Author's Notes: Well, there you have it. The first chapter and now here's the second. Thanks for the reviews.
*****************************************************************************
Shadow - By: Hell's Huntress
*****************************************************************************
The sky turned a dark shade of blue. The blazing red sun hid itself behind the distant mountains in less than a few seconds. The clouds were rolling in quickly. They looked like waves, slowly advancing towards each other yet too fast for real clouds' pace.
The moon slowly rose. It's silver rays turned grey when the clouds rolled over it. The sky turned pitch black. The street lamps were suddenly turned on. They were bright and yellow like the moon. The stoplights quickly changed from bright red, to green, then to that yellowish color in 15 seconds.
A crow suddenly flew out of nowhere and disappeared into the clouds after giving out one call. A cool breeze whipped her hair. She wrapped her arms around her body, pulling her light blue cotton jacket closer across her chest. Blonde bangs flew along with the air. The stoplights were changing faster now. The clouds moved faster. The lights flickered more.
She was standing there on the dark sidewalk, alone and watching cars smash into each other because of the changing lights. Fear was shaking her heart. She felt like a drum. Something was beating on her. Something hard and cold. The place was familiar, yet she couldn't be sure exactly where she was.
Papers flew everywhere and in the darkness of the night came a shadow. It was that of a man's. His footsteps were faint and he seemed to blend in to the darkness too much. She could barely be sure that she really did see a man. She squinted her eyes on instinct as if trying to get a better picture. She could have sworn he smiled at her. She didn't think he could, since she couldn't even see his face. However, her back tingled. She felt as if he was smiling at her, even if her eyes could only picture darkness. Her mind pictured something else......something unexplainable.
She was about to approach him but something made her freeze. The sound of screeching tires and smashing glass made her instantly turn around. Two cars smashed against each other before sliding across the paved streets and into a lamp post. The light flickered and died out. It fell on top of the two cars, crushing the remaining pieces of glass.
Her heart was caught in her throat. The wind whipped her even harder. Blinding lights suddenly forced her to turn away for a brief moment. Another car was heading in the direction of the two smashed cars. It's headlights were strong and bright. They allowed her to see that the car itself was a reddish color. However, that light was not to last.
The car screeched and spun around once before ramming into the two other cars. It couldn't stop. The three vehicles lay in a large heap that had moved nearly towards the middle of the street, completely covering one of the two lanes.
Her eyes went wide. A door was pushed open, and a small boy stumbled out, crying in pain. She couldn't quite see him, but she could make out short brown hair and a bloody bruise from the flickering of the lights. He seemed to look up to her. He extended his hand and screamed......
-----------------
The sound of the alarm clock blazed throughout the entire room. Serena jolted up in bed with a scream, sending the clock flying towards the side of the table. It was silent. Her breath was ragged. Her throat was sticky. Her heart thudded rapidly. Sweat ran down her neck, as reality began to sink in. Her vision was blurry. It slowly began to focus, revealing the familiar comfort of her home.
Her eyes were wide open. Her heart had slowed down, but she could still feel it beating against her chest. Strands of blonde hair fell upon her sweaty forhead. Her body trembled. Now all she could see was darkness mixed with the faint light blue glow of the rising sun. She stared blankly into space for a moment.
Silence.
The sound of early morning traffic.
A car honking.
Her heart skipped a beat upon hearing the cars. She nervously licked her parched lips. She closed her eyes for a moment before turning outside to face the balcony. It was early morning. She was in her room. She was fine. There was no accident. It was just a dream......no, a nightmare.
She fell back down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. It was too real, too life-like. She still felt as if she was witnessing the whole thing again. She was still in a dream-like state, except with a bit more reality. She could have sworn she was still in it. Reality slowly began to sink in, making her completely believe that nothing bad had happened.
Her brows knitted together in frustration mixed with a hint of fear. It didn't happen but you know it will happen, she inwardly scolded herself.
She tossed to one side of the bed, trying to push that thought away. It was just a thought.....probably foolish, but it pushed so much fear back into her heart. She held her head with her hands, gripping her hair tight as if she didn't want to hear any of it.
It won't happen, she chanted as she quickly got out of bed.
She pulled her hair back, away from her shoulders. Her neck felt cooler now that there wasn't anything itchy stuck to her sweat. She carefully returned the alarm clock to it's former place. She refused to think of the horrible nightmare that could turn into reality.......
She closed her eyes and pushed the thought away. Instead, she quickly grabbed a bowl of cereal she had placed in her refrigerator and a cold water bottle before staring outside her balcony. The cool water rushed down her throat, followed by the cold flakes that crushed against her teeth. 5:30 in the morning. Traffic begins and so does another day..........
----------------------
The streets crowded with cars rushing past the numerous people running here and there. The sidewalks were packed, and the coffee house piled with mountains of long lines. The scent of fresh coffee was enough to attract anyone passing by. So far it did.
He raised his hand and shielded his eyes from the bright sun which was now up high.
8:00 in the morning.
