Karizma

Ryleigh sighed as she stretched out on her back against the silk sheets on her bed. She had just showered and dressed in a loose t-shirt after completing her first shift. Her hair was slightly damp as it pressed against her warm neck, but she welcomed its chill. Her magic had continued to burn throughout the night and only burned stronger each time the suit vampire moved a muscle. She was used to her magic reacting like lava as a warning of an imminent threat, but this was different; her magic was reacting like acid was repeatedly swallowing her and spitting her back out. The most appealing of the three vampires was the most dangerous of the three vampires. Typical, she thought.

Ryleigh had stopped by Bailey’s apartment this morning to bless the doorway for her sister’s first day of college. She had contemplated confiding in Bailey about the vampires at work but tabled the talk. She has enough stress with her first day of school, adding my own stress to hers is not necessary yet. Ryleigh glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned. It read 8 a.m. With how vigorously her magic had been reacting all night, it was like constant doses of adrenaline being injected into her bloodstream. Now that she was home, the adrenaline had worn off; instead, her mind consumed her consciousness and prevented her from escaping it.

Ryleigh’s mind drifted back to the cloaking spell. It was a rather simple spell, and she had a few weeks to master it. She would need to visit an apothecary to gather herbs that are strong enough to hide her scent so that she could sleep. Garlic had been the assumed repellant to vampires for centuries, but Ryleigh knew better than to be so naïve in the belief that garlic would work. As the world had evolved and developed, vampires had adapted with the times and grown immune to garlic. The smell of garlic was still rather repulsive to vampires to where they would keep away from it, but that was one smell that, in large quantities, created the same repulsion with humans. Garlic tastes good but smells horrible, Ryleigh thought. Although, with how intense garlic smells, it could assist to hide me.

A soft knock at the front door jerked Ryleigh’s head up. Bailey was at school, and Ryleigh had no immediate friends. Ryleigh extended her magic lightly as she jumped into a pair of shorts. She tensed slightly. Vampire. Her magic flared and she cursed herself. I still have a few weeks, she chastised herself. This vampire could be here for any number of reasons. Ryleigh tossed her hair in a loose bun and walked to the door.

Her breath caught in her throat as the suit vampire was standing before her. However, he was no longer wearing a suit. He was in a black t-shirt with a pair of jeans. He was gripping a cup of coffee in one of his hands, his large arms swollen with the muscle that was merely outlined to her last night. His large frame filled the doorway, and her magic crackled instantly. She was much smaller than he was. His brown eyes were bright as he gazed down at her, the spike of his blonde hair beginning to fade. If he was actually a man and not a vampire, Ryleigh would contemplate pursuing the crush that she had developed on him. He was gorgeous and brought her coffee first thing in the morning; no human man had ever granted her such kindness, even after sleeping together.

“Ms. Matthews?” the vampire’s deep voice asked.

“Yes?” Ryleigh asked slowly.

“Lower your magic, little one. I’m not here to harm you,” he chuckled. He then nodded down to the coffee in his hand. “I just thought that I should properly meet my newest employee.”

“Employee?”

“Yes, I own the club. My name is Kristopher Knight. Did Jack not mention that I stop by and keep an eye on my investment?”

“No, he did,” she said slowly. “But you being a vampire is a bit of a surprise.”

“Well, naturally, Jack wouldn’t be able to disclose that to you, pet. Might I come in?”

“Seriously?” Ryleigh cocked an eyebrow at him. “You don’t actually need to be invited into someone’s home.”

Kristopher smirked. “No, I do not, but I do need to be polite to people. Do you not agree? Not that you’re not already so charming.”

“Oh, it only gets better, sweetheart,” Ryleigh grumbled. She stepped to the side and motioned for Kristopher to enter her apartment. She had never truly interacted with a vampire before; she always kept her distance from them, but this one was trying to be nice. Her magic crackled sharply, and she flinched. Remember, he’s the dangerous one, her magic appeared to be reminding her. His fingers grazed against hers as he placed the coffee into her free hand, and her breath hitched at the contact. First conversing with a vampire, and now touching one. Her magic erupted underneath her skin in defense, and it took all of her composure to not have a physical reaction to her magical one.

“Imagine my surprise when I found out that my newest employee is a witch,” Kristopher said as he walked past her. He turned around and crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re not a fake witch, either. Your magic is something powerful.”

“You have no idea,” she said as she closed her apartment door. She looked at the coffee quizzically. “Meaning that if there is something wrong with this,” she said as her eyes drifted back to his. “I won’t hesitate to kill you where you stand.”

