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Too Afraid To Love You - The Black Keys

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Smiling as Cal kissed my cheek I said, "That sounds more romantic than it is. Alas, I'm not that lucky. How are you Cal, it's been a few months."

Dragging my eyes away from Christian's, I looked at Callum - really looked at him. He looked healthy and happy which to be honest wasn't any different to how he usually looked anyway. His curly locks were tied into a neat knot at the back of his head, his skin on the little pale side which the heat and sun will be sure to change in less than two days, and his dark chocolaty eyes as soulful as ever.

I absolutely adored him, I don't think we could get on any better than we do now. He has such a similar soul to mine so much so, I really did start to think that maybe somewhere along our ancestry we were related. But sadly no, only wishful thinking. It wouldn't have been all that surprising considering he was over two hundred years old - the exact year to be announced. He still refuses to tell me.

"I'm great thank you." Callum smirked giving my shoulder a light squeeze. "How're you? How's work? Or should I be asking Christian these questions. How is she, Chris? Is she digging your grave in the catacombs beneath the pyramids?"

Christian somewhat amused but to be honest not really, shook his head. "I'm sure she's fine. And I'm not so sure about the grave but I wouldn't be all that surprised if you're right. I'm definitely not okay with being mummified, Chels. Just a preference of mine."

I decided to ignore his sarcasm. "Noted. Anyway, don't you have business to be tending to?"

Kate sat down on the couch opposite us and chuckled. "Business?"

"Oh, he has work related reasons for coming to Cairo... actually you haven't even mentioned what it is to me. Why is it you're here again?"

"I have meetings with potential trading partner's tomorrow afternoon."

"Is that so?" I challenged. "How long are you here for?"

"As long as I need to be." He said with a disgruntled frown. "Speaking of which, I have dinner plans. Look after them, Callum."

Silencing Cal with a look before he could answer, I returned with, "We'll be fine."

The look on his face, a look I was familiar with, was as if he wanted to string me up and tell me the many ways he could turn fine into hellfire on earth but instead he whistled ahis way out my front door as if that emotion had never graced that stony face of his.

And as soon as I knew he was out of earshot I turned to Kate. "Tell me you know what he's doing here."

"There's one thing Christian has always been good at and that's evading my visions and for some reason this time he's doing just that. I really don't know, I'm sorry."

"Dammit, he's hiding something." I groaned. "You know what he said to me? He said I needed to think about blending in? Blending in! What the heck kind of thing is that to say?"

"Maybe you stick out like a sore thumb and he's just trying to make you feel a little more settled- ow. I'm only throwing out ideas. Where shall I unpack if you're going to be this aggressive?"

"The spare bed's in my room on your left." Kate pointed. "What if Cal's right? Maybe it's something that easy."

"Or what if it's worse?" I sighed. "What if that idiot's gotten himself into some sort of trouble?"

She watched me warily as I moved toward the window Christian had been peeking out of. "And what if he has?"

A group of kids crossed the road and headed inside the house opposite my building. Around this time the street was quietening down; most families readying for dinner. It was a nice homely neighbourhood and not much out of the ordinary happened around these parts. But something was niggling at me. Something was off and I felt it as soon as I felt those eyes on me in the market.

I rolled my shoulders forward, glancing up and down the street. "Then he better not have dropped me into that crazy cake mix."

**

From the corner of my eye I could see Callum holding in his laughter when I lifted my head to swallow my shot. The tequila ran smoothly down the columns of my throat and the lemon I sucked on afterward soothed its bitter bite. "I mean, he's lying right? This isn't any different to the numerous other times he's followed me to another country. But then again it still feels a bit weird, you know? A bit different this time. We'll have one more please." I added when a server passed.

"This is the third time you've gravitated the subject back to Christian." Katherine mocked surprise.

"Fourth." Cal rectified.

It was later, much, much later, in the evening. Friday night was the liveliest. The river Nile sat undisturbed beside our restaurant and bar which was a total contrast to the busy roads. You couldn't go ten whole seconds without hearing a car horn here. It took a long while before I got used to it but now it was nothing but a music to my ears.

"Look, until one of you can provide me with a good enough answer I'm going to carry on asking it."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Here's a thought. Ask him yourself instead of continually taunting one another."

