Page 41 of The Vampire’s Receptionist (Charmed Away Temp Agency #4)

CHAPTER FORTY

Dorian was allowed to go home after another night of observation. He was grateful for that, since he couldn’t sleep next to Kian while trapped in a hospital bed. Kian wouldn’t allow it.

“I don’t know why you’re complaining so much,” Kian said from the bathroom as he gathered Dorian’s toiletries. “This can’t even be counted as a hospital room. It’s basically a hotel room with some hospital equipment in it. You’ve got a freaking jacuzzi in your bathroom.”

Dorian felt a smile tug at his lips as he explained, “I’m a major donor to the hospital. There are some perks to that if I ever wind up in here.”

Stepping out of the bathroom, Kian studied him. “Does that have something to do with your mom?”

He sighed, resigned. He’d been avoiding that conversation, and he got the feeling Kian had spoken to his friends about it to stop them from asking earlier. He appreciated it at the time, but he knew he couldn’t avoid the conversation forever.

“Partially. It was my stepfather who was treated here. They did everything they could to help him, but there are just some things that can’t be healed with all the magic in the world.

” His chest ached when he admitted, “When he passed on, my mother joined him. She couldn’t imagine living without her mate.

Death from a broken heart isn’t pleasant, and the hospital did what it could to ease her pain as she faded.

I was grateful for that and have started donating both money and blood to show my appreciation. ”

Kian sucked in a breath, gaping at him. “Blood? But vampires don’t donate blood.”

True. Most didn’t. It was risky to do so when they relied so heavily on blood to live. But vampire blood could cure illnesses that magic couldn’t. Especially vampire blood as old as his.

“I plan on donating twice a year for the foreseeable future. They only take a little, and it does a lot of good. It feels important to me to give back to those who took such good care of the ones I loved during their darkest hours.”

It was also something his mother did when she was still alive. In emergency situations, usually when involving a small child, they called in his mother for a blood donation. She saved countless lives doing that so often. And Dorian was proud to take up the gauntlet after her passing.

Stepping up to him, Kian cupped his cheek, kissing his lips gently. “You’re a good man, Dorian Kuramori. I never thought I’d have a mate, but I’m glad it’s with someone with a beautiful soul like yours.”

Dorian felt his cheeks flush under the praise, dipping his head to capture Kian’s lips again. He never felt so lucky as to wind up with someone like Kian. If his mother had still been living, she would have been so excited to meet him.

“Let’s get you home,” Kian insisted, stepping back. “You’ve already got discharge papers, and this place is so sterile, it’s making me feel a little nuts. I’m sure Doctor Annoying can check in on you at home later.”

Dorian chuckled, following Kian out of the room.

He was moving on his own, but his ribs still ached if he had to go too far, and Doctor Chapman recommended a few more days of rest before returning to work.

With Kian as his mate, he had no choice but to accept.

Kian was stubborn about his care and refused to consider even letting Dorian work from home.

He hoped to convince Kian to stay with him at least. He didn’t think he could take a few days in bed alone.

Nurse Lane, who had been one of his nurses during recovery, waved and smiled as they walked toward the elevator. It was only when they stepped into the main lobby that a thought struck. A horrible, terrible, absolutely heartbreaking thought.

“Oh goddess. What happened to my car?” Dorian croaked.

Kian’s grimace was answer enough, and a strangled whimper escaped him. It wasn’t his only car, he had others, but it was beautiful and still had that new car smell. It didn’t deserve such a horrendous demise.

Kian made a tsk sound, marching over to where Ozen and Avery waited to give him a ride home. He said something to them, though Dorian wasn’t sure what, and came back with a determined look on his face.

“We’re portaling to your place. I honestly wasn’t comfortable with the idea of putting you in another car anyway.”

Dorian went along without argument, stepping through the portal Kian opened off to one side where there was no foot traffic.

The portal opened directly into Dorian’s living room, and he gave Kian a curious look once he stepped through.

Kian had yet to visit Dorian’s home. How did he know where to go?

“Avery had a picture of your living room. He said something about ideas for redecorating?”

“Ah.” He’d forgotten about that. Avery said parts of Ozen’s home were too formal for him.

While Dorian’s place wasn’t entirely informal, when Avery last visited, he said it felt more homey than Ozen’s formal living room.

He took a picture to get ideas for how he would redecorate.

