The Vampire's Sweet Secret

Chapter 4

-Everly-

“Morning,” I said as I walked down the long hallway toward my office. Everyone smiled at me and nodded, returning the greeting.

“Morning, Jen!” I called as I stopped at the desk where she stood.

She reached out and picked up a framed photo resting on it.

“Morning,” she replied.

“Gosh, I hate this,” I said, stopping in front of her.

“Hate the desk?” she asked, looking confused.

“No, you quitting as my assistant. I hate seeing you pack,” I explained.

Jen blushed, looking down for a moment.

“I can’t convince you to stay?” I teased with a wink, leaning forward slightly and trying my best flirty look.

“Not unless you can somehow convince my new mate to move here,” she replied.

“Well, we both know pack members don’t leave their homes,” I groaned.

“That we do,” she agreed, placing the picture into a large box. “But you’ve got me until the end of the week, so…”

“So?” I inquired, confused.

“You can’t avoid this any longer. Interviews start tomorrow, and you have to pick one.”

Suddenly, Jen pulled out a large stack of papers and handed them to me, looking pleased with herself as she ambushed me. “These are the applications from those who applied for the position,” she explained. “I marked the ones I believe are qualified with a pink sticker and the ones you can throw out with yellow.”

I stared at her for a moment, then saw her wink at me. Sighing, I accepted my fate. “Well, I was just waiting until the last possible moment in case you changed your mind.”

“Sure,” she said dryly.

“It’s hard losing a good assistant,” I added as I walked toward my office.

“And I’ll miss you too, but it doesn’t change the fact that you need someone new by next week!”

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied, pushing my office door open with my shoulder and stepping inside.

I set the papers and my coffee on the desk, placed my bag beside the chair, then sat down and began reviewing the applications. I started with the pink ones, reading each carefully and setting aside the ones I wanted to interview before moving on to the yellow pile. I didn’t expect to find anything interesting, but I looked through them anyway, just to be safe.

One by one, I tossed them back onto the desk until I reached the last application. At first glance, I was ready to skip it. It was thin, and she barely had any qualifications. But something made me look at it again.

“Calliope Grey,” I murmured. “Hmm…”

I found myself studying her application and the small photo she’d attached, unable to pinpoint what exactly drew my attention. She was beautiful, nothing overly striking, but pretty.

“Why are you so interesting?” I muttered to myself, still staring at her picture. Had it really been that long since I’d enjoyed myself?

Feeling ridiculous, I placed her application onto the yellow pile and continued on with work. I pulled my laptop from my bag, logged in, starting on real work. I reviewed my meeting schedule and checked updates to our new systems. Time passed quickly, with only my stomach reminding me it was time for a break.

I closed my laptop, stood, and left my office in search of food. As I passed Jen’s desk, she called out to me.

“Yes?” I asked, turning back.

“I have someone here who wants to see you,” she said.

“Someone?” I echoed.

“One of the people applying for the job.”

“Oh? Someone’s showing ambition. I like that,” I commented.

“She’s not from the pink pile.”

“Ah, sh*t.”

“Yeah. So… should I send her away?”

I considered it, knowing I had better use for my time, but maybe this one had more potential than we realized. “No, I’ll see her. What’s her name?”

“Calliope Grey.”

The moment Jen spoke her name, the image from her application flashed through my mind again. Her folder had been so plain, though, yet something urged me not to send her away.

“Boss?” Jen called.

“Huh?”

“Do you still want to see her?”

“Um…” Should I? “Yes.”

“Very well. I’ll send her in right away.”

Her cheerful mood. Her efficiency. I was already missing her.

“What will I do once you’re gone?” I teased.

“Probably drown in paperwork.”

“Most likely,” I agreed, smiling as Jen winked at me again.

I turned on my heel and headed back to my office. “Oh, and order something from the restaurant I like,” I called over my shoulder as I walked inside.

“Will do!” Jen shouted back.

I crossed to my desk and sat down, turning my chair until I faced the floor-to-ceiling windows behind me. The entire wall was glass, giving me a stunning view of New York City. I enjoyed the view for a long moment.

A buzzing sound echoed in the room as I answered.

“She is here,” Jen told me.

“Let her in.”

Two seconds later, someone knocked.

“Enter!” I called, not turning my chair just yet.

I heard the door open and the faint sound of someone approaching. Her steps were soft, almost as if she were trying to sneak up on me, or perhaps she was simply trying to make as little noise as possible. I found myself smiling. Someone like that won’t last long in a city like this.

I took a deep breath, preparing to face her, then something hit me, freezing me in place. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d scented it correctly, so I inhaled again. The sweetest, most intoxicating scent I had ever encountered overwhelmed me.

I looked down at my hand resting on the armrest. The scent made me tremble, and when I breathed in again, my heart began to race. I inhaled once more, like an addict, catching notes of rain and forest with a hint of wolf. It pulled me back to a time before cars and cities existed, when I lived off nature, riding from place to place with my sword at my hip.

“Um…” a soft voice said, teasing my ears.

Realizing I was still facing away from her, I turned my chair, slowly bringing her into view. Instantly, I was struck by a sight as overwhelming as her scent. I had thought her pretty before, but standing in front of me now, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. Her beauty wasn’t the kind that screamed perfection. No, it was subtle, hidden.

She wore a black dress I could tell she was uncomfortable in, paired with a blazer that was too big for her. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, her face bare of makeup. It was clear she’d tried to look composed and professional, but she seemed like a fish out of water. She didn’t dare to look at me, her eyes flicking up and down nervously, yet I found it fascinating. I found her fascinating. Who is she? And why is she making me feel this way?

“Um… should I begin?” she almost whispered.

Realizing I’d slipped into a trance again, I leaned back in my chair and held out my hands.

“Begin. You have ten minutes. Use them well.”