He could only wonder what time she would arrive for work.
As if on que, a woman with blonde hair popped out of nowhere, heading towards the large white building across the street. Her navy skirt gently swayed along with her hips. She disappeared into the crowd almost as soon as he saw her.
He grinned.
He had her, like a cat and a mouse. Unfortunately, he didn't get a very good view of her gaze. A glimpse was enough to tell him he had the right girl though. He knew it. Running a hand through his ebony hair, he took out the newspaper article and headed for the same building.
---------------------
" Good morning, sir, " Serena greeted once her knock were acknowledged.
A young man with brown hair looked up at her and smiled. " Good morning Serena - "
" I'm so sorry! I know I'm late but things have been going on lately and I've been very busy. I know it's not an excuse, but I have your papers........ "
He chuckled. She remained silent, flashing him a questioning look.
" Pardon me, but I really haven't even noticed you're..........two minutes late? Serena, I can tell that things have been busy. You're stressed. Honestly, two minutes isn't much. "
A faint blush rose to her cheeks. " Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought you wouldn't approve. "
" Well no one would really approve of being late, but this is something that can pass. It's only two minutes, not to mention that you haven't been late before. You're too hard on yourself, but thank you for letting me know my papers are done anyway. May I see them? "
She inwardly kicked herself. Here she was making herself look like a fool in front of her boss, Brian Fielding, the president of the whole company, and now it was completely obvious that she WAS stressed. Her brows slowly knitted together in frustration as she pulled the papers out and handed them to him.
He examined them for about a minute before setting them in a folder on the right hand corner of his desk. He looked up at her and smiled. " Get some rest later tonight. With your poem and everything I can't blame you for being tired. Trina's outside. She'll help you if you need anything. "
Her back stiffened at the sound of her name.
Trina. That idiotic secretary who was always jealous of her for some reason.
Serena guessed it was because of Brian since it was obvious the bitch liked him, though she honestly didn't see why she had to be involved in it. They weren't dating. She was just another secretary. She wore the same navy suit all of them were required to wear which made them look like that girl from Men in Black, with the exception of the color. She had her hair tied up just like Trina's......neat and presentable. All of them looked presentable enough so there wasn't anything more that she had for Trina to be jealous of.
Brian noticed her obvious change of mood. " Let's restate that; if you need something just knock. I'll do what I can. "
Serena flashed him a blank expression for a moment before realizing what he said. " Oh, no that's fine. That's really kind of you sir, but no thank you. I'll be fine. You're right, I was too hard on myself. I'll live don't worry. "
" Alright then..... "
" I'll just head back to work now, " she smiled at him before turning around to leave.
A small smile absently played on his lips after the door clicked shut.
Outside, however, Serena didn't manage to catch that. The only thing she noticed was the cold glare Trina was flashing her. She cocked a brow at the red headed bitch who quickly turned away. She grinned inwardly. Their rooms were just beside each other. That was true. That gave her more of a reason to hate the slut, but when it came to silent curses she always won the battle. Trina couldn't stand Serena's icy glare on her.
She coldly walked past her and entered her office. She didn't even have time to settle down in her chair. Almost as soon as the door closed, a knock followed.
It took her a few seconds to realize just what happened. She knitted her brows together in confusion and opened the door, revealing a taller girl with chestnut brown hair. Her jade eyes were sparkling with mischief. She was practically giddy.
" Lita? What - "
Her sentence trailed off as Lita pulled her gently by the arm and whispered something in her ear. Serena raised her brows in curiosity. Expressions flashed on her features, ranging from confusion, to curiosity, to disbelief, then to anxiety.
" He looks like my old boyfriend, " she ended her sentence in a low whipser....one that brought Trina's head up. Serena's back stiffened. Someone else was obviously curious. That would have usually annoyed her, but this time it made her smile.
" Send him up, " she replied in a louder voice. It was obvious she was trying to get Trina's attention, and it worked. The red head simply frowned and focused her attention back to the papers in front of her. However, it wasn't very hard to figure out that she was listening.
This made Serena grin a bit more. Lita told her the visit was for her......not for Trina. If her descriptions were right then making the bitch jealous could actually be sweet.
" Tell me what happens, " Lita grinned before casually walking off to get him.
Serena's eyes trailed over to Trina before retreating back to her office. A small smile was played on her lips as she sat down. She left the door open for him to enter when he arrived.
She was suddenly nervous.
What was she thinking? Her desire to annoy Trina blinded her. She wasn't usually like this. She just told Lita to invite the man when she didn't even know his name or what reasons he had. She only agreed to having him come in because she desperate to get on Trina's nerves. It worked, that was true, but she only based her descision on the fruitless descriptions Lita gave......handsome and terribly dreamy.
She frowned. She was having second thoughts and was about to stand up in an attempt catch up to Lita just in time to tell her to interrogate the man first when someone invited himself in. A tall man with ebony hair and sapphire eyes stepped in. Her first instinct was to scold him for just entering without knocking until she remembered that she deliberately left the door open.
