HUNTED

The following evening, Aila was finishing her make-up off. Both feeling nervous by her bold choice and a little emboldened by it. She stood up and walked in her high heels to the full-length mirror in the far corner of Cassius' bedroom. She pursed her lips and blinked back at her reflection.

Aila wore a dark red-wine cami midi dress with a slit up one side with thin straps holding up the clinging silk material on her curvaceous body. Thanks to a Utube video, she somehow managed to pull off the dark smoky eye make-up look, making her eyes pop that much more, along with some light pink lip gloss that complimented her complexion well. Aila tilted her head to the side. It was a lot more make-up than what she usually wore when she was forced out by her university friends.

She felt nervous with so much around her eyes. Maybe she should stick to her usual natural look? But then again, she was also trying to fit in. Her white hair was going to be hidden by a wig, and the make-up covered her up. Or so she hoped. She smoothed her dress down.

"You look badass!" Malia exclaimed in excitement. Her wolf was gushing at their look and kept complimenting her, along the lines of:

'Legs for days'

'Hot'

'Don't fuck with me eyes.'

'Damn, our boobs look epic.'

Aila rolled her eyes and grabbed her clutch bag, but before she spun on her heel to grab her wig, Cassius suddenly stood closely behind her, staring at her reflection. She halted and looked at his usual attire, a black three-piece suit, but his tie matched the colour of her dress. His hair was left down, almost matching the colour of her own, questions bubbled up again in her mind, but she dismissed them and instead made light of the situation.

"I did not realise we were going to prom, Cassius. Matching tie and dress, whatever next?" She murmured, her eyes lighting up with amusement. 

Cassius smirked and suddenly moved her hair onto one side of her shoulder, producing a dainty white gold necklace around her neck. It was beautiful, with three small diamonds balancing across her collarbone, looking almost like they were floating on her skin with no chain at all. Aila blinked and stared at the piece while his cold hands worked on the clasp, his eyes still on her reflection.

"Much better," He whispered into her ear. Her eyes widened at how close he was to her, and she not so subtly moved her head away. He chuckled and spun her around, so they faced each other, his cooling hands resting on her hips as he looked down at her lustfully. "It's a shame your hair has to be covered tonight," He murmured. The vampire looked like he wanted to say more, but he left her in a flash and returned holding a short black bob of a wig.

Aila spun her hair into a low bun, and Cassius helped move the wig in place, his hand trailed down her bare neck with the lightest of touches, and he averted his eyes quickly, snapping his hand back. "Aila.. I know we haven't known each other very long, but-"

"Stop."

Cassius whipped his head back and looked at her with furrowed brows. "If you plan on telling me your undying love for me, please save it, Cassius. I am mated to Alpha Damon," Her eyes flickered across his glacial stare, "And it's not just a means to an end. With or without the mate bond, I love him."

Cassius reached his hand out and tenderly stroked her cheek, Aila wanted to pull away, but something in his features told her to stay put, even with her wolf pacing at the edges of her mind, ready to bolt out if the vampire tried anything more. He looked at her face lovingly as though he was taking every single detail of it into his memory. "I have become very.. fond of you, Aila. I had other plans for us, but I can see now how it would not work." He lowered his eyes to the mark near her collarbone, and with his other hand, he stroked the area.

Aila hissed from the touch; a cold, tingling sensation erupted over the fire, burning and trying to spread through her body, weakening her. He snapped his eyes back to hers, and she saw his face become impassive once more. "I will meet you at the club," He dropped his hand and placed a limitless spendable black card in her hand along with a fancy black business card with the name 'ONYX' on it and swiftly turned away.

Aila frowned and took two steps after him, "Why are you not coming with us?" She asked with suspicion seeping into her voice.

Cassius sighed, "Because he will need to see me first before you guys."

Aila looked replied so softly that she didn't think he would hear her, "Okay.." She looked at her hands, "Thank you for the necklace. You really didn't need to get me it, any of it."

Her chin was tilted up, and she looked into Cassius' bright blue eyes, and she blinked slowly as she gazed at the specks of red in them. "Anything for you, Aila. Remember that." He looked at her lips and clenched his eyes shut before whispering, "After tonight, everything changes. I want you to know how much I care for you." He opened his eyes and stared at her again, almost taking her breath away from the intensity of it.

He closed the small distance between them, causing Aila to still and her heart pound thunderously in her chest. She felt Malia tug on the reins, but she heard Cassius whisper in her mind to halt. Her wolf instantly stopped while Aila looked at the vampire wide-eyed.

He tilted his head, and she felt his lips kiss her cheek softly before leaning his head into hers, inhaling her scent while his pale hair fell over her stunned face.

But he abruptly pulled away and disappeared from sight, leaving Aila to sag forwards. She looked up again, forgetting that the door had been wide open during Cassius' little confession. Finn was in the doorframe, the burner phone against his ear.