THE RED-BLOODED EYES

Alessia looked at some of the paintings and flooring samples she found in her folder as she observed the offices, looking for what furniture or designs would fit in perfectly in them, and also measuring the size of tables and also the ventilation of each office as she planned everything out on her tablet.

People looked at her and although they knew she was a professional, they were also mesmerised by her beauty.

Alessia asked her secretary to arrange a meeting with the bosses for her as she had to show them the plan and let them go through it and state their opinions of her designs. She's really starting to like her new job but her mind often drifts to that man. 

Her secretary arranged the meeting into which the bosses agreed to, so they were now seated in the boardroom as all eyes focused on Alessia who stood at the front of the whole room, her eyes drifted to the two empty seats, one at the ending of the table which seems to be the chair of the CEO and another one beside the CEOs chair and she wondered why they weren't here, 

" Mr Marcus and Duncan wouldn't attend the meeting because they had to attend to some business related matters but they gave us a go ahead to the meeting you can start. " 

Alessia nodded her head and faced the PowerPoint as she kept on changing the designs and explaining them while some asked her questions related to her designs and how she thinks it would fit in, after the meeting ended, they all liked her presentations, especially her designs and gave her a go ahead. 

She smiled as she walked into her office and picked up her phone. She dialled Zelda's number and the call was answered on the second ring.

"Hey, girl. How was your first day at work?! I hope no one dared to bully you. "

"My first day is going well and no, no one  bullied me, so can you stop thinking about that." Alessia replied and rolled her eyes as she spoke into the phone.

"Okay, so why did you call me if no one bullied you?"

"I wanted to invite you to go shopping with me. My project was accepted and I really need to go shopping for some furniture and have it delivered the next morning, but I can't do that without your assistance. Are you free to help?!" She asked and the other side of the call went silent for a minute, making Alessia think that she was asking too much from her best friend.

"Of course, I'll be glad to help you with getting some furniture. Why would you even ask for such silly things? We are best friends, so if we can't help each other when one of us is in need of help from the other, then who will?" Zelda replied and giggled into the phone. Alessia couldn't help but smile even more at her friend's response.

***

Alessia drove into the garage of one of the biggest industrial malls in Las Vegas. Getting down from her car with Zelda, they both walked to the entrance of the mall and were greeted by a salesgirl.

Alessia listed out the type of carpets and the quantity she wanted and the salesgirl showed her where each item she wanted was. Alessia also chose  different kinds of landscape wallpapers with good colour for the eyesight. Zelda helped her in choosing the type of lamps and colours that would be perfect for the design. They made an arrangement with the salesgirl for their packages to be delivered the next morning and they were handed their receipts and the list of things they bought.

"It was fun coming to the mall with you." Zelda said, as the both walked to another section of various equipment in the mall.

"It has been a long time since we last went to a mall together and I can't help feeling happy about my new job." She replied, smiling, but then she sighed.

"So have you met any hottie in your office?" Zelda asked, teasing her and Alessia's cheeks reddened like a tomato, as she remembered the intense gaze of the man from earlier.

She still couldn't shake off the way his eyes held so much possession over her, she couldn't help but feel intoxicated with his gaze and it seemed to bring out desires she couldn't explain.

"I met a weird but handsome man today." She replied, not wanting to tell Zelda that it was also the same man in the club.

"What made him weird?! " She sneered, 

"The way he stares at me with so much....intensity."

" How does he stare at you?! You make me feel kinky by your words. " Zelda blurted out with a light scoff.

" He stares at me like a predator, he gives me goosebumps all over. " She said, as her mind drifted to when she felt him say "Mate" maybe it was just an illusion and she decided to forget about it.

" A man you just met is already giving you goosebumps. Are you sure you haven't met him before? " She asked, as she stared at her friend who seemed to be deep in thought.

How could she tell her friend that this man makes her feel something she had never felt before, something intense?

" You seem to be keeping something away from me and I would make sure I get to figure out what it is. " Zelda stated.

 " Don't you seem to notice that man over there? He has been looking at you. " She whispered into Alessia's ears as she moved her gaze to where the man was.

Alessia looked up to see who the man was and her eyes came in contact with the most red-blooded eyes she had ever seen…

He looked muscular, with silky red lips and he was tall, but not as tall as the weird man but he was such a sight to behold but what Alessia didn't understand was why he was looking at her, watching her intently, like trying to read her mind but she couldn't feel any spark, she just felt nothing but tensed under his gaze. 

" I think it's time we get going. The shopping we did today is enough. " She said, as she gulped down her saliva.

" Who do you think that man could be?! He seems to be staring at you intently.  Does he have something against you?! " Zelda threw question after question at Alessia as they walked out of the mall.

" I don't know, Zelda. That's what I'm still going to find out. "

" Didn't you see his skin! So pale, like that of the vampires we watch in movies. " 

" This isn't one of the fantasy movies you watch. " She walked ahead of her to the car with a backward glance.

She felt so nervous to her bones. Coincidentally, she has had eye contact with two different scary men on a roll and also the same week.

What was really going on?!

To be continued...