Chapter 20

The explosion.



By the time I got back to London, I regretted that I didn’t talk to Dad about Ella and her bites. I spoke to her on Boxing Day, but she mentioned her date was cancelled. It was the third of January when I stepped into the office at half past ten in the morning.
I thought that my ten days off went by way too fast, because no sooner than I sat in my chair, the phones started ringing off the hook. Jennifer, Alexandra, and I were working together during this glorious sunny morning.
“Did you have a good Christmas?” Alexandra asked me, pulling some files out of the drawer. I was drinking my coffee and sorting through what seemed like millions of emails.
“After looking at what I have to go through today, I wish I could extend it.” I sighed.
“You need to wake up, Senior, because Lucinda wants another fifty assembly workers to start tomorrow. Plus, we need a Wand Maker,” Jennifer said, looking paler than usual. I scrolled through the most recent emails. My colleague was right: Lucinda needed people as soon as possible and Paranormal Personnel, as usual, had to deliver.
We got on the phone and called as many people as we could. Then we were registering them until early afternoon.
Around two o’clock, the office was clear, and I finally had a chance to grab a quick dinner at the local bakery. Jennifer was speaking to someone on the phone when I walked back in.
“Hold on, she just came back,” she said, then placed the phone on hold. “Lucinda needs to speak to you. Apparently, this is very important.”
I dropped everything I bought on my desk and waved to Jennifer to transfer the call. I was glad I had another coffee, otherwise I knew my brain wouldn’t work right today.
“Hello, Lucinda, how are you?” I asked, putting on my business voice.
“Oh, Julia, I’m so glad I got you today.” She giggled, and I rolled my eyes. I had only met Lucinda once, and she was the most annoying mermaid I’d ever came across.
“How can I help you, Lucinda? I hope everything is going smoothly there and everyone is turning up for work?” After going through a series of hysterical giggles, she was able to continue.
“Not to worry. I’m not calling because I want to complain. We have a crisis here. Would you be able to pick up some induction paperwork today? I just want to make sure all your candidates understand the rules.”
I couldn’t believe that she wanted me to get to the other side of the city just to pick up some paperwork. She must have realised that I hated wasting my time.
“We discuss the terms and conditions during the registration process, Lucinda—”