She held back her words and stood up instead to greet him.
He closed the door behind him and extended his hand for a handshake. " Ms. Eve, I'm Darien Sachtcliff. "
Serena took his hand and shook it. Her eyes nearly went wide, but she managed to regain her composure. He didn't seem to notice. His grip was firm and his palm was warm. It wasn't until then that she realized that Lita was actually right. He was handsome. His body was firm and very inviting.......
She roughly shook her thoughts away. She was here for business, not pleasure! She was instantly disgusted with herself.
" I'm sorry for not knocking but the door was open so I assumed that you weren't expecting a knock. "
She nodded, taking note of the fact that he knew her last name. "It's fine. Please take a seat."
Both of them sat down in one swift motion. She was uneasy. He just sat.....period. He just looked so comfortable, as if he never lost his "cool".
" Well Mr. Sachtcliff, what brings you here? "
" Your poem. " He took out the article and presented it to her.
" Oh, " she replied in an almost relieved tone. He was there for her poem.....that eased all remaining questions she had.
" I find it wonderful. It's amazing how a young woman like you could have such a talent for poetry. "
" Thank you. "
" I only speak the truth, " he smiled. " Your words are very deep......very descriptive. And the topic.....I find that very interesting. "
" Really? Why so? "
" I take it you are interested in beings like vampires. "
" Sometimes. I just felt like writing about them....it's not exactly a passion. And you? "
" I think vampires are fascinating creatures. You didn't really mention the words vampire or blood drinker at all, but your descriptions tell me enough to know that you were relating to them. It was as if you were trying to describe a certain darkness and all beings related to vampires at the same time in a very imaginative way. "
She cocked a brow at him. " Why Mr. Sachtcliff, you seem like a man of many deep words as well. "
He smirked. " I can be at times, only when the person I am speaking with is worth it. "
A faint blush rose to her cheeks. They disappeared immediatly which eased the panic that came along with it. He didn't seem to notice that either........but she could have been wrong.
" You know you're the first person to ever figure that out. Many people just thought I was writing about darkness in general. Nothing but that. And to think that I was actually thinking just that very thing you mention when I wrote the poem...... " she was suddenly uneasy. The man seemed to read her thoughts. It almost scared her.
He grinned. It was a flattering grin, yet a dark one at the same time. It sent a cold shiver down her back. " Well then those people haven't completely read your poem and understood it's meaning. I think it's very beautiful, " his eyes were piercing into hers. He could have been mistaken for a mesmerized man who was referring to her as beautiful instead of the poem just by giving her that intense gaze. It made her insides turn to jello.
There was a heavy silence that followed. His intense gaze remained at her the whole time. It made her very uncomfortable.
She shifted in her seat. " So Mr. Sachtcliff........ "
" Darien. Please, call me Darien. "
" Darien...... " her eyes narrowed in amusement. " Exactly how did you find out where I work at? I don't recall including my office address in my small author introduction - "
" Introduction? "
" Yes........the one beside my poem. You remember reading that, don't you? "
" Oh, yes. It's the one with.....with...... "
" Information about me, " her gaze darkened.
He mentally killed Rafe. He could only wish that did happen. The stupid guy forgot to cut out that part, or did he really forget? He gritted his teeth to keep himself from growling. He made himself look like a fool, and at the same time he learned about a source where he could get valuable information about her. He was excited and irritated at the same time.
He ran a firm hand through his hair and smiled at her. " I'm sorry, I must be losing it. It's just that so many things have been going on..... " His attempts to stay and look comfortable were failing.
" M hmm. We all have those days. "
" Yes. "
" Now, let's go back to my previous question......how did you find out about where I work at? "
" Word of mouth. Many people have heard of you, and a lot of them have sources that tell them you work here. You know.........rumors, " he lied. It was probably true in a way, but he couldn't prove that. He had other ways of getting information.
" I see...... " there was a look of doubt in her eyes. She was obviously skeptical. It made him nervous. He hated being nervous. It nearly made him mad because he was never nervous around women.
What's wrong with me, he scolded himself. She's just a girl.....a damn smart one.
She was about to say something when a knock on the door interrupted them. She looked annoyed for a moment.
" Excuse me, " she stood up and opened the door halfway. He couldn't exactly see who she was talking to but he managed to catch a glimpse of brown hair.
He chuckled. It was that girl again.
The two girls quickly started a small conversation. Their voices were low. The conversation sounded formal with a few excited interruptions every now and then. The girl nearly squealed and Serena casually remarked, " Lita! " It was as if she were scolding her, but the amusement in her voice told him otherwise.
Lita, was it? He saw her hand Serena a few papers. Business papers, he inwardly snorted.
He would listen more if he wanted to. After all, his hearing could sharpen whenever he wanted it to, but this time he had other matters to take care of. It was the perfect opportunity.
The door was barely open, Lita couldn't see him, Serena wasn't facing him and was obviously distracted, plus she looked as if she were about to close the door. The conversation was about to end. He actually felt guilty, but he pushed the annoying feeling away.
