Deadly Creatures

Chapter 2

The diner isn't what I was expecting. You'd think a small town would have small business, but I've hardly had a chance to breathe, due to the ridiculous volume of customers. "Thanks," I mumble to the guy who hands me a ten for a tip. "My pleasure. You new around here?" he asks, his eyes staring into mine with an obvious agenda. I check his eyes for sparks of blue to infuse, showing me his true identity, but they stay brown as he stares at me. His hair is too light to be a night stalker, and his thudding heartbeat is too quick to be a changer. I could be wrong, but judging by his pitiful posture and terrible wardrobe, I'd say I'm in the clear. Just a horny human. "Very new." I smile sweetly, and then I start to walk away when he pulls at my hand, catching me off guard. "We're having a large dock party tonight. You're welcome to come. I could introduce you to some of the locals, help you make some friends." He seems harmless enough, but vampires are strongest under the moonlight. If they're here, they'll be hunting at night. My mother would flip the hell out if I was attacked, and knowing her, she'd level the town before our council could pass a verdict. "Um, maybe," I lie, having no intentions of risking it. "Here," he says, releasing my hand and scribbling down an address on a napkin. "If you decide to show, just come here. We might take one of the boats for a cruise later tonight. There will be a bonfire on shore." I smile, showing a little gratitude, and then I wave sweetly at him after taking the proffered address. "Thanks." Walking away, I felt his eyes on me. He was cute, but not my type. Unfortunately, I've got a nasty habit for being drawn to the bad, very bad boys. I sure as hell don't want to end up like my mother. She has even worse taste in men than I do. "Scarlet, can you stay until nine tonight?" Marie asks as I walk behind the counter. "Ashley just called in, and we don't have anyone to cover." "Um, yeah. I could use the extra cash." Crap. So much for enjoying my first night alone in my new house. "Thank you. You're a life saver." At least now I'll be one step closer to getting a car. The streets are dark, and my feet are killing me. I was supposed to get to leave at nine, but I ended up having to stay until eleven. What a great first day. The night is perfect at least, just a slight breeze. Putting the diner to my back, I start walking home. I hate walking. A chill hits my neck, as if a breath is being blown against it, but I turn to see nothing. Then I feel it again, and I roll my eyes. "You can show yourself, Justin." No one answers, and my skin crawls. I assumed it was Justin, my mother's best friend. He loves scaring the s**t out of me. But he usually always starts laughing by now. "Justin?" I prompt, my hand tingling at my side as my magic starts to stir, ready to be used. Nothing happens, and no one answers. Sighing, I turn around and slam into a hard body, almost falling to the ground before strong arms wrap around me, pulling me back to a safe balance. "You okay?" a velvety smooth voice asks, and I grumble to myself as I try to look up at him. My knees wobble, my heart thuds, and my palms begin sweating as I stare into the gorgeous green eyes of a dark haired beauty. The way I'm shivering over him means he has to be terrible for my health. His strong, chiseled face is nothing but flawless, and his dark hair sways with the wind, making me jealous of the fact I can't touch it with such ease. I blush when I realize my hands are resting on his incredible waist, and he smirks in a way that makes me damn near dissolve. "I said, are you okay?" he repeats, making my cheeks heat more when I realize I've forgotten how to damn speak. "Um… yeah… you just startled me. Where'd you come from?" He shrugs, nodding his head toward the diner. "I was heading toward the diner for some pie, but I see I was too late. They sometimes stay open a little later if there are customers lingering around." His smile is disarming, far too perfect. He's too frigging hot to be part of this small town… or human. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. I just finished locking up." I start walking off, but he jogs up beside me, surprising me a little. "You aren't from around here." I pause, not sure if I should continue trying to speak to him. If he's a shifter, I should probably keep from turning my back on him again. If he's a vampire, I definitely don't want to turn my back on him. "Um, is that a question or an observation?" "Both, I suppose." He smiles bigger, making my heart trip over itself. Stupid deadly creatures bull s**t. What is he? “You're right. I just moved here from Colorado." He stays at my side, keeping my pace as his hands cross behind his back. "So are you going to the dock party? I hear it's supposed to be pretty great, and it's just up the road." I look up, expecting to see a glisten of something in his eyes, but there's nothing there. I can't show him my mark until he reveals himself. It could kill a human to see it. "No. I don't think so. I'm exhausted." I start walking faster, and he keeps stride with me, his steps even and not seeming rushed like mine. "Is Justin your boyfriend?" he asks. "Huh?" "You were calling for a Justin back there," he says softly, not sounding winded like me. "Oh. No. Justin is my mom's friend. I thought I saw him." Or thought he was trying to scare the s**t out of me. "Ah. Your mom lives here with you then?" I almost stumble, but I quickly regain my composure before he has to catch me again. I almost wish my mother did live with me right now. She's made me a f*****g basket case, and I'm freaking out a little. For all I know, this is just one hot human. It's not like every sexy creature is an immortal. "Um, no. I assumed she sent him out here to check up on me. He likes to scare me, so I thought he was lingering in the parking lot." He bites back a grin, seeming amused by something. He keeps his hands behind his back, casually enjoying the night while I awkwardly walk down the sidewalk. "You seem… scared. Am I scaring you?" Hell yes. "A little… are you following me home?" I worry, trying to provoke him into revealing himself and ending this