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“I’m not the bad guy, Evan.” I stood and started looking for my clothes. “I feel like I should thank you for the tiny little bit of sex we had, but the truth is, I’m disappointed there isn’t going to be more.” I found my clothes in the other room, and stood so I could see him while I put them on. “If we can’t be lovers, I hope we can be friends, or at least friendly.”
“Will Marco give you your own city?”
“I hope not.”
“You don’t want power?”
“Power? Oh, yes. Leadership responsibilities? No.”
He just stared at me, and I walked back into the room with my shirt in my hand. “I want Marco and I to have enough power so we’re safe. So our people are safe. So no one will even consider coming into our territory with bad intentions. I’m happy following Marco’s lead though. I don’t need to be the top dog.”
“Were you happy following Griffin’s lead?”
I sat on the edge of the bed and met his gaze, careful not to put power into it. He was so used to looking into my eyes, he’d forgotten to look down. Good.
“No, but I wasn’t strong enough to do anything about it. I’m not strong enough to deny an order Marco truly means, either, but I trust him not to...” I shrugged. “I’m a tool in his toolbox, and I know he’ll aim me at his enemies in whatever way is necessary, and that’s fine. I also know he won’t use my talents and skills merely because it amuses him to do so. We have mutual respect.”
“I stayed in the background until our new Eagle King took power.”
“I understand Vincent Avila wasn’t a very nice person.”
He shook his head. “Not even a little bit. I was recruited into his goon squad, and I had to follow orders, but I hated every minute of it. I was assured this job wouldn’t be like that.”
“You have to know there will be tough assignments, but overall, I think we’re both going to be okay.”
I put my shirt on and smoothed it over the bra. He was still nude, and I looked him over from head to toe, and then back up.
“I’m on your donor list,” he told me. “Your calendar.”
Right. Marco would drink from him at least once a month, probably more. Evan was too high in the organization to risk not checking in on him and maintaining a strong bond. I wasn’t surprised Marco wanted me to regularly check in with the head of security as well.
“I look forward to it, but I’m sorry you have to.”
He met my gaze again. “You’ll know the truth, so there’s no sense denying it. I wouldn’t choose to let you feed from me, but since I don’t have a choice, I’m not completely dreading it. Not exactly looking forward to it, but...”
I stood. “I’d ask for a hug, but I can tell you’re repulsed by the idea of having to touch me.”
He watched me stand and didn’t deny it.
I opened my arms and spun in a slow circle. “Does this look like dead flesh to you?”
“No, and maybe it isn’t dead, but it isn’t really alive, either.”
“Because we’re cold?”
“You weren’t cold.”
“I fed on two humans. It was decadent. I don’t often get to do that.”
He stood. “Friendly is good. I can’t promise more.”
I offered him my hand, he shook it, and I told him, “I’ll wait in the other room for you to get dressed.”
He stared at me a few seconds and then looked dismayed. “I drove you here.”
“I’d prefer a ride to the coterie house, but if you get me back to TBC, I can catch a ride from there.”
He opened a drawer, pulled underwear out, grabbed jeans out of the closet, went into the bathroom, and closed the door. I sat, closed my eyes, and put feelers out, to see how many other eagles were in this hotel. I didn’t sense any. Only the Security Chief was put up here. I had no idea where we’d put the rest, but it made sense they weren’t here.
