CHAPTER TEN.

Alijah got into the kitchen, poured the last of her oatmeal into a bowl, added some milk to it, and made her way back to the room where she had left the stranger and his cat. She shook her head as she realized that the cat she had grown fond of would no longer be hers since the owner would want to go back for his pet when he was leaving. Even if the cat wanted to stay with her, she was sure the man would insist on taking the cat away.

She would miss the pet. She had come to rely on the companionship the cat gave her. Now, there would be no one she could talk to and tell all her worries. She would return home to only her furniture and the silence her house provided her with. She sighed as she tried to shoot the depressing thoughts away. She was already used to being alone for most of her life, so returning to that circle again shouldn't be such a hard thing for her.

It was a hard thing, she thought. Whether she admitted it out loud or not, whether she thought of it in her mind or she did everything she could to block the thought out, she knew that that wouldn't erase the fact that she was always alone and the fact that she was getting tired of such. She needed a friend, a companion. Someone who would understand her and be with her through it all.

She let out an exasperated sigh when she saw that the oatmeal was already getting soggy in the milk and if she didn't take it to the man anytime soon, he would not be able to eat it again. As she walked back to the room, she remembered that she didn't even know what the man's name was and she placed it in the back of her mind to ask him once she got to him.

As soon as Renee saw that Alijah was out of the room, she jumped out of her brother's arm and sneered at the man.

"What?" Scott asked, crossing his arms over his chest in a daring tone. "You got any problem?"

"You can't treat her like that!" Renee spoke into his head. "She's a nice person." She warned her brother.

"Do I look like I care about such rubbish?" Her brother scoffed.

"Then, why are you here? I know it's not because you were looking for me as you claimed, so spill it. What are you up to, dear brother?"

"I…" Scott started but he heard his sister's shocked gasp in his head and he winced at how loud it was. "What?!" He shouted at her.

"Don't tell me you are here to drain her of her blood because you find it delicious?" She asked.

Scott couldn't believe his ears. "I wish!" He spat out. "Is that how low you think of me?" He grumbled at his sister.

"Well, it was obvious you like the taste of her blood."

"I don't!" He replied to her a little forcefully. "Anyways, don't make the mistake of feeding from her." He warned his sister.

"I wouldn't. Unlike someone, I'm not the kind that repeats a good deed with a bad one."

Scott was hurt by how deep the remark hit him but he didn't let it show on his face or his reaction. He wouldn't give his sister that satisfaction to gloat about it later.

"I'm serious, Renee." He told her in a tone that supported how serious he was. "Her blood is poisonous to vampires."

He went on to explain the ordeal he faced the day he had fed from her at the hospital. He also explained what he, Lucas, and Arden had done to confirm their belief.

"Wow," Renee said telepathically as she had been doing since the start of the communication.

"Also, I found out that I couldn't use my powers when I had my hands on her. So, I think making body contact with her blocks vampire powers from surging too." He further explained.

"True. I've felt that before too but I didn't give it much thought." She affirmed. "So, what do you propose we do?"

The way she asked the question in his head, Scott imagined that if she was in her human form, then, she could have acted like either a spoiled princess or a boss lady. He chuckled at the imagination that crossed his mind.

"We do nothing for now other than monitor her. That's why I'm here and you can also help me out." He paused in his words when he heard her footsteps returning. "I think she's coming back." He placed a finger over his lips to shush his sister.

Alijah bounced into the room, a bowl of oatmeal in one hand, and a jug of water in the other. When she got fully inside, she dropped the bundles in her hands on the bed and called her guest over.

"Come and eat, so you can have your strength back," she stretched her hand to the items she had earlier dropped on the bed.

"No, thank you," Scott told her, eyeing the said meal. "I'm not hungry."

Alijah was a little disappointed since she had just wasted the last of her food. Scott on the other hand was troubled about how he could get her to allow him to stay.

"What I really need at this moment is not food. It is the shelter I need since I can't go back to my house until I am fully healed." He tried and hoped that she would believe him the same way she had earlier.

Alijah knew what the man had just insinuated by the words he had spoken. He was trying to tell her that he wanted to continue living with him. Was that possible? Could she afford to allow a stranger to stay with her?

"It's just for the meantime," Scott said when he saw her shake her head. "I promise." Not that he was going to make any good of the promise. At least, not until he and the other two vampires could find a way to eliminate her as a threat.

She thought about it for a while, "I really can't let you stay, Mr. …," she trailed off. "What's your name?" She finally asked.

"Daniel," Scott lied smoothly.

"Mr. Daniel, I can't let you stay here." She told him.

Scott cursed inwardly. If she kept insisting, he would have no choice but to leave her and her house. He couldn't afford to let that happen, however. Lucas and Arden would kill him if he allowed that to happen. They would think that he had done it on purpose because he hated humans, especially her and her deceiving blood. He might have done it if it wasn't that he had just discovered something new about her again, something much more dangerous than the other one.

It looked like he had the unlucky fate of always being the only one to discover the dreadful things about the human. In any case, which kind of human was she anyway? He eyed her wearily, ignoring her uncomfortable stance under his stare. He was sure that there was a reason behind why she could be such a hindrance to vampires.

Just merely thinking about how Lucas and Arden would turn him into her security dog if he told them about his discovery made him feel a little angrier than he already was about the whole thing. He trained his eyes on her some more and spoke up.

"I'll pay you monthly as your tenant, whatever fee you charge me." He tried again.

Indecision crossed Alijah's eyes. Pay her monthly? And that too at whatever rate she charged him? She did a quick calculation in her mind. She couldn't lie to herself that she was in dire need of money since she had no savings left at the moment and she was out of foodstuff. It could also take a while before she was able to secure another job. Right at the moment, the option he presented was her best bet.

"You have to pay for a month in advance." She told him.

"No problem about that." He shrugged. "How much is the charge again?" He asked and she mentioned a fair sum. "I'll pay you double of that."

"What?! Are you serious?" She squeaked.

"Yes." He said simply. "Now, get out of my room and unless I call you, I don't want to see you in the room or anywhere around me." He commanded her.

Alijah tsked, "Did anyone ever tell you that you are too arrogant for your own good?" She scoffed at him.

Scott fixed his eyes on her. "Out!" He screamed at her.

Frightened out of her wit, Alijah scooted out of the room without a backward glance. The cat gnawed at him before she trotted after Alijah.

"Now, how do I avoid that woman?" He slapped a hand over his face, already antagonizing about his days with her.

*P.S: If you guys read up to this point, it means that I managed to get your interest. Please leave your likes, comments, and review. I'll appreciate them. See you at the next chapter.