Through squinted eyes I contemplated that for all of five seconds. "I don't understand that sentence."

"Funny. But I don't think I've ever heard you both have a normal conversation."

"Well we have."

"About what?"

"Well," I tapped my finger to my forearm and smiled. "My dietary needs."

"That doesn't count."

"And none of this even matters," I waved my hand to dismiss the subject. "Enough about him. I want to know about you, Callum. Especially your new flavour of the month, Grace-something."

Callum clapped his hands together excitedly and I silently thanked him for welcoming the change in conversation although it was my fault the conversation went that way in the first place... I shook my head, the little pessimist in my mind fell to her ass with a thump and I smiled.

"Oh, Grace. My older and very experienced woman. I met her when I was taking Anna and Amelia," - Amy's little girl - "to the park. Those two got up to no good and the next thing I knew, a stunning woman about thirty in human years, four oh-eight in vampire years, was leading the two of them toward me with open intrigue, you know because they're half and half. Next thing I know, she's typing in her number in my phone and after dropping off the girls, she met me at the bar and we were barely talking for ten minutes before her hand was on my leg-"

"Censorship please."

I glared at Kate. "No, he is a grown man and we are grown women, we deserve to know the ins and outs - pun intended - of Callum's new GF."

"Why? Is someone lacking in that same department?"

"Oh, Kate I wouldn't." Cal grimaced into his pint glass. "Last time Evie and I teased her about that, she had me in a headlock and Evie under her arse."

Smiling fondly at the memory, I kept it on my face when the server came back with my shot as well as two others. "Look, I'm not looking for a man. I'm perfectly fine alone. Plus, I don't need someone calling me from Vancouver or wherever the hell he's from asking me when I'm going to be back home. I like my freedom."

Kate twisted the shot glass between her fingers and raised a dark brow. "So you've said."

"What about this werepanther I've been hearing about. The family back home are more than intrigued about him." He wiggled his thick eyebrows.

"This again? He's a friend for crying out loud. He's two years older than me and our relationship is nothing but platonic."

"Can we just take a second here and imagine the power that man would hold if you made him immortal." Cal said, ripping at the pieces of bread on his plate. "A vamp-panther. Not ever have I heard of something like that."

"It's not happening ever."

"Okay, well, what happens when you get bored of your travelling lifestyle?" Kate snorted.

"We'll cross that non-existent bridge when we get to it won't we? Now, let's drink this and show Callum that place with all those amazing tea pot cocktail things remember?"

Ignoring their side-eye's I clinked my glasses to theirs and proceeded to swallow the tequila. Wincing, I bit into the lemon and exhaled a fiery breath. Explaining the physics of a vampire getting drunk involved a lot of money and probably a Costco sized crate of alcohol. I was just thankful it was still possible.

We split the bill accordingly and we made our way down the street toward that odd but very busy cocktail bar we visited the night Kate and I were advance level intoxicated. Although much of that night still had to be remembered, I did however recall how awesome the cocktails were.

And tonight was karaoke night apparently. Not my cup of tea, but alright I'll go with it. Especially since it looked like Cal was having a ball.

Laughing as he performed a terrible rendition of Mr. Brightside to a room of fifty people, I moved to the bar to grab another drink. Pausing halfway, I cursed at the lack of money I had in my pocket. I thought I didn't need more than three hundred tonight. That was around forty in American dollars.

"Kate, I'm going to get some money down the street, do you need any?" I shouted in her ear.

She shook her head and I slipped my way out of the bar and outside. Seeing the city so alive even past midnight, I couldn't contain my smile. It was my kind of city. Always on the go, never pausing, not for a thing. I walked down the street into the convenience store and stood behind a couple at the ATM.

"Excuse me, have you seen my mother?"

Glancing behind me I saw a young man probably around the age of sixteen maybe seventeen ask the clerk behind the counter about his mom and how she disappeared down a back street no more than five minutes ago and had yet to return. The man shook his head and the boy scurried back out of the shop into the streets.

How strange. Shrugging, I took out six hundred - not American god no - just so I wouldn't have to make another trip for another few days and stepped back outside. There's that kid, standing a little lost at the side of the road. I looked around the passing groups of people and realised none of them knew why he would be out here by himself, but I did. And I couldn't just leave him out here? No, he wasn't my responsibility, but if I were in his position I would be eternally gratefully to the person that would help me.

