Jan entered the hotel that the vampires had overtaken for their stay. It was just at the edge of the wolf territory, less than fifteen minutes away from Ethan's cabin. A six-story building with underground parking and facilities. It was almost perfect for their needs.
The hotel manager, an amiable middle-aged man of Indian descent, gave him a cheery wave from behind the reception desk. Jan remembered how bewildered the man had looked yesterday when he was given new orders on how to serve the eclectic new guests. Most of his indoor staff had been put on paid leave till further notice, whittled down to the bare minimum required to cater to the three vampires and their human security detail.
Jan returned the greeting with a quick nod.
Three men, dressed in all black and combat boots, sat at vantage points throughout the vast lobby: one right by the main entrance, another hidden between two potted palm fronds at the back, and the last, seemingly lounging on the leather sofa facing the side hallway. They held no apparent weapons, but the smell of gunpowder hung around them.
Jan tilted his head to them as well before entering the elevator. Then he rapped his knuckles on the metal wall, futilely urging the machine to move faster.
The screen above flashed two and then three. These floors housed the residences of the team, while the first floor was converted exclusively for security operations.
The noiseless lift rolled past the fourth and fifth floors, which were left empty more for the convenience of the vampires than for anything else. Then it dinged on the sixth floor, and the doors opened into the middle of a long hallway. Jan took the path to the left.
The white walls and moldings were decorated with thin gold trims, highlighting the French influence in the architecture. A thick, cream carpet with rich, red mosaic lined the floor from one end of the passage to the other. With the high arched ceilings and polished sconces embedded in the raised wall panels, Jan felt like he was walking towards a Rennaisance-era ballroom rather than his modern, luxury suite.
Ivan's rumbling voice slipped through a door left ajar at the other end of the hallway, barking rapid Russian to someone on the phone. Louie, whose rooms were closer to Jan's, hummed a tuneless song as he shuffled about.
Jan slipped quietly by, hoping to reach the safety of his room before his best friend sensed his presence. Fortunately, the Frenchman's doors were closed shut. Jan held his breath as he thumbed the keycard against the reader. The lock beeped, and Louie's humming paused. He opened the door and darted into his room before his best friend could accost him.
The slim chandelier in the entryway let out a soft glow, yet it was bright enough for Jan to see his way around the room.
Yanking the black-tie off his neck, Jan sighed. He dropped the key card and his phone on the elegantly carved console table. Like most of the furniture in his suite, its lacquered wood was stained to match nicely with the floors.
He walked to the wide windows covering one side of his gorgeous living room. From floor to ceiling, they gave an unobstructed view of the vast expanse of manicured lawn and cultivated hedges around the hotel before the thick Canadian forest crowded in. With their size, sunlight would flood the room in the morning, throwing a beautiful glow over the honeyed floors and ivory upholstery.
It was a shame that vampires were not friendly with the sun.
Hence, the security team had installed a retractable shutter over the windows and replaced the curtains with ones made out of thick, blackout material.
He keyed a button on a slim remote. The automated blinds drew down on the dawn sky, and the curtains pulled close. The soft echoing whine from the office, bedroom, and bathroom told him the same was happening everywhere in his suite. Multiple soft sconced lights came on around the room before it was engulfed in darkness.
YOU ARE READING
Blooded Mate
Fantasy[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
