by Andrea Wölk
She stood under the shower crying. She hadn’t felt so horrible in such a long time. She knew deep inside herself that she was right. It had to end things as quickly as possible, but she’d secretly hoped to spend one or two more days with Shia.
Everything seemed to be coming apart inside of her. Her head hurt so bad, she thought it would burst. She wished Shia’s powers would work and he could erase her memory, as if he had never existed. And if he appeared in her memory, then only as another regular person she’d met and had fallen in love with once.
She let the warm water run down over her face and could feel the heat. It was the way Shia’s hands had felt on her body when he kissed her. She started to wash her hair and wash away those thoughts of him. She didn’t want to think about him and especially not about his kisses. It was time for her to get back to work and distract herself. Having a day off was definitely not her thing!
After leaving the bathroom over an hour later, her bedroom was empty as expected and Shia had left with his things. It was better this way, she said to herself. Eva smoothed over the covers quickly and made the bed so that nothing would remind her that she hadn’t spend a good part of the day alone in it. The memories would disappear soon enough, she hoped.
When she turned towards her closet, the thought of spending the rest of the day here alone in her house was unbearable. She decided to get dressed and maybe stop by the station even though her boss had clearly advised her against it. What was he going to do about it? Fire her?
Eva chose a light blue blouse and dark blue pantsuit. Although her insides were sinking into absolute chaos, she wanted for things to appear normal on the outside at least. She tucked her weapon and badge into her belt and pulled her jacket on over them. As she came down the stairs to the first floor, she stopped abruptly. Shia was sitting comfortably in the living room with his legs crossed, waiting patiently for her.
He had showered and was wearing a dark green turtleneck, dress pants, elegant dark shoes and, to Eva, he looked simply irresistible.
His appearance gave him a certain dignity and he no longer looked like a twenty year old kid as he smiled back at her. His black jacket was resting on the arm of the other chair,
»There you are. Good. Can we go now?« Eva could hardly believe her eyes and ears.
»Where?«
»I though since we spent the whole morning in bed, that you’d be hungry and we could do what all mortals do, and go out to eat.«
»But you don’t eat.«
»Then I’ll just start eating. It’s not going to kill me.« A smile appeared around his eyes, which annihilated all her careful plans within seconds. Shia took his car keys off the table and escorted her out to his black Audi, held the door open for her and helped her in. When he slipped into the driver’s seat, Eva looked over at him inquisitively.
»You drive a German sports car?«
»Audi R8 GT, there isn’t a car with more style. Five hundred sixty horsepower and it only needs three seconds to go from zero to sixty. It’s almost as good as sex ... with you.«
Eva threw him an angry look.
»I’m just saying! It’s fast!«
She sat across from Shia in the restaurant in a state of amazement, watching him drink his wine. He’d sped with her towards the center of the city and turned from Westlake Avenue onto Harrison Street and shortly after parked in front of Kasper’s. They’d been given a cozy table for two near the fireplace.
Eva assumed that he’d reserved the table by phone because the restaurant was fairly popular and usually full. He’d even taken it upon himself to order for the both of them. She hadn’t even paid attention to what he’d ordered, and almost expected one of the guests to jump up and expose Shia for what he really was. But nothing like that happened. The female guests, rather, seemed to devour him with their glances and were disappointed to see Shia reach across the table for her and tenderly stroke her hand.
»Do you like it here?« he asked, his gaze drifting around the room. »Is this what you want from me? To live like a normal human being?«
Eva shook her head disapprovingly.
»No,« she whispered softly, »I don’t want you to put yourself in any danger. You shouldn’t change your life because of me.« In the mean time, the appetizer had been served and Eva watched in astonishment as Shia put a piece of lettuce into his mouth, chewed it and swallowed.
»How can you eat?«
»Why shouldn’t I be able to eat?«
Eva shrugged her shoulders.
»Well, I just thought you couldn’t any more. Because you feed differently now.«
»We can eat, but most of us don’t because we don’t have to and we don’t want to waste time doing it.« He smiled and stuffed a piece of bread and herbal butter into his mouth.
»So, you’re eating because I am?«
»I’m eating because I want to spend time with you and you have to eat. What’s so bad about doing things that mortals also do?«
»I don’t want to put you in any danger.« She said it very quietly, almost a whisper, but Shia understood her. He took another sip of wine.
»I’m in as little danger as those four people sitting at that round table in the middle of the room.« Shia nodded in their direction. Eva turned her head and then looked back at him.
»You mean they’re vamp ... I mean, like you?«
Shia nodded smiling. »We’ve been living amongst you for centuries, without you ever knowing.«
The main course had been served. He’d ordered baked salmon with tomatoes for Eva and a rare steak for himself. He cut off a huge piece and let it disappear into his mouth.
»How’s your steak? My salmon was great.» Eva tried to continue the conversation on a more harmless level.
»My steak was good, too. But it could have been a little bloodier!«
Eva’s cell phone started vibrating in her bag just as they’d ordered espresso. She took the call when she recognized Esposito’s number and exchanged a few words with him before she put her cell back into her bag.
