Serpent Twins: The Fall

The Innocent Hearts

Nicholas’s POV:

“Come in.”

I heard she answered from the back of the door. I opened the door and stepped into her office, she was sitting, doing her paperwork. She got up soon after seeing me.

“Ah, Detective Cole, you’re still here?” she asked in surprise.

“You’re still here too,” I told her.

“Um, just got info my surgery’s schedule will be at four o’clock,” she smiled and pointed to the seat in front of her.

I took a seat while staring into her shiny light blue eyes, at her clear complexion with very minimum makeup, and light brunette in simple braid in day time even more appealing. Her shiny eyes beamed with intelligence yet innocence. No wonder that detective was being mesmerized by the charm of this little human. I was intended to shift using Alexander’s, when hearing Detective Cole’s mind thinking about this little human. I smirked.

“Good. Because I still need to talk about few things to wrap our previous one,” I said.

“Do you need a drink, Detective?” she offered, I shook my head, gazing at her left carotid artery.

“I’m good, Kimberly,” I kept smirking, hearing her confusion as usually Detective Cole called her by Dr. Vanderwood.

Well, I’m not him, am I?

“Can I call you by name?” I asked her.

“Yes, sure do, Detective Cole,” she wouldn’t do the same to set a distance with this detective as she found him a bit intimidating.

Good.

“I want to ask about Alexander Mircea, since you already mentioned about him,” I calmly asked.

She fixed her seat in discomfort and her heartbeat was increasing.

Interesting.

“What about him, Detective Cole?” she gazed at the door, as if hoping someone to barge in to distract.

“Why did you go with him?” I asked.

She looked at me in confusion. What kind of question was that?

“A friend could go out together, right?” she was wondering for the next questions.

“You said you just barely knew him. How did you two met?” I asked again.

“I’m sorry, Detective Cole. Why do you get interested of him? Like I said earlier, I don’t know him much,” she said in defensive tone, worrying the questions would lead into more private.

“Let me be the one who was asking for questions here, Kimberly,” I reminded her with a grin.

Oh, no. Did he know?I was grinning more.

“So, could you answer it, Kimberly?”

She cleared her throat, annoyed, “I met him that night when having dinner at Daniel, I told you before,”

“So, you met him once and you took him to the club?” I was furrowing, gazing at her.

Don’t judge me, Detective. I wasn’t the one who offered him to go. Well, not the only one. “My friend, Carla, who offered him to go, perhaps the more people the merrier,” she replied.

So, my brother was following her that night after their encounter at hospital.

“What actually happened in the club, could please be more chronologically explain?” I asked again, a making out perhaps? I was gazing at those pink lips she was biting at.

Tempting.

She noticed my gaze and she awkwardly stopped.

“We got in there, had some drinks, met Daniel and friends, and left,” she answered.

“Nothing else?” I curiously asked, teasing her.

“Nothing else!” she quickly replied. Except a making out session in the toilet and seat, then Alexander kicked Daniel twice.

She couldn’t hold the memories flashed, but her face was pretended to be flat.

“Is he an attractive man?” I asked, smirking.

“Does it matter, Detective?” she frowned.

“Yes, we call it as profiling, Kimberly.”

“Oh!” she bought my crap.

“Well, he’s quite one,” and she blushed a little.

I bet he is.

“Before your encounter at the restaurant, haven’t you met or seen him before, perhaps?” I want to know how my brother gave him his blood.

“No. It’s the first time,” she replied. Unless he’s undead.

I titled my head, knowing her guess was actually a bullseye.

“And after the nightclub, have you ever met him again?” I asked.

Her expression was changeable, she was playing her nails, “No.” Because he was a jerk.

“Never?” I kept teasing her, I want to remind her about her ‘erotic dream’.

But she was more annoyed with me rather than recalling ‘the dream’.

“Look, I told you what I know, Detective Cole. I don’t mean to disrespectful, but I really have to finish my work before surgery,” her tone was polite but stern, with a stiff smile.

I guessed I managed to cross her line. I was grinning, got up and shook her hands.

My.

She is too short, if I was standing with my actual height she would be just right below my shoulder.

“I guess it’s my cue then. You will forget about this, Kimberly,” she shook my hand, thinking that we did it twice today and hoping that she wouldn’t see this detective again for sometimes.

