Inner Predator

Call It Curiosity

When Andrew picks me up for lunch, I'm showered and though my torso is rocking an unflattering purple color on my pale skin, the bones have healed enough that I'm not in much pain. It hits me as he pulls into the parking lot that Chase overheard our lunch plans. Juliano's is only Italian place for probably twenty miles. Worry starts to come in the form of butterflies going crazy in my stomach. In the safety of my dorm room, it was easy to act like the whole thing wasn't that bad. It was easy to laugh and feel good about myself, but now out in the open where I could be attacked, I'm not feeling so confident.

"What's up with you today?" Andrew asks when I glance around the restaurant for the umpteenth time. It's clear, nothing but a few patrons sitting at the bar and couple of humans who were catching a late lunch, but I can't get rid of the pit in my stomach. 

"Nothing," I say to him as if he's being ridiculous and take a large bite of my pizza to prove that I'm fine. I dramatically chew and make yum sounds to drive the point home. 

He shrugs and drops it but obviously doesn't believe me. Andrew turned the conversation back to this morning and points out my strong and weak spots in each fight. The usual easy conversation between us comes forced today and I know it's my fault for being so distracted. But after a good half hour with no sign of Chase I'm beginning to think I am just being crazy so I relax a bit and enjoy the food and the company.

"You expecting company?" Andrew asks after the waitress drops off the check.

"Huh?"

He nods his head in the direction of the bar and says, "he's been there for a while now watching you. Well, hope he's watching you and not me," Andrew adds, amused with himself. Against my better judgment, I twist in my seat to glance back toward the bar and make eye contact with the very vampire I thought I had avoided. 

"Shit," I mutter and then want to slap myself when Chase smirks, having heard me from across the room.

"I'm gonna take a leak," Andrew says quickly, getting up from his seat. I force a smile and let him go knowing I'll have to deal with the wrath of Chase sooner or late. I'd prefer later, but this is a public place full of regular old humans so I know he won't hurt me. I think I know he won't hurt me. 

"Love," he says in greeting not a second later and I have to stop myself from flinching at how quickly he made it to my table. The speed is quick, even for a vampire. None of the humans in the building even turn to look our way. They didn't notice the movement. "I underestimated you."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, most people do," I say with a forced smile and a steady voice despite the fact that he terrifies me. If Chase came here for an apology he won't be getting one.

"How are your ribs?" He asks with equal arrogance, a smirk quirking his lips because he knows exactly what he did. 

"I've had worse." Honestly, it wasn't as bad I expected from him. They're almost completely healed. The bruising should be gone by the morning. Chase rubs his hand over the scruffy hair on his face while he considers what to say.

"I should have known," he tells me not bothering to hide the slight disappointment in his voice. "Your eyes are Fae. You obviously got them from your father... who is he again?" He asks knowing full well I have no idea who my dad is. They all know. When I first came here, I didn't know how taboo it was to be part human, for their kind to carry on relationships with humans. For the most part, they don't even carry on real relationships with supernaturals outside of their own species. "Or is your mom Fae? No, no that's right. Your mom is the human bitch who wants nothing to do with you."

Knowing he's trying to get under my skin, I don't react. Besides I've heard enough shit about my parents to last a lifetime so I've gotten good at not letting it affect me. The days of crying myself to sleep over my mom's hatred and my dad's abandonment, over the things some of these assholes say to me, are long gone. My skin is thicker than it was. 

"You're going to have to do better than that."

"How does it feel to have a dad who doesn't know you exist and a mom who became terrified of you the first time you used magic?" He continues as if I hadn't spoken.

"Does this have a point?" I ask irritated and little upset, refusing to let myself remember the last time I saw my mom. Maybe my skin isn't as thick as I wish it was. His smile lets me know that he caught the small weakness I let through.

"I'm actually..." Chase trails off trying to think of the right word to use, "Impressed." He says the word like he hardly believes it himself.

"Is that so?" I ask suspiciously. I can't tell if he's setting me up for another insult or if he's being honest. 

"Believe me, love, no one is more surprised than I am." He scoffs, "impressed with Mystical mutt?" I narrow my eyes at him, I'm pretty sure if looks could kill, he would be ash. He lets out a frustrated breath, like he doesn't even want to be having this conversation--the conversation he sought out. "I want to train you."

My jaw hits the table. Wait, What? That is not at all what I expected to hear when he sat down across from me. Caught off guard, I blink several times and wait for the punchline. When it doesn't come, I can only sputter out a response. 

"I already know how to fight. Damn well. So uh... no thanks." I am so not signing up for daily asskicking's with the scariest dude I know.

"You know how to fight mediocre shifters," he says as if shifters are beneath him. But then, to him they are. Everyone is. "You'd get your ass kicked by any shifter with real skill. You won today by using compulsion, you had the shock factor on your side but if we fight again you're shit out of luck. And those broken ribs? That was me holding back." I may not have his skill for detecting a lie, but I can tell from his tone that he means every word he's said. I just can't figure out why.

"Why? What's in it for you?" I ask skeptically.

"Aside from getting to put your ass on the ground daily?" I glare at him. "Call it curiosity. You're a mutt, and not a Cursed mutt... a Mystical mutt. But somehow you've become a somewhat skilled fighter." He says that last part like it pains him to give me a compliment. "You're more powerful than you let on-I felt you holding back. You're too powerful for a mutt... I'm intrigued. I want to know what you're capable of."

"You can quit with the name calling," I snap due the amount of times he referred to me as a mutt. It's not really the p.c. term and it irritates the shit out of me. "No fangs and no compulsions or no deal."

His smile is wolfish as he agrees. "We can start tomorrow. And no more beating up shifters you'll need to have full energy to survive me."

And in a flash he's gone leaving me to wonder what the hell I just agreed to. There isn't anyone who gets under my skin like Chase does and I just agreed to spend a couple hours with him every day.

I am curious though, why he's suddenly so interested. Why he never wanted to spar with me before today, and why instead of beating my ass seven ways to Sunday for what I pulled today he decided to train me. 

He must have some angle here, but I can't figure out just what it might be. So I'll keep my guard up but take advantage of his offer to train me. I'm not about to miss an opportunity to further my badassery.