Page 12 of The Vampire’s Receptionist (Charmed Away Temp Agency #4)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kian paced the hallway, ignoring the ringing phone a few feet away. He didn’t want to walk away until he knew Dorian was okay. The stupid calls could wait. He was just spinning around for another lap when the door opened, and Harlem poked his head out.

“Something’s wrong. He won’t feed from me. I don’t know what to do.”

Making a tick sound behind his teeth, he followed Harlem back into the office. “What he needs is to eat. It’s stupid to be stubborn about this.”

Harlem shook his head. “I don’t think it’s stubbornness. He looked like he was going to vomit when I offered, and when I tried to force it, he actually pushed my wrist away. Something is wrong. Do you think we should call an ambulance?”

“I was a paramedic before working here. They aren’t going to be able to do anything different other than offer him different blood.

I’ve given emergency donations before while on the job, but never for a vampire who was refusing to eat.

Dorian! Stop ignoring your feeder! You’ll feel better if you eat! ”

Something flickered across Dorian’s expression, but it was there and gone behind the blank mask. Kian couldn’t decipher it.

“Do you think it’s me? Maybe he needs different blood?

” Harlem offered. It looked like it upset him to suggest it.

Kian knew a lot of feeders ended up in relationships with their clients, given the intimacy of the acts.

That kind of thing was more common with incubus/feeder pairings, but it happened with vampires, too.

If they were in a relationship, it’d probably feel really icky to ask someone else to feed his boyfriend.

“I’m not sure. All my spells say he’s starving.

He needs to eat. We can call an ambulance, see if they have any bagged blood in stock to feed him, but I don't know how it’ll make any difference.

And with how cold his skin already is, I’m reluctant to give him anything other than a live donation.

It’ll cool his core temp down too much.”

He stared hard at the vampire, trying to figure out what was preventing him from feeding. If he was in pain, eating might increase the issue, but it was better than starving. Maybe if they put him on some pain killers?

“Can you do it?” Harlem suggested. “You said you’ve given emergency donations before. And you were the one who helped him the last time he was this hungry, right?”

Kian grimaced. Technically, he was right. Kian was an option, given that he’d helped Dorian before. But after his last reaction to Dorian feeding from him, he was reluctant to help in front of his feeder. That would be embarrassing.

“Please. I’ve never seen him like this. I’m seriously worried about him,” Harlem begged. He had tears in his eyes, and his tails twitched in agitation.

Bolstering himself, Kian nodded. “Alright. I’ll try. I don’t think it’ll be any different, but it’s worth a shot. If it doesn’t work, we’ll need to call an ambulance for a blood transfusion. He’ll die if he doesn’t get some blood soon.”

Harlem nodded rapidly in agreement, his hands clutched to his chest as he eyed Dorian worriedly. Kian felt his stare as he got closer, kneeling beside the expressionless vampire, but tried to ignore it.

“Dorian? I’m going to give you some blood now. Do me a favor and try to feed. I know you’re in pain, but you need it.”

Dorian didn’t reply, nor did he fight when Kian put his wrist near his mouth.

He didn’t think that alone would do it, and he wasn’t surprised when Dorian wouldn’t answer.

He normally had something to prick his finger in situations like this, but he didn’t have his paramedic bag here, so instead, he forced Dorian’s mouth open with a tight grip on his jaw and shoved his wrist in his mouth, flinching as his fangs pierced the skin.

For a second, nothing happened, but Kian waited until the blood hit Dorian’s tongue.

He startled hard when Dorian’s eyes flashed red, and his cold hands snapped out, grabbing his wrist in an iron grip to keep him there.

Dorian took long drags of blood, his eyes wide but still glazed over.

Kian felt the tug in his groin, the overwhelming euphoria, but he did his best to ignore it.

Dorian was taking a lot more than last time.

He needed to focus to make sure the vampire didn’t take too much.

“Slow… down…” Kian urged, panting.

Dorian didn’t listen, his eyes still locked in a far away stare.

“Dorian! Stop!” Harlem shouted. “You’ll hurt him!” He tried to intervene and pull Dorian away, but Dorian snarled and lashed out, shoving the man away before leaning over Kian’s wrist to protect his meal. The reaction startled Harlem, and he took a few steps back, eyes wide.

There were black dots on the edges of Kian’s vision.

He was close to both passing out and coming in his pants.

He tried reaching for his magic to make Dorian stop, but he couldn’t manage it.

His body went limp, supported by Dorian’s desk at his back.

He could only stare at the vampire above him, his mind fuzzy.

It was hard to think. He normally had a team to help him.

It was stupid to do this without backup. Why was he always so reckless?

“Harlem…” he forced out, casting a glance at the kitsune nearby. “Get… help…”

Harlem whimpered, spun on his heel, and took off out the door. Kian could only hope he was fast enough to get someone before Dorian took too much, and he couldn’t recover.

