"Huh? Where's Caleb?"
You blink in confusion. When you last checked the work schedule, he was supposed to have the same shift as you today, and yet, you find yourself staring at a different coworker instead.
"He asked me to swap shifts with him," your coworker shrugs. "I guess he wasn't feeling well or something. Maybe he's sick."
"Oh... alright."
It's hard to mask your disappointment. One of the very few benefits of working a shitty dishwashing job is the fact that you get to spend time with your friend. You haven't even heard from Caleb ever since Kai dragged you both to the arcade that day. He hasn't been responding to any of your texts, and now you find out that he's even swapped shifts with someone else.
He's not avoiding you... is he?
You stare at the pile of dirty dishes in front of you, feeling increasingly upset. Granted, you can understand why Kai must have put him off so much. You doubt anyone would have been okay spending time with the same person who broke their nose. But you didn't expect him to be so frustrated with you too.
Perhaps, instinctively, he knows that you're to blame for all of this. He must have a nagging suspicion that Kai only decided to harass him because you did something stupid. And if that's true, it means he might already resent you for it.
I just started getting closer to him... and I've already fucked it up, huh?
You bite down on your lip and swallow your tears. No, it's better not to jump to any conclusions. Everything that happened with Kai must just have taken a toll on him. He probably needs more time to unwind. You'll give him space, and if after a while, he still wants nothing to do with you, you'll have no choice but to accept his decision.
Staying optimistic has never been easy for you, but you're doing your damn best not to constantly assume the worst. Life goes on, and there's no point in dwelling on something when you don't even know all the facts.
Still, time passes by painfully slow, especially since you don't have Caleb here to joke around with and distract yourself. You're hardly acquainted with your other coworker, and your conversations (if you can even call them that) are purely to do with delegating tasks, like whose turn it is to mop the floor next.
It feels like an eternity has gone by before you're finally done with your shift, but when you check your phone, you feel the opposite of relieved.
Kai:
hey babe
are u working today?
i'm about to swing by the restaurant
let's go on a date
You would very much rather not do that, which is why you scurry out of the restaurant through the back door, making every attempt to leave without being spotted.
It doesn't work.
"Haha! I knew you would try to run away."
Kai greets you with open arms, and although you splutter out in protest, he pulls you into a hug before you can take another step.
"So cute," he muses, flashing you a fang-toothed grin. "I actually got here a little bit earlier and already asked if you were working a shift. I knew it was about time for you to be done, but I was curious to see if you'd ghost me or not."
Your shoulders begin to tremble uncontrollably. Is he fucking serious right now? Surely there are limits to how shameless a person can be. This cannot be happening again.
"Don't you have a job?" you snap. "How are you always here? It must be nice not having any responsibilities and being able to leech off your dad."
"Aw, that's rude," Kai says, clearly unfazed. You keep trying to wriggle out of his grasp, but with the disparity in strength, it's impossible for you to break free. He hugs you tighter and rests his chin on top of your head. "Also, I'm not a leech. I'm finishing up my degree right now, so I've just got homework and exams from time to time. And then once I'm done with that, I'm gonna apply to the police academy."
You blink.
Did I just hear that right?
Rather than continuing to struggle, you peer up at Kai, mouth agape. "You want to become a police officer?"
"Why not?" he chuckles. "I'm a perfect fit for the job. I can easily handle a physically-demanding position. Criminals won't be able to get away with shit once I get my badge. They'll be too scared."
Perfect fit for the job? Him? The same guy who assaulted Caleb for no reason and landed him in the hospital?
You're literally about to lose your damn mind.
"Bullshit," you grimace. "Don't fuck with me. I don't care how good your dad's connections are. Someone like you is not fit to be a police officer. You're supposed to be protecting people, not hurting them. Do you really think they'll accept someone as violent as you into the program?"
Kai's eyes narrow. "I don't appreciate you being a bitch. Vampires are so much stronger than humans. Since you're all so damn weak, it goes without saying that we should be the ones enforcing the law. Crime rates would drop exponentially, and I'm sure you know that as well. Once criminals see what they're up against, it should be enough of a deterrent to the other shitheads looking to cause trouble."
He tightens his hold on you, something which is clearly meant to intimidate you and once again reinforce the difference in strength. It's true that vampires would probably have an easier time apprehending criminals. They run faster, have more durable bodies, have sharper senses... they could easily use all of that to their advantage.
