The Hunter’s Mate

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Lizzy’s point of view

I free my scorched hands by breaking my wrists, the super healing power will be still effective until tomorrow, as my wrists start to heal immediately. I then remove the silver collar around my neck, the pain from the burn still takes my breath away, but it is manageable, because the night is over, and the daylight has come. I then remove my shackles around my legs.

 My skin is burnt, those scars will never fully heal, they remain, deepening each and every full moon. But to the naked human eye, they are little more than a slight change of pigment to my pale white skin, barley noticeable.  My body is covered in a thin film of sweat, my mind still holding on to the memories of the excruciating burn and pain I had inflicted upon myself.  But today I know at least three or four humans are alive, because of my sacrifice, and that feels good. 

I head back to my small apartment, located in Durham, one of the oldest city’s in the north east of England, the cathedral stands proud, the rose, stained glass window twinkling the rising sun of a new day.  The walls have stood, for hundreds of years, and it is the final resting place of many a sainted human, who had given there lives over for good.  I enjoyed the stories, of how one person doing a good dead can help change history, this place was a sanctuary, and I gained so much strength from walking in the grounds knowing that the sacrifice I make is for good, saving those innocent souls who would otherwise perish by my fangs.

I pick up the pace now, I have to be at work in just under 2 hours, as I pass through the city, noting again the many statues of old soldiers who themselves gave up their lives in the pursuit of peace.

I open the black panelled door, leading into the old Victorian building, then head up the stairs to my first-floor apartment. As I enter, I waste no time, stripping down, and heading into the shower, letting the water cleanse my skin, and remove some of the heat from my scars.  I wash my long black hair, that hangs to my waist, wash my long slim legs, my flat stomach, then quickly chose a bright red wrap dress, which reflects my natural bright red pout. Then place a pair of knee high black leather boots with a medium heal.  I hang my head upside down, blow drying my hair, then brush it through. I have no time for styling today, because today our American founder is paying us his first visit.

I look at my reflection, the perfect English rose the guys in the office say, many of them desperate for my attention, still more wanting to take me out on the perfect date, but little do they know, the object of there affections, the person who they think is perfect, is a cold blooded killer, underneath the human façade, and I resist every temptation for a romantic relationship, preferring a life of solitude ensuring others are safe from my wolf.

Picking up my Black leather bag, and black leather jacket, I head out to face the world, as Lizzy Black, the senior web developer for Knight Web Services PLC.

I walk along the riverbank, then over the bridge up through the houses, past the courts and round into the office block.

“Good Morning Lizzy” the security guard smiles at me, as he does every morning.

“Good Morning Frank” I smile in response, then head to the second floor to my office in the far corner of the building.

Nathan, a 20 year old junior developer who is under my charge bounds over to me, if he was a wolf, he would be the puppy dog, the one always wagging his tail, and looking for the scraps of attention off any other pack member. But he is human, so is slightly over enthusiastic, nerdy and a little annoying. But he is a good kind boy, and immune to my charms, so is the closest thing I have to a friend. 

“Lizzy, I tell you what, have you seen the big boss man, he is so hot” His big brown eyes sparkle at me, as he pretend fans himself, then overly dramatic swoons, like a Victorian lady.

“Can I at least get my coat off Nathan, before you divulge all the deep devious desires you would like to inflict on our boss man please” I laugh at him, he his harmless, would not hurt a fly.

“Oh, but Lizzy, wait till you see him, like wow, even better than in his pictures, he is about 6 ft 2, muscles to die for, short brown hair, and hazel eyes.  Be still my beating heart” Nathan continues, clutching his chest again in an over dramatic way. Which causes me to chuckle at him.

“And trust me girlfriend” he wags his finger from side to side at me

“I glimpsed his package, and there is a LOT of package to glimpse!” I stood watching Nathan, as he is getting into his full repertoire of why he thinks he is in with a shot with him, bless his heart, I hear it every time he has a new crush, and not one of them have ever been gay, he seems to like the straight guy, and is therefore terminally single.  I am terminally single, but only for the safety of those who may wish to date me, for there own protection against the wolf inside me.

“And another thing, I read, he has NEVER had a girlfriend, so please, that tells me that I have a shot, he is 28 years old, drop dead gorgeous more money than anyone can ever spend in 10 lifetimes, and never had a girl on his arm, well, maybe he would like a hot 20 year old boy on his arm” Nathan sniggers,

“Don’t always believe what you read in the papers, now do I pay you to gossip about my sexuality, or to work” the American accent boomed out, he was no Alpha, only human, but he certainly had that aura about him. 

Nathan, jumped, again dramatically clutched his chest, and scampered off to his desk.

“Ms Black, I believe” he looked at me, Nathan was right, he was hot, and domineering, but he could not frighten me, I am immune to such behaviour, especially from a human.

“Yes, Mr Knight I presume” I answered back extending my hand out to him to shake

As he took my presented hand, a film of sweat oozed from my pours, I felt a gentle tremor through my body, I felt fear, and foreboding, this was not right, I knew what was going to happen, but it cannot be, he is human for a start, but the feeling would not leave me, and my wolf she spoke, for the first time in five years, she found the strength to say “Danger”

Richards Point of view

“Ms Black, I would like to go through the work you and your team have produced, please have a full list of the applications, a printout of the notes and the code, along with the objectives we have set each of your team members please, I will see you in my office, after lunch”

“Yes of course Mr Knight, would you like anything else” she asked, I am not sure, but it seems like she is holding me in some sort of contempt. She is not fearful of me, most employees are when I request to see their work, but something is not quite right about her, and she is guarding herself, her arms crossed slightly on the table in front of herself.

“No that will be all for now” I walk out of her office, without looking back, but something about her is intriguing me. 

As I head over to the lift, the young man returns to her office, and proceeds to chat with her, I am guessing another analogy of how hot, and rich I am, but she firmly sends him back to his desk. Then she looks over, and I give her the stare down, but it has no effect, she just gives it back to me tenfold, and wow, I am the one who feels slightly intimidated and threatened.

I need to know more about her to prepare for our meeting, and I request the files from human resources.

She had glowing references from her previous job, her manager has nothing but praise for her, she is always on time, and her team are producing the best work here in the UK.

I look further, it seems she left her home at quite a young age, her parents died, and lives on her own, she is 25, with no next of kin registered to her.   She is a loner, refuses most invites to mingle with other staff members on an evening, and keeps herself to herself.  She is an enigma and that is setting off alarm bells in my brain. She is beautiful, no use denying that, but slightly too beautiful, although she is wearing next to no makeup, there is something unhuman about how stunning she is, almost too good to be true, and I do not like this one little bit.