She cut me off. “I just had a few complaints, that’s all, and if you give them the paperwork before the induction, then it will be easier for me to do my job.” Before I went on holiday, Lucinda gave me the impression she was demanding, and she only wanted to deal with me.
“Okay, I will be there in an hour or so.”
“Fantastic, Julia. I’m going to be in my office, so please inform security downstairs.” She hung up, abruptly ending the call.
“What does she want now? When you weren’t here, she asked for your private number. She was pretty pissed when we refused to give it to her,” Jennifer said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“I’m glad she couldn’t get ahold of me. She’s a nightmare. She wants me to go and pick up induction packs, so we can distribute them to the new starters.”
“But you don’t drive. How are you going to get there?” she asked, staring at me, confused. I bit my lip, knowing I couldn’t ask Jennifer to go and Alexandra was too busy with interviews.
“I just placed an advert for a Wand Maker, so we should start getting some CVs soon. I will take a taxi and try to be back as soon as possible.” I checked my schedule. No one was due to see me, but we were expecting more people to turn up. I needed to be quick.
“Not to worry. Everything is under control here, so just tell her she’ll have these fifty workers by tomorrow,” Jennifer said. I picked up my bag and left the office.
Five minutes later, I managed to get a taxi. It was rush hour and the traffic was terrible. I felt bad that I had to leave the girls, but La Caz Pharmaceutical was an important client and I had to keep Lucinda happy. I took my notepad with me, and managed to make some phone calls in the cab. I couldn’t believe it was only Monday and I was already stressed and exhausted.
Around half past three in the afternoon, I stepped into the reception of Nathaniel’s company. I wasn’t anxious about seeing him; he worked at night most of the time, and I didn’t expect him to be here. Since his text message at Christmas, there’d only been silence. I still couldn’t figure out what we were doing; he came all the way to Kent to see me. He was so confusing.
“Miss Taylor, how can I help you?” Todd asked when I walked in.
“I need to see the HR director. She’s expecting me.”
He smiled. “Yes, Mrs. Grabovsky mentioned you would be arriving.”
Lucinda was a large mermaid, and I noticed a pack of Crispy Creme doughnuts on her desk, so she obviously liked to indulge herself. She didn’t have a neck and her short curly hair was untidy. She probably didn’t even swim that often, because her skin looked unhealthy. As I expected, Lucinda made me stay in her office for over half an hour before she went through the paperwork.
By the time I was done, it was after five and my shift was due to finish. I called Jennifer and asked her if everything was fine in the office.
“Just take it easy, girl. Monica and Adele will take over soon, so you don’t have to rush.”
After I hung up, I exhaled. Jennifer was right; the two vampires had to take care of the rest. I left Lucinda’s office and marched down to the lift, scanning my phone to see whether I had a number for a taxi company. I still needed to get back to the office to drop off the induction packets to my two vampire colleagues.
“Miss Taylor, Miss Taylor—please!” someone shouted just as I was about to step into the elevator.
“Yes?” I turned around to face the pretty blond vampire who once didn’t want to let me into La Caz’s office. She looked flushed.
“Mr. La Caz would like to see you; he sent me here for you.” It looked like she wasn’t too happy with the fact that she was asked to fetch me.
If he was in the office, he could no doubt see me on the security cameras.
“Mr. La Caz?” I repeated. “Well, I’m afraid I'm busy. You can tell him I need to get back to the office.”
She looked shocked and angry, staring at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Mr. La Caz is insisting, and he told me I’ll lose my job if I let you go.”
Bastard. He’s playing on my good nature.
“All right, I’ll come,” I snapped. She looked relieved and told me to go to the lift. She should be glad that I agreed to go with her. She pressed the last floor and off I went to see the impatient vampire.
Emily took me to the stylish reception room with a large desk in the middle. Yet again, everything was set in white colours, but we weren’t in the same office as when I’d arrived for the first meeting.
“Please go through, Miss Taylor. Mr. La Caz is expecting you,” Emily said, heading back to her desk. I took a deep breath, nodded to her, and pressed the door handle to enter. He was sitting behind a wide desk by the window. His office smelled of leather and mint leaves. All the walls were white with minimalistic decor.
I decided to stay near the door. I felt I had more control over my body when I wasn’t close to him. He was wearing a navy suit with a black shirt and he looked good.
“I’m glad you decided to come,” he said, smiling.
“Nathaniel, I have to get back to work. I haven’t got time for your games,” I said, realising I missed him.
“Come to me, Julia. I’m partly your boss and I’m telling you, there is no rush,” he said, and his voice was thick, intimidating. I was still annoyed, but my fingertips tingled, and my feet started moving before my brain registered what I was doing. I saw a mad gleam dancing in his eyes when I approached his desk.
“Do you always boss people around like that, La Caz?” He stood in front of me, lifting my chin, so I couldn’t avoid looking at him.
“Most of the time, but beautiful creatures like you have to be treated with extreme gentleness,” he said, looking into my eyes.
He wrapped his other arm around my waist and pulled me closer, inhaling my scent.
“I…I need—”
I didn’t tell him what I needed because he kissed me, spreading a tingle of magical current throughout my entire body. Before I knew what was going on, his lips were moving on mine and his tongue was in my mouth, teasing and sucking away every inch of self-control that was left inside me. I wrapped my hands around his muscular back and his hands moved over my backside, pressing me against his hard length. I moaned, unable to stop the magic that was escaping through my skin. His other hand moved underneath my blouse, caressing my stomach. I wanted him so much at this moment that my energy was about to burst.
He pulled his mouth away for a moment, breathing hard and fast. My eyes were still closed, and I was afraid to open them. He had done well controlling his vampire urges; his fangs were still hidden away.
“I’m going to make you come,” he whispered in my ear. His voice sounded fluid and hypnotic. I opened my eyes in panic, but he was holding me close, his scent obscuring my elf senses. His eyes were gleaming with desire and he was hard, pressing himself against my leg.
“Nathaniel,” I gasped.
“Shh, I’m going to make you come right now. Your magic is begging to be released,” he said, not taking his hazel eyes off me. “Or we can continue to play with each other, risking that I might snap, and my nature will take over my body.”
He didn’t let me respond because he lifted me off the ground and carried me to his desk, positioning himself between my legs.
“I’m going to enjoy this more than anything. Your hot blood is pulsing with the same rhythm of my heartbeat.” His lips started caressing my neck, and then he moved his hand between my legs. I moaned as excruciating pleasure spiked through my body. He pulled away, and with a wicked grin, he unzipped my skirt. My hands were shaking with anticipation and soon, my black skirt was thrown across the room. His eyes moved down between my legs.
His eyes widened as he stared at me, exposed and so ready for him. His hand moved under my blouse, finding my bra, massaging my nipple that had gone tender and hard. I could no longer hold still, so I just relaxed on the table, not caring any more about my morals and better judgment. His other hand slid between my legs again and then he ripped off my knickers. There was nothing left. He was looking over me while I lay on his desk, half naked in his office.
He leaned in close to my ear and spoke in a hypnotic whisper. “Julia, you will soon be screaming with pleasure.”
He started rubbing his thumb against my sex, making a low sound of reassurance while my heart went haywire. My brain short-circuited as lust pumped through me. His finger slid down, massaging my clit. When I lifted my head, I saw his sandy hair between my legs.
“Nathaniel,” I gasped, then howled in bliss. I tangled his hair in my fingers, and I could feel his tongue on my already swollen clit, but then he stopped, and his eyes found mine.
“How much do you want me to make you come?” he asked, still rubbing his thumb on my sex. My whole body rippled with desire and the energy that sparked through it. I didn’t think I could take his tortures.
“Please, touch me. I want this so much,” I breathed. My voice trembled, and my pulse was throbbing. When he dipped down and started licking me, it didn’t stop. My eyelids slammed shut and my thighs were uneven. He sucked hard on my clit and at the same time, he slipped his finger inside me. I cried out, screaming his name as sparks of electricity sprayed from my fingertips.
He continued to lick and suck my sex, while sliding his finger in and out. I pressed my hand against the edge of the table, feeling my climax approaching. I arched back. I couldn’t take it anymore. His hand quickened, sliding rhythmically up and down until I came. I felt the jolting contraction of my core; my hands slammed against the table. Glass that was somewhere in the room blew out, but I didn’t care; ecstasy filled my entire body. I cried out, coming violently.
He withdrew his hands and crept over me; his strong body slammed on top of mine. My rasping breath was circulating through the space. I opened my eyes.
“I hope you enjoyed this,” he said, and his lips touched mine again. Before I had a chance to say any more, he lifted me off the table. “You made a mess of my office. I told you that your energy was begging to be released.”
He said the last sentence with grave amusement. I looked around. The two glasses that had been standing on the small table by the sofa were now smashed to pieces. Nathaniel handed me my skirt and ripped knickers.