But with relations between humans and vampires being as strained as they are, you doubt the general public would get behind something like this. It would do the exact opposite of making them feel safe. People already fear police brutality incidents enough as it is, but knowing that a powerful vampire would be wielding that sort of authority? Especially a remorseless, volatile vampire like Kai?
Putting someone like him in charge is clearly a recipe for disaster.
"If you're serious about working on the police force, I'd say the least you can do is stop threatening to beat people up," you scowl. "Like the other day, when you forced me and Caleb to hang out with you. I'm not sure the academy will accept you if they find out you're so quick to resort to violence. Assuming they don't already know."
Kai smiles and pats your head. "Don't worry about me, babe. My old man will put in a good word for me. And I'm sure plenty of people have gotten into fistfights before, even those who've been working as police officers for years."
Beating the shit out of someone for no reason is more than just a fistfight. It's considered a serious assault. Aren't you supposed to be well-versed in the law?
"Don't call me babe," you glare, and finally, he allows you to step away from him.
God, what a joke. Discovering that he's aiming to become a police officer, and knowing that his adoptive father will likely pull all sorts of strings to get him there... this world really is disgustingly corrupt. It's almost laughable.
"Whatever you say, babe," Kai grins, making a point of ignoring you. "Anyways, I've got time to kill right now, so I wanted to hang out. You must be tired from working, so I'm sure you could use some food. I'll treat you."
"You're right. I am tired. Which is why I want to go home."
"Don't be like that. It'll be fun." He leans closer and frowns. "I tried out some of this restaurant's food while I was waiting for you to be done, but it was pretty shit. I'll take you someplace better. I know a few good spots, trust me."
You sigh loudly. It's obvious he won't take no for an answer. Well, you are hungry, so if he agrees to cover the cost, then you suppose you can save a bit of money. That has to at least count for something.
"Fine. But only if you pay for everything," you say, unwilling to negotiate.
"Pfft. Is that all? Sure, sure," he chuckles, wrapping an arm around you. "I already said I'd treat you, so relax. Today's all on me."
As always, he's clingy to a fault, but you figure he's only so adamant about getting in your space because he realizes how much it pisses you off. You agreed to go somewhere nearby, so that you don't end up straying too far from home. You're seriously only here to eat, and then you're getting the hell out.
"We're almost there," Kai reassures, and you respond by nodding lethargically. He still refuses to let go of you, and it feels like he's been staring at you for an awfully long time.
You scrunch up your nose. "What's the problem now? Do I have something on my face?"
"Nah, your face is cute. Kind of bitchy, but still cute."
Man, fuck you.
"I was just wondering what's going on with your neck," Kai points. "You've got a bunch of marks all over it."
"Huh?"
Your hand instinctively reaches out to pat the area. Nothing hurts, so at first you don't even get what he's referring to. It's only after you pull out your phone and examine yourself in the front camera that you put two and two together.
"Oh," you blink.
It's subtle, but thanks to the relatively low neckline you're wearing today, you can kind of make out some of the bite marks that still have yet to heal. Most people don't take note of them, but vampires have really good vision, so it probably wasn't too difficult for him to spot.
"It's nothing," you shrug. "Don't worry about it."
Of course, Kai, being the nosy asshole that he is, refuses to drop the issue.
"Why can't you just tell me?" he frowns. "The marks are pretty faded, but it looks like you've got a lot of them. Do you get rashes because of allergies and stuff?"
"Mhm," you nod disinterestedly. "That's exactly it."
"You're a horrible liar."
"I didn't lie, though."
"See? You just did it again."
Kai pinches your cheek, insisting that you tell him what really happened to your neck, but there's no way in hell you're going to disclose the fact that you sell your blood on the regular. That just gives him one more place to creep on you, and with the authority that his dad has... ugh. You shudder to imagine what he might do to land himself a spot in that program.
"Is this it?" you ask, gesturing to the restaurant ahead. You really just want to eat a nice meal and go home already. You're in a shit mood, and being stuck with this asshole isn't helping.
"Yeah, we're here," Kai nods. "I guess you can tell me what happened to your neck while we eat. You seem really uptight, but you might actually be the type to get freaky in bed."
He opens the front door and steps inside, and while his back is turned, you grit your teeth and flip him off. Thankfully, there's only about a five-minute wait, and you're able to get a table soon enough.
"You promised to pay for everything I get," you remind him. "I'm seriously not spending a penny here. I'll run out and leave you with the bill if you try to get me to split it."
Kai rolls his eyes. "Wow. You don't trust me at all, huh? I say I'd pay, so I'm paying. I'm not some broke little bitch who can't afford to take a pretty girl out to dinner."
