Paul - RBO party
Boring people with heads filled with possibilities to make more money, as their pockets are already overflowing. The only interesting thing around here is the incredible champagne. The drinking practice from the parties I’ve been to is keeping the three glasses I already hurled down my throat from having any impact on me.
Looking at the last drop of the sparkling liquid on the bottom of my crystal glass, I circle my hand and play with it. It's the most interesting thing here so far. People around me talk, but their words are muffled in a cacophony of tedious affairs.
Lilac scent. My head swivels. I follow the enticing hourglass curves as she walks through the door. Her silhouette is stunning, accentuated by the light from the chandeliers. It's as though the room has suddenly sprung to life. It's strange, however, how she casts away her sight when others glance at her as if she doesn't belong here.
She looks around, seeming even more bored than me. When her turquoise eyes set upon mine, I gulp. My heart stops pumping blood in my body when she strolls toward me. Everything around us blurs. There’s only her here.
She becomes more determined when she sees me, and the energy she exudes changes. Her confident stride draws me in; her chin is held high and straight. She doesn't wear earrings, necklaces, or bracelets like the other ladies. She doesn't need jewelry to look like a queen.
A smile stretches over my face. I thought I'd have to force it, but it comes naturally as I gaze at her. Tonight, I have to wear the expression of a man in love, or else Cristian might kill me, or at least bore me to death. As hard as that can be – I hope it's not impossible – I have to draw a line somewhere. My stock market value can drop rather than look pathetic and desperate, even more so when there is a harem of other women that would readily be in her place. Why is this stupid smile here to stay?
When Laura arrives at my side, I whisper. “Just look nice and smile. Oh, and don’t talk.”
She doesn’t reply, and the corners of her red lips rise in a forced smile.
I return my full attention to the man in front of me. Darius Popovici is one of the wealthiest men in sports. After an average career as a football player, he bought a small team, and now that team has made it into the big league. Cash has overflown his accounts.
On today's agenda, I plan to discuss sponsoring his team to display my logo on their jerseys. But after minutes that seemed like hours, I’m now fed up with the only topic he knows.
“Tell me, Paul, which team do you think will win the Champions League this year?”
Without hesitation, I deliver my truthful answer. "Football is not arousing my interest. A horde of monkeys pursuing a ball."
Darius almost chokes to death. Not my fault. He shouldn't ask a question unless he is prepared to receive an honest reply.
Laura takes the initiative before he can say anything. "I, on the other hand, am a huge football fan. I've seen every game your squad has played this season and must commend your selections. You sold the offensive midfielder just before his contract ended and purchased the new one for a fraction of his market value. You're a great businessman, and your management strategy is spot on."
Darius chuckles, his cheeks getting a pinkish note as he winks at Laura. Now I’m the one unprepared for what happened here.
“She’s a keeper.” Darius gives me a friendly pat as if we are best friends. Which we aren’t.
A hand holding two glasses comes between us. It’s Bogdan, a new board member, who I still struggle to grasp his intentions.
"Who is the lovely lady?" He offers me a drink and extends the hand holding the other toward Laura.
"Laura Nedelcu," she responds, taking the offer. Then she places the glass on the table next to us. "Excuse me. I’m going to freshen up a bit."
Laura takes a few steps before turning around and coming back at a fast pace. She trips as if she has suddenly forgotten how to walk. I don’t mind the feel of her breasts over my arm when she plunges toward me, spilling the contents of my glass all over my shirt.
I lean down, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her lilac scent hits my senses when I whisper, "Do you have rotten feet? Didn't you drink enough blood at lunch?"
She smiles and raises on her toes to kiss me on the cheek. "Even if my eyeballs would fall, I can't miss this pile of shit in my way."
My arm wraps around her slender waist, pressing her chest against mine. "You sure know how to make a man wanna kill you."
"Hey! A girl does what she needs to do to get what she wants." She chuckles and wipes away the lipstick off my cheek.
The flash of a camera blinks nearby. Oh, photographers. Such a great moment for them to drop in. I’ll give them more to be off the hook for a while. My hand crawls downward, strolling over the perfect curve of her rump. I squeeze it hard, and her muscles buckle, becoming hard as a rock. The growl of my wolf accompanies her yelp. But I don’t stop there.
My mouth rests over her ear as if I were kissing her while placing my other hand on her nape. "This is only for the paparazzi. My wolf would prefer to rip you to shreds."
Her hands wrap over my shoulders, tugging me closer. “Good,” she whispers with a moan as if that would give her great pleasure.
Her cold touch is eerie but extremely delightful, perfectly fitting against my heated body. The coolness of her skin soothes mine. It’s not chilly or unpleasant. Her touch is a drop of cold water on a torrid day when even the asphalt melts away. I barely hold inside a deep sigh of surrender.
Hitting on ladies was previously second nature to me, but this time there's a rush in my veins that I've never felt before. No, this isn't me anymore. Some cling to the silver lining of happily ever after, while others get intoxicated on its pursuit, wobbling as they look for solutions to issues they don't yet have. The quest is one's soul's damnation. Making trouble in order to get what you don't actually need.
Two hours later, people start to leave. I escort Laura outside. We gaze at each other once we're out in the cold night. She shined brightly throughout the event, knowing just what to say and when to say it. She is quite impressive, but I'm not going to sing her praises.
"You're terrible at following instructions. You spoke more than I did." I put my hands into my pockets. "Allow me to drive you home."
