Howl

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Given her attitude, Lukas expected Emma to show up exactly at 6:15 and leave at 6:16, if she didn't show up early and leave at 6:15. A glance at his cell phone told him he had two minutes until the designated time, and he started to get anxious. He arrived just before six after taking a shower at his hotel and finding that the parking lot was only a fifteen minute drive away. When he realized he had plenty of time, he allowed himself to calm down and took some time to call Damian and let him know he would be gone longer than expected.

Damian hadn't really cared that he planned on being gone for an unknown amount of time, which made Lukas realize he really wasn't needed back in California. If they'd really been having problems with hunters, Damian wouldn't have been so laid back about the entire thing. In fact, Damian implied that he shouldn't even bother checking in at all. Lukas was partially glad about that, as it would give him as much time as he needed with Emma, but he did like being needed.

At the next glance of his phone, the time read 6:14. He expected to see her come speeding into the parking lot any second in a metallic orange Jeep, blaring loud music. Of course, Lukas had no idea how or what she drove or her preferred music volume, but he could easily picture her in that scene. But 6:15 came and went, and only one car had pulled into the parking lot, but it certainly wasn't Emma.

He felt himself becoming agitated within the next several minutes. At first, he wondered if Emma and her friend weren't simply playing a joke on him and were watching him and laughing. He looked towards the store entrance, but he didn't see them, nor did he notice anyone watching him from adjacent parking lots. His paranoia soon turned to worry. What if something happened to Emma? Had she been in an accident? Was she hurt?

Lukas took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He couldn't figure out why he cared so much about that particular human. He knew it wasn't just because she had rejected him - he'd been rejected by many women before without feeling a such a strong desire to pursue them. What made Emma so different that he could only think of making her accept him?

She's just a silly human, he told himself. No reason for me to waste so much time on her or even worry about her. It's not like she's my... shit!

Before he could fully process that thought, a small, light blue pickup turned into the parking lot. He looked up and saw Emma behind the wheel and a sense of relief filled his body, followed by joy. He stashed his phone back in his pocket, not bothering to check the time again. He no longer cared that she arrived late; he only cared that she was there now.

She stopped next to him, and he quickly opened the door and sat down. She took off before he could close the door. Once he secured the door and buckled up, he took a look around the interior, noticing first that the time was 6:22. His next observation was the transmission.

"Stick shift?" he asked with a hint of surprise. He knew there was a reason he liked her, even if being attracted to someone based on the fact they drove a manual was completely illogical, especially considering he didn't even know when he met her.

"Of course," she replied, waiting for traffic to clear so she could turn on to Colorado Boulevard. "You really think I'd drive some pussy automatic? Sorry I'm late by the way. Traffic."

"Really?"

"Yes, there was really traffic and still is as you can see. But I'm not really sorry about being late. In fact, I was hoping you'd have given up and left when I wasn't there. Bet you would have waited all night, you creeper."

"I'm not a creeper," he insisted, but didn't bother to argue her other point. He may not have waited all night, but he certainly would have stayed for quite some time.