We were back in Santa Mon the night after that and it felt like nothing had changed there. We got home almost an hour before sunrise, so Dennis dropped me off at my house and he went to his house to sleep. For some strange reason, nobody had noticed I'd been gone, not even my mother, which surprised me. I climbed to my window so I wouldn't wake anybody up and I was in my room before I knew it.
The night had been wild, to say the least, and I hadn't slept more than two hours so all I wanted to do was take a shower and pass out in my bed. But I couldn't do that. I had already let down Harry on Monday by not showing up at work, and I didn't intent to do it again. So, I took a shower and then I started getting ready for the day. Back in New York there were nights I spent either studying or partying, and I still had to show up to class the next morning, so I was used to the feeling.
The day was cloudy for some reason, so I wore a tight red dress with long sleeves and a coat on top of it, I also accompanied the outfit with one of my best winter boots. I didn't feel like wearing a lot of make up after that night, so I just washed my face and teeth and I was off to work.
I hadn't eaten all night, so as soon as I walked pass a coffee shop I bought a donut and a coffee, and I continued my way to work. The office was empty because I had arrived a little early, so I sat on my cubicle and I ate my donut and drank my coffee. The only sound you could hear was the sound of me chewing, that was until Harry walked in.
"Hi Stella." he greeted me with his big smile. I smiled back.
"Hi."
He took a long look at me and then he walked into his office. I wondered for a second what my life would've been like if I'd never left Santa Mon. Maybe I'd be married to Harry and I'd be pregnant with our second baby. I knew that what everyone expected of me, but it was definitely not what I wanted.
The day went by slower than usual. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about Alexander and Jacqueline's reaction to what had happened in Santa Mon. I remembered clearly that they became intrigued when Dennis mentioned the fact that the victims were beheaded, I wondered what that was all about. I also thought a lot about the way Dennis had acted with Alexander in the room, I remembered Alexander getting really close to me and Dennis doing nothing about it, which I thought was very unlike him. Maybe Dennis knew he couldn't win a fight against Alexander, or maybe he felt a certain remorse for the "something he cared about" that Dennis had taken away from him. I had so many unanswered questions and wondering thoughts that I could barely focus on the work I had to be doing.
I got home at 05.32 pm because Harry let us go early. The only one there was Sophie, because Carl had gone on a trip in the morning and my mother was still at work. Sophie and I watched TV for about an hour until she had to go to her room and do her homework, and I was left alone with my thoughts once again.
I was tired of waiting around, and only one day had passed. Dennis said that the only thing we could do was wait. Wait for Alexander to come and kill me, or for him to tell us that he'd caught the vampire that was going around killing the people of our town. But I was a very impatient person, if you can believe it.
I thought taking a nap would be a good idea, since I had barely slept the night before. The nap lasted about two hours, because my mother walked in the house in a very loud way and she woke me up. I had dinner with her and Sophie and right when we were nearly done, my phone rang indicating I had a text.
"Come hang out at the bar, it's empty and I'm bored :("
It was from Merissa. I thought I'd be a good idea to go to Kimmel's, especially since Luca was managing the place now due to his father's death, and I thought I really needed to talk to Luca after what had happened the night of Adam's funeral. I washed my face and I put on some light make up, because I looked like I hadn't slept in days, then I put on my coat and left.
Kimmel's was almost empty. It was empty except for a couple that were eating in one of the booths in the corner of the place, and one person sitting in the bar showing me his back. That person wasn't a person, it was a vampire. And it wasn't any vampire too, it was Alexander.
He was tall and blonde, and there was something about him that assured me it was him. I felt my heart start racing and my hands start sweating. Was I going to die? I wasn't sure. I didn't feel in danger with Alexander -for some unknown reason- but I did feel a little scared after what Dennis had told me about him. Especially the part where Dennis had taken away something he loved. I couldn't possibly imagine Dennis doing that on purpose, but something about the way he said it when he did, made me think that maybe he was hiding something from me.
Merissa was behind the bar, probably because the place was sort of empty and Merissa didn't have much more to do other than to serve drinks to Alexander. I felt like running away for a second but then I realized there was no point to that, so I started walking towards him. I wasn't sure why he was in the bar, but I felt like it had something to do with me and Dennis.
"Hey, Stella!" Merissa exclaimed as soon as she saw me. She waved her hand to me and I smiled. Alexander didn't even move, like he wasn't affected by my presence. Maybe he wasn't there for me. "I want you to meet my new friend Alexander Ericson." she pointed at Alexander, who just then looked at me with his intense eyes. "He's a vampire, and he also says I have the most beautiful eyes." she said, and Alexander laughed with flirty eyes. I felt how excited she was.
I usually had to touch people in order to sense what they were feeling, but sometimes their feelings were so intense I didn't need to do anything to sense them, I just did. This was one of those times.
"Stella Newman, nice to see you again." Alexander greeted, and Merissa gave us a confused look.
"Oh, you two know each other?" she asked. I was just standing still next to Alexander, without knowing what was happening.
"We're just acquaintances." he answered. I swallowed nervously and tried to look like I wasn't freaking out, but Alexander looked at me like he knew exactly how nervous I was, which made me more nervous. "I'm an old friend of Dennis'." he said. Merissa's smile widened.
"Oh, Dennis is great." Merissa said. One the things that Merissa did often was to think everyone was great, and that no one could hurt her, and that made her vulnerable at times. Especially vulnerable to a tall, handsome and god-knows-how-old vampire.
"He is, isn't he?" Alexander said it like he really meant it. I couldn't believe Merissa couldn't see right through him. "Stella, there's no need to be nervous." he said. I hid a lock of hair behind my ear and I stood up straight, again trying to hide my nervousness.