What a shitty way to die.

Dorian had felt himself losing touch with reality, most of his movements were on autopilot, but whenever he tried to feed, he got ill.

He eventually couldn’t even stomach the thought.

He sank into despair, worried he’d die from starvation but unable to tell anyone there was a problem.

He was too out of it to get the words out.

And then he couldn’t think past the pain.

He came to in small degrees. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he hurt all over and his head throbbed. He heard voices whispering, all of them familiar, but it took time before he could understand any of it.

“Did you have to be so rough with him?” someone snapped.

“He was killing the temp. I did what needed to be done,” was the growled reply.

His blood ran cold at that comment, and his eyes snapped open. He looked around in a panic, searching for Kian. He and Kian were the only ones on this floor. He should have sent him away when things took a turn. Please, someone tell him he didn’t attack his receptionist.

“He’s awake,” Avery murmured. He moved to step closer to Dorian, only to be stopped by Ozen, who pushed his mate behind him. The protective movement hurt Dorian’s heart. He’d never hurt his friend’s mate. He’d never knowingly hurt anyone.

“What… What happened?”

“We’re kind of hoping you could tell us,” Taron said, his face unusually serious as he stood over him, arms crossed over his chest. Zephyr stood nearby, his hands flexing like he too wanted to pull Taron away.

He couldn’t see their other mate, Tony, but he couldn’t see much at all with the way his friends surrounded him.

He was lying on the floor, his chair upended nearby, and his friends surrounded him on all sides.

“Doctor Chapman is on his way,” Avery said, twisting his fingers anxiously. “We were going to call an ambulance, but–”

“But Doctor Chapman would be the one who could help you. We’re just skipping the middleman,” Taron finished.

He shook his head slowly, still dazed and confused. “I don’t know what’s happening. What happened? Why are you all here?”

“You tried to suck your receptionist dry,” Taron said, frowning at him. “That’s not who you are, Dorian. What the hell happened?”

Horror sank into his stomach, and he lurched upright, groaning when pain shot through his back and up his left arm. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, holding him back from standing, and when he looked behind him, Maverick glared down at him like he was ready to hurt him.

“Don’t move. You’re unstable, and there are humans nearby. Stay where you are until Doctor Chapman clears you.”

“But–”

The door to the office opened, and Maverick’s mate, Isaac, came in, leading Doctor Chapman behind him. The sorcerer seemed to spark with electric magic, his expression foreboding. Doctor Chapman didn’t look any happier, which was unusual for him. He was generally calm and collected at all times.

The druid stopped in front of him, narrowing his eyes. “You’ll be happy to know your receptionist is alive. Now, before I check you over, I want to know how this happened. Leave out no details. Your fate depends on it.”

It felt like a punch to the gut to hear Doctor Chapman threaten him like that. All eyes in the room held accusation and distrust, like they were waiting for him to lash out. His chest hurt from the realization that all his allies were against him at this moment. And he had no answers to give them.

“I don’t… I don’t know.”

“I’m afraid that’s not good enough,” Doctor Chapman said with a scowl. “A life was nearly lost today, Dorian. We need to know why.”

He swallowed hard. He had no idea. He didn’t even remember asking to feed from Kian. The last time he remembered trying to feed, he left Harlem’s apartment and vomited up what little he’d gotten down the minute he stepped outside.

A commotion in the hall drew everyone’s attention, and Kian came in a moment later, his skin pale and sweat dotting his temple.

He scowled at the room, leaning heavily on the door frame.

Dorian thought the man’s ire was for him, but his expression only softened when he looked Dorian’s way.

Then he lifted his gaze to Maverick, who still held him in a tight grip, and he glared daggers at the dragon.

“Let him go,” he gritted out through heavy breaths. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

There were several protests, Taron’s being the loudest when he said, “Dude, he tried to kill you.”

“No, he didn’t. It was an emergency blood donation, and I didn’t remember until we’d already started that I needed a team to do it. He didn’t have the capacity to stop himself on his own. Let. Him. Go.”

The dragon growled and didn’t look interested in following that order. It was Doctor Chapman who stepped in to stop the argument.

“Maverick. Release Dorian. Kian is still weak, and this exertion is dangerous for him. I don’t believe he will rest until you step away.

” Doctor Chapman sent an exasperated look at Kian.

“I’ve heard of you. You’re the paramedic who puts his life at risk for his patients.

I thought you were fired for such recklessness. ”

“I was,” Kian growled, shoving himself off the doorframe.

He wobbled a little before forcing himself forward, pushing past the group to move to Dorian’s side.

“I’m his receptionist. And I didn’t risk myself just so you assholes could throw him in prison.

Leave him the hell alone. If there’s anyone at fault for this incident, it’s me. ”