Aeress

     Nina made it appear so effortless when she directed Aeress through the house, but now as she tried to make it back to her assigned room, it was impossible. 

     She was officially lost. What decor she had once admired was then considered identical and frustrating. 

      "This has to be it!" Aeress hoped as she opened the door. The vacant room looked similar enough, so she closed the door behind her. 

     She was delighted when she saw another BLT on the dresser. That cook really did make the best damn sandwich she had ever tasted. 

       Aeress waited not another second and claimed the tasty treat. It was gone in under a minute. She held the plate and contemplated eating the crumbs. 

      The floorboards whined, causing Aeress to jump and toss the plate in her hand at the intruder. 

     She turned in time to see the plate caught in a hand. Her eyes travelled up the arm, confronted by a most striking face. 

     Her skin came to life with shivers under that flat, blue gaze. His dark brows slashed above his piercing eyes enough to display a constant expression of dissatisfaction. Everything about him was harsh. He had a deadly attraction to him, whoever he was. Aeress never understood the idea of severe beauty until her eyes landed on him. 

     He showed no reaction to her presence. He simply placed the dish back on the dresser. She watched with curiosity when he stood there with his arms crossed, in black slacks, black, italian leather shoes, and a black, wool sweater with a raised collar. He could have been a shadow had it not been for his pale skin or startling eyes. 

      Aeress had seen many beautiful people recently, and none other were like him. In fact, he wasn't nice to look at in a common fashion. No, men like him were not looked upon for long for fear of harm. 

     But her eyes stayed in place. Her lips parted. Nothing came out though, even as her mind was racing with a pleasurable and alien buzz.  

     Not one reaction from him. He just examined her rather like she was a subject in an experiment. 

     She looked around and realized the bedroom did not resemble what she stayed in before. "This is your room?" she spoke up hesitantly. "I'm sorry. And I ate your BLT. That was rude of me too, yeah? Wow, how do I always get myself into these situations?"  

     His eyebrows furrowed just a tad more. But not a word. 

     "Okay then." He was obviously not one who spoke often. "I should probably stop intruding." She sent an awkward smile and tried to exit as quietly as possible. 

     Aeress gasped when she felt a hand encircle her wrist. The warmth and strength there shunned her into silence, kindling a sizzle in her blood. She gazed up at the alluring man and forced herself not to drool. 

     So much intensity yet so much loss of life as well. How could she see nothing and everything at the same time in that blue of his? It was terrifying to be so attracted to someone she had met seconds ago. She felt like a hormonal teenager seeing Tom Hardy for the first time. She had to snap out of it.

     "I said I was sorry," she whispered. "I just got lost." By his facial responses, he had to have been displeased with her talking. Most people were. "Listen, whoever you are, I don't want any trouble." She tugged out of his grip, something she sensed he was allowing. Her body deflated at the loss of touch. 

     "Who are you?" This was an unintentional question which slipped past her lips. 

     His nostrils flared. "Get out." She blinked at his husky voice. It reminded her of a soothing rainstorm, similar to his scent. 

     She took a few steps back and discovered that his coldness did not revolt her, it intrigued her. "Nice to meet you, Get Out," she mumbled, opening the door, "I'm Aeress." With pounding heart, she left. 

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     After a long nap and a couple hours of contemplation-in between these times Nina was constantly checking on her-Aeress felt infinitely better. 

     She prided herself with being an open-minded person, and damn well would be so when a situation which required an open-minded person. 

     Werewolves were real. 

     Aeress laughed. There were worse realities. 

     Besides the fact that this journey began with a shoot-off, a fake hospital, and kidnapping, Aeress had to admit that she was not given a reason to be afraid, at least beside the instinctive fears any person would have in this situation. 

     She wasn't dumb enough to run, even if she wanted to. These kinds of people were not ones easily escaped. Why waste the energy? 

     Not having control drove Aeress crazy, but she had no other options. 

     Maybe she should seduce a guard, get them to smuggle her out, then slit their throat? 

     Maybe force a guard to take her out at knife-point, then stab him for good measure?

     Maybe she should steal a car and go crazy until she has the attention of human authorities? But that was assuming the human authorities weren't murdered by the werewolves. 

     Okay so her options were death, death, and death. 

     Aeress pulled the puffy blanket closer with a huff of breath. Being a psychopath would have been helpful right about then. Hell, even just the strength to stab would do. 

     But it turns out the best Aeress could do was roll with it. 

     So no one was getting stabbed that night... At least by Aeress. 

     "Knock, knock," Nina called from the door. 

     Aeress sat up by the edge of the bed. "Come in." She tried to right her locks but they had their own agenda. 

     Nina came in with a warm smile. She could tell the woman still felt bad, even as it was really Aeress who was the asshole. "I have a gift for you." 

     Aeress laughed. "My birthday isn't for a couple months! You shouldn't have, Nina." 

      "We thought that you would appreciate a familiar face," Nina handed over a cell phone to her delight, "so we programed Shaya's number in. Feel free to talk as long as you like. Also, you seem comfy in the bed, so I thought I'd send dinner to you, if that's fine with you." 

