It was the third time she had missed work in a row. Another day of doing nothing but moping around in her apartment and watching cheesy romcoms. She had ignored all work related phone calls. And mercifully, Aidas didn't call her. Imelda too.
Being in her feelings for a while had conflicted her, a little part of her was frightened. Of what Aidas was. She wondered if she had ever met another vampire and didn't know she met a vampire.
More importantly she was confused. She didn't know if she could still bear to work with Aidas after everything that he told her. She wasn't under any obligation to. And Adidas didn't seem to bother too much about it.
She didn't have to continue working for Hunt Adler either. Which was why she had avoided any contact or calls from the office for three days. Hunt had left several voice mails and calls by the way. But she ignored them all.
What was she going to say or do when she saw him?
Or if she saw him.
She reached out for her bowl of chips and found it empty. She sighed and walked to the kitchen to get more chips. She was eager to finish all the guacamole dip she made.
She had been living off junks too for the last few days. Junks, sodas and fast food.
They were all she could think of almost every day.
While transferring her Lays chips into the empty bowl, the sound of her doorbell rang across the room.
She looked at the door wearily.
The only person who knew where she stayed was her father and Aidas.
She decided to ignore it. Her father would never drop in unannounced. But Aidas would.
There was another persistent knock on the door.
Lacey decided to just take a peek.
She looked through the peephole and found Hunt standing in front of her door. With a basket in hand and his phone to his ear.
She was still staring at him when her phone's ringtone jolted her out of her reverie. She knew without a doubt that it was Hunt trying her phone.
She unlocked her door and gently opened it, her hands raking through her untidy hair to make it look the least bit presentable.
"Finally! I was beginning to think you'd never open the door."
Hunt said and Lacey smiled.
"How do you know where I live?"
He shrugged as he walked into her apartment, looking at the decor carefully. He admired the taste, it wasn't overly done or excessive. In fact, it was a beautiful apartment.
"I had to do a little digging. You managed to include the wrong address info in the company file."
Hunt said and Lacey shrugged. It was more of Aidas's fault than hers to be honest.
"How are you doing?"
He asked with concern
"I'm fine Hunt. Why are you here?"
"Why wouldn't I be here? You haven't been to work in three days. I was worried."
He raised his eyebrows as if he was shocked by her questions. Lacey's eyes went to the bouquet of flowers in his hands and what looked like a basket.
"What's that?"
She asked and Hunt gasped in realisation.
"Oh. I didn't know if you were sick or not. So I had Donna put together a get well soon basket for you. And I brought you some flowers."
He handed them to her and Lacey sniffed them delicately.
"They're beautiful."
She said as she laid them down slowly.
"Why didn't you pick my calls? What's going on Candy?"
Candy. The name almost sounded foreign to her. She had almost forgotten he thought it was her name.
"Nothing. I've just been going through a lot..."
"Is it about your Dad? Is he okay?'
Hunt asked and she shook he r head as she invited him to sit down next to her. She was touched that he remembered her father.
"Oh! It's not about my Dad. Trust me he's fine. It's not that."
"Then what is it? I was so worried about you. I thought something bad happened to you."
He held her hand in his and Lacey felt strangely comforted by the warmth of his hand.
He looked different. She thought as she noticed his face. He had gotten a new haircut. And his blond hair was cropped closely to his scalp. It gave his face a more rugged but handsome look. His green eyed stuck out of his face like shining emeralds and he was dressed in casual clothing that accentuated his muscular figure.
"Did you get a new haircut?"
She asked and Hunt sighed.
"Yes. I did. But you're yet to tell me what happened to you and I'm not leaving till I'm rest assured that you're fine."
"Hunt! I'm fine. I promise I am. The last few days have been rough."
"That's all."
There was a short silence as Hunt tried to study her face. He could clearly tell that something was bothering her. Her hazel eyes looked tired and her eyes were dark with eye bags under them. Almost as if she wasn't getting enough sleep.
She was dressed in her pajamas. A purple silk pajama top and bottoms and with the way her hair looked greasy and full, he could tell she had not showered.
"Can you elaborate? I'd like to know."
"Why?"
She fired back and Hunt was taken aback for a second.
"Why?"
He stammered and Lacey cocked her head to the side and nodded.
"Is it because I look like your ex girlfriend? Is that why you care?"
Hunt scratched his chin.
"No. I care about you. Deeply. This has nothing to do with my ex. And it has everything to do with you and how I feel about you."
