Page 30 of The Vampire’s Receptionist (Charmed Away Temp Agency #4)

CHAPTER THIRTY

Kian was bouncing as he headed into work.

For the past week, he had been back in his own apartment, getting regular nookie from a sexy vampire, and he was free to go where he wanted without an annoying druid breathing down his neck.

Things were good. He didn’t even get annoyed when people moved away from him on the elevator. Absolutely nothing could ruin his mood.

The office was quiet when he arrived on the top floor.

Kian noticed Dorian always arrived before him, so he showed up a little earlier throughout the week to see if he could get here in time to make the vampire coffee.

It was part of his job, and he had to be sneaky to get Dorian to let him do it, especially after the incident.

He tried the first few days showing up demanding that Kian rest more and got chewed out for it.

Kian felt fine. Great, even. He woke up energized and happy.

He even could use his magic without issue.

He didn’t need any more rest. Dorian finally accepted that after Kian proved just how energetic he was in bed together. After that, he backed down.

Flipping on the lights, he bustled into the breakroom.

He’d noticed during his first week that no one came up to this floor but him and Dorian.

At first he wondered if it was a deliberate choice, some CEOs liked to look important like that, but he realized after knowing Dorian for a while that he wasn’t like that.

Which begged to question why he was alone up here until Kian showed up.

When he finally asked, Dorian admitted he chose to put all resources in the other departments until they had more employees.

He said he could handle his office. Kian chose not to point out how he overworked himself to the point of losing control.

The vampire would just keep punishing himself.

He was watching the coffee percolate as he considered it for the dozenth time that week.

Dorian didn’t need a fleet of receptionists or assistants, but more than one would probably be smarter.

If Kian was away from his desk to eat his lunch or use the restroom, it was Dorian who had to answer the phones.

And if someone showed up while Kian wasn’t around, they could march right into Dorian’s office without an appointment no matter how busy he was.

As if to prove his point, he heard the elevator ding and a voice call out. “Yoo hoo! Dorian! I need your opinion on something.”

With a sigh, Kian stepped out of the breakroom and crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at Taron. “I don’t remember Dorian having any appointments this morning. Especially not before the work day actually begins.”

Taron grinned at him. “That’s because this is a personal question, not work related. Is he here yet?”

“Nope. And somehow I doubt he’ll want to be pestered first thing with personal questions. Is it something I can help you with? Because if not, you’ll have to come back later.”

“Oooh, someone’s feisty in the morning,” Taron teased. He stepped forward and hesitated, looking Kian up and down. “Are you allowed to use your magic yet?”

Kian’s brows snapped together. “I don’t use my magic in the office unless it’s an emergency.” It caused too much drama and people already didn’t trust him.

“Oh, good.” Taron grinned and loped over to him, not stopping until he threw his arm around Kian’s shoulders. When Kian gaped at him incredulously, Taron’s grin widened to show all his teeth. “Good morning.”

Shoving his arm off, Kian scowled at him. “What do you need, Taron?”

“I need ideas. Actually, you might be a good person to ask. You’re friends with my gorgeous mate, correct?”

Kian wasn’t sure where he was going with this, but he decided to answer honestly instead of with a sarcastic comment.

The faster he answered, the faster he could get Taron out of here before Dorian arrived.

The vampire was already overworked. He didn’t need to be pestered over something unimportant right now.

“Yes… Why?”

“Well, his birthday is coming up, but I’m struggling to come up with an idea grand enough. Do you know anything about how humans celebrate birthdays? I was thinking of making it a whole event, but Zephyr pointed out that Tony didn't like being the center of attention. I need more ideas.”

As much as he hated to admit it, “Zephyr’s right.

What little I know about Tony, he’s not the type of person to want the attention on him.

I think most humans Tony’s age don’t really do anything grand for their birthdays anyway.

The last human birthday I went to, they had a nice dinner with the people important to them. Why don’t you do something like that?”

Taron made a face. “But that’s so simple!

I take him out for nice dinners at least once a week!

” At Kian’s raised eyebrow, he winked. “My mates deserve to be spoiled. But come on. I need something more interesting. I thought I heard something about clowns and balloons, but I can’t get a clear answer on that. ”

Kian winced. “Don’t have any clowns. They’re creepy. And more for kids’ parties, not adults.” He didn’t really know Tony all that well, though he thought the guy was sweet. He floundered for ideas, asking, “What do you like to do together? Like what’s his favorite thing?”

“Yeah, I don’t think we can do his favorite thing with an audience around,” Taron replied, waggling his eyebrows like an idiot. It was a good thing Kian didn’t use his magic in the office. He would’ve hit him with a snapping spell for that obnoxious comment. Instead, he smacked Taron’s arm.

“Don’t talk about your sex life with strangers, Taron. Answer the damn question.”

“Ouch! Does Dorian know how abusive you are?” he pouted, rubbing his arm.

“Something tells me you deserved it,” Dorian said blandly as he stepped into the reception area. He looked good in his three piece suit, not a single strand of hair out of place. Kian wanted to lick him.

“Why are my friends so mean to me?” Taron whined plaintively.

Kian didn’t have a lot of patience for dramatics, so he ignored the shapeshifter in favor of explaining the issue to Dorian. “Your friend thought first thing in the morning was a good time to pester you about what to do to celebrate his mate’s birthday.”

