Moonlight glinted off the tip of her katana, illuminating a dim streak of light on the alley wall. The huddled figure hissed from its corner, elongated canines flashing. She smirked behind the mask that covered the lower half of her face, mentally challenging the creature to show resistance. A soft breeze sent chills down her spine, regardless of the late summer's weather. The vampire stood cautiously but stopped when she slid the tip of her katana into his neck, a trickle of dark blood gleaming against his pale undead complexion.
He laughed, a dark rumble inside his chest. "I know why you're here and I know who you are."
She didn't say anything to him, merely stared at her opponent with her piercing emerald eyes, laced with gold and flecks of auburn. He smiled as he made his move with blurring speed ducking past her blade, as she swung at him in a perfect arch. He lunged at her, claws out with the intent to kill. She twisted away with barely enough time as he ripped the sleeve of her black hunting suit, drawing blood. He flew past her and stared, new hunger in his eyes. He lunged at her once again, aiming for her throat. She ducked underneath him as he jumped, jamming the sharp blade into his chest, inches away from his heart. In an attempt to avoid landing on the blade that would pierce his heart, he turned sideways mid fall, landing in an awkward position.
She pounced on him before he could react, holding the katana still in its deadly position. She clicked the pager strapped to her belt as he held his hands up in defeat, a ghostly smile crossing his lips. "Oh my, you live up to your reputation, Hunter."
She smiled as the sound of screeching tires filled the night behind her. He glanced away from her, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. Satisfaction built as his fearless facade slipped away and she laughed softly.
She leaned close to his ear, making sure he could hear even with his supernatural hearing.
"Huntress," she corrected him before slipping out her katana, quickly replacing it with a small dagger he never knew was there. He grunted at the shift, fear etched in his expression. She dragged him upright and into the open where she pushed him roughly to his knees. A pair of uniformed officers caught hold of his shoulders, giving her a curt nod of confirmation that they would take it from there. She brushed her hands off, walking toward her parked car a few blocks down. She passed by the tall, handsome man in charge and patted him on the back. "Just return my dagger Cody."
He smiled at her as he watched her walk down the deserted street, moonlight spilling around her in beautiful waves as her silhouette joined the surrounding shadows of the night.
I plopped down on my couch, pulling the thin mask off my face. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since breakfast. I got up, grabbing the katana into my hand. I walked through my two-bedroom apartment into the master's room where I slipped into the connected bathroom. I set my katana on the marble sink and started stripping out of my clothes. The torn hunting suit lay uselessly on the tiled floor as I slipped into the warm shower. I hissed, fire burning through my left arm where three red horizontal slashes trickled blood. The blood washed away from the water, leaving a stinging pain in its wake. I looked down as the faucet poured water down my head, slinking through my long black hair. The water, turning pink from the mixture of blood, swirled down the drain. I grimaced but looked back up, turning the faucets handle to cold. I shivered, goose bumps trailing my skin but grabbed the soap and started scrubbing all the days' worth of grime away.
After changing into a black t-shirt that said Bad to the bone vertically down the shirt and sweatpants, I trudged to the kitchen in a serious hunt for food. I slid open the tank on my coffee maker and after making sure there was a sufficient amount of water, I turned the machine on and drifted towards the refrigerator. The contents of my fridge disappointed me; I really needed to go grocery shopping. I settled on leftover lasagna my best friend Rose had brought over the day before. I popped it into the microwave for three minutes and rummaged through my first aid cabinet until I found some fresh bandages and salve. I finished wrapping the ends of the bandage when the sweet annoying chime of the microwave blessed my ears. I gripped the edge of the plate, quickly placing it on the island while barely withstanding the blazing heat. I grabbed a fork and speared the helpless lasagna, preparing to take a murderous bite but froze when my vibrated consistently in my pocket. I groaned but slipped my iPhone out of my pocket and answered anyway.
"Yes?" I answered in a sarcastically sweet tone, batting my eyelashes for effect even though no one could see me. Damn my sarcastic side.
"Oh shut it, White. I assume you wrapped up the case?" a gruff voice said.