Serena was an amazing woman so far which meant that he couldn't let her get to him. He might as well get it over with before something happens.........something that could stop him............something he didn't want to think about.
He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small knife, almost like a penknife. The sooner he got rid of her, the sooner he could get this last task over with. However, something made him hesitate. Watching her nod and slowly start to close the door mesmerized him. She was such a mystery......almost too beautiful to kill.
He frowned.
Forget her! She wasn't the only smart woman in the world. He would find more that he wouldn't actually have to kill, even though that's never really happened that yet. He slowly positioned the knife in his hand in a certain way that represented what a killer would do. He would be free soon.....his own person and maybe a master himself one day. He couldn't let this....this blonde bitch get in his way!
He cringed. The words didn't seem to describe her.
He nearly growled. He wanted any other thoughts to shut up. What was so hard about killing one girl when he's been doing the same thing this whole time? Not once was he caught or suspected. He was a creature......a different being.......those like him shouldn't find something like this very hard. He did what they did. He attracted his victims, quickly and silently killed them, erased all memories of those related to the victims, then he would take their fingers to make prints on the knives he used to make it look like a suicide attempt.
He had no fingerprints.
It was more complicated than that but those were the basics. He knew them. Knowing them eased him out of danger already. That wasn't a problem for him. Same thing for others like him, so why should he find it hard to kill her?
He stopped a few inches away from Serena's back. He clenched the knife in his tight grip. Her back stiffened. He could tell. She felt him there, even though she might not have known it was him behind her.
He paused. He had to let her close the door first or things would be too obvious. At least he was positioned already. The moment that she closed the door, she was dead. It be a swift and silent death......he would be gone, memories would be erased, and no one would suspect a thing. No one would think of him as a killer for one second.
Not even Lita.
He frowned. That girl was observant and a threat. She was all over him. Erasing her memory would be hard......but worth it.
C'mon, close the damn door! He wanted to rip Serena's hair out and just make her close the damn thing. He inwardly sighed. He had to be patient. It was the last task after all. He didn't know how many times he had to remind himself that, but at least he knew that the results would be worth it. He would be free........free from Rafe................
The name seemed to strike him like a lightning bolt. Rafe.....was this what he meant? Was this why he gave a "simple girl" to Darien as a task? Was it because he knew she was really a hard and amazing target that would weaken Darien?
He frowned.
No, he wasn't weak. The old man probably chose Serena as the victim because he knew it would take a long time for Darien to get things over with. He knew she was too hard, too much of a distraction, and too much for a catch. She was like him. Clever and very distracting, even if she didn't realize it.
A dark smirk rose to his lips as the door finally clicked shut. She was looking down at the papers, flipping through them, while very slowly turning around to face the chair where Darien was once sitting in. It was as if her gaze was too lazy to leave the papers right away.
No, Rafe was wrong. She wasn't hard. She was easy. He would prove himself strong and smart enough to kill her. He would be worthy of his own freedom and Rafe would regret what he did. He would be greater than the old man!
His smirk darkened as he raised his hand to kill. In less than a second, he gave no second thought and was about to quickly strike when she suddenly turned around.
The hand was forced back down to his side almost as quickly as it was about to strike.
" I'm sorry, " she smiled. " Just a few business papers. I'm not usually this rude but - "
" It's fine, " he hissed. The knife was swiftly slipped back into his pocket. She didn't notice.
Her brows knitted together in confusion and alarm. " I'm sorry I made you impatient. You even stood up..... "
He chuckled. " No, I was just curious. " She thought the hiss meant he couldn't wait. " Look, I better get going. It was a pleasure meeting you Ms. Eve. Maybe we can do this again sometime, " he smiled at her in an attempt to hide his failure to kill her right away....and his disappointment.
" This? "
" You know, discuss your poem. I'd like to know more. Maybe with some coffee? "
" Coffee sounds fine. "
" Well then, " he took her hand and gently kissed it. " Shall I see you on Saturday at say.......around 8? "
" Alright..... "
" Okay then. I'll pick you up, " he grinned. He'll pick her up alright......if he didn't kill her first.
" Okay.......but how will you find where I live? I haven't even told you - "
" I'll find away, " he smiled before stepping outside the door and disappearing behind the elevator doors.
I'll follow you home, he chuckled to himself as the elevator chimed and took him down to the lobby. I'll follow you home......
*****************************************************************************
Author's Notes: *wonders what the whole story would be like if it were a movie* Well, how do you like it? We learned a little special something about Serena. She has that certain gift some people have that allows them to have visions of the future. (No, it's not magic. Anyone can really do that in real life if they know how) That special little thing will come into the action in the next chapter.
O.o He'll follow her home............... (ring any bells as to what he could do during that?) Relate it to one of those last few lines he was thinking during the coffee thing. Hehe.........reviews and emails please! Thanks :) Oh and pardon any errors.
