«I said leave!» Ruby shouted, «I don't want you in my house. I don't want you in my sight. I want you gone and far away from me. And away from Nikky and Reid. If I see you near them, Kai, I swear I'll kill you.»
In a huff, Kai stormed off, leaving Ruby exactly how she wanted to be. Alone. Her body shook with the aftermath of what happened. She stood there for a while, thinking about what he said. About how he was the only one who could protect her. It was nothing but bull shit. Something he told himself to make him feel like the bigger person. Ruby had hoped that their conversation would have gone differently. She would have preferred it if they just talked about other things and not about the past.
She turned to her closet. Leaning against the wall was a sword that had been past down in the Blackwell family. It had been given to her mother after she had married her father and then given to her when she was old enough to wield it. It was the last thing she had of her mother and father aside from the photos. And the only thing that kept her tied to the Hunter life. She let out a breath and headed out to see Nikky. Gossipping about her night was going to be far better than sitting in an empty house angry.
«You did not?!» Nikky shouted.
«Not so loud,» Ruby whispered, «do you want the entire restaurant to hear you?»
«Hell yeah, I do,» Nikky declared, «I want everyone to know my girl got laid last night.»
«Shut up,» Ruby said as she hid her now bright red face.
Ruby had made sure to tell Nikky the entire story of her night, except for what had happened earlier in the morning. There was no reason to worry about her. Besides, seeing Nikky's large smile was enough for Ruby. It was far better than Kai's smug face when they fought. Thinking back to him, Ruby felt her anger spark back up.
«Did Kai talk to you?» Nikky asked, «he seemed rather eager to speak with you. He said he called you all night, but you didn't answer.»
«Oh? He called me?» Ruby replied and dug out her phone.
Sure enough, she had missed several calls from him. He even left a couple of voicemails. Those she would look at much later.
«Yeah. He waited outside your house all night,» Nikky said, «I think he was really worried about you. I don't blame you. He looked pretty spooked when we saw him.»
«You saw him?» Ruby asked, «wait, who you were you with?»
«Reid,» Nikky started, «I went to the bar last night and hung out with him. I got a little drunk, and we walked around the city. That's when we saw Kai. There were cops around and a body hidden in a body bag. It was really creepy. And I bet Kai was really worried about you.»
«That ass hole,» Ruby said.
Ruby noticed the looked on Nikky's face as she spoke more about how it was nice of Kai to be so worried about his sibling. Little did she know about the fight Kai had with her. Still, Ruby couldn't help but think that there was something else Kai wanted to talk about.
13
«Say no more»
As Ruby sat playing with the plate of food Nikky had brought her, her mind swayed back to the moment at Joshua's apartment. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with her. And no matter how many times she tried, she couldn't find the answers and the only person who knew the answers, she refused to see. Well, for the time being. Her last conversation with her brother hadn't ended so well and still burned in her blood.
Letting out a breath, she placed her fork on the plate. The Diner was busy, much like it was every day. And, as usual, the constant chatter from the other customers was of what they had done that weekend and what their future plans were, as well as the current events. And it seemed the only current events that were on everyone's mind was the murders that had been taking place over the last several days.
Everyone had heard a different story. The truth had been twisted somewhere along the way, much like it does with anything. But if you looked hard enough, it was there hidden in the darkness. Ruby hadn't been paying too much attention to the news, not with how crazy her life had gotten. However, she felt there had to be some sort of connection between them. Ruby tried her best to ignore the voices, that was until she heard the news about the latest victim.
The police had found a girl sitting on the bathroom counter in some pub downtown. Since it was on the rougher side of town, Ruby had avoided going there. The streets were usually filled with garbage, and people sat on the side of the road begging for money. From what she had heard, the police still couldn't find any evidence that linked any of the victims together. All that connected them was the method: throat slit and two pinholes in the neck. However, the girl from last night's murder was different. Her neck had been snapped, and two holes had been found on her neck.