No, he's not a broke little bitch. That much is obvious, based on how much his adoptive father clearly spoils him.
He's not a broke little bitch-he's just a little bitch.
"So, what's good here?" you ask, flipping the menu open. "Actually, should I really be trusting a vampire's opinion when it comes to food? I know you guys can still have other things besides blood, but I can't help but feel like our palates are different."
Elliot said he'd never found anything that compares to the taste of blood, after all. You seriously doubt the average vampire is a foodie.
"I'm not going just based on my preferences," Kai says. "This place has really good reviews. It's pretty expensive for a reason. If you don't believe me, you can look it up, but everyone who comes here seems to really like it."
A quick search on your phone confirms what he's saying, so you shrug and decide to give it a shot. Whatever you order here will probably be better than the crappy leftovers you were going to eat back at home.
You peruse the menu and eventually settle on something that sounds pretty good. Kai wasn't lying-it is expensive here, and definitely not someplace you'd willingly go to if you had to pay for yourself.
"Aren't you going to get anything to drink?" Kai asks. He ordered a beer for himself, and a small appetizer. Since food doesn't provide vampires with any actual nourishment, you figure he's just eating for the taste of it.
"I don't need a drink," you say. No chance in hell will you be consuming alcohol and letting your guard down around this asshole. You might not be a genius, but you're not that dumb.
"Hm. Suit yourself," he shrugs.
Waiting for your food to come out feels like torture, mainly because Kai is annoying as all hell and won't stop pestering you with questions.
"Why won't you just give me a straight answer?" he pouts. "I bet you don't want to tell me because you're embarrassed. I bet those are hickeys that you got from Caleb or some shit."
"I already told you we're not like that," you scowl. "Just stop it. You're giving me a headache."
"If they're not hickeys, then what are they, vampire bite marks?" Kai chuckles.
His tone clearly indicates that he's joking around, but you can't help but reflexively tense up, and he's perceptive enough to spot it.
"No," you deny. "That's dumb. Anyways, stop nagging me. Didn't I already say earlier that I get allergic reactions from time to time? That's what this is."
Kai presses his lips together. There's no way he's actually right. Do you... know another vampire besides him? And you seriously let them drink your blood? Even though most humans are scared shitless of even getting close to a vampire?
He must be overanalyzing things. It wouldn't make any sense. Humans are weak and cowardly, after all.
Still. Now that he's gotten to thinking like this, he can't seem to take his eyes off your neck, and he briefly wonders what it would feel like to sink his fangs into your soft-looking skin.
...it would probably feel really, really good, right?
"Thank you for waiting! Here's your order," the server smiles, and he sets the plates down on the table, instantly snapping Kai out of his reverie.
"Looks yummy," you remark, and it's cute how excited you seem all of a sudden.
Kai grins as he watches you happily stuff your face. "Well? It's good, isn't it? You really should have trusted me from the start."
"It's not bad," you say, clearly downplaying the whole thing. You pop another forkful in your mouth, with visible enthusiasm.
"Do I get a thank you?" Kai muses.
"For showing up unannounced and dragging me out?" you grimace.
"Hey, that's not fair. I texted you, but you were the one who chose to ignore my messages and sneak out."
"Earlier, you admitted that you were already waiting there for me before you even sent that text. So, yes, you showed up unannounced. Again." You sigh tiredly, briefly shaking your head, but then you purse your lips. "Still. I guess I wouldn't normally be able to afford someplace like this, so thanks. The food is good. I like it."
Kai was expecting you to be all snarky and dismissive, as per usual, which is why he's slightly taken aback by your last words.
He slowly sips at his beer, keeping his violet eyes on you. You're even cuter when you're honest. Perhaps you're finally starting to appreciate him. It's about time you acknowledge that he's better than you in every sense of the word.
For some reason, Kai isn't as chatty from that point onward, and you're able to finish off your meal in peace. Thankfully, he doesn't try to pull a fast one on you and settles the whole bill, as promised. You've got a full belly now, which actually helped lift your spirits a bit, despite the company you had to share.
"I'm going home now," you say, already standing up. You leave no room for arguing. This guy is used to getting what he wants, whenever he wants, and he needs to learn to take no for an answer every now and then.
Kai wraps his arm around you and pulls you close, smiling sweetly. "Sure, but I can come back to your place to fool around for a bit, right?"
"Ugh," you grimace, shoving him aside.
He laughs, although you certainly didn't appreciate the crude joke, and you step outside of the restaurant, eager to leave.
