Of course it felt bloody good, but more than that, he had control over the act, unlike when he'd been the plaything of the couple he'd belonged to for ten years.
Not wanting to relive any of that shite, Stone pushed it back into the tight, dark box in his mind and focused on looking scary and threatening. He was known for never smiling, and he wasn't about to start.
However, once his shift ended, he ran into black-haired, light tanned-skinned John Sakamoto, the man of operations for the gaming hell. John blurted, "A female's arrived from the future. She's unconscious presently, but Yesenia has already asked for all the vampires to visit and see if she bloods them. It didn't work for me, but you're next, Stone. Go up to Yesenia's parlor."
Since vampires merely had to touch someone to determine if they were a fated one—versus shifters who had to fuck and scent an orgasm—it made sense to start with the vampires.
Stone's feet didn't seem to want to move, momentarily afraid of more rejection.Fucking ridiculous. He'd fought and won against hundreds of the strongest males over the years. He'd survived the stews, living on the street, and the twisted games of the arsehole couple who'd owned him.
So why did meeting a female who probably wouldn't end up being his fated one anyway scare the shite out of him?
John lightly slapped his bicep. "Just get it over with, Stone. The female is wearing trousers and strange clothing that Yesenia says is not quite her time but close to it. And when she finally wakes up, it's going to be bloody confusing for her. If Yesenia can figure out who her fated one is first, it might help her ease into everything."
Given how two people from the future—Yesenia and her brother, River—had already arrived and stirred up trouble, Stone had an inkling of how the female would react. It'd fucking help that two others from the future were here to explain things to the newest arrival.
But one last thing held him back. "Is she human?"
Because if so, it was going to be bloody difficult for him to not be an arse to her. His former owners had shown him the worst of humanity.
Just the scent of a full-blooded human triggered a cold sweat and feelings he didn't want to fucking feel ever again.
John shook his head. "Not fully, at least. She has pointed ears, which means she's partially a fae witch." He paused, his brown eyes turning serious, and added, "And she looks like she could be from the Far East somewhere, although I don't know exactly where."
John and his sister Charlotte were half-Japanese because of their vampire father and put up with a lot of shite from the humans because of it.
The newly arrived female's looks would be a problem if she ever ventured into the human territory.
Stone was already thinking of security plans for her when John shook his head and sighed. "Just fucking go, Stone. Stop standing around and looking scary. I already know you're a tough bastard. But maybe try to be less severe when you see the female."
At least he hadn't asked him to smile. He grunted. "I'll try, although I can't make any promises." John opened his mouth, but Stone left him and headed up the stairs.
To his surprise, the dark-haired pair of Dark Lord Yates and his bride stood in the hallway. Leo's gaze caught his and he nodded. "Stone. And to answer the question in your eyes, River and Nora kicked us out, something about the fewer strangers around the better."
River was a fae witch doctor and had married Leo's sister Nora; they always worked as a team these days.
Stone grunted, about to ask why John had told him to come here when Yesenia smiled at him, her dark brown eyes full of concern, and said, "You shouldn't have to wait much longer. She looked in good health, from what I could tell. So as soon as River gives the all clear, you'll be the next one to see if she's your fated bride."
"Who is she?" he asked.
Yesenia shrugged one shoulder. "I'm not sure. She didn't arrive with any purse, or driver's license, or anything, so I don't know her name. Her clothes are definitely modern, though. Although the jeans are a different style than from my time for a younger person."
Like he did often with either Yesenia or River, Stone ignored the strange words that didn't seem important—like driver's license or jeans—and grunted again.
Yesenia shook her head. "You might actually have to speak to her, Stone, if she's your fated one."
He said nothing.
Yesenia sighed. "I know you're not going to become super chatty overnight." The fae witch bit her bottom lip and then blurted, "But try to be nicer than normal, or at least attempt not to grunt and glare all the time. Unlike with River, I have no idea where I ripped her from. For all I know, she might not want to be here."
Ah, the age-old time travel magic debate—was it right to bring fated ones together without asking? Especially since only those of the time-wielder's bloodline could go back to their own time; anyone else was stuck.
But every employee inside the gaming hell knew that if Yesenia didn't practice her magic, she wouldn't be strong enough to fully utilize her powers. And given how some French vampire enemies had moved into London—many who were still upset at having their females slaughtered by the British during the war with Napoleon decades ago—the only way to have peace might be for Yesenia to bring their fated ones to this time.
And even that solution had a fucking small chance of success given how they'd kidnapped and tortured the Dark Lord's nephew months ago, all but declaring war.
Regardless of the Dark Lord's politics and enemies, Stone knew what it was like to be thrust into a strange situation without a choice. She probably wasn't his, but he'd ensure she was protected, no matter who her fated one ended up being. He could at least do that much.
Having no idea what to say to Yesenia—he'd been forbidden to speak for nearly a decade in his past and so he just learned to prefer silence—Stone nodded toward the door. "When can I go in?"