“Ladies and gentlemen. Let us commence our interview of entrance for Ms. Layla Price, newest hire for Concierge Services at the Red Letter Hotel, Paris, France.”
CHAPTER 15 – NEW HIRE
Adrian Rhakvir smiled in a hard, commanding way as his gaze raked the assembly, and Layla realized this was yet another side to his persona as she watched him. It reminded her of how he’d entered the Vermillion weeks ago – like a battle-commander surveying his assets on the field. Layla suddenly knew it was his right to lead this meeting. His posture was almost viciously at-ease here in this room, compelling and magnetic, the affable John LeVeque utterly gone. Rather than a flash of white teeth and booming laughter, Adrian was subdued and in control now that he was back in his own visage; piercingly watchful of the assembly with his incredible aqua eyes.
“I do believe you’ve all met our new hire, Ms. Layla Price.” Adrian gave a nod to Layla in a cordial, businesslike way. “You’ve read her dossier, and she’s been officially approved by the Board.”
Heads nodded around the circle, gazes perusing Layla as if they knew what Adrian’s preamble meant. Clearly this gathering was not the Board, though everyone did seem to be Hotel higher-ups, probably managers or department heads. It all seemed suddenly very formal, and Layla sat tall, setting her moon-cordial aside and focusing even though the strange sensations of the drink still coursed through her – not to mention her disastrous attraction to both Adrian and the dragon-man.
“We will now discuss Ms. Price’s position in Concierge Services and hear any concerns. Head Concierge Dusk Arlohaim, if you would begin, please.” Adrian made a gesture of invitation to the dragon-man to speak next.
Head Concierge. Oh, shit.
Layla felt like she’d been slapped in the face as she realized that the dragon-man with his sensual vibrations was actually her department head – and her boss. She remembered the beautifully-penned letter of acceptance she’d received from the Red Letter Hotel Paris when she’d applied, and it had been Dusk Arlohaim’s signature on the card – his elegant script flowing through the handwritten note. Fixing his summer-blue eyes on Layla, the Concierge Services department head cleared his throat with a rumble. Gone was his sexual attitude and enigmatic smile, replaced by a brisk, shrewd nature.
“Of course, Hotel Head. We have had a discussion in Concierge Services, and as Head of that department, I would like to take Ms. Price on personally for her training – at the main Concierge desk. Since her talisman has marked her Lineage,” he nodded at the cuff on Layla’s wrist, “asChiari drachans-siar, resurged through mixeddrachansbloodlines from the Moroccan and Parisian clans of her grandmother Mimi Zakir, we believe it would be best to train her under anotherChiari drachans. For both temperamental and resonance reasons as she matures.”
All of it was gobbledygook to Layla. Her brows knitting, she tried to make out what her new boss’ words meant, realizing with a further shock that he’d mentioned her grandmother Mimi. Adrian had also mentioned Mimi when he’d been John, that Mimi had been close to the Rhakvir family in Morocco. Somehow, Layla’s grandmother was involved in this world. They knew about Mimi – and because of Mimi, knew something important about Layla.
Something Layla was certain suddenly, that shedidn’tknow.
“Are you sure you’re Layla’s best option for training in her new position, Dusk?” Adrian lifted his chin at the dragon-man, giving him a piercing look.
“Are you so sure that I’m not?” Dusk raised a dark eyebrow as if challenging Adrian, and Layla saw a wash of iridescence pass through Dusk’s artfully-styled black hair as a subtle rumble issued through the air. A moment of tension blossomed between the two men, and Layla smelled Adrian’s cinnamon-jasmine scent rise sharply in the air with an acrid quality. Adrian gave a tight frown, his gaze flicking to Layla with uncertainty in his aqua eyes, before he at last gave a sigh and a conceding nod to the Head Concierge. A light wind swept through the room, wafting away their tension – though no window was open to permit a breeze.
“Very well. I see no definitive reason it should not be so.”
“Excellent.” The Head Concierge gave Layla a quick, professional smile, though there was something darkly pleased in his eyes. “Ms. Price, you shall be working under me in Concierge Services for your orientation and training. Expect to be up early and at my side for long hours. We’ll discuss the rest later.”
“Thank you for this opportunity, Head Concierge.” Layla gave a nod and a slight smile back, though internally her gut clenched. Dusk was handsome as hell, as much as Adrian though in a different way. Adrian was tall and whip-lean; Dusk was slightly shorter but elegantly solid in his impeccable Italian suit, in the way professional soccer players had. No to mention that the Head Concierge was intensely compelling, and Layla shifted in her seat as he watched her. She could almost feel his rumbling vibrations rolling through her again, though he wasn’t doing anything. A tiny smile quirked his mouth and Layla had to stop herself from fidgeting in her evening gown.