For the second time in the same day, you have the misfortune of bumping into someone you utterly despise.
Except this instance is arguably worse.
"Oh? Look who it is," Johnny chuckles. He flicks his cigarette onto the ground, not even bothering to stomp it out. "I didn't know you ate here. Life must have been treating you good recently, huh? This place is pretty pricey, from what I remember."
Your face turns pale. This is honestly the last thing you need right now, and you can't help but marvel at how atrocious your luck is.
"You've got a different guy with you this time," Johnny remarks. "Good going, [Name]. You seem pretty popular all of a sudden. I guess you've finally started putting yourself out there."
"H-Hello, Johnny," you greet him, purely out of reflex. You bow your head slightly. "Um... we were just leaving, so-"
"Who the fuck is this?" Kai frowns. "I don't like the way he's looking at us. He seems like a prick."
Oh my god. Shut your fucking mouth!
"[Name], all of the men you spend time with seem to be incredibly rude," Johnny scowls. "Well, I guess I shouldn't really call them men, but overgrown brats. You clearly don't like to share in the company of a real man. Maybe it's too intimidating for you."
Kai's brows arch, eyes immediately widening. "What the hell did you just say to me? Fucking hell... I'm starting to get really fed up. Are all the humans in this city a bunch of braindead morons, or what?"
He snarls out the last few words, making a point to flash his fangs. Johnny visibly recoils at the sight, disgust lacing his features.
"Another vampire?" Johnny scoffs in disbelief. "Now, it might not be any of my business who you choose to spend time with, but I'm starting to question your sanity. Do you really prefer freaks like him over your own kind?"
The stress of the situation is making you feel nauseous, and Kai would have normally lunged at someone insulting him and beat the shit out of them by this point, but Johnny's words give him pause.
Johnny just said another vampire. As in, you must have been with a different vampire before. So, then, all those marks on your neck... they really were what he was thinking?
"He's just someone I know," you quickly reply. "A-Anyways, it's nothing, and I'm really tired, so I need to go home now."
"Leaving already?" Johnny pouts and pretends to look hurt. "We don't get to see each other all that often, so we should take advantage of these chance encounters, right? Come on. At least give me a hug before you go."
Johnny beckons you closer, and since you already know how this game goes, you swallow your pride and trudge over to him.
However, Kai pulls you back.
"The fuck?" he glares. "Don't boss her around like that, asshole. She clearly doesn't like your sorry ass. Look at her. She looks like she's about to start crying."
Johnny barely even blinks. "[Name], get over here and give me a hug. I'm not going to ask again."
"Who the fuck do you-"
"Stop." You squeeze Kai's hand and furiously shake your head. "Just... just leave it. Please."
Kai blinks repeatedly, and without realizing it, his grip loosens. Your expression just then took him completely by surprise. He's never seen anything like it before, not even when he pressured you and Caleb into spending time with him.
Even though he's a vampire, and he's incredibly powerful, you've never looked more terrified than you do right at this moment.
You walk over to Johnny and loosely wrap your arms around him, despite how visibly opposed you are to the act. Johnny smiles and hugs you back, and after briefly glancing in Kai's direction, he kisses your forehead.
Ironically enough, it's the exact same thing Kai did to Caleb to try and piss him off, but now, he's the one on the receiving end.
Suddenly, Kai feels angrier than he can put into words.
"It was nice seeing you," Johnny hums. "I've got a reservation, so I'll be heading inside now. I trust that you won't be late with your next payment?"
You nod rigidly. "I have everything ready. I promise."
"Good girl. Always a treat running into you."
Johnny chuckles softly before stepping inside the restaurant, and the moment the door closes behind him, you sway unsteadily on your feet, as if you're about to pass out.
Kai reaches out and grabs you by the arm before you can trip. You glance back at him, offering a weak smile.
"Um... thanks," you say. "I guess I didn't realize how tired I was. I really should head home and get some sleep."
You aren't fooling him. This can't be written off as simple fatigue. It's clear that from the moment that bastard showed up, your mood plummeted.
"Who the fuck was he?" Kai snaps. His chest feels tight, and he's itching to punch someone, which is why it's strange that he didn't beat Johnny up right then and there. He normally wouldn't have bothered holding back.
But for some reason, when he saw that desperate, pleading expression of yours, he just froze on the spot.
"No one," you dismiss. "He's just a guy I've run into a few times."
It's a lie. An obvious one, at that. That man seemed awfully well acquainted with you. At the very least, well enough to know that you've been spending time with other men-other vampires, even.