I sighed, recognizing the voice immediately. "Like always, Jack. Cue dramatic hair toss." Jack is the commandant in charge of Kentucky's Paranormal Law Department's 11th Division and the boss of yours truly. Even though he's my boss, he's also my adoptive father. A touchy subject, but we can get to that later.
He chuckled, "Expected nothing less from you. We need you to come in today if that's possible."
I swung back to glance at my stove's clock, 9:48. I frowned, "I assume it's because you want me to do something for you that I'm not obligated to do because you're asking instead of ordering me into coming."
He paused, then laughed. "You know me so well Anna. Yes, you don't have to do it but I wanted you to come in anyway so we can discuss it."
I toyed with the now cold lasagna on my plate, "Well I guess I have too now since my lasagna's cold."
"I'll make a subway drive if you're down here in thirty?" he offered knowingly. Damn my loving food side too.
I grinned, "Well I can be there in twenty if you chip in some coffee in that bargain."
In an exasperated sigh, he gave in. "Better get your ass down here then, mocha frappuccino?" he asked.
I wrapped plastic wrap over the cold lasagna, placing it back in the fridge. "You know me so well Jack," I said, throwing his line back at him.
He grunted in response before disconnecting. I slid the phone back in my pocket and looked at my attire. I shrugged, not caring in the least. I mean, it wasn't official work business and it was already past 9. I ran back to my bedroom, snatching the holster from my nightstand and adjusted the straps. My engineer Raven was always inventing new things and she made me a custom holster for my throwing knives. I clasped the strap on my right upper arm, four slits that sheathed and held exactly four of my silver knives. I shrugged into my leather jacket and pocketed my car keys I had thrown on the bed and slipped on my Toms. I locked the door behind me as I stepped onto my driveway, revealing my gorgeous white 2014 R8 V10 Spyder whom I named, Angel. Hey, working in this business pays heavenly. I climbed into the driver's smooth leather seat, sliding the key into the ignition. The engine purred to life and I smiled. I eased out of the drive way and flew down the street, the wind rushing through my towel dried hair, or some corny shit like that.
I parked in my usual employee spot, right beside the front entrance. I grabbed my set of work keys from the glove compartment and looked up at the looming several story building, still as plain as ever. The Professional Tower broke off into two separate divisions, glass paneled windows aligned accordingly, and decorative shrubs lined up the walk way. It was just an ordinary, everyday building; yet the perfect disguise. I stepped out of my car, shutting the door behind me before walking up to the entrance. I slid my workers ID across the entrances sensor and the previous red light flashed green. The doors slid open and a wave of the buildings freezing AC wafted over me, leaving goose bumps trailing up my arms. It was always so cold in here.
The interior was just as plain as the exterior, the walls were painted a pale peach with wooden flooring and vending machines aligned against one wall with a few waiting tables littering the small area. I passed the receptionists desk and I nodded to Emma, who was actually a witch, in greeting. She smiled warmly, beautiful green eyes sparkling. She stood up and came around to give me a hug, her blonde hair showering over her shoulders in waves, barely stopping at her belly button. She was a couple of inches taller than my 5'5 height as she wrapped her arms around me tightly.
"You're going to break my back one day with your hugs, Em." I said, feigning breathlessness.
She laughed, releasing me. "Oh stop it, you. Coming in for late work?" she asked.
I half shrugged, giving her a small smile. "I'm not sure, Jack wouldn't tell me over the phone so I'm guessing it's at least somewhat important."
She stared at me for a moment, making me slightly uncomfortable. "Anna, about that. I thought I sho-"
"Oh lord, I'm late. I'll talk to you later Em. I'll see you on the way out, okay?" I interrupted after eyeing the clock behind her. I clicked the elevators bottom arrow button and the elevator dinged as the doors in front of me slid open. Emma glanced at me and nodded silently, causing me to frown. It wasn't like her to be all quiet all of a sudden, she was just too bubbly.
I attempted a helpless gesture as the metal doors slid close, I held the B button on the elevators floor panel, waiting. A whirring hum filled the small confined space as a keypad slid out from behind the emergency telephone. I typed in the 17 digit combination with ease and placed my thumb on the fingerprint scanner beside it. A green light flashed above the keypad and it slid back in its original place before the elevator descended downwards. I tapped my foot impatiently as comical elevator music played. At last the doors slid open and I sighed as I stepped out of the elevator.
