“They want you. They want you to go back to them lead the army against the beasts.”
Horror crossed his face for a second, and then rage took over. “WHAT!”
Everyone at the diner turned to look at them.
“What’s going on guys? If there is a problem you should take it outside.” Scar was the first to break the silence.
“Fellas let’s take this outside.” it was Kayla who spoke up. She gently loosened Solara’s grip on Stephan’s wrist and tugged him outside.
***
Once they were all outside, Stephan’s restraint broke, pacing, and trying everything to regain his composer to calm himself down.
“They won’t have me. They can’t have me. I am not a thing to be dragged from one place to the other. I WON’T GO BACK!”
The thought sank in deeper, he would take his own life before becoming their dog again. Counting down from ten he was able to calm himself down. He needed a clear mind to think about his next step. He wouldn’t run he had to face it. He would wait for them to come for him but for now, he would find out all he could and live his life as he did.
Stephan could feel the warm touch on his arm. Scarlet tiny hand delicately lay on his veined arm. He looked down at it and placed his hand over it. He didn’t know what to make of her concern. He then took her hand and held it in his. He still had his back turned to her and did not look back to face her. He was going to avoid eye contact as much as he could. The decisions he had to make would have to include her in some aspects, he was drawn to her. He had to plan it both ways but her safety would come first.
***
His gentle touch warmed her heart. Her stomach started to flutter then he suddenly dropped her hand, and walked away. She was confused but everything about him confused her. She sighed in defeat, there was no winning with this man. For that one second, she could feel his affection for her but didn’t know what to make of his coldness towards her. She decided not to try and understand it was too complicated.
“Kayla honey, can I talk to you for a sec?” She could hear Solara’s voice in the distance, she was taken deep in her thoughts to care. She turned around and left the two at the lot. She got into the diner and picked up a pot of coffee and went on with her day. She was determined not to let him distract her. Since the day in the garage, he was all she could think about.
“Scar, are you alright. I saw that outside, didn’t know what it meant for him but I know what it meant for you. I see it in your eyes every time you look at him.” she was genuinely concerned, Stephan didn’t seem like the guy you would leave your heart with. And yet that was exactly what Scarlet was getting at.
“Don’t ask me what that was because I don’t know either.”
She put her arm over Scarlet’s shoulder and squeezed before she let go. Sympathy was not something she advocated for so she tried to show she cared without throwing a pity party for her.
Kayla decided not to pursue the matter anymore. “Hope you don’t mind being alone tonight. Solara’s taking me out tonight.” she had an excited smile on her face.
“Don’t worry about it, I need to put my affairs in order,” Scarlet said while using her finger to tap on her temple. She did need to sort out her head, figure out what was happening to her.
***
Kayla left early that night. Solara had dropped by to pick her up. She was left alone to lock up. She went around making sure everything was turned off and the freezer was working ok, the last thing she needed was to wake up to find everything had gone bad.
As she went around the counter, the door opened. She looked up and met his gaze. Stephan stood at the door staring at her. He didn’t say a word, he just stood there and looked at her. She walked towards him, in slow small steps. She tried to judge his mood by reading his face, but couldn’t. All she saw was pain, uncertainty, and affection. He looked like a confused little boy, which was ironic he was anything but little.
She stood before him and reached out both arms to touch his arms. Before she could control what she was doing, she rose to her tiptoes and kissed his lower lip.
He looked down at her startled but then he circled his arms around her waist and lifted her. He looked into her eyes and lost his way in them. Her hazel eyes drew him in. He kissed her. He needed to feel her lips, to feel her tiny body in his arms. He needed her more than he wanted her. He drowned into the passion of the moment.
She had her fingers in his hair, and then she ran them along his neck, his cheek, finally they settle around his neck. She held on to him as tight as she could, she was afraid he would disappear. His lips left hers. He looked at her face, memorizing every aspect of it. She still had her eyes closed. She was trying to get her breathing back to normal and to control her racing heart.
He put her back on her feet, his arms still around her waist, and waited. Her eyes fluttered open as she released his neck to let her hands ran down his chest, and around his waist. She hugged him and he let her. He held her close to him. They stood there in silence for a couple of seconds before he pulled away.
He stroked her face and kissed her forehead. He walked to the counter where her purse was, picked it up, and handed it to her. He waited for her to lock up before he walked her to her car. He brushed his lips against hers and turned to walk back to his apartment above the garage.
