There's a sense of weariness in the room in which I am. There's no sound, but the lack of it is comforting. Almost too comforting. I glance around for any signs of hellion activity, but with no luck. It's too dark.
Tentatively stepping forward, I breath slow and deep. I can feel the butt of my sword clinging to my thigh, nagging me to take it out and slash through demon bone and skin. My platoon is behind me, approaching with the same caution.
Two more breaths and I feel a hand on my shoulder. Spinning around, I catch his eyes. We're close enough to see each other in the dark and I can't help but find some comfort in the smell of his aftershave. Vivid green eyes stare back at me and at my questioning look, motion towards the corner. Following his gaze, I see it. A flash of teeth in the dark.
The prick is too busy munching on its last prey to notice us. And here I thought they had a couple dozen eyes for a reason.
I pull my blade from the sheath, recognising the hum of the sharp edge as it slides across the leather. Stepping towards the hell-turd, I swing my katana and it slides through air.
What…?
Something slams me to the ground hard and I swing around quickly, just barely flicking away the claw coming towards my face.
Suddenly, there's sounds of other turds and grunting and the familiar sound of blades colliding with claws and bone.
"Gabe!" I turn with my blade, slicing through the hellion's neck and effectively facing him.
Keeping one eye on him and the other on any personal threats, I shout back, "What?"
"Gabe!"
"What?!"
But he doesn't answer and I turn towards him questioningly. I can see his lips moves move but it's not his voice I hear next.
"Gabe! Gabe wake up! Gabe!"
A grip on my shoulders prevents me from conscious thought and I swing my arms up, swatting away the punctual girl I live with. We're technically women, but who cares for the minor details? I do.
"Jeez jeez, calm down! I'm just trying to wake you up. God Gaby," Meg's voice is soft and when she's exasperated, she sounds like a child.
"Oh Meg, I know you think I'm such a good person, but even I'm not God," I tease her.
She scoffs. "Clearly. Or you'd know that you have exactly an hour to go to work."
"An hour? How late… damn it," I growl at the clock beside my bed. Running my hands down my face, I mumble out a, "Thanks Megs."
She replies with an 'okay' and a 'bye' before she leaves to her own job.

***
An hour later and I'm teetering on the heels of my shoes outside the manager's office. He called me personally from his office to meet him. Nathaniel never calls someone personally to meet him. What did I do?
I haven't been late for like three months straight now and I haven't dropped behind on my time plan for the project. Ahh… now my stomach is all queasy. Damn it Nathaniel. I like just got my period today and this patient thing does not work with me, why are you making me wait?
I take two meditative breaths and press my fist into my stomach.
Not soon after that, Nathaniel's door slides open and I walk in. It slides back closed behind me.
I take in my manager sitting behind the desk. His attire and his hair is impeccable, as always. His gaze sharp and calculating.
"Morning Sir." I nod.
"Morning Gaby," he says and motions in front of him. Dropping my gaze there, I find a man sitting with his back to me, facing Nathaniel. A pang of familiarity hits my chest and suddenly I imagine myself wrapped in his powerful arms. A shudder runs through me. Damn period, making me imagine such things, ugh.
"Gaby?" Nathaniel's voice.
"Oh huh? I'm sorry sir, late night. What did you just say?" I say, panicked at being caught ogling the new man.
"I said, he's my nephew and is here to work with me. Especially with you. You'll be training him for the job as well as working on your project. You'll find that he is a quick learner. But don't be reluctant to be too strict to him just because he's my nephew. Alright?"
Was he serious? Train a newbie and manage my project at the same time?
"Yes, sir," I reply. A sudden bittersweet taste in my mouth.
"Great, now off you go. He starts today, so you can take him now." Nathaniel's dismissal is clear and I wait a heartbeat or two for his nephew to get off his arse and follow me.
But the moment he turns around, I forget how to breath.
