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  The hostess was excessively nice as was the waiter and his food arrived in record time along with a complimentary bottle of wine. He was blown away by the kindness considering how coldly he’d been treated in this town since his arrival. He was suddenly felt like the belle of the ball and it was more than a little disconcerting.

  As he sat there and ate, he noticed that the room was filled with a disproportionate number of men. Men who appeared in their late twenties or early thirties. He also noticed that the hostess had seated him along a direct line to a room located in the back of the restaurant that every man in the place seemed to need to visit. It wasn't the restroom, because those were on the other side of the room to the right of the bar.

  There was a near steady stream of men walking past his table, and finally, he concluded that the remainder of his meal could wait and asked for a container. He’d be more comfortable finishing his meal in his room. Each man who filed past his table acknowledged him in some way either a hello, a nod, a smile and a few even introduced themselves very briefly. The behavior was odd even for this town.

  …

  The notice went out immediately to the entire Coven that a chosen one was in town and that he belonged to a vampire of the Crimson Coven. It was understood that Dr. Culpepper was gay, so every unbonded male was asked to come in contact with Dr. Culpepper at their earliest convenience. Many of the unbonded women in the coven also sought him out just in case he might belong to one of them because everyone knew Fate held no prejudices.

  "Many were able to interact with him at the hotel restaurant. As soon as he called down for a reservation, the word went out, and the unbonded ones began to flood the place. Dr. Culpepper arrived early but was seated immediately." Beatrice reported to Cullen and Master Stone as they sat together in Stone's office at the Plantation. "Unfortunately, he hasn't been claimed yet, and he left the restaurant before finishing his meal."

  “We need a way to get him out of his room and back circulating among the potential bonds.” Alexander threw out the problem at hand and looked to Cullen for a solution.

  “He’s in his room. We need him out of his room. Trip the fire alarm.” Cullen suggested. “Keep him on the street for an hour or so. All the unbonded vampires currently at the hotel and surrounding area who haven’t already met him can arrange to get close.”

  "Excellent idea." Alexander turned his attention back to Beatrice, his personal secretary.

  “Contact the management of the hotel and Sheriff Thibodaux and tell them to trip the fire alarm at the Heritage Hotel.”

  "Yes, sir," Beatrice stated and quickly left the room.

  “We need to find his vampire chosen before Dr. Culpepper follows through on any of his threats to stir up interest and mystery around the Crimson Plantation.” Alexander reminded. “I don’t want to have to deal with that sort of press and interest.”

  "Dylan and Jaden are monitoring his devices. Nothing will get out if he tries." Cullen stated with confidence and then added. "He's contacted no one so far. He has quite an extensive file on the Plantation considering we've been careful with what gets published. His research skills are exemplary. He has actually located rough sketches that date to the sixteen-hundreds."

  "That is impressive and dangerous," Alexander concluded.

  "Dylan can destroy everything digital when and if you give the order," Cullen confirmed.

  “Good to know.”

  “But that doesn’t include any hard copies he might have. We could send in a team and take care of all of it here and at the university.” Cullen added.

  "Hopefully we won't have to deal with it in that manner. Once he's claimed and joins our numbers, he will come to understand our lives and our need for secrecy. I'd hate to have to destroy the man's work, I'd rather he voluntarily set it aside. We've made unnecessary enemies in the past by acting too hastily and without forethought to the outcome.” Alexander stood and walked over to the large floor to ceiling window that looked out over the garden. “We need to find his chosen bond soon.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  "Sheriff, the plantation called, and they are authorizing a fire drill for the Heritage Hotel," Jarod called to Leroy. "They want to get that historian out of his room and outside so the guys can get a good look at him."

  "I'll go and oversee the evacuation." Jarod offered and then added. "I want to get a look at the guy and see if he might belong to me." Jarod looked very hopeful, and Leroy wished him luck.

  “Have you met him yet, Sheriff?” Jarod asked as he was leaving.

