Page 41 of When Night Falls
He escorts her out of my office, giving me a moment to prepare for the next girl who's been getting on my god damn nerves. But with Lucynda, it's different. She gives me so much frustration because she is fighting against me, just as I fight against her, and in some strange way it turns me on.
I pull at the cuffs of my suit jacket sleeves before heading out into the hallway. I find that my veins pump with so much intensity the closer I get to where she stands at the front door.
"Lucynda," I call her name in a deep and calculated tone as she stares up at the paintings on the wall. The ones that held a front row seat to the kiss we shared not long ago. A kiss that burns to my soul even after she pushed me away and I swore it couldn't happen again.
She doesn’t move as my footsteps close in on her. I take this moment to evaluate her from the last time I’d seen her. She’s wearing a dainty white dress that falls to her knees and dark brown combat boots. Her hair is tied into a ponytail on the back of her head. Beauty exudes from her and it’s not lost on me that I am drawn to the intensity of it.
"I honestly don't even know why I came here,” she says as she keeps her back to me. “I was planning to run away but I…"
Her words fade in shallow breaths. Her confession, though I suspected it, strikes a modicum of anger in me. She was going to make me chase her and a hunt I would ensue.
The slight echo the hallways allows gives me a hint of the whispered noise her breathing makes. She turns around and her bright gray eyes greet me in a mess of confusion and desire along with so many other mixed emotions that I can't seem to pinpoint.
She senses my frustration though, curling her arms around her to attempt an apology.
"I know. I'm sorry. I know what I said to you before, but you have to understand how crazy all this sounds to me. I mean, I believe you. I think. But when you told me that-”
"You’d have to turn into a vampire," I interrupt her and she deflates. I had a feeling that’s why she insisted on avoiding me.
Despite what I claim to have discovered in her, she is only human and I know a broken girl when I see one. It was one ofthe many reasons I was drawn to her. Her cracks mirrored my own and our traumas aligned the same. Nearly two parallel souls forced to live in two different worlds, which is likely why Nature paired us in a match.
“Yeah. That.” I watch her carefully as she does everything she can to avoid looking me in the eye.
"Lucynda.” I approach her gently, eating up the few feet that remain between us. I lower my tone, knowing anyone at any time can walk by and see or hear us. I plan to be intentionally vulnerable with her in this moment, and that is not something I want gossipy ears to be privy to
“There's a madness in you. A darkness. I knew it the first night we met. I’ve seen it ever since, but you chose to hide that part of you. Is there any part of you that might want to embrace it?" I take another step forward, hands in my pockets and eyes tunnel-visioned only on hers.
She tenses and looks up at me, her silver eyes glow like Shadow Creek in the dead of winter, frozen as solid ice.
"So you want me to become a villain?" Her question is valid. I seem to be only harping on her want for revenge as the sole reason why she should take my hand. There's more to her than that, I am aware. But I know what she craves and I can give that to her as long as she gives me what I want.
"No. But it takes a tough soul to take on a role this important and respected. I saw it in you all that time ago. Your need for something bigger. You crave power. I can give that to you. The Society can give that to you. I thought you would find solstice in obtaining a desire you craved for so long.To be seen." I take another step in her direction but this time mirrors me, stepping backward.
"You got all that from me just by stalking me?" She shakes her head. "Wait, don't answer that. I forgot for a second that you are an intrusive jerk."
I dip my head and smirk. Even in a time of confusion and mystery, she finds a way to bring out her sass. I admire her for that as well.
"I'm sorry I attempted to run. I'll try not to do it again." Her apology hits me like a freight train. It was one thing when she begged, it's another when she apologizes.Fuck, it does something twisted to my body and I know I'm having a hard time containing myself. My reserve is on the last seam before bursting open. She's not ready for it when it finally gives in, whenIfinally give in.
"Do not apologize," I say with a little more bite than intended. "I'm not allowing you to take this role any further." I'm lying to her face, but I'm doing it because I want her to fight for her need for power. Ineedher to want this more than I do. It will make it easier when I ultimately let her down in the end.
"Wait, you can't do that," she argues. "You can't just chase me around and tell me all these secrets about your vampire world and practically force me to listen to your offer of marriage, and then tell me that I can't make that decision for myself."
"I can. And I did." I turn on my heel to walk her to the door. I need to get her out of my sight fast before I take more than her decisions away from her in this dire moment surrounding my need.
But I hear a small breath escape her pretty pink lips and her next words do nothing to help my case.
"I want to turn." Her sweet tone fills my ears like music, giving me gratification of her admission but at the same time, unrelenting desires that are forbidden to my intentions.
I turn around to see that she's blushing as her freckles glow under her icy eyes. I can practically feel the pulse of her heart in my own veins.
I'm ungodly for the thoughts I have of reaching under the hem of her dress and feathering my fingers up toward where I wantthem most. The way I would make her feel with just the swipe of my finger.
"Fuck,"I breathe out lightly.
She's biting her lip as she falls completely unaware of my invasion of her body; her eyes are on the floor now.
I take a step back and force the dirty thoughts from my mind as I wait for her to explain herself.