Alec's P•O•V

The cab had stopped in front of a tall, glass building. The hotel was breathtaking. It was something you'd never see in Romania. There had to have been forty stories in it, maybe more. The term skyscraper now made sense to me.

"Your luggage is being taken to your rooms," One man in shades appeared in front of DeMalo and me as we stepped out of the cab.

"Thank you," I told him and DeMalo nodded to him. The sky was turning a dark grey as the sun was being pushed out of view. Darkness had already begun to sink in.

We were greeted by a crowded lobby with people everywhere. Some were checking in, some were sitting around on satin couches, others were just standing and talking. A young human male came towards us dressed in a tux. This hotel must have a policy for their employees to wear such formalwear...

"Welcome to the Winston Grand Hotel, Mr. Gheata," He said politely. "Is your brother with you?" He asked. I looked behind me and of course, DeMalo was leaning against the wall, flirting with a woman.

"He's just over there. Excuse me while I go get him," I said quickly and went over to DeMalo. He looked to me once I was beside him and departed himself from the American woman. I rolled my eyes and turned to walk with him.

"Can we at least get our hotel room before you're inviting women to it?" I asked him.

"You can never be unprepared," He said with a chuckle and I smirked.

"You're very right my brother," I chuckled with him. As much as I wanted to be serious, DeMalo and I would never be appropriate when we were together.

"Let me take you to your suites," The young man who worked for the hotel said once DeMalo and I approached him. We followed him to the elevator where he pressed the button with the number 43 beside it.

"Don't we have to check-in?" DeMalo asked as the elevator started to move.

"Everything has been arranged for you two. Here," he paused to reach into his pocket, "are your key cards." He handed them to us and the doors to the elevator opened.

We followed him down the hall not too far until we came up to the end where two sets of double doors greeted us. One was on the right side of the hall, and the other on the left.

"Here are your suites. If you need anything, there are phone numbers by the phones for you to call the lobby," He instructed us both and I nodded.

"Thank you," I thanked him habitually.

"Enjoy your stay," He said and went down the hall. DeMalo was already opening the doors to his suite on the right. I turned and put my key card into the slot. The door clicked and I turned the handle, opening the two doors only to be greeted by a master suite.

The lights illuminated the room, showing the expensive design of the place. The black and white theme was similar to my room, yet everything was more modern looking. A king-size bed was set in the middle of the room. A white duvet was set on it with silk black pillows. Chairs and a couch were set in front of a TV that was on top of a fireplace. The room was great, but what was truly magnificent was the view.

The solid glass wall at the end of my room looked over the whole lit-up city. Cars could be seen lighting up the streets all the way on the other side of downtown. With my better vision, I could see everyone on the streets from up here clearer. I sighed and fell back onto the couch that faced the window.

♱

"Where are you going?" I asked my brother as we roamed the near-empty streets.

"I don't know. Somewhere hidden. Probably behind a bar or something," DeMalo said and I nodded. Tonight I just planned on feeding. I wasn't in the mood to go searching for her tonight. Hell, it was my first night in the big city.

"Just meet me back at the hotel," I told him and went to make a turn down an alley when he grabbed my wrist.

"You haven't told me what you're planning on doing tonight. Should I not come into your suite-"

"DeMalo," I groaned, cutting him off. "I'm just going to feed. I'm not going to find my soul mate and then bed her," I grumbled. He laughed and smacked me on the back.

"Calm down man. You know I'm kidding," He chuckled and started to walk across the street. "See you at the hotel," He hollered and in a second he was gone. A couple of papers swept up from him running past them and then all was quiet. I turned down the alley and focused.

Soon enough, that alley led to another street, and then that street led to another alley. I found myself going deeper into the city of winding streets and alleys. Everything was quiet. Most people were sleeping. Every once and a while there would be a cat making some noise in a dumpster or the wind would cause something to rattle. But that was mostly it.

Suddenly, when I was nearing an alley I heard a rattling cough. I stopped in my tracks and focused on my hearing. I saw a foot slump into my sight from the alley. I could hear the full heartbeat of the human male just around the corner. I clenched my fists and closed my eyes, continuing to walk into the alley. I intentionally tripped on the foot just to stir the bum awake.

"Hey! Watch where you're stepping," He grumbled and got to his feet. I stopped and turned to him. The gruff-looking man glared at me. I smirked at him and felt my mouth ache as my teeth elongated.

I lived for this.

Their blood running cold and their faces paling once they saw my sadistic smirk towards them. They never expected two fangs to pop out from my psychotic smirk. So weak and so slow. Frozen in their spot.

Oh, I lived for this.

I grabbed his shoulders and pushed him against the brick wall, instantly hearing the bricks cracking behind him. I could smell the blood leaking out of him slowly from the wounds I had just caused. It wasn't my type, but it'd do.

I felt a rumbling in my throat as I opened my mouth, causing me to hiss. I snapped my teeth into his neck and instantly punctured the left artery. That thick vein felt like soft tissue under my fangs. I ignored the thrashing as he pathetically tried to punch me. It didn't hurt me one bit. He was getting weaker and weaker by the second. Only a little more and...

Dead. I heard the last couple of beats before slowly, his heart came to a stop. I removed my teeth from his neck and wiped a bit from my lips. He slid down the brick wall and slumped on the ground. It was just me and the dead man until I heard it.

The click of heels on cement. Thick heels by the sound of it. I got out of the light emitting from the buzzing street lamp. I listened closely and heard the small, erratic heartbeat. It was delicate, but being stressed by something. I listened closer and I could hear gasps and little whimpers. I looked and that's when I saw her.

This gorgeous, fragile, petite woman. Soft black hose tinted her toned legs. A dark, army green skirt swished around her mid-thighs. A black tank top tucked into the skirt with a leather jacket wrapped around her. She was absolutely desirable and caused one ecstasy just by looking at her.

Her quiet sobs could be heard from across the street, as she wrapped her arms around herself. I could feel my dead heart thud deeply in pity towards her. Her mortal heart sounded irregular from her sobs. All I wanted to do was rush to her and stroke her soft cheek...

I got a hold of myself and my thoughts once I heard a buzzing noise. On and off, it came from her pocket until she pulled her phone out. I listened intently as she answered with her angelic voice.

"Leave me alone," She growled into the phone. I was shocked at how fierce she was. Obviously, she didn't want to talk to whoever was on the other line.

"Raven please-" A woman answered her with a plea. Raven, I thought, what a gorgeous name... It fit her.

"No! Don't even try to test me, mother! You're everything but a mother to me, and I don't want anything to do with your picture-perfect family! Who knows - you lied about dad being my dad, I'm hoping you lied about you being my mother," Raven spat into the phone and hung up. Her heart was beating faster now, faster than I'd known possible. She let out a deep scream of anger and chucked her phone, making it smash to a million pieces. My chest burned with pain in seeing her like this.

She stood there sniffling and crying. I felt the need to leave. I couldn't be here. All I wanted to do was stop her from crying. All I wanted to do was feel her soft skin, and lace my fingers in her hair - I needed to get out. I had to get away from her now -

Suddenly I hit a bottle with my heel as I was involuntarily backing away. It made a clanking noise and I heard her heart skip a beat. She looked around and was frozen in her spot.

"Hello?" Her beautiful voice cracked as she looked around. I could feel my worthless heart beating in my chest, rapidly trying to break out of my ribcage. Part of me wanted to say hello back and greet this beautiful American woman.

She opened her mouth and was about to say something else, but I had already turned and left in the blink of an eye.

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