Fifteen

Kuro

"Wait here." Kuro figured the coffee shop next door to where he was going was the safest place he could leave Marie. It was public and there were plenty of other people around. No one was going to approach her here. She had a table where she could see anyone approaching her, as well as the front door of his destination. It wasn't the kind of vantage point he and Joe would normally choose, but that needed to change anyway.

"Just wait?" Marie asked.

"Wait and listen, but not closely." Kuro tapped his earbud. "You just need to be alert for an emergency or if I ask you to come to me as an excuse for me to leave."

She reached up, lightly touching her own with a fingertip. Hers were a different brand, but served the same purpose. They allowed her to be on call with him. The only difference was that Marie tended not to use the sound-canceling feature in the city, preferring to allow ambient noise through for awareness of her surroundings.

"Okay, I can do that." She nodded.

Her brows were drawn together slightly in a look of concentration. She was really cute when she was thinking hard, and he knew he shouldn't say that out loud because he didn't want her to take that as him belittling her. He just liked to watch her think.

She was so quick, obviously intelligent, and it was an experience trying to follow her line of thought as she flashed from one to the next to the next. He had always been the type to stand back and assess a situation, wait for the right moment, be certain of what he wanted to do next. She was so decisive and fast, blink and you'd miss the thought process that led to her conclusion. So he was enjoying watching her carefully. He didn't want to miss a thing.

He hesitated, then pushed on, because it was better to prepare her than have her hear or see without context. "You're going to hear some things."

The lines between her brows creased a little deeper. "Are you going to be hurting someone?"

"No," he replied quickly. Then he cleared his throat. "Not unless they ask for it."

"Oh." All the lines disappeared from her face, and her eyes widened. " Oh ."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. It was a gesture he'd picked up from Joe. "I draw life energy from intimate contact."

Her lips parted. "So you need to be intimate with someone."

"It doesn't have to be sex," he clarified. "But that's what works most efficiently. Especially if it's been too long between hunts."

"In an ideal situation, how would you…feed?" Her voice was soft. No signs of disgust yet.

That had to be a positive sign, or he hoped it was. So he answered her. "I'd go to a nightclub, like Joe does. I'd dance with a number of people, maybe spend some time in a dark booth with them. I'd draw from multiple people from multiple clubs in a night. None of them would feel more than a hangover in the morning."

"But this isn't an ideal hunt." There was a harder edge to her tone now.

The best thing he could do was keep giving her the context she needed to understand. It wouldn't do any good to hide any part of this from her. If he was going to give her insight into this part of his life this early in their relationship, he was going to be transparent. She'd have to decide if she could accept it, accept him, or not.

"No. It's been too long." He glanced at the apartment building, then back at her. "I can't take the time to observe and find multiple appropriate individuals. This way, I know who my target is and I know exactly how to get what I need in a single encounter. We don't have time for me to feed another way."

"Are you going in there to have sex with someone and leave them dead?" Marie's voice was steady, neutral.

It sounded strange coming from her, because she was normally so expressive. It reminded him that she was more than just a woman he and Joe had met and both been attracted to. She was a successful, competent individual across two distinctly different vocations that were complementary but each extraordinary in their own way. One of those was an expression of what she was , not just what she did. She was a witch, a powerful one, through both talent and practice. And that was the aspect of her he was answering now.

"Not dead. They'll definitely feel like they've come down with the flu or something similar for more than a week. If they don't take time to recover, they could come down with a serious illness." Kuro figured that was the most important part. But she was still gazing at him steadily. "I don't intend to have intercourse, but it depends on what you personally define as sex. I need them to orgasm to release enough energy to feed me."

There it was. All laid out. Marie tucked her chin downward, her hair falling forward around her face.

It wasn't just the understanding of what he needed to do to feed. She was going to be listening to him do it. It would be difficult for even the most understanding person to accept. He took a step back. He should go, give her space. Let her think on it. Be prepared to do this and return to find Marie gone.

"Kuro."

He stopped, looked at her. She was standing there, with her shoulders slightly hunched and her hands stuffed into the pockets of her overcoat. She wasn't smiling, but her gaze was earnest. She was still looking at him and seeing him.

"I'll be listening," she said quietly. "Call me if you need me and after this, I'd appreciate it if you could help me understand why you chose this person."

That was fair. More than fair. He nodded. "Okay."

