CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

A few months later.

No!

I lost track of the little shit I was chasing. A man, a newly turned vampire in his twenties was attacking another male. He was so new he didn't know he had vampire speed. It took me a fraction of a second to decide to go after him and not Mattie who tended to the victim.

Actually I didn't really consult him and just shot off.

I assumed that once Mattie got home to the nearest hospital, he would catch up with me and probably be either mad as fuck with me going after a vampire or really worried. Or both.

It was raining so much so that my steps caused a rippling effect, splashing water in my shoes. It was night. We were in a town centre with the lights of some shops still lit, reflecting off the thin layer of water on the ground.

There wasn't that many people out here, thank God. I only had to worry about staff on retail shops ending their… night.

My footsteps slowed to a stop. I was panting, my breath forming condescension. Alpha and Beta were in my hands absolutely soaked and cold.

Looking around I couldn't see the bastard so I did something I shouldn't and stowed one in its holster, putting on gloves so I don't accidently shoot because of the water. I grabbed the gun out holding it up to the sky as I hugged the wall making my way through the centre.

I had passed a couple of blocks when I heard a woman scream. I saw her running down the main pathway toward me. She saw me with the guns then screamed again. I caught sight of him lumbering after her like he was a barrel just rolling down a hill. He hadn't seen me even though I was in plain view so I took aim and shot his thigh with Alpha. Rookie.

With a yelp he fell on his face, both arms holding his wound. I ran at him, taking advantage of his lack of vampire knowledge. In no time I holstered Alpha and jammed Beta at his head as I straggled over him. No way in hell was I going to lose sight of him again.

"Stay down!" I shouted having to readjust my position as he thrashed out.

"I did nothing wrong!" He cried out, shielding his face with his hands.

Now that I got him, I just need to wait till Mattie got here. "Yeah, attacking someone is classed as 'doing nothing wrong' - stop moving!"

The guy froze. His eyes trailed at the design on Beta. In an instant his breathing became harsher. He whimpered. "I thought Rose was demolished." You're a new vampire but you know of Rose? Who the fuck are you?

I was going to answer him before the wind blew my hair to the side and I knew Mattie was here. I looked at him from the corner of my eye for the indication I needed. The slightest tilt of his head was it. I clambered off the man. Mattie quickly held him down with his arm at the guy's neck.

I took out my phone and pressed for the speed dial as I holstered Beta. It was answered on the first ring.

"Hunt."

"We got him." I said. "What do you want us to do?"

"Give him a warning. And let him know Rose has got eyes on him. We'll deal with the aftermath for the victim."

"Alright."

I held the phone away as I repeated what Sam said to Mattie who got off him but held onto his wrist. The sorry guy was trying to get his hand free yelling obscenities at Mattie who was watching me.

To the phone I said, "All done, we're coming back."

"If you're letting me go then let go!" He was shouting.

"We will." I ended the call. "Just know that Rose will know if you're doing something wrong." I bored my eyes into him.

"But Rose is-"

"Rose is alive." Mattie said letting go. The guy shot off into the night faster than I was tailing him.

"Well." I said staring at his back.

"Well, indeed." Mattie said turning to me. "Why did you shoot off after him?" I couldn't read his face. Everything on it was just frozen. Why is it when I need to read it, I can't?

My mind was blank. I blinked several times as I tried to get the cogwheels running. "I…"

Mattie took a step toward me. His expression changed. His eyes became harsher as if he was looking at his prey, absolutely focused on his target. Oh, shit, he's mad.

"Answer me, Alice. You could have been seriously hurt if that guy knew what strengths he had."

My mouth opened and closed and still I couldn't form a reply. It was dry. All I thought was, 'but they're all what if's'.

Mattie kept walking toward me. It was only when he was about a metre in front of me, that I started to step back. It was the only thing I could do.

"Alice…" His eyes narrowed. His pace quickened as did mine.

Until I couldn't anymore. My back was pressed against the walls of a shop. The reflections of the lights on the water made him look menacing. In the darkness, Mattie's emerald eyes were the only thing that could be seen on his face. It chilled my blood to the core. My breathing became harsher, more frequent.

But this was not the feeling of being chased by a rogue. That was the only reason I didn't pull Beta.

Mattie pinned me to the wall. An arm was beside my head against the wall while his other was tilting my chin to meet his gaze. And damn, they burned.

"You haven't answered my question."

