She quickly types her passcode, and a huge smile breaks across her face as she reads the text. Her melodic laughter rocks the walls, sending unfamiliar sensations through me, only adding fuel to the fire burning inside me.
Any warmth is an illusion of our creation, and I despise her inspiring anything in me that I do not understand.
It proves once again that our time is up, and I should finally start hunting.
My prey is comfortable in her glass cage, believing that existing in this state would bring her peace except…I cause chaos wherever I go.
“I got the job. Oh my God! I actually got it!” she screams, and gets up to do some kind of weird celebratory dance that should be disturbing since the girl clearly has no idea that such a thing as rhythm exists.
I should know since my sister is a ballerina.
Even her weird dance draws me in, and that’s unacceptable.
The prey should never control the hunter.
I put a cigarette in my mouth and light it up, welcoming the taste of nicotine hitting my tongue and reminding myself that such vile creatures like me only have one goal in life.
To destroy those who have the power to destroy us.
I click on the timer next to me and grin, puffing out a cloud of smoke all around me.
The hunt has officially begun.
Tick. Tock.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Sometimes our greatest pain comes from our biggest disappointments.
And what are our disappointments if not lost hopes and dreams that were crushed over the harsh surface that’s reality?”
Lavender
Lavender
“So what do you have to offer?”
Grabbing a hundred-dollar bill from my purse, I put it on the table along with the empty water glass and get up, forcing a smile on my face as the man blinks in confusion. “Nothing.”
He leans back in his chair, his white shirt stretching over his wide shoulders, while his dark hair falls over his brown eyes, which narrow on me as anger flashes in them. I imagine he rarely has women talking back to him, although why is beyond me.
Even good looks can’t hide a rotten nature.
“Oh, so that’s how it is?” he muses, sipping his coffee and running his gaze over me, zeroing in on my cheek, andinternally, I prepare myself for the blow. I’ve been hit in that particular vulnerable spot so many times, it doesn’t hurt or surprise me anymore. “News flash, darling. Women have the privilege of acting out only when they are beautiful and young.” I fist my hand. “If I were you, I’d be happy I was interested at all, considering how my choices are endless. Yours? Extremely limited. You must know it too since you cover that particular side of your face with your hair.”
A familiar aching pain flares inside my chest, the festering wound still pouring poison on the remaining pieces of my soul and reminding me that I might have escaped a horrible fire all these years ago…but I can never truly forget it or run away from it, for I see the reminders every single day in my life.
The weight of the hurt rushes through me, making me straighten up and shake my head at this man. I should have known better the minute he bumped into me during my usual lonely tea break that it would end like this. Rejecting or ignoring him earlier would have spared me this humiliating encounter.
I don’t go advertising my scars to everyone. I never hide them from people, either, to avoid this exact situation, although, ironically, men still end up saying some bullshit once they see them.
And it’s not like I actively seek them out. They all come to me themselves before taking a good look at me and running for the hills!
Maybe that’s why I’m still a virgin at thirty years old. Considering my circumstances, though, it wasn’t like I could have done anything in that regard up until last year, when I finally freed myself from my eleven-year-long lie.
“Is everything all right?” One of the servers comes to our table, concern written all over her face as she assesses the situation. “I was about to bring you our muffins. They are today’s special.”
By the slight nervousness ringing in her tone, I step back to study the environment around me and spot several people shooting curious looks our way who quickly go back to their phones and conversations when they meet my gaze.