P.S. Special thanks to Tessa just in case you're reading this.
*****************************************************************************
Shadow - By: Hell's Huntress
*****************************************************************************
The sky turned a dark shade of blue. The blazing red sun hid itself behind the distant mountains in less than a few seconds. The clouds were rolling in quickly. They looked like waves, slowly advancing towards each other yet too fast for real clouds' pace.
The moon slowly rose. It's silver rays turned grey when the clouds rolled over it. The sky turned pitch black. The street lamps were suddenly turned on. They were bright and yellow like the moon. The stoplights quickly changed from bright red, to green, then to that yellowish color in 15 seconds.
A crow suddenly flew out of nowhere and disappeared into the clouds after giving out one call. A cool breeze whipped her hair. She wrapped her arms around her body, pulling her light blue cotton jacket closer across her chest. Blonde bangs flew along with the air. The stoplights were changing faster now. The clouds moved faster. The lights flickered more.
She was standing there on the dark sidewalk, alone and watching cars smash into each other because of the changing lights. Fear was shaking her heart. She felt like a drum. Something was beating on her. Something hard and cold. The place was familiar, yet she couldn't be sure exactly where she was.
Papers flew everywhere and in the darkness of the night came a shadow. It was that of a man's. His footsteps were faint and he seemed to blend in to the darkness too much. She could barely be sure that she really did see a man. She squinted her eyes on instinct as if trying to get a better picture. She could have sworn he smiled at her. She didn't think he could, since she couldn't even see his face. However, her back tingled. She felt as if he was smiling at her, even if her eyes could only picture darkness. Her mind pictured something else......something unexplainable.
She was about to approach him but something made her freeze. The sound of screeching tires and smashing glass made her instantly turn around. Two cars smashed against each other before sliding across the paved streets and into a lamp post. The light flickered and died out. It fell on top of the two cars, crushing the remaining pieces of glass.
Her heart was caught in her throat. The wind whipped her even harder. Blinding lights suddenly forced her to turn away for a brief moment. Another car was heading in the direction of the two smashed cars. It's headlights were strong and bright. They allowed her to see that the car itself was a reddish color. However, that light was not to last.
The car screeched and spun around once before ramming into the two other cars. It couldn't stop. The three vehicles lay in a large heap that had moved nearly towards the middle of the street, completely covering one of the two lanes.
Her eyes went wide. A door was pushed open, and a small boy stumbled out, crying in pain. She couldn't quite see him, but she could make out short brown hair and a bloody bruise from the flickering of the lights. He seemed to look up to her. He extended his hand and screamed......
-----------------
The sound of the alarm clock blazed throughout the entire room. Serena jolted up in bed with a scream, sending the clock flying towards the side of the table. It was silent. Her breath was ragged. Her throat was sticky. Her heart thudded rapidly. Sweat ran down her neck, as reality began to sink in. Her vision was blurry. It slowly began to focus, revealing the familiar comfort of her home.
Her eyes were wide open. Her heart had slowed down, but she could still feel it beating against her chest. Strands of blonde hair fell upon her sweaty forhead. Her body trembled. Now all she could see was darkness mixed with the faint light blue glow of the rising sun. She stared blankly into space for a moment.
Silence.
The sound of early morning traffic.
A car honking.
Her heart skipped a beat upon hearing the cars. She nervously licked her parched lips. She closed her eyes for a moment before turning outside to face the balcony. It was early morning. She was in her room. She was fine. There was no accident. It was just a dream......no, a nightmare.
She fell back down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. It was too real, too life-like. She still felt as if she was witnessing the whole thing again. She was still in a dream-like state, except with a bit more reality. She could have sworn she was still in it. Reality slowly began to sink in, making her completely believe that nothing bad had happened.
Her brows knitted together in frustration mixed with a hint of fear. It didn't happen but you know it will happen, she inwardly scolded herself.
She tossed to one side of the bed, trying to push that thought away. It was just a thought.....probably foolish, but it pushed so much fear back into her heart. She held her head with her hands, gripping her hair tight as if she didn't want to hear any of it.
It won't happen, she chanted as she quickly got out of bed.
She pulled her hair back, away from her shoulders. Her neck felt cooler now that there wasn't anything itchy stuck to her sweat. She carefully returned the alarm clock to it's former place. She refused to think of the horrible nightmare that could turn into reality.......
She closed her eyes and pushed the thought away. Instead, she quickly grabbed a bowl of cereal she had placed in her refrigerator and a cold water bottle before staring outside her balcony. The cool water rushed down her throat, followed by the cold flakes that crushed against her teeth. 5:30 in the morning. Traffic begins and so does another day..........
----------------------
The streets crowded with cars rushing past the numerous people running here and there. The sidewalks were packed, and the coffee house piled with mountains of long lines. The scent of fresh coffee was enough to attract anyone passing by. So far it did.
He raised his hand and shielded his eyes from the bright sun which was now up high.
8:00 in the morning.
He could only wonder what time she would arrive for work.
