I walked down the impeccable marble hall with a mortal close to my side. A mortal that was staring in wonder at just about everything her eyes fell on.
I could hardly blame her. This place was the result of a surplus of funding without restriction. Airports were often designed to reflect the prosperity of a country–they needed to impress to entice those passing through... it achieved that effect.
I glanced up at a series of new modern chandeliers that sparkled in chrome and crystal finish above us. All the ceilings were so damn high they were like the great stone caves of the far east.
"I think I'm underdressed." Quinn murmured, with a nervous look at me and my usual formal wear. Others around us were also well adorned...
I chuckled and gave her a deliberately long once over while we walked.
"It's true the mortals here are very focused on image–but the one thing they hold with more importance is wealth." I drawled, looking ahead and watching a couple in pristine designer clothing barely able to look at each other– "As soon as you step outside, the only thing they care about is whether your credit card works." I snorted.
Quinn raised an eyebrow at me with a small smile. "Is that distain I sense?"
"Oh, you noticed." I uttered with a dry smirk. I glanced at those green eyes and she rolled them.
"I would assume the opposite of an immortal. But you seem to rewrite my preconceptions all the time." She murmured.
Yes immortals collecting pretty things and amassing great deals of wealth didn't paint us in the best light. It would be hard to explain to her that the reasons for it all were just attempts to possess more freedom. Many immortals didn't share the same views either way.
We went through another set of glass doors towards the final security checks. I looked sideways at her again in question but she seemed focused on the gates ahead with security checking papers.
"Please tell me–"
"No, Quinn. I would just drag you this far to have you stopped at the gate." I grinned, before flashing her a passport that I had generated on the way here. "I have people for everything." I finished simply before she could ask.
She plucked it from my hand with a sly look.
"What do I owe you?" She asked in a darker tone and a look that suggested so many things.
It took me a moment to focus properly. From the way her entire being could shift into something that was provocative and enticing–I ripped my eyes off her and looked ahead without an answer as we approached the guards behind the glass booths.
Quinn laughed lightly as she went off and passed through the checkpoint with no issues. My own went through seamlessly with a false smile and a wave. She waited for me on the other side with a hand on her hip and a look of mischief.
"I was joking Fletcher..."
"I know it's just–" I sighed and nodded my head forward. We started walking again but she didn't let it go.
"It's just what?" She pressed with that beautiful smile still in place.
"You." I muttered, drawing us past the familiar hallway of many to the place I sought. I felt her eyes on me but she wisely decided not to press her interrogation. We walked for a few more minutes before the clouded glass doors of the corporate lounge were before us. A door man with caramel skin and a fine pressed suit glanced up expectantly.
I flashed him a black card with fine print and he took it with a smile. Another identity printed into it digitally and physically. It scanned green.
"Welcome again, Ms Demarcus. Is there anything I can do for you during your stay?" He asked calmly, glancing at Quinn with similar warmth.
"Yes. I'd like to know if you have refreshment facilities beyond the bar."
"Ah, no ma'am. But I do have a list of highly recommended hotels for–"
"That would be great. Please send word ahead to The Mandarin I'll be needing a room tonight." I interrupted simply.
He quickly nodded and made a series of types into the keyboard before him.
"Will that be for two rooms, ma'am?" He asked, glancing obviously at Quinn.
I heard Quinn's heart rate increase and resisted the urge to smile. Let her assume I was playing this exactly by the book.
"Yes two separate rooms please. Top floor."
Quinn's gaze shot to me but I continued watching the doorman smile and follow the instructions without delay.
"They will have that ready for you as soon as you arrive, Ms Demarcus." He smiled again and I mirrored it.
"Thank you for the help." I returned curtly before turning away. Quinn was quickly beside me with a growing look of exasperation.
"I didn't realise we were part of the church group, Ms Demarcus." She muttered dryly, following me towards the exit at the long end of the great ceilinged room. Suits and dresses flitted past us. We were probably the only ones without sunglasses attached to our shirt or head.
I glanced at her with a look of innocence.
"I don't know what to tell you, Quinn. They're quite conservative here–"
"Oh they're damn right archaic here but that doesn't change what goes on behind closed doors." She scoffed, looking openly at a young couple that shared a rather public display in a crowd of people.
I grinned and shook my head.
"Indeed. I'm just trying to keep you alive." I murmured as the final set of glass doors opened and the aircon left the airport behind.
The heat hit us in an unstoppable wave. Quinn almost flinched back into the door. I caught her elbow and steered her away from more people that almost collided into her. Her eyes widened and landed on my hand.
"God, I suddenly appreciate your temperature so much more..."
I laughed loudly and released her. I pulled my phone out and called a private car. Quinn stared up at the open blue sky and devastating feel of dryness. I spoke quickly and confirmed times and locations while she looked back up at the long glass building of the airport behind.