Good, it means she’s not interested. I went out and looked at her for the last time. She just nodded with a relief smile.

I guessed better luck next time since I couldn’t compel her.

Was my brother also unable to compel her?

This is more interesting. She couldn’t be the mate.

Even if she is, whose mate?

I certainly experienced same thing as my brother. Now I’m so envious with my brother’s invisibility power. That’s probably the answer to my previous question.

I went back to my car, sitting at the back seat, still had my focus on her mind, thinking about Detective Cole strange behavior and last sentence about using the word forgetting rather than getting through.

“Your Highness?” Kristof asked for instruction.

“Stay put for a while,” I ordered him, as I still want to hear her mind, although I no longer can hear her heartbeat and inhale her scent. Weird, she has that intoxicating scent which I couldn’t describe.

Is that little human really a mate?

If she is the one for me, I don’t think I can let my brother fuckingtouch her. But I don’t want to defy him over a mere human too, especially because the mate thing is almost like a myth. I totally f****d up myself.

“Tribeca,” I told Kristof to go.

I need another steamy release with Sarah, otherwise I won’t be able to hold myself barging into her apartment and possibly rape her tonight. For unknown reason, I don’t want to ruin her innocence in cruel way, not to her.

Kimberly’s POV:

I took a glance at my reflection in the elevator’s wall, wearing ivory silk blouse with nude high-waisted trousers and nude kitten heels. I went to say to say hello to the two nurses who was sitting behind the reception counter and went directly to Dylan’s private suite. I knocked twice and opened it after hearing his answer. When I entered the room, I expected he was alone or at least with Billy, but there were three unfamiliar faces in the room.

“Come in, Kimberly. This is my uncle Benjamin and his family,” Dylan said.

He was sitting more casually on the bed, wearing another designer tracksuit. He looked dashing and fresh. I smiled seeing him smiling at me with shiny blue eyes. He didn’t look pale anymore.

“Benjamin,” the handsome man in his early fifties shook my hand warmly.

I know who he is, the senator. I shook his hand warmly too.

“This is my wife, Sarah,” his smile was warm and friendly.

“Hello,” Senator Knight’s wife is in her early thirties, red hair, green eyes with clear complexion, very beautiful and elegant in her designer tweed dress. She took me into her hug, smiling at me warmly, “She’s very beautiful, Dylan,” she told Dylan.

“Thank you, Mrs. Knight, you’re even more gorgeous.”

I didn’t lie, she truly is, but her hands were a bit cold.

“Please call me Sarah, Dear. And may I call you Kimberly? Dylan already told us that he was expecting his girlfriend, Kimberly Vanderwood, isn’t it?” she asked and took me to the couch.

I nodded, “Yes, please call me Kimberly, Mrs. Knight.”

She shook her index finger, “Please call me Sarah, Dear.”

There was adorable little girl probably aged five years sitting on the corner with her drawing books.

“Rose, Dear. Come to see Dylan’s girlfriend,” she called out the little girl.

I blushed to hear how she called me as Dylan’s girlfriend twice. I ignored Dylan’s light chuckle as the long haired little girl came over, smiling.

‘I’m Rose. What’s your name?” she asked, she was brunette with beautiful green eyes.

“I’m Kimberly, you may call me Kimmy,” I kissed her cheek, she squirmed happily.

“Kimmy, you’re pretty like my Barbie,” she cupped my face and examined my eyes with interested look.

“You’re prettier than Barbie, Rose,” I chuckled and gently brushed her hair.

“Now, we’re going, Dylan. We’ll talk about that later, okay?” Senator Benjamin spoke to Dylan and gave him a hug.

Sarah got up with Rose to hug me and went to give a hug to Dylan too. They finally left after saying goodbye. What a beautiful family, I thought.

“Now, where’s my hello kiss?” Dylan suddenly teased me, reaching out his one arm to me, expecting for a hug.

I awkwardly hugged him and he gave me a peck on my cheek. He held my hand with the one without intravenous needle and gazed at me deeply.

“Are you feeling better now, Kimmy?” he asked.

“Hey, the nickname is a privilege to Rose only,” I teased him, suddenly feeling perky after seeing him again.

He made a fake pout, then grinning, “I want to call you Kimmy too.”

