“But you do now?”
He didn’t get an answer.
“It sounds like that’s something we should talk about.”
“Yeah, it is. You can come and we’ll talk.”
“I’ll be there the moment the sun sets.”
“See you then,” Ji-Su said before he ended the call.
Raul tossed his phone on the desk. With a heavy sigh, he dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. This was his fault. He’d handled the situation all wrong. His goal had been to get out of the shower as fast as possible before he gave in to the urge to fuck Ji-Su with wild and unrestrained passion until he was satisfied. Unfortunately, his lack of an explanation before his escape had hurt Ji-Su. He wanted—no—heneededto fix this. Right now. But sleep was coming for him whether he wanted it or not.
The early morning sun felt like the warmest heat lamp, making his head logy and lulling him into sleep. He should be asleep already. His age and worry for Ji-Su were the only reasons he was able to stay up this far past sunrise. Raul slowly pushed himself to his feet and went to his office door. The day butler, Xavier was there waiting for him.
“Ji-Su is at the Willow Bend Hotel. Send guards there. I want one on his floor and one in the lobby. They’re not to stop him if he leaves. But if he does, I want him followed.”
“Understood.”
“I’m going to sleep, but have guards ready to go as soon as the sun sets.”
“Yes, sir.”
Xavier left to carry out his order.
Raul headed up to his room, his movements slow and sluggish. Fuck. If he didn’t get to his bed soon, he’d be sleeping on the hallway floor. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t see the sun and that only meager rays from one uncovered window spilled into the hall. Its presence in the sky affected him just as the moon’s presence affected wolf shifters. But the way vampires were affected by the sun was different from shifters and the moon. The moon gave shifters energy. The sun drained it from vampires.
He made it to the master bedroom at the end of the hall and pushed the cracked door open all the way to go inside. Raul looked at the bed. The sheets were still tangled, the comforter tossed aside, the wrecked headboard a visual reminder of how close he’d come to giving in to the rougher side of his desire.
Raul sighed and moved forward. He had enough energy remaining to remove his boots before falling on the bed fully dressed. Turning on his side, he grabbed Ji-Su’s pillow. He pulled it close, wrapping his arms around it and pressing his face to the pillow case. Ji-Su’s scent was on the pillow. Raul inhaled, breathing in the scent of his lover as he finally allowed the sun to push him down into deep sleep.
Chapter 36
Sunset was at seven-fifty-five p.m. Raul woke at seven. The setting sun weighed on him like a thousand weighted blankets. With iron determination, he ignored the warm heaviness pushing him down and forced himself from the bed.
In the bathroom, he pulled off his sleep wrinkled clothes and got in the shower. Each movement felt as if he was swimming through rubber cement. He didn’t let the shower warm up first, stepping directly into the icy spray. The cold water blasted him in the face, shocking him completely awake. Raul shuddered, shaking his head like a wet dog, but he didn’t turn the water to hot. He left it on cold as he soaped himself up, the chill counteracting the warmth of the late afternoon sun. By the time he got out and got dressed, his head was clear and he was almost moving at his usual speed.
He swiftly descended the staircase, ready to head out to Willow Bend. He didn’t have time for breakfast. But Xavier was there with a large mug filled to the brim with blood.
“It’s packaged blood,” he explained as he held out the blue stone mug. “But I thought it would help to wake you.”
Raul gratefully accepted the drink. “Thank you, Xavier.” He quickly drank the offered blood down. The taste was bland—cold even though it was heated—but it did give him a shot of energy. “You were right,” he said as he handed the mug back.
Xavier smiled and handed him a small bottle containing the special after drink to rinse the blood from his mouth.
“Your truck is out front along with a follow car of guards. Human of course. I don’t think any vampire on staff could be on their feet and coherent this early.”
Raul huffed a rueful laugh. “I should still be asleep myself. But this is important. Thank you for preparing everything so well.”
“You’re welcome, sir. Good luck.”
“Thanks. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
Determined to make things right, he went outside to his truck. He would go to the hotel to talk to Ji-Su, fix his fuck up, and bring his sweet little human back here where he belonged.
JI-SU HAD JUST FINISHEDusing the complimentary hotel toiletries to brush his teeth when someone knocked on his hotel room door. He went to look through the peep hole, expecting to see housekeeping. But to his surprise, Raul stood on the other side. It was only seven-thirty. How was he here already? Ji-Su unlocked the door and pulled it open.
Raul was dressed casually in a chocolate brown pull over and jeans, but his hair was damp and rumpled, evidence that he hadn’t taken much time with his appearance before coming here. The vampire’s amber brown gaze swept over Ji-Su from head to toe, clearly checking to make sure he was alright before he gave him a gentle smile.