“You don’t have to do that. I know the way.” She leans down and takes off her high-heels. “Oh, better,” she mutters more for herself, then she winks and turns around. Her bare feet make no sound on the asphalt. “One more thing.” She stops and peeks at me over her shoulder. “Take care of Bogdan. He’s the one trying to kill you.”
I remain there on the street, watching her hips sway as she goes away. How does she know this?
Laura - Her apartmentI fumble to close the door, the keys jingling between my fingers. Why do two strigois bother locking their door? I would mourn the fool trying to steal from the undead.After letting my small purse drop on the counter, I settle my elbows on it too and let my head drop into my palms. What has gotten into me? It’s totally out of character for me to act that way with a man. The need to reply to him in the same style overwhelms me. It’s like I’m a different person when he’s around.Or maybe I’m more myself than ever before. Not hearing his thoughts relaxes me. The silence of his mind draws me toward him. He’s a mystery to me, while the others are an open book. I can take off all the safeguards I struggle to maintain, so I do not hear everyone all the
Paul - Wolves Inc Office BuildingAfter days of my men digging into Bogdan's background and scrutinizing his every action, I still don't have anything definitive that proves he's the one who wants to murder me. The digging efforts of my team have not yet yielded any results. All I have is Bogdan Badea's name and the fact that he bought shares in Wolves Inc from persons I had no idea wanted to sell.My wolves are in a state of tenseness. The pack is growing distrustful of my actions, particularly the one associated with a certain strigoi. I must avoid Laura for the sake of both of us. Whatever occurs when she's around is something I'll never understand.My mood is worsening now, as I have to hear Cristian applauding the results from the RBO party. I don’t know which is worse: when he’s pestering me to do
Laura - Wolves Inc Office BuildingPaul's gray eyes have darkened to the point of becoming pitch-black. Maybe this is what he looks like when someone pokes him more than he can handle. His wolf is furious, but this is what I want. We'll be done with this if he bites me in a fit of rage.I look toward the window, stretching my neck for him and making it easier for the wolf to bite me. His hot breath strolls over my skin, making it crease. He sniffs me as if to see if I’m a worthy meal for his majesty.“I like my meat raw and warm.” He licks my neck and then spits on the floor. “You’re rotten and cold.”His words hurt me more than I thought possible. Why do I care what he thinks about me? I know what I am, and no one hates me more for th
Paul - His villa“Dan, you’ll be in charge until I get back.” I throw another shirt in the small suitcase.“Why do you have to leave now? Tomorrow night is a full moon. You’ll miss it.”I slam shut the suitcase and turn to him. “Do you think I don’t know? Do as I ask and stop questioning me.”What am I supposed to say? That I told Laura to wait, but she insisted she would go alone? He will mock me or even resent me for leaving the pack on such an important night to protect a strigoi.“At least put Alin in charge. He has done it before.” Dan follows me through the room as I’m scouring after a tent. My wolf likes to sleep on the grass, me not so much.
Laura - Sohodol CanyonThe road and river go farther into the mountains in a tiny passage between two massive rocks. We've located a patch of thick, verdant grass on which Paul unhurriedly pitches the tent for the night.Darkness creeps faster between the mountains and will soon be upon us. Waiting for him to finish, I march up and down the river stream, flattening the grass under my feet. His calmness and the way he does everything slowly drive me nuts. I was patient until now, but we’re here, and we should hurry to save those girls.The water rushes through caves it carved through stone, whooshing behind me. The sound almost covers my words. “How much longer? We should start our search.”"Chill," Paul says calmly, digging a tiny passage around the ten
Paul - Sohodol CanyonAs I stretch my numb limbs, the sun shines on my face. I grimace, wondering how I ended up sleeping on the grass. My wolf is happy with the outcome, my back not so much. Scrubbing my eyes, I see Laura’s face from last night. She looked so lonely and scared of being alone, so I remained outside, not even getting my sleeping bag. I’m such a retard sometimes. I guess the splinter from the bark does not fall far from the tree.(In Romanian, the saying “The splinter from the bark doesn’t fall far from the tree” has the same meaning just that instead of the proverbial apple is a splinter from the bark.)Under the generally well-dressed Paul Mateescu, the cool-headed CEO, still lurks the adolescent who watched his mother forsake his father for a wealthier man. I vowed nev
Laura - Sohodol CanyonWe strolled silently down the mountain route. Silence followed as soon as he admitted I was an abomination. I'm not sure why hearing it from his lips stung so much. I still felt more pain from his words than from the stake I once drilled into my heart. The astonishment I felt at not dying is only surpassed by this one today. Why should I care what he thinks of me?Without my consent, dreams and hopes keep seeping back into my heart. For a little while, I allowed myself to imagine Paul is unlike any other I'd ever met. In my foolishness, I become enchanted by this little spark filled with possibilities, believing that maybe, just maybe, I have discovered something destined for me.In fact, this is exactly what I need. His harsh words have to change the way I'm starting to see him. He's no
Paul’s wolf - Runcu villageI have no other option than to grudgingly accept being petted and laughed at. My self-esteem is lacking, not being able to even raise my ears again. The only good thing is that my pack isn’t around and that my human has declared this area off-limits to all wolves. I’ll die of embarrassment if any word of this comes out.After the little girl leaves with her father, I flick my tail, creating the momentum to shake my whole body. My instinct tells me this way I get rid of all those humiliating fondles and scratching, but I know the moment will remain there like a scar for life.“Come on. Let’s go to the shop where the girl went missing.” Laura starts walking in front of me, and I follow.Humans claim that wolve