“Head Courtier Reginald Durant,” Adrian took up the conversation again, glancing to the severe man sitting in his elegant 17thCentury blue coat and waistcoat, “where are we with Ms. Price’s approvals?”
“She has full approvals.” The man’s ice-blue eyes pierced Layla as he gazed at her, something hostile there. Layla felt a sensation move across her skin like a winter storm – like oceans slamming cliffs in a high-north gale. She couldn’t stop a shiver as the man glanced back to Adrian. “She will have an unlimited stipend for clothing, personal items, and Hotel-related travel. Her starting salary is approved at two million yearly, human Euros, as befitting the difficulty of her new station in Concierge Services and her educational level as a PhD graduate.”
“Good.” Adrian gave a nod, as if that was exactly what he’d expected.
But sitting across the circle, Layla suddenly felt faint. Two million Euros yearly! She couldn’t even comprehend that much money. The room spun and Layla had that strange out-of-body sensation again. Heat flooded through her; tingles sluiced across her skin and she reeled, smelling a wash of burned orange-peel scent hit the air around her as if someone had peeled garnish for a hundred drinks at once. Something stirred inside her, dark and disastrous, and Layla couldn’t catch her breath, feeling like some enormous creature stretched within her body. All eyes snapped to her from around the circle as if they could feel what was happening. The Head Concierge Dusk half-rose with an alarmed look, as if he was about to go to Layla and steady her. She saw Adrian shift also, something intense in his gaze as if he was about to rise as well.
But the Head Courtier Reginald Durant, the man in blue, held out a hand to them both – watching Layla intently. “Ms. Layla Price,” he murmured smoothly, piercing her to her quick with his iceberg gaze. “You will control your magic in this establishment.”
“My what?” Layla gasped, feeling faint now, barely able to keep her seat. All eyes were on her and it made her spin higher, feeling them all watching. The creature inside her rose, stretching further; Layla felt pain prickling inside her now along with the intense washes of heat, as if her unsettled emotions brought forth something enormous and vicious inside her body.
Something she knew nothing about – and couldn’t control.
Slowly, the man in blue rose from his chair. With his gaze fixed upon Layla, he moved forward and lifted a hand. Layla felt waves of cold sigh from his skin as he reached toward her face. She flinched back, suddenly afraid of whatever he was. But his ice-clear eyes pierced her to the quick, and something in them softened.
“I will not hurt you, child. I just need to calm your beast. Please.” He spoke softly, and Layla could hear the ocean in his soothing voice and the call of seagulls. It mesmerized her and she became still as he slipped a hand to her cheek. Though the aura coming off him was cool, his hand was surprisingly mild, like a soothing bath. Cradling her face, he watched her eyes, his former austerity replaced by a gentleness Layla never would have suspected.
She stared up at him, drawn to his sudden deep pull; feeling a strange sensation like he and she were the only two people in the room. Like the rest of the assembly had faded away, leaving them alone together. From his cool presence, Layla suddenly felt serenity pouring through her – like she floated in a calm ocean under a warm sun. Light flashed off the crests of waves as she drifted, listening to the sea as her breathing calmed – that horrible sensation inside her body washing away upon slow, deep tides.
“There…” Head Courtier Reginald Durant pulled his hand away gently. Layla stared at him in wonder as he re-claimed his seat, feeling utterly calm now in a way she’d never felt in her entire life. She hadn’t even known she’d been jagged until she’d been smoothed. She hadn’t even known she burned so hot inside until she felt that oceanic cool flowing through her. She hadn’t even known her ears had been full of her own scalding blood until it had been calmed; replaced by the sound of the sea.
“She has no control, Adrian.” The Head Courtier gave Adrian a look that could have cored right through a diamond. “You bring a creature as dangerous as the ages into our midst, brand-new to her magic and without a clue as to what our world will bring her – or her own terrible gifts.”
“Layla’s a fast learner,” Adrian gave the man a piercing look back. “I’m certain she’ll land on her feet and learn control of herChiari drachans-siarabilities soon enough, Reginald.”
“Dearest Adrian, I must protest!” Madame Etienne Voulouer interrupted, fanning herself with a sleek golden fan, her tiger-eyes alert. “Perhaps this darling girl has been approved by the Board and her Twilight Lineage verified, but she is essentially human in her upbringing! A part of me agrees with Reginald. AChiari drachans-siarnewly opened to her abilities is not a thing to be taken lightly. Indeed, our community has not experienced one in hundreds of years, except Mimi – and she was a small talent compared to what we have all felt here! Is there not a safer place to put Layla, until she has more awareness of her newly opening abilities?”
