Paris

I poured myself a cup of coffee and drank it straight, not even bothering to sit down or enjoy it. I just needed the damn energy. Syn woke up at the crack of fucking dawn every single morning- barreling down the stairs like a piston and knocking on my door, waking me up from the sleep I barely got.

I was dead already so sleeping was an option, but it was an option that I missed having to myself. I wanted to cuss him out every time he did it but I couldn't bring myself to, especially when I knew his reason for doing it. If he was out and Queen was sleeping, that left her vulnerable. It probably eased some of his nerves knowing that I was awake and watching over things. But fuck I deserved a day off and today was that for me.

After Queen left, I closed my eyes and fell into oblivion. I slept like a fucking baby. I let myself enjoy it for about two hours before getting up and working out before I took a shower.

I was leaving the steamy bathroom when I heard the doorbell ring. I paused, all my nerves standing on ten. Syn and Queen would've used a portal to get back into the house but nobody had ever used the doorbell. Except me, but that was only because I'm respectful and didn't want to freak Queen out while she was alone by storming into the cabin.

Knowing her now though, she probably would've killed me the second I took a step inside. So I guess my urge to be as non-threatening as possible was my subconscious attempting to save myself.

With a sigh, I held the towel around my waist with one hand and grabbed the gun under my pillow with my other. I walked down the stairs as the doorbell rang once again and I rolled my eyes. Patience was definitely a rare virtue.

I took silent steps toward the door and looked into the peephole, my gun trained on the man outside. He wore a floral button-up, a bouquet of roses in his hands as he shifted on each foot. He was nervous. I would've ignored him and thought he had the wrong house until I heard him knock and call out "Queen!"

With that, I swung the door open—keeping my handle on the gun aimed at him from behind the door. I plastered a grin on my face and watched as a flash of anger passed his eyes. It was quick, but it was my job to notice those quick ticks that people desperately tried to hide.

"Hi, how may I help you?"

His eyes took me in, falling on the towel around my waist as he frowned. "Who are you?"

"Paris."

"I...umm." He stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you, Paris."

I looked at his hand before looking back at him. I didn't shake hands, people were disgusting. There was no way I could've known what he had done with his hands and instead of letting myself do it and wonder all day, I just didn't.

He dropped his hand when he noticed I had no intention of shaking it. I could tell he was unnerved by the smile still on my face as he tucked his hand back into his pocket.

"Aiden." He nodded.

"Aiden," I said, my eyes glancing around the secluded forest around us. His car was nowhere to be seen and he looked way too polished to have been trekking through these woods. "How can I help you, Aiden?"

"I'm looking for Queen," he said. "She told me to meet her here."

"Queen," I whispered, stretching her name on my tongue. "I'm not sure I know who that is...are you sure you have the right house?"

"I mean it is the only place within a two-mile radius so I'd hope so." He rubbed the back of his neck. "This is where she told me to come. I'll just call her."

"You've been duped." I sighed, shaking my head. "It happens to the best of us. But sure, if it makes you feel better...be my guest and call your girl on my porch."

He pulled out his phone, his jaw clenching at my sarcasm and I closed the door. I leaned against it, taking the safety off the gun and making sure it was loaded. At first, I thought he was a weirdo that wandered into this side of the woods but as the moments passed, I began to see past the mask he was wearing and what I saw was a bit unnerving. He was inconspicuous. His lean frame looked harmless as he smiled, but I was smarter than that. It was always the people that looked the most innocent that you had to watch out for.

I listened as he dialed her phone number, I could hear the ringing coming from his phone. I smiled, my intuition never leading me wrong as I looked at Queen's cell phone. She left it after leaving in a hurry. It sat on the coffee table and hadn't even flashed with a notification. That meant she either had him blocked or he was full of shit- I believed it was the latter but either way, he didn't belong here.

I tore my eyes away from the phone as he left a "voicemail" and I rolled my eyes. He was a fucking idiot.

I opened the door again slightly, peeking my head out the door. "Oh gee, you're still here." I acted surprised but I could tell he wasn't going for it. His head was still facing his phone but his eyes found mine, an angry gaze directed at me.

"Don't fuck with me right now."

"Oh, I wouldn't dare." I acted offended. "You're a stranger who popped up at my house. I'm alone here and you could be some serial killer- just concocting up this story of an imaginary woman so I can sympathize with you and let my guard down." I shook my head mockingly, pointing at him. "But I'm no fool, buddy."

He scoffed. "That's insane."

"It is, isn't it?" I pursed my lips in thought. "Because it goes both ways, doesn't it? You're alone. The GPS on your car has you at least a few miles away since you're here and your cell phone is currently not pinging your location." I pointed at the air around us. "No telephone towers, you know?"

His smile slowly dropped and mine grew. "So...Aiden, was it? Maybe, just perhaps- you should be more afraid of me than I am of you because if I killed you I could dispose of your body quicker than anyone that cares about you would notice." He took a step back, terror filling his eyes and I chuckled.

"You're crazy, I'm going to call the police."

"How?" I asked, tilting my head at him. "You have no reception- matter of fact, how did you just call that girl..." I thought out loud. I heard his phone ring when it should've immediately gone to voicemail- no matter who he called. The only service within miles was contained in a box...in this house. That only meant one thing, he was logged onto this network.

The realization dawned and I kept my composure, the teasing smile remaining on my face. I still had the upper hand in this situation, he was the one that was afraid.

"I still must have a few bars," he laughed nervously.

"Maybe."

"Umm." He looked around, pointing his thumb into the woods. "I guess I did have the wrong address. I'm going to go now."

"You do that." I gave him a tight smile and nodded. "Good luck by the way."

"Thanks," he muttered as he walked down the steps. After a moment, he paused and looked back at me with a confused look. "Umm...good luck on what?"

"Outrunning me, of course."

His face dropped and I let out a small laugh as the fear crept into his eyes. I bared my fangs at him and his eyes widened, his adrenaline spurring his legs into motion. I smiled as I closed the door.

I had time. I could let him go on for miles and still easily catch him before he reached his car. I didn't know when people were going to learn that monsters like Syn and me thrived on the chase. It was the best part.

I took my time finishing getting dressed, the crunching of his feet in the woods playing in my ears like a song. I whistled along with it, running a hand through my wet hair before walking through the front door.

Ready or not, Aiden.

꧁꧂

See, me personally...I wouldn't run away. I'd run IN to that house. 😮‍💨