Ruby let out another soft breath. All of this talk of murder had thrown her off her appetite, not that she had much of one anyway. Taking her eyes from her plate, Ruby looked at her friend, who stood at a booth smiling at a couple of guys who were laughing at something she must have said. It never ceased to amaze her how well Nikky got along with everyone. Placing her plate a few inches further on the table, Ruby got up to leave.
No matter how hard she tried, her mind just wouldn't let go of everything. She thought back to Joshua and how he must have felt. He should have been freaked out or something. But instead, he was calm. Like he was expecting something like that to happen. With her running out scared, she hadn't thought of him coming after her. Yet he did. Seeing him, with his kind eyes, made her feel safe. No one, not even Nikky or Reid, ever made her feel like that.
As she turned the corner, head still full of thoughts and still lowered to the ground, she wondered about skipping work and just staying home to sort through things. Just as her mind fought back and forth about what to do, she felt the air shift. It took her a moment to realize that she had bumped into someone. Taking a step back, Ruby apologized before the man turned to face him.
«It's all right,» he said.
Ruby's eyes widened as she gazed at him. He was handsome, just about as handsome as Joshua. His eyes were narrow like a cat, and his skin was pale like a ghost. He wore a white turtleneck sweater that had a red-neck piece and dark red cuffs. His jeans looked stained with red wine or something similar to it. His sense of fashion was questionable, given that it was late summer and was usually too hot to wear sweaters. The more she stared, the more she realized that maybe it wasn't so strange seeing him in that kind of outfit. With the light rain that sprinkled down, it did make it a tad cooler out. But not enough to warrant wearing a sweater.
Taking a moment away from his choice of clothes, Ruby trailed her eyes up to his face. Something about him reminded her of something from her past. A past, she couldn't quite remember. The more his eyes held hers, the more she felt her body tremble. His crooked smile sent shivers down her spine. Her heart began to race in fear. A fear she hadn't felt since she was a child. Just who was this guy?
His smile twisted into something crooked and sinister. Ruby's breath grew shorter the longer he smiled at her. She knew that smile knew those thrust-filled eyes. Somewhere deep inside, she knew him. When his eyes twinkled with a red glow, Ruby took another step back. Her heart raced faster than before. She was in danger and needed to leave. Yet, she remained there. Frozen in fear.
«I.. I should really watch where I'm going,» Ruby said, praying her words didn't sound as shaky as she thought they did.
«Really,» he said, «It's all right. No need to apologize, love.»
His voice was smooth and soothing. And the way he spoke resembled that of someone from a different era. Still, Ruby couldn't shake the fear she was feeling. Her body grew hotter as she stood there, praying for someone to come to her aid. When she realized no one would, she quickly thought of an excuse to leave.
«Sorry,» said as she looked to her phone, «I'm going to be late for work. Sorry again.»
She still had a few hours until her shift, but the words just came so naturally to her that she didn't even think about it. Her body took off quickly as she dar
ted past him. And out of the corner of her eye, she saw his eyes shimmer red once more.
She ran as fast as she could. Around the next corner and down the street. When she felt she had placed enough distance between them, Ruby steadied her pace. However, it didn't stop her heart from racing or her short breaths. She bent over and placed her hands on her thighs and took a few deep breaths. It didn't work. She felt more anxious and scared than she had been before. Her mind kept asking her what if he was right behind her? What if she hadn't gone as far as she thought? She looked to her side quickly and let out a long breath. He wasn't there.
Ruby stood there for a while, catching her breath and trying to calm herself before her shift. When her nerves finally settled, and she felt confident enough, she left. The walk there was quiet. A few people walked past gossiping about something, and a few cars passed her by. However, her thoughts seemed to drown out the noise. She tried to figure out where she had seen that guy before. He looked so familiar, well at least his eyes did. Shaking her head, she thought it'd be best to leave it be.
«You're early again, I see,» Reid said as Ruby walked in.
