Aria's Second Chance

7_Vampire

Aria

I am exhausted and defeated by the time I walk home. Calling an Uber might be faster, but I need to save money until I can secure a job. Today was a complete and total bust. I am qualified and trained for nothing. Every employer was eager to help me when I mentioned Suzie, but I am unfit for all the vacant positions.

All of them took my name and number for when a position opened for a waitress or maid.

“I’m devastated,” I complain to Maya. “I was a straight A student. But without skills, I’m worthless.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Maya tries to console me. “Something will come along. Besides, there are plenty of hotels and restaurants here that are not on Suzie’s list that might be hiring. This is only day one, give it time.”

I do not reply. I know Maya is right, but I feel like sulking. I miss Amelia and the pack life. This is not how I envisioned my future when I married Bruce.

“Do you hear that?” Maya asks and interrupts my thoughts.

“What?” I ask curiously as I stand still and point my ears.

“There! That screaming,” Maya says hastily.

“Those are no cries of joy,” I grunt as I start running towards the noise. Whatever is happening, someone is in distress. As I run, I notice that I am on the University’s campus, and I follow the sound to the parking area.

Two men are pinning a girl down as a third is ripping her clothes off. Panic rises in me when I realize what they are doing.

“Let go of her!” I shout as I run closer.

“This is none of your business,” one of the guys that are pinning the girl down, shouts as he lets go of her and walks toward me.

Before I could answer, he pulls a gun out from his waistband and points it at me. I stop abruptly as I weigh the situation. The other two guys have not stopped their assault on the girl. She is still squirming and screaming, trying to break free from their hold. The one tearing her clothes off loses his patience and strikes her against the jaw. She yells in pain but is still long enough for the man to unbuckle his pants.

“Stop that!” I yell, but I do not take my eyes off the gun that is pointed at me.

“Run along or you’re next,” the guy with the gun warns me.

Anger rushes through me as I stare at him. This puny little man is seriously mistaken if he thinks he can intimidate me. For years I have lived in fear because of a man. I did not finally break free to be threatened by another.

“Take your best shot,” I hiss at him as I slowly walk forward.

For a split second his eyes widen when he realizes that I am not backing down. But he regains his composure quickly and violently he points the gun toward me.

“Stay back,” he yells. “I will use this.”

“Then do,” I challenge him before I storm towards him.

As a wolf, my eyesight, hearing and reflexes are faster than his. I keep my eye on his finger on the trigger and I instantly duck and roll when he squeezes. The loud noise of the gun firing echoes through the parking lot.

I am back on my feet and grab the gun with one hand, pointing it downwards as I punch him on the jaw with my other. He loosens his grip on the gun and I take it away from him with ease. With all my might, I bring the gun’s grip down on his nose and he falls to the ground. His hands cover his bleeding nose as he screams in agony.

“I said, let go of her,” I shout and point the gun towards the other two that stopped their actions to stare at me in shock. Slowly they release the girl and I walk toward them.

“Back up,” I shout as I keep the gun on them, and they obey.

“Can you stand up?” I ask the girl gently when I kneel next to her. Not taking my eyes, or the gun, off the men.

“Y … yes,” she stutters softly as she tries to cover herself with what is left of her clothing. I put my arm around her waist and together we stand up.

“Stay behind me,” I order softly, and she obeys instantly.

“Kneel,” I bark the order at the three men staring at me with hatred and anger. “I said, kneel, dammit.”

Slowly they obey, but I can see that they are figuring out a way to reverse the situation and I keep my distance.

“Lay on your stomachs and put your hands behind your backs,” I say sharply.

When they take too long to obey, I move closer and hit the closet one against his head with the gun. He groans in pain but that was enough for all three of them to lay down and put their hands behind their backs.

“Call the police,” I shout over my back to the girl.

“No,” a dark, ominous voice speaks from the shadows, and I jerk my head in the direction.

In awe, I watch as one of the most handsome men I have seen in my entire life walks toward us. His tall, athletic body moves so supple that it almost seems that he is gliding. His dark hair is sleekly combed to the back and his green eyes are almost glowing.

“Trouble,” Maya whispers in the back of my mind and I could not agree more. It should be unlawful for a man to be that gorgeous.

“Daddy,” the girl shouts and rushes towards the Greek god of a man.

He wraps her tenderly in his arms. He whispers something to her, and she smiles and nods before she turns away and disappears in the direction he came from.

“What do you mean no?” I finally manage to get my voice back. “They need to take responsibility for what they’ve done.”

“Oh, they will,” the man smiles devilishly at me, and shivers run up my spine. Suddenly, I feel sorry for the three culprits.

His eyes do not leave mine and mesmerized I watch him coming closer. It feels like he is looking straight into my soul and still, I cannot bring myself to look away.

“You are a wolf,” he whispers for my ears only when he is next to me.

Stunned I stare at him. How does he know? Was he hired by Bradley to find me? Impossible, there is no way that they could find me so fast. Intensely I look at the man. His eyes, his skin. I try to get his scent and listen to his heartbeat.

Everything stills in me as I look at him.

“You’re a vampire,” I say barely audible, and he smiles ominously.