  "No, but I doubt Fate would saddle the young academic with an old barnacle like me." Leroy joked.

  “Fate has made some surprising combinations, just look at Cullen Volakis and Ethan Turner. There’s a match no one can comprehend.” Jarod reminded him.

  "Yeah, they are the odd couple for sure." Leroy conceded. "Now go and check out the historian and keep things from getting out of hand." He urged Jerod to the door. He didn't want to get into a discussion of his personal life or lack thereof.

  …

  Daniel had just stripped down to his t-shirt and briefs and gotten comfortable in bed when the fire alarm started to sound. At first, he thought it might be a test, but soon enough someone was pounding on his door yelling fire and demanding that he vacate immediately.

  Damn, could his life get any more chaotic? He put on his thick robe and grabbed his phone and his wallet but left everything else. He hoped he wouldn’t have to leave the hotel. It was mid-December and standing outside would not be pleasant. The person at his door was not letting up.

  “I’m coming, I’m coming.” He yelled anxious and annoyed. He opened the door to a tall man in a deputy’s uniform. He also noticed that the hallway was packed with men leaving the floor. He had no idea the hotel was this booked.

  “My name is Jarod.” The deputy smiled expectantly. “You need to leave, right now. I’ll help you get outside.”

  Daniel tried to turn back for his coat and shoes, but the deputy took him by the arm and hustled him out into the hall and down to the stairwell. “The hotel seems to be very popular. I never realized so many were staying here.”

  “Yeah, it’s a nice place.” Jarod sounded suddenly let down for some reason which made Daniel wonder once again what was going on.

  The deputy led him out to the street well away from the hotel and loaned him a pair of boots and then left him. Daniel stood there in his thick robe pulled tightly around him and ill-fitting footwear with what seemed to be hundreds of people, mostly men.

  He tried to step off to the side away from the crowd, but the crowd seemed to follow him wherever he moved. This town was getting on his nerves in the worst way. Finally, he backed up to a parked car in order to not feel completely surrounded.

  After an hour and a half of standing outside in the night, they were finally allowed to re-enter the hotel. He noticed that a good share of the people who had been standing outside were heading to their cars rather than back inside and a bunch of new people were arriving. It looked like the changing of the guard. He planned on checking out of this insane asylum tomorrow. It was time to go home.

  …

  "Well, he isn't mine," Jarod announced to the office when he returned from the drill. "The street was a nightmare to control. There must have been five hundred people there trying to get close to Dr. Culpepper. Thankfully hotel security was out in full force." He hung up his jacket and sat down at his desk as Sheriff Thibodaux came out of his office.

  "Did Dr. Culpepper find his chosen?" Leroy asked as he filled his coffee cup. It was just past one in the morning, and his shift didn't end till seven.

  "Nope," Jarod said, and that surprised everyone.

  “All those men and not a one was his chosen?” Leroy was genuinely shocked.

  "Not a one. But another group was arriving as I was leaving so it probably won't be long until he's claimed." Jarod closed his eyes and smiled. "I wish he'd been mine. Damn, he was gorgeous especially wearing just
a thick fuzzy robe. So delicate and beautiful and yet so manly." Jarod licked his lips salaciously.

  "I certainly hope he finds his chosen soon. I want him claimed or out of my town, and I don't care which." Leroy tried to ignore the base theatrics of his deputy. "The Coven is bending over backward trying to put the lid on this guy and his theories."

  …

  Daniel made it to his room slowly as many others were also heading back inside. For some reason, everyone seems to need to touch him and he wished they'd quit. He wanted to get to his room, dress, pack, and get the hell out of dodge. He unlocked the door and quickly ducked inside and closed the door thankful to finally be out of the crowd.

  The room was wrong, he opened the door and checked the number and checked his key. Then stepped back inside and stood there with the door open unable to process what his eyes were seeing.

