Dusk

XXI

Suddenly Everest was beside her and gripped her shoulders, "forget everything she said that didn't involve our order." She blinked twice before smiling at his proximity. They watched her muscles relax as she bent over to pick up her pen, "silly me I dropped this," she smiled as she scribbled Everest's order down and skipped away happily.

The entire time Orion struggled to keep her laughter quiet before Everest used his large hand to grip her chin, forcing her to look at him, "watch yourself hunter."

"Or what? Gonna return me?" She smiled up at him, meanwhile the two nosey, older women found a renewed interest in their interaction.

"Don't give me ideas."

"I dare you," she seethed, both of their eyes blazing as they stared, "you'd be killed right before I would."

The older women now whispering about his behavior, Everest hearing their entire conversation from far away. They were both raising too much suspicion. He slid his hand to the side of her face as she tried smacking it off. Then he slid in the seat directly beside her. "I have every right to punish you," his words now sounding deeper as he spoke each word. He had no interest in compelling everyone in the diner. He needs blood for that and more bodies meant a trail for Orpheus to follow.

Orion's eyes widened at his words before they narrowed. Suddenly his other hand gripped the other side of her face as she tried backing away.

"Look at me lovingly or else I will leave you here to fend for yourself," he forced a small smile while threatening her, "if you somehow manage to draw any more attention, we're going to get caught,"

At first she considered and even leaned closer to him, stopping millimeters before their lips touched, "no."

Smiling she pulled out of his grasp as he exasperatedly sighed at her reckless behavior.

The old women giggling to each other about the two "lovebirds" now. At least it was enough to get them off of their backs. Grunting, he stared at her. His brooding interrupted by the disappointed waitress, whose face fell when she saw how close they became. Furiously tapping his fingers on the table, he remained in the seat beside her now facing forward. "Why must you be so infuriating?" She playfully shoved him to antagonize him, as the waitress began setting the appetizers on the table.

The scent drawing all of her attention.

The awkwardness of her standing there as Orion tore into the wings without bothering to use a fork. Everest could care less about the now solemn mood expressed by the waitress. His full attention was brought to Orion. As her fingers were now doused in the hot sauce as some splattered around her mouth.

Without any more words the waitress stomped off.

"Does she not remember that you're my kidnapper?" She grabbed his shoulder, knowing her fingers were covered in sauce which got on his shirt.

"Seriously?" He said as he used napkins to try to clean his shirt, "why're you acting like this?"

"This is me semi-happy," she gave a breathtaking smile, showing just how happy she claimed to be. Everest couldn't look past the amount of sauce all over her face and pieces of food wedged in her teeth, "and I've always been a messy eater," the smile now gone as she noticed his disgusted expression, "shut up."