"I'm not nervous."
"Tell that to your heartbeat." he said. I took a deep breath, trying to lower my heart rate.
"Gosh, I love that you can do things like that." said Merissa in a flirty tone. What was happening?
"Merissa darling, would you mind going to the kitchen for a second?" he asked as he looked deeply into her eyes. He was compelling her. Merissa nodded and then she left to the kitchen. "Isn't she gorgeous?" he asked once she was gone. I nodded, still speechless. "Don't be shy, Stella. Sit next to me." he patted the chair next to him. I felt like 'no' wasn't an acceptable answer, so I sat next to him.
"Stay away from her." I said. He probably thought it was funny for me to demand something from him, because he smiled.
"Stella, I have done nothing to make you think I'd hurt anyone." and he was right. The little I'd been around him he was intimidatingly tall and handsome, but nothing about him -other than the fact that he was a vampire and that Dennis was scared of him- made me believe he would hurt Merissa, or anyone for that matter. But that didn't mean I wanted Merissa to date him.
"Still, she has nothing to do with me, or Dennis, or anything of what's been going on here." I'd do my best to keep Merissa away from that world I'd recently discovered.
"Neither did you, until Dennis fell in love with you. Who says that can't happen between me and Merissa?" I almost laughed out loud. I didn't know why, but I didn't think Alexander was the type to fall in love, especially with a human.
"Don't." I knew his intentions weren't to live happily ever after with Merissa. "Why are you here?" I was almost certain he didn't come all this way just to kill me, because he would've done it already.
"You and Dennis went to New York to see if I could find the vampire that's been murdering people in this small and ugly town, so I'm here. Isn't that what you wanted?" he had a point. I took a deep breath. "I don't see the problem in wanting to have a little fun while I'm here." he said as he looked at the kitchen, where we could see Merissa rearranging some dishes.
"Please, she's done nothing wrong." Merissa was cheery, and hopeful and overall an amazing person. I didn't want to see her get crushed by Alexander.
"Stella, look at me." I'd been avoiding eye contact with him for a while, because his eyes were so intense they made me nervous. But now I had to look at him, so I did. I'd almost forgotten how blue his eyes were. "I'm not going to hurt her, and I'm not going to hurt you either." he said once my eyes were on his, and he looked like he meant it. I didn't know how, but I believed him.
"Okay." I whispered.
Then, a gust of wind made me move a bit from my chair, and I realised someone had rushed into the bar at vampire speed. It was Dennis, and he looked upset. I reached out to out connexion and I could feel what he was feeling. He felt betrayed, and cheated. Oh, I hadn't even thought of how the situation looked like to Dennis's eyes. I was inches away from Alexander and he was whispering words to me. I stood up form my seat as soon as I saw Dennis, but Alexander didn't even move a muscle. Dennis looked furious, like any minute his mouth would start foaming with rage.
"Dennis! So nice of you to join us." Alexander said, and then he stood up from his seat.
"Stella, get away from him." Dennis demanded. I had underestimated how scared Dennis could be of Alexander.
"It's okay, he's not gonna hurt me." I assured him as I walked closer to him. Dennis didn't look too convinced.
"It's true. I'm not here to hurt anyone, I'm just here to help." Alexander said with his hands up in the air, and with a smile on his face.
"How do you know he's not going to hurt you?" Dennis asked me. I didn't know how to explain to him that I knew he wouldn't hurt me.
"I just know." I said, touching his arm as an attempt to appease him.
He was really tense, but when I looked at his eyes and assured him Alexander wouldn't hurt me, he became a bit looser. The situation was pending on a thread, and I was afraid that any false move would break the peace, and they'd just start fighting. I didn't even know how a vampire fight would look like, and I didn't want to find out. Then something did come to break the peace. Jacqueline walked into the bar like she owed the place. She was wearing a black and blue dress that didn't fit at all with the bar.
"God, the more you see of this town, the worse it gets." she said to Alexander. Then she walked towards him and kissed him on the lips. I wondered if they were dating, or if that was just the way they greeted each other. "Oh, hello Dennis." she greeted Dennis. I was really relieved she didn't say hi to Dennis the same way she did to Alexander.
Jacqueline and Alexander looked like they were a painting. He was holding her by the waist, and she had her elbow resting on his shoulder. They were both so tall and gorgeous, and so out of place. I admired them for a second, wondering what it would feel like to look and be like them. Then I came back to reality.
"Stella." the way she greeted me felt dry in comparation to the two men in the room. I looked around the bar, only to realise it was completely empty.
"Hi, Jacqueline." I said, holding on to Dennis's arm. He was still tense, but it wasn't because of Alexander, it was because of me.
"I have something to talk to you about." Jacqueline said to Alexander, he nodded.
"Well then, we're leaving." he said in a disappointed tone, and then he started walking towards us. "Always a pleasure, Stella." he took my hand and planted a kiss on it, without looking away from my eyes. I nodded, a little shocked by the gesture. "Dennis." he said looking at Dennis, but Dennis didn't even look at him. He was furious.
"Goodbye." Jacqueline said to Dennis as she walked away.
"Oh!" Alexander exclaimed like he'd remembered something, right when he was about to walk out the door. "Merissa, you can come out now, darling." he said and then they walked away. Merissa left the kitchen and walked towards us.
"God, he's so dreamy." she said to me. I couldn't think about anything else other that the fact that Dennis was apparently very mad at me.
Then Dennis walked out the door like he didn't even care I was there. I followed outside hoping we could talk, but he was nowhere to be found.