The Alpha's Siren Song

Chapter 9

I slipped down open streets, weaving in and out of shops and dipping into parks. Every twenty steps I would glance over my shoulder. He was never behind me. I got to a train station. I stopped looking over my shoulder so often. I took a deep breath and leaned against a secluded wall. After I certain the coast was clear, I bought myself a ticket to one of the stations around my hotel and hopped on the next train. 

Once I got to my hotel, I decided against going in. What if someone was scouting it out? What if that was how they had found me? They could be waiting in my room, patiently expecting me to close myself in my rented room and trap myself. 

As paranoia wrapped itself around my mind, I slipped into a nearby restaurant, one with a view of the main doors of my hotel. Even when I was handed a menu, I continued to stare out at the street, waiting for Easton or his Canadian friend to appear. Hell, I even expected to see Nero there.

"Are you ready to order?" a kind waitress asked, shooting me a smile that looked a pinch uncomfortable. She must have seen the way I was clinging to my menu, staring at the world outside as if it wanted to kill me. It must have been a strange sight in her upscale restaurant. All of the other customers were laughing over expensive cuts of meat and creamy sides.

"Um, yes, thank you. I'll have the Shetland Halibut," I muttered. My lips formed the first words my eyes saw on the menu. I closed the menu while forcing a smile back which only seemed to frighten her more. 

"Of course," she said, then skittered away, probably to wonder what the hell was wrong with me.

I sipped my dark beer and kept my eyes locked on my hotel, recounting everyone who came in. There was a woman with tumbling hair and kind eyes, a man with a suit who seemed to be in a rush, a father with his son who was using his cell phone. No one that looked remotely familiar. But Nero's reach was beyond what I expected. He could have infected any of these people with his own twisted ideas.

My knee bounced and my fingers drummed on the table until my food was brought out. Then, I shoveled everything in my mouth as if I hadn't eaten in weeks. I should have savored this meal, it was the most expensive thing I had eaten in years and it was probably some kind of delicacy. But, I felt like I couldn't sit in this establishment for another second. I also knew that I wasn't ready to go back into the hotel just yet. So where would I go? 

It didn't seem to matter. My stomach was knotted with anxiety and it wouldn't release until I was safe again. But how could I determine that I was safe again? i thought they would never find me with Eddy and here I was, in another country, still running. Always running. 

"Would you like anything for dessert?" my waitress asked as she scooped up my dirty dishes. I could tell that she was praying I would say no.

"Just the bill," I replied.

She bowed out, more than ready to have me gone, but it was too late.

The bell above the entrance jiggled and one of the last people I wanted to see came inside.

Easton entered, alone.

I didn't think. I kept my eyes locked on him as I shoved my hand into my purse, trying to move quickly but not make too many brash movements. I needed to get out of here without attracting his eyes. I tucked a pile of money under one of the glasses and slowly rose to my feet. I almost cursed out loud when I bumped into the table.

Easton was standing in front of the main door, but I was banking on their being another exit in the back. There had to be. And when I spotted an exit sign at the back of the eating area, I didn't think twice.

But as I spun, his eyes found me. An expression of surprise and delight flitted across his features, widening his eyes and pulling up his lips. His prey had just fallen into his lap, not once, but twice.