“Yeah,” I told him. “Yeah, sure. Of course. Sorry.”
His smile widened. “No apology necessary, my dear. I am sorry...to break you out of your reverie.”
I smiled back, hitting through keys on the old fashioned register.
“Is that what it was?” I said.
“You looked very deep in thought right then, Alyson.”
I hesitated, glancing at him. Then, shrugging it off, I gestured towards his arm. When he bared it to the elbow, I summoned the bill by scanning his barcode.
“Were you?” he said, politely. “...Deep in thought?”
I smiled. “Yeah. Well. Even waitresses think about things, I guess.”
The man returned my smile, his gaze flickering over the rest of me.
Ignoring his appraisal, I met his gaze. “Do you want the change in hard currency, too?” I said. “Or just on your account?”
“Hard is fine.” His smile widened, even as his eyes grew more serious. “What are you doing after work? Can I buy you a drink?”
Counting out the coins, I handed him his change. I kept my smile polite. “I can’t date customers, sorry.”
“No? Are you sure? You won’t make an exception?”
I smiled again. “Sorry.”
The man met my gaze directly and I paused, in spite of myself.
For the first time, I really looked at him.
His eyes were riveting, difficult to look away from. They shone a brown so light they were nearly yellow, like burnt amber. I found myself lost there briefly, in his gaze, and wondered why I’d been so quick to turn him away. I could have one drink with the guy, sure. Why not? I was single. He was age appropriate, more or less, and while I didn’t usually date suits, he was cute. Nick the bartender, the guy I'd been seeing casually for the past few weeks, probably wouldn’t like it, but we weren’t exactly a couple.
It would be good for me. I needed to meet new people.
My attention got pulled off him abruptly when the door to the diner opened with a bang. I looked up, blinking in confusion, almost like I’d been smacked.
Once I did, I found myself staring behind the person standing at the counter.
The black-haired man stood there.
For the first time, he looked directly at me.
His colorless eyes grew utterly motionless, like a held breath.
Immediately, my head started to clear. I was still standing there, my hands poised over the cash register, when the man with the amber eyes turned, staring at the black-haired man along with me. Neither of them spoke, but I felt some kind of exchange take place.
Then the man with the amber eyes smiled. Looking away from the taller man, he glanced around at the diner briefly before bringing his gaze back to rest on me. He made a soft clicking noise with his tongue, giving me a regretful smile.
“But I see that you’re already taken,” he said, softer. “Perhaps another time, my dear.”
“Sure,” I said, only half-hearing him. “Whatever.”
I was still looking at the man with the black hair.
The guy in the blue suit turned from the counter, heading for the door. I watched him walk past the taller man and noticed that he wore his hair in some kind of clip at the nape of his neck. The clip glinted with jeweled stones, like sapphires.
The black-haired man didn’t take his eyes off him as he passed. His eyes followed the man through the front door and outside, onto the street. I saw the amber-eyed man watching him as well...saw him wink at the black-haired man through the window before he disappeared down the sidewalk, past the edge of the building.
Before I could wrap my head around what had just happened, the black-haired man walked directly up to where I stood. His colorless eyes met mine, and I flinched at the anger I saw in them, although it didn’t seem aimed at me.
“We’re leaving,” he said. “Now, Allie.”#p#分页标题#e#
When I didn’t move, only stared, the black-haired man grabbed my arm.
“Allie.” His voice was a growl. “Now.”
Before I could bring my eyes back into focus, Jon appeared at my side. He had his hand on the other man’s forearm, standing almost between us. Jon’s voice came out quiet but firm, not an ounce of compromise in his words.
“Let go of her, man. Now. Step away.”
I saw the black-haired man look at Jon.
“Jon,” he said. “I won’t hurt her. You know I won’t.”
I saw Jon’s eyes widen in surprise, right before they blurred, growing less clear. The black-haired man focused back on me.
We don’t have much time.
I stared up at him, feeling a cold wash of fear when I realized I’d heard his words, but his mouth hadn’t moved.
Allie! I know you can hear me! You have to come with me. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in a cage? Wearing a collar? That man who just left here. He knows what you are.