“You really need to relax, pet. I’m not trying to kill my employee. That’s just bad for business and in poor taste. You really think I’d bring you coffee and ask for entrance to your home, just to kill you in it?” Kristopher’s eyes flashed to a bright auburn. “You know that my kind prefer the chase, not the opportunity,” he purred.

Ryleigh studied her coffee again as her magic clawed at her skin. Her magic did not trust him, and she was not sure if she did, either. He does have a point, though, she thought as her finger stroked the coffee cup absentmindedly. Vampires tend to be more poetic and tasteful in their kills; murder by poison just did not fit into their signatures. Slowly, she brought the coffee to her lips and took a small sip. She sighed lightly as the vanilla latte calmed her magic. No poison, just damn good coffee. She plopped down on the couch and raised her eyes back to his. His auburn eyes had vanished, his brown ones fixated on her.

“You couldn’t wait to meet me until I was at the club?” Ryleigh asked curiously.

“To be fair, you hauled it out of there pretty fast this morning. I was worried that my pursuing you would have fueled your magic’s lash even further,” Kristopher said. “Your magic already grazed me last night, and you were in a decent mood. I was not trying to be on the wrong side of your magic’s wrath.”

“You felt that?” she asked in surprise.

“Any time you touch someone with your magic, he feels it. You didn’t know?” Kristopher asked in surprise.

“No, no one has ever said anything before. And, well, you’re the first of…our kind that I’ve actually conversed with.” Other than Bailey, she thought. While the girls were human, they were classified as supernatural entities due to their enhanced abilities. But Bailey had never said anything, either.

“Now, that is interesting,” Kristopher mused. “I’ve lived for three centuries and interact with plenty of our kind. Your life sounds rather lonely.”

It is, she thought. “I get by,” she shrugged. “Never really could find a way to tell someone that I was a witch and not be seen as crazy.”

“Human, you mean,” Kristopher clarified. “What stopped you from befriending others like yourself?”

“Are you offering to be my friend?” Ryleigh teased.

“Witches and vampires typically do not mingle well, pet.”

“And yet you brought one coffee?” Ryleigh asked after she took a sip.

Ryleigh watched Kristopher’s lips twist into a small smile. “We may not mingle well, but I am curious. And I wanted to squash your insecurities about being in my club, around others like me. No harm will come to you, I give you my word.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe you?” She snorted.

“You allowed me into your home, alone, and I have made no advances on you. You already do believe me, pet.”

“For now,” Ryleigh said slowly. She knew that he would not be able to keep his word to her after her birthday, for the rare instances when her cloaking spell would falter, and she would immediately be hunted until it was re-instated. I really need to go to the apothecary, she thought.

“For now,” Kristopher repeated. “You should get some sleep. I will see you at work. My door is always open should you have any troubles.”

“I appreciate that,” Ryleigh nodded. She stood up and made her way to the front door. As she opened the door, she felt a brush of air whip against her arms. She cursed and whirled around to find Kristopher grinning at her. Damn super speed. “Jackass.”

“Oh, you’re allowed to touch me with your magic, but I can’t touch you with the result of my abilities?” Kristopher tsked. “This is a two-way relationship, pet.”

“How inconsiderate of me,” Ryleigh replied sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

“I’ll allow it this time since I’m your first encounter,” he teased. She cocked an eyebrow as a low purr resonated in his throat. She felt her magic spark, but not in defense; her magic wanted to toy with the being in front of her. Other than Bailey, Ryleigh had never had the freedom to truly be herself. She had always kept her magic locked away from the world.

Ryleigh’s magic grew fingers as they grazed Kristopher’s cheek lightly. He looked at her curiously, his auburn eyes dark as he studied her. She stepped closer to him until her face was centimeters from his chest, her green eyes bright as she watched him. Her magic’s fingers trailed down his throat and squeezed softly. His auburn fire flared slightly, but he remained still and silent. She was surprised at how bold her magic had been to tease a choking into the vampire, but her magic had calculated the situation properly. A vampire as dangerous as he was, and he was allowing her to explore with him, She was not sure if that eased her mind, or made her even more cautious around him.

“You should go,” Ryleigh whispered suddenly. Her magic retreated away from him, and she took a step back.

“Why? This was just getting interesting,” Kristopher whispered darkly. A smirk spread across his lips, and the points of his fangs slipped across his lower lip. His auburn eyes were hypnotizing as they flashed brighter, daring a crimson red. “I don’t remember the last time a witch toyed with me like so. Game on, pet.”