Forbidden Darkness

Chapter 5

"There are no secrets better kept than the secrets that everybody guesses."
-George Bernard Shaw

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Augustine pushed open the front door to the small coffee shop and was greeted by the subtle ringing of a bell. She took a quick glance around before noticing a familiar brown-haired boy seated by the window. For a moment, she hesitated and nearly left before Bridger was able to notice her. This meeting was dangerous and she hadn't told anybody about it. If she were put in harm's way, nobody would be able to rescue her. She pushed the thought aside and decided that today could be the day that she could complete her assignment. She felt confident in her ability to kill, and her ability to seduce.

She slipped her hands into the pockets of her black leather jacket and strolled towards Bridger's table. Her fingertips brushed against the cold handle of her blade. The feeling brought her comfort; she hated leaving the inn without a weapon, especially when she planned to meet with a vampire. The idea disgusted her, but it was too late to turn back.

Bridger lifted his chin as Augustine neared the table and he offered his award-winning crooked smile. As she pulled out her chair across from him, he let out a dramatic huff.
"It's about time," Bridger said and glanced down at his watch. "I've been here for nearly forty minutes."
Augustine couldn't help but chuckle at his comment, "Don't exaggerate, I'm only two minutes late," she replied with a small smile. Bridger shook his head playfully and motioned for Augustine to sit down.
"What do you recommend?" She asked him as she lifted a menu from the table.

"Well," Bridger rubbed his chin in thought, "if you demand my expert opinion, I'd have to say that the French toast is nothing short of spectacular." Augustine nodded and furrowed her eyebrows in contemplation.
"I'll consider it," she said with a nod of approval and a small grin. The sunlight from the window shone on Bridger's face, complimenting his lightly tanned skin and russet eyes. Augustine couldn't help but notice that his eyes looked almost dark amber in the light. The blood rose in her cheeks and she forcefully turned her head to the side to hide her blush. Fortunately, the waitress arrived a moment later and took the attention off of Augustine.

"I'll try the French toast. And a small coffee, please. Black," Augustine ordered as soon as the woman pulled her notepad out.
"I'll have the same," Bridger stated with another white-toothed crooked smile. Augustine had to admit that he was charming, but she refused to let herself see him as anything other than a blood-sucking monster. She was thankful for Calloway's confidentiality lessons; he taught her how to adopt a false identity, and it was all thanks to him that she wasn't currently scowling at Bridger.

"Tell me something about yourself," Bridger said, turning his attention back to Augustine.
"What do you wish to know?" She questioned mischievously and set her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her fist.

"Let's start small," he said, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "Do you have any siblings?" He asked and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his seat.

"No, do you?" Augustine asked and immediately regretted the decision. She thought back to the night she killed his sister and an overwhelming sense of guilt overcame her.

"No," he said without a hint of emotion and shook his head. His answer caught Augustine by surprise, but she didn't press him for more information.

"How long have you lived here?" Bridger asked a moment later and smiled at the waitress as she delivered their coffee mugs. Augustine bit her lip as the woman stepped away. She felt a strange twinge of jealousy.
"Who says I live here?" she questioned in return and tilted her head slightly, ignoring her feelings of envy.
"Where else would you have come from?" He joked and took a glance through the window. He was right, Conwell and Emberville were the only towns for dozens of miles.
"Five years," she laughed and shook her head in defeat. That was a lie, but she didn't need to give any true information away about her past.

"I've only seen you around recently," she commented and Bridger nodded.
"I used to come here often to visit my grandparents. I only moved here a couple of weeks ago," he stated. Augustine knew he was feeding her false information in return. Unless he really did used to visit, but it had to have been decades ago, given how old he truly must be. She wished that hunters were also immortal.

"How old are you?" Augustine blurted the question in mind.
"Twenty-two," he answered with a slight smile before returning her question.
"Twenty." Augustine didn't see anything wrong with telling him her true age, even if Calloway was against it. The waitress returned with their breakfast and Augustine immediately sunk her fork into the delicious toast. She hadn't realized how hungry she was earlier.
"You were right," she commented, pointing down at her plate. The food really was just as delicious as he claimed.
"Have I ever been wrong?" Bridger challenged playfully and cut a piece of his own breakfast.
"Fair point," Augustine agreed with a soft chuckle. She took a glance around the cafe and realized that it was nearly empty, the only other person in sight was the waitress. Augustine carefully slipped her fingers into her pocket and around her blade. She considered taking action, but Bridger caught her off guard. His serene expression and beautifully-built facial features were distracting.
In that moment, Augustine hated Calloway for giving her this assignment, because she knew that she would never be able to complete her task.

"I need to go," Augustine declared and abruptly stood from her chair.

"What?" Bridger asked, clearly taken aback.
"I made plans with a friend, and I lost track of time. She's probably waiting for me." Augustine internally cursed herself. She didn't need to explain herself, especially not to a vampire, but she felt a pang of guilt for leaving.
"Of course, no worries," he replied politely, not pressing the issue further. It was obvious that he was stunned by her actions, but he didn't hold her back.
"I'm sorry," she said sincerely. "Thank you for breakfast," she offered one last small smile before turning on her heel and striding out of the cafe.

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Thank you for your patience! I've been going through some writer's block and I just could not come up with a way to write this chapter! I'm still not entirely happy with it, but it gives me a way to continue my story! What do you think so far?