-Plus&Minus+
Chapter 3: Alone with a Stranger
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Content Message: some language in this one and mild violence
Into the darkness once again…
I+&-I
She grew up with questions.
He grew up without satisfaction.
She wanted answers.
He always wanted more.
Never feeling a place to fully belong in…
Never feeling a place to fully belong in…
A feeling shared.
A stranger's mission can only be hurt…pain…invasion?
Yes.
But what if the stranger on the outside is really no stranger at all?
What if…
They are the other half.
Of You
I+&-I
She stared in shock now. He was in her apartment. Dracula Freak was in her apartment and she had no friggin' idea how he had got in here. OH…and had he seen her undressing? She had mostly kept her back to the living room, but had he been watching her…had he?
Hearing him still speaking, she had to force herself to even breathe.
"Yes…I did tell you that as I was being thrown out by…your friend…who wasn't too rough really. Although he did leave a stain on my suit." He gestured to a smudge on his overcoat with annoyance, before with a sweep of his hand…he made it disappear.
Haley backed up against the counter now, signaling to her dog. "Get him Bear!" Her eyes didn't leave him though. The dark haired man from the club. The Dracula Freak…now invading her home.
She called out a strong warning now, knowing she had a stronger protector than this psycho realized. Bear wouldn't let her down. He'd be attacking him any second. "He's vicious to anyone who hurts me. He'll hurt you. So just…you better leave now. He'll tear you to piec-
Her words fell apart though as she noticed it. Her strong protective dog was not doing anything at all to scare away Dracula Freak. In fact, Bear had actually moved to lay down at his feet now with a small mewling sound. Haley stared at it with fascination, before she realized her protector had just turned into a puddle of goo at this stranger's feet.
That NEVER happened.
Keeping her eyes on the strange man, she reached in back of her, finding one of her kitchen drawers. She quietly searched it with her hands, finding her largest knife. Holding it behind her back, where he couldn't see it, Haley weakly called out, still stupefied at the way her dog was acting. "He really is vicious." She tried one more time. Bear simply remained laying on the floor, looking very sedate. Haley cried out with desperation, "Bear, get up!"
The dog rolled over onto his back. Nathan smiled down at it, rubbing the dog's stomach contentedly. "Yeah, I can see he's vicious. Real police dog, this one."
Haley held it out in front of her now as she saw…uh…Dracula Freak…start to get up. "Don't you dare take a step closer. I swear…I'll use this. I'll scream bloody murder you psycho. Just get out!"
Seeing her mouth opening now as she waved that butcher knife around, Nathan moved fast. If he didn't do something she was going to wake up the entire building and use that knife to turn him into mincemeat. That just wasn't satisfactory.
Removing his dark glasses, he locked his eyes with hers. It was once again only a temporary hold, but it was enough. Getting up, entirely now, holding her still for a slight second, Nathan used that second to make his way to where she was standing trying to threaten him. His hand made contact with her mouth. He held it firmly there and grabbed her wrist, knocking her weapon to the floor, before he stood in back of her, now holding her mouth closed while his other arm locked the front of her body in a firm grip.
Haley panicked, getting ready to kick, but feeling so vulnerable because she was only in her pajamas and didn't even have slippers on, no high heeled shoes to smack against his feet…nothing really. She still had no idea how he did it. How he managed to get the knife away and cover her mouth too. Scratching at his arms, she desperately tried to yell out to her dog that still was not moving. It was too weird…too strange. "Bear please…Bear!"
Her voice was muffled under his hand, but he could tell she was trying to scream out. He watched the dog start to tense up now, reacting to her desperation, and even the muffled sound of her voice. The animal cared about her a lot to already be breaking free. Nathan gave it a strong look and watched the dog relax some, sitting. He smiled. Feeling her struggling though, feeling her shaking even as she desperately fought at him, her hands trying to claw at his arms, Nathan brought his lips to her ear. "Calm down Beautiful…I won't hurt you. It's okay. Calm down."
He smiled down at the dog now too, seeing even though with its temporarily sedated condition, how anxious it was. "It's all right…Bear. I won't hurt her. It's okay."
Haley still fought at him, even as his voice seemed to have this soothing power. She tried to get away from him. Reminding herself that this was some demented stranger who broke into her apartment.
His voice grew even softer. A gentle whisper.
"Calm down…it's okay…relax."