He turned then, and headed into the apartment building. He texted his target and she signaled the main door to open. He proceeded directly to the elevator, letting his hair fall forward over his face enough for it to obscure his features while still looking fashionable. His magic would do the rest.

If anyone ever checked security footage, they'd see an average height, average build, male-presenting person with longish brown hair and pale skin. There wouldn't be enough to further determine his age, ethnicity, or much of anything else. No tattoos or other markings to help with identifying him. Just your average person who looked like any number of other people coming and going throughout the day. Maybe he lived in this building, maybe he didn't. The concierge didn't even look up as Kuro walked past. They wouldn't have enough of an impression of him to definitively say whether they'd seen him before.

It was an extension of his shape-shifting magic, the ability to give the impression of the nondescript and unremarkable person. Pleasant enough to be immediately dismissed from people's minds as he passed them by. It was honestly an ability he should be exercising all the time. Not just when he was coming and going from a hunt. He'd become complacent, and that was why a pain witch had managed to hex him in the first place. He didn't intend to allow himself to be caught that way again.

His destination was one of the highest floors in the rather tall building, but he didn't go directly to that floor. Instead, he got off the elevator a couple of floors below and took the stairs the rest of the way.

A young white guy opened the door. Kuro stared at him. The other man stared back.

"Come in!" a familiar voice called. "Frank, don't just stand there in the doorway. Be polite and invite Eric in. Or actually, just let him in. He knows he's invited."

Kuro didn't wait for Frank, who was flustered and blushing so hard his ears were red. Frank might be old enough to order his own drinks at a bar. Maybe. Hopefully. Kuro was younger than their host by a few years, but this other guy was just out of college. It wasn't about the years. It was about maturity, and this guy was young.

"Eric," Julie purred. "I was so glad to get your text. It's been so long, I thought I might not hear from you ever again."

Kuro didn't smile. "I wasn't expecting a party."

"Oh, don't be mad." Julie sat on her luxe white sectional, with one of those ottomans big enough to be a bed on its own, and picked up a glass of wine. "We came here to do some project work since the new open office floor plan is just so noisy. I was developing a migraine. When you texted, I thought it'd be perfect timing for a break from work."

Kuro nodded. He glanced at Frank. The younger man's face was still very red. Maybe that wasn't just embarrassment. There was a second glass of wine on the glass coffee table.

"My husband is out of town, and work has been so busy." Julie pouted. She fluffed her hair. "Frank, here, has been a lot of help in the project, but he's still got a lot to learn."

Frank was starting to sweat and shift his weight from side to side. The guy was obviously uncomfortable with the situation. "Maybe I should go pick up lunch and meet you back at the office, M—Julie."

Yeah. If Kuro needed a reminder of why this particular person was his target today, poor Frank was definitely a good reminder. It was obvious the other man didn't want to be here. Julie was married and too smart to have an ongoing affair. She did find herself plenty of company, though, and part of the reason she was eager to have Kuro was because she hadn't been the one to discard him.

"Oh no, Frank. You should stay." There was some emphasis on the last word that made it an order, not a suggestion.

Frank flinched.

The power dynamics in the room were not to Kuro's taste.

He stepped toward Julie. "I don't play well with strangers."

Julie smiled up at him, running her tongue over her lips before she smacked them together loudly. Her eyes were glazed and her cheeks were flushed. The glass of wine in her hand was probably not her first. "I believe I mentioned already that he's got a lot to learn. You'll be an excellent example for him."

She set down her wineglass and laid back across the ottoman suggestively. Kuro glanced back at Frank. The young man's eyes were open so wide, they might fall out of his head. Well, this was probably the first time Frank had been maneuvered into this situation. It didn't seem like he had the wherewithal to walk out, so Kuro was going to need to make some choices.

Kuro crossed over to Julie and knelt on one knee. She watched him, propped on her elbows, her expression full of anticipation. Her knees fell apart slightly and she might not have even been aware of it.

She was an older woman, successful, and she was hungry for Kuro's touch. It was a side effect of who and what he was. Because he didn't kill his victims, they remembered the pleasure they got when they were with him, even if they didn't remember the details of their encounters and weren't aware of what he'd taken from them.

Some of them developed a hunger for his touch. It kept them coming back for more, if he allowed it. She was someone who had wanted him back, on her terms. He hadn't given that to her, which only made her want him more.