"Don't lie to me," Kai glares. He grips down on your arm, and even though he's not trying to hurt you, it still makes you wince.
"I-I'm not lying, so... just, can you please let go? You're hurting me..."
"No. Not until you tell me who he was," he insists, eyes wide. "That fucker disrespected me, and... and..."
"And...?"
You frown, and all of a sudden, Kai himself doesn't understand why he's so upset. Is it because he didn't get to land a punch, so he feels dissatisfied? Yeah... that must be it. But then, why can't he stop himself from voicing his next words?"
"...and you were clearly scared of him," Kai grits out. "He even said something about a payment. What the fuck was that all about? It definitely wasn't normal, so don't try to play it off. It'll just piss me off even more."
Your gaze lowers towards the ground. Kai is the last person you'd feel comfortable divulging your circumstances to, but if there's anything you've learned about him, it's that he's stubborn to a fault and refuses to let things go.
"He's... a loan shark," you say hesitantly. "I'm in a bit of debt. That's all. It's probably not as crazy as whatever you're imagining right now."
Kai's grip loosens. "A loan shark? Is that why you were so worried about me not paying for dinner? Because you literally can't afford it?"
"Not everyone's as lucky as you are," you mutter bitterly, "to have a family that supports you and helps you get what you want. My parents abandoned me and left me to clean up their mess, so yeah. I have no choice but to deal with Johnny until the debt's been cleared."
"Wow."
Kai doesn't know what to say. He always knew you were weak, and pathetic, as virtually all humans tend to be, but this?
You're even worse off than he thought you were. You're so vulnerable and utterly helpless. At first, it was kind of funny to him, and he thought he'd put you in your place by reminding you of how insignificant you are compared to him, but all of a sudden, he feels differently.
Perhaps the best way to get you to acknowledge him is to prove that he's the only one who can help you out of this miserable situation.
"Anyways, I really have to go now," you say. "Bye-"
"Do you want to get rid of your debt?"
"...huh?"
Kai stares at you long and hard. "Your debt. I'm not sure how much you owe, but it's obvious it's putting a lot of pressure on you, and that guy seems to be having the time of his life fucking you over. I could put in a word with my dad and see if they'll investigate him. Maybe, if they build a proper case, he'll be arrested and you won't have to deal with any of this shit anymore. You said your parents are the ones who got you in this mess, and they ran away, which is why he started coming after you instead. I'm sure that he's charging a ridiculous amount of interest, and if you go through with the process legally, you'll have a much easier time paying it off. You might even be able to negotiate and get most of your debt written off. It's a tedious legal process, but it's definitely better than whatever you're dealing with right now."
You don't know what to say to that. The obvious answer is that of course you want to get rid of your debt, but is it really that easy to make people like Johnny disappear? And since when has the government really given a shit about helping poor, miserable people like you?
"That sounds like something out of a fantasy," you chuckle weakly. "I'm sure I'll be stuck paying off this debt one way or another. And honestly, Johnny's so good at skirting the law that I doubt he can be charged with anything. Arresting him is a lot easier said than done."
"But it can be done," Kai insists. "And at least then, you'd be safer. You could sort this matter out without being afraid that someone would come after you and hurt you. And don't try to tell me you're not afraid of him, because it was clear as day."
He's being unusually serious for a change. You're not used to seeing him with such a solemn expression. Up until now, he's only ever joked around and acted like a total ass, or threatened to beat people up so that they went along with his demands.
"Why... would you do that for me?" you ask. "It doesn't sound like an easy process. I don't see why you would go out of your way to try and help. No offense, but you've made me feel pretty shitty on several occasions, so I get the feeling that you're just getting my hopes up so that you can crush them."
"Because I can," Kai says simply. He reaches out, and for the first time, you don't recoil from his touch and let him tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. "If I do this for you, you need to stop thinking of me as such a bad guy. And like I said, I'm going to become a police officer one day. Consider it one of the many good deeds I'll do."
You know better than to get your hopes up, especially when the person offering to help you was perfectly happy to beat the shit out of your friend for no reason.
"Just leave it," you sigh. "I'm too tired for this right now. Like I said, I really need to go home. I'm exhausted."
You walk away, and Kai doesn't try to follow, but rather, he watches as your lonely figure slowly disappears into the dark. It's obvious that you don't believe his offer to help you is genuine. But that's okay. He'll prove to you that he can do whatever he sets his mind to. Once that Johnny asshole is gone, and you can finally rest easy...
You'll have to start showing him some gratitude, right?