“Will do.Hopefully, I won’t still be here then.”
Quentin didn’t say anything else as he walked inside.Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt the eyes on him.He hoped he didn’t just curse them.
The reception area was as luxurious as the outside hinted.Black marble covered the floor, with a shimmering line of inlaid mother-of-pearl leading guests from the front door to the reception desks, which pulled their style straight from the twenties.
A line of young-looking men and women manned the desks in crisp black-and-white uniforms.
“I feel like I just entered a movie set.”
Glenn scanned the room.“I think they have shot a few movies here.”
“Can I help you?”They were met halfway to the reception desk by a distinguished man with gray-speckled brown hair.Either he was a vampire turned later in life, or a particularly daring human to be working here.His name tag read “William.”
“I’m Quentin Heart, I’m…”
“Yes, we’ve been expecting you,” the man interrupted.“The council is quite excited to make your acquaintance.”
It was for the best that Quentin didn’t mention his opinion of the council.He was far from excited about meeting them since they had kidnapped his lover.They idly talked about the hotel’s history as the elevator took them to the top floor, because of course, the vampires would have the penthouse.He had almost expected to be escorted to some subterranean castle.
He wouldn’t put it past them.
Vampires were a dramatic species.
The elevator opened to a rather ordinary boardroom, a bit of a letdown after the luxurious old-fashioned lead-up.
Quentin’s gaze skimmed over the occupants until it landed on the one he’d been searching for.“Jaks!”
He ignored the disapproving glares sent his way as he rushed to his lover’s side.
Jaks stood as Quentin came closer.“Darling, how are you feeling?”
“Better.”It was only a partial lie.His body still felt as if leaden weights were strapped to his ankles, but his magic was refilling faster since he woke.“Nikko was on my porch.”
“Doing what?”Jaks asked.
“Yes, tell us, Mr.Heart.Why would the leader of a rival clan be at your home?”someone asked in a cold tone.
Quentin turned his head to face the speaker, unwilling to release his lover.“He wants my house.”
“Why?”a female vampire asked.She didn’t appear any older than her twenties, but her presence had an almost unbearable weight.
“It’s close to ley lines.”He didn’t see a problem in sharing that information.It wouldn’t take much for them to find out for themselves.
“What did you tell him?”the first speaker asked.
“I told him no.It’s been in my family for centuries.It holds my collective family magic.I can’t just hand it over even if I wanted to.”
“What did he say to that?”the female vampire asked.Her expression showed nothing but polite interest as if this entire thing was a show she was watching, and not a particularly good one.
“He said he’d keep my mother until he thought of a way around my family’s magic, claiming the territory.”
Jaks hugged Quentin tight.“You didn’t antagonize him, did you, love?”
Quentin blinked innocently up at his lover.“It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
Jaks’s mouth quirked up at one side like it did when he thought Quentin was being adorable, but he didn’t want to admit it and let him off the hook.
“He has your mother?”a different vampire asked.