  The room was empty, completely empty except for the standard furniture. It looked like it did when Daniel arrived. All of his things, all of them were gone. The chair he’d moved to the table was back in the corner, the bed which had been torn apart was now perfectly made. He shook out of his stupor and started racing around the room searching frantically for his belongings.

  He raced to the bathroom and it was pristinely clean, all of his things gone. He caught himself in the mirror and realized his curly hair was out of control and he looked ridiculous, but then he remembered that he had no comb, he had nothing. He couldn't brush his teeth, he couldn't put on his shoes, he couldn't get dressed because he only had what he was wearing.

  This whole fire alarm thing was a ruse to clean out his room. There was no question as to who was responsible. “Those bastards!” He tore out of the room and ran from the hotel out into the street and down the block to the Sheriff’s office. He passed it several times, so he knew where it was, and he intended to file a report and demand that they pursue an investigation into the Crimson group for this theft. If they refuse, then he planned to go to the state and not let go until they returned every fucking thing they took. This was war now.

  He burst through the outer doors and ran up to the first desk. He recognized the deputy from the hotel but couldn’t recall his name. He jumped to his feet and rounded the desk. “What happened? What’s wrong?” He asked as he tried to get Daniel to take a seat, but he wasn’t sitting down he had a fight on his hands and there was no time for sitting.

  “God damned fucking lowlife scum bastards.” He yelled between panting breaths. “Was that a legitimate fire alarm or was it a trick to get me out of the hotel so that Crimson could strip my room! Tell me the fucking truth and tell me now or I’m going straight to the state police and then to the fucking governor if I have to.” The deputy tried to take his arm and urge him to a chair, but Daniel slapped his hand away and leveled him with a stare that was absolutely shriveling. “Don’t you fucking touch me! Everyone is in this fucking town needs to stop touching me.”

  "I don't know what you're asking. What happened? Why are you upset?" The deputy was trying, and he seemed sincere, but Daniel was not trusting any of these people. His life had just been turned upside down and his research stolen along with all his equipment and even his clothing and toiletries. Who the fuck steals a man's toothbrush and razor? These people are demented.

  "I want my stuff back right this instant. I have connections, my father has connections. You can try to disappear me, but people will come looking for me. I will blow the whole fucking lid off of whatever is happening here with just one phone call if my stuff isn't returned to me." Daniel held his smartphone in the air like a weapon. "My father, the world-renowned historian, lecturer, and friend of very powerful politicians is on hold as I speak."

  The deputy looked shaken as he grasped for something to say.

  Daniel was just getting ready to rattle off another profanity-riddled accusation when a large man exited a room in the back and came walking out into the main area his steps were measured in a way to appear casual. He was quite the force to behold, just entering the room cause everyone to suddenly become quiet and still.

  His authority was obvious, and it was completely filling the room. His vivid blue eyes took in the room and then landed on Daniel and he felt their power right down to his toes. He was stunned by the magnitude of his presence but managed to pull his surprise back under a guise of angry irritation.

  There wasn’t time to ogle the devastatingly handsome man. Did he just use devastatingly as a descriptor? Fuck, these people were driving him insane. Daniel forced himself to look away and then with his hands on his hips he turned back and tore into the new guy in the room.

  "They threw the bogus alarm and then went into my room and cleaned me out. My research, my equipment, my clothes, I don't even have a fucking Q-tip left." As he spoke, he took several steps forward that put him right in front of the new man. Damn, he was tall. Daniel took a step back in order not to have to strain his neck looking up at him.

  "I have my phone, my wallet and the clothes on my back, which amounts to nothing. These boots don't even belong to me, the deputy loaned them to me when I was forced out on the street barefoot on this cold December night." He stopped to catch his breath as the anger he was feeling overrode all fear and caution.

  “You can keep the boots, Dr. Culpepper.” The deputy told him from where he stood directly behind him.

