Chapter Three - A Talk

I completely halt at the sudden growl. It was filled with so much venom, dominance, power, and so many more complex emotions mixed into one. I don't know what it is with this guy, but I could feel the power radiating off these walls and all behind me just because of him. It's like his energy weighs a ton. . . if that even makes sense.

I turn around slowly and cautiously to face him, expecting his face to be veiny and night black eyes; what it looks like being face-to-face with an extremely unhappy vampire. Though to my surprise, I turn around to see his handsome face, you know, still very handsome and even a poised smile plastered on his face.

"Aubrey, please sit," He stares at me with sincere yet commanding eyes before gesturing to the chair by nodding towards it.

I stare at him for a moment and the sincere smile stays stuck on his face as he eyes me. I slowly walk back to the chair and I eye him back as I cross my legs and straighten my posture.

Us, physically challenging each other with our eyes didn't last long before he spoke, "Listen, Aubrey, I know this all is very very sudden but my wife and I have been planning to meet you for months. Then eventually, after we met, we would build a relationship with you but there was a slight change in our plans."

I slightly squinted at him, "A change in plans? Wait . . . really a change in plans caused you to come in here and ask me to be your bonder when I barely know you? You do know both parties have to agree with this, right? I mean this is, and excuse my language, fucking crazy." As my mini-rant went on my hands made small gestures in the air to further express the sudden distress I'm currently feeling.

"You don't understand. There could be some serious unwanted trouble if this doesn't happen," He explains, his eyes holding so much surrealness which was very odd to me especially coming from someone like him. I can't tell if his eyes hold a look of fright at something or if he's trying to frighten me. If it's the ladder then I guess you could say it's working cause the weary look seems to just pierce itself into my head.

Maybe it's something he could do that other vampire couldn't?

My thoughts are all pushed back as he begins to speak again, and I willingly give him my full and undivided attention even though I really felt my ranting should continue.

"My people, the other vampires, want to know that they can trust the humans and this company. There have been many doubts lately because they find it peculiar that their leaders have not found a bonder in fear that my wife and I don't trust your people. That we have some freak plan to screw them over. There are vampires out there who have always resented me so they lead these freakish conspiracies to try to overthrow me. Something a lot of humans don't understand is that you all will not like the alternate choice of my wife and me, not in the slightest," He explains very carefully to me. I could tell there was something larger he was leaving out but what he told me is enough for me to gauge the situation at hand.

I sit back in my chair and begin to let his words sink in.

There are vampires who have always resented me. . .

You all will not like the alternate choice of my wife and me.

All the words hit me at once and I just simply didn't know how to feel about the situation. If this is real then it's up to me then, so of course, I would want to help for the sake of everyone I love. I don't ever see why the leader. . .the king of vampires would ever come here unnoticed just to lie to my face to become his bonder.

"Ok. Well, this doesn't have to be real, right? I can help if it means no one gets hurt to show the vampires this is no hoax. Just know that I can't off and bond with you and your wife. I'm not even in the bonding system," I express to him a bit so he can understand that I'm willing to keep the peace but I just couldn't be a bonder.

He leans forward to me, "Love, you can't hoax with what my people already think is a hoax. Besides as I said before, my Victoria and I have kept an eye out for you for a while." His voice is stern yet chilled and his smile turns into quite a sexy smirk.

My body sunk down more in the chair as I let out a deep sigh, "How much time do we have?"

His eyes light up almost immediately, "The bonding ceremony does not have to happen any time soon. Though you do have to be in the presence of Victoria and me and let the others get to know you. You will go to our events and dinners for our people to have time with you." He explains in a stern yet gentle voice as nods when I nod to ensure that we are on the same level.

"Please tell me I can keep my job." I don't even know if it's possible for me to sink lower into this chair before just slipping off.

"Are you accepting the offer," He questions, now leaning back in the chair and then resting his head on his hand by holding up his chin with his forefinger and thumb.

I sit back up in my chair and cross my legs, "Who's Victoria?" I question, ignoring his previous question.

He sighs before checking his watch then a face I can't make out appears, "My wife. Aubrey, love, I'm sorry to cut our time short but I have something to attend to very soon. Wait for me though cause I will be back."

By the time he finishes his statement he's already up and with one hand clutched to the door handle.

