Page 10 of The Healer and the Vampire
"Your gift, he wants to drain the power of your gift. It will make him stronger. He's been following you for a while, but he was unsure of who possessed the healing power." Conrad sat back and stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds, trying to process where he was and what was happening. He wished Remi were still there. The guy gave him stability, and being near him kept Conrad's mind clear. He didn't understand it, but he welcomed it.
He had a grasp on the whole beloved and Fated bond aspect of their relationship and was thrilled to be Remi’s beloved. It was something he envied when he first found outthat many paranormals were given forever partners and that they found them throughout the course of their lives. It was just so fucking romantic and he never thought for a second that a vampire would choose him.
Conrad never had any real connections to anyone and had been raised with an every man for themselves attitude. Discovering his gift when he was young had made him feel a connection to the universe, but still, he lacked anything concrete, and he had no one to lean on. The very idea that he would now have a connection and a home and a purpose and maybe even love was making him so happy that the demon threat seemed secondary.
"Remi is a great guy," Sasha interjected into Conrad's musings. "He's the director of intelligence for the Coven, and he was here at the Hotel advising them on security upgrades."
“I’m glad he was here.”
“It was Fate’s design.”
“I can see that now.”
"Things will settle down and get back to normal, and you will have a wonderful life ahead of you, Conrad." Conrad nodded his head, agreeing. Remi had saved him from the irate security guy, standing up for him and making sure he was protected. That was a rush he'd never experienced before. He was self-reliant, as Remi had stated, and never looked to others for anything personal. Now he had someone who did not need to be asked, he just seemed to know what Conrad needed.
"Everything will be okay," Conrad stated more to himself than anyone else. Sasha was a decent person, but he could tell that he'd prefer to be working this case rather than babysitting. And really, he should be helping to deal with this entity. As a powerful mage, he was wasted sitting here making small talk.
“I know you were asked to stay with me, but I’d rather be alone if you don’t mind.” He said as a way to let Sasha leave. "I'll stay here in this room and not leave. There is no reason for you to sit here." Sasha looked at him with an expression that was unreadable. "I'll be fine. No one is getting in here." He watched as Sasha took out his phone and spoke to someone, explaining the request.
“Don’t leave this room.” He said as he stood. “It may take a while, but someone will return for you.”
"Got it." Conrad gave him a thumbs up and stretched out on the sofa. "I won't move." With that, Sasha left through the door that led to the lobby and then closed it behind him. It locked automatically.
Conrad closed his eyes not to sleep but to contemplate his position and his next move. Remi dominated his thoughts in a lustful and shameless manner, and he felt his body heating to the thoughts and memories. The kiss had been sensual, but too short, he wanted more. He pulled his thoughts back to the danger at hand, pushing his wanton desires to the back of his mind.
Then something else touched him, it was steeped in shadow and despair, and it slowly colored everything in his mind. Fear spiked over Patrick and his threats to never let him leave, over the shifters and vampires that held him, and what their true intentions were, and guilt over being the one who brought a demon down on this Hotel and the people working and residing within.
Conrad sat up and ran his hands through his hair roughly, wondering suddenly what he should do, and the urgency of that decision was eating him up. His state of mind was becoming chaotic. "Remi isn't going to want me. I'm deluding myself." Hesaid and abruptly stood and began pacing the room as his eyes darted frantically from side to side.
This was stupid. How was it that he had fallen for such romantic fantasies? His previous mood, so hopeful and eager, was now wallowing in the depths of despair and confusion. He needed to get out of here and leave all this pain behind.
He moved for the door and felt the wash of anguish overwhelm him. His entire life had been useless and a waste, as he never achieved anything of value and was nothing but a drain on everything around him. No wonder everyone left him, and no wonder his brother hated him.
CHAPTER SIX
Remi was in the security room, checking the exterior cameras, trying to get a sense of the thing that lingered outside. The foul essence was traceable, but pinpointing his actual location was difficult. He showed a pattern of crisscrossing the plaza and then circling the building very rapidly. He lingers at the back entrance off the plaza, not staying long but long enough to be measurable. He would keep his focus on the back entrance.
Demons have a corporeal presence, they were not fades or energy, so they could track him if they paid attention. Remi managed to force his mind away from the worry over his beloved and wondered what methods the demon would employ to gain access to the Hotel.
“You’re tracking him?” Alpha Henrik came up behind him, his eyes on the monitor.
"People have been coming and going, and he's paying them no attention. His focus is strictly Conrad, I believe." Remi's worry would not subside; he had to find a way to destroy that thing. "If I could get my hands on it, I could kill it." He said in a calm and cold tone.
"They're fast and their magics are rotten and nasty, you don't want that thing getting anywhere near your beloved." Alpha Henrik commented as he continued to study the monitor.
"He keeps returning to the back entrance off the plaza and lingers, but not long. I think we should concentrate our efforts there." He pointed to the area and traced the tracks of the demon, showing Alpha Henrik the pattern.
“Box it in," Henrik said as he continued to watch the screen and follow the shadow trail it left in its wake. "Sasha could design a cage."
“Circle the area that is within his pattern and then gradually contract the barrier until he is trapped.” Remi verbalized Alpha Henrik’s plan. The Alpha nodded and sent one of the guards to bring Sasha.
He had been with Conrad, but his beloved wanted time alone. It wasn't what Remi preferred, but Conrad was not of a mind to be bossed around. Their bond was fragile, and Remi needed to be mindful that Conrad was human and that they could be quite stubborn if pushed. Remi didn't want to build any resistance on Conrad's part.
Conrad left the office where he had been told to stay put and stepped out into the vast lobby. There was still a lot of hustle and bustle going on, and people coming and going. He didn't see anyone he recognized, but he noticed the doors were guarded by wolf shifters, and other shifters filled the open areas. The pack was on high alert but maintaining business as usual.
He stayed to the edges, not wanting to be recognized, and moved closer to the doors. He should face this thing, it was his problem, not Remi's, and not the wolves; they shouldn't sufferfor him. He wasn't worth it. The sadness that gripped him was fierce and brutal, digging out every sad and negative on his part and others that he could remember. It was an avalanche of depression and humiliation.
His heart ached for Remi, wanting to see him hold him, tell him that he was better off without his dead weight on his shoulders. Moving closer to the back doors, he saw three guards there, but he wasn't familiar with them, so they might let him pass. The demon was in the area of the plaza beyond the valet and beyond the circular drive.
