I kept my head down. Moving my feet as fast as I could. But it felt as if there was glue stuck between my calves.
Walking.
Walking.
Walking.
Walk, Sydney. Just walk. It's not that hard, you've been doing it forever. Just. Move. Your. Feet.
Since it was in the middle of the night, for them, the resort was pretty deserted. In fact outside of a couple of staff members rooming the halls and a clerk standing behind the front desk, it was pretty much empty. But it was in the air. The unfamiliarity. The hotel itself was very nice, very well furnitured and decorated but that didn't succeed in making me feel comfortable.
Slowly making my way to the front desk, taking deep breaths as I went, I tried thinking calming thoughts. Cars. Homework. Books. That usually worked. Not this time though. Nothing seemed to be successful in distracting me from the terrifying task at hand.
"Miss?" I was shook out of my failed attempts at distracting myself by the desk clerk. A tall, fair skinned guy. Obviously Moroi. I shuddered. God, pull yourself together, Sydney.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir." I stuttered, trying desperately to make my voice sound as firm as possible. "My name is Sydney, Sydney Sage. You should've gotten a call about an hour ago about my arrival."
"Oh, yes, the alchemist," He smiled, and to my horror his fangs showed, only slightly, but still, it was enough to make my hands tremble more than already. "Just give me a second, I just need to find you in our database and then we'll get your room key." He bent down slightly to look at the computer. Meanwhile, I was slowly losing my mind, on one hand frightened to death by the guy standing in front of me and on the other just as frightened by the fact that I was so scared of a guy who looked to be so kind. He's not a normal guy, Sydney. You need to remember that.
The clerk shook me out of my own thoughts once again with a cough and a smile as he handed me my room key. "Here you go, Miss. Sage, I hope you have a lovely stay, and always feel free to call down here if there's anything you need."
I made sure to thank him in the most civilized tone I could muster before rushing back towards the elevators.
So close, so close to safety. You almost made it, Sydney.
Almost there.
I was walking without looking up, focusing on the carpeted floor and my Mary Janes, I could see the elevator doors, and saw that, thank God, no one was standing around and waiting for one.
Ten steps and this will be over. Ten steps.
That was my last thought before I collided into a wool coat that smelled like cigarette smoke. I proceeded to fall to the ground ending up laying face down on the expensive looking carpet.
No, no, no why this, why this now. This cannot be happening to me.
"I mean I'm used to having girls fall all over me in theory, but this is a little extreme don't you think?"
I looked up trying to locate the guy currently saying a whole lot I weren't hearing due to my unfortunate spot on the floor.
I finally got myself turned around and clear headed enough to make out a face.
Tall, unnaturally pale, skinny… a Moroi. Of course I hadn't been in such luck to run straight into a human. That would've been too much to ask for.