She jumped at the intrusion, her hands coming up to rest at her heart. A mental note was made to buy better window locks; this couldn’t keep happening. Just how long was he lying in wait? She was right beside the door, Avie could leave easily if she wished. Instead, she stared at him, reaching over, it took the entire length of her arm to grasp at the light switch, flicking it off and drenching the living room in darkness, much like their last encounter.
The woman thought that he may be planning on killing and feeding on her if she did go and tattle. But she wouldn’t be playing his game. It frustrated him to be discovered by a human who was doing nothing about it, she could see that now by his reaction.
“I may not agree with it, but you’re only eating to survive. It’s not my place to tell the world about you. I understand it, I don’t like it, but it isn’t right of me.”
He huffed, “More innocent humans will die. You know this, correct? So, tell away. Why not try to stop me?”
“Why not stop me then before I can?” her voice was filled with confidence, a complete turn around from how she was merely hours ago. “If you’re so worried, then why are you hesitating?”
The being was caught aback, blinking the illuminated eyes in a thought process. Hands at his side balled up and released several rapid times, the motion drawing her attention.
Then, he rushed.
He pinned her up against the wall, eyes drilling into her own as a twisted sneer painted his face, “I am above you, tiny thing, beyond your comprehension. And yet you do not fear me, you do not care to even have decent manners before me? Oh, I could kill you in an instant, before you drew your next breath. But I do not kill unless I need to feed. And you had better count the blessings of the stars that I have already. Now answer: What. Is. Your. Plan?”
Each word was enunciated as the look he gave became incredibly powerful, his eyes changing from that cool amber, bleeding into crimson around the corners. The tone was as red as when they first met unofficially, perfectly showcasing his anger. Her mind swam. Of course, terrified, but also so very intrigued. There were so many inquiries she had that only he could answer. He hasn’t killed her by now, there were further motives with him; she also wanted to know his plan.
Avie blurted out the first thing she could muster.
“I’d like us to be friends! We could help each other.”
Stepping back, he let her go, handling her words in a curious manner before laughing hysterically.
“Friends? With you, a human? Did you not hear what I had just said?” His wings flew back in a dramatic fashion, catching view of him holding onto his stomach as he laughed through his speech.
She raised her voice, an attempt to be heard over the noise, “Of course, I did! Are you out there all by yourself? Don’t you get lonely?”
He stopped the raucous laughter in an instant, face dropping to a stern look. Returning his amber eyes to her jade gaze.
Awkward silence fell upon them, she fidgeted, wanting to break the apprehension. “Do you have a name?”
He visibly bristled, after her last question, she may have made him uneasy.
“I would not dare you to have the privilege of knowing my name.”
And then in a sweeping moment, he turned to leave, escaping through her bedroom window once again.
This time, however, the woman ran after him.
“No-nonono, wait! Please wait!”
She reached out, the streetlight a few yards away barely painting her hand in its glow. But he was gone, disappeared into the night. Avie sighed, disappointed. She was just getting something from him.
It was odd. He was an asshole, absolutely, but he wasn’t necessarily an evil entity. Truly, she meant her words, understanding he was just feeding to survive by his own accidental admission. She did want to know more about him and if something else could be used instead… Building a friendship could help in the pursuit of that knowledge and it didn’t seem like it was an impossible feature; incredibly difficult, sure, but not impossible.
Only time would tell if he would show himself to her again. Avie hoped he would, having the feeling that he was going to in the future soon. He had his own intrigue and inquiries, she could help. She wanted to help.
The proverbial plot had thickened with the addition of the creature.
God, Owen would shoot her if he knew what she was keeping from him.
CHAPTER 7
It was an event that rocked Blacken’s residents. The body of Garret Kipper had been found September 17th, nearby a ravine in the wooded area surrounding the town.
Waking early to go for a jog, the morning washed out any colour as she stepped outside, making the sight of a couple in yellow pajamas moving into the line of trees easy to spot—exclaiming that police found something. Curious, she followed, making her way through the small crowd gathered within, unsure as to what was going on or what could have been found to warrant so many townsfolk in this terrain. Many onlookers circled around, demanding answers from the small town’s police department.
“We cannot give out any further details at this time, please disperse and give us room to work!” The female officer was mitigating the crowd, her voice commanding attention.
Finally, Avie laid eyes on what the mass had gathered there for; seeing the face of the man before he was covered with a white sheet.
Her heart palpitated in her chest as her stomach dropped, surroundings starting to blur in motion. She recognized that face, it was the same one she saw while at the manor. The same man with his light strawberry blond hair and matching stubble, taking up the feathered creature’s attention; having the unfortunate luck of arriving there first.
“But I do not kill
