“Good,” Maha laughed when he assured her he was not judging her. “Cause if you were I’d have to do something about it,” she added making the most intimidating face that she could but it didn’t work very well and she ended up just laughing about it instead.
“Alrighty then,” Lizzy said and with that she went to go make their drinks.
“Thanks!” Maha told her brightly and turned back to Eric. “So, how was school today?” she asked with a light laugh. It was funny to her to sit at the bar and talk about school. Or talking about school at all. But it wasn’t a filler question. She honestly was curious. His bruises were gone and she had noticed. It was a good sign to her. Maybe today he hadn’t gotten picked on. It still amazed her that he of all people got bullied at school. It didn’t surprise her that he didn’t fight back. He could take them on any day, but he was too sweet. But why they would pick on a Manzenli boy was a mystery to her.
Lizzy came back with their drinks. “Strawberry… Regular…” she said as she set them down in front of them. “Enjoy!” she said in a sing song voice before going to the next customers.
Maha smiled her thanks and took a drink of her strawberry daiquiri before setting it back down in front of her, much more interested in Eric than she was her drink.
Bar
Bones paid no attention to anyone but Mills now. If Circe was going to do something, she would do it and there wasn’t much he could do to stop it. But he would be bad to not try, right? The girl made her way over to her sister, but not before sticking her tongue out at Bones, to which he merely raised his eyebrows. “Make that two,” Bones said when Mills ordered her whiskey. Just because he was sober most of the time didn’t mean he didn’t still enjoy getting drunk. Tonight seemed like a good night. He looked at Mills and held up a shot in a “cheers” kind of way before downing his. When she spoke to him he shook his head and set the glass on the table before pulling out something from his pocket. “That’s going to be sooner rather than later. Miss Forgetful forgot her wallet in the car,” he said, waving it around for a moment before pocketing it. Ok so she had set it down in the car and he had swiped it, but what difference did it make? He was allowed to be worried right?
Shane and Amelia were soon back to talking shop, since that is basically what the pair had in common. Amelia didn’t normally mix socially outside of work, and while Shane had spent a fair bit of time with her on crime scenes, and in the lab, this was a good opportunity for them to catch up, even with the loud music, sexy dancers and smoke filled room. Shane was admiring the spiked collar that Amelia wore around her neck, and even gave the tag a flick. “So…your boyfriend make you wear this? He asked, intrigued as to whether this was a fashion accessory, or a Master’s collar. Amelia looked at Shane oddly, like what would make him think she even had a boyfriend.
“This? Oh, its just part of my everyday wardrobe. Stops the likes of blood sucking vampires from toying with my neck.”
“Ahaha. Nice one.” Shane retorted with, since she knew damn well he was a vampire. “Like I would want to feast on the likes of you. You’re too important to my work. Besides…I have Louisa for that.” he said off the cuff, taking a sip of his JD. Amelia knew all about Louisa, hell everyone did. “The leggy blonde with the 34 DD and IQ of about sixty?” Poor Shane nearly spat his drink across the table, but ended up coughing instead. “I’m going to tell her you said that.” Amelia shrugged and sipped her juice. “I dare you…be lucky if she understands anything aside from “coffee no sugar”
Shane tipped his head back and let out a roar of laughter. “Amelia…you are mean, and that is why I love you.” He placed an arm around her and gave her a good squeeze. At this moment, Jennifer came staggering up the stairs, with the hem of her red dress oddly high. She looked stricken. Amelia noticed this at once, as Jennifer seemed to be heading for the restroom.“And there goes the girl that everyone wants to date…” Shane looked up and saw the short dress. “Not a bad view from the back.” He winked at Galtem and said. “You know her? The cute blonde?” Amelia rolled her eyes, and simply sipped her drink. Oh…he knew her alright. She started to wonder, had Jennifer spotted Caleb yet, and if she had, is that the reason she was running to the restroom.
The plot thickens…..
<3>
Eric stared a bit speechless at Maha when she said she would have to do something about it if he judged her, he was still trying to understand what she truly meant, but in the end he just chuckled along with her. So far, this was being the best night of his live, he doesn’t have an interesting life, so anything can get more interesting than his daily routine, but he was definitely glad that he was with Maha in this party, she was really a wonderful person to be with, and the fewest that isn’t judging him just because he isn’t like his father or uncle. People tend to compare him a lot with them, his father due the muscles, and his uncle due the womanizer reputation. He was different from them.
“Thank you.”
Eric thanked Lizzy when she finally made their drinks. He picked up his glass, and took a small sip from his drink, actually enjoying the way it felt. After that he just placed his drink back down, and heard Maha’s question, about how was school. He thought she didn’t wanted to talk about that because it could be boring for her, but since she’s asking, why not answer her? Its not like he had other subjects to talk about.
“It was good, I guess.”