And because Ozen was besotted, he didn’t argue.

He would let his mate change whatever he wished.

Dorian’s eyes swept over Kian. He understood better now why.

Things had changed since Avery took that picture. The plants that Dorian had bought for Kian were now in every room in the house, brightening up the space considerably. Kian noticed them and smiled brightly, touching the leaves of the few closest to him.

“I was curious what you did with all those plants,” he said as he set Dorian’s things down on the couch.

“I had hoped to entice you to visit if only to make sure they lived through the week. I’m not to be trusted with plants, remember?”

That made Kian snicker, and he smacked a quick kiss on Dorian’s lips before tugging on his hand to get him moving.

“Bedroom. You still need rest.”

Resigned, Dorian led the way toward the stairs. He eyed them a little warily. Would his ribs tolerate climbing three flights of stairs?

“Stay here for just a second,” Kian said, jogging up the stairs without him.

Dorian could only watch his perky behind until he disappeared around the bend.

He nearly jumped when a portal opened beside him and Kian’s hand appeared, beckoning him with a crook of his finger.

Smiling, he followed. The portal brought him straight to his bedroom, sparing him the trek up the stairs.

“Thank you, dearheart,” he murmured, giving Kian a kiss in thanks.

Kian hummed happily, leaning into it for a moment before taking a big step back.“Nope. No seducing me. You need rest, not sex.”

“I gave you sex while you were still on bed rest,” he pointed out with a teasing grin.

Kian shot him a heated smirk. “Maybe during your next feeding. Now bed! You need rest!”

He went willingly, a grin on his face. He loved how easy things were with Kian.

He was more relaxed with him than he’d ever been with anyone else in his life.

And now that they’d discussed things, Kian was more relaxed as well.

He’d settled a lot when Dorian suggested they take things slow. Like a weight had been lifted from him.

“Will you at least lie down with me? I feel too far away from you when you sit beside the bed.”

It was a little embarrassing to admit, he’d never been the type to get clingy with a person he was dating, but the few feet distance between him and Kian while he was hospitalized felt like a yawning abyss when he was trying to sleep. He ached to have his mate in his arms.

“You want me to nap?” Kian asked dubiously.

“We could watch a film?” he suggested, pointing at the tv on the wall opposite the bed. He rarely used it, but he hoped it would be enough entertainment for Kian to keep him close.

Pursing his lips, Kian shrugged. “Alright, fine. Pick something exciting, though, or I’m going to end up scrolling on my phone instead of paying attention.”

“Whatever you wish, dearheart.” And he truly meant that. Whatever he could give, he would give it because Kian deserved to be happy. And Dorian would do everything in his power to make it so.

After a short rest, Dorian could admit he was feeling hungry. The IV feedings kept him alive and healthy, but they did nothing to assuage the need to feed. And with the most perfect mate in his arms, he wasn’t sure he could resist it for long.

“Kian?”

“Hmm?”

Kian’s head was pillowed on the uninjured side of Dorian’s chest, his fingers tracing little patterns just above his belly. His attention was on the television, and despite his obvious dislike of the idea of lying down for a while, he hadn’t moved from Dorian’s side since they arrived at his home.

While Kian had fed him quite a few times by now and was his mate, Dorian still felt awkward asking outright.

He grimaced, trying to come up with some way to ask that wouldn’t make him sound weak or needy.

He was so focused on trying to come up with something to say, he missed Kian’s hand slipping lower and disappearing into Dorian’s pants until his warm fingers wrapped around Dorian’s cock.

“Hungry?” Kian purred as Dorian groaned at the teasing touch.

“Yes,” he breathed, his hips jumping in an aborted thrust. His ribs twinged and he fought to hide his grimace, but Kian must have noticed. He released Dorian’s cock and sat up, leaning on one arm to look at him.

“Maybe we should leave the sex out of it. I can always go jerk off afterward–”

“Absolutely not. As your mate it’s my job to take care of your needs,” Dorian argued. “I’m only a bit uncomfortable. I’ll be fine.”

Kian rolled his eyes, then narrowed them thoughtfully. “You know what? Fine. But we’re having a repeat of the first time, except this time you’re the one who’s not allowed to move. Got it?”

Dorian’s cock, now fully hard, twitched at the thought of being at Kian’s mercy. “Deal.”