Chapter 15
Ji-Su sat at his usual spot in the kitchen. The room was empty as it always was during their assigned feeding time. He looked at the big clock hanging on the wall. Three fifteen. Raul was never late. Maybe something had held him up at one of the casinos.
Over the past two months, he’d settled into a routine at Raul’s.
Once his gaming system was set up, he went back to practicing regularly with his team.
He streamed often. Every night, he shared breakfast and dinner with Raul.
Often, Burke or other members of his staff joined them as well.
Sometimes he took short walks on one of the ranch’s trails to get exercise.
And he continued to feed Raul once a week.
Every Wednesday at three o’clock on the dot.
Ji-Su knew he should be happy. He was safe. He was doing his dream job and fulfilling his contractual obligation to Raul. His first couple of payments had dropped into his account right on time. But there was a vague sense of dissatisfaction hanging over him that he couldn’t shake.
Raul was always polite and attentive whenever they interacted.
But the attraction he’d sensed between them was gone as if it had never been.
The flirting from that long ago night at the dinner theater was a distant memory.
And the feedings. The first one in Raul’s office was intimate, nearly sensual. But now, they were so...impersonal.
They weren’t as bad as they’d been with Cedric, where he’d felt more like an inanimate blood dispenser than a human.
With Raul, it felt like a transaction. Whenever Raul bit him, Ji-Su almost wanted to ask if he’d found everything okay and ask him to sign up for the discount club, as though he were a retail store associate ringing out a customer.
He missed the way Raul had fed from him that first time, with a tight hug, lips hotly pressed to his throat, and soft moans sliding into his ears. He hadn’t yet asked if Raul was involved with someone, chickening out every time he had the opportunity to do so.
Ji-Su sighed. Maybe he was hoping for too much from Raul.
He’d never been promised a relationship beyond blood patron and blood pet.
And Raul was a caring and protective man by nature.
His actions helping Ji-Su were probably simple kindness and he’d read too much into them.
He needed to forget about that first bite and their brief intimacy the night of the storm.
On the ranch, Ji-Su had everything he needed and more.
He would be thankful that he was safe and paid and stop worrying about Raul’s kisses.
He looked at the clock yet again. It was three thirty. By now he was concerned. Taking out his phone, he sent his blood patron a text.
Is everything okay? I’m waiting for you in the kitchen.
A few seconds later, he saw that Raul had read his message. He sat there, staring at his phone screen, waiting for a response.
TONIGHT RAUL WAS AT the Syndicate’s flagship casino, the Grand Colorado.
Wyatt, one of their whales, had come up from Texas to host a private party—something he did a few times a year.
The high roller had brought a large entourage with him and invited several locals as well.
Everett was also there, this time minus Solan, to keep an eye on the Syndicate sex workers in attendance.
Raul always attended Wyatt’s parties for a couple of hours before he got back to his busy schedule.
The Texan—rich in oil and beef—dropped enough cash that it would be downright disrespectful not to have the head of the casino stop by and socialize.
And he liked Wyatt, so it was no hardship to spend an hour or two with him a few times a year.
Their large, somewhat rowdy group was ensconced in a party room high above the casino main floor.
The front wall was one-way glass that let them watch the gambling below while keeping their own shenanigans private.
They were playing Texas Hold ‘Em, drinks were flowing, and smoke from the Cubans Everett had shared hung thick in the air.
Wyatt was starting to get a little red in the face, his black Stetson tilted far back on his head.
“Luke, get over here,” he called out jovially.
A long-limbed brunette human with a healthy tan immediately came over and stood next to Wyatt.
“Mr. Everett, would you like a taste of one of my blood pets? They only eat the best: gourmet dishes prepared by a master chef, Texas beef raised right on my ranch, and fresh fruit. And I don’t allow any of them to smoke or drink. All that good living makes their blood taste like ambrosia.”
He gave Luke a little push on the ass and the human started toward Everett.
“No.”
The sharp word from Everett stopped the blood pet in his tracks.
“I’m already blood bonded to someone,” Everett explained.
Wyatt’s broad face broke into a huge grin. “Ah, I hadn’t heard! Congratulations.” He snapped his fingers and the blood pet returned to his side. “What about you, Mr. Raul? You’re not blood bonded, are you? Fancy a taste of this fine Texas vintage?”
Luke looked at Raul and tilted his head to the side, a flirtatious smile on his lips as he slowly traced a finger along his jugular.
Raul shook his head. “No, thank you,” he said politely declining the offer. “But I will take a glass of that excellent Texas anejo tequila that I know you brought up with you.”
Wyatt laughed, unbothered by the dual rejections. “I was waiting for you to ask.”
Another member of his entourage, a vampire who’d been changed late in life, opened a leather case. He pulled out two bottles of Republic Tequila Extra Anejo.
Raul signaled, and a cocktail server brought their table fresh glasses.
The gray-haired vampire poured Wyatt, Everett, and Raul each a generous drink. They all raised their glasses, brimming with amber liquid, for a toast.
“Cheers.”
“Salud.”
“To your continued health.”
After clinking his glass against the others, Raul took a hefty swallow of the tequila. It was smooth on his tongue and warmed his chest going down. “Perfect,” he said.
Before he could take a second drink, his phone buzzed.
He excused himself and took the cell from his pocket.
Thumbing it open, he saw a text message from Ji-Su on the screen.
Of course. It was Wednesday. He’d let the time get away from him.
If he left now, he could be there within the hour for his appointment with Ji-Su.
Raul thought about it for several long moments.
He loved drinking Ji-Su’s blood. But he also hated that for the time being, he had to hold himself back and not show how much it affected him so that Ji-Su could do his job without worrying.
That thirty minutes a week that he’d thought would be easy had turned out to be anything but.
Deciding to give himself a break this week from the self-inflicted torture, he answered Ji-Su’s text.
Have to stay late at the casino tonight. I’ll miss this week’s feeding. Go ahead to bed.
Raul hit send, then swallowed another mouthful of tequila, determined to forget that Ji-Su was waiting for him at home.
Once he wrapped up the night, he would return to the ranch, go to bed, and be spared this week’s torture of feeding from Ji-Su without letting his desire and longing for more show.
FINALLY, A TEXT POPPED up in response to his message to Raul. Ji-Su was surprised and a little disappointed at Raul’s answer that he wouldn’t be coming for his feeding but he understood. Work was work and sometimes it kept you longer than you planned. He sent off a brief reply.
Okay. Don’t work too hard.
Again his message showed as Read but this time Raul didn’t text back.
Figuring Raul must be really busy, Ji-Su put his phone away and got up from the booth.
Before heading upstairs, he grabbed a pack of cheese crackers and a bottle of water.
He would stay up for a while. If Raul still wanted to feed when he came home and he was awake he would let him.
In his room, he changed into his pajamas, a soft white T-shirt and sleep shorts printed with clouds and snoozing puppies. He zipped up a hoodie over the shirt. Then he curled up in the center of the bed and pulled a throw blanket over his legs.
To keep himself occupied, Ji-Su turned on his Switch and started to play Breath of the Wild while he waited. Occasional glances at the clock showed the time ticking to four, then four forty-five.
Eventually he started to get sleepy. The room was warm and he was comfortable. He changed positions, laying on his side. He would play for a little while longer...