Today nobody had bullied him, well, the jokes some say while he’s passing by, or the looks, its not something that he cares, he was more glad that they didn’t started to hit him or destroy his stuff again. He did not wanted to be always buying the same book, since they keep on stealing it and destroying it. But today was more calm, and he really felt like something good was going to happen.
“It was more calm than usual, I really feel like I’m having the best day of my life.”
Eric told her with a shrug and a smile. He was being total honest with his words. Today wasn’t the best day of his life It because the day was more calm, it was also because he was here with somebody that actually was interested on him, friends or not.
Rosalie couldn’t believe how embarrassing Alec was acting by shouting after her not to be raped or drunk. She was drinking a coke! She looked over her shoulder huffily at her best friend, but he was already talking to that girl. Rolling her eyes, she swiveled back in her seat and offered the bartender a shy smile “Another coke, please?” He just chuckled and nodded, grabbing her glass to refill it. Rosalie began to play with the napkin in front of her when she saw Caleb move in the corner of her eye.When she looked over, he was giving her the goofiest smile that she thought was adorable. No, adorable was for puppies. It was more breath-taking. He tried to speak to her but clearly had his mouth full. By the time he had swallowed, the bartender had placed her drink in her hand. Turning her head slightly, she nodded her head in thanks but then her eyes flitted back to Caleb’s face. His contagious smile had hers growing into an amused grin. With a small laugh, she shook her head “No, I didn’t, but I was silently wondering who you were. You look familiar, I think we might be in some of the same classes together?”He looked away from her and Rosalie could feel his nerves from her seat next to him. Tilting her head, she wondered what had him so flustered. With his good looks and charming smile, it was a mystery anyone or anything could make him unsettled. When he looked back at her, he began to trip over his words in a way that could have been misconstrued as insults but she could tell he was having hell of a time just trying to make conversation. She began to giggle when he called her gorgeous and struggled over not trying to deliver a line. Raising an eyebrow, she reached out and took his hand to shake it lightly “No, I was really hoping I wouldn’t get hit on since that beast of a teenager over there would probably just ruin my evening.”Rolling her eyes, she didn’t remove her hand as she shrugged. A friendly smile curved her lips once more as she continued “I’m Rosalie Draven. Manzenli sounds familiar but I’m not sure from where…” Seeing his handsome smile again, she blushed and looked away to stare at her drink “So, are you new in town?”
Galtem’s eyes laid on Amelia, she had finally showed up, and she did looked better than before. Now Shane and her was messing around with him due his choices on wanting to leave the womanizer life, did they really thought so bad of him?
“I’m not joking, it will happen.”
He told them with a grin, as he shook his head slightly. He knew it wouldn’t be an easy task, but he was going to make it happen, he wanted to change, and he was going to do it. It was a challenge, and we all know, Galtem loves challenges, and he will do anything to surpass them and show the others that he was able to do it. Its definitely questions of pride, but also he wants to start a new life, he’s tired of having such troublesome life, he’s getting old for that thing, so its time to change.
Galtem chuckled when Shane mentioned the word Juice whenever he saw Amelia’s drink, those all shots for her was probably way too much for somebody who rarely drink, so of course now, she’d rather stay stuck to the juice.
He didn’t said much, he just allowed the two of them talk, while he leaned his back against the couch and took a sip from his whiskey. He was able to listen their conversation about the collar Amelia had around her neck, Galtem sometimes got curious about it as well, but he started to get too used on seeing her with it, that he stopped caring. Then the conversation was about his secretary, oh those times when a Lawyer has a good secretary.
When the night seemed to be perfect and full of joy, something unpredictable happen.
Galtem was laughing at his friends comments while staring down at his glass, whenever he rose his head to stare around the VIP lounge, he saw Jennifer, rushing upstairs and into the restroom. His smile slowly disappeared and his expression turned into a nervous and worried one. Hell, he didn’t even knew what to feel whenever he saw her. With so many places out there, she had to show up here? Of course he knew this was the only disco in this town, but damn. He wasn’t that focus on what Shane was saying, but it wasn’t definitely something that good.
“Don’t go, don’t go. What are you doing, no pick up the glass again, ugh, stop” His mind was telling him to not move, but he was already standing up.
“With so many places out there, she had to show up here.”
Galtem said, as he just walked to the ladies restroom, he could careless if he shouldn’t be there. Stepping inside, he grabbed on some arm from a female that was there, and removed her from the restroom.
“There’s other bathrooms downstairs.”
He told to the poor woman, and closed the door. This restrooms was huge, and he had to take few steps to finally spot Jennifer, and the first reaction he got, was quickly roll his eyes and turn his head. Why? Because of her dress, it was way too up.
“Oh god, your dress.”
