The Grim Lost

Shadowmere

I don't know how long we stayed in that position. At some point I had ended up with my hand in his and he wasn't letting me go anywhere. No matter how much I squirmed to be released, he kept his fingers interlocked with mine. The first tendrils of sunlight peeked over the horizon before I realized that I had to work in seven hours. It was five in the morning. He seemed to be wide awake the whole time.

"Can you let me go now?" I steeled my voice despite being exhausted. His low chuckle reverberated through my spine. Shuddering, I once more tried to get free from his grasp. He didn't hold me back this time. I sighed in relief and bolted up the stairs to my bedroom. My bed looked just as messy as it had the day before when I left for work. Setting my alarm for eleven, I collapsed. Needless to say I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. I didn't even bother with blankets.

~~~~~~~~

My alarm went off, blaring Party Rock. My senses woke up, one by one to realize that a heavy arm lay across my back. With my eyes shooting open, I scooted myself off the bed and landed on the floor. I groaned slightly at the sudden impact. Big mistake. Apparently making any sound at all will wake a sleeping vampire. He was at my side in an instant. I shoved him away.

"I don't even know your name, dude. So screw off. I have to get ready for work where you will NOT stalk me again," I growled, feeling my eyes change. He backed off to the opposite side of the bed. Good boy. I stood and grabbed a change of clothes before heading to take a shower.

"Vincent Shadowmere," he called as I left his sight. The shower I took was rushed. I wanted to curl my hair. I swore up and down that he was like a puppy dog. I could sense him right outside the bathroom door. Pathetic. Nravet was a twenty-four/seven bar and grill. Barkeepers and cooks round the clock. I had to work both of my jobs tomorrow so I needed to crash after this shift. As I walked out of the bathroom, I pretended not to see him. I couldn't let the fact that the vampire king thought I was his soulmate slow me down.

"It's nice to meet you, Vincent," I avoided his gaze until the last possible moment to show him I meant business. My eyes locked with his and I had to fight every instinct in my body not to take him right there on my bed.

"Stay here with me, my love," he caressed my cheek. Contact. Too much. I pushed him across the room, breathing heavily.

"Don't. Touch. Me." I snarled. Vincent's eyes widened but he stayed where he was. Good boy. Blowing out a puff of air, I began the walk to work. If he followed me I was going to shove a lamp post up his ass.

"My savior at last!" Angel cried out in joy, attacking me in a hug. I went rigid until she let me go. She looked hurt, "Sorry, I've been working a double and there are some creepy guys out there right now."

"It's fine." I responded in a clipped tone. Angel nodded and passed me the stained apron which I discarded of as I grabbed a new one.

"You alright, Cal?" her voice came over my shoulder. I jumped, shaking. I nodded my head after a few seconds. The look in my eyes must've told her otherwise. "Go home, I'll call boss lady."

"You've already worked a double and I'm new. I can't just take a sick day right off the bat!" I protested but her phone was already against her ear. Quivering like a leaf in autumn, I listened to their conversation.

"Yes, Diane? Calypso can't make it to work today, she ended up in the emergency room this morning and the docs won't let her go," Angel said, watching me flounder to figure out how to close my mouth. "I heard Christy was looking for more hours. Yes, ma'am, I'll give her a call in. Bye."

By the time she clicked the call off, I was staring at her with confusion. She didn't know me and already she was lying for me. I watched her call Christy in. It was a good thing there were no cameras by these back doors. Angel shooed me outside, pushing me down behind the dumpster. Christy must've gone out the front because Angel came out the back and pulled me into her car. I still couldn't decide how to properly form words.

"Cal, you're going to have to spit that feline felon out eventually," she looked over at me in the passenger seat. "Cat got your tongue? Geez, I thought that would at least make you smile."

"A cat does not have my tongue in any sort of vise... I'm just thinking," I finally said after several minutes of driving. She pondered that for a moment.

"What kind of thinking?" a dark shade had come over her.

Wait a minute.

"Are you an actual angel?!" I shrieked. A pair of dirty wings sprung out, almost hitting me in the face.

"Would you watch your volume?!" Angel yelled back. I shrunk into my seat. "Sorry, I'm a forsaken, actually. I fell but neither heaven nor hell decided I was worthy of acceptance. How do you know they're real?"

Her tone had turned suspicious. Shit. I cleared my throat and turned to look out the window. I wasn't sure how she'd respond to having a hybrid in her vehicle. Angels, fallen and forsaken were always depicted as having terrible bipolar disorder.

"Calypso... Talk to me," she insisted.

I sighed, "I'm a hybrid. And apparently the vampire king is my mate." I didn't know why that last part came out. I hadn't wanted to say it. Angel parked outside of the mall and pulled a straight ninety degree angle to face me head-on.

"That's a good thing for you, isn't it?" She asked.

I looked down, "No. Yes? I don't know. It's not like I've known him all my life. No matter how much it feels like I might have."

"How old are you?"

"21." I told her.

"You're just barely legal. Alright, best friend. Let's go in there and get you dolled up. You are going on a date tonight with that vampire," Angel said as she yanked me out of the car.

Three hours and seven different dress stores later, we still haven't found the right outfit to go with the shoes she picked out for me. Until we walked right by a Hot Topic and it was standing in the window. I punched Angel's arm to get her attention. She looked the dress up and down then hauled me into the store. Everything pinched in all the wrong places but it also fit like a glove. I just wasn't enthusiastic about the corset part.

"Angel, you're supposed to be able to fit a hand under it," I gasped out, not able to breathe. Looking the mirror, I realized I rarely wore anything that showed off what little curves I had. She put her cold hand flat on my back and suddenly oxygen was rushing to my brain. Apparently, when I said I had no interest in winning him over, she took that as an invitation to make me irresistible.

"Perfect!" she exclaimed, taking a picture. "Twirl and give me a smile!"

"I'm going to stab you once I get out of this thing," I warned her.

~~~~~~~~~~

Angel insisted on keeping the dress at her place so she could make some adjustments. I shrugged it off and tried to sneak to the bathroom. I got two feet from the door before Drake ambushed me.

"Home so soon?" he asked.

"Someone else needed hours," I answered quickly, trying to inch around him before... Vincent... came running.

"Then where were you?"

"Out with a friend," I reply, remembering how she called me her best friend. Drake nodded and stepped aside. I took a step forward and immediately was yanked backward. I was treated like a rag puppet all day and Vincent refused to keep his hands off me for more than five minutes.

"I missed you," his soft voice murmured right next to my ear. I shuddered, finding myself leaning subconsciously into his hold. I flinched away, running into the bathroom to throw up Wendy's chicken nuggets. Yuck. Vincent came into the bathroom, holding the broken doorknob in his clenched fist.

"N-no, don't t-touch m-me," I stuttered and held my hands out to push him away again. He took them softly into his own. I coughed as I turned and threw up again. When it was clear my system was purged of anything I had eaten in the last twenty four hours, he wet down a paper towel and gently wiped my mouth off.

"Come to me, little love," he said soothingly, slowly leaned toward me with the intention to pick me up.