Lacey was taken aback at how honest he sounded. She truly believed he cared for her, but sometimes she wondered if she would get the same treatment she got from him if she didn't look like Lila.
"I just want to know if you're okay. The last few days has been hell without you. It took me quite a while to figure out how to reach you without panicking."
"I'm fine Hunt. Really. I just discovered a few things about my past and it has me pretty shaken."
She said.
It was true. Partially though, learning about her mother had reopened old wounds. She had always had the fear that her mother didn't want her. Her father telling her the truth only confirmed that she was truly rejected by her own mother.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. Frankly I don't even want to remember it."
Lacey begged and Hunt nodded.
"Fair enough. I'll give you the time to heal. But you can't stay in your apartment alone. You'll only think about it more."
"I don't really feel up to going anywhere."
Hunt raised his eyebrows.
"I know a few places we can go that'll cheer you up. That is, if you want to go."
She shook her head quickly.
She was done taking favours from Hunt Adler. She felt bad enough already.
"No. I don't want to be a bother."
"How would you Candy? I enjoy your company."
Lacey lowered her eye and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Really?"
She asked seriously and Hunt sighed.
"After our dates and everything, do you really need me to spell it out for you?"
"Maybe."
She teased and Hunt glanced at her lips with a grin.
"Okay then. How about I show you?"
She drew him toward her with her eyes, he inclined his face toward hers and laid his mouth on her mouth, slowly. For a long time he kissed Lacey, and Hunt was filled with deep astonishment as how much he had missed her.
He had missed the taste of her lips, something about them made him feel so alive. So intoxicating that he couldn't help going back for more as he deepened the kiss.
As he pulled away from her lips and went for her neck to kiss her softly, she jerked hard as his lips touched her neck and he paused to look at her.
"Are you okay?"
He whispered and she nodded quickly while stepping away from him, for a brief moment she had remembered what happened when she was at Aidas's castle. The woman who attacked her.
"I'm just tired."
"Oh! I apologise. I got carried away."
Lacey smiled at him, there was always something about Hunt that made her feel warm and giddy. It made her feel safe and protected.
She loved being with him.
"Hey, it's okay. I like it."
"Really?"
He exclaimed and she nodded.
"Yes. Being around you makes me feel so much better."
She confessed and his face lit up with the compliment.
"Me too. Without you at work, I was constantly worried. And with everything happening around the city, I couldn't help but worry. I want you around me all the time."
Be confessed and Lacey chuckled.
"I'm sorry. I should have called or something."
"Oh no! It's okay. There's nothing you can really do that'll make me mad at you. Really."
"Hmm... And why is that?"
"Well, it's only something I recently realised..."
"Candy Holmes... I think I'm falling in love with you."
Lacey was speechless. Love?
"Suna!! Tell me you're joking!"
Ruhn screamed but Suna maintained her cool as she studied the remains of their mystery killer's victim. It was even more gruesome than the others. The murderer had also got the wrong person and it was her fault.
Due to the measures that had been used to protect the other members of the founding families, Suna and Hunt had come up with a plan to trick their killer.
Using a witch, they had created a doppelganger of one of the founding families. And it had not ended well.
Safe to say, whoever was behind the killings had enough power to kill a witch.
And, he or she knew how to kill them properly.
There was only one supernatural that was dangerous and evil enough to commit such atrocities.
A demon.
"I wish I was Ruhn. But I'm not. And it's the truth."
"A demon? In Aron City? They were banished! Sent back to the underworld!"
He shouted in frustration as he continued to pace around. Suna sighed.
She was more worried about what to tell the City Council about the news. They were going to panic. She still had to break the news to Hunt. But she wanted to be very sure first.
"I have heard of rumours of cracks in the world that lets them in. Very tiny but when they're summoned with greater power, demons can come back to the human world."
"How do we even know the type of demon we're dealing with?"
Suna shrugged.
"Well, there's only one person we both know has adequate knowledge about demons and the likes."
Suna and Ruhn shook their head wearily.
"No way. Hunt would kills us if he finds out."
Suna shrugged.
"He's too busy with Candy. He wouldn't even notice."
Ruhn still looked hesitant.
"We're not just talking about anyone here Suna. He's the King of the Night Court. Hunt's sworn enemy. He hates our family!"
Suna narrowed her eyes at Ruhn.
"With good reason too. Maybe it's best I go alone."
"And pay a visit to Aidas Vladimir."