His voice triggered a sense of familiarity, but it wasn’t until now that I connected it to the man who paid for my entry downstairs. He looked different without clothes, although I hadn’t studied him before. With a shake of my head, I pushed his hands off my legs.
Trent leaned forward, putting his head near my neck. “I can smell your blood through your skin, and its scent is divine.” He tightly grabbed my leg with one hand while placing the other on the side of my neck, his fangs fully extended. “Would you mind if I had a taste?”
“Don’t.” Even as I attempted to twist around in my chair to avoid him, he kept me securely ensnared between his legs. I’dheard rumors of vampires not knowing their true strength and killing others. I didn’t want to test the theory tonight.
“I…I need to,” he whispered in a seductive undertone. He savored the scent with closed eyes and took a deep breath through his nostrils, releasing a faint moan. “I need to have a taste.” He wrapped his fingers around my neck, the rough skin of his thumb caressing my jaw as he tilted my head.
“S-stop,” I spat, trying to wriggle away. The thought of causing a commotion or yelling crossed my mind, but I quickly dismissed it, knowing it would only lead to people arriving and ultimately alert my father to my sneaking away. I prayed the bartender would pick up on the distress in my facial movements and step in to help.
Within a flash, my body was free. Feeling his grip loosen, I immediately stood and checked my neck for any holes or protrusions, relieved to find none. “Fuck you.” I spun around, and my heart raced at the sight of Trent being held against the bar, a knife dangerously pressed against his throat.
Gabe was an inch away from the man’s face and growled, “Get the fuck away from him.”
My boyfriend’s anger filled the room, causing me to momentarily forget the familiar face of the man before me. As he moved swiftly, the sash around his waist came loose, revealing his muscular physique. With his wide, feral pupils and taut, bulging muscles, he looked like a coiled spring ready to unleash. While his appearance may have been off-putting to others, I found myself captivated by his wild look, feeling a mix of fear and desire as I nervously bit my lip.
“Get the fuck off me!” Pushing Gabe backward, Trent wasted no time in making a swift escape, scurrying away as fast as he could.
Gabe kept a steady gaze on the man until he vanished down the hallway. Turning his head in my direction, he glared at me,feeling like piercing daggers. “What the hell were you thinking coming here? How can you be so—so stupid?”
The way he stared at me, I knew I was in trouble. I hurt him. “I-I just wanted to see what it was like.”
“Do you know what a stupid idea that was, Vin?” Flakes of spit flew through the space between us as he reprimanded me. “When I realized you weren’t coming back from the bathroom at Smoke, I looked everywhere for you. I thought I was so dumb for thinking you’d come here, but in my gut, I knew. I checked every room in this place, hoping some creep like that guy didn’t force themselves on you. If anything were to happen to you, I…I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.” I crossed my arms. “I’m a grown man and can handle myself. I’m not as fragile as you and my father think.”
His eyes held a lost expression, as if trying to comprehend something unfamiliar, while he nervously bit the inside of his cheek. “I know you’re strong, but The Wastes themselves are dangerous. You never know who could be in The Carlton.”
“Itisdangerous,” I admitted. “But I’ve never felt more free, you know how badly I want to be off my floor.”
“I can show you new experiences. We can do them together now that your father has given the order to allow you to experience Elysium. You don’t need to put yourself in life-or-death situations to feel something.”
He was pleading with me. His facial expressions shifted from anger to a sorrowful gaze, as if he finally let go of his fear, and his emotions were rising to the surface. I nodded. “Let’s go home.”
“Hold on.” The furrow in Gabe’s forehead went smooth, and a light glinted in his eye. “Since we’re here, let’s have some fun.”
Without a chance to react, he swiftly pushed me against the wall and knelt before me. Using two fingers, he peeled back my robe and engulfed my member in his warm mouth. He seldomexhibited this behavior, and I didn’t have to drain his blood to be fully alert. My body was trembling with the rhythmic thrusts of his head and the soft tissue at the back of his throat.
The onlookers at the bar, still buzzing from the earlier commotion, couldn’t tear their eyes away as Gabe skillfully sucked me off. If I were being honest, the people watching us made the experience all the more pleasurable. Gabe ran his tongue along the bottom of my shaft and began rolling his wrist along the base of my cock. Release was building inside of me, but I held back.
“Is this what you wanted?” he asked me again, pausing momentarily, his lips shining with precum.
“You need to finish me.” I gasped. “Please.”
Right before he could carry on with the act, darkness engulfed the entire area, and all the lights went out. Gabe quickly stood up, wiping his mouth, as the onlookers in the bar let out subdued yelps. What was happening?
We were surrounded by flashing red lights, flickering rhythmically in the darkness. A blaring siren surrounded us, and Gabe’s brows rose in response. He was scared. Screams filled the bar, bouncing off the walls as people frantically fled down the hallways.
Gabe’s firm grip on my shoulders was his way of ensuring I was paying attention. “Something’s happening. We need to get back to the locker room so I can protect you.” His voice got stern, and he spat, “You cannot leave my side, so don’t get any ideas to disappear on me again.”
Despite my confusion about the situation, the flashing lights, alarm, and Gabe’s swift transition to bodyguard mode left no doubt things were serious. Running through the chaotic hotel, we held on to each other tightly, navigating the crowd and avoiding slippery surfaces. The loud bangs and gunshots could be heard from outside the building. The terror within mesteadily built before a deafening explosion shook the hotel to its foundation.
Were we under attack?
Chapter Nine
Sitting fully clothed on a bench within the locker room, I waited for Gabe to come collect me. He threw on his clothes, a frantic energy in his movements, and urged me to stay put as he rushed outside to investigate. A handful of people remained in the area, as the majority of the hotel guests had fled toward the exit, some clothed, while others were completely naked.
So here I sat.
