Unseen Scenes—Chapter 15, Book One (Adam) (Patreon)

Rain batters against the window, beating a heavy rhythm that matches the speed of Adam’s heart. He presses a thumb against his lips as his gaze keeps sliding away from the view outside to the Detective’s closed door.

They’re in there. Alone.

Adam suppresses a growl and turns back to face outside. He must focus on watching for threats. Watching for the enemy. Watching for anything other than if the Detective might walk out of that door.

“Distracted, all-mighty one?” Farah coos.

Adam stares at her with a brow arched. “Don’t be absurd.”

“That’s not a real answer,” she replies with a growing grin.

The young vampire’s ability to find the most aggravating thing to prod at is unparalleled. 

“Adam,” Rebecca calls. He straightens and nods at her. “Will you let my child know that the techs at the lab are close to finding out Murphy’s purpose.”

“Of course,” he says with another nod before striding to the door. He hopes no one will notice the eagerness of his steps.

But Farah’s close attention crushes that hope.

He ignores her and raps on the door, waiting for a response before holding a hand out towards the handle.

His fingers almost shake before he grips the handle and opens the door with more force than necessary.

“May I come in?” he asks, his question almost lost beneath the tightening of his throat as he looks over the Detective. 

“Something wrong?”

“No,” he replies, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. The instant sensation of being alone in the room with the Detective stifles his breath for a moment. He scolds himself silently at the reaction. “Actually, it may be good news for a change.”

The Detective’s brows rise before they sit on the cushions of the windowsill.

The cool, damp breeze makes the collar of the Detective’s shirt shift. His gaze follows the line of the collar, up the Detective’s neck, and slowly grazes over their lips.

He clears his throat. "Agent [Surname] believes the lab is close to finding out more of Murphy's purpose from the slides found at the hospital."

"That is good news.”

A quietness finds the moment when neither seem to be sure what to fill the silence with, even if the air is heavy with…something.

In the end, the draw of the Detective is too much for even Adam to ignore. He steps closer, trying to make it look as though he’s interested in seeing out of the window, when in fact his body springs into an excited heat as he settles beside them.

“We’ll catch him,” he states. “He won’t get a chance to hurt you.” Just the mere idea of them getting hurt…Adam clasps his hands behind him to control the rage that wants to spark at the thought. 

How long has he been so numb? How long has he gone without emotion clouding his view? How long has he gone since he’s felt his heart brought to life?

He glances at the Detective. They are the flame that has fired the life in him once again.

His gaze snaps away.

It’s a flame he doesn’t want.

He douses the embers of it and stands firm.

“I believe you.”

The words have Adam staring at the Detective with unhidden surprise. 

Do they trust him so much? He can only hope…

No. 

No. He hopes for nothing. He needs nothing.

He wants nothing.

The emotions and thoughts fighting within him almost threaten to make him sway on the spot. 

Instead, he focuses on the Detective and finds a calm once more.

“Your belief in me is more welcome than you can know,” he admits. An admission that once more fans the flames he’s trying so hard to extinguish.

Silence.

Hearts beating so heavily and so in sync.

Their lips move as though to form words, and he allows himself the moment to be distracted by them.

“Adam—”

What am I doing?

He blinks, and the broken pieces inside of him shadow the fire until it’s doused completely. Inside of him, he works hard to find the numbness, the safety, and let it spread throughout him.

“I should check on the progress with Agent [Surname],” he announces, his voice his once again…if only just.

He spins away, makes it one step, and is stopped by the Detective’s hand catching his wrist.

The touch shatters the pieces further and he winces at the pain.

He spins around, almost stumbling into them at the strength of the sudden draw. But he stops himself, helped to keep balance by the Detective, his hands hovering near them. His fingers flex with the need to touch them, to draw them close, to let them make him feel again.

To be loved.

Never has he met someone who seems to touch his very soul. Never has he wanted something so much. 

Don’t let me love you…

A ring sounds about the apartment.

It’s enough to break the daze, Adam drawing in a breath and allowing the numbing pain to return.

Another ring and Adam steps away from the Detective’s dizzying and confusing presence.

They deserve more.

--

And there we go!

Adam/Ava's was particularly fun to write as I got to indulge more of my historical-romance vibes with the way they think :D Also, they're so in love even at this point it's ridiculous, hehe!