HomeShe checked her wrist watch again before ducking into the bookstore. Her eyes darted left and right, before settling near the fiction section. Where in the section should she settle, she wondered. Nothing too political, romantic or controversial. Nothing that would allow him to associate her with anything he might disagree with.
Did she actually care so much as to what he might think of her? She looked confused for a second. Never gave much thought to her friends` or family`s opinions, why should she concern herself with this man now?
Slightly annoyed with herself, she put down "Pride and Prejudice" and wandered over to the Anne Rice section. Honestly, what did she care if he wasn`t interested in the supernatural life of vampires? She tossed her hair back defiantly and buried her nose in a book she could recite backwards and forwards.
Five minutes late. She was afraid to turn around to look for him -- didn`t want to appear anticipatory. Picked up her bags and moved back to Jane Austen. At least she`d catch up on some reading if he didn`t show up, she rationalized. Move slowly, she thought to herself. Don`t attract attention. Pretend you`re just like any other store patron. Browse ... for paperbacks.
Ten minutes late. It was already dark outside. Where was he? her pride demanded. She looked up, on a whim ... it was him. He was there. She hoped he hadn`t yet noticed her staring at him and averted her eyes quickly. In that split second, she had seen all that she needed to see. On the surface, he was handsome, as he was in his photograph. His face was smooth, his cheeks angled dangerously out of his thin face. He moved with both ease and determination and exuded an aura of pure confidence. At the same time, his preternaturally shiny eyes reflected a hint of vulnerability and malevolent boyishness.
She smiled in spite of herself, took a deep breath and awaited the impending confrontation. A sensuous voice resounded behind her, "Evvy?" She was utterly hypnotized as she turned slowly to face him.
He smiled slowly and held out his powerful hand. She watched with completely
fascination as his great veins pulsated beneath his translucent skin. "Come,"
he commanded with his mind. She yielded, and followed him into the night.