Page 36 of The Vampire’s Receptionist (Charmed Away Temp Agency #4)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

The memory of his one and only true relationship swam across his mind, still just as painful as it had been when it happened.

It wasn’t just a bad break up. The one time he trusted someone with his heart, it nearly ended his life.

It took him years to recover, and he refused to allow himself to be vulnerable like that again.

Dad shook his head with a sigh. “That was a long time ago, son.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t do relationships. I’m not interested. And it’s worked out just fine for me so far.”

“Except it hasn’t,” Dad argued. “Because you have feelings for someone, and you’re refusing to acknowledge it.”

Kian opened his mouth to argue, but Dad put his hand up to stall him.

“I’m not saying you don’t have a reason to be cautious.

What happened to you was traumatic, and I don’t discount that.

But you’re letting your fear control you.

You’re letting it stop you from finding true happiness.

Do you really want to be alone for the rest of your life?

You’re still young. You’ve got a lot more life left to live. ”

Kian huffed out a laugh. Only a fae would think he was young.

He might not know exactly how old he was anymore, he stopped keeping track after he started bouncing back and forth between realms and the time flow change made everything confusing, but he wasn’t young by any means.

And he wouldn’t live as long as his dad.

He was only half-fae. For all he knew, the end of his life could be right around the corner.

A warm hand settled on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Tell me more about this man. The one who has your attention.”

Kian’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “What do you want to know?”

“Why don’t you start with his name?” Dad prodded with a smirk.

Sighing heavily, Kian answered, “Dorian. His name is Dorian. He’s a division head at Spellbound Corps, and a good man. He never meant to hurt me.”

“I believe you,” Dad said. “You said he was starving, correct? Did the druid happen to know why?”

Kian shook his head. “Not as far as I know. I thought he just wasn’t taking care of himself.

So did he, honestly. He told me it was his fault and even reported the incident to SR to hold himself accountable.

But the second time it happened hadn’t been because of neglect.

He couldn’t stomach feeding from someone else.

He was vomiting up what little he could get down from his regular feeder, and eventually, he went catatonic and basically moved on autopilot.

I had to force him to feed from me, and when he came to, he felt so guilty about it, he did everything he could to make it up to me.

He took the time to make sure I was comfortable, cooked each of my meals, filled his friend’s house with plants just because I felt cut off from the earth.

He’s not a bad person, and he doesn’t deserve to be persecuted for what happened.

We’re waiting on word from the doctor about why he can only feed from me.

We just don’t have any information yet.”

Dad huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. Kian frowned at him, but he didn’t explain, instead asking, “You said things are complicated. How? Is it just the relationship thing?”

Grimacing, Kian shrugged. “You could say that. I’ve been irritated all day, ever since a coworker flirted with him.

No amount of reminding myself that we aren’t in a relationship will settle me.

When he asked me why I was upset, I shut down on him.

I felt guilty for pushing him away, but I didn’t know what the hell to say. ”

“And I’m guessing telling him the truth is off the table,” Dad said blandly.

Kian shot him a dirty look. “I don’t want a relationship with him.”

“You keep saying that, and yet not once did I ask if you did,” Dad pointed out with a smirk. “I think you’re trying really hard to convince yourself that you don’t. Is it working?”

A frustrated growl escaped him, and he dropped his head into his hands.

No, it wasn’t working. Not one part of him actually believed himself when he said he didn’t want more.

Every time he saw Dorian after being apart, whether it was overnight or just while Dorian was at a meeting, his heart skipped a beat, and he had to fight the urge to go to him.

Every time he saw the man frown, he wanted to kiss him silly to put a smile back on his face.

It was all he could do to keep his true feelings from showing up on his face.

He couldn’t muster more to actually convince himself it didn’t mean anything.

“I know you aren’t ready to face it yet. You have a history that you need to work through. But you need to ask yourself something. Is your history worth more to you than your time with him? If he was gone tomorrow, would you regret the way you’re acting now?”

An ache tugged at his chest at the thought.

He didn’t want to lose Dorian. He wanted more time with him.

Even after his contract ended with Spellbound, he figured he had plenty of time, because they were still waiting for Doctor Chapman to figure out what was wrong.