As if on que, a woman with blonde hair popped out of nowhere, heading towards the large white building across the street. Her navy skirt gently swayed along with her hips. She disappeared into the crowd almost as soon as he saw her.
He grinned.
He had her, like a cat and a mouse. Unfortunately, he didn't get a very good view of her gaze. A glimpse was enough to tell him he had the right girl though. He knew it. Running a hand through his ebony hair, he took out the newspaper article and headed for the same building.
---------------------
" Good morning, sir, " Serena greeted once her knock were acknowledged.
A young man with brown hair looked up at her and smiled. " Good morning Serena - "
" I'm so sorry! I know I'm late but things have been going on lately and I've been very busy. I know it's not an excuse, but I have your papers........ "
He chuckled. She remained silent, flashing him a questioning look.
" Pardon me, but I really haven't even noticed you're..........two minutes late? Serena, I can tell that things have been busy. You're stressed. Honestly, two minutes isn't much. "
A faint blush rose to her cheeks. " Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought you wouldn't approve. "
" Well no one would really approve of being late, but this is something that can pass. It's only two minutes, not to mention that you haven't been late before. You're too hard on yourself, but thank you for letting me know my papers are done anyway. May I see them? "
She inwardly kicked herself. Here she was making herself look like a fool in front of her boss, Brian Fielding, the president of the whole company, and now it was completely obvious that she WAS stressed. Her brows slowly knitted together in frustration as she pulled the papers out and handed them to him.
He examined them for about a minute before setting them in a folder on the right hand corner of his desk. He looked up at her and smiled. " Get some rest later tonight. With your poem and everything I can't blame you for being tired. Trina's outside. She'll help you if you need anything. "
Her back stiffened at the sound of her name.
Trina. That idiotic secretary who was always jealous of her for some reason.
Serena guessed it was because of Brian since it was obvious the bitch liked him, though she honestly didn't see why she had to be involved in it. They weren't dating. She was just another secretary. She wore the same navy suit all of them were required to wear which made them look like that girl from Men in Black, with the exception of the color. She had her hair tied up just like Trina's......neat and presentable. All of them looked presentable enough so there wasn't anything more that she had for Trina to be jealous of.
Brian noticed her obvious change of mood. " Let's restate that; if you need something just knock. I'll do what I can. "
Serena flashed him a blank expression for a moment before realizing what he said. " Oh, no that's fine. That's really kind of you sir, but no thank you. I'll be fine. You're right, I was too hard on myself. I'll live don't worry. "
" Alright then..... "
" I'll just head back to work now, " she smiled at him before turning around to leave.
A small smile absently played on his lips after the door clicked shut.
Outside, however, Serena didn't manage to catch that. The only thing she noticed was the cold glare Trina was flashing her. She cocked a brow at the red headed bitch who quickly turned away. She grinned inwardly. Their rooms were just beside each other. That was true. That gave her more of a reason to hate the slut, but when it came to silent curses she always won the battle. Trina couldn't stand Serena's icy glare on her.
She coldly walked past her and entered her office. She didn't even have time to settle down in her chair. Almost as soon as the door closed, a knock followed.
It took her a few seconds to realize just what happened. She knitted her brows together in confusion and opened the door, revealing a taller girl with chestnut brown hair. Her jade eyes were sparkling with mischief. She was practically giddy.
" Lita? What - "
Her sentence trailed off as Lita pulled her gently by the arm and whispered something in her ear. Serena raised her brows in curiosity. Expressions flashed on her features, ranging from confusion, to curiosity, to disbelief, then to anxiety.
" He looks like my old boyfriend, " she ended her sentence in a low whipser....one that brought Trina's head up. Serena's back stiffened. Someone else was obviously curious. That would have usually annoyed her, but this time it made her smile.
" Send him up, " she replied in a louder voice. It was obvious she was trying to get Trina's attention, and it worked. The red head simply frowned and focused her attention back to the papers in front of her. However, it wasn't very hard to figure out that she was listening.
This made Serena grin a bit more. Lita told her the visit was for her......not for Trina. If her descriptions were right then making the bitch jealous could actually be sweet.
" Tell me what happens, " Lita grinned before casually walking off to get him.
Serena's eyes trailed over to Trina before retreating back to her office. A small smile was played on her lips as she sat down. She left the door open for him to enter when he arrived.
She was suddenly nervous.
What was she thinking? Her desire to annoy Trina blinded her. She wasn't usually like this. She just told Lita to invite the man when she didn't even know his name or what reasons he had. She only agreed to having him come in because she desperate to get on Trina's nerves. It worked, that was true, but she only based her descision on the fruitless descriptions Lita gave......handsome and terribly dreamy.
She frowned. She was having second thoughts and was about to stand up in an attempt catch up to Lita just in time to tell her to interrogate the man first when someone invited himself in. A tall man with ebony hair and sapphire eyes stepped in. Her first instinct was to scold him for just entering without knocking until she remembered that she deliberately left the door open.