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"So I was creeping earlier and saw a guy storm out of the office you were in, he looked familiar," Alexander explains, looking for some type of explanation, I suppose. I don't blame him, because for the past two hours we've been sitting in the library reading informative vampire books, which every person I train gets bored of sooner or later.

"That was Noah Abrams just paying me a little visit," I sigh, continuing to flip through pages of a random fashion magazine.

"Wha...Woah wait a minute why does Noah Abrams wanna see you? Are you like in some type of wild vampire trouble?" He questions, leaning closer to me in a visibly shocked state yet he still scans my face for answers.

I'm about to be, is what the answer really is but I simply shake my head before looking down at my watch.

"Suffering time is up, buddy. Hopefully, you took good enough notes I'll be testing you during the tour tomorrow." As soon as the words flow out of my mouth is as soon as Alexander drops the book completely down on the table with a thud.

Well damn.

"Ha, sorry, no offense but this was really boring." I know, is the truthful answer but hey, I will never give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

"That's what they all say just wait until it comes in handy which it does," I inform him, standing up and waiting for him to get up as well.

We both walk out of the library together and I talk about our plans for tomorrow in full. I already told him there would be a tour and a pop quiz along the way but he doesn't quite know everything. I explain that he will see many vampires in testing and bonders as well, which is not an easy thing to see for the first time for a lot of people.

"Alright, alright I got it. . .vampires and blood. I'll try and remember that vampires tend to drink blood sometimes," He mumbles out sarcastically causing me to roll automatically roll my eyes. Why does this one have to be so much like me?

We're quiet as we walk out the front of the very large building and that's when I turn to face the oh so witty man next to me, "Do you have a ride or do you want to walk with me? It's getting late and it could be dangerous." I'm never the one to let anyone possibly slip into danger of the night where they could possibly end up in the hands of a not-so-good vampire or human. I'm just nice like that, ya know?

"Jeez, it's only six. . .the sun is still up," He says in a certain tone with raised eyebrows and slightly squinted eyes. Everything about him in this moment was just saying, 'What the hell do you think is going to happen?'

"Oh my, I am so sorry for being concerned about your well-being. I thought maybe if you didn't live down here it would get dark while you're getting there," I explain where my sudden worry-ness comes from but he only shrugs it off before walking away and down the opposite street from where I go.

I sigh, not going to lie, it was a bit much for me to worry about a grown man walking around downtown by himself. There are tons of people everywhere down here especially in New York City on a Friday. But ever since my little talk with Noah, I've just been feeling uneasy about those vampires that are secretly rallying against the king and queen themselves.

My thoughts grow more and more clouded and jammed as I am walking down the streets of lower Manhattan on a mission to get back to my comfy studio apartment.

It's no surprise as I am walking Mr. Abram appears in my thoughts. How could he not? I mean the man literally asked me to be his and his wife's bonder. All-day, since he left the thought of it, has been roaming the edges of my brain but I've just been ignoring it. . .well until now.

Suddenly, almost out of a movie, a slim black car pulls up next to me as I walk on the sidewalk.

I don't give the mysterious vehicle another glance considering there are plenty of other people walking around here too. I definitely cannot afford any car service that looks like this. I just continue walking but instead at the far end of the sidewalk, so I'm not in the way of who's coming in or out of the vehicle.

"Aubrey," It was loud and stern which quickly made a few of heads turn instantly including mine.

Mr. Abrams.

"Well, he did say he was coming back," I mumble as I walk slowly and hesitantly to the sleek black vehicle.

As soon as I walk close enough the driver exits the car only to pull the door open for me to reveal Mr. Abrams in full.

"Get in," His voice is softer now but it always has its sternness still very present in his voice. Just something I've come to notice since earlier when he just showed up at my work with the. . .offer.

I sigh, looking around and thinking about how long it would take for me to get home. . .not for a while. I look back at him to see his eyebrows raised causing me to sigh then clench and unclench my fist before hopping in the car.

"My studio should only be a few minutes away," I announce to break the awkwardness that had suddenly appeared. Well, it's awkwardness for me but for him, it just looks as if he's completely comfy and calm.

"Great, but we have to have dinner first, love. The wife is cooking today and she wants to meet you," He replies quite casually like he didn't just put an almost stranger to him in his car and is now taking them home.

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