cat-and-mouse game if he's really a blood drinker. "Not at all," he laughs. "I'm going to the dock party. It's just around the corner up there. I thought it would seem creepier if I was walking behind you." I let out a nervous laugh, finally relaxing a little, and he smiles his panty-dropping grin that makes the junction between my legs heat up and pulsate. "Oh. Sorry. I'm just a little freaked out after seeing the news about the missing girls," I mutter, gauging his reaction with subtle scrutiny. He nods, his smile fading as seriousness takes place. "You should be. It's unnerving. Just be careful, and try not to walk home so late. Why did they make you shut down alone?" Because I'm the new girl and a sucker. "Because the other girls wanted to go to the dock party." "Ah. Well, personally, I feel no party gets going good until close to midnight." "Midnight, eh?" I ask, feeling all the more relaxed now. Not immortal, just a bad boy human. Crap. I think that's even worse. Midnight is the showing hour, and all blood drinkers loathe it because they're forced to reveal the monster they are. It's when their fangs show against their will, and their eyes glow their true color, even though they're not ready to show themselves. "Well, it was odd but nice meeting you. Sorry I wasn't better company," I mumble as I start off the sidewalk and down my gravel path to my house. "You live here?" he asks, seeming surprised, possibly a little confused. "Yeah, why?" "It's just… what made you choose this house?" It was the first affordable house I found that was far away from my overbearing, paranoid, ridiculously protective mother. "It was cheap, I needed something close to town, and it's small. Why? Is something wrong with it?" He shakes his head, obviously hiding something. "Not at all. A friend of mine lived here a while back. I didn't realize she was selling it." "I bought it from a woman in her early thirties. Sammie … Andrews? I think." "Sounds about right," he murmurs to himself, staring at the house as though he's looking for something... someone. He seems confused. "Were you close to her?" I muse. "Not really, it's just odd this place made it back on the market without my knowing." Okay. I'm curious now, but I'd rather talk about something other than the prior owner of my house. He concentrates on the house for a second longer, giving me a chance to examine him better under the moonlight. He's so much hotter than I initially thought now that I can truly gawk at him. "I should get going," I strain out, knowing Mom would kick my ass for speaking to a dark-haired beautiful man the middle of the night. "It was nice meeting you…" "Caius," he says softly, giving me his delicious, dissolving smile once again. "Nice to meet you, Caius." "I'm sure you'll see me around. Especially since you work at the diner. It's my main source of nourishment." Butterflies ruffle through my stomach, and I smile involuntarily. I don't know if I should stay or go. Now that I finally believe he's human, I'm almost considering going to the dock party. "I should head on before all the booze is gone. I'll see you around, Scarlet," he says while turning away, making me sick at my stomach. "How did you know my name?" I release in a crackle voice. He just laughs, turning back, mocking my fear. "You're still wearing your name tag," he says while motioning to my shirt, and then he winks at me before walking away. I look down to my uniform, and I roll my eyes when I see the big slab advertising my name. i***t. I've officially made myself look like an absolute wreck now that I've freaked out for no real reason. I turn around and head inside, hoping to fall right to sleep. A shadow passes through the room, and I squeal out. "Ha! Knew I'd scare you," Justin says excitedly as he appears in front of me. "Stupid warlocks," I grumble. "I knew you were here." He laughs harder, reveling in his successful plot to leave me shaking and breathing hard. "I know, that's why I didn't bother showing myself back at the diner. By the way, who was that guy you were walking with?" A delicious human that I made myself look like a psycho in front of. "Spying much?" I scoff while walking by him. Justin looks much younger and acts much younger than he actually is. His soft eyes and timeless face remind me of what's to come. "You told your mother you wouldn't be getting involved with any guys until the disappearances stop." "I'm not getting involved with anyone, Justin. Besides, he's human." "You're sure?" He runs his hand through his blond hair as he stares worriedly at me. "He would have tried something. The streets were deserted. All he did was accompany me on my walk since it was on his way." "So you showed him your mark?" he asks naively. Though he's my mother's best friend, he doesn't know all of my dark, jaded secrets. Mom's poor taste in men left her with a daughter too strong for her own damn good. "Um, it wasn't necessary." He sighs and grips his head. "Your mother isn't going to be happy about this." "Happy about what?" I can't think of absolutely anything I've done wrong. Hell, I've spent all day at work. "You coming home so late, talking to a handsome stranger, and then letting him walk away after finding out where you live." I'm sick of this. I've literally been one day without my mother, and already I'm getting scolded by her spy. She's not going to make me feel like a child in my own house. That was the entire reason I moved all the way out here to South Shore. "My mother can't control my life. Neither can you. Now go loiter in someone else's home. I'm taking a shower and going to bed." He tightens his lips, knowing better than to argue with me. "Fine, but I'll be around. This place is crawling with immortals. I can feel their energy. It's a good thing your mother can't do the same, otherwise she'd be the one stalking you right now." "Overbearing, untrusting, arrogant immortals," I whisper under my breath while heading to my room. "I heard that," he calls from the living area, but I ignore him as I hear the front door shut behind him. My first night, and I'm getting treated like a child who is still living with her crazy mother. Just for that, screw them. I'm going to the dock party.