“Suit yourself, Dyl,” I smiled and cleared my throat as I want to withdraw my hands from his grip.

“I barely heard anything from you for two days, I miss you,” he complained.

“I’m sorry, I need sometime alone and also busy with my work yesterday and yes, we’re working, but today I requested for…” I stopped for a second, feeling his minty breath hitting my cheek as he tried to get closer to my face, “giving a speech at the funeral,” I continued.

“So, are you okay now?” he asked again.

“A little better, but as I texted you before, I have to go to the funeral service after this,” I reminded him.

“Well, we have to speed up everything then, like… Can I have a kiss?” he asked slowly.

“Well, didn’t we?”

He pulled me into his hard chest and kissed me on my lips softly. I startled, but letting him to kiss me. When the kiss started to feel more demanding, I ended it. He looked unsatisfied, his eyes were slightly darker with a lust. I squirmed and pulled away, sitting on his right side with blushing cheeks.

“Where’s Billy?” I asked casually, pretending to look around.

He was smirking, “Last time I checked, he was with Uncle Ben’s security outside.”

“I didn’t see anyone at the outside and the nurses didn’t even warn me about you having the guests,” I told him.

“Well, I told them to stay low so you couldn’t turn back and ran off,” he laughed.

I giggled, “Good point,” then I remembered something, “You didn’t tell your uncle that I work here, right?”

“Oh, they knew, but I asked them to not to bring it up first or I wouldn’t get any kisses from you as you might feel awkward later,” he chuckled.

“Another good point. And how are you feeling now? You look alright,” I couldn’t hold to say it.

“Thanks, I’m feeling better, even perky now that you’re here,” he told me.

His mobile phone was suddenly ringing and he picked up. I got up to see the view of Hudson River by the big window glasses, feeling composed.

“It’s my mom, she will be up shortly,” Dylan told me and put his phone on the bed again.

“Oh, I should go now, I must change and prepare for my speech,” I turned my back to him, smiling.

His expression changed, “Please don’t go now, Kimmy.”

“Perhaps another time, Dylan. Please?” I felt a bit pressure to meet his mother knowing that I was still working here, even when I already asked permission to go back at eleven o’clock, but I still felt it’s not right and I’m afraid of her judgement.

“Promise?” he finally gave up, smiling.

I smiled to him and gave him a peck on his cheek, “I’m going. Have a rest, please.”

“Keep me in touch, Kimmy,” he asked me while I was walking away to the door.

I took a glance at him and gave him my sweetest smile and left.

øøøøø

After fixing my hair and makeup, changing my clothes into black midi dress with black high heels, and putting my black sunglasses into my purse inside my office, I grabbed my black coat. I closed my office door after sticking up some notes to Glenn who was still out for lunch. I arrived at the chapel just in time, as it took around forty-five minutes from the hospital to get there. I wanted to come early for the viewing, so I came in and greeted Daniel’s family. They were very welcoming even in grieving moment. I brought few white roses for Daniel. I started to get emotional when seeing the opened white casket again, seeing Daniel wearing ivory suit as it was his favorite color. He was like handsomely sleeping. I wiped my tears realizing that would be the last time I saw him.

Tony came from my behind, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and whispered a shocking confession of regret of telling Daniel about me and Alexander, so his presence at the nightclub wasn’t coincidence causing him into a mysterious fight and death. He also whispered to me that he kept giving information to Daniel, as one of his way to keep in touch with me. But as Daniel’s death hit him pretty hard, I just said nothing but saying that all have been forgiven.

I noticed, Esther also came with her parents, that’s why Melissa who looked at her with hatred at first, letting her to express condolence and giving her time for viewing after me and Tony. Esther saw me and gave me a tight hug, asking for forgiveness again, as I ensured her that it was all in past and we have to move on, she was so pale. And we were all sitting waiting for the funeral service to start after the viewing was closed. It was almost surreal and I felt like I was dreaming when going up the pulpit to give my eulogy, which I actually declined at first as I felt a bit improper, but Tyler convinced me that I had to do it as Daniel told Melissa that I was the love of his life. So, I spoke my simple eulogy I memorized last night.