Dorian needed him. But if Doctor Chapman showed up tomorrow saying he had a cure, how would Kian handle that?

What happened when Dorian was no longer reliant on him to survive?

His phone rang, interrupting his train of thought. A small part of him hoped it was Dorian, and he leapt to his feet to pull it out of his pocket. He was disappointed to see a number he wasn’t familiar with, but answered anyway to avoid answering his dad’s question.

“Hello?”

“Elamoira,” Doctor Chapman rushed out. Kian’s heart sank. Did discussing it bring the possibility to fruition?

“Yeah?”

“You need to come down to the hospital. Now. Dorian was hurt.”

The portal opened right in front of the hospital that Doctor Chapman told him to meet him at. Avery was waiting out front, anxiously shifting from foot to foot. He waved Kian over to him and spun around, immediately leading him inside.

“What happened?” Kian demanded as he followed on Avery’s heels.

“Car accident,” Avery said breathlessly. He was just shy of all out sprinting through the halls. “I don’t have many details, but he’s hurt, and he needs blood. You’re still his feeder, right?”

Kian’s breath froze in his lungs as they burst into a smaller room, and he saw Dorian lying on the bed.

He looked paler than usual, his normally silky hair disheveled and stuck to his forehead with blood in some places.

His head was bandaged, as was half his body.

He looked so frail in that bed, surrounded by druids trying to save his life.

Doctor Chapman turned when they came in, beckoning Kian closer. “Good, you’re here. You’re not afraid of needles, I hope?”

Kian shook his head, immediately moving to the chair beside the bed. “You need to give a direct donation? He can’t feed?”

“I’m afraid not,” Doctor Chapman said with a deep frown. “He has yet to regain consciousness. The healing spells aren’t doing enough. He lost too much blood. He needs more.”

“Take what you need,” Kian demanded, offering his arm.

For once, the doctor didn’t argue, ushering a nurse in to set up the IV.

They set up another to supply Kian with fluids, but he didn’t care about that.

His eyes were glued to Dorian. Like a habit from his time in the medical field, he summoned his magic, sweeping it over Dorian in an assessment spell.

He winced when he saw what was hidden beneath the bandages.

Doctor Chapman wasn’t offended by the spell, instead saying, “You see now why I called you. Without your help, he cannot heal all of that on his own.”

Kian frowned, looking back up at him. “Why me? Are you low on blood?”

While blood wasn’t usually needed with magical intervention, it happened on occasion especially with vampires, and there was usually a blood supply to cover the worst cases. He couldn’t imagine a hospital as big as this one being out.

“His body won’t tolerate any blood but yours,” Doctor Chapman reminded him before turning to a nurse. “Get Kian something from the kitchens. He fed Dorian once already today. He needs to keep up his strength.”

Kian didn’t even want to ask how he knew that. The doctor was creepy. Instead, he focused on what he’d just told Kian.

“His body won’t tolerate even IV intervention? I’ve never heard of that before. Did you figure out why?”

Something flashed across the doctor’s face, an emotion he was trying to hide, but Kian caught it and sat a little straighter.

“What was that?”

“What was what?” Chapman grumbled, looking away from him to study Dorian again. He was avoiding eye contact with him, and Kian wanted to know why.

With a growl, Kian cast a spell, trapping the druid before he could move away and avoid the conversation. They’d been waiting all this time for the doctor to get back to them. He was hiding something.

“Don’t play dumb. You know what’s wrong with him, don’t you?”

Chapman bared his teeth menacingly. “Release me from your spell, Elamoira. I will not be bullied into speaking.”

“Keep calling me that, and I’ll start acting like them,” Kian threatened. “Should we test just how similar I am to my extended family?”

The doctor narrowed his eyes. “I am not so easily bested. Do you think you could truly defeat me?”

He was ready and willing to try. He was tired of all the unanswered questions. Tired of being at the mercy of the stupid doctor and his demands. If they wanted to lump him in with his family, he’d freaking act like it.

A low growl cut through the room, causing the air to shake. It didn’t come from Doctor Chapman. Kian was surprised when Maverick stepped between them, blocking Kian’s view. He opened his mouth to argue, he wanted answers, but Maverick spoke before the words could get past his lips.

“What aren’t you telling him?”