Scarlet, drove home in silence more confused than she was before. She couldn’t understand what happened. She pulled into her driveway. Once she was in the house she dumped all she had in her hands and went to bed.
The few seconds she had in his arms played out in her mind. She couldn’t help but feel happy but then sad at the same time. After a while a more familiar emotion set in. Confusion. She was confused about everything he didn’t make sense to her.
Holding her hand then dropping it, kissing her holding her in his arms… and then… nothing. She thought about him even as she slept, but in her dream, there was no confusion, no distance just love in its purest form.
***
“Wakey, Wakey, sleepyhead.” Kayla had a radiant smile on her face. “Come on sleeping beauty, you’d best get a move on if you don’t want to be late.” she was practically jumping off the walls and her giddy giggles sounded ridiculous.
“Judging by that silly smile on your face, I guess last night went well.” For one of them at least, she could not help but feel a tad bit jealous.
“It was beautiful. He can be a sweet guy when he is not being an ass. So yes, last night went pretty well.”
Scarlet drove to the diner as she listened to her best friend go on and on about her new pet. She was glad to see someone was having a good day. She was so confused she may have well been in limbo.
They walked into the diner, Kayla was still blubbering about Solara.
“Hey girls beautiful morning, isn’t it.” Kayla chirped to the waitresses.
They stared after her, confused at her happy mood, they didn’t have much experience with it. She practically waltzed around the diner. Her good mood was putting everyone on edge. Marcie leaned over the counter to where Scarlet was standing. “Is she losing her mind? Should we start running before she pulls butcher knives out of her apron and curves us to death?”
“Ha! Ha! I heard that, I’m just happy. And in love.” the last words had everyone quiet and staring at her. “Yes, I am capable of loving someone besides Scarlet!”
The bell at the door rang, to announce the arrival of customers. They all went about their business, setting up table taking and placing orders. The day had finally begun.
She looked out the window towards the garage. She hadn’t seen him about as he often was. “K, cover me I’ll be back in five.” She half ran and half walked across the lot to the garage. “Hey boys, I’m looking for Stephan.”
“Oh hi dear, SJ didn’t come in this morning. He said he had some business to attend to.” One of the shorter men in a dirty overall answered. “He said he wouldn’t be back ’till this evening. I think he went with that man he was fighting.”
Disappointed she walked back to the diner. She tried to push the kiss out of her mind but it proved impossible. She didn’t understand it and trying to make sense of it was making her dizzy.
***
Across town, Stephan and Solara were busy discussing his options. He didn’t have much open to him, but he knew one thing for sure, he wasn’t going back, especially not now. Not after last night. A smile crept on his face. She looked so beautiful and delicate. Her body fit right into him like she was made to match him.
“You have got to be kidding me!” He heard Solara groan.
He didn’t have to guess to know what Solara was on about. He was so distracted he let his shield down. His head wasn’t working right anymore. She consumed too much of him. He looked up expecting to find Solara glaring at him, like the last time.
“Are you finally going to admit your feelings to yourself? I know you loved my sister but you have to move on. I have.”
Stephan snorted. All Solara ever did was move on, from one town to another, from one girl to another. He knew that he had been to the diner a couple of times during the past few weeks, but didn’t think much of it. Soon he would be gone leaving a trail of heartaches behind him.
“I’m assuming you are talking about Kayla. Just make sure you don’t hurt her. She is a human, they are sensitive when it comes to such things.” He would know. The previous night he had seen confusion mixed with affection in Scarlet’s eyes. He knew what he was doing wasn’t right, considering that he could be forced to leave. He’d have to try and get as far as possible from the Conselho. But he couldn’t help himself.
“Since you have access to her mind I know you can tell how she feels. So don’t hurt her.” He meant it. Kayla’s pain would be Scarlet’s pain. They were strangely tapped into each other’s emotion, a closeness he had not seen often between humans.
“Yes I know, don’t worry about it. I won’t. So… you and Scarlet huh? Not bad.” A chuckle escaped his throat.
Stephan never thought he would ever see him happy again. Not since she died. He went out of control when she was murdered.
“That’s why you had us come all the way here. Can we go back to the diner I want to see my girl now? Unlike you, I am embracing this new feeling.” Solara had changed.
One thing still bothered Stephan. How did he bear being so close to her? He was a vampire and though he had an extraordinary restraint on his thirst, what would happen if lost control. He could smell Scarlet’s blood from across the street. It was intoxicating. But the thought of drinking from her never crossed his mind. He cared too much to hurt her.