Page 68 of Those That Don't Exist
Straightening my duvet and blankets I attempt to extend my fangs. I almost jump up when they appear with ease. I sit down on the bed and practice it a few times, my teeth extending and retracting on command.
It’s so fucking cool. I have fangs. Murderous tendencies aside I feel pretty badass right now.
For the last few months we’ve been hanging on a cliff with trepidation as to when I’d turn fully.
We.
I was no longer a me, I’m part of a we. I’d fallen so naturally I almost felt like Ty and I had always known each other. The feelings I had towards him ran deep in me, extracting them would require severe reforging.
Contemplating texting him I pick up my phone, only to see an unread message already sitting there. I read it several times, not quite believing the words.
I was to meet Adicious tomorrow - or today I suppose, as it was a little after four am. I sit on my bed for a minute to contemplate my response. Nerves instantly coil in my stomach, but I’m ready for this. If Adicious thinks I’m going to be a pushover he’s got another thing coming.
I’ll be ready. Please don’t worry, we can do this.
Looks like I’d finally be meeting the person responsible for the path my life has taken over the last year.
A tiny voice in my head tells me I should go in with an open mind, I only have Ty’s word on who this male is afterall. But Ty has my trust. I’ve believed everything he’s told me.
I take a deep slow breath in. I release it in a rush. I’d be careful but I’d also be calculating.
Maybe these fangs had given me some confidence because I suddenly couldn’t wait for my date with Adicious.
I take it back.
As I sit in the booth of the coffee shop opposite the blonde mountain of a male, all of my earlier bravado vanishes. Maybe I’d been high on the blood I drank last night.
Adicious is tall, even seated. He’s also built with wide shoulders and a wide clean shaven square jaw. His whole demeanour screams power and importance. His eyes are dark treacle, unreadable.
He wasn’t subtle when his eyes scanned over my body as I’d approach the booth and slid into the seat opposite him. It felt like a layer of oil coats my skin under his scrutiny. I’d managed to suppress the need to make a comment on it.
I allowed myself to give Ty a nod and a small “hi” in greeting but nothing else. Acting friendly but cordial towards him feels so wrong. I itched to touch him in some way, to check he was alright. Instead I shaken off my coat, dumped it beside me on the seats and turned to the other vampire opposite me.
“Adicious, glad to finally meet you.” I flash him a wide smile, and fluff my hair out a little.I’m going for sweet and innocent if it’s not obvious.
“Pleasure’s all mine, Aurora,” Adicious drawls in an accent I don’t recognise.
“Ty, go get us some drinks.” He doesn’t even take his eyes off me as he barks the command.
I allow myself a brief glance towards Ty as he takes our order. I have to concentrate on keeping my heart rate steady as he walks away. Not even two minutes in Adicious’s presence and I want to run from the oppressive aura coming off him. Call it female intuition but I already know everything Ty’s told me about the monster before me is true.
“So, you finish university at the end of the semester?” His voice crawls over my skin.
“Yes,” I answer curtly before I can stop myself.
“And your research has been on the Cleansing Wars?” His focus doesn’t leave my face. I force myself to look at him, to hold his gaze as we talk.
“Yes.” I force lightness into my tone and add, “I’m focusing on how the propaganda spread by the Fae government affected public behaviour during the fighting, and how civilians ended up joining the armies.”
I tap my fingers as they rest on the table but stop when I notice Adicious’s gaze drop to them.
“You must be well versed in vampiric law and their way of life, providing you’ve managed to see through all the bullshit,” he almost spits.
“Indeed. Vampiric culture has always fascinated me, I guess fate was trying to tell me something.” I muster enough confidence to offer him a small chuckle. He seems pleased by this.
“Yes, fate,” he says, almost under his breath.
Ty arrives back at the table, placing the black coffees in front of us both. I allow myself another glance at his face as I thank him. He straightens, hovering by the table.Is he about to leave me here?
