Trails Of Blood

Chapter 8

Picture of Stephanie

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Dusting off the desk I settled the cup on the coffee table sipping the decaf while I bit into the lovely pan de agua then sipping the bean tasted coffee the waiting room was enough to get away from the problems upstairs, but having this lovely pan de agua with bread was almost completed, without the butter it felt incomplete.

Watching people entering and leaving it brought back the comforting memories when everything was so much easier when I didn't discover the truth, the argument was nerve-wracking. I wanted to believe that Benjamin was here to help me then following centuries of old rules that hardly applied for today's standards.

Hearing the clanking of heels marching there a way to me I winced aware that Stephanie was going to demand an explanation from the past few days, she was always having my back and it's been unfair to her that I was keeping her out the loop.

Stephanie took a seat across from me hooking one leg over the other showing her long stretched out legs focusing on the way they were thick and curvey, "Eyes, up here." She snapped her fingers a hint of humor.

Clearing my throat I looked her eyes apologetically a shy away from a nervous grin, "What's going on?" She demanded.

"It's a long story," I replied sipping the coffee slumping the tension in my shoulders.

"You're in deep, sweetie. I'm here for you-you're like a daughter to me." She reached over grabbing the bread from my hand putting it on the coffee table then wrapping my hand with hers.

Looking away from her intense stare it was as if she could read me better than anyone else the death of that kid kept flashing the way his body limped over. If I was faster and worked harder to train, that kid would've been alive then there was Benjamin how easy it was for him to switch like that.

There was a word for how I was feeling it was foreign to me until now, this was the only moment I felt like saying that word out loud, "I appreciate that Steph, but I need to do this on my own." I glanced down slumping my shoulders with a heavy burden.

"Wow." She said with astonishment blinking with appreciation.

Meeting her eyes I tilted my head to the side confused by her change of behavior asking, "What?"

"You're giving up, whatever is going you need to get up and continue to fight if this has something to do with Franco's friend you need to remember who you are. The last time I saw you like this was when you were with that old girlfriend years ago, you are fearless and determine don't allow anyone to take that away." She gripped my hand her sheer confidence radiating.

Stephanie reached over kissing the crown of my forehead pulling back with a proudful smile saying, "Thank you, I don't know what I'll do without you." I chuckled sheepishly.

"Sweetie, that's how amazing I am." She winked then handed the bread over.

We talked for a few minutes discussing her two kids telling me hilarious stories about them the shifting the conversation to a man she hooked up with when she went to a party, it felt nice to be back in rhythm. The worries slipping to a far distance, the thoughts of vampire drama escaped for a moment, the older I got the more the risk I was taking.

When Ivan arrived his presence brought a small smile glancing to Stephanie I grabbed her hand saying, "Let me introduce to someone, he's a decent man."