I swallowed shaking my head to dislodge the shock of Mattie's stance with me. It was then the wheels started moving.

"This whole job is dangerous!" I frailed my arms around to emphasize my point.

"Rule two! It kinda covers all situations, don't you think?"

Mattie looked stunned. His eyes were wide as if he saw something so unusual it left him unable to think properly. Or maybe my jumbled up thoughts invaded his.

I continued, pointing a shaking finger at him. "Furthermore are you going to say this in every case we deal with? It's getting tiresome and needless to say that question is redundant considering the time we've been partners." I fumed. This was our fourth… fifth job in so many months.

He narrowed his eyes, those green eyes turning almost into slits, "you're right. But it doesn't change the fact that on some cases you just run into the danger! I might have my vampire speed, but I cannot hurry something that's out of my hands. You need to tell me what you're going to do, even if its a tilt of the head, a point or a saying." He ran his hand through his hair exasperated. "You need to improve on your communication."

Is that why he asked that constantly?

In the last few cases we did, I did run without talking to him, that's true, but there was a part of me that said, 'I don't want to see Mattie as a rogue' and another part of me that says the chances of that happening are higher when we're on a case. It was this point that I didn't want him to know because… because I couldn't stay by his side as his feeder. Neither as his… girlfriend? Lover? Whatever I was to him that kept me next to him.

I knew I should tell him about my bloody hands the moment we stepped back into original Rose, now just called Rose, where Sam and Iain were waiting once we had some time off after agreeing to rebuild the organisation. Apparently Sam had a strong influence in vampire society and was popular due to his beliefs. I only hope it was because of his character and not just as a vampire.

So why didn't I? He has a right to know.

"I-I'm sorry." I looked down as if I were a child being told off by a teacher or a parent.

"Another point is because…" Mattie paused. He paused so long that I had to check he was still there. He had a strange expression, somewhere in between frowning and… I wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was a smile but it wasn't happy. Is he smirking at me?

"Because right now you're the only person that matters to me." In an instant, he was in front of me, wrapping his arms around me, rubbing his nose through my hair.

Right now? What does that mean?

I looked up at him. His eyes were emerald with the kindest look I had ever seen.

"I'll try…"

But in the next moment Mattie was sombre. "You're keeping something from me."

My gut took a nosedive. He knows. Technically he already knew but didn't know that this thing I had was about my hands.

I tried to keep a straight face. "I am but I want to be ready to tell you."

He closed his eyes frowning. It was a stab in my heart even though I knew I was doing the same to him by keeping this secret.

"Mattie, I-"

Sighing he released me. "Take your time."

"Mattie…" Shit, that wasn't the right thing to say. Is there anything I could say to make it better?

"We should get back, Iain and Sam are waiting for us."

The news had spread. News of Rose's rebirth had spread like wildfire in the vampire society. I had not heard it myself, it was what Sam said.

We were sat in the main dining room in that mansion in the forest. Mattie called it 'Silver Lining' and I, 'Original Rose'. Apparently it was named 'Silver Lining' after what had happened to the founders whom I still didn't understand what had happened. Surely I wasn't the only one in the dark about this? I made a mental note to ask Mattie later.

When you first enter Silver Lining you're greeted with a large lobby. Hanging from the ceiling was a silver chandelier that was fully lit. It matched the smaller lights on the walls although they weren't as fancy. A staircase wound its way along the right wall covered in a red carpet. Along the walls were round mirrors, drawers with a vase of flowers and paintings of various scenery.

An archway directly in front led to the dining room where a couple computers were. On the left was the living room all dressed out in a modern design, the silver theme running through with the silver chandeliers, the wall that was on the far side of the room covered in a flowery wallpaper.

The right, however was a study room with a wall covered in bookcases and a large table in the centre of the room just like the dining room.

The bathroom and several bedrooms (I didn't bother counting), were on the second floor. There looked to be an attic since there was a trapdoor on the landing but I hadn't found a time to explore.

I wonder why they set up the computers in the dining room and not in the study…

I went straight to my bedroom and collapsed on the bed face first. My room was the very last room on your right on the first floor. It held a double side bed (don't ask me, all the rooms had a double sized bed).

The whole place was magnolia, a strange taste compared to the silver that ran throughout downstairs. It had a simple wooden desk on the right with a laptop and some stationary. On my left was a window with a bookshelf that ran across the entire wall and just fit under the wall. It was mostly empty though. Some books lay in a small pile in the corner. They were biographies of people I didn't know and so, wasn't interested about.