I looked around, the usual scenery before me. Multiple desks were fluttered with paperwork and many people were still on duty as they shuffled around, doing their jobs and whatnot. I maneuvered my way through the crowd of people to reach my destination. I knocked twice on the glass door to Jack's office before opening the door enough to pop my head through.
His mahogany desk was piled with papers, files lying around unorganized in heaping piles. He was on the phone but gestured for me to take a seat. I slipped into the medium sized office, the mouthwatering smell of subway drifting my way. He smirked as he gestured to the coffee table where a mocha frapp and a wrapped subway sandwich laid. I grinned as I plopped onto the white mini sofa, pulling the sandwich onto my lap. He scowled at me, mentally warning me not to get anything on his precious furniture. I swear, he's worse than I am. He talked quietly into the receiver as I devoured the poor sandwich, occasionally sipping the iced coffee. After I popped the last of the sandwich in my mouth, he placed his blackberry on the desk and stood.
Jack McCulloch wasn't a tall man as he barely reached the average height of 5'7. His black hair was cut short to his head and he trimmed the edges of his beard since the last time I've seen him. He had a slightly plump figure and a moderately tanned complexion with soft brown eyes to match. He leaned against the edge of his desk, looking at me. I sipped the coffee in my hand, the melting ice chilling my palms.
An awkward tension washed over us and I leaned back and got right to the point. "So what do you need me for?" I asked, breaking the silence.
He crossed his arms over his chest and hesitated. I raised a questioning eyebrow and he sighed. "There a case that's come to my attention and I don't think my regulars can handle it." he said.
"So you're handing it to me? Why would you think I'd make a difference?" I asked unconsciously. But I answered my own question as it left my lips. I've worked for the 11th division ever since I was brought in, gaining more experience than a usual 23 year old woman would working in this field with the paranormals.
"I think you're what I need to finally close up this case," Jack said.
I looked at him curiously, "How long has it been since it opened?" I asked.
"Six months and nothing. You're our last hope baby girl." he replied, rubbing his eyes with both of his hands. When he laid them on the desk, I finally noticed the stress lines creasing his face and the small shadows underneath his eyes.
I looked back at him with surprise, "That's what you call, just coming to your attention? Well anyway, I'll take this case if you want me too. But obviously first you have to tell me about it."
He nodded, giving me a small smile of gratitude. "There's a problem with the vampires. I'm talking about turf wars just starting to happen. These murders just keep getting trickier and trickier."
I nodded, digesting the information. Vampires were territorial and cared for their own if they were in a clan. There were three major clans in Kentucky, but there are vampires that don't seek the protection of others and stand as individuals but they're referred to as Rogues. I at least understood that much. "Can I see the case file?" I asked.
He leaned over his desk, riling through the mountains of papers until he found the file he was looking for. He sat in the sofa across from me, placing the manila folder on the coffee table. I grabbed it, opening it and started looking over the witness statements and debriefings. "There have been three murders so far. You know the three major clans right?" he asked.
I thought about it, "There are the Hayes, Faye, and Cullen clans," I said.
He grunted his approval before continuing, "Bear with me but this is what's happened so far. The first murder was from the Cullen's clan but the evidence at the scene pointed towards the Faye. They objected to the accusation and we didn't probe much further because the suggested evidence just seemed too obvious. We started looking into it but then another murder happened. This time it was someone from the Faye clan and the evidence at that scene seemed to be pointing towards the Cullen's. They thought it was an act for revenge so they're infuriated at that. Then as we were investigating, another murder happened right underneath our noses!" He threw his hands up in an exasperated gesture. I opened my mouth to say something but he was on a roll.
"And then, oh and then," he said, jabbing a finger in the air at me. "This time it was someone from the Hayes clan and the evidence said it was the Faye who did it. This is about to cause something big Anna and we have to solve this as soon as possible." He leaned forward, gripping the edge of his seat. I unconsciously leaned back and he noticed the movement. He blinked a few times, looked at his position and leaned back against the sofa cushions. He cleared his throat and clasped his hands in front of him.
I waited for him to continue but I guess he was done. "So what do you mean by suggested evidence," I said, using air quotation marks for suggested evidence.