»I’m sorry. I have to get to a crime scene. I’ll take a taxi.«
»No, that’s okay. I’ll take you. I’ll take care of this and you go ahead and go out to the car.« He handed her the car keys and for a moment their fingers touched.
When Shia got back to the Audi, Eva was sitting behind the wheel. Eyebrows raised, Shia climbed into the passenger seat.
»You think you can drive this thing?« Shia asked a little concerned.
Eva smiled knowingly. »Of course! A car is a car!«
»But this one’s got adjustable suspension!«
»Well, you better buckle your seatbelt then.« She listened as Shia took a deep breath and a low rumble spread through his chest.
She leaned over towards him. »Thank you for the wonderful dinner,« she whispered and kissed him on the lips. Shia returned the kiss and then pushed her away slightly.
»Eva, I wanted to say something to you in the restaurant, but then your cell rang ... what I said to you at the house ... that I love you ... I didn’t just say that. It’s the truth, even if I wasn’t aware of it myself.« He ran his finger along her chin.
»I love you and there isn’t anyone or anything that can change that, not even time.« He pulled her into his arms again and kissed her greedily. After a moment, Eva freed herself from his grasp and smiled.
»That is, if I don’t end up totaling your Audi!«
Channing trudged along the beach taking large steps as he went. The wind was ice cold and was blowing right in his face, which was exactly what he wanted right now. He wished the strong wind would blow away all his thoughts of Sara. The woman was making him absolutely crazy!
It was clear to him that she was emotionally confused. Ever since they’d met, they’d been nitpicking. There’d been no tender moments, only hostility. She merely seemed to be interested in him because of his tattoos and what had happened between them in the warehouse, she’d analyzed correctly. It was their nature and did
n’t mean anything,
at least not to Sara. He saw things in a totally different way. Sara had awakened feelings in him, which made him totally lose control. Every second, he was reminded of her warm body, her kisses and her hands gently stroking his face. No, for him it wasn’t just something in his nature; for him it was more. For him, it was in his heart, but that was something he couldn’t possibly tell Sara, let alone show her.
Without being conscious of it, his feet brought him back to Sara’s house. By the time he opened the front door, his blood pressure had returned to normal and he heard voices coming from the living room.
Sara looked at him and hurried over to him.
»My darling, here you are finally. Let me introduce you to someone.« She kissed him on the mouth and put her arm through his to pull him into the living room.
Channing was surprised as the scent of a human being drifted into his nose. He was all the more speechless by the fact that he could recognize the difference. Still, the dark-haired man standing across from him smelled unquestionably like Homo sapien.
»Channing, this is Philippe. I met him in Paris and he actually managed to find me here in Seattle.« All the while starring intensively into his eyes.
He held out his hand to Philippe.
»Channing McArthur. Welcome, Philippe!«
»Dr. McArthur?«
Channing nodded and put his arm around Sara’s waist possessively.
»What brings you here, Philippe?« he asked in a somewhat arrogant tone of voice and then turned to Sara.
»My darling, you have to change. We have plans tonight.« She nodded thankfully in his direction.
»Oh, I don’t want to bother you.« Embarrassed, Philippe shifted from one leg to another.
»I just wanted to say a quick hello. I had promised Sara that we’d see each other again someday.« He turned to go.
»Wait, Philippe, I’ll show you out.«
Sara brought him to the door and then closed it behind them.
»You can stay a little longer if you want!«
»Why should I want to? You lied to me in Paris.«
Philippe’s words were only a whisper.
»Why didn’t you just tell me the truth?« He looked her reproachfully in the eyes.
»I didn’t lie. I told you that it didn’t make any sense. Why didn’t you just believe me, Philippe?«
»I didn’t think you were seeing anyone, but you’re actually seeing this Dr. McArthur. You must have really had a good laugh about that, right!«
»No, Philippe, that’s not true. Where are you going now? Do you have a place to stay tonight?« She tried to grab his arm but he wouldn’t let her.
»Let me go. I’m fine alone. I don’t need your sympathy.«
»Philippe, I didn’t lie to you. I told you the truth from the start.« But he wasn’t listening to her anymore.
»You’re going to regret this!« he hissed and ran down the steps.
Another promise from Philippe, and Sara knew that it wasn’t an empty threat.
She found Channing in his room. Without knocking, she entered and walked over to the window to him where he was watching Philippe walk down the street.
»Thank you for helping me out.«
»He smelled like trouble!«
»Yes,« Sara nodded.
»I met him in Paris in front of the Notre-Dame. He’d sketched a portrait of me in a bistro and then brought it over to show me. He’d managed to find me in your apartment although I had even given him your address. Exactly like he found me here. Nothing happened between us, if that’s what you’re thinking.«
Channing turned around and sat down on the bed with his feet stretched out in front of him.