«I know,» Ruby replied, «I'm just going to stay in the back until my shift starts.»
She walked past the bar hoping that Reid wouldn't ask her why she looked so out of breath or why she showed up early again. If she told him, he would more than likely tell her she needs an escort or worse. He might try and get Kai to watch her. And Kai would only make things worse.
The break room was one of the most peaceful places in the bar. Little noise made it past the thick doors and walls, making it the perfect place to be alone with one's thoughts. Ruby stood in front of her locker and opened it to find her spare uniform waiting for her. She should have just gone home and changed after seeing Nikky. It was her every intention to do so. That was until she ran into that stranger. His gaze still haunted her and gave her chills. Once she finished changing, she stood at the mirror in the small staff bathroom.
Her face looked more pale than usual, and her hands still shook slightly as she tried to wipe a bead of sweat off her brow. How could she still feel so scared after distancing herself? It frustrated her that, no matter how hard she tried to remember where she had seen him before, she couldn't. It wasn't for lack of trying. She was. But something was blocked in her memory.
«Damn it,» she whispered in defeat.
Her night seemed to drag as she brought countless drinks to several tables throughout the night. The constant yelling from people from across the bar was starting to drive her nuts. What tipped the scale was she could hear loud crunching from a table from the other side of the bar and questioned if anyone else could hear it. Pushing the thought from her mind, she placed a drink on the table full of college students.
«Hey, when do you get off? Wanna hang with us later?»
Ruby rolled her eyes. The drunk jocks weren't her type. Never had been and never would be. Besides, they were far too drunk even to stand. Alcohol had been spilled all over them as well as the table. Annoyed, she turned and left. She wasn't dealing with them.
«Are you okay?» Reid asked as she placed her tray hard on the counter, «you seem a little edgy tonight?»
«I'm fine,» Ruby lied, «just those idiot college kids.»
«Say no more,» Reid replied, «I'll deal with them later. Care to help me back here?»
A break from people seemed like a great idea to her. She ran behind the counter and stood next to Reid and began mixing drinks. The more she mixed, the shorter the night seemed to be. She wasn't sure why and she wasn't going to question it. Seeing the slight smile on Reid's face brought a smile to hers.
«You should work back here more often,» Reid said, «it's a lot more fun when there are two people.»
She knew he could tell she was still feeling tense. She couldn't help it. She had been like that for weeks. She hid it from Nikky well, but for Reid, it was a little harder to hide it from him. He seemed to know what she was thinking before she did. Most of the time, Reid paid no mind and kept to himself. However, when Ruby was really tense, Reid would try his best to take her mind off of whatever was bothering her. This night, wasn't one of those nights. Still, Ruby smiled and nodded.
As the crowd died down to only a few, Ruby felt the stillness of the room wash over her. Finally, she'd have some peace of mind. Or at least she hoped so. She began cleaning the tables that had been empty and left in a mess. Focusing on wiping the table, kept her mind focused on something else. That was until her mind clicked with a thought. She paused for a moment to concentrate on the thought and bring it closer to her.
His eyes. Those deep red thirstful eyes. The darkness that surrounded them. And that white crooked smile. In the back of her mind, she could hear the screams from her nightmares. She could feel the heat from the flames that engulfed the home. They were connected somehow, and she felt so close to figuring out how. Yet, she still seemed far from it. She placed the thought back in the back of her mind and went back to wiping the tables.
«Ruby?» Reid called, «are you finished over there?»
«Yeah,» Ruby called as she tossed the rag in the bucket before heading back to him.
«Why don't you take a break?» he offered, «have a drink.»
«I'm all right,» Ruby lied. The truth was, she wanted that drink.
«I insist.» Reid declared, «sit there and drink this. When I come back, I had better see at least a little bit of that drink gone.»
