I glance at the wall clock again. 7:52 p.m. “I have an early start tomorrow, so it’d be best if we did this now.”
Junichi narrows his eyes, his arms still folded. “If we did this… as in?”
“Fuck. I don’t mind if you bite me, but I’ve been told I don’t taste very good. So there’s that. Since you’re a high-leveler, I’ll probably taste even worse to you.”
Lowering his head, Junichi frowns—silent and obviously thinking about something. I’m about to speak again, but he looks up and beats me to it. “Do you think I’m some kind of monster?”
I draw back, shocked. “What? N-no—”
“I’ve only asked you to have dinner with me so that I could get to know you—as people often do in new encounters. I didn’t come here because I needed charity sex, or to force you into some rash circumstance. I came because I thought you were striking and intriguing.”
He stands up, but something inside me is indignant as I take a step forward. “‘Get to know me’? Right. What else could a ranked vampire possibly want with a human other than to play with me for a bit like a toy? There’s no long term here. I’m doing you a fucking favor and cutting to the chase, mate. I don’t need flowers and this other bullshit.”
The volume of my voice is increasing. I don’t mean to yell, but I’m irrationally caught up in the moment. He’s standing there looking eloquent and calm, like he’s completely innocent. Like sleeping together is the farthest thing from his mind, when I know it isn’t.
Junichi steps into me. He’s taller than me by at least six inches, so it’s annoying when I have to lift my gaze to keep watching him. His clean, lavender-cypress scent is wafting around me. When he grips my chin with his fingertips, the weird knot in my stomach jolts and practically sets on fire, making my eyes wide.
I swallow hard because I’ve never felt anything like this before. The sensation is so warm—pulsing and rushing down to my groin. But I don’t want to acknowledge it. I’m supposed to be indignant right now, not erratically turned on.
Junichi looks me in the face with his emotionless black eyes. It almost feels like he’s about to kiss me. If I’m honest… Shit. I suddenly want him to, and I want to lick my lips first.
But I don’t. And he doesn’t kiss me. Instead, his mouth pulls into a cynical smirk. “I don’t need any favors from you, Doctor Davies. Not a damn thing.”
Three
Jae
I overslept, so I’m running late to the hospital. Which I never do. I get that from my dad. Growing up, he was adamant about three things: being punctual, speaking Korean and teaching me to make his native food. Well, maybe he was a stickler about two things? Since the latter items are indisputably related.
My schedule today is really busy, which is excellent. What’s not excellent is that after Junichi left last night, I couldn’t sleep. My body felt overheated. I was achy all over and my prick was insanely stiff. I’ve never had a sleepless night like that. Not even with Cyrus, and I spent years pining after that idiot.
I tried having a wank, which definitely helped, but then I’d think about those onyx eyes, beautiful lips and long legs… A few minutes later and I’d be writhing around in bed again. Pathetic. I acted like I was doing Junichi a favor. Turns out, he might have done me one if I hadn’t acted like a dickhead. What a mess. It’s like when I’m sitting in a seat on the Tube and a crowd rushes in and I don’t want anyone to sit next to me. But then when no one does, I’m offended that no one wants to sit next to me.
Doesn’t matter, really. I probably won’t ever see him again.
When I step off the lift, Sora is already at the nurses’ desk and watching me move toward her. Her eyes are deep brown and appear slightly less owl-like because she wears these neat, red-rimmed glasses.
I step up to the counter, smiling sheepishly. “Good morning. I’m so sorry I’m late. I texted you?”
She folds her arms and leans against the counter. “I got your message. It’s not like you to be late. Is everything okay?” There’s concern in her voice, which is nice. Honestly, I don’t have many people in my life who express concern for my well-being. I’ve been self-sufficient for a long time now. No choice, really.
Sora had me over for dinner a couple of weeks ago. The thought of vampire children was always a little horrifying in my mind, but her twins were actually pretty cute. Funny. Like normal kids except they drink blood. Thank God I didn’t see them do it.
“I didn’t sleep well,” I admit. “Are they already here?”
“They are. I finished the blood draw and now they’re sitting in your office. I’ve already sent the bags downstairs to be shipped to Italy tonight. Separately, my kids are asking when you’re coming to dinner again. How about next weekend, Sunday night? Since tomorrow night is the hospital gala with the board of directors. Don’t forget.”
Nodding, I turn to walk down the hall toward my office. I shouldn’t keep vampire royalty waiting. “I won’t—I already had my suit cleaned. And next Sunday sounds perfect. Thanks, Sora.” Being my only day off, I usually play shōgi at the local temple with the old men on Sunday afternoons. Dinner with Sora’s family is a worthy concession.
“I expect pajeon,” she calls out. “Since you bragged about your father’s recipe.”
“Right.” I smile. I’ll need to make a shopping list and remember that. I walk through the doorway to my office, and there they sit. Haruka Hirano and Nino Bianchi. Century-old purebred vampires just hanging out and waiting to see me. No big deal.
I bow politely at the waist. “Good morning. I apologize sincerely for the delay.”
“We’re not in a rush today, don’t worry,” Nino says, blinking his honey, owly eyes at me. His irises are so bright they practically glow. His mate’s eyes are the same way, except the color is maroon—like a glass of Merlot held up to the sun.
“Sora says you’re never late. Is everything alright?” Nino asks.
“Everything is fine, thank you.” I quickly hang up my rucksack, grab my lab coat from the rack and put it on as I shuffle over to sit at my desk. “How was the blood draw?”
He’s holding Haruka’s hand, of course. He smiles, warm, golden and open. “Great. The doctor in Italy says my father is getting stronger every day. Between my brother’s blood and mine, he thinks we can relax a little and start sending blood every other month.”
“That is excellent news!”
“Yeah, we appreciate all your help.”
“It’s my pleasure.” I bow again. It really is. Helping them with anything is incredible. Even having them sitting here—I’m probably one of very few doctors throughout history to have worked with purebred vampires. Doctors are just not something they typically need. Their bodies naturally regenerate and have self-corrective biological components. Even if Nino hadn’t come to see me a few months back, it might have been a much harder road, but he would have been fine eventually.
“Haruka, are you well?” I ask because he’s been totally silent, and he’s not nearly as easy to read as his mate.
He smiles politely and nods. “I am. Thank you, Doctor.”
If Nino is like a bouncy, excitable and friendly dog, Haruka is a slinky, reclusive black cat. I have no idea how these two ended up together, but their adoration for each other is palpable. When Nino had been in the hospital a few months ago, Haruka never left his side. I’d walk in and he’d be running his fingers through Nino’s hair and holding his hand, or at the end of the bed massaging his feet and legs.
They’re unashamed and open about their love, as if only the two of them reside in this world—in whatever world they’re part of. In vampire culture, they don’t have labels and strict parameters around romantic relationships and identity like we do as humans. Love literally is just love, and you are who you are.
These two are so deeply enamored with each other, sometimes I think I should look away to give them privacy. I can’t even fathom having a bloke and being like that—perfectly comfortable and carefree. The world I live in doesn’t allow me to.