He mumbled with a huff. Now he was here, and he couldn’t go back. Maybe if he didn’t acted so awkward and just made this meeting be only about her, everything would be ok.
“Are you ok? Do you need something?”
He asked her, perking up an eyebrow. Trying his best to remain calm, while inside he was extremely nervous, and just wanted to get out of here, but his body moved against his will.
Jennifer stumbled into the bathroom. If people even noticed her awkward entrance, she didn’t notice them. She went straight to the back stall and sat down on the disgusting floor. Something she would have never done in a million years had she been in her right mind. To her surprise, the feeling that she was going to throw up disappeared and she ended up just covering her face and letting the dizziness pass. Galtem had a son. Galtem has a son. Galtem had a son with another woman. Of course she knew that he slept around but it was the fact that he had settled down with one of them. She found herself wondering if he was married. If he was, what the hell was he doing back here? To torture her? She was too lost in thought to even notice him when he grabbed the woman and took her out of the bathroom. She did not look up until he spoke to her. When she saw him her breathing quickened and she thought she was going to have a panic attack right there in front of him. But then something clicked in her brain. No. She would not give him that satisfaction. She was not some weak little girl. If that was how he remembered her then he would be sadly mistaken. She took a deep breath and stood up; adjusting her dress that she was embarrassed was showing all but her underwear. “I’m fine,” she growled at him, fixing her hair so it wasn’t a complete mess. She glanced in the mirror and was pleased to see that she did look fine. All traces of panic had left her face to be replaced with something else. She looked fierce.
“But if you’re offering, I wouldn’t mind some information. Why the hell are you here? Wait, wait. Don’t answer that, I have a better question. Why the hell is there a boy who looks exactly like you with your last name downstairs? No, wait. Even better. Who the hell would let Galtem Manzenli get them pregnant?!” she was shouting at him and it felt good. With every sentence she moved a little closer to him. She was still in shock that he was there but the anger she had felt towards him that she had pushed down and gotten over in the past one hundred years just came flooding back to her. Finally she just slapped him. She’d never gotten to hit him for being with Selene. She’d never gotten the confrontation she wanted. So she decided that one counted for that. Jennifer slapped him again deciding that one was for the kid downstairs. Then she just realized that she was enjoying it and raised her hand to strike a third time.
Galtem tilted his head to the side and remained with a concern expression on, but all he got from her was just a growl. Great, what did he do now, she was already angry at him for worry about her? What was her problem? He finally done the good boy work, which was make sure if she was alright, and she is just pissed off? God, being good doesn’t really help you out in anything, sometimes its not even worth of it.
He took a deep breathe, and rose his chin slowly, gulping, and waiting for the worse. The moment she open her mouth, asking him for some information, her first question was why he was here.
“Well. I..”
He wasn’t able to finish his answer, she wasn’t allow him. She just keep on rambling, she was definitely mad, and he couldn’t know the reason, till she mentioned the word boy that looks exactly like him with his last name. Wonderful, she found out about Caleb, this is why he didn’t wanted people to think Caleb was alike Galtem, he didn’t wanted them to think he had a son when that’s not true, he never wished kids before, they were too troublesome, and now he has a reckless teenager on his hands, and he doesn’t know what to do.
“Cale-”
Once again, he wasn’t able to finish his sentence. This was reaching his nerves, all he wanted to do was just try to be nice and make sure if she was ok, nothing more than that, why in hell did they had to talk about his private life? Why she cared anyway? Didn’t she had William? Then she should stop caring about Galtem’s life. It seemed the more she spoke, the more she let her anger out, the more closer she got, but he did not moved from his spot, he already knew what was coming.
The first slap was probably the hardest he took, his head turned away, as he slowly rubbed his chin, if she used more strength, it would totally be dislocated, but he’s a werewolf, so it heals in seconds. Now he thought he could finally speak, and clear this out, then make her feel bad about the stuff she said. But she wasn’t over it, she had to slap him one more time, and he allowed. He was just giving her the pleasure on hurting him, so it made her feel more calm, but whenever he saw her hand raise for a third strike, that was enough.
Quickly grabbing her wrist, he stopped her from moving it and took a step closer to her, looking down at her, his lips departed.
“You done raging? I bet it felt good hurting me, no? I own this place, I bought this disco.”
He started speaking with a slight frown, and kept a serious expression.
“He’s not my kid, Jennifer. Do you really think I would want a kid? He’s the son of a cousin of mine, or something. His father died, and his mother is a human, she sent him away to Lysander, Lysander couldn’t take care of him due his own children, so all that is left its me.”
Even if Galtem was far from getting some hold on Caleb, there was definitely something he could understand about him, the loss of a father, about the mother part, he never met his, so he could careless.
“I didn’t got anyone pregnant, and I’m not here for get chicks or destroy people lives, ok? Stop thinking so low about me.”