Even as her mind fought at it, Haley's body started to feel very peaceful…very…
He kept whispering in her ear, closing his eyes and moving his lips near her skin. "That's it…that's it. No more weapons, no more thoughts of screaming, okay? Nothing's going to happen. At least nothing that you don't want to happen."
Haley sagged against him.
Nathan smiled, letting her go now. She was completely relaxed and calm. Now he could get her to listen to him while-
Her eyes traveling backward, Haley reached for it and swung with all her might.
"DAMN!"
Nathan let out as he felt something hard make contact with the side of his head. He reached for it with his mind, but it was too late. She had already used it to hit him…hard. Feeling her getting ready to go for another round he struggled to control the damn thing with his mind. "Shoot…woman!"
Haley held the pan firmly still, surprised at the force that had kept her from hitting him again, but ready to fight it if she needed to, to fight him. She raised the pan higher now over her head, speaking to him in a fierce voice, totally uncaring of the fact that she was nearly a foot shorter than whoever this psycho creep was. Time to let him know she may be small and somewhat innocent looking, but that didn't mean she was just meekly going to let him invade her home. This was about fighting back…taking control. Asshole wasn't going to grab her and get away with it...work his voodoo on her dog. UH Uh…uh…brother!
"Touch me again and I'll turn you into pancake! And I don't know what the heck you did to my dog but you have one minute to explain yourself Dracula Freak before I use every object I have in this kitchen to make you sorry you ever came here. And I'll start with injuring your most precious part! This is MY home…you Voo Doo Weirdo!"
He took a step back now, rubbing at his aching head. That pan was hard edged and very thick. His struggled to keep his focus on her though. The woman was pissed. It made her look so strong again. She was small, petite, even more-so now with the simple earthy feeling sleep attire she was wearing, lacking the heels of earlier, but she was one little dynamo still.
Like she was edged with wicked fire. So hot.
"And don't you try that stupid eye trick with me again because it won't work you sicko psycho!"
He smiled at her curiously even as he still rubbed at his aching head. Really was starting to bother him actually. "Yeah…I noticed that. Strange. Though I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering the circumstance. Uhh…"
Damn…his head was really hurting…a lot. And she…were there two of her now…why was the room starting to get so foggy?
Not even it would help him now. Dizziness was a result of having a hard object making contact with your noggin. Nathan gripped at the counter, his vision blurring, the side of his head throbbing and becoming louder than even her frantic angry voice. He felt himself sliding downward. He didn't even try to fight it, falling to her kitchen floor A weakened moan escaped his parted lips, the pain in his head now louder than even the clicking of the clock overhead. "Oh damn…ohhh…"
"What do you mean strange? What the heck are you talking about and what are you doing here…uh…why are you falling? What's wrong with you…uh…gorgeous psycho guy what's happening to you?"
He moaned in answer, his head falling against his legs. Maybe if he just kept his eyes closed the ringing would stop. That hammer would stop pounding his head. Oh man.
She stopped and just stared at him now. "Uh…hello?"
Nothing. Not a single reaction. His head was halfway down, one hand holding at the floor, the other shaking as it held onto the injured area. She bit down on her bottom lip and looked at her dog whose head was half turned as he watched the strange man. Looking away from both of them now, she noticed the phone on the counter…the phone…the phone.
Yeah.
She ran to get it.
Nathan sat up now slightly, watching her curiously. Seeing her reaching for the phone, waiting and then saying she wanted the New York City Police Department, he panicked. Raising his hands, he tried to cut the conversation off, causing a very unexpected result though instead.
"Ahhh!"
Haley started to scream out before slapping her hand over her mouth as the phone exploded in her hands, falling to pieces down to the floor.
Nathan just stared. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Was this part of it? His ability getting worse and worse? Damn. He moaned, his head rolling back against the lower counter, his eyes closing.
"You freak! You ruined my phone! I have a cellphone too you know!" She started to run to get it, but then heard him moan again, this time a little more loudly. Haley stopped in her tracks, looking back at him. "Uh…are you okay? Dracula Freak? Gorgeous Weird Psycho guy?"
Nothing.
Haley bit down on her bottom lip tensely, seeing a shaking hand rubbing at his head, but his eyes still closed and his face fallen. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.
"Ooooh…"
Haley battled with herself. This was a home invader. This was a man who sickeningly came onto her in a pretty freaky way in Rendezvous and followed her home, taking her hostage in her own residence…well practically. She should not feel bad for him. She should definitely not help him. She should certainly not go over to him.