Not only is he gorgeous,... but he's also the man in my dreams. The one who calls my name and helps me kill monsters. The same short dirty-blond hair, messy like he's just woken up. His face is too masculine to be pretty, with it has a gorgeous savageness to it that makes me shudder again. Damn it, hormones, I'm not even a teenager anymore. I follow his lean, muscular body with my gaze as he moves towards me, stopping three steps short of personal space distance.
I glance into his eyes, but they're not welcoming. At least not for another 2 seconds.
I gulp and croak out, "Shall we?"
His eyebrows wiggle and he stares at me as if I'm some alien. Alrighty then.
I turn my back to him and don't turn back to see if he's following. Because I have a feeling that if I do, I'll faint right into his arms and he feels like the type of person to take a step back instead of catching a fainting person. Not at all like in my dream, who was protective, and gentle...
Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with my head today?
Once we walk out of Nathaniel's office, I begin talking. It's a fast, nervous speech, but I think he understands.
"...and then the only other time we go to Nathaniel's office is if we're in trouble," I wink at him. "This hallway has no offices yet because… well I actually have no clue. If you need the bathroom, don't worry, that's near our office desk. Which can be lucky at times, not so much at other times if you know what I…"
Suddenly, his hands are on my arms and they tighten slightly, just enough to prevent me from escaping. My back is plastered against the concrete wall. My eyes are wide and stay on his chest, which is rising and falling with every angry breath he takes.
OMG, did Nathaniel put me to work with a psychopath?
"Gabe, what the fuck?" his harsh tone makes me flinch and I glance up into his eyes. Mine are still wide and my lips part, forcing in breaths that my nostrils can't take.
"Wh-what do you mean by swearing at me? And it's Gaby by the way, not Gabe," I stammer. I can feel my cheeks get warm and I'm hoping that my shock of a hair is at least useful in hiding my face.
His eyebrows are up now and a scowl pulls back his lips. He still looks handsome though.
"What do you mean, what do I mean? I've been looking for you everywhere! Everyone has. Have you been hiding here for the last year and a half?" His voice is sexy, but his words are confusing as fuck.
"Why were you looking for me? Do you even know me? Because like, I've only known YOU for like 10 seconds," I say, my voice a little breathy.
His face scrunches up in confusion and then relaxes, a look so confusing crosses his features.
He leans down a bit, towards me, towards my lips. I freeze, not that I was moving much before anyway.
His eyes say that he notices my fear, but face is confused at that fear. He continues bringing his face down and now we're just apart by the width of a hair. His reluctance is so obvious, but it's not a reluctance of his own want, it's a reluctance of an expectation of rejection. I have not kissed a boy in my life and never been on the receiving end of a crush, but it's as if he's expecting rejection, from me. The prospect brings a smile to my lips and I reach up with my fingers and touch his. They softer than they look.
His green eyes are watching me cautiously, carefully. I turn my face upwards and meet his lips with my own. He doesn't responds to the kiss for about three seconds and I'm about to pull back, when I feel his hands leave my arms and slide down my sides and around to the back, pressing me closer. I shudder against him and he presses me even more closer, his lips hungry on mine. There's an animalistic urge in him that I want to respond to and he's letting me. He lets me run my fingers through his hair and stop at the nape, picking at the curling ends. He lets me trail feather light fingers on his collarbone and still doesn't stop me when I curl my hand around his cheek.
I shudder again and it's definitely not the cold, because it's never that cold in Australia, as much as I wish there was.
In response, I feel his thumb slide underneath my shirt and stroke my stomach. A sigh escapes my lips and into his and only a moment goes by before we move away, gasping for breath. I lean my head against the wall while I catch my breath and watch him through hooded eyes as he watches me with a confused smile.
"I had no idea you were this good," he whispers. It doesn't feel like a compliment, but I want to take him home and see what else might I be good at. Then I remember my period. Ugh.
"Am I?" I whisper.
He smirks and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. "It doesn't matter if you are. Why are you pretending even though I've already caught you out?"
Huh?
"Rafael, I don't know what you're talking about," I say.
"Rafael, is it?"
"Isn't that your name?"
"Not Rafael to you."
"Then what?"
WIth a quizzical look, he breathes out, "Rafa," and pushes himself away.