I should really talk to Mattie. I did before, didn't I? It wasn't that bad… I think.

Alice. It was Logical Alice speaking. I think she might be keeping track on what Professional Alice is doing since I haven't seen her in a while. Part of me was relieved though. I don't particularly look forward to her being bloody in front of me. Not again at least. But the other part wanted to know what happened to her. Is she getting help?

You should. He has a similar lifespan.

Her thought rooted me. It was that sort of light bulb moment that instantly made me decide. I need to do it.

Yes! She chimed.

"Alice?" I think it was Sam. I just mumbled a response. I had barely slept during the day.

"Alice…" His tone suggested he wanted me to give him an actual response. I sighed mentally then rolled over on my back. It was Sam.

"Good work today."

"Thanks." What's he thinking? Scrap that, where's Mattie?

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Sure?"

"I am, Sam." I sat up. Was it possible that one person could suddenly make you tired? And I don't just mean physically tired. "Do you know where Mattie is?"

"Yeah, he's downstairs with Iain. I think they're talking about Rose." He said 'I think'. I suppose even Sam was trying to give them privacy despite his vampire hearing.

"Thanks."

I decided to head downstairs while I still had this light bulb moment.

Mattie and Iain were where I thought they would be, in the dining room. They were talking in hushed voices so I wasn't exactly sure if I should even intrude but when I was about to knock on the door frame, Mattie stopped in the middle of a sentence and turned around to look at me. Iain followed his gaze. Next thing I knew they were looking at me smiling.

"Is something wrong?" Iain asked.

"Oh, uhm, I'll…" I stammered. That light bulb moment I had seemed to dim. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No." Mattie said.

I shuffled on the spot. "Can I steal Mattie for a while?"

"Sure." Iain said, then he told Mattie who stood up, "we'll continue this another time?"

He nodded before walking toward me.

I smiled. "Hi." I must have had a goofy smile on my face because Mattie was grinning at me.

Maybe my light bulb moment wasn't dimming. Does this mean he's alright with me?

"Hey. You wanted me?"

I took his hand not knowing where I should go. If I go into the study, Iain might hear in the next room. There was also Sam but considering what he said earlier, I wasn't sure if it was true or not or whether he was just saying it because he wanted to.

I took him upstairs with me straight to my own room. The familiar surroundings will help me find the courage.

After closing in the door behind me, I turned to see Mattie standing in the middle of the room with a weird expression, as if he knew what I was going to say and couldn't wait to hear it. His eyes were friendly but his mouth twitched like he was frowning.

I ignored his expression. I have him now.

I took a breath. I took several deep breaths. As I leaned against the door, I said, "Mattie about before with that vampire…"

He shook his head. "It's fine."

I should have sat down. "No, because you always say that I have to communicate more and I don't want to be a hypocrite." I decided on a direct approach: To just blurt it out. It might not be the best option but I think I'll be able to just talk and decide or argue if need be.

"Iain… Iain said I might be ill." I felt my face reddening so I looked down. But it didn't stop me from plowing on. "I mean you saw it before… my hands…" I trailed off.

Mattie was silent. So silent that I had to lookup to see that he was actually listening. He was absolutely still. I tried to read his face but I couldn't make anything out.

It was only when I frowned in my frustration that he said, "is that what was bothering you?"

I shrugged. "Well that and your 'Alice, you have to start telling me what's wrong.'"

He walked toward me. When he was right in front of me, he took my hands. "I'm sorry, Alice. Sometimes I get frustrated."

I was taken back. I didn't expect him to apologise.

"I'll try to talk."

Mattie tilted my face upward with just a brush of his fingers on my chin and gave me a kiss on the lips. I think my face was frozen because he smiled.

I wasn't sure what exactly possessed me, but I launched myself at him to give a huge hug. The level of his support and his love blew me away. I didn't have any words to describe how important just having it meant to me. Of how he dealt with my massive amount of questions. Of how he just dealt with me in total. This man in my arms that had was a one-of-a-kind vampire. What would I do if I didn't have him? He was the first thing I looked for when I woke up.

"Hey," he said into my hair. "don't worry about that, okay?" He paused to look at my face. "You're hard to read right now."

"I'm hard to read?" What. "And you tell me to talk!" I gave him my 'that's bullshit' face.

All he did was grin.