Paragon

⊰❉⊱ 14 ⊰❉⊱

Pearson didn't say a word as I carried Quinn into the dark seats unconscious.

I carefully adjusted her body and made sure her seatbelt was secured before leaning back in my seat and letting a long breath leave me. I only took the tiniest gulp of air in which burned like wildfire down my throat from her proximity and that damn scent that drove me mad.

How much did she remember of this night before her boss had drugged her? I tightened a hand just thinking of how vulnerable she had been. How close it had all come to a different headline tomorrow morning.

Which reminded me.

I made a very specific call. The answer was instant.

"FHC Insurance, how can I help you?" The calm voice requested down the phone.

"I'd like to make a claim." I said slowly. "There's been a bad crash."

"How many involved?" He responded simply. Knowingly.

"Three people." I said, noting the two guards as well as the monster.

"Have you exchanged details." Meaning have I been compromised to the mortals. I glanced at Quinn before replying. Her peaceful and beautiful face. Dark hair spilled in waves and black eyeliner slightly disturbed. 

"No we haven't exchanged."

"Okay. We will send a team and digitally help out Ms Fletcher. Is that all?" He asked, like we were talking of the weather and not sending a trained team to the sight of a building I had just blown sky high. As for the digital help... they would find every trace of my appearance in the streets nearby until there was nothing left.

"Nothing more from me." I remarked dryly.

"Let's try not to make anymore claims this year." He stated with a hint of irony while I smirked ahead and the line went dead.

Paragon were aware this was a rare occurrence on my part. I never requested anything–at least not in the last ten years. They would take care of this for me with minimal effort. I had a different name now but they had no trouble updating their own information about every active immortal.

I pocketed my phone and stared at the mortal whose hair and drifted into her face as she slumped against the window. We were almost outside her place of work. I had thought about the only real way of keeping this covert and making it a believable story to her. So when the car finally pulled up outside her office I turned to Pearson.

"I need you to remain in the car until she wakes up." I stated as clear as day. Pearson nodded intently taking in instruction for the night. "When she does–perhaps no more than an hour–you will tell her you've arrived at the destination she requested. She'll be too disoriented to take in details. Just make sure she safely gets in that office or a silver Mercedes. Clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Pearson confirmed, meeting my eyes with his dark brown.

"Call me when it's done."

"Of course, Ms Fletcher." He responded with a stiff nod.

I nodded in return, finally content with the state of things. I glanced one last time at the fascinating yet exasperating mortal who still slept soundly. She was causing many problems for me. Yet now I had removed one demon from her life. Maybe she could finally move forward.

I opened the door and hit the cool night air. Just as I made to close it I noticed her stir. I quickly made sure to turn my back and hastily retreated to the other side of the street. The drugs wouldn't allow her to take in too many details yet anyway... I cut down another wide road between the towering glass buildings of the business district.