He sighed, "They're shipped to the clan's main house, in a box."
I stared at him, waiting for him to explain. He took the hint and continued, "You know when vampires die and they turn to ash?" He didn't bother waiting for a response and I didn't give him one. "Well, vampires don't usually turn to ash until a few hours later or so. I don't know why so don't bother asking but it's just the way it works. So when the bodies were shipped in boxes, they must have been very recent. Just long enough for the clan to be notified about it and recognize their member before they turned to ash."
I pondered on this, "It's effective and smart but it's still messed up."
He nodded and I tilted my head to the side in thought. He's been nodding a lot lately and I think he might want to be a bobble head when he's older. Well, older than he already is but hey, I need to remind myself to ask him later. I glanced at the clock ticking on the wall behind him and figured I should get home since it was already 10:30.
"So can I take the files home?" I asked, holding up the folder.
He nodded, "Yeah, about that. I ne-"
The door opened and a crack of energy split the air. Instinct kicked in before any of my thoughts registered, but knowing no one in the precinct contained that much energy. I sent two of my knives flying before Jack told me to wait and the target I had been aiming to hit ducked past my knives. A blur of motion and the wrist that sent the knives flying was knocked aside then twisted painfully behind my back. A foot kicked out my legs from under me and we both crashed to the floor but with me to cushion their fall. I thrashed underneath my attackers grip and stiffened when a husky voice whispered softly in my air.
"Fast for a human, aren't you?" he said.
A surge of warmth filled through me and I suppressed a shiver. I tried to crane my neck up to see who was on top of me but failed as he pressed into me.
Someone cleared their throat and I looked up to see Jack looking down at me with disapproval in his eyes. My attacker leaned back and stood while I laid there a moment, wondering what the hell was going on. Realization dawned and I scrambled up, brushing imaginary dust off me.
"She's everything you said she'd be Jack," he said and I looked up to finally see who it was.
The man before me was beautiful. Milk chocolate brown hair framed his face and stopped at the back of his neck, curling slightly at the ends. His sharp features and hard jaw line fit with his piercing emerald eyes that hid underneath long eyelashes. Completed with a straight nose and sensual full lips; his face alone was enough to stop a woman in her tracks. His muscles bulged underneath the plain black T-shirt he wore and at any other given time, I would be jealous of. How I would love to glide my hands along his arms. That probably sounds creepy if you think about it but don't, he's just amazing. Oh god, he put Hollywood models to shame. He was perfection in every single way.
Until he opened his mouth.
"Done fantasizing?" he asked, a smirk tugging a corner of his mouth up.
I blinked, stunned at the fact that he looked so good for one. Two, I was caught off guard so that was so not fair. I call a do-over. Jack cleared his throat for the second time and I regained my composure, narrowing my eyes. What a smart ass.
"Anna, this is Adam Hayes. Adam, this is Anna," Jack said, gesturing back and forth between us.
We didn't shake hands; we just stared at each other. A fierce light shone in his eyes and I couldn't help but smirk. He smiled and opened his mouth but Jack continued. "Before you attempted to assault him Anna, this will your partner for this investigation."
Adam opened his mouth again but I interrupted him. On purpose. "Wait, The Adam Hayes?" I asked. He scowled at me for interrupting him and I mentally smiled. Damn, being evil felt so good.
Before anything else, I looked past Mr. Hotshot and wondered where my knives were. I knew I didn't miss when I specifically aimed for the door and with the door ajar, I spotted them. They were lodged in the desk directly across from the office. From the angle I threw them and the fact that Adam ducked past them, they sailed through the door. Phew, close call. I didn't want to pay anyone's hospital bill. The woman working at the desk heard the impact and looked over to see what struck her desk. When she saw the lethal weapons, she looked around nervously. When she spotted me looking at her, she glared at me. I gave her a weak smile and walked over, leaving Jack and Adam. I muttered my apologies before pulling the knives out of the wood and sheathed them.
When I walked back and shut the door behind me, Jack just rolled his eyes while Adam stifled a laugh. I threw him a glare and turned back to Jack.
"Yes Anna, he is the Adam Hayes. All the people you need to question, all the potential suspects, and scenes are all in the case file so make sure you thoroughly go over everything." He lectured, giving me a pointed stare.