She held back her words and stood up instead to greet him.
He closed the door behind him and extended his hand for a handshake. " Ms. Eve, I'm Darien Sachtcliff. "
Serena took his hand and shook it. Her eyes nearly went wide, but she managed to regain her composure. He didn't seem to notice. His grip was firm and his palm was warm. It wasn't until then that she realized that Lita was actually right. He was handsome. His body was firm and very inviting.......
She roughly shook her thoughts away. She was here for business, not pleasure! She was instantly disgusted with herself.
" I'm sorry for not knocking but the door was open so I assumed that you weren't expecting a knock. "
She nodded, taking note of the fact that he knew her last name. "It's fine. Please take a seat."
Both of them sat down in one swift motion. She was uneasy. He just sat.....period. He just looked so comfortable, as if he never lost his "cool".
" Well Mr. Sachtcliff, what brings you here? "
" Your poem. " He took out the article and presented it to her.
" Oh, " she replied in an almost relieved tone. He was there for her poem.....that eased all remaining questions she had.
" I find it wonderful. It's amazing how a young woman like you could have such a talent for poetry. "
" Thank you. "
" I only speak the truth, " he smiled. " Your words are very deep......very descriptive. And the topic.....I find that very interesting. "
" Really? Why so? "
" I take it you are interested in beings like vampires. "
" Sometimes. I just felt like writing about them....it's not exactly a passion. And you? "
" I think vampires are fascinating creatures. You didn't really mention the words vampire or blood drinker at all, but your descriptions tell me enough to know that you were relating to them. It was as if you were trying to describe a certain darkness and all beings related to vampires at the same time in a very imaginative way. "
She cocked a brow at him. " Why Mr. Sachtcliff, you seem like a man of many deep words as well. "
He smirked. " I can be at times, only when the person I am speaking with is worth it. "
A faint blush rose to her cheeks. They disappeared immediatly which eased the panic that came along with it. He didn't seem to notice that either........but she could have been wrong.
" You know you're the first person to ever figure that out. Many people just thought I was writing about darkness in general. Nothing but that. And to think that I was actually thinking just that very thing you mention when I wrote the poem...... " she was suddenly uneasy. The man seemed to read her thoughts. It almost scared her.
He grinned. It was a flattering grin, yet a dark one at the same time. It sent a cold shiver down her back. " Well then those people haven't completely read your poem and understood it's meaning. I think it's very beautiful, " his eyes were piercing into hers. He could have been mistaken for a mesmerized man who was referring to her as beautiful instead of the poem just by giving her that intense gaze. It made her insides turn to jello.
There was a heavy silence that followed. His intense gaze remained at her the whole time. It made her very uncomfortable.
She shifted in her seat. " So Mr. Sachtcliff........ "
" Darien. Please, call me Darien. "
" Darien...... " her eyes narrowed in amusement. " Exactly how did you find out where I work at? I don't recall including my office address in my small author introduction - "
" Introduction? "
" Yes........the one beside my poem. You remember reading that, don't you? "
" Oh, yes. It's the one with.....with...... "
" Information about me, " her gaze darkened.
He mentally killed Rafe. He could only wish that did happen. The stupid guy forgot to cut out that part, or did he really forget? He gritted his teeth to keep himself from growling. He made himself look like a fool, and at the same time he learned about a source where he could get valuable information about her. He was excited and irritated at the same time.
He ran a firm hand through his hair and smiled at her. " I'm sorry, I must be losing it. It's just that so many things have been going on..... " His attempts to stay and look comfortable were failing.
" M hmm. We all have those days. "
" Yes. "
" Now, let's go back to my previous question......how did you find out about where I work at? "
" Word of mouth. Many people have heard of you, and a lot of them have sources that tell them you work here. You know.........rumors, " he lied. It was probably true in a way, but he couldn't prove that. He had other ways of getting information.
" I see...... " there was a look of doubt in her eyes. She was obviously skeptical. It made him nervous. He hated being nervous. It nearly made him mad because he was never nervous around women.
What's wrong with me, he scolded himself. She's just a girl.....a damn smart one.
She was about to say something when a knock on the door interrupted them. She looked annoyed for a moment.
" Excuse me, " she stood up and opened the door halfway. He couldn't exactly see who she was talking to but he managed to catch a glimpse of brown hair.
He chuckled. It was that girl again.
The two girls quickly started a small conversation. Their voices were low. The conversation sounded formal with a few excited interruptions every now and then. The girl nearly squealed and Serena casually remarked, " Lita! " It was as if she were scolding her, but the amusement in her voice told him otherwise.
Lita, was it? He saw her hand Serena a few papers. Business papers, he inwardly snorted.
He would listen more if he wanted to. After all, his hearing could sharpen whenever he wanted it to, but this time he had other matters to take care of. It was the perfect opportunity.
The door was barely open, Lita couldn't see him, Serena wasn't facing him and was obviously distracted, plus she looked as if she were about to close the door. The conversation was about to end. He actually felt guilty, but he pushed the annoying feeling away.
