The Luna Empath

Chapter 22

Normal life continued for the next week and Derek went to the city with Alys as usual on the Friday. She didn’t argue that now the house was completed he’d have nothing to do, since they both knew she needed him close in case of an emergency. Sitting at her desk she opened her work calendar and as soon as she saw the unexpected meeting she knew, it was him. She froze for a minute thinking over her options. The meeting was in 5 minutes so she didn’t have time to do very much. She didn’t know if she was being reckless, but trusting her gut she decided not to call out for help and meet him. Trusting her senses she felt he wouldn’t try and take her here as it was too public, but she could maybe get some clues from whatever he was going to say.

She checked her sugars and gulped down a couple of her glucose shots as a precaution before walking to the meeting room. Her boss was inside with a guy of mid height and short, cropped brown hair. He was wearing round frame glasses and was setting up a laptop. She knew it was him, her skin crawled being near him. She was hoping her boss would be staying but after introducing her to “Steve” she knew what was coming “Steve has offered to give you a demo of a new AI front end tool a couple of other big insurers are using. Since you’re our expert on this one I’ll leave you to it and we can catch up later. Thanks again Steve” he said shaking his hand “I’m sure we’ll be in touch if Alys thinks this is something of interest to us”. Alys couldn’t help but look longingly at him as he left. Her boss closed the door thinking what an enigma Alys could be, so competent, but always with a vulnerable vibe about her, giant hulking boyfriend who escorted her right to the door. He’d once worked up the courage to ask if she was under coercive control. Only the way she’d laughed and reassured him that wasn’t what was going on made him think she was probably okay. Maybe she didn’t like the look of this software sales guy he mused.

Left alone “Steve” continued to fiddle with the laptop whilst looking at Alys and saying “well Luna Empath it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” She didn’t respond so he continued “I imagine you’re wondering why I’ve come here in this guise to see you. Rest assured you will have no such warning when I do come for you, but then being the Luna Empath I don’t believe you would require any” he chuckled to himself as he sat behind the computer. Alys had sat as far away as she could on the round table taking some comfort that the walls of the meeting room were glass and they could be seen by the staff outside. “Then why have you come?” Alys said trying to keep the tremor from her voice. He tilted his head “I wanted to offer you a way forward. We both know that this only ends with me absorbing your life force to take the gifts you have. I am offering you a way of that happening without the sacrifice of the Alpha and pack you are so attached to. Allow yourself to be taken without incident and without alerting your Alpha and they will be spared.”

Alys knew without doubt this was a lie, she could smell and sense the evil coming off him in waves. Trying to keep her wits she answered “and what about Klaus and his family? Will you spare them too”. He looked up sharply, all façade of humour gone “I’m afraid that will not be possible Empath.”
“Then I will take your offer under consideration.” Alys said before heading for the door with as much control as she could muster. Passing reception she asked the staff to see the visitor out and then she returned to the office standing by the window waiting to see him leave. Eventually she saw him exit through the main doors and jump into a large, sleek, black car which was waiting outside. She was too far away to see the plate so she sat back at her desk, giving into the shaking and threw her energy into the link with Derek. “Are you ok Alys?” one of her team members asked “Do you need anything?”
“I’m not feeling too good she said, I think I need to go home. I’ll call my boyfriend.” Taking her phone she walked off to the bathroom and checked her sugars. They were quite high thanks to the Glucose, but she decided injecting insulin could wait until Derek had arrived and she was safe.

Derek was sitting in a coffee shop a block away from Alys’ office when he heard her “Derek don’t panic. He’s been here, the Demon, but he’s gone now. Can you come to reception and get me. I’m not ill or hurt and just scared and I need you. I’ve told them I’m ill and I need to go home.” He stood up grabbed his phone and bolted in the direction of her office. She was waiting for him as he burst into the reception area and despite not wanting to draw any unwanted attention she ran to him and he hugged her tightly before they left.

As soon as they reached the car she fell apart. Derek just held her and stroked her silky hair “why didn’t you call me earlier? Did you get a warning or a vision?”
“No, I knew he hadn’t come to take me and I thought I may be able to get some clues about how things might happen when he does”. He kissed her tear-stained face “you are so brave Alys, but I was right around the corner. How did he get in?”
“He posed as a software sales guy but I knew it was him. And that’s it” she said really starting to sob “I’m not brave, I’m totally terrified Derek, for all of us.”
With one arm holding her ‘round the waist he opened the passenger door and lifted her in still facing him. He wiped her tears with his thumbs and kissed the salty tracks. “Derek he said if I went quietly he’d save you and the pack, but I know he was lying. He was just looking to make it easier, he’s going to kill us all”. All he could do was pull her into his arms and murmur reassuring words until she’d calmed down a little. Eventually she pulled back “I need to inject, I took some glucose shots in case something happened like at Mystic Falls.” With a final kiss he swung her legs into the passenger well and closed the door jumping in the driver’s side while Alys injected a few units. 

As they drove out of the city Alys had stopped crying and he held her hand. “I’ll message the pack to come around tonight. Ring Klaus or Elijah now. Their eyes met and she nodded sadly.