     Aeress was touched by the effort to make her comfortable. "Thank you so much. This is really freaking weird for me, but your hospitality makes me a world less uncomfortable." 

      "We as a people take it very seriously, the responsibility over the well-being of the scented. Humans like you are very important to us. We simply want you to have a pleasant stay. By the way, we programmed a couple apps on the phone if you find yourself bored. And if that is all, I will take my leave for the night. If you need anything, my number is also programmed into the phone."

     Nina sent a genuine smile as the woman left. 

      She didn't waste any time, and wondered if it was a test. Maybe they wanted to see how much she would say?

     Shaya was on her couch, dressed in a tank top and booty shorts. "Hello?" Aeress smiled as she recognized her friend. "Aeress, is that you?! Thank God and all the hot men in this universe, are you okay?" 

      Aeress smiled, even as her eyes pricked with tears. "I'm okay. Are you okay?" 

       "Of course, I am. The hot blondie got me out of there. He wouldn't let me go back in to find you. I swear if those motherfuckers in that bar hurt you in any way," she formed her hand into a gun, "I'll commit mass murder for you, Aeress, you know I will."

      Aeress laughed. "I wish you were here."

      "The FBI said you are in witness protection right now. You must be terrified, my poor baby. I wish I was there too. When can you come back?"

      Aeress shrugged at her friend. "They didn't say, but I am pushing for as soon as possible. You would not believe that kind of shit that has happened to me these past days." 

      "I am so sorry this happened to you. The place checked out, I swear. You know that I would have never taken you there if I suspected anything shady. I just wanted to show you a good time-" 

      "I trust you with my life, Shaya. None of this is your fault. Shit just happens sometimes. What's done is done. What matters now is that we are both alive. Right?"

     Shaya frowned. "You're always right," she agreed. "I just wish I could hold you and feed you spicy snacks. It sucks that I can't see you." 

     "I know. So far it isn't terrible here. Shaya..." 

      She leaned toward the lense. "Is everything okay?" 

     Aeress looked around and leaned in too. "The people here, they're different," she whispered. 

     Her eyes widened. "Different how?" 

      "They're not... Normal." 

     "Is that good or bad?" 

     Aeress paused. "I'm not sure " 

      "These people, are they attractive? You know, kind of like at the bar?" 

     "Kinda, why?" 

      "Beautiful people aren't good or bad, then, honey. Beautiful people are dangerous. If you ask me, dangerous isn't so bad, though what do I know? I'm the person who got you into this mess in the first place." 

     Aeress chuckled. "I don't know if I can trust these people. I don't know if I am as safe as I should feel." 

     "Well then, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. But, I mean it's the FBI, I am sure you are probably the safest you have every been." She adjusted her tank top as it was slipping. 

     Aeress winced at her choice of words. "But what if I just want to go home?" 

     Shaya sighed and rubbed her temples. "The second you feel that these people are not right, you haul ass to my place and we will find a nice little house in Panama, okay? We'll find husbands who hopefully don't speak English—or worship us well enough to not care that we're fugitives—and pop out cute babies, okay?" 

      "I have a feeling you are dead serious," Aeress said, "but at least someone has a plan. God, I feel ten times better. I love you, Shaya." 

      "Aeress, you know I love you. Stop acting like this is the last time we will ever speak!" But what if it was? "Aeress, this is just a bump in the road, temporary. And when you come back, I'm gonna get you drunk and laid, and maybe somehow earn your forgiveness." 

     Aeress laughed. "There is nothing to forgive. Anyways, I don't know how long I have, so I gotta ask: how did things go with the blondie?"

     Shaya rolled her eyes. "My friend basically goes missing, and you really think my mind could possibly be occupied with dick?" 

      "Yes." 

      "We've been texting. He asked me out, I said yes. Oh, and I think we are going to have sex, which is always a plus."

     Aeress slumped back and eyes the ceiling chandelier. "At least something good came out of this situation." 

     "What about you!" Shaya exclaimed. She took her phone with her and went into the kitchen. She set up the phone so Aeress could see her prepping dinner. "No hot bodyguards? Maybe this is the perfect opportunity to find a passionate man with a nice package? I'm telling you, remember my cop boyfriend, Joe? Man was he great." 

     Aeress immediately thought of those cold blue eyes. His beautiful face. The slash of his slim and built body. "I'm not sure. I met a man earlier. He was..." 

     "Hot?" 

     "Yes."

     "Single? No one likes a homewrecker." 

     "I'm not sure." 

     She went in her fridge. "What makes him so interesting? In all the years I've known you, he'd have to be king of the world in order to get your attention."

     Aeress shrugged. "Maybe he is a king. He sure as hell had a vibe to him."

     "What kind of vibe?" 

     "The dangerous kind. I don't know. I doubt he would look at a girl like me twice. I shouldn't have even brought it up." 

     Shaya shouted over the stove. "As long as he doesn't give off serial killer vibes, I don't see anything wrong in- damn, time to turn the flame down!" 

     "I think I'll focus on staying alive instead of some man." 

     Shaya chuckled. "Good luck with that, especially if he is anything like my hot blondie." 

      That was exactly what Aeress was afraid of.

Black Lives Matter.