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Chapter Twelve

M alik made his way onto the dance floor, a drink in hand, moving to the beat of the music at the club Auberi had taken him to. The music was hard thumping hip-hop. Finding the perfect woman to have a night of amazing sex with wouldn’t happen. He’d not had sex in five years. Not since he’d spent a night under the influence of the experimental drugs in Egypt. Since he’d lost control and nearly shifted form fully while buried deep in the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen .

Brooke.

That had been it for him .

His dick simply refused to work unless he was alone, stroking himself to Brooke’s photo that he’d taken with his phone. Even achieving orgasm by that means was getting harder and harder. Soon that option would be gone and he knew what would happen then. He’d succumb to the pull of the lion inside him. He’d seen it happen to others—men who tried to deny their animal instincts and the need for sex .

He’d gone to great lengths to hide the truth of it all from his friends, knowing they’d have seen it as a sign that he didn’t have control of his beast. He was on borrowed time before he’d need to confess it all to his friends. After all, they’d be the ones who would have to hunt him and put him down when he lost control. The least they deserved was the truth .

The famed ladies’ man had fallen from grace .

He took a sip of his vodka on the rocks. Suddenly, two beautiful women were there, in slinky dresses that only just covered their asses. One was in a red dress and the other wore gold. They pressed up against him, moving with the music as well, grinding their bodies against his .

He caught sight of Auberi not far from the dance floor, a drink in hand as well. The man lifted his drink and nodded to Malik, clearly pleased to see him starting to loosen up again. If he only knew the truth. That Malik hadn’t bedded any woman in years .

Auberi would be horrified .

The man lived for sex .

He was French. It was expected .

Auberi sipped his drink as he grinned. The two had spent centuries romancing women. Sometimes they even romanced the same woman at the same time. Auberi’s tastes ran both ways. Malik’s did not. That hadn’t stopped them from sharing women in the past .

More than once .

The woman in red slipped her hand into the open portion of Malik’s shirt, running the palm of her hand over his chest. This was the point when his cock of five years ago would have been all in for sex .

Nothing.

PSI’s scientists had effectively neutered him .

Frustrated, but not deterred, Malik continued to dance, his free hand finding the hip of the woman in the gold dress. He felt as if he were going through the motions. Nothing more. He’d had countless women in his immortally long life. He’d taken women in every way possible and some not so possible. Though he’d only spent his seed in one, having been told at an early age of the dangers of doing so. And he’d not meant to do so ever, but the fucking medication had messed with his judgment as well as his dick .

He had a long history of infamous incidents with women throughout the ages. More than once he’d leaned on his fellow PSI operatives and friends to get him out of a hairy situation, all revolving around him bedding women .

Auberi appeared next to Malik, minus his drink. He drew the woman in red to him and touched her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. The woman licked her lips and the smell of her arousal filled the air, doing nothing to ignite Malik’s sex drive .

Auberi spun the woman, putting her back to his front, and turned his head, his gaze colliding with Malik’s. “Just what the doctor ordered .”

Malik barely managed to contain a groan. Auberi was a doctor. He’d studied some form of medicine at least once a century since he’d been alive .

We could share these beauties , said Auberi down the mental path they shared .

Malik shook his head. Nah. I’m not really feeling it with them. They’re not my type .

Auberi snorted. I find that hard to believe .

I think I’m going to call it a night , returned Malik, giving up the farce .

Auberi caught his arm. “I’ve arranged a surprise for you tonight, to help you out of your recent funk .”

Malik fought a groan. Knowing Auberi, he’d hired a harem to come and try to get Malik off. It would be a very Auberi thing to do .

Auberi drew the two women closer to him and stared down at them, his gaze going to jet black quickly. “Go. Find others to occupy you for the evening .”

The women obeyed. It’s what humans did when a powerful vampire mesmerized them .

Auberi motioned for Malik to follow him as he made his way deeper into the club. He went up the stairs to a roped-off darker section. They passed by several bouncers who all seemed as if they knew Auberi well. They probably did. The man was more than likely a regular .

Instantly, he was hit with the scent of honey and lotuses, making him stumble slightly, his beast surging up. Malik stopped and took several deep breaths, hoping to stave off a full shift. He inhaled again and was hit with the smell of Brooke once more .

“Tut?” asked Auberi, touching Malik’s shoulder and chasing away the scent of the woman who haunted Malik to this day .

Auberi led Malik to a large back room that offered a view of the dance floor below but that was so dimly lit, none could see up and into it. There was a table, a booth, a bed of all things, and several oversized comfy chairs. The table had two gold-colored masks on it. When Malik saw the theme of the masks—ancient Egyptian—he shot Auberi a hard look .

“Sit. Put this on,” the vampire said, handing Malik a mask that looked a great deal like a rendition of Tutankhamen .

Malik eyed the mask and his friend. “No. I’m going home .”

Auberi grinned. “Indulge me. I think you’ll enjoy it. This surprise is one of my better ones. Let’s give you a birthday to remember .”

Malik stared at the mask. “It’s not my birthday .”

“Tut,” said Auberi, knowing Malik disliked the nickname. “You’re being very boring. You didn’t used to be boring .”

Malik tensed and took the mask. He put it on as Auberi put on a similar one and then took a seat in one of the oversized chairs. This was going to end poorly. Anything Auberi thought was fun normally did .