Karizma

Ryleigh inhaled sharply as she stared into the mirror. Tonight, at midnight, she would turn twenty-three. She had convinced Kristopher to give her tomorrow night off, but she did still have to work the night before. She debated on asking for both nights off but did not want to raise suspicion. I can control my cloak and magic tonight, she reminded herself. I don’t have a choice. She was wearing a short jean skirt with a white halter top, her red hair spilled down her back. She ran her hand through her hair, but her nerves caused to her fingers to tangle within the knots. She exhaled and slowly untangled her hand from her hair.

She gripped the edge of the porcelain sink in front of her and closed her eyes. She had gained better control over her magic since the encounter with Adam, over one week ago. She forced herself to control her magic; she was going to be consistently accessing it like that for the rest of her life, she could not be a walking bomb waiting to destroy whoever came into her path. She shuddered briefly at the remembrance of the sound of Kristopher’s flesh being eaten away by her magic. If I allow my magic to control my body, I could kill people, she thought. And if that happens, the cloak falls away, and the vampires can come kill me.

Ryleigh opened her eyes and released the porcelain crutch to splash water on her face. Bailey wanted to spend tonight and tomorrow night with Ryleigh, but Ryleigh had convinced her not to. It was not safe for Bailey to be around Ryleigh at the start of the crystallization of her powers. Bailey had begun practicing the cloaking spell in increments as well, much to Ryleigh’s relief. Ryleigh only allowed herself a few weeks to practice it; if Bailey can master it within the next two years, there was more hope for Bailey’s survival than Ryleigh’s. And Bailey’s survival is all that really matters, Ryleigh thought.

Ryleigh had confided in Bailey about the kiss with Kristopher. Understandably, Bailey advised against pursuing anything further; her argument had been that, for all that they knew, Kristopher could be the vampire that would end up killing Ryleigh. Ryleigh sighed and shut the water off in the sink. She felt like she was lying to him every single day, not revealing who she truly was. She knew that if she did, he would not hesitate to kill her, and she would let him. She had developed strong enough feelings to Kristopher that she would not kill him in defense, and that was terrifying. She had never felt so strongly toward someone before, to where she would rather die than kill the threat.

Ryleigh exited the bathroom of the club and sighed. There was still twenty minutes to opening, allowing her to bask in the silence. Silence of the club anyway, she thought bitterly. Her mind continuously made noise, so much so that she was barely sleeping because of it. Part of the reason I need tomorrow off, she thought. I’ll need to rest. She walked over to the bar and rounded behind it to the coffee pot. She poured a cup of black coffee and exited the bar. Alisha had gone to the stockroom at the realization of low quantities of vodka, but Ryleigh knew that she would not mind her presence. Alisha insisted on keeping coffee brewed, if not for the employees than for the patrons.

“The night hasn’t even started yet, pet,” Kristopher said. Ryleigh smiled and turned to face him. His blonde hair had been messed atop his head, his dark black suit brightening the auburn fire in his eyes. She nodded and took a sip of her coffee. “I haven’t been sleeping much lately.”

“Why not?”

“Just a lot on my mind.”

“Ryleigh, if this is about the office,” Kristopher spoke softly. His hand cupped her cheek gently. “It doesn’t have to happen again. I know it’s not…ideal.”

“It’s not that,” she whispered. “I mean it is, but not because of what you think. Us being who we are isn’t bothering me as much as I thought it would.”

“Then what is it?” Kristopher asked, his eyes narrowed in concern.

Ryleigh placed her hand on top of his gently. “I care about you, Kristopher, and I shouldn’t. Not because you’re a vampire, but because of who I am.” It surprised Ryleigh that she admitted such a thing; she had accepted him being a vampire, she truly did, but realizing that he may have to kill her because of who she is, or that someone else may end up killing her, is a pain that she did not want him to have to endure. “I think that us trying an us may not be the best idea.”

“What are you so afraid of?” Kristopher whispered. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. His hand fell from her cheek to grip the back of her neck, and he brought his lips inches from hers. “I can withstand your powers, pet.”

Ryleigh inhaled sharply as her heart threatened to burst through her chest. His auburn eyes brightened as he concentrated on her emerald ones. “I’m not talking physical pain,” she breathed.

“There is no emotional pain that you could possibly ever cause me,” he answered instantly. “You’re different than any other witch that I’ve ever encountered in my long life. Whatever scares you or worries you, let it go with me.”

“Kristopher,” she whispered. “You don’t know.”

“So, tell me.”

