Moving Objects

Chapter 20

I swallowed the last of my drink and put a few bills on the table, making eye contact with the bartender to make sure he noticed it was there before going to the bathroom. I slipped in and checked my reflection I the mirror, only to have the blonde man standing in the background. It startled me, but the look on his face was urgent. I opened my mouth, but a woman came out of the stall, standing beside me to wash her hands.

She was human, and slightly intoxicated but she smiled at me and dried her hands. "Your tag is sticking out," she said sweetly, adjusting the back of my dress.

"Thanks," I said, returning her smile. She nodded and stepped out of the bathroom before I spun around to talk to the blonde man, but he was gone. I shrugged and exited the bathroom, only to see the ghostly figure walking towards the exit. I followed it and came to a stop across from the building where he was waiting for me.

He seemed more solid than inside. Maybe I could get some answers out of him about why he was always around.

"Why are you following me around? I can understand Mason, but you? I don't know who you are."

The man looked at me and frowned, looking sadder than normal. I turned and crossed my arms over my chest, wishing I had brought a jacket with me. The November air was cold and sharp against my skin.

He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but it came out too quiet for my Dhampir ears to catch. He tried it again, the volume growing before I finally heard it. It was like a whisper in the wind.

"Ivan."

My breathing caught in my chest as I took a sharp breath in.

"You're Ivan?"

He nodded his head and quirked his lip up to the side. I tucked my hair behind my ears before rubbing my arms again. "That's why you've been hanging around, giving me pointers when you could. You're trying to help me find Dimitri."

Ivan nodded his head and spoke again softly. "I was there when they took him down. The last thing he said was your name before he fell unconscious. I know how much you meant to him, I watched you two when you were out of the wards."

I knitted my brows together. "How come I can hear you and not Mase?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe because I've been dead longer."

I shrugged and dug into my bra when Dimitri's phone rang, the theme for The Lonesome Dove filling the ally way. It was a blocked number, but I answered anyway.

"Hello?"

There was empty air on the other side, but I could hear very faint breathing and a thumping, almost like a heavy bass. "Hello?" I asked again. No answer. I sighed and hung up the phone, but it rang again. Blocked ID.

I accepted the called and answered harshly. "Hello?!"

Faint breathing on the other end mixed in with loud music.

I rolled my eyes and swore as I hung up again, tucking the phone into the bust of my dress when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. It was Him, standing just inside the club, his brown hair out, cell phone still at his ear.

The phone rang again in my bra. I pulled it out and answered it without looking away from him, watching his lips moving across the way while his voice rang in my ear.

"I'm enjoying this game with you, Roza."

I didn't respond, just looked at him and felt my heart jump from my throat to my stomach. It was chilling looking at him, and it was even more so hearing his voice. It hadn't changed at all, but I could hear a hint of amusement in his tone. I hung up and turned away, hoping that I could get out of the heavily populated area. Too many people around to do what I wanted. I needed to lure him away from the club and preying eyes.