I rolled my eyes to the heavens, "You know I will." I frowned, "Wait. Isn't the Hayes clan located in Lexington? That's about two hours or so from here." How was I supposed to constantly go back and forth without burning through my salaries amount of gas?
Jack absentmindedly rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from me. "About that Anna. . ."
My brows furrowed in confusion and I knew I wasn't going to like what came next.
Adam grinned from ear to ear and that confirmed my suspicions.
Two hours later, I sat in the passenger seat of my own Audi as I glowered at the man driving my precious Angel. I knew I wasn't going to like what they had in mind. Since the Hayes clan's main house was located in Lexington and the evidence were at the 9th division's precinct, I was supposed to stay at the main house. It took me half an hour to huff and puff about it but in the end, Jack made the final decision. It took an hour to for me to stuff my clothes in a duffel bag and pack up my weapons in a large suitcase. So half an hour later, here we are sitting in my own car, and yes I emphasize my own car.
"I know I'm handsome but please, try not to stare too obviously. It puts me in an awkward position," he joked.
I scowled at him but didn't say anything as I turned away. I leaned against the chilled window, watching the trees fly by.
"You should get some sleep. We still have some time before we get there." He said, glancing over at me.
I still didn't say anything but I closed my eyes, gripping the katana that lay in my lap.
A gentle tap on my shoulder had me instantly awake, the sheathed katana at the chin of my unknown attacker. Big blue eyes looked back at me and I relaxed a little, knowing I wasn't in danger. I looked around, realizing I was still in my car but the driver's seat was empty. I stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind me and realizing Adam Hayes was nowhere to be seen.
"Ahem," blue eyes said softly. I turned my attention back on him and realized he was around my age or younger in fact. His black curly hair stuck up in certain places and he had a slightly scrawny figure. He had blue Bambi eyes and was dressed in casual dark jeans and an aero shirt.
He held out his hand, "My names Eric, by the way. Master Hayes sent me to get you situated and show you your room."
I shook his hand and smiled. The wind pushed my hair around my face and the section of silver strands flew in my peripheral vision. I yanked my hair back and tied it up in a ponytail to find Eric watching me closely. I turned to grab my bags out of the trunk but he beat me too it. He eyed me suspiciously and I paused. I shrugged it off, opening up the trunk and grabbed the duffel bag and suitcase. I slid the handle out and laid the duffel bag on top of the suitcase to lean against the handle, convenient, I know. While Eric slammed the trunk shut, I turned and surveyed my surroundings.
The "house" was a mansion that branched into three wings. The white exterior raised several stories high, glass paneled windows that glinted even in the darkness along the high levels, and rose bushes lined along the bottom of the walls. Four columns framed the entrance, leading to a massive oak door, intricately carved with looping spirals across the linings. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful.
Eric stepped beside me, "Beautiful isn't it?"
I nodded in awe, "It truly is."
He smiled and gestured for me to follow him. We walked up the few steps to the entrance; the obstacle was getting the suitcase to comply. He pushed the door open and if I thought the exterior was breathtaking then the interior will have me strapped to an oxygen tank for the rest of my days.
White marble tiles veined across the massive room, a beautiful chandelier hung from the steep ceiling, diamonds catching the light every so often as it emitted beautiful sparkles along the white painted walls. A carpeted staircase sat in the center as it branched out to the left and right in the center, lined against the wall. It looked like a scene from Dracula where he would just sweep down the stairs, cloak floating around him. I was pretty impressed and a hand eased my grip from my suitcase handle.
I whipped around, reflexively tightening my grip and Eric jumped away, startled. I sighed, "Sorry. I'm just not getting used to all this."
He nodded in understanding, "I just wanted to hold your stuff for you. Your rooms on the third floor so there's a lot of stairs."
I groaned, "Then yes, please if you will."
He smiled shyly and picked up my bags with ease. We trudged up the massive staircase and the awkward silence began.
"So how many vampires live in the main house?" I asked, attempting to make light conversation while gathering information.