But she felt herself doing just that now as she grabbed at Bear's collar and cautiously approached the moaning man. Getting down on her knees, she peered lower, giving a firm warning. "I don't think whatever you did to my dog before is going to work now so you better not be thinking of anything stupid because he'll use you as a chew toy and…I'll just hit you again."
Opening only one eye, Nathan spoke to her in a clenched voice. "Please Beautiful…chew toy I can handle, but not that pan of steel. Were you a big burly guy shot putter in another life? Thank goodness I found you in this one. Male shot putters aren't my type. And am I delirious…or did you call me gorgeous earlier?"
"Shut up." Haley angrily spoke to him now, before bringing her hands to his head. She moved at some of his dark almost raven hair, seeing a good sized bump. Pressing at it…
"Shit…owww…" Nathan gripped at the patterned linoleum.
She moved her hand away and got up from the kitchen floor, ordering Bear to keep watch. Satisfied as now she noticed the dog back to his regular protective-wary-of-strangers-self, she reached into the freezer and brought out an icepack.
Nathan looked up slightly, seeing a large blur of black, silver and gray fur with two sharp green eyes. He moaned and looked away. He couldn't focus on anything now, just wanted to end this throbbing. His head began to fall as he felt it…gentling hands and then something cold against his head. He moaned again softly, holding at her hand.
Haley looked down at him, seeing his eyes open. Amazing blue again…just very tired looking now. She frowned as she felt his hand come over hers. "Don't touch me. You hold this thing to your head and explain to me what the heck is going on. Get up and tell me…what are you doing here! What was that stupid sick line in Rendezvous about? Who are you? How did you get in here? What did you do to my dog before? And the phone…what was that all about? Talk, Dracula Freak!"
Feeling her yanking at his arm, Nathan tried to protest, but she wasn't letting go. He felt himself amazingly being pulled up. The standing did him in. His hand lost hold of the ice pack as his other hand desperately grabbed at the counter for some stability. If only he could just sit…go to sleep…anything. Just…damn. He leaned over heavily on the counter, his head falling into his hands. It was just a pan…oh man.His head felt like a semi had run into it.
Worry filled Haley's face as she saw Dracula Freak's hands shaking, his legs barely standing now as he totally used the counter for support. She swore, picking up the ice pack, holding it against his head and this time a little more gently holding his arm, and leading him to the futon in the middle of her living room. "Ohhh…I'll probably regret this! You better consider yourself lucky. You know what…I'm not doing this to help you though. Oh no…I just don't want to end up on Judge Henrietta whatever because you're suing me for hitting you while you were breaking and entering. Those stupid shows twist everything…you'd probably make yourself look the victim…wouldn't you?"
He had lifted his head now. He was staring at her, a small half smile forming across his mouth. "You just go on and on…don't you? It's entertaining."
Haley pointed a furious finger at him now, glaring. "If you're going to talk you better start explaining yourself. I swear I will call the police if I have to. You better not be thinking of doing anything stupid. Bear will attack . He's a malamute mix of…well other things, including a tiny bit wolf. Do you hear me? WOLF. (Of course it was only rumored, but uh…HE didn't know that.) And he will defend me to the hilt so you better not try-
Nathan cut her off with a half chuckle. "You've proven your worth Beautiful. You don't even need Bear to defend you. Do well enough on your own. And whether you believe it or not the last thing I came here for was to hurt you."
Sitting upright on her couch, stiffly, as he had his head against a pillow she had placed in back of it, Haley just stared at him, blurting something stupid out. "My name is Haley." Why the heck did you just tell him your name? "It's getting kind of freaky you calling me beautiful." Oh that's why. Still not a very good reason.
He smiled at her now, feeling her hand still holding the ice pack to his head helping to bring down the throbbing. "Ha-ley…hmmm…suits you."
Her face wrinkled slightly in question. "Why do you say that?"
Nathan shook his head slowly, before giving it up. Hurt too much. "Just…it's a little blend of what you seem to be. Kind of…" He looked around the apartment before his eyes focused on hers again. "Earthy…kind…gentle…and yet strong…beautiful really."
She blushed before looking away. "You need to tell me what is going on. All your compliments…I've been complimented plenty of times. I work in a club/bar…I hear all the flattery there, believe me, and it gets old after a while."
"But you are beautiful."
