Love Bites

The offer

Entering the bar Cal glanced around, scanning the women. He spotted one straight away. She was sat in a booth in a shadowy corner nursing a drink, her black hair was cut short in the back but was longer at the front, giving it a guillotine blade look from the side. Her body was hidden under baggy clothes, her hair was hiding her face, shielding her from the others in the bar. Her body language screamed insecure, low self esteem, Cal thought she was perfect. 

He sidled up to the bar, "Bottle of Corona with a wedge," he told the barman.

"Gonna need to see some ID pal," the barman smiled smugly at him, sure he wouldn't be able produce any. 

Cal lent forward, looking the barman dead in the eye, "No you don't," he murmured softly. The barman nodded and fetched his drink, again Cal looked him in the eye "Thanks. It's on the house, right?"

"Right," the barman replied then went back to stacking clean glasses. 

Cal stood quietly sipping his drink for a while, watching the girl he'd spotted through his peripheral vision. Her shoulders were shaking slightly and he could hear her quiet sobs when he filtered out the noise of the bar. He gave it five minutes before slipping into the booth across from her. 

She stiffened, lifting her terrified eyes to his. "Yes?" She mumbled.

"I'm sorry for intruding, but I saw you from across the bar and...well you looked so sad that I had to come over and make sure you were okay," Cal said giving her a well rehearsed half smile.

She looked at him in surprise "That is so nice of you, but I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"No, you're right I'm not," she gave him a watery smile. "But you don't wanna hear some stranger's sob story."

"I'm Cal," he said extending his hand.

She stared at his hand for a moment and Cal began to wonder whether she would actually fall for this. "Dawn," she shook his hand gently.

"Now we're not strangers anymore. So, why don't you tell me what's upsetting you so," Cal forced his features into a concerned frown. She didn't answer for moment and Cal thought he'd blown it, he was getting ready to compel her when she spoke.

"I moved here five years ago after my mum and dad died in a car accident. I wanted a fresh start, y'know? I met a guy." she paused and Cal allowed the silence to stretch out between them, merely nodding in 'understanding'. "David and I burnt hot and we moved in together pretty quickly. Everyone said we were mad, that it wouldn't last but three years down the line he proposed." Cal nodded again, my God these humans lives were so boring!. "I started planning the wedding nut he lost his job and we had to postpone. Then this afternoon I came home from work to find him fucking my best friend on our couch," a sob caught in her throat and she stopped talking.

"Well, he doesn't deserve you, and your mate well, she is obviously a skank that doesn't deserve you either," Cal told her patting her hand in what he hoped was a sincere way.

"He," she said.

"He what?"

"He, my best friend was a he."

"Oh," Cal's mouth fell open, he was not expecting that. A tiny seed of doubt crept into his mind, but he pushed it away. People lose someone they care about all the time, he was a predator, a hunter, she was nothing but prey. He told himself. "Come on let's get out of here," he stood up taking her hand. "You shouldn't be in a place like this."

She smiled gratefully at him, following him out like a lamb to the slaughter.

He'd nearly killed the girl; couldn't stop himself feeding. Cassandra had rushed in muttering something and he'd jumped back as if he'd been stung. The girl lay curled into a ball in the corner of the room. If Marcus focused on her hard he could just make out her thready heartbeat. Cassandra glared at him, her eyes boring holes into him.