Just a Job
1511 Words
James
She is two or three years younger than me, and she’s tried to put her long hair in a bun that looks appalling.
She also looks tired and my wolf’s need to go to her is unbearable.
I pass by her when I feel my fangs piercing my gums and the copper scent of blood fills my mouth.
“ Damn it.” I hiss as I clench my jaw and consider going out of the stupid diner for a cigarette but Chris glances at me, a look saying “What the f**k, dude,” and I head to our table.
The waitress is still smiling at Chris, standing very close to his body and for a brief second I wonder if he would actually leave with her.
“No,” I shake the thought off.
Chris is a vampire and I am a wolf, and even though we are different species, we are part of the same group of rogues.
Yeah, those exist, We refuse to live according to the rules that the Elders have imposed on everyone who is not human.
But even though we are off the law- in fact, off all the laws, there are rules we follow in our group.
And there’s one rule that goes without saying, regardless of whether it refers to shifters, hybrids or vampires- no feeding on humans.
Under any circumstances.
Unless, of course, they are criminals or someone that’s a threat to the others - like a wolf that’s gone rabid or a vampire out of control.
“Maybe I will try this, “ Chris tells the waitress, using his silky voice and she beams at him, looking for ways to accidentally touch him.
My wolf stirs again, and I turn to the side. The girl is serving a table and one of the guys looks at her.
My hand closes into a fist and I almost get up from my seat. Our waitress doesn't notice my reaction but Chris does, so he leans back in his seat - all charms and hotness. A few women even glance at our table, I hear them discuss us.
“Can you bring the drinks now?” Chris asks and winks at our waitress. Her heart speeds up and her body reacts to his words so strongly that I snort.
The waitress leaves.
“What are you doing?” Chris asks, pointedly.
“Nothing, I just don't like it here. “
He lifts an eyebrow.
“You keep looking at the target. “
“I don’t, I just…”
“James. “ Chris says, a voice suddenly ice cold. “We can’t f**k this up. And what’s more- I have never seen you looking at someone. At anyone, in fact. So what the hell is going on?“
I open my mouth to answer but I hear one of the guys asking her about the name.
“It’s Hannah, “ she says, and the guy tilts his head.
“It suits you. “
she flips the menus in her hands impatiently.
“Would you like anything else?”
she asks and my wolf starts howling again. It’s borderline impossible for me to stay where I am. This guy asks Hannah other questions and she answers but I can tell she is getting impatient.
I fight the need to go and smash the guy’s nose when Hannah says she has to go back to work and he leaves her alone.
When I turn back to Chris he is observing me.
“I am just tired. “ I lie and push the hood off my head. “And this place is… you know. “
“Mhm, “ he says and I am not sure if I convinced him that nothing is wrong and I don’t feel like my wolf is eating my insides.
“We are leaving first thing in the morning. “ Chris says and I am ready to leave right the f**k now.
We finish our drinks, Chirs even pretends to eat some of the stuff, and we head out. The waitress asks Chirs if they could exchange socials but he kisses her cheek and tells her this is even better.
I push my hands in the pockets of my hoodie and head out, cigarette between my teeth. The air smells like rain and I almost expect to find wet roads.
I light my cigarette the moment I step outside and wait for Chris when she comes out.
Hannah. She's putting her jacket on, fumbling with the sleeves.
“She is so clumsy,” I think bitterly when she passes by me.
Her scent invades all my senses, making it hard for me to think. I shrug into my hoodie again and she smiles briefly, oblivious to the mess in my head.
And my body because my wolf just doesn’t let go.
She drops her bag on the ground and mutters something. I take a drag from my cigarette, just to keep myself busy with something because my other two options are not very acceptable.
One would be to help her with the bag and touch her - That's what my wolf wants.
And two - sprint and disappear down the street - Not suspicious at all.
So I put as much distance between us and considered calling Chirs to come out.
Hannah picks up her bag and groans when she discovers it’s covered in dirt. She glances at me embarrassed but I ignore her.
That’s when rain starts falling in big, heavy drops that land in dark spots on her grey jacket. She pauses to look up at the sky. Who does this, anyway?
Hannah is so pretty that my hand holding the cigarette pack closes around it and crushes every damn cigarette in it.
“Please leave before I do something, “ I think but instead she turns to me and says,
“It’s my lucky day, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. “
I finish my cigarette and stub it out, “Isn’t it everyone’s?”
Hannah laughs.
“I guess.”
What am I doing….
“Do you have an umbrella?” I ask and she shakes her head.
“No, but I live nearby. “
“You shouldn't tell strangers where you live,”
she presses her lips together.
“Thanks. And you?”
“What about me?”
I can tell she hesitates and I take a step towards her, almost closing the distance separating us.
It's raining and her bun is soaking, some strands are sticking to her face and right now the idea of breaking into a run doesn't sound so ridiculous.
“Do your eyes change colour?” she asks and I take an immediate step back.
“What?”
I am sure my eyes didn’t change color but her face turns bright red and she quickly spins on her heels.
“Sorry. Anyway, see you. “
Now she is the one who springs down the road. Chirs comes out and saves me from doing something even more stupid.
Which I do, only an hour or two later.
***
Chris says he arranged to meet the waitress later.
“No stupid s**t, right?” I tell him and he flashes me one of his smiles.
“When have I done something stupid?”
“All the time. “ I say.
“That was before. But I know. I am not hungry anyway and I am sure nothing will happen. Besides, how often do we stay in hotels? You should go out and have some fun.”
“No chance I am going out,” I think, “especially alone. I can’t trust my wolf, not tonight when I know she is somewhere near and I can easily trace her. ”
“You go have fun, “ I tell him, “I’ll be here. Call me if something happens. “
He leaves and I take a shower, considering sleeping right after. I am exhausted- we came back from a task and we were sent to this one right after, it was a last-minute mission.
I look at myself in the mirror and I discover my eyes are much darker grey than normal.
My wolf’s need to go and find her becomes so strong again that I clench my hands around the marble of the sink, almost cracking it.
We have to find her, she is near, she is…
I slam my fist against the glass and it shatters, blood spilling over the perfectly white marble and landing on some of the crystals.
The wound will stop bleeding any moment but my wolf keeps howling and I remind myself of the first rule when we are sent on a mission.
Do not- ever- go back to the target. Don't track them down, don’t do anything. Just do the job you were given and call it off.
But then my mind drifts to her smile, the way she smelled and…
“f**k it.”
I say and push away from the sink, grabbing my jacket on my way out.
- Writer
