Blood Bandits

5.

Amina Lafayette

Most people in my situation would have been terrified. Don't get me wrong, I was scared but I came here looking for something and I was determined to find it. But the kicker was whatever it was had found me and that was something that I hadn't mentally prepared myself for.

How long had he been here?

Had he been following me?

He was trying to scare me and I knew this. I wasn't going to back down. Why be scared when I was the one knocking on troubles door. He was just another dead end that I really didn't really have the time for, or was he?

"Who are you?" I asked cautiously.

The man chuckled humorlessly and stepped forward. It was no longer his silhouette that I was looking at. It was a person. He had short brown curls that looked wet as if he'd just stepped out of the shower. His attire was nothing but black from head to toe. His eyes were covered by shaded frames. The gold watch on his right wrist glistened from the lamp that sat on my side table.

"I should be asking you that." He shot back, tucking his tongue in his cheek. The accent that flowed from his mouth was one I knew very well. He was from here. New Orleans. The accent was hard to miss and even more difficult to duplicate.

He was just about six feet from me but yet he was blocking me from the door. I wasn't sure what game he was playing but I sure was about to find out.

"How did you get into my hotel room?" I asked, unknowingly backing myself further in the table.

Taking another step closer to me, he cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at me. His hands were at his side but they were balled into fists.

"You're asking all the wrong questions sweetheart." He whispered, grimly.

I swallowed hard and licked my bottom lip. Maybe fear was creeping up on me just a little bit.

"What questions should I be asking?" I asked lowly, trying to push away all the negative thoughts racing through my head right now.

Finally, he stepped so close to me that I could smell the scent radiating off of him. He smelled of peppermint and cinnamon. But as my eyes skimmed down his body, I seen that the front of his shirt was wet. My mind began to spin. The only thing that made my head spin... blood.

"I could think of a few, one being the most important. Am I going to kill you." He leaned in, whispering in my ear.

Closing my eyes, I felt his cool breath against the side of my cheek. My hands gripped the edge of the round table that I was leaning against. My breath was caught in my throat so I couldn't catch a clear breath. Fear had made it's arrival and I was more than okay with admitting this. I remained silent until I felt a cool grasp around my neck. Immediately, I snapped my eyes open and noticed his grip on me. His lips were still at my ear.

"I can't hear you." He whispered, tightening his grip.

I gasped and tried to get a view of him in my peripheral view but was unsuccessful. All I seen was the rim of his shades.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked out of breath. It took everything in me to speak clearly.

I felt him smile against my cheek. "Yes."

"No!" I shouted as I sat up from my bed.

But I quickly silenced myself when I noticed that I was all alone in this hotel room. I was fully dressed but my hands were clammy. Everything was the same way I left it. The files and my phone was all scattered across the round table, just like it was. As I scooted off the bed, I wiped my sweaty hands on my pants and walked over to the bathroom. It was dark in there and the wooden door was cracked. Slowly, I pushed the door open, looking left then right. But I was here all alone.