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

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

They’re in there. Alone.

Ava suppresses a growl and turns back to face outside. She 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?” Felix coos.

Ava stares at him with a brow arched. “Don’t be absurd.”

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

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

“Ava,” Rebecca calls. She 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,” she says with another nod before striding to the door. She hopes no one will notice the eagerness of her steps.

But Felix’s close attention crushes that hope.

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

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

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

“Something wrong?”

“No,” she replies, stepping inside and shutting the door behind her. The instant sensation of being alone in the room with the Detective stifles her breath for a moment. She scolds herself 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. Her gaze follows the line of the collar, up the Detective’s neck, and slowly grazes over their lips.

She clears her 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 Ava to ignore. She steps closer, trying to make it look as though she’s interested in seeing out of the window, when in fact her body springs into an excited heat as she settles beside them.

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

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

She glances at the Detective. They are the flame that has fired the life in her once again.

Her gaze snaps away.

It’s a flame she doesn’t want.

She douses the embers of it and stands firm.

“I believe you.”

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

Do they trust her so much? She can only hope…

No. 

No. She hopes for nothing. She needs nothing.

She wants nothing.

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

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

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

Silence.

Hearts beating so heavily and so in sync.

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

“Ava—”

What am I doing?

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

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

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

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

She spins around, almost stumbling into them at the strength of the sudden draw. But she stops herself, helped to keep balance by the Detective, her hands hovering near them. Her fingers flex with the need to touch them, to draw them close, to let them make him feel again.

To be loved.

Never has she met someone who seems to touch her very soul. Never has she wanted something so much. 

Don’t let me love you…

A ring sounds about the apartment.

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

Another ring and Ava 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!