Chapter 11

The list wasn't long. A few of the names familiar as he scanned them with his blue eyes. He held the paper, read the words again and again just to make sure and John observed him. He had never seen his boss show such interest in something. It was quite intriguing to find himself present while he showcased such expressions.

The chimes on the door jingled and a man walked in. Wrapped in a heavy coat. Kai at first didn't even spare him a glance. He was so focused at what he was doing that everything around him seemed to be irrelevant. He was a client. A regular actually and John, realizing how rude they might have seemed rushed to greet him and get his coat.

After he was done reading he raised his head. Kai placed the paper on the counter. He had memorized everything, he didn't need it any more.

«Boss. You have an appointment.» John reminded him and the man that was waiting on the door smiling. Kai looked at them, once John and then the familiar client.

«Sorry we are closed for the day» he told him and the man frowned. John's eyes widened at the sudden news. Why were they closed? They had barely opened.

«What? I had an appointment. It was scheduled weeks ago you can't do this.» the man told them. He seemed angry, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Kai. The vampire tilted his head to the side wondering what exactly was so unclear of the things he said. He sighed, realizing for once more how much humans annoyed him. He walked towards the guarst and grabbed his arm. The man was tall and buff but he didn't seem to mind. He tried to wiggle out of his grip but to his surprise it was impossible.

«We are closed» he repeated and opened the door with his other hand. He pushed him outside, the man stumbling and swearing at them from the outside. Kai closed the door and flipped the open sign. John was standing there, behind the counter frozen.

«His coat» he said and showed the heavy coat he was holding. Kai grabbed that too and threw it on the road right in front of the angered man's feet. «Um, boss, what the hell? He was a regular and he had an appointment. Why are we closed?»

«We are closed. We are closed because we have something to do, John» Kai told him. The young man couldn't believe his eyes. In just a few hours he had managed to see a whole new side of his boss and that was not just surprising but actually kind of scary. He gulped and scratched the back of his head. His short hair is prickly like soft thorns.

«What is it that we have to do exactly?» he asked, hesitantly.

«We have to go out. Tell me which one of these hotels is the most possible to be the one I am looking for?» he asked him. «I do hope that you transferred my question to your friend» he told him, crossing his arms over his chest.

«I did, I did but I do not understand why do I have to come with?» he cried, he didn't know what he was getting himself into and that alone made him quite worried.

«Because John. From now on you will be my sidekick»

«Your what? Boss, is it really you? What happened?»

«Yes it's me you idiot. I just need you. I can't be seen» he said and headed towards the door. «Let's go now, we need to hurry. I need to get there before Lun.» he mumbled and opened the door, exposing both of them to the cold.

«I know what's going on.» John said. He had a dramatic expression on his face as if he had just made a great revelation. Kai lingered at the doorframe waiting with his eyes squeezed to listen to what he had to say. «You're dating a married man. That's why you can't be seen. You're trying to expose him because he refused to get a divorce for you. This is why you're so secretive and weird all the time. Gosh boss, I did not have you for such a man»

«John» Kai called out his name as he stepped outside. «Sometimes I truly wonder, could it be that you're stupid or that your brain has stopped working? Tell me, I won't judge you»

«So it's not that?» he asked.

«No. It's not that. I am sorry but your crazy theory has failed. Now come on!» he exclaimed and the boy rushed outside, closing the door behind him loudly. Kai started walking with his employee trying to catch up with him. A frown started forming on his face as he started to feel weird. His throat began to get dry and suddenly he felt weak. «Shit.» he mumbled and shook his head.

«Are you alright?» John asked him.

«Yes, I am fine. Just hungry» he said. With everything that had happened he had been too occupied with his thoughts to actually feed. Even with his little advantage he still had to feed and now, he felt like his throat was burning. He ignored it, for now at least it was bearable. Kai wouldn't do anything risky today, he simply wanted to confirm the location.

They took the bus and then the subway. The weather was still cold even during the noon and people seemed to be somehow shriveled, hidden inside their heavy clothing and scarves. He was looking at the dirty floor of their cart, trying to ignore prying eyes. There were so many of them, humans. Their hearts beat so loud. A war drum in between his ears and slowly he felt his mouth watering.

«What do you want me to do when we get there?» John asked, trying to figure out more about his plan.

«I want you to go to the reception and ask if Mika Romanof is staying there. If they answer yes I want you to ask for Philip's…Philip Bairon's room.» he had said it. Kai had said it. For the first time in two hundred years he had called out his lover's name. His destined mate's. The name of the man he had brutally killed. He felt his chest tightening, a piercing pain as the bloody images were painted in his head like very detailed gruesome art.

«Is that all?» John asked again, interrupting his torture.

«Yes, yes.» Kai said. As the time went by the sounds of the world seemed to get silenced. There was only one source. The constant beating. The rhythmic thump.

He wouldn't make it. He wouldn't make it out.