimate time she and Dusk had shared these past weeks thrill through her as her Dragon turned over inside her veins with a delicious slither. Sex with Dusk was mind-blowing, and Layla heated as she thought about everything they’d been doing since Thanksgiving. Reginald had permitted them to be together while he was away, though Layla still needed to train with Rikyava in the fight-halls beneath the Hotel daily to blow off extra magical steam.
“Anyway,” Layla spoke, trying to push down her libido since her human friends were soon to arrive, “monogamy is different for you and Reginald. He’s lived his entire life as a Courtier, and you’ve had numerous lovers all of yours as a pressure-release for your crazy high energy. For Adrian and I… it’s different.”
“Is it different?” Dusk spoke, his voice strangely flat suddenly. “Or are you just less bothered by Reginald and me having sex with other people, rather than Adrian or yourself?”
That stopped her. Layla went utterly still, her Dragon frozen inside her. She suddenly felt like a rabbit pinned by a snowy owl’s talons from Dusk’s astute statement. He’d said it with glib panache, but Layla could feel him waiting for her answer with a tense stillness. He wanted a response, and Layla smelled his cool river-water scent blossom up around him like a whitewater flood. Dusk was casual about sex, but he wasn’t casual about love. Layla could feel how much he’d given his heart to her these past months.
And the fierce alertness in him – as he waited to hear if he was less important to her than Adrian Rhakvir.
But Layla was saved from answering as a cadre of Hotel Guards in 1800’s crimson uniforms suddenly marched out the main doors of the Hotel and formed a chevron before the Hotel’s primary entrance. Glancing around, Layla smiled, recognizing Dusk’s handwork: he’d arranged a formal Hotel welcome for her friends, just as Layla had received when she’d started in Concierge Services. It was something the Hotel only did for the highest dignitaries, and Layla smiled wider as her Blood Dragon friend and Head of the Hotel Guard Rikyava Andersen strode forward, clasping arms with Dusk, then snapping her black boots together and bowing smartly before Layla. Rikyava rose with a reckless grin on her full Swedish lips and high cheekbones, her lavender eyes sparkling as she set a hand to the rapier at her hip and swept her long blonde French braid back over her shoulder.
“Hey girl.” Rikyava grinned at Layla with a wink. “The Guard heard there were some important folks coming in today. So we came to show our respects.”
“Is this your doing?” Layla laughed, gesturing at the Guardsmen and women lined up in their chevron, standing at stiff attention in their uniforms with long pikes and baldrics of frightfully impressive weapons. Some of them looked human, but most didn’t – including four enormous Red Giants at the rear whom Layla knew were intensely loyal to Adrian.
“Oh, a little birdie might have whispered in my ear.” Rikyava winked at Dusk, who was smiling now with a devious wit.
“A little birdie with crystal Dragon-scales?” Layla turned to Dusk, grinning also now.
“A royal welcome is sometimes approved for human guests,” he chuckled. “Though I can’t say I ran this one by the new Associate Hotel Head, or the Hotel Head herself. Quindici DaPonti’s a dick, and don’t even get me started on Lulu Duvall and all the shit she’s—”
Dusk was about to say more, when a black Bentley suddenly pulled up before them at the edge of the checkered marble courtyard. Layla’s friends from Seattle were suddenly spilling out of the car with squeals of delight and her joy surged, watching her friends gape at all the opulence of the Red Letter Hotel.
Moving forward, Layla was already in their arms. Laughter was in her heart as she did a happy dance with geek-chic Celia Carron, wearing a quilted orange parka that squished fluffily as they hugged. Big buff Charlie Avondale was next, swaddling Layla in his massive arms, clad in a UW sweatshirt and jeans. Layla laughed into his Adonis-blond curls, longer and more stoner-like than ever. Her best friend Arron Jacobs pushed in third, wearing a lean navy pinstriped suit with a hot pink pocket square and sweeping Layla up into his tall frame. Lifting her off her feet, Arron made Layla laugh breathlessly as his goodness poured through her.
But Arron set Layla down with a twinkle in his grey eyes as Layla’s last housemate from Seattle rounded the car. Wearing a blue blazer with nice jeans that fit his lean, mean body to a T, Luke Murphy was gorgeous as ever. Moving close, he ran a hand through his Irish-thick dark hair as he watched Layla with a careful gaze. She suddenly forgot all her troubles as she stared into his impossibly green eyes. Like emeralds shining through spring grass, those eyes spoke of tempestuous heat and renegade fury – and Luke’s incredibly deep love. Their history held Layla as she drowned in his eyes for a moment.
And then Luke swept forward, gathering her into his arms.
The feeling was like coming home as Layla let out a deep sigh, cradled close to his strong, lean CrossFitter’s body. Luke’s hand slid up her neck, holding her, and she felt him relax as her hands lifted to clutch his blazer. His cheek turned to hers and Layla felt her passion leap to him just as it always had. He didn’t kiss her, just breathed her in as they held each other. Tears pricked Layla’s eyes, though the drakaina that lived inside her veins was coolly silent.
Her Dragon didn’t want Luke as a mate, human as he was, but Layla would always love him.
“Hey.” Luke murmured at last, nuzzling his nose into her jaw.
“Hey,” Layla breathed back, smiling.
“I missed you.” He spoke, pulling her closer.
“I missed you, too.”
Layla felt a deep tenderness pass between them, the best of what they’d once had as a couple. But it held sadness now, something poignant that hadn’t been there before as Luke set his lips to her temple in a soft kiss, then pulled back. His eyes were luminous with pain as he hesitated to let her go, and Layla felt emotion stretch between them. All their history bound her close – something that could never be replaced for all the magic in the world.
