As I pondered the implications, I realized Vivien had stilled. When I turned my head, she did the same until we were staring into each other’s eyes. My breath halted. Tension crowded the air between us, practically smothering me. Those complex green eyes flicked down to my lips as she swallowed.
Vivien’s lips were mere inches away again and the magnetic pull between us was so strong, I had to grip her chair harder to keep myself from closing the gap between us. In doing so, my knuckles grazed her exposed back. Her skin was silky smooth and the leather and vanilla scent curled around my senses again.
Visions of whirling her chair around and crashing my mouth against her lips sent a flood of heat through my body. Not only did I want to taste her, I wanted to suckle and nip down the column of her throat, to the top swell of her breasts. Then I’d tongue her nipples through her shirt until they stiffened into peaks through the fabric. I would lave her skin and most sensitive parts with my curious, probing tongue until I had her begging for release under me.
Vivien’s pupils expanded, nearly swallowing me whole.
Miranda broke through my intense fantasy, keeping me from acting on any of my insane thoughts. “I used the cameras to follow him back to his room,” she said. “Tenth floor, room 1009. Skip, here, packed up in a hurry and hightailed it out in less than ten minutes. He paid for the room in cash, and booked it under the name Raoul Duke.”
“Fake name,” Vivien announced loudly.
“If my name was Skip, I’d use a fake name too,” Miranda said, still studying the screen.
Vivien closed her eyes in concentration. “I know that name, Raoul Duke.” She snapped her fingers with a triumphant smile. “Wait, I know. That’s the name of Johnny Depp’s character in the movieFear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”
“Yet you don’t remember your name,” I pointed out.
Her glowing victory darkened into a scowl.
Miranda went on. “I caught housecleaning in time, and kept them from entering until I came and got you.”
I stayed behind Vivien’s chair to keep from alarming anyone with the rock-hard erection I now sported. I tried to focus on Miranda’s words, but all I could think of was if this were any other situation, I’d easily seduce any woman who held my attention and take care of myproblem. I treated my needs with the same efficiency I gave to brushing my teeth. But with Miranda and Jamal in the room, I needed to focus entirely on business and neglect my sudden and urgent needs.
Rolling my shoulders back, I reminded myself how I managed every day. I pushed aside my own wants to see to my duties, and that was the only way it could be. Qwynn taught me the dangers of choosing pleasure over duty. And Vivien posed the same danger my ex-wife had. I could drown in her, forgetting everything else.
“We should check out the room,” Vivien said, pressing her hands on the desk and standing with sudden nervous energy. I backed away so the roller wheels on her chair wouldn’t scuff my shoes. She was likely invigorated by the mug of blood she’d drained.
When I caught Timothy’s eye, he was watching me with a strange expression. Did he sense my mounting attraction to the sekhor?
It was likely. For a moment, I wondered if my aide would tell the others, or worse…no, I couldn’t think ofhimfinding out about any of this.
Timothy turned his gaze back to the monitor, and I did the same, trying to ignore the churning in my stomach.
Standing as well, Miranda said, “I’m coming too.”
“Ma’am,” Timothy interjected, “the physician will be along to see to your arm. I think you should wait here and let them go on without you.”
Miranda’s mouth thinned. “You patched me up fine enough for the moment. If you think I’m going to miss a chance to figure out what the hell is going on around here, you’re dead wrong.”
My aide and I exchanged a look. It was obvious there would be no changing her mind.
With a sigh, I submitted. “Bring the boy as well. I don’t want him unattended after the sekhors targeted Ms. West.”
We made our way to the door. Behind me, Miranda asked Vivien, “Sekhors?”
“Another name for vampires,” Vivien clarified.
Timothy had fallen into step next to me while Jamal trailed behind his mother, headphones lodged in his ears.
“Sounds kind of…lewd,” Miranda said under breath.
Vivien perked up. “That’s what I thought.” Then hushing her voice in case Jamal could hear, she said, “I thought he was calling me a sucky whore when he first said it.”
A snort came from beside me. I shot Timothy a dark look. He made sounds as if he were clearing his throat.
* * *
The sheets were rumpled,half-pulled off the hotel bed. And the room reeked of cheap liquor, unwashed male, and the skunky scent of weed. Unlike the suites in Sinopolis, the room in Camelot was as generic as any other three-star hotel. Cheap sheets, decent-sized television, but the room had an excellent view of the strip. I crossed the room to close the curtains so Vivien could enter without bursting into flames.