"Hey," I moved up to him. He was around my height maybe just an inch taller than my five-eight. "Are you okay? Do you speak much English?"

"Yes," The young man said with a childlike frown which was odd paired up with his deep voice. Maybe he was older than I thought. His eyes were a wonderful hue of green - almost the colour of mint and they contrasted gorgeously against his golden skin and what little dark hair he had. It was peculiar. But he was beautiful. "Can you help me? I've lost my mother."

"Of course," I smiled. "No problem at all, what's your name?"

"Feisal."

"Okay, Feisal. Where did you last see her?"

"She walked down that road to meet my aunt fifteen minutes ago and has not returned yet." He pointed down a back walkway just behind the convenience store. "I have asked many others for help but they refuse or ignore me."

"Don't worry I'll help you."

His golden eyes lit up like the fourth of July and a beautiful smile graced his lips. "Thank you, thank you."

I feel a little bit like a superhero if I'm honest. "It's really no biggie. Come on let's go down and have a look. Does your aunt live in one of these buildings?"

"Yes above." He started strolling slowly beside me, weaving in and out of the moving people. "You are American?"

"I am, yeah."

"Are you here on holiday?"

I shook my head. "I'm here to work. No rest for the wicked unfortunately. Do you live here? In Cairo?"

Feisal said, "No, I'm from Morocco. I'm only visiting."

Edging more into the secluded alley, I glanced at him hovering around the entrance with alarmed eyes. I sent him an encouraging smile and moved deeper into the narrow walkway. "We'll be fine, trust me."

Both of us moved further down the silent widening pathway; I had every single one of my senses on high alert. Feisal's presence behind me felt faint and his heart... as steady as a ticking clock. Which was odd considering his aversion to coming down here in this first place. The only light was the bright ones from the main street. The only noticeable sounds were that of the main street then I started to think, did I really need to be the hero in this weird, kind of questionable situation?

Well, no but I'm a nice person... dammit.

Pausing at a crossway, I frowned. "Which building does she-?"

And yeah, he was gone. I knew the pause in his heart beat was too long. And how did he disappear so fast. Hell, I'm about to be mugged aren't I? Son of a goat herder.

I rolled my eyes when a pair of thick arms circled around me, one over my arms and the other around my neck. I should have known right better right? "Nice try." I sighed and tried to break out of his hold.

And try I did to no prevail.

My heart stalled as I tried again and halted. Wait. I inhaled deeply at the odd and sickly alluring scent belonging to the person holding onto me. Vampire. The realisation of the situation poured over me like a bucket of cold water and I started to panic. I struggled harder, and gritted my teeth as the clearly stronger and definitely older vampire tightened his or her crushing hold.

I was two seconds from screaming my face off when the large hand - definitely male - covered my mouth. Cringing away from his hand, he squeezed me into his large form. "I should be saying that to you, sweetness."

His accent, I couldn't distinguish it. Russian? Slovakian?

"Enough. Feisal said to dose her up immediately, we don't know how feisty she can be."

Darting my eyes to one of the exits a pale, beefy man slithered out from the shadows. His blonde hair made him look like a pebble among rocks. He stood out. Probably just like I did. His accent was exactly the same as the vampires; his eyes a detached brown.

"This is the right blonde this time right, Dante?" The big idiot using my body as a stress ball asked.

"Oh, she's definitely the right one. He described her eyes exactly like those. 'Deep, churning, explorative' blue eyes. Been following this one all week and I've finally had the chance to catch a glimpse. Beautiful aren't they? And yet we haven't got her name yet, she didn't even say it to Faisal."

Although the description of my eyes sounded wonderful albeit a little creepy, I was still processing everything he just said. The right blonde? What was happening right now? But then another tid-bit of information hit me. Following this one all week. It wasn't Christian's eyes I could feel on me. It was whoever the hell these people were.

I inhaled again, to get the scent of the man in front of me and my eyes widened in shock.

"Human." I mumbled around the vampire's palm. The man in front of me was human and the oath behind me was a vampire. What the heck have I walked into? And who knows what Feisal was because clearly he was involved in this. I could only assume a vampire with his gorgeous eyes but how did he manage to mask his scent from me?