“We are here to celebrate the life of Daniel Bradshaw and to say goodbye to a wonderful loving man. For anybody that doesn’t know me, I’m Kimberly Vanderwood, a friend who was lucky enough to be briefly shared of his love, laugh, and joy. And I believe his magic hands brought miracle to some people. Daniel and I met exactly 599 days ago through our senior in P and S and he was always being good, kind, patient, and gentle to me and to others. As my brilliant senior, he shared his knowledge and experience with integrity. He also personally taught me to be selfless and that sincere love does exist. Thank you for everything, Daniel. I will forever cherish you in my heart. I love you and farewell, until we meet again in heavens.”

Goodbye, Daniel. I will never forget you.

I let my tears rolling down my cheek, but with a smile upon my lips as I tried to embrace the precious life he briefly shared with me. I determined to forgive everybody as I forgave myself. The burial was followed right after the funeral service. I was throwing another white rose before the casket covered in soil. I wiped my tears as the casket brought down in six feet under. I met Dr. Jordan Williams, our vice president along with other two senior doctors from my hospital attending at the burial when I was about to leave. He shook my hand and gave me a light squeezed on my shoulder, letting me know that he felt sorry for my lost too. I looked around to my surrounding, the churchyard is so peaceful with green grasses and trees preparing their autumn color, indeed an oasis of calm in the middle of high rise buildings. Daniel is buried in such a serene place, I felt a slight relief. I was walking back to my car with Tony, he pecked my cheek when we were parting goodbye.

“Kimberly.”

As I heard someone calling out my name when I was opening my car, I turned around.

Alexander’s POV:

She took out her dark sunglasses, her sad eyes widen.

“Alexander,” she muttered in her sweet breath.

I came closer, wrapping my arms on her shoulders. She intended to squirm, but then decided to stay still. I bent my back to see her face. Her heartbeat almost made me deaf.

What was happening? Why he is here. Am I dreaming?She pinched her hand and winched when feeling the stinging pain of her own. I was holding my smirk.

“You’re here, Kimberly,” I said, with a genuine happiness in my line.

She squirmed and moved back, raising her beautiful face and glaring fiercely at me. She was still stunned and I could perfectly hear she was cursing, what the hell Alexander, playing hot and cold joke with me again?

“What were you doing here?” she finally asked with peachy tone.

Her widen blue eyes are so adorable, yet she is clearly angry at me.

“Hello, Kimberly. You look beautiful as always,” I didn’t hide the fact that I was missing her.

“Always? You only met me once,” she suddenly snapped, recalling the moment I said no meaning words to her, which she thought unacceptable for her.

I smiled in apologetic, “Amazing what alcohol could do for us,” I lied, “I’m sorry for being an ass that night. I always regret it,” I lied about the regret thing.

She sighed, thinking that I was probably drunk that night, “Fine. What are you doing here?”

You aren’t following me, right? And she was ashamed with her own accusation.

“I was visiting someone around here,” I replied.

It’s you, Kimberly.

“Oh.”

She was holding her curiosity, not wanting me to think that she is interested on my affairs.

“Family member,” I told her, thinking that I want her to be one and I surprised myself of having such a blunt thought.

She nodded and hid her relief, but she wanted to leave.

Oh, not so fast.

“Can we have proper dinner tonight, Kimberly?” I asked her, staring at her deeply.

I don’t think that’s a good idea. I barely know you. But those mesmerizing green eyes made me weak. I should pretend to decline to not making it so obvious, “I’m busy tonight. Sorry.”

Either she tried rejecting over her anger or just playing hard to get. I smirked.

“You’re not going back to hospital, right? Please have a dinner with me, with less alcohol?” I tried to joke.

For the sake of my ancestors, I have never wanted to joke with women. Ironically, I was seducing a human one right now.

She was undecided at first before answering, “I took your advice, Alexander. Let’s just forget to each other.”

“Kimberly, I said unpleasant things I didn’t mean to hurt you. I sincerely apologize,” I told her with a smile.

She frowned, “Apology is accepted, yet I don’t think it will be wise to meet you again, Alexander,”

Because if you really meant to apologize, you should find me sooner.She was still resentful.

“I wanted to apologize sooner, but I went back to Canada that day and just returned today. I really regret saying those as it didn’t reflect to how I really felt,” I put hands to her shoulders, but she stepped back.

She was hesitating, thinking that she would make another mistake if taking my offer, but she also wanted to be with me again.

