Page 55 of Colin

The concierge was a man in his early forties with tired eyes who smelled faintly of cigarettes (too faintly for his human patrons to scent, but Dane’s nose was a bit more advanced). His eyes traveled over their trio—their casual clothes, their lack of any luggage—but he was too professional to let any kind of judgment show. “Good morning, gentlemen. How can I help you?”

Dane glanced to each side quickly, making sure he didn’t have an audience, and then he let his devil surface. He rolled his shoulders back—there was always that breath of relief with the transformation, like sliding out of a pair of too-tight jeans—andcaught the concierge’s widening eyes, speaking quickly. “You’re not afraid…” He looked at the name tag. “David.”

“Of course,” David answered in the odd monotone of the compelled, his expression smoothing to placidity. “I’m not afraid.”

Perfect. “We’re looking for someone,” Dane told him.

There was no response, and Fox tsked at him. “Dude. Direct questions.”

Dane flipped him off. “I’m getting there.” He caught David’s eye again. “Is there anyone staying here that seems…off?”

David blinked dull eyes. “I don’t understand.”

“In your gut, man. Someone that frightens you and you don’t know why. They’re probably staying alone. Maybe they checked in but you can’t remember it, or the memories feel foggy and you don’t know why.”

David looked off at nothing while he searched his memory. “There’s a person that makes me…uncomfortable,” he finally said.

Dane leaned in closer. “How so?”

“I can’t say.” David’s brow furrowed. “A feeling. Like you said. In my gut.”

“Are they here now?”

“I just saw them out by the pool. They like to watch the families.”

Holy shit. Dane straightened, a flicker of anticipation running down his spine. Was it really going to be that easy? “Forget this happened,” he instructed, catching David’s eye. Then, as an afterthought, “Thank you.”

He pushed his devil back down, returning his face to its human visage. The stupid thing fussed at the dismissal, grumbling about not being allowed to eat their informant.

Dane ignored it, turning away from the desk. “Shall we?”

But Colin made no move to walk away. He was looking at Dane with an indecipherable expression. “That was, um, kind of hot. I haven’t seen you, you know—” He waved a hand at Dane’s face. “—unless you were biting me.”

Dane rubbed at the back of his neck, embarrassed without knowing why. “It can be uncomfortable, letting it out but not letting it get what it wants,” he explained.

“What does it want? More blood?”

Dane considered that beast inside him, the way it had immediately dropped its interest in the concierge the second Colin caught their attention, the way it seemed to stretch and twist inside Dane’s skin, always wanting to be closer to their human. It didn’t matter if they were already biting him, or kissing him, or fucking him—nothing was close enough. Nothing wasdeepenough.

“It wants you,” Dane answered honestly. “It wants every bit of you.”

Now who was the one incapable of playing it cool?

For once, it was Fox saving him from his own mouth. He leaned in close to Colin—but not before giving Dane a knowing glance—whispering in his ear. “Dane here is our people person.”

That was only because Dane was slightly less surly than his volatile brother. It wasn’t exactly due to any natural charm or way with people—both of them could be assholes when they were irritated.

Then again, he didn’t need a way with people when he could just compel them into doing what he wanted, did he?

“We need to check out the pool,” Dane reminded them, trying to get back on track. Trying to ignore the way Colin was staring at him in a way that let him know he’d let more slip than he ever meant to. “Maybe you should—”

Colin’s expression changed in an instant, glaring at him preemptively. “Fuck that. I’m not staying here. There’s two of you. Nothing’s gonna happen to me.”

Fox glanced at him, and Dane knew exactly what he was thinking:If we turned him, we wouldn’t have to worry.

But that needed to be Colin’s choice. Didn’t it? It was getting harder to remember. It was so tempting to beg, so tempting to get on his knees and plead:Stay with us. Please. We’ll do anything, just as long as you stay.

Loyal dogs indeed.

---