»That’s not what I think ... my apartment in Paris ... I have no memory of it. What does it look like?«
»It’s beautiful. Full of pictures by famous artists. It’s a small apartment with a kitchen, living and dining rooms, a bedroom and bathroom. Full of light with large windows, which look out to the Rue de Rivoli. It’s not that far from the Louvre.«
»Why did I have an apartment in Paris?«
Sara turned away from the window and sat down on the other end of the bed with Channing.
»You’ve completely lost your memory?«
He nodded in silence.
»You wrote in an email that you work as a historian in a museum and came to Seattle to look into pieces for an exhibit. You’ve got two diplomas hanging on your wall, one in English and the other in Art History. I don’t know where you worked. Maybe at the Louvre because of where you lived. If you want, we can fly to Paris and you can take a look at it.«
»I’m not sure if I want to know all this. Right now, I have no idea what to do. I don’t even know where I belong.«
»You belong with us. This is your home. We need someone like you who knows a lot about history. You will lead us.«
Channing’s mouth twisted into a smile. »Well, as a fighter I’m more of a dud.«
»A great leader doesn’t always have to be a good warrior.«
»I don’t think that I can lead you. I won’t be of much help to you.«
Sara moved closer to him. »But you can’t leave us. You are destined to lead us and you belong to me.«
Channing glanced up and looked her in the eyes, which were starring back at him.
»Who says? You?«
Sara lifted her chin and nodded.
»Yes, that’s what is written and until now, everything written in the Diarium has happened. You can fight against is as hard as you can, but it won’t do any good.«
Channing shook his head. »And what if I don’t want any of this? If I can’t stay or if I don’t want you?« When he said this, Sara’s eyes flashed dangerously and she began to move slowly towards him, smoothly like a tigress on the hunt, and then sat down on his legs.
»Did I understand you correctly? You don’t want me?«
Her eyes were fixed on him and a soft growl emerged from her throat. Sara’s proximity made Channing’s blood pulsate and he was breathing hard. She came closer and paused right in front of his lips.
»Just to make sure I understand you correctly. You really don’t want me?«
Instead of giving her an answer, Channing pulled her body down towards him and kissed her. First only softly to see if she would resist, but when she returned his kiss, he gently stroked her face with his finger. He rolled over on top of her on the bed to avoid letting her control things this time, running his lips down her neck and shoulder.
When Sara moaned loudly, a smile passed over his lips. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him as close as possible. He felt how her body moved with his and how she pressed her round breasts into his chest.
Channing had to muster all his energy to lift up his head and look her in the eyes. Sara squirmed impatiently underneath him.
»So, you really think this is all happening because it’s written in your sacred book?« She wasn’t in the position to express herself clearly so she just nodded, tossing her hair back and forth.
»Then it’s happening because of the tattoos on our bodies are telling us to?« He kissed her softly on her temple, looking down the length of her neck.
»Where is your tattoo then? Not on your chest and back, is it? At least I can’t see it there.« When he reached for her pants, Sara let out a sound of surprise and Channing paused a moment.
»You’re right.« He stopped abruptly and got up off the bed. »I should find that out another time.« With those words he left the room, leaving Sara alone and confused on the bed.
Eva steered the Audi towards downtown and stopped a little ways from the Empire. She parked the car and turned off the engine.
»Not a single scratch,« she said turning to Shia. He nodded, pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. His hands ran down her shoulders and he could feel how her body immediately pressed closer to his.
»I don’t want to leave you alone now,« he whispered to her. »Not here,
Eva!«
She pulled herself away from him. »Why not?«
»This is the place where we fought those creatures last night.« His voice had lost all its emotion. »I will definitely not leave you alone here.«
»Shia, I’m a Lieutenant in Homicide and not a bureaucrat. My colleagues are waiting for me a few hundred yards from here. What’s going to happen to me?«
»This area is crawling with creatures. What did you actually find here?«
»Two male bodies where found in the trash cans behind the club.«
»Had their blood been drained?
Eva shrugged her shoulders. »I have no idea.«
»I won’t leave you alone. Take me with you!«
»Shia, this is a crime scene.«
»Tell them I’m your brother.«
»That won’t work. I don’t have a brother.«
»Then tell them I’m a colleague from L.A.«
Eva looked at him. »Shia, you don’t know what it means to me that you’re so worried about me. No one has ever been that way. It’s unbelievably sweet, but you can’t come with me. I have to go.« She tried to open the door, but Shia held her back.
»Eva, that wasn’t a request. I won’t let you go alone.«
Eva seemed to lose her cool for a second, but then she reached into her purse and handed something to Shia.
»Here, put this on your belt.« He looked down at a police badge.
»It belonged to my late husband. I’ve kept it with me as a reminder,« she explained quickly. »Do you have your weapon with you? Of course, what a question! Wear it so that it can be seen.«
He looked at her puzzled.
»Wouldn’t this be impersonating an officer?« Eva shrugged her shoulders. »More like reincarnation!«
She climbed over the yellow tape with Shia behind her. A police officer held the both of them back until Eva showed her badge.
»Who do we have here, Esposito?« Eva asked in a harsh tone of voice.
Her partner, a small Mexican-American, looked over at her sternly.
