“Crap, I still have a Section H ID,” Oliver mumbled.
“Time to turn that in. Go up to the main security office and have them issue you a new pass.”
Curious, his prodigy looked at him. “What shall I tell them?”
Quinn smiled back at him. “They’ve already received their instructions from Samson. So, go. Find us in the lounge when you’re done.”
As Oliver wandered off, Quinn walked to the large counter on which Check in was inscribed in large bold letters. The young woman looked up and smiled when he stopped right in front of it.
“How may I help you?” She eyed his badge and added, “Quinn.”
Automatically, he smiled back with a smile he’d used for the last two hundred years: a smile that had melted practically every woman into his arms. Oddly enough, when the human blushed, a sense of unease crept up his spine. He wasn’t in the mood to flirt, and that was something that had never before happened to him. Could it be because Rose had followed him and now stood next to him?
“Can you ping me once Blake Bond has arrived, please.”
She beamed. “He’s already here.” She glanced at the screen in front of her. “Visitor Lounge H.”
Quinn nodded. “Thanks.”
“Anytime,” the girl chirped.
With a sideways glance, he motioned Rose to walk with him.
“Just let me talk.”
“I still think it’s a stupid idea.”
He couldn’t help it, but her objection needed an answer. “And that’s exactly why I’ll be doing the talking.”
Why he had to rile her up, he didn’t know, when he should be trying to use his charm on her to soften her up, turn her into soft clay, just like the girl at the Check in desk had instantly responded to the subconscious vibes he gave off. He wondered for a moment whether this was something he could switch off, or whether after two hundred years of milking his gift of seduction it was too ingrained in him.
When he glanced at Rose for a brief second as they walked down the corridor, he noticed the tightness of her jaw and shoulders. Well, maybe he could turn off his charm after all. At least it appeared he did it automatically the moment he was alone with Rose.
The visitor lounge looked very much like the lobby of a five-star hotel with comfortable seating areas, a fireplace, and soft music. Two women dressed in business attire roamed the room to attend to the needs of the waiting visitors, serving drinks, answering questions, and assuring them that whoever they had come to see would be with them momentarily.
There were two of these lounges in the building. This was the lounge for humans. At the opposite end of the corridor, Visitor Lounge V catered to the needs of visiting vampires, mostly those Samson planned to recruit. There, instead of coffee and tea, blood was served. Access to the lounge was strictly monitored so that no human accidentally stumbled into it.
Scanning the room, Quinn instantly found his grandson. It was hard not to notice him: he was flirting with one of the hostesses. Shamelessly.
Quinn suddenly felt Rose’s gaze on him and turned his head to look at her. He knew exactly what she was thinking, almost as if the two hundred years of separation had never happened. His heart softened for a moment.
“Maybe he just needs some direction in his life so he can mature. This could be the best thing that ever happened to him.”
A glimmer of hope sparked in her eyes. “I hope you’re right.”
At this moment she reminded him so much of the girl he’d courted against her father’s will, and he had a hard time tearing his gaze from her.
When they finally approached Blake, he jumped up from his seat, clearly eager to find out why he was here.
Shaking hands, he blurted, “Cool digs, man.”
Quinn simply nodded, then motioned to Rose. “This is Rose, my associate.” No need to give the kid any more information about his relationship to Rose than was absolutely necessary.
Blake’s assessing eyes instantly traveled over her body, eliciting a proprietary response from Quinn: he stepped closer to her.
Rose offered her hand, and for Quinn’s liking, Blake held it for far too long.
“Nice to meet you,” he responded.
“Likewise.”
Quinn pointed to the armchairs. “Shall we?”
They sat down, Quinn making sure that he sat close to Rose to prevent any physical contact between her and Blake. Why he took such precaution, he blamed on the fact that his descendent was a shameless flirt. If the boy knew that he was flirting with his 4th great-grandmother he would probably feel disgusted.