He touched the outsides of her knees, featherlight, ran his hands up her thighs and under her skirt. It was a pleated skirt, somewhat reminiscent of a school uniform, but the fabric and color made it part of a dress suit. It didn't complement her shape, but her image of herself wasn't the same as what he saw when he looked at her. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he could already feel her life energy, sizzling under his fingertips.

She moaned. "You barely touch me and it feels so good."

Kuro didn't reply.

"I should go," Frank muttered to one side.

Kuro had positioned himself so he could keep an eye on Frank and the door. As a result, Frank could see everything that was happening.

"You should join us, Frank," Julie purred.

Kuro gripped her thighs, digging his fingers in just where her thigh started to curve into her ass. She gasped. "I don't play well with others," he repeated.

"Watch, then. Can he watch?" Julie's eyes were starting to glaze over with pleasure. She liked a lot of different pressures. Liked to play rough. That was fine. Kuro could do that for her. He wasn't going to allow her to pressure someone else into this when they obviously didn't want to. But a hard look crossed Julie's face. "He can't leave. I don't want him to leave."

This was taking longer than Kuro wanted. He wasn't interested in power plays. It would take too long to convince her that letting the other man go was her idea.

Kuro growled.

Julie smiled. She was taking it as agreement. Because that's what she wanted to hear. "Excellent."

Kuro hooked his thumbs into her panties and pulled them down. A thong. Of course. He left it hanging around one of her ankles and hooked his hands behind her knees, lifting her legs up and wide so she was completely exposed.

"Do it," she urged. "Eat me."

Kuro looked up at her. "You're going to come for me and I'm going to walk out of here."

She squirmed, trying to lift her hips toward him. "I want more."

"You get to come." He let his breath ghost across her skin. "I could make you feel good and leave you before you come."

"No!" He saw the belief that he would do it in her panicked gaze. Good. Because on any other day, if he wasn't so hungry and if he didn't care about sparing Marie another hunt, he would have.

"I really should—" Frank was starting to walk away.

Good. The guy should take his chance and get out of here. Actually, he'd had multiple chances and hadn't walked out. At this point, there was only so much Kuro could do to give the man opportunities to extricate himself. If he didn't in the end, that was on him.

"Frank." Her voice snapped, hard. Then her tone turned syrupy sweet. "If you want to keep your job, you stay and learn."

Some people stayed with the devil they knew rather than taking a chance at the unknown. It was a choice. Granted, Kuro didn't know the other man's situation. It might be an awful decision to have to make.

Kuro nipped the inside of her thigh, taking more energy from her. The hunger inside him unfurled, expanded outward. He was drawing from her at every place where their skin touched, every point of contact, like an electric current. If he touched her too long anywhere, there could be physical damage.

No commentary out of Frank, only obedience. Kuro decided not to give the guy any more chances. He was going to need to learn to free himself from these kinds of circumstances on his own. Otherwise, the corporate world would chew him up and spit him out. There were too many people who took advantage of power dynamics, regardless of gender or age, not always sexual, but always taking advantage.

Kuro let one of her legs rest on his shoulder and brought his palm down on her butt in a light slap. It was enough to make her squeal, not enough to even redden her skin.

"You have my attention," she gasped. "I'm so wet for you. Do you see? Do you like it?"

He didn't answer. He didn't need to. She didn't actually care what he thought. He only bent over her and showed Frank how fast he could get this woman off.

Kuro stood when he was done, leaving her panting and limp. Her body still shuddered slightly from the intensity of the orgasm he'd pulled from her. He could have brought her to the edge once or twice, increased the intensity for when she finally came. It would have fed him more, but what he'd gotten from her was enough. He didn't like making Marie listen to more than the absolute minimum necessary.

He walked into the bathroom and washed his hands, rinsed his mouth. As he emerged, Frank was still standing there, staring. Julie had literally dozed off, sated and drained. There was nothing stopping the other man from slipping out, but here he was with an erection and the fabric of his suit pants wasn't up to the task of hiding it.

Maybe he didn't want to leave that badly after all. Kuro didn't have a way to know for certain. Frank looked up as Kuro headed toward the door.

"There are other jobs, you know," Kuro said, holding the other man's gaze.

"Hmm?" Julie stirred, her skirt still gathered around her waist. "Eric? You'll text, right? Text me later."

