Laura - Her apartment
I 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 time.
I take a long breath in and urge myself to relax. As if that would help, given that my breathing is only a part of my fantasy. I keep myself glamoured, trying to feel like a living, breathing human being. Pathetic.
A door creaks open, and I abruptly turn my head in that direction.
“Look who’s in my apartment and at the TV at the same time!” Alisa giggles and goes back into her room, signaling me to follow her.
Pictures of me and Paul cover the entire screen. Our faces are plastered all over the news. If I didn’t know better, I would have said the couple was in love. Seeing the scene from this angle, I now understand how others may perceive us.
A shiver ripples over my body in the places he had touched. The feel of his fingers pressing hard over my skin comes back as I see them in the photo. I have to shake this off.
“I just saved his life. Again.” I plunge onto the couch and hug a pillow. “His associate, Bogdan, gave him a poisoned glass of champagne. I just wanted to make him spill it in a natural way, without giving away my ability.”
“Oh, so you weren’t hitting on him at all.”
"No. I had to bump into him and make it look like a mistake. But he started acting all touchy and steamy out of the blue. ‘For the paparazzi,’ he said. I just played along."
"Hmm…" Alisa nods and scratches her chin as she turns her gaze to the TV. "Poor Laura, getting fondled by a hot alpha CEO. I bet you didn’t enjoy it at all."
"Shut up!" I hurl the pillow at her. She doesn't have the luxury of ducking. Oh, I wish I had her super-strength instead of my mind-reading skill. The cushion would have ripped her head off.
Alisa takes the cushion and stuffs it under her bottom. "Ah, that’s better. Now, where was I?" She nods and scratches her chin yet again. "Yeah, wanted to ask you something. Have you thought about this being all over the news? How will the Council react? A strigoi and a werewolf make the headlines."
"They won't like it, and there will very certainly be consequences. All I can hope is for me to be dead by then."
I never thought Alisa will be the one pointing out this problem. The Council takes care that all strigois abide by some core rules. "Never draw attention to yourself," along with "Avoid wolves at all costs," are at the top of the list.
“You’re a bit selfish, Laura. What about Paul? Won’t he be suffering the repercussions as well?”
"No." Shaking my head, I reach for another pillow. "Only the strigois are subject to the Council's authority. Paul is the supernatural underground's leader, and he has a deal with the Council. They will think twice before taking action against him."
"Hmm…" She continues the ritual of humming, nodding, and scratching her chin. "I guess it’s good to be handsome, rich, and powerful. Now I'm wondering how good he is in the sack. If he nails that too, he’s really a catch."
I raise an eyebrow. “You still didn’t get laid?”
“No.” Alisa clicks her tongue as she sits next to me on the couch. “Those wolves are uptight. I mean, Dan had that spark in his eyes that showed he wanted me, but when I asked him to come with me here, he refused and left. What’s with these guys?”
"Wolves hate strigois. Loving nature and balance, they see us as a disruption of everything they hold dear. For a wolf to kill a strigoi is a feat they would be cheered for. Or that was the case before the accord was struck. For peace and prosperity, the sides decided to end this war as old as time itself." I turn to look at Alisa. "So take your pick as to why he refused you. He has a slew of reasons. Also, you know their bite is lethal, right?"
“It isn’t for you.” She pouts, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Yes, though I hope Paul’s bite will be different.”
"That is, without a doubt, not the worst way to die. But are you sure you trust that old hag? All that Dacian Draco nonsense?"
I sigh heavily. “That old hag is the oldest gypsy witch I could find. Her powers of foresight are legit. And Paul is the only one who fits that pattern, all of my findings point toward him.”
“From what I can see, you two are starting an S&M relationship.”
“S&M?”
“Oh, god, Laura, I can’t believe you lived that long without knowing that much. A relationship between a sadist and a masochist. You’re the masochist with all that ‘Kill me! Please, kill me!’ Do you know how a true sadist replies to that? NO!”
I scowl. “Your jokes are bad.”
“No, I’m quite hilarious. You have no sense of humor.” Alisa makes a hand gesture to leave that aside. “Now, tell me, how are you planning on getting this handsome stud?”
“Apparently, the alpha is immune to my pleading. Therefore, I’ll change tactics. I’ll go for the CEO instead.”
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
Laura - Sohodol CanyonAt first, I run after the wolf. Soon, I slow down my pace and regain my composure. I see the markings on the trees he left for me. But I don't need these to follow him. His heart beats differently, faster, warmer. I can feel it from miles away.He comes to a halt, and I catch up. However, as I go closer, I smell blood. There's a lot of blood. I nearly trip over a little dry branch on the ground since I'm no longer paying attention to my surroundings. As my hopes fade away, my teeth gnash beneath the weight of my jaw. There is no heartbeat except for the wolf and a few squirrels in the trees. Those girls are no longer alive.I go past Paul and stop in front of the crooked door that barely remains on its hinges. The strigoi is inside. His mind is cluttered – his thoughts all over the place