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They made it to the door right across from Jaygen’s. He placed the human on their feet, their knees wobbled. Jaygen wrapped his arm around the human, keeping them steady.
“Hold on,” Jaygen said, leaning the human against the wall.
He moved back slowly, watching to see if the human would slide down to the floor. Luckily, they stayed propped on the wall. Jaygen went to his room, making a beeline for the cabinet that held all the special herbs and potions. Jaygen was a tiger shifter and his healing was enhanced but he wasn’t invincible and he liked to be prepared for anything. The cabinet was organized to perfection. It held an array from antidotes to hair growth serum. One never knew when they might have their eyebrows burnt off by a fire mage or an angry dragon.
He found the tea version of what he was looking for but not the pills. Tea was fine and all but it wasn’t exactly the best tasting one he had. Jaygen sighed as he glanced over the low inventory. He was going to need to order some more from the local coven.
He started the electric teakettle on the little coffee station he had set up in his room. Jaygen made his way back to the hallway and opened his door. The human was still standing thankfully, but their eyes were closed. Their thick black lashes rested against their cheek. The human was tan naturally and the light make up only made them seem to glow even more. A soft smile played on their pink tinged lips and Jaygen couldn’t help but to think that they had a mouth that begged to be kissed. He shook his head, snapping out of the strange sensation.Were they really human?If Jaygen wasn’t so sure he’d swear the man before him was a siren.
“Come on, kid,” Jaygen said.
“Not a kid,” the human slurred. “Everyone keeps calling me kid.”
Jaygen laughed. “Oh, then what are you?”
The human turned his glossed over eyes to Jaygen. “I’m a grown ass man who wants to be a pretty boy or girl or whatever. Duh.”
Jaygen bit his lip, keeping himself from laughing. The human was too adorable. Jaygen could see why Arden hired him. Not every lost soul that Arden dragged in got the offer to be a host, it wasn't meant for everyone, but the human before him had the qualities. The haunted but innocent look about him, the sass that begged to be put in place. The human was a puzzle that both slightly got under Jaygen’s skin as well as intrigued him. He had this innocence about him, but under that was this feistiness that made him playful.
“Oh, you’re definitely pretty,” Jaygen said.
The human was entirely to loopy it would be best if Jaygen took care of it before taking him to his own room. Jaygen guided the human into his room and sat him in the chair on the far wall. All the senior host rooms were a decent size; they could each fit two king size beds and still have room for a dresser or two.
“Thank you,” the human said. His eyes roamed around the room.
Jaygen kept his place in a state of perfection at all times. There wasn’t an item out of place, not that he went around showing everyone his room. But still he prided himself on the state of his things. There was only a single door that led to the walk-in closet which housed Jaygen’s clothes.
Jaygen glanced down at the watch on his wrist and just as the second ticked by he got up and shut the electric kettle off. He grabbed one of his white coffee cups from the stand and began to make the human the black fire tea. It was made from the local coven and cleared the mind of any substance. It tasted like burned sugar, but it worked wonders.
“Drink this,” Jaygen said.
The human lifted the cup to his face and inhaled sharply. His nose scrunched up and he quickly sat the cup back down. “Ew, no.”
Jaygen took the seat across from him and leaned forward, resting his head on his hand.
“You will drink it,” Jaygen said in a stern voice. In the privacy of his room he no longer had to give his fake soft side. Not to mention Jaygen felt the urge again to dominate the human and show him who was alpha. He was human and it was absurd that he was feeling this way, but he couldn’t help himself.
The human’s back went ramrod straight, and he was acutely attentive.Interesting.The human reached for the cup and looked down at it and then back to Jaygen. A pleading look that wouldn’t make Jaygen’s resolve waver one bit came across the human’s face.
Jaygen lifted a brow. The human finally lifted the cup and brought it to his pretty mouth before taking a huge gulp. His lips pursed, and he quickly swallowed before putting the cup down.
“That is fucking disgusting,” the human said, trying to wipe his tongue clean with his fingers.
“Yes, it’s not the best tasting, but it works wonders. The pills are easier to take, but I ran out,” Jaygen said.
The thick lashes Jaygen couldn’t help but stare at fluttered as clarity settled in. The glossy-eyed look dimmed a bit, and his gaze flicked around the room as if he just realised he wasn’t in the bar anymore and he was in a secluded place with a stranger.A predator.Jaygen’s tiger prowled just under his skin but he had the utmost control, even around a pretty human. His gaze once again focused on Jaygen and there was apprehension swimming in the brown pools of his eyes.
“There you are,” Jaygen said.
He relaxed his body a bit more. It would turn into a disaster if the human ran and knocked things over in Jaygen’s room. The last thing he needed was for his domain to be messed with. Jaygen stayed still. He got the distinct feeling the human wasn’t accustomed to being around paranormals. Especially since he eyed Jaygen as if he was trying to figure out who or what he was.
“I’m Jaygen.” The human was silent, and Jaygen swallowed back a sigh. “That is your cue to tell me your name.”
“Oh um, Por—Payton,” the human rushed out.
An alias, that was certain. Jaygen could taste the lie; it was bitter on his tongue.
“Alright, P-a-y-t-o-n.” Jaygen dragged the name out and made sure the human felt and saw his displeasure. “Is there any reason you’re here?”