"Stop it." She answered him firmly. "I don't need to be told I'm beautiful by some weird stranger. There are other things that matter to me." Yeah…like who the heck he was…how he had done…what he did…and what the crap he wanted with her?
Nathan just stared at her for a moment, seeing after a bit she meant it. She was above flattery. "Okay." Seeing her bandaged finger now, he reached for it and frowned with what looked like regret. "Is this from the Bloody Mary glass? I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to break it…really." He hadn't. It had been another case of things going awry that before he would have done without much difficulty.
And now he was apologizing over and over. He never apologized.
Haley pulled back at her finger, warning him now. "I told you not to touch me." Her voice rising, she heard Bear growl. His whole demeanor back to normal.
Nathan looked over at the dog, seeing he was more than ready to protect this woman, his owner. He smiled calmly at the animal. "Easy Bear. I told you I won't hurt her."
"You're upsetting me and he doesn't like that."
"How have I upset you?"
Haley let out a loud ironic laugh, shaking her head. "Are you kidding me? You act like a freaky psycho in Rendezvous. You come to my house and hold me hostage. And I still don't know if you're Dracula or…well…whatever…"
He stared at her for a bit, before his hand found her wrist. He pulled at it, tightly, but not roughly. Locking his blue eyes with her deep brown ones, he didn't break contact once. "What if I told you I was Dracula? Or maybe his apprentice. And that causing you hurt was the furthest thing from my mind. Pleasure the closest. I mean really…why must a vampire be such a dark horrid thing? Why Haley?"
Shivering, she answered, the icepack stilled in her hand. "Because they're blood suckers!" Oh holy…was he a vampire? Oh come on Haley…oh this was crazy! Ohhh…
He felt her pull desperately away from him. He let her go immediately.
Haley ran forward, her vision in line with one of her large windows that overlooked the night skyline. It was very dark now, except for bits of illumination. Most people were sleeping…safely in their beds. Secure…
Nathan got up slowly, feeling the pain in his head alleviated more now. He quietly put down the ice pack on a small table in front of her futon. Facing forward he started to step closer…
Hearing his footsteps, she wasn't sure what to do. She should run…run far away. Run.
Oh…he was there.
Nathan slid his hands halfway around her waist, but moved them no further. Pushing his chest a bit against her back, he brought his chin over her shoulder…
His lips near her neck…
And raised a finger.
The lights went out.
She got ready to scream. Oh God, was he going to start sucking on her neck?
He whispered in her ear though instead as the darkness alleviated a bit. The lights from the city glowed even brighter now over their forms, becoming like a dim lamp inside the room. "Shhh…I'm not going to hurt you. I already told you that."
"L-let go of me."
Hearing her voice shake, he quickly did as she asked.
Haley stared at him now in the darkness. This stranger…this perfect stranger. Pefect…stranger…
Something swam in her senses suddenly, something that made her command him to do something…outrageous to her mind.
"Put your hands back around my waist. Wait…no…in front of me. Put them around…like this." What was she doing? Her mind was screaming as a back part of her couldn't let go of something. It made her reach for his hands now, made her need this.
Staring at her at first, Nathan did as she asked, gently turning her around and wrapping his arms around the front of her body. Haley held at one hand and…
"Oh God…oh…why do I feel…why is this so familiar?"
He brought his chin down even more against her shoulder. "You remember this?"
She turned to him, still in his grip, tight, but not at all hurting her. "Do you?"
"Maybe."
Feeling his lips whisper against her neck, Haley trembled the words out. "Are you really a vampire?"
He slid the word out. "Maybe."
She faced him more. "Are you going to hurt me?"
He shook his head quickly. "Never."
"What is your name?"
"Nathan."
"Not Dracula?"
He smiled down at her. "No…not Dracula."
"Are you a vampire…Nathan?"
He closed his eyes at the way she said his name…like velvet on her tongue. Getting ready to answer her, he touched at her cheek. "The truth is-
Haley held her breath, waiting for his answer, weirdly happy his name wasn't Dracula. She liked Nathan better.
It sounded more…
"He's not a vampire."
"Don't you think that one's getting old Nathan?"
Nathan released Haley now entirely as the lights came on. He glared at…them. Talk about mood destroyers. "Damn. What are you two doing here?"
One of them spoke, the other finishing the statement.
"Well for good reason of course…
To tell her why we're here…why you're here.
"And what we really are."
I+&-I
More to come…
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