"Approximately 388, including you but excluding the staff that don't live in dorms." He said after thinking about it. I paused, stunned. I didn't realize how big their numbers were. We walked through the hall, turning right at the top of the staircase. The color changed to a velvet carpet and doors lined the walls, it basically looked like dorm rooms. I noticed when he kept glancing towards me and I almost laughed.
"You know you have some beautiful blue eyes. Like Bambi's." I said. He blinked at me, a bit stunned. I mentally slapped myself; he probably thought I was creepy. I was about to apologize, thinking I had offended him by comparing him to a Disney character when a slow blush crept over his face. I stifled a laugh and we continued walking in silence.
We turned left and another staircase awaited us. As we walked up the stairs, he finally broke the silence.
"Thank you. If it counts, I've never seen such beautiful hair quite like yours. It's mesmerizing." He said, avoiding my gaze. Now it was my turn to blush and I self-consciously touched my hair. I observed the strands of my hair and fingered the silk texture of the silver strands.
"May I ask why it's gray?" he asked after I didn't respond.
I thought about it and shrugged, why not. "Silver. I don't know why, it's always been like that. As far as my memory goes, I've always had this section where it's just silver." I explained.
He nodded in thought, "It's beautiful. Why do you hide it?"
I stiffened and brushed my hair back behind me. "I don't really hide it. It's just odd to see."
He didn't say anything and he stopped before a door. I waited as he grabbed a key from his pocket and handed it to me. I slid the silver key into the lock and eased the door open. I blindly guided my hand towards the light switch and flicked it on. The room was about the size of my apartment. A queen size bed sat in the center and a nightstand by its side. In the far right there was a closet with a small mahogany desk beside it and across the room was a moderately sized flat screen TV with a white loveseat sofa in front of it.
I laid my katana on the nightstand with my iPhone and key before jumping onto the bed, relishing within the soft plush covers. I rolled around, enjoying the feel of it on my skin and I stopped when I heard a little snort. I looked up to see Eric clearing his throat, attempting to play off his little laugh. I scowled at him, "Don't pretend that you wouldn't do this if you were me."
I flopped on my back, my left arm still sore from the nights earlier encounter. "I've never done that before, to be honest." He said.
I rolled over, propping myself on my elbows. "You haven't? Well you're missing out." I said.
He looked at me oddly, "I suppose."
I stood up off the bed and gestured for him to come here. When he didn't, I frowned. "Come here, please." I asked.
He walked up to me cautiously and I grinned. When he got a few feet in front of me, I gave him a gentle shove and placed my foot behind his to trip him backwards to land on the bed. When he tried to scramble up, I held up a hand to stop him. I pointed to the bed, "Now roll like your life depends on it."
He looked at me like I had gone crazy but I guess temptation ruled out because he slowly began to roll. He thrashed around and I burst out laughing. He stopped and looked up at me before joining in. His curly hair stood up even further, giving me another laugh.
"It looks like you're getting situated well," a familiar voice said.
We froze as I looked over to see Adam Hayes leaning against the door frame, dressed in a fresh button down with the top button off and dark jeans. Eric scrambled off the bed, fixing his hair in a frenzy and muttered his apologies before he left the room, doing it as fast as he could without flat out running.
I scowled at him before grabbing my bags and laying them on the now ruffled bed sheets. I zipped open the duffel bag and started pouring out the contents of clothes and two pairs of my thin training boots and attempted to fold them the mess of clothes in hasty piles. He walked over and leaned against the nightstand behind me.
"I can give you a tour tomorrow of the grounds. The bathrooms over there, you should find all the necessities available. I can supply you with suitable weapons tomorrow and if you need anything. Just tell me or Eric," he said.
"No need, I brought everything I need." I zipped open the suitcase, exposing the array of weapons I had packed. On one side were six of my throwing knives strapped and sheathed, underneath them were two of my favored Glocks with six already checked clips next to them. In the base of the suitcase was two bottles of pure water and three of my daggers above them with their hostlers with six more of my throwing knives lined the bottom of the case.
He stood beside me, taking inventory and nodded in approval. "Impressive."
I didn't say anything and unstrapped the custom knife holster from my arm and laid it on the nightstand before shutting the suitcase and slipping it underneath the bed.
"You and Eric seemed to be getting cozy," he said nonchalantly, changing the subject.