Kuro left. He didn't bother to respond. Maybe he would choose her to feed from again. Maybe he wouldn't. It definitely wouldn't be any time in the next several weeks. Her husband was never away for longer than a week or so on business. Besides, Kuro didn't dislike her enough to kill her.

Marie fell into step with him as he walked by the coffee shop. She removed her earbuds, slipping them into their case before stowing them away in her pocket.

He wasn't looking at her, but from the edge of his peripheral vision he noted how carefully precise each of her movements was. She was being careful around him, and he didn't want that, but he wasn't sure how to ease the brittle tension around them. He wasn't sure how she felt about what she'd overheard.

"Are you very different, with the people you hunt?" she asked finally.

It wasn't a question he'd been prepared for. Then again, he really hadn't known what she would say. Relief rushed through him like a cold splash of water, because honestly, he'd been tensing, ready for her to say she didn't want to have anything to do with him.

"I think I'm honest, no matter who I'm touching," he said finally. "It's different from person to person. It depends on what they want and who they want me to be in their heads. It's easier to be that for someone I don't care about."

She nodded. "Would it be easier to find your…to find sustenance if you were working through some sort of escort service that vets clients for your safety?"

He sucked in a breath, started to say something, then stopped. He hadn't thought his safety would be the first concern she'd raise. Honestly, he was trying to wrap his head around her suggesting strategies for him to find prey.

"It just seemed like it was a surprise to you that there was more than one person there, and the first thing I thought about was how dangerous that could be," Marie explained. "Obviously, it sounded like the third party didn't know what was happening and really didn't want to be there, so that worked out okay this time. But what if someone does that to you in the future? Has it ever happened before?"

The words were speeding up as she spoke, giving him a hint of the worry she must have felt for him. She'd worried for him .

He ought to go to hell for the happiness warming his belly at the realization. He didn't want to make her experience any kind of anxiety.

"That's why you were on the line with me," he said. "If I felt I couldn't handle the situation, I'd have said something out loud to indicate you should come up and get me. Maybe barging in like a jealous girlfriend or something."

She huffed out a laugh. "You seem really confident I would have realized that's what you wanted. No signal phrase or code word or anything."

"I have faith in your intelligence." He was being completely sincere. Though she had a good point about the signal phrase or code word. He should have thought of that. He and Joe had been comfortable with their buddy system for so long now. After a moment, he offered her another truth, because she was being so understanding and silence felt awkward. "I did try an escort service for a short while, before Joe and I started to coordinate our hunts."

"Oh?" Marie almost bumped into someone. The streets weren't crowded, but they also weren't empty. It happened more because she was looking at him instead of watching for what was ahead of her.

Kuro extended his elbow without removing his hand from his jacket pocket. She took it without hesitation, slipping her hand in the crook of his arm. The warmth he'd felt earlier expanded through his core. She really wasn't afraid or disgusted by him. She was touching him.

What had they been talking about? Oh. It was his turn to talk.

"It felt wrong, to use an escort service as my means to find victims," he admitted. "It was human owned, and the owner was a good person. It's a transactional business. Honest, in its own way. Expectations are clearly discussed and protected by contract. Clients are vetted. I didn't want to use a respectable business like that for predatory reasons, even if someone else might, and even if some of the clients probably fit my preferences for feeding. I was pretty sure most of the clients were relatively good people. Just lonely or curious or whatever."

Marie nodded. "It does seem like people who are looking to hurt others, or who feel entitled to treat others badly, wouldn't subject themselves to a vetting process. I'm sure there are some. But for the most part, I can understand why you and Joe frequent clubs and bars. There's a constant flow of people of all sorts coming and going."

"Yes."

"I…" Marie hesitated and her hand squeezed his arm gently. "I feel uncomfortable and it's not even about the sex, because we haven't discussed any kind of exclusivity, and you're being completely transparent about it, but I also get that it's part of what you have to do to feed. I don't pretend to understand. Not yet. But I'm trying to keep an open mind and just learn for now. I want to consider what you're sharing with me and I appreciate that you're being so open. It can't be easy."

He smiled. "It's not."

"Thank you." Her voice was soft, like a caress.

He wanted to lean into that feeling, hold her and soak up the warmth she was offering him. For the moment, he just said, "No, thank you ."