Dangerous Woman ▷ Paul Lahote

SIX

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SIX; REBORN

     HE COULDN'T FIND her anywhere.

     Paul had been searching high and low for Amelia, but it was as if she had washed off the face of the earth. However, Paul knew she was still in town — he could feel it in the imprint.

     After eavesdropping in the gossip about the blonde vampire, Paul discovered she had a certain connection linked to a human. He finally found Amelia in Mike Newton's family shop.

     "Amelia."

     Her body went still. She spun around, coming face to face with the man who was supposed to be her soulmate. She shook her head, brushing past him. "I don't know why you're here," she murmured lowly. Paul was right on her heels as she weaved her way through the aisles of the store. "You acted like I was the devil only yesterday."

     "I was wrong," Paul confessed. "Look, just come back to Emily's."

     "Why? So the pack can insult me again?" Amelia scoffed, turning on her heel to face him. Paul got a good look at the details of her face, and was blinded by her beauty. "Listen, I was nothing but kind to you. I have been searching for my soulmate for as long as I can remember, and when I find him, I learn he's nothing but a dick. So please, forgive me for not wanting to spend more time with you."

     "And what are you going to do? Just leave?" He finally grabbed ahold of her, even though he knew she was capable of escaping effortlessly. "One more chance, Amelia. We'll behave."

     She laughed dryly. "Do you even want this, Paul? A vampire as your soulmate, as the person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with?"

     Paul clenched his teeth, remembering Sam's orders. "If it's what's necessary, I'll get it done."

     "Don't you see? You're already speaking of us being together like it's some task you have to fulfill. I want to be with someone who wants to be with me. We're polar opposites, Paul, and that's not going to change anytime soon. Either way, your life with me is going to be difficult and I'm sorry we're both stuck in this situation."

     Amelia heard the jingle of a bell, signaling someone had just exited from the back entrance. Mike walked in, whistling lowly to himself. She took one last good look of him before exiting the shop.

     As if on cue, Paul followed behind. "What? Is that scrawny, little human what you want? Because he worships the ground you walk on?"

     Amelia sighed, feeling human exhaustion just by speaking with the shapeshifter. Conversations with him were getting nowhere, and she could tell her uplifting kindness yesterday was a mistake from the start. She should've told the truth to him straight.

     "I miss my family, Paul. They're gone and I'm the only one left. I stayed behind for you, and all I've received is backlash in return. Do I like Mike Newton? Yes, I do. I like him because he treats me as a human being, and not the monster a vicious bastard has turned me into. He talks to me normally, and doesn't insult me directly to my face because he's unhappy with what I am. Can you ever be someone like that, Paul?"

     They were approaching the Cullen home, and Paul marveled at the grand size of it. He could tell the home was desolate, for all the lights were turned off except for one room, which he assumed was Amelia's.