“Stop it, whatever you’re doing!” Layla hissed through clenched teeth, fear rushing through her along with heat.
“Easy, Adam.” Dusk looked between them with a warning scowl, his sapphire gaze pinning his friend. “Leave off. Layla doesn’t have enough control of her powers to tell you to fuck off, magically speaking. She can with other Lineages, but not with Dragons just yet.”
“What if I don’t want to fuck off?” Adam leaned in towards Layla at the desk with a terribly alluring smile. Pulled in by the strength of whatever was happening, his lips were mere inches from Layla’s now, his jade eyes darkened to a deep hunter-green as he watched her with a desirous intensity. “What if I like lighting your magics up like Yuletide, Ms. Price?”
“Can it, asshole.” Layla growled. But though her words were strong, she was breathing hard as she tried to haul herself back from his so-close lips, her hands white as she gripped the desk. The screaming rise in energy was starting to turn heads all through the busy hall. Layla tried stuffing her wild magic back down, channeling all that heat into her left wrist beneath her Moroccan talisman – but it wouldn’t go. Swaying, her heart rioting, she began to panic – not just because Adam had an energy she couldn’t escape, but because Dusk had told her in no uncertain terms that if she couldn’t control her magic at the desk, she’d get more than a stern talking-to.
She’d get suspended from her job.
“That’s enough, Adam.” Stepping in front of Layla and moving her behind himself, Dusk took a protective stance, squaring off to Adam. With his chin lowered and a deep basso growl, Dusk suddenly slammed up a magical barrier between Layla and her Clan’s Second. Layla staggered as her connection to Adam snapped with a searing recoil, making her stumble into Dusk, her hands gripping his expensive suit. But Dusk’s fit frame was firm as stone. Layla could feel his enormous power as a Crystal Dragon thrown up like a shield spiked with crystal shards all along the Concierge desk – keeping whatever Adam was doing from touching her.
“Don’t make me ban you from the Hotel, Adam.” Dusk’s voice was all growl now, in a way he reserved for only the worst-behaved guests. Rumbling with power, his voice made the polished marble floor shudder beneath Layla’s feet. “Fuck with my employees and get yourself banned for life, I don’t care how many years we grew up together. Got it?”
“Whoa! I was just teasing, Dusk! Easy.” Adam held up both hands, a rakish smile on his chiseled face. But the clever twist of his lips beneath his short blond beard said he wasn’t sorry at all. He’d meant to spark Layla’s magics and make her writhe in her Dragon’s heat. His jade-green eyes were still a deep hunter green, pinning Layla with sexual delight even though she was mostly behind Dusk.
“That was a lot more than teasing.” Dusk held his stern posture, his magics shuddering the floor like he was about to fight. Layla could feel his power humming all around her now – a lower-than-sound vibration like the first tremor before a big earthquake. “That was a mate-taste. Mess with Layla again while you’re here and get the boot. Got it?”
“I got it, I got it.” Adam finally looked chagrined that his scheme had been found out – though Layla had no clue what a mate-taste was. But apology was far from Adam’s cunning eyes as he leaned upon the desk again. “So can I hire her for an Assignation?”
“No.” Dusk’s voice was firm. “Apologize. Now.”
“But she’s so sexy when she’s angry.” Adam grinned at Layla now, renegade and not even close to giving her an apology. “I want to know what all that passion is like in my bed.”
“In your dreams, pal.” Layla snarled, stepping out from behind Dusk with her arms crossed. She was still behind whatever wall Dusk had erected, and was finally able to cram her own magic back beneath her Moroccan cuff. It took some doing, her skin searing like she had stuck her wrist over a broiler, but at least she wasn’t reeling from Adam’s power anymore – just furiously pissed.
Which had its own scent, rippling up from Layla’s skin like oranges burned with a blowtorch.
“Layla.” Dusk murmured without turning. “Master your emotions, please. A Concierge must have poise at all times. Even when assholes invade your magical privacy.”
It was a reprimand but a gentle one, and Layla realized Dusk was right; she needed to learn control of her magics. The first level was mastering her emotions, since her rage fed her magical heat like a searing bonfire. With a deep in-breath, Layla eased back on her fury, though it was difficult still staring at Adam’s rakish, unapologetic face. Finally, the air around her ceased to smell charred and the waves of heat sluicing off her eased away.
Her veins still simmered, but at least her rage wasn’t affecting the Hotel anymore.
“I was wondering what a Royal Dragon Bind would taste like. It’s positively intriguing.” Adam gave a roguish grin.
“You’ve had your taste, now fuck off.” Layla growled, holding back another lash of fury. But underneath that fury was sex, her inner Dragon writhing with coils and fangs to claw into Adam and taste that apple-honey scent again. Staring into those witty, renegade eyes, Layla felt her beast try to surge to him – feeling the vague sensation of Adam doing the same on the other side of Dusk’s crystal wall. She saw a shimmer explode between their magics as they collided upon the invisible barrier, before the ripple of light eased away.
Dusk turned, frowning at Layla. Reproach was in his eyes, but also concern – as if whatever was happening between her and Adam was cause for worry. He cleared his throat. “Adam, did you have actual business at the desk?”
“I just came to give you a little hell, cousin, since it’s been so long.” Adam was still staring at Layla, though she could feel he’d put his magics away now upon the other side of Dusk’s barrier. Layla blinked at the wordcousin, her gaze moving between the two men.
But Dusk didn’t flinch, only gave Adam a tight smile. “We can catch up later at the party. Until then, please keep my ultimatum in mind. And even then. Test my patience in my domain, Adam, and you’ll find it won’t go well. And I believe you still owe Layla an apology.”
“Fine! Fine. I apologize. Happy?” Adam chuckled then slapped the desk with his palm, flashing a brilliant smile, still far from apologetic. “You’re a hard diamond to crack, Dusk. Good to know some things haven’t changed. I do want to schedule a few Assignations, but I’ll do that tomorrow. Give Adrian my best if you see him. Layla. Exquisite to meet the Royal Dragon Bind.”
“Not returned, I’m sure.” Layla sassed with narrowed eyes, still pissed.
Adam Rhakvir laughed in his smooth tenor voice, then pinned her with his conqueror’s gaze. “I’ll see you tonight.” With one last slap of the desk he was gone, rounding the stairs and taking them two at a time up to the second level.
“Who the fuck was that? Andcousin?” Layla had her magics under control now, though she was still hot with fury and deeper things. She felt Dusk’s barrier dissipate all along the Concierge desk like water pouring down a crystal wall as he gave a wry smile, his summer-blue eyes apologetic.
“That’s Adam Rhakvir. He’s your clan’s Second, but he’s also Adrian’s cousin, twice removed and born into the Italian family rather than the Moroccan. Since I’m adopted into the Rhakvir family, Adam’s mycousinalso, though we’re not related. Although, it seems your magic has a taste for very strong, very bad boys, Layla Price.”
“What do you mean?” Layla asked, feeling a tingle where her Dragon roiled, still wanting to taste Adam’s orchard-sweet scent.
“Adam’s not just Adrian’s cousin, he’s also a Royal Dragon like Adrian.” Dusk lifted a dark eyebrow. “He’s Second in your clan rather than First, because Adrian’s stronger than he is. But next to Adrian, Adam is one of the strongest Dragons in all of Europe.”
“That Romanbrigandis a Royal Dragon?” Layla’s arms uncrossed as she gave an exasperated sigh. But she’d already known. The moment she’d tasted his magic, she’d known. “Fuck my life. Why does my magic have to leap to assholes like that? As if Adrian wasn’t bad enough.”