He finally let go off her wrist, but he didn’t stepped away from her. He wanted to, but his body once more, wasn’t doing what Galtem’s mind told him to.
Galtem grabbed her wrist and she glared up at him, feeling more hatred than she’d ever felt for anyone, because with Galtem her emotions were constantly heightened. Love or hate, she was also very passionate on how she felt. She tried to move her wrist out of his grip. If he wasn’t going to let her slap him again then she knew that she wouldn’t be able to, so there was no point. But he kept it in his hand. She allowed a cold smile on her lips with a shrug when he asked if it felt good to hurt him. It did. But his next words wiped that smile right off her face. He was the owner of this place? Of course. He was the one who threw this party. Was he really that surprised to see her out having fun? When he spoke again she was left speechless. Caleb wasn’t his kid. For some reason it didn’t make her feel relieved. It made her feel somewhat guilty. She never met any of Galtem’s family so it had never crossed her mind that it could be anyone other than his son. But it still didn’t make sense to her. Galtem was taking care of a teenager in need? Jennifer couldn’t quite wrap her head around that. “Oh…” she said simply, feeling stupid that that was all she could say. He told her to stop thinking so low of him and dropped her wrist. She let it fall to her side and stared up at him. He didn’t walk away from her. Didn’t back down. She didn’t know what to say. She had so many more questions for him. Didn’t understand why he was here if not to pick up chicks and destroy people’s lives? Her question of why he was here didn’t seem to have been answered. “You… you bought a disco?” were the words that she found coming out of her mouth. It almost made her laugh, but she caught it behind the smile that danced on her lips. It was humorous to her when she thought about the Galtem she used to know. The lawyer. The one she loved. And she couldn’t help but find it funny that he would do this. She bit her lip to hide the smile and turned her expression back to serious as she looked up at him questioninly.
Mills laugh was infectious and care-free, as she knew that Circe would be looking for that any minute now. But it was background noise to Tess as her bright blue eyes lost their focus on Alec. She could smell the wolf on the two behind her, but one of the scents was becoming increasingly more familiar after she heard his voice. Dare she turn around? She didn’t want to risk seeming more out of the ordinary than she did by turning to stare at someone she didn’t know that wasn’t even remotely in her age group. Or at least, looked like they were in the age group that she looked like she was in? It didn’t matter, because she set her drink down slowly, already preparing to turn. That’s when the woman standing behind her clarified for her. “Bones, you know stealing little girl’s things is illegal, right?” Bones. Bones. ‘Bones we’re leaving.’ Bones had been her father’s nickname. Sarah had called him that, Mark had called him that on occasion, everyone called him Bones. She spun with wide eyes to look at him, her mouth open slightly. Her hair probably whipped right across Alec’s face like a gentle slap, but she didn’t care at the moment. There was very little chance the guy that was just flirting with her would be mad that her hair touched him. Mills raised an eyebrow at her, not yet seeing the resemblance that was pretty evident between her friend and this apparent stranger.
Galtem was glad that Jennifer finally calmed down and stopped throwing fists around when she didn’t knew anything. Ok, fine, the first thought you have whenever you see another Manzenli teenager, is that, he can only be Galtem’s kid, because he’s a womanizer, and they know Lysander would never love other woman like he loved River. So they quickly thought Galtem was the father, or Caleb was just an unknown Manzenli, but that would be the last option.
“Ding, ding, ding!”
He said with a sarcastic tone as he rose his hands in the air, and rolled his eyes. This comment was when she asked him if he bought a disco, and he noticed that she wanted to laugh about this matter, not something he could care, since lots of people seems to be surprised that he owns this. He was just trying to let go off everything that gave him unwanted memories.
“I came back, to start a new life. Yes, I know, laugh.”
He told her with a shrug, since not everybody could believe he was going to change.
“I’m just tired of having a troublesome life. I’m tired of this all problems, I just want to settle down, and have a normal life. Which means stop being a womanizer, and a troublemaker.”
He bite down on his lower lip, trying to hold some chuckle. It was even hard for himself to believe in his own words, but he was going to make it happen. He needed to, he could own this place, but he plans on making this the last party for him. He will keep this disco active, so he can get money, but he will only show up here during the day for a drink.
“This will be the last party..We will have to forget about the past, even if I want to bring it back, I can’t.”
Taking a deep breathe, he stretched out his hand, and moved a stray of her hair from her face, and placed it behind her ear. He was basically talking about his past with her, the happy past they had, and not the troublesome one. He can’t bring that back, William is now with her, he made a promise to William, he promised him that he would stop stepping between their love life, but damn, he’s trying right now, and nothing is happening. He needs to get away from her, but his body wont allow him. His body is totally doing the opposite, he was already leaning closer to her, like he was about to kiss her, and if she did allowed him, their lips would end up touching.