“Just dinner, not a date,” she finally said it.

I smiled widely and pulled out my phone, “Thank you, Kimberly. May I have your number, please?”

Oh, finally. She snorted in her mind. She mentioned her number as she stored mine. I didn’t store her as I actually had hers.

“I’ll text you the place in few minutes, okay? Please be ready at six.”

I must let her to go home to prepare for our date, even when I really don’t want to part here as I worried she would change her mind.

If you don’t text me in few minutes, I will ignore you for good, Alexander.She warned me in her mind, I smirked again.

“Now, I’ll excuse myself. I’ll see you soon, Kimberly,” I pulled her into my body and gave her a light kiss on her cheek. Her body went stiffen and she was flustering red after.

My.

I should bend so much for this tiny woman. I left her to my car, but I was smiling wide, knowing that she was checking me out from behind.

øøøøø

“Did you see him yourself he was leaving?” I talked with Andrei over the phone soon after getting inside the back seat of the car with Jan.

“Yes, Your Highness. His plane to Stuttgart took off ten minutes ago, with Peter on board too.”

Good.

Now that I don’t have to worry about my brother, I texted Kimberly.

I’ll be at your place at six. We’re going to Rao’s.

She texted me back after twenty minutes, Okay, please wait for me at the lobby later.

I smirked and was swelled with unfamiliar excitement. I’ll see you there, Kimberly.

She read, but didn’t reply me back.

Dylan’s POV:

I was sitting on the bed with my notebook, working on some papers. I took a glance to my phone, thinking about calling Kimberly.

Kimmy.

Dr. Henry and others were satisfied that I was recovering faster, but even when I felt better, they didn’t let me to detach the IV needle until tomorrow morning as I will still receive intravenous drug. Mom have asked for in-house recovery, but the doctors disapproved and asked us to wait at least another day to make sure that I suffered none of complications. I just couldn’t wait to work, as teleconference meeting started to bore me. Mom scolded Maya who kept coming to hospital bringing some papers to sign. I felt bad for her as mom could be difficult person when it’s about her children.

Ryan came with his girlfriend, Vanessa Dallas, the young it actress, later after my Kimmy went back. The world seemed narrow when she told me that his brother was actually here for funeral service of his high school friend who was passed away recently. When I asked for his name, Vanessa told me that he was a quite famous plastic surgeon here, Daniel Bradshaw. Then I remembered that Kimmy muttering his name after receiving the call.

Was he the same Daniel?

Vanessa also told me that this Daniel’s death was a bit mysterious as he was suffered from kidneys failure after engaging a fight in the nightclub and police didn’t detain any of his attackers as Daniel’s friends didn’t even remember correctly and the footages were somewhat corrupted. Weird, I thought. It was horrible what happened to this Daniel, but I’m more interested on whether this Daniel related to Kimmy and was it even a romantic one, as she said she almost engaged with her last boyfriend. She was beside herself with grief, as ignoring me trying to comfort her for couple days after Daniel’s death. I sighed.

How could I start to fall for her this soon when I barely knew her for few days only?

I even fell for her for the first time I laid my eyes on her. How cheesy for me who was usually not the one to chase. But here I am, thinking about calling her, wanting to hear her voice.

Man up, Man! Do it or leave it.

It was 06:31 p.m., still early when I dialed her number. She was picking up for the third beep.

“Hello?” she answered over the phone.

I could hear that she was having dinner as the background seemed like plate clinking and people chatting.

“Kimmy, are you on dinner?” I asked, started to feel jealousy over her dining partner.

Who could he be? Well, could be a she.

“Yes. Sorry, can I call you later?” she asked back.

I bet she was with a man.

“Sure. Please call me anytime soon, Kimmy,” I sounded too desperate.

“Okay, I will. Bye,” and she hung up on me.

She didn’t mention my name, not even once. Suddenly I felt hopeless. She isn’t my girlfriend yet or even said available for exclusive date, I have no rights on her as I only requested for a date. Still, I’m disappointed with myself of liking her even when she is probably not so into me. Even if I wanted to chase her, I can’t as my current state. I slammed my phone on my bed when Tim came in with a cup of coffee in his hands, he was formerly one of Uncle Benjamin’s security staff, now working together with Billy as my private security.