Chapter 3

Aliea groaned as she rolled over in the bed to the obnoxious alarm that told her it was time to get up. She picked up her phone and set another timer for ten more minutes, it did not matter that she had already done the four other times. On her stomach she arched her back feeling extra muscles that normal people did not have stretch and pop. She buried her head back into the pillows and decided to pretend the world didn't exist for a little longer.

That wish was cut short when there was a gentle knocking at her door.

Aliea sat up quickly and tried to get a feel for who would be at her door at eight o'clock in the morning. The space on the other side of her door felt strangely blank even as there was another knock on her door. Tilting her head she went to it and looked through the peephole. Standing there in with his hood over his face was AJ.

With the hotel lock securely in place Aleia cracks open her door.

"Hey, darlin," he smiled. "I was wondering if you wanted to eat something 'for we get on the road."

"I don't recall saying I was riding with you." She answered sleep still clinging to her voice,

"Well if you'd like to find someone else that's fine, I just figured since your sister went off with Breeze last night you might wanna ride with me." AJ shuffled his feet like he was a teen trying to ask for a date.

With a small smile, "Give me a couple to put some actual clothes on and I'll come to eat at the very least."

In a few moments the door opened and out stepped Aleia in a pair or jeans and a oversized sweater, with her signature dark sunglasses settled over her eyes. She looked up and saw AJ looking her over as if analyzing her for something that seemed off.

"Come on," She shook him out of his reprieve. "Let's go eat and see if you can convince me to ride with you."

AJ tilted his head but his face remained shadowed from his hood. He held his arm to her as his did the night before, hoping she would take it again. She did. The quiet walk was only interrupted in the elevator when a mother and her children entered. There was a toddler in her arms that had tear tracks as an older child was pulling on the mother's arm. Aliea smiled a the young child and hid her face in AJ's shoulder, playing peek a boo just to get the slight giggle out of them. The door opened at the ground floor and the family moved from the people going to get food. A slight glance from AJ towards the older child had them calming down.

A table in a dark back corner was where the two of them sat to have a simple continental breakfast. Aliea had some fruit while AJ loaded up on the carbs. "So where did you learn to calm children?" AJ asked as he opened one of the packets of syrup with his teeth.

"Oh, it's something my sister and I used to do when we were upset, or afraid." Aliea smiled as she squinted through her shades to focus on what she was trying stab with the plastic fork.

"Effective, I get my look from being a parent, guess the kid saw the "knock it off" look I give my boys." AJ watched Aliea's face scrunch up. "You know if you take off your shades it'll be easier to see."

Aliea looked around. "My eyes are sensitive, that's why the lights get dimmed with I'm in the ring."

"It's pretty dark in this little corner, 'sepcially if you're strugglin' to see through your shades." AJ rested his head on one hand as the other pushed his hood down. "Ain't no one but me gonna see."

Aliea reached up a hand that had the slightest tremble as she pushed the shades to the top of her head. Keeping her head down she continued to stab food as fast as she could so she could slide her shades back down.

AJ settled a hand over the one that was sitting on table. Aliea looked up and locked eyes with AJ, blue clashed with a striking purple.

AJ's mouth opened and a small gasp left him, before he could realize his mistake Aliea quickly put her glasses back down. Aliea pushed back and was moving out of the dining area before AJ had a second to process. He turned in time to see her get on the elevator and go up back to her room.

AJ shook his head and gathered the plates. He put them in the trash as he made his way to the elevator and thought about what happened. Aliea's eyes had been so striking, with the fear that she had shown seemed like she was used to people reacting badly to them. AJ hit the button to go up when he heard a british accent coming through and standing near him.

Standing next to him was Barrett and he was talking on the phone, not paying any attention. The elevator opened and AJ walked on hitting the button for Aliea's floor and instantly hitting the close button with the last few inches of the space between the doors Barrett noticed the door closing and tried to catch it but all he could catch was AJ's smirk.

Getting to Aliea's door he knocked gently knowing she would hear it. He was a little shocked to feel an aura reach out to feel the presence at the door. His own being blank as he was doing his best to be emotionless.

The door opened slowly to show Aliea with her sunglasses firmly in place and her sweater had been swapped for a t-shirt.

"Can you let me in darlin'? I didn't mean to scare ya off." AJ leaned against the doorframe as she looked out at him.

"It's alright AJ most people don't expect my eyes." Aliea turned away to look at something. AJ's eyes fell to the side of her neck and saw the faint red marks of fingerprints on the side of it.

"Yeah I'd get that, how about you pack your stuff and we can talk about it on the way to the next arena." His eyes moved back to her face when she turned back to him. "I'm not a bad guy I just wasn't expecting the color."

"Alright fine give me ten minutes I'll gather my things, you can go pack yourself." She turned to shut the door, his foot stopped it.

"My stuff is already in the car, we just waiting on you now." AJ smiled as he straightened up.

With a sigh Aliea stepped back and let AJ into her room. She quickly went into the bathroom to gather her things as he lowered himself to the bed. She must have been quickly packing while he made his way to her. Her suitcase was already packed, with a jacket laying on top of it. A duffle bag sat open next to it waiting for her to put the last few things inside. Aliea came bustling out and dumped her toiletries into it. With practiced ease she zipped it and was putting on her jacket ready to go.

AJ got up and reached around her for her suitcase and met her by the door, holding it open for her. She just shook her head and went down to check out.

A few minutes later AJ was in the driver's seat of the black SUV, waiting while Aliea buckled her seatbelt.

He pulled onto the road and then the interstate with ease in the compatible silence in the car. Aliea was fiddling with her fingers waiting for him to start the conversation about her eyes.

"I think they are beautiful." He broke the silence, with a glance towards her. "Your eyes, are beautiful." He could see the shocked look on her face at his admission.

"You're the only person that's told me that." She had a small smile as she responded.

"I'm sure, but they aren't what I want to know about right now." He kept his eyes on the road as he watched for the idiots that decided to inhabit the road.

"What do you want to know about?" She asked him, as she pulled the sunvisor down to help protect her eyes a little more.

"What happened to your neck?" He asked.