I fight evil creatures, I don't date them (Preface)

A week passes by without a word from William and a suspicious lack of business for me. I had to handle a few goblins down in the sewer and investigate a werewolf sighting, but other than that, nothing. Most of my mornings were spent in the deli with Reese who was surprisingly easy to talk to. He didn’t ask too many personal questions.

“What are you up to tomorrow?” Reese asks. It’s Thursday morning and I know I won’t be seeing him tomorrow morning since Friday is one of his days off. I smile and shake my head.

“I don’t think I’m up to anything tomorrow, actually,” I say.

“Oh really? Interesting,” Reese folds his hands and averts his eyes. I raise my eyebrows and laugh.

“Do you have something to ask me?” I ask.

“What?” Reese turns his attention towards me. I smile. All right, I’ll play.

“Reese! Would you like to hang out tomorrow?” I mock smile of surprise spreads across his face and my face lights up in too much excitement.

“Why, of course Celeste, how thoughtful,” he says. I snort a laugh and roll my eyes.

“You’re very subtle,” I say, an eyebrow raised. A grin breaks across his face.

“Thanks.”

“Reese, you better get back to work, unless Celeste is paying you now?” It’s Jack, Reese’s uncle. He owns the deli.

“Sorry for monopolizing your nephew’s time, Jack,” I say standing up and shouldering my bag. “I have to go anyway.” I look at Reese when I say this and he stands up from the booth.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow then,” says Reese. I take a business card out from the side pocket of my bag and hand it to him. “Nice business card. Noon?” I nod and walk out the door.

“Making unnecessary relationships?” I look around to see William, dark and gorgeous standing under a tree, pretending to read the paper.

“Unnecessary isn’t the word I would use for it,” I say turning around and continuing my progress home.

“I saw you in there, worrying about how you looked, laughing at the correct moments—”

I spin around to face him, “I would like you to know that Reese makes me laugh because he is amusing, not because I ‘pick the correct moments’.”

“Reese,” he says walking next to me as I turn around, “so that’s the human’s name.” There is an edge in the word human that makes me feel uncomfortable and I glare over at him.

“Yes, that is the ‘human’s’ name. What consequence is it of yours?” William makes a face of mock surprise at my response. I’m still waiting for an answer. “Well?” I ask expectantly.

“Well, you’re a business partner of mine. I don’t want you having anything that you could possibly… lose.” I can sense a sinister quality in his voice that might have something to do with the assignment we’re on.

“We’re just friends. Besides, I don’t even know what we’re dealing with because of your stubbornness. Some business partner you are.” I turn to leave and William grabs me by my arm, forcefully but gently.

“Your safety is a top priority,” he says. I look into his eyes and there is no mocking way about them. I can’t even read sarcasm anymore? I must be losing my touch. “You’re very important to—” William stops and quickly releases my arm. “You’re very important to my investigation.” I nod slowly, still looking up into his dark emerald eyes.

“Well, if I’m so important to your ‘investigation’, you should be willing to divulge some of the key points to me.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“To your apartment then?” he asks, holding out his arm so I can take it. I squint at him, searching for sarcasm. When I can’t find any I take his arm and we start towards my apartment.

William and I walk through the park on the way to my apartment – the long way. If he can tell me what’s going on before we get home, I don’t have to suffocate him with my human presence for any longer than is necessary.

“So, what is it that you would like to know?” he asks. I look at him skeptically and smile.

“That’s a loaded question,” I say staring straight ahead. A grin spreads across his face, lighting his perfect features.

“I suppose it is. Should I tell you what we’re dealing with, then?” Suddenly I hear a whistling. I stop and try to decipher what it is but I’m thrown to the ground. In the next moment William is on me, his eyes darting from side to side. I look over to his left hand and see a jagged metal pole. That’s what had made the whistling sound. I look from side to side and none of the people in the park have noticed that William and I are in danger. Some of them did notice, however, that William has pinned me to the ground and they’re laughing, like William and I are a rowdy couple that can’t keep their hands off each other. Then before I can fully look at him again, William’s lips are on mine. My eyes open in surprise as his cool hard lips become gentle. My eyes flutter closed and for a second I don’t know what I’m doing. I let in a sharp intake of breath as I realize who I’m kissing and open my eyes. I break away and stare at him. My eyes must be a mixture of confusion and anger, but I’m assuming more confusion. He stands up and helps me to my feet.

“Was that necessary?” I ask as we start walking.

“Given the way everyone was staring at us, I had to cover for it in some way.” He turns to me and grins. “Was that necessary?”

I look at him, puzzled and say, “What do you mean?”

“You enjoying that?” he asks. I scoff and we keep walking. We get into my apartment and he sits down on the couch.

“I suppose that’s what we’re dealing with?” I ask. William nods silently.

“And what was that?” I ask pointing to the jagged pipe William is twirling in his hands.

“A pipe,” He says, looking at me and grinning. I glare at him and he laughs. “And a warning.” He lays the pipe on my coffee table. “I hardly think they meant to kill you. They knew I was with you and must have known they couldn’t do much.” I furrow my brow and grab an apple from the counter.

“If these people can’t hurt me while you’re around, why are you having a problem with them?” I take a bite of the apple.

“They need… a fair amount of secrecy to do any real damage.” I open my mouth to ask more but William cuts me off. “I think that’s enough information for now.” He stands up. “Where is your cat?” I’m surprised by his sudden change of the subject.

“In my room, why?” he walks quickly towards the door to my room and finds Black in a matter of seconds. I hear her distressed meows and run to my room. When I get there, she’s purring. “What are you—?”

“If I’m going to be working in such close proximity to you, I would like your pet to be comfortable with me.” William scratches Black behind her ears and I wonder how he could have possibly known I had a cat, let alone her favorite place to be scratched. “I enjoy cats. I like them better than dogs.”

“Yes, well, Black doesn’t really like vampires.” Actually, by the way she’s purring, I can’t really tell if that’s a personality trait of hers anymore. William looks up at me and smiles.

“She doesn’t like vampires?” He asks setting Black down on the bed. Black sits down and looks at him, her tail twitching thoughtfully. William turns to Black to address her. “I’m sorry, Miss, for forcing myself upon you,” he says. Black blinks once and yawns. “She seems to have accepted my apology,” he says smiling.

“Well, if you don’t have anything else to tell me then you should probably go,” I say. I take a bite of my apple. I finish chewing and William is still staring at me. The intensity of his gaze is overwhelming, and I begin to blush. “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, my being a human and everything.”

A surprised look crosses William’s face, but the grin never leaves his face. “Actually, I quite enjoy your company, Celeste.”

“Surprising,” I say taking another bite of my apple. William enjoys the company of a human? I never thought I’d hear of it.

“If you want me to leave, I will.” Williams eyes bore into me and I stutter out a response.

“Th—that would be best.”

“I thought so,” he says. “I’ll be in touch.” He leaves my room and is gone before I get to the hallway. It’s only until I start breathing again that I realize I had started holding my breath. I look over at Black sitting on the kitchen table.

“What? You didn’t exactly ignore him,” I say. Black stretches and stares at me. I roll my eyes and walk into my room. “Hypocrite,” I say before closing my door.