"Does it matter to you who I get cozy with?" I asked, not bothering to look at him as I sifted through my stack of clothes for something to change into.
I felt him behind me, his hot breath on my neck. I closed my eyes, hands hovered over my clothes.
"Yes, in fact; it does." He said softly, his lips brushing the tips of my ear.
He stepped away from me and irritation crossed over me. I grabbed my clothes and brushed past him towards the bathroom. "Feel free to show yourself on the way out," I said over my shoulder and shut the door behind me, not bothering to wait for a response.
I locked the door behind me and started stripping out of my clothes and looked at the large bathroom before me. A large full glass shower sat in the corner next to a large Jacuzzi tub. A white porcelain sink and toilet sat along the wall beside me and I slipped out of my shoes. The cold hard tiles chilled my toes and I filled the tub with hot water. After the water rose to a good height, I eased in without getting my bandages wet and shut off the water. As hard as it was to shampoo and condition my hair with one arm, I managed fairly well. After draining the tub and stepping into a fluffy bath towel, I toweled off and dressed quickly.
After stepping out of the bathroom, I was surprised to see Adam sitting on the loveseat, watching TV. He stood when I walked through the door and he looked me up and down. I frowned and glanced down, I was wearing my black t-shirt that said Try not to look at the girls across the chest with comfortable black yoga shorts.
He smirked, "Interesting."
I rolled my eyes and walked over to the bed. I spotted the digital clock which confirmed my suspicions that it was pretty late. "It's already three in the morning. I need sleep, Mr. Master Vampire." I bowed dramatically, gesturing towards the door.
He smiled and I realized that my clothes had disappeared from the bed.
"Where are all my clothes?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He shrugged, "I took the liberty to arrange them in the closet to relieve you of that task."
I blinked, stunned. "Well thanks, I suppose. You didn't have to do that."
I walked over to the nightstand, grabbing the katana from the nightstand and raised the sword, checking the blade. Slight tugs on the ends of my hair made me whip around, unsheathing the deadly sword to wedge itself between me and Adam. He caught my wrist and my arm ached from the motion and I winced. He eyed the bandage and immediately dropped my arm, stepping away from me.
"You're hurt?" he said. Was that concern I saw in his eyes?
I didn't say anything but touched the bandages softly. He looked at me before running a hand through his hair before it fell back perfectly in place. "I didn't realize." He said softly.
I shrugged it off, "It was from an earlier encounter tonight, its fine."
He sighed, "Well I wish you would have told me."
I shot him a glare, unconsciously stepping towards him in irritation "I don't need to tell you anything."
He glared at me back, taking a step as well. "If I had known, I wouldn't be trying to pick a fight with you when you're injured."
I laughed sarcastically, "Oh so you admit you're trying to start something with me?"
A fierce light blazed bright in his gaze, "And if I confess to that?"
I could feel the warmth of him as we stood merely inches from each other. He looked at me, a challenge to his words. I looked at him and lowered my gaze to his full lips. He noticed that and leaned towards me. I gasped softly, realizing he was going to kiss me. His lips were only centimeters away from mine and my eyes slowly closed. I waited and nothing happened and I peeked an eye open. Adam wasn't staring at me but lower. I followed his gaze and realized he was reading my shirt. I finally understood that I had been duped.
I blushed maddeningly red and clenched the katana in my hand. "Get out!" I yelled, grabbing a pillow from the bed and pelting it at him.
He dodged it with ease and bowed theatrically, "Till tomorrow, my dear. Sleep well."
I huffed in frustration and threw another pillow at him but he shut the door behind him, laughing all the way. "Does no one respect the words on a t-shirt!" I yelled, hoping he could hear me. I opened my door and looked at his retreating back, "They have feelings too!"
He waved a hand in the air without turning back and his laugh resonated throughout the halls. I blushed fiercely and slammed the door shut. I huffed in embarrassment after locking the door and sheathed my katana, leaning it against the bed. I retrieved the pillows I threw and fluffed them before setting them on the bed. I flipped off the light switch and flopped back on the bed. I laid there in silence, hearing the crickets chirp near the window.
I groaned, replaying the embarrassing scene through my head.
What have I gotten myself into?