“I can’t. I can’t hurt you like that.”

“Hurt me however you need to, pet, just as long as you keep me around,” Kristopher whispered.

Before Ryleigh could respond, Kristopher’s lips captured hers. He kissed her tenderly, deeply, his grasp on her tightening. Ryleigh sighed into the kiss and surrendered to him. She wrapped her arm around his neck instinctively and kissed him back hungrily. She was terrified of what her death would mean to him, of what it could do to him; even if he was not the vampire that resulted in her demise, what would he do the vampire that was responsible? I have to make sure that my cloak never falls, that I’m never found, alive or dead she thought. He can never know who I truly am. Kristopher backed her against the bar, pinning her body between him and the bar. She began searching blindly for a spot on the bar to set her coffee to free her hand.

Kristopher growled suddenly and knocked the mug out of her hand. It shattered on the bar’s top. Ryleigh attempted to pull away from Kristopher to tend to the shards, but he growled again and tightened his grip on her. She could not help the smile that spread against her occupied lips. Her other arm slid around his neck, and he scooped her ass into his hands and planted her on the bar. Her legs instinctively locked around his waist for support. A deep purr escaped Kristopher’s mouth as it tumbled into Ryleigh’s. “Kristopher,” her mumbled whisper vocalized.

“Fuck,” he whispered back as he finally allowed her to breathe. “We could just close tonight,” he breathed as he rested his forehead against hers. “I do own the place, and there is nothing I would rather do than this.”

“Bad for business,” Ryleigh teased breathlessly.

“Fuck the business, it would survive one night with its doors closed.”

“I have tomorrow night off,” Ryleigh whispered before she could stop herself. She shivered as Kristopher’s lips trailed along her jaw before settling on her neck. His fangs scraped the skin of her neck gently, teasing her. If my life will end after tomorrow, the least that I can do is enjoy it, she thought. Just once.

“You told me that you had prior engagements tomorrow, pet,” Kristopher purred. His tongue caressed her neck, and a soft moan slipped from her lips. “You lied to me.”

“I didn’t,” Ryleigh breathed. “I needed tomorrow to myself.”

“That isn’t going to happen now. I can’t ignore an invitation like that, especially with how you smell. Who would have thought that a witch would like my fangs?” Kristopher murmured. He bit into her neck, and a cry of surprise and pleasure escaped her. A throaty growl erupted from Kristopher. He released her neck and trailed his lips to her earlobe. He nipped at it briefly before he spoke. “And you taste as good as you smell.”

“If you all don’t mind!” Alisha’s voice cut the electric air between the witch and the vampire. Ryleigh’s face flushed and Kristopher chuckled in response. Ryleigh immediately untangled her legs from his waist, and he helped her off the bar. Alisha had a bottle of vodka in each hand, her eyes hard as she studied the two. “I’m relieved that the boss is treating you well, but I am the boss of that particular bar, and I can’t serve patrons at a bar with sex on it.”

“You actually could, Alisha. Probably make more money that way, too,” Kristopher grinned.

“Shoo! Both of you! I need to clean up the bar—what the hell happened to the mug?”

“I’ll buy you another,” Kristopher shrugged.

“Shoo!” Alisha waved at them with a playful glare. “Both of you, on your way. Your DJ still needs to get ready for tonight. She can resume this on her night off where you can break her shit.”

Ryleigh murmured an apology to Alisha and quickly began walking toward the DJ booth. Kristopher quickly grabbed her hand and spun her to face him. “You heard the boss,” he smirked. “You’re mine tomorrow night, pet. I remember where you live.”

“How do you know I will be home? Maybe I’ll be out.”

“Wherever you go, trust me, pet, I will find you,” Kristopher said. He lowered his head and added, “But keep in mind that wherever I find you tomorrow night, I plan on finishing this. I don’t care where we are.” He released her hand and began walking toward the stairs that led to the second floor.

Ryleigh’s heart felt like a butterfly trapped within a cage, desperate to escape. Excitement, nervousness, fear, it all consumed her. Despite all of it, she craved Kristopher; his touch, his voice, even his smile with his fangs. She was half-joking when she told Kristopher that she might be out tomorrow; she wanted to tease him, but part of her was serious about not being home. If he could not find her, then they could not finish what they started, and her death would affect him less than it would if they cemented this. Her body yearned for him, but her heart feared for him. Vampires were very passionate creatures by nature, especially when they fixated on an object of affection. On a person of affection. When the affection is taken, a vampire is not one to just sit back and allow it.