Serena was an amazing woman so far which meant that he couldn't let her get to him. He might as well get it over with before something happens.........something that could stop him............something he didn't want to think about.
He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small knife, almost like a penknife. The sooner he got rid of her, the sooner he could get this last task over with. However, something made him hesitate. Watching her nod and slowly start to close the door mesmerized him. She was such a mystery......almost too beautiful to kill.
He frowned.
Forget her! She wasn't the only smart woman in the world. He would find more that he wouldn't actually have to kill, even though that's never really happened that yet. He slowly positioned the knife in his hand in a certain way that represented what a killer would do. He would be free soon.....his own person and maybe a master himself one day. He couldn't let this....this blonde bitch get in his way!
He cringed. The words didn't seem to describe her.
He nearly growled. He wanted any other thoughts to shut up. What was so hard about killing one girl when he's been doing the same thing this whole time? Not once was he caught or suspected. He was a creature......a different being.......those like him shouldn't find something like this very hard. He did what they did. He attracted his victims, quickly and silently killed them, erased all memories of those related to the victims, then he would take their fingers to make prints on the knives he used to make it look like a suicide attempt.
He had no fingerprints.
It was more complicated than that but those were the basics. He knew them. Knowing them eased him out of danger already. That wasn't a problem for him. Same thing for others like him, so why should he find it hard to kill her?
He stopped a few inches away from Serena's back. He clenched the knife in his tight grip. Her back stiffened. He could tell. She felt him there, even though she might not have known it was him behind her.
He paused. He had to let her close the door first or things would be too obvious. At least he was positioned already. The moment that she closed the door, she was dead. It be a swift and silent death......he would be gone, memories would be erased, and no one would suspect a thing. No one would think of him as a killer for one second.
Not even Lita.
He frowned. That girl was observant and a threat. She was all over him. Erasing her memory would be hard......but worth it.
C'mon, close the damn door! He wanted to rip Serena's hair out and just make her close the damn thing. He inwardly sighed. He had to be patient. It was the last task after all. He didn't know how many times he had to remind himself that, but at least he knew that the results would be worth it. He would be free........free from Rafe................
The name seemed to strike him like a lightning bolt. Rafe.....was this what he meant? Was this why he gave a "simple girl" to Darien as a task? Was it because he knew she was really a hard and amazing target that would weaken Darien?
He frowned.
No, he wasn't weak. The old man probably chose Serena as the victim because he knew it would take a long time for Darien to get things over with. He knew she was too hard, too much of a distraction, and too much for a catch. She was like him. Clever and very distracting, even if she didn't realize it.
A dark smirk rose to his lips as the door finally clicked shut. She was looking down at the papers, flipping through them, while very slowly turning around to face the chair where Darien was once sitting in. It was as if her gaze was too lazy to leave the papers right away.
No, Rafe was wrong. She wasn't hard. She was easy. He would prove himself strong and smart enough to kill her. He would be worthy of his own freedom and Rafe would regret what he did. He would be greater than the old man!
His smirk darkened as he raised his hand to kill. In less than a second, he gave no second thought and was about to quickly strike when she suddenly turned around.
The hand was forced back down to his side almost as quickly as it was about to strike.
" I'm sorry, " she smiled. " Just a few business papers. I'm not usually this rude but - "
" It's fine, " he hissed. The knife was swiftly slipped back into his pocket. She didn't notice.
Her brows knitted together in confusion and alarm. " I'm sorry I made you impatient. You even stood up..... "
He chuckled. " No, I was just curious. " She thought the hiss meant he couldn't wait. " Look, I better get going. It was a pleasure meeting you Ms. Eve. Maybe we can do this again sometime, " he smiled at her in an attempt to hide his failure to kill her right away....and his disappointment.
" This? "
" You know, discuss your poem. I'd like to know more. Maybe with some coffee? "
" Coffee sounds fine. "
" Well then, " he took her hand and gently kissed it. " Shall I see you on Saturday at say.......around 8? "
" Alright..... "
" Okay then. I'll pick you up, " he grinned. He'll pick her up alright......if he didn't kill her first.
" Okay.......but how will you find where I live? I haven't even told you - "
" I'll find away, " he smiled before stepping outside the door and disappearing behind the elevator doors.
I'll follow you home, he chuckled to himself as the elevator chimed and took him down to the lobby. I'll follow you home......
*****************************************************************************
Author's Notes: *wonders what the whole story would be like if it were a movie* Well, how do you like it? We learned a little special something about Serena. She has that certain gift some people have that allows them to have visions of the future. (No, it's not magic. Anyone can really do that in real life if they know how) That special little thing will come into the action in the next chapter.
O.o He'll follow her home............... (ring any bells as to what he could do during that?) Relate it to one of those last few lines he was thinking during the coffee thing. Hehe.........reviews and emails please! Thanks :) Oh and pardon any errors.
P.S. Special thanks to Tessa just in case you're reading this.