Amusement flickered across Dorian’s expression. “Which mate, exactly?”

“Tony,” Taron replied, perking up again. “Zephyr’s birthday is easy. Morning blowjobs are the way to my thunderchicken’s heart.”

Kian just barely resisted the urge to smack his palm against his forehead. He was exceedingly glad Taron wasn’t his mate. If he found out his mate was talking about their sex life so openly, he’d lose his shit. Not that he’d ever have a mate.

“I didn’t need to know that,” Dorian replied. “And it doesn’t matter what you plan for Tony. He’s going to love it, because you were thinking of him.”

That was a sweet sentiment. Kian didn’t think it’d actually work on Taron, but to his surprise, a sappy smile overtook his face and he nodded.

“You’re right. I think I’ll throw him a small party.

Kian said humans have meals with just the people closest to them.

I’ll keep things low key this year.” He frowned.

“Or I’ll rent a yacht. I’ll ask Ozen. I think he took Avery to Paris for Avery’s last birthday. I like his extravagance.”

A ringing from Taron’s pocket distracted him, and his face lit up when he saw the name on the caller ID. Putting it to his ear, he waved at Kian and Dorian, cooing at whoever was on the other line. Kian could make a guess given how he greeted the poor man.

“A thaisce! Are you missing me already? I’m on my way back now.”

Dorian shook his head as his friend disappeared into the elevator. Kian huffed out a laugh.

“I feel sorry for his mates. I wouldn’t have the patience to deal with all that energy.”

“I suppose that’s why fate decided to give him two,” Dorian said with a smile.

Kian shuddered. “I’m seriously glad I’ll never have a mate. I don’t have the patience for all that. Why does planning a birthday party have to be rocket science? It’s just another year passing.”

Dorian’s face fell. Kian was going to ask what was wrong, but his desk phone started ringing and distracted him. By the time he hung up, Dorian had gotten his coffee and gone to his office, closing the door behind him.

What was that all about?

While Dorian hadn’t ever thought Kian was his mate, the fact that he was glad he’d never have one rocked Dorian to the core.

He didn't understand why Kian thought he couldn’t have one, all supernaturals had mates and even some humans, but it was a bigger concern that Kian seemed happy about the thought.

Did he only feel that way about mates, or was he of the same mind about relationships as well?

Dorian had been hoping to broach the topic of a real relationship beyond sex once Doctor Chapman figured out what was wrong with him, but now he wondered if it was a bad idea.

He didn’t want to lose what they had, but he also didn’t want to pretend he didn’t want more either.

Dropping heavily into his chair, he winced when he was reminded yet again it was a replacement from his normal one and nowhere near as comfortable.

The walls were patched, and the window pane replaced.

It was almost as if nothing had happened.

The only issue he had left was the chair, and he refused to ask Kian to order him another.

He saw it as an extra punishment for himself for what he’d done.

And it encouraged him not to stay too late when the chair was so uncomfortable.

He tried throwing himself into work to distract himself, but every time he had a spare moment, his mind wandered and inevitably ended up back on Kian.

This wasn’t the first time he acted obsessive over the half-fae beauty, but it was getting a little ridiculous.

He’d never reacted this way to one of his feeders before.

What was it about Kian that kept him so enthralled?

Muffled shouting dragged his attention away from his wayward thoughts. It took only a moment to realize one of those voices was Kian, and he was on his feet instantly, hurrying to see what the problem was.

“I told you once, I’m not telling you again. I’m not giving you his address. You need to leave. Now.”

The werewolf staring down Kian bared his teeth menacingly. “If you don’t give me what I want, I’ll make sure you regret it,” he snarled.

Kian raised an eyebrow at him. “I’d like to see you try, asshole.”

The werewolf growled in vexation, nearly lunging over the desk to get into Kian’s face. “Tell me where he is!”

Dorian didn't remember making the conscious decision to move. From one blink to another, he was across the room, his forearm against the werewolf’s throat as he pinned him to the wall.

“Touch him, and I’ll rip your intestines out and hang you with them,” Dorian hissed.

“Dorian, stop! Let him go!” Kian demanded.

Dorian didn’t move. He wanted blood. The werewolf dared to threaten his Kian, dared to even think of laying a hand on him.

He deserved whatever gruesome end Dorian could come up with.

It wouldn’t have been his first kill. Dorian was old enough to have been part of the war.

He knew some interesting ways to kill someone.

“Dorian, I swear to the goddess, if you don’t put him down, I’m knocking you out,” Kian threatened. “He’s going to pass out!”

The werewolf was gasping, Dorian’s forearm pressed firmly enough to block his airway.

But it was the way the wolf tipped his head to expose his neck and whined that broke through Dorian’s bloodlust. That was a surrender for werewolves.

He wasn’t fighting back. If Dorian killed him now, it would make him a monster.

Slowly, he pulled away, his breathing heavy as he watched the werewolf crumple to the ground. Kian marched past him, reaching for the wolf, but Dorian’s hand snapped out to grab his arm, pulling him away again. It wasn’t safe. Kian was fragile. He needed to rest.

Ripping his arm out of Dorian’s grasp, Kian glared at him. “Go back to your office. You’ve done enough for one day.”