Ruby took a seat exactly where Reid told her to, right in front of where he had been working. He had placed a hurricane glass filled with the bright red drink she loved. Smiling, she slid the drink closer and took a small sip before she watched him disappear to the back. It had felt like hours had passed since Reid had left. The music and sounds of the customers became a dull hum in the background as she stared deeply into her glass. All her thoughts seemed to fade for a moment as she welcomed the silence around her. She was finally feeling a little calmer thanks to Reid and his excellent service. However, it seemed to be the calm before the storm.
«Ouch! Damn it!»
Her calm silence had been interrupted by one of their customers. The girl's shrill voice was enough to break a Munk out of their vow of silence. Ruby turned to see what the commotion was and was even more surprised to see a blonde girl standing up from her table and gripping her hand tightly. There were two other girls with her and panicked as they tried to find something to wipe up the alcohol that was spilled as well as the shards of glass that had shattered on the ground.
Ruby rose from her seat and headed toward them when a strong metallic aroma filled her senses. She froze in place and tried to figure out where the smell was coming from. She looked everywhere, and when she turned back to the girls, she brought her attention to the blonde holding her hand. There was liquid dripping from the palm of her right hand that slid down from between the fingers of her left hand.
Suddenly, the world around her fell dark, with only swirls of oranges, reds, and blues filling the places where people stood. Ruby could hear their hearts beating quickly as they ran around scare. With the smell of the girl's blood filling the room, Ruby found herself growing more and more lost. And thirsty.
Her body seemed to move on its own. Drawing close to the thing it craved. She approached slowly, hoping to not alarm the girls. As she drew closer, the smell of blood became stronger as well as her thirst for it. It was like everything around her had disappeared, and the only thing that mattered was the girl in front of her. Her blood flowed quickly through her body with the rapid beat of the girl's heart.
Ruby stood a few feet away from them. Her eyes fixated on the blonde. The girl's friends stood behind her, afraid. Ruby slowly reached out to them in an attempt to grab the girl.
«Ruby!»
14
«Joshua!»
Joshua watched as Ruby walked up to the stairs and into her home. The other girl standing in the door had her eyes glued to her. She looked worried but
happy. She had offered him to come in or rather demanded that he come inside and dry off as well. But Joshua had something he had to do. Knowing that Ruby was home safe and in the care of her friend, he was more than happy to leave. As the door closed slowly in front of him, Joshua's soft smile faded into a stern look.
She was going to be harder to handle from now on if she kept shifting. Joshua contemplated telling her. However, it wasn't the right time. Not that there ever would be a 'right' time. For now, he'd leave it be as he himself needed to wrap his head around a few things first. One of which was the vampire running around the city.
As he turned to walk away, out of the corner of his eye, Joshua noticed a young man in the living room window. He was scruffy looking with his hair curled from the aftermath of the rain. Even his clothes looked a little worse for wear. There was something about his caramel-like hair and hazel eyes that held his attention for a moment. Then he remembered. The man standing there glaring at him was Ruby's older brother. He was a lot taller than Joshua remembered, although he hadn't seen him since the incident. He clearly didn't look pleased to see him.
Joshua continued on his walk, his mind filled with questions of what to do and how to handle everything once the truth was out. He wasn't sure if Ruby would believe him or not. How many people would believe in someone who tells them their a vampire? Or something like it. The truth was, Ruby wasn't like a normal vampire. She was different. She had taken the blood differently than other humans had. But the question was, why?
He wasn't sure if it had to do with her age or not. If it was, it made little sense. She would have turned then, and her parents would have killed her. Or locked her away somewhere. Maybe that's what they did? As his mind pondered those thoughts, he paused to remember their home.
It was a beautiful home, with acres and acres of forest around it. The ivory pillar held a black steel gate with the symbol of a sword and rose in the center. Joshua had always loved how it looked when the sun fell. He had kept his distance from the hunters for years, but couldn't help himself when he wandered the forest. That was when he had first met Liam, Ruby's father. And after the incident, Joshua hadn't seen them. That was until he had seen the golden embers over the horizon. When he arrived, the home was nothing more than burnt rubble.
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