In the end I demanded that the company just leave the car for us so I may do what I wish rather than rely on the driver. It was vaguely an issue for them until I mentioned what credit I was prepared to offer... then it all became very efficient.
"The car will be here in five minutes." I told Quinn as she still tilted her head up at the tall structure. She nodded and cast her hand over her eyes.
"They have glass in London too." I smirked.
She cut me an eye roll before slipping out of her dark hoodie and wrapping it around her waist. Her dark jeans would soon also become a problem in this glare as well.
"Come on, Adams. Before you cook." I murmured, nodding my head over at a shaded area where taxis rushed to pick up travellers.
The sun caught her skin in a way that turned it golden brown like she belonged in the heat. It turned her eyes a brighter green and made her hair take on shine that made the waves of brown–
"Give me your hand." She suddenly said.
"What–"
She grabbed my hand anyway in the heat of her own and pressed it against her forehead with a sigh. I stared at her as the cool of my palm met the fire of her skin and made my dark blood move faster. Her own heartbeat actually seemed to calm. She closed her eyes briefly.
"Yeah. You are definitely going to be of use to me in this climate."
I scoffed. "Of use?"
She smirked and opened her eyes. I wish she hadn't. They looked too enticing. The green too bright and our proximity to each other too close. In honesty the comment wasn't offensive. The opposite, it was inviting and promising–
"If my air con fails in my room of course." She replied with a dark smirk.
"It's a five star hotel, Quinn. Nothing fails." I responded, suddenly wishing it wasn't.
"We'll see." She quipped innocently.
I stared at her a moment longer until she drew back and dropped my hand. The sound of good engineering suddenly purred before us on the road. A white shirted driver briskly hopped out and pulled the keys with him.
"Ms Demarcus! It's good to see you favouring our city again!" He called, rushing to our side and offering me the keys with a smile.
"What the hell is that?" Quinn demanded, staring at the car.
I grinned and accepted the keys with a gracious nod. "You can expect it more often with your swift service."
"If there's anything else?" He began.
"No, just the car thank you. We have arrangements already made."
"Then I wish you a pleasant stay." He smiled, dropping a final nod to Quinn before disappearing back into the glass doors of the airport with a phone pressed to his ear.
I moved to the door quickly and opened it for Quinn. She was still staring at it like I had opened the door to an animal.
"Come on, Adams. I promise to drive safely–"
"It looks like you rented a bloody F1 car Tara!" She exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes and left the door open moving to the driver's side. "It's a DB11. You can either stand there and dehydrate or get in the car."
She finally stepped up and dropped her head inside. The plush leather interior was a marvel in fairness. Aston Martin always outdid themselves inside and out.
"You're ridiculous." She muttered, finally slipping into the seat that was at a racer low level for better traction and balance.
"At least I'm not boring." I said flatly.
She closed the door and hadn't even strapped in the seat belt fully before I accelerated.
"Oh my god. I'm going to die." She deadpanned.
This made me grin. I didn't commit too much to overtaking the streams of traffic as we left the busy stretch of road from the airport–but once we were finally off it...
I pulled the stick back with the practiced ease of a mortal that had spent their whole life driving. The engine responded eagerly. It didn't purr on the open road, it roared. Quinn squeaked beside me and gripped the chair tightly. The machine below us was built for acceleration and was rarely ever used to its potential.
"Fletcher. I swear to any god. You will regret this." She warned me, without taking her eyes off the wide freeway we sped down. I glanced at her and pushed the stick down another gear sending our speed higher. The sound was delicious... as was the pace of her heart.
"I thought you wanted a shower? I'm getting us there as fast as I–"
"I didn't mean kill us to do it!" Quinn interrupted in a voice that was caught between nerves and excitement. I could taste her adrenaline in the air.
"I could drive better blindfolded than any mortal on this road." I drawled, passing another car and dipping into the inside lane. A speed camera rapidly approached and I dropped us back another 50 miles an hour.
"God damn it, Fletcher. This speed. Let's hold this speed. Please." She emphasised the last word with a pleading look.
I smirked again and nodded my head in acceptance.
"If you're that worried..."
She let out a long breath and released her death grip on the chair before casting me a final glare. I chuckled and kept one hand on the wheel and the other draped on my leg. It took a few moments for her breathing to calm before she glanced at me again.
"Okay that was a tiny bit fun." She admitted. I kept my eyes on the road and a smirk on my face. "Insane. But fun."
"I already knew you had a thing for the dangerous, Adams. You wouldn't be sitting next to me right now if it weren't the case."
She chuckled this time and stared out the window at the many glass shards and skyscrapers rising above us.
"Yet here I am." She murmured with a small smile.
* * * * *