Chapter 11

You know, I had a bad feeling that things would not be as simple as an overprotective bodyguard wanting to share the same house for security measures…

Because, yup, this is already truly bad for my heart.

Truly, truly bad indeed.

I freeze and swallow dry at the vision that I encounter just right after getting out of my room as I try to settle my things in, only to be surprised when I reach the living room and find that the just out of the shower vampire Lucien had been quick in feeling at home in this strange house and had now put his feet up at the center table while his back rested on the sofa and his eyes scanned the book in front of him, chin resting on one of his hands in a way that gave me a clear and full out view of his only-in-a-towel body.

I mean, I know vampires do not feel the cold and all, but have one walking around with just a towel around his hips is a little bit too much, I mean, not that he is not good looking and all, on the contrary, his lean muscular body is a feast for the eyes, but still that could be troublesome indeed, what if someone cames in and sees him like this, how should I explain things to them?

No, wait, I should not be that worried about what others may think right now!

And yet, as my mind goes on and on, my eyes do not leave his figure, and the more I stare the more my heart races, which, this time around, does not bring a smile to his face, but rather brings his eyes up towards my direction as they flare up, and his serious yet intense gaze is much worse than his smug attitude, much more… penetrating and intimate.

And I'm far too aware that we are completely alone right now.

This was a bad idea I can already tell.

And yet I'm not that taken back by such passionate gaze, but rather… am stirred up by it inside, enough so to say:

"…How do I know I can trust you…?" I end up saying in a small voice, wanting to slap myself in the face since now is a little bit too late to be thinking about that, alone in his presence, but that question only deepens his gaze that seems to glow in the dimly lit room as he answers in a whispering smooth voice:

"Believe me, I would never hurt you, but for now… You will have to take my word for it."

"That does not help much…" I caught myself saying, no matter how impolite it may sound, but it is the truth.

"…Than I can only hope that one day my word will be enough mon chéri."

I don't like where this is going, the intensity of such words and gaze makes my heart want to jump out of my chest, and it almost does when the laying vampire stands out of nowhere, making me jump in place and freeze as he approaches, and I don't know what to expect nor how to react, so I blink in confusion when he comes closer only to say:

"Good night mon chéri." His face is so close to me that his breaths tickles me.

But then he is gone, just like that.

With a heart racing and a confused mind I watch his back as he enters his room and closes the door behind him, unsure of what is bothering me the most, if it is his actions and words, or the reaction that my own body is having in his presence.

Shit, get a grip of yourself Alex, stop being a bitch in heat every time he speaks now.

Dear God there must be a way to stop me from reacting this way right? I sigh while covering my face and looking up, closing my eyes to calm myself down.

Just where did I end up putting myself into?

At least the house is nice, I think while looking around me much more now but only as an excuse to try and take his image away from my mind.

Not that the couch he was at wouldn't bring it back in a flash at all.

The place is very different from what I thought it would be at first as I already dreaded some high tech high up above apartment full of security cameras and men in black all around, but what I found is actually a pretty cozy cabin in the woods behind the mansion, and no sigh of the other housings he talked about.

And at this point it is hard to believe that I am at the heart of the city at all, especially when the place seems to have stopped in time.

Wooden plank walls, floor and ceiling, a cozy fireplace made of apparent red bricks rested in between massive bookshelves with no electronics or television to break the spell such a welcoming living room gives, even having a carpet and a cozy sofa right beside it, not as big as to feel lost in such a wide space but not small enough to feel trapped by it either.

And beyond the kitchen there are almost no electronics around, giving the place an unusual quiet atmosphere that makes me realize just how much white noise my poor ears must receive daily from the bustling city, but on the other side eating without watching television while staring at a hot vampire sucking a blood bag dry is one of the strange things to accept, even if oddly enough staying in a place so in tune with nature brings me some sort of calmness, it is not enough to make me lower my guard just yet.

Especially when I'm forced to take a few days leave because of my hand, and in consequence of it end up staying with this strange cunning vampire even longer.

But even after a long talk on the phone I wasn't able to convince Detective Bradley that I did not need to stay at home, so because of it my first day on the job has been postponed per say.

Cursing my own shyness from not being able to surpass the cold bearing voice on the other side I am left with no choice but to obey, but just after one day, as I now go to the kitchen to prepare myself a hot cup of milk before bed, there is one thing that pops in my mind that may have been able to take away my anxiety and depression but instead makes me too giddy to sleep deeply, even managing to wake me up in the middle of the night from time to time.

Because, well, if I could not work with the police as an investigator yet and had a few days off I might as well use them to the fullest and not let the chance to explore this city slip by, even more with the opportunity of exploring this supernatural place while being guided by one of its creatures, for I'm sure that is a lot of things interesting things are out there waiting to be explored, and perhaps may earn me a future book as well.

And that shot of enthusiasm makes me speculate just what lays beyond the curtains, for I had just peeked at it yesterday, watching it pass by the taxi window's car and was eager to find out more.

And I definitely did not come all the way here just to end up sitting still trapped inside this house like this.

And I'm thinking that is just the right time to make friends with a certain vampire… For I had some plans for us for tomorrow.