We were in such a huge crowd I wouldn't have been able to differentiate his scent, not with the amount of people moving in and out of the store and around us.

Looks like I'm never helping anyone again.

"Yes, I'm human." The blonde, Dante, smiled maliciously. "And this," He pulled out a needle from his pocket and moved closer. "Is two doses of horse tranquiliser. The venom in your blood burns it off too quickly so two doses should do the trick."

Oh, hell no.

Seeing my panic, his smile widened. "I'm sorry, it's just... well, it's just business. Feisal will be back in a few minutes so let's do this quickly. Hold her tighter or break her neck, which ever you prefer. I need to give her this so she's out long enough..."

Break her neck.

Images flooded my head of seven years ago; flashbacks of that day. Crack. The loud snap of my own neck in my ears. I'll never forget that sound. Never.

A new kind of anger, no fury, and fear flushed my entire being. I didn't want to feel that. Not again. Never, no. I brought my head forward and didn't think twice about slamming it into - I'm going to call him the Oath - the Oath's nose.

Immediately, I was disoriented but it was worth him releasing me and dropping me to the floor. Then I heard that same crack and I winced. But it wasn't me. No, it was the Oath behind me. And Christian. He'd broken his neck.

My vision impaired, I watched with a dizzying stare as Christian punched Dante in the face knocking him straight to the ground. His feet were the only thing I could suddenly see until I was plucked off the ground.

"Dammit, are you okay? Did they hurt you? Chelsea!"

I flinched at his loud voice. "Stop shouting, I'm... fine I guess."

His hands around my arms loosened and the anger on his face subsided but only a little. "Okay, good. Don't move. I have to kill them."

"Wait, what?!"

He released me and I wobbled as he moved toward the vampire first. I touched my hand to the back of my head and groaned. "Christian-"

"Don't look."

My mouth opened and closed as he moved to the dumpster next to a building, rummaged for a while before coming out with a broken piece of wood and without a blink, shoved it straight into the vampire's chest. Jesus, I shouldn't have looked.

I'd never seen how a vampire could die, only heard from Evie and Kate. I stared at his greying skin, the black veins that usually outline our faces when we feed along his hands, cheeks, and forehead. He looked empty. Cold. Soulless. And then I watched in pure horror as he dumped him into the largest dumpster and set his body alight with a match.

He moved to Dante.

"No!" I heard myself say. "Not the human."

Christian didn't listen. His strong purposeful strides were long and the adrenaline in my veins forced me to intercept his tracks. "Don't, please."

His pupil's dilated an inch and I tried my hardest not to recoil away from his irritated glare. Christian this angry was rare. I mean he got annoyed angry with me but usually it was playful. I wasn't ever afraid of him. But right now I was. This, no this was aggravation; rage. His crystal like eyes were like icy shards poking, no stabbing into my skin. "I have to. He knows what you look like."

I took note of that but ignored it for now. "Please, he's human." I begged. "I could barely watch you kill a vampire let alone a human."

He regarded me with emotionless eyes and as a protégé, I shouldn't be challenging him the way I was but I couldn't turn away. Not like this. I was probably overstepping every boundary by asking this of him, hell I was probably an idiot for asking considering this guy tried to drug and take me. I never kill when I feed and I still haven't to this day. I wasn't ready to see a life taken away in front of me.

His glare dampened but his eyes were still impassive. "Fine." He barked. Finally, I looked away. "But when he comes back to bite us both in the arse, I'll be sure to say I told you so. Come on. Katherine and Callum are back at your apartment waiting for us. Kate knew I was coming for you."

His hand curled beneath my arm and he started yanking me away. Did I even want to mention another one saw me as well? Feisal. Judging by the way the men spoke about him, he was probably in charge. Of what I wasn't sure. And what they wanted with me? Jesus, I couldn't even begin to think of why.

What have you dragged me into? I thought feeling the effects of the adrenaline wear off and the confusion and fear settle in.

Christian glanced down at me and tightened his hold on my arm. "Nice head butt by the way."

I rubbed my free hand to the back of my head again as we re-joined the clueless crowd and narrowed my eyes at him. I'll show you a nice head butt.

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