“For fuck’s sake, Des, just ask my brother out already. I can’t understand what the hell is holding you back.”

“And as I told you, once Pierce recognizes our connection, I’ll take things to the next level,” Destin said. 

“You realize Pierce will continue to be bratty and play you until you put your foot down. He’s already recognized your connection.” Keahi tilted his head and stared at his best friend. “Or could it be that you’re the one that’s scared to take things further?”

Rune had to say it was nice to have someone to welcome him home, breaking the silence of loneliness. If only he could find a lover who wasn’t a machine that knew everything about him without him even saying a word.

Rune dropped his bag by the side of the door and took off his jacket. The smart butler set the temperature in his apartment, and it was automatically adjusted to his comfort.

“Rodney, order me some food.”

“Is there anything in particular you want, Rune?”

“No, surprise me,” he answered.

“As you wish.”

He walked into his bedroom and stripped, heading to the bathroom to wash away the day’s grime. He would have gone for a bath but was hungry. After skipping breakfast, thanks to the damn lion shifter, he’s also missed out on lunch because of a faculty meeting. Rune exited the bathroom wrapped in his fluffy white bathrobe, feeling much more refreshed. He entered the walk-in closet, opened the small fridge, and took out a bag of blood. He set it on the warmer while he got dressed.

Keahi and his brothers had assembled a network of supernaturals who could not protect themselves. The world was not as doom and gloomy as it was in the early years up to the late 2000s, when people like his parents were hunted down for what they were. Keahi wasn’t sure if it was a fortune or misfortune that the history of the existence of supernatural beings was lost and everyone lived in harmony. Keahi and his brothers were not relaxing their vigilance. His family’s life was better, and Keahi and his brothers wanted to keep it that way.

Keahi couldn't respond to his question.

"Grandstanding?" the vampire said. "Now, excuse me, my parents taught me not to talk to strangers, and I've spent more than enough time talking to you."

Keahi huffed and shook his head; the man was gorgeous but rude, yet he wanted to talk with him more.

"Professor Kristoph."

Keahi looked away from the other man and turned to his little brother, Sky when he walked up next to him.

It all begins with an idea.

Keahi Covington stepped out onto the balcony of his second-floor office at Club Elemental Inferno, leaning against the stone pillar and surveying the large crowd gathered below. He watched as scantily-clad men and women drank, laughed, and danced erotically against each other. The middle floors of the club offered private, soundproof rooms, where guests could enjoy a five-diamond meal as they observed the entertainment below.

On the other side of Elemental Inferno, Keahi's hotel catered to exclusive VIP guests with unique and daring BDSM preferences. With every room requiring two months of advanced booking to ensure all requests and arrangements could be made to perfection, moments like these brought a smile to Keahi's face. His businesses were thriving, and in his mind, he was the king of kink and indulgence. When Keahi first proposed the idea of running Elemental Inferno, his brothers were skeptical. He wanted a retro design with less high technology, with the focus being on entertainment. But he was glad his brothers trusted his vision and joined forces with him, becoming his silent partners and helping manage the three additional Elemental clubs. Keahi took charge of the daily operations, creating something remarkable together.

Rune Kristoph exited the club with a husky growl, his frustration palpable. He was desperate to find someone to satisfy his craving, though he knew he shouldn't have let Fabian persuade him to go out when he had so much work to do. He hadn't ventured into the BDSM scene in years, and he almost forgot the intense pleasure of being spanked and then thoroughly pleasured. His com-bracelet vibrated on his wrist, and when he answered it, he scowled to see Fabian's face.

"Where the fuck are you?"

Rune growled. "Fuck you, Fabian!"

The following morning, Rune walked into his classroom, and the noisy chatter was hushed down when he reached the podium. Rune removed his jacket but not his scarf and dropped it on the small desk beside the stand. The weather in Willow Park Valley was not freezing cold, but even when it was scorching hot, Rune found he needed to wear a jacket to quell the chill that often seeped into his bones.

Rune rolled up his shirt sleeves, then brushed a hand over the control panel, and the projector came down, with a picture of Billy the Kid appearing on the screen.