  The man standing in front of him abruptly stuck out his hand and with a disarming, yet infuriating grin introduced himself, his Louisiana Cajun accent sliding off his tongue like smooth molasses. "Sheriff Leroy Thibodaux, pleased to meet you Dr. Culpepper."

  Daniel stared at him for several beats before an unfamiliar impulse had him taking the hand and asking him to call him Daniel. The Sheriff held his hand in a firm grip and continued to smile that knee-weakening smile.

  Leroy was completely swept away by the profound splendor of the angry irreverent little beauty standing, half dressed, in the middle of his station and taking a verbal chunk out of his deputy. Leroy ate him up with his eyes as he approached and knew the moment the little man saw him. Recognition sparked in his eyes that had been full of nothing but pure fury. Then it was gone, just like that it was pushed away and the fury was back front and center.

  He was spitting mad, and even Leroy's usual charm did not break through. That Louisiana charm worked on everyone except for this little hot-head. He waited patiently and without judgment for him to calm down and take a breath and then he made his move and introduced himself.

  The payoff for his patience and understanding was substantial. Dr. Culpepper took his offered hand and extolled an invitation to regard him by his first name. Leroy looked longingly into those soft hazel eyes and melted. His hand refused to let go, and his eyes lit up with the fantastic expectation of what was to come.

  The little historian was the Sheriff's chosen. He knew the voice when he heard it but didn't understand the significance until he laid eyes on the dear Dr. Culpepper, and then their touch sealed it. He was the man on the balcony that had caught his attention yesterday. No wonder no other man interested him after that brief encounter. This amazing gift belonged to him and no other. Of course, his mouth was a bit brash and his attitude a little brusque but still the beauty and attraction that was Daniel shone through brightly.

  The words of his deputy filtered through his lustful fog and he realized that his chosen was wearing another man’s boots. He glanced down and noticed they were at least three sizes too big. He couldn’t hold back the laugh even though he was seething at the thought of someone else seeing to his man’s needs.

  "They were functional and adequate, and that was all I needed," Daniel responded sharply to Leroy's chuckle. He seemed to have the need to defend the footwear for some unknown reason. Leroy assumed he was feeling diminished so wanted to pick a fight at every perceived provocation.

  Leroy released his hand reluctantly and cocked an eyebrow at his bluster. "I have to be honest, they're not a good look on you." He stepped forward and slippe
d his arm around Daniel's shoulders and started to turn him towards the back of the station where his office was located. "Why don't I take you back to my office, Daniel, and you can sit and warm up while my deputies check out your room at the hotel and see if we can't get your things back." He loved the way his chosen's name felt as it rolled off his tongue.

  His first order of business was to get Jarod's boots off, Daniel. The scent of that other vampire does not belong on his chosen. He looked back over his shoulder and spoke to one of the deputies. "Silas, would your little brother have anything that might fit Daniel?"

  “Yes, I’ll stop home and pick up a change of clothes for him before heading over to the hotel.”

  "Thanks." With that, he pulled Daniel a little closer and guided him towards the back office. Once they were inside, he indicated a chair for him to sit and Leroy perched on the side of his desk.

  Daniel looked calmer which was probably due to being close to Leroy. The effect of a chosen bond being nearby was always calming. It was hard for him to believe that the mysterious chosen one that everyone had been tripping over themselves to meet belonged to him, Leroy Thibodaux.

  He couldn't wait to tell the Master of his good fortune. He really needed everyone to know so that they didn't persist in getting close to Daniel. If another vampire made a move on him, Leroy wasn't sure how he'd react, but it wouldn't be positive.

  “Are you warm enough? I could get you a jacket.” Leroy offered.

  “I’m fine for now.” Daniel’s tone was clipped. “So how old is his little brother considering Silas himself looks to be a teenager. I won’t wear a child’s clothes, I am not that small.” Daniel pinned him with an exasperated stare and tightened the belt of his robe in defiance.