Into The Unknown World

I walked down the hallway and stepped into my office suite, offering my secretary a small smile before heading into my office, putting my coat on the rack and walking behind my desk, nodding my head for him to enter.

“Excuse me ma’am.”

“No need to excuse, this is your job. What is on today’s agenda?” I asked as I leaned back in my desk chair, crossing my legs, almost smirking as I could read the thoughts in his head. Ah, yes, that is a trick that vampires can’t use, we do not read minds. But after being around for ages, we are very good at reading faces and body language, so it makes it seem like we can read one’s mind.

“Oliver Grey is coming.” I rolled my eyes at the mention of that name.

“I forgot he was coming, what time was the meeting?”

“At 10 ma’am.”

“Knowing Oliver it will be a good 3 hour meeting for something that can be done in 30 minutes.” I glanced at the clock, it reading 9:15. “Make sure to have lunched ordered by 11:30 please.” He nodded as he jotted down the note. “And after?”

“Mr. Kellington is due for a conference call at 1.”

“Richard Kellington, hmm. I thought he was done concluding business with me?” The young man laughed as we both recalled his last exchange in my board room. “Is that all Charles?”

“For now ma’am.”

“Thank you. When Richard calls, please hold my calls until we are done. He’s not a patient man and his anger is quite ugly, I’d hate to have to put him on hold.”

“Of course. If that is all ma’am?”

“Yes, I’ll call you if I need anything else.” He nodded his head and stepped out of my office, closing the door on his way out. I powered up my computer and then turned to look to outside. I was one of the very few vampires who could employ humans, for in all truth, their blood just didn’t tempt me. And only those who had been around for damn near many centuries could with stand a blood thirst amongst humans. I blinked as my view went from the city to my own reflection, another tidbit, we do cast reflections.

It had shocked people, at first, to see the red eyes, but many assumed they were just contacts. When I had first stepped out into the human world, I had thought about covering them, but there is something about them that captured many people, and many were not afraid by it. Not that human’s were attracted to us, we had no special ability to capture people, but there is a forbidden desire to know the unknown and that’s often where humans get caught up in.

I pushed my black hair over my shoulder, once more seeing the contrast in looks. The bold red eyes, the black hair, the full red lips, the slightly pale skin; again, we weren’t white or pale, we could stand the sun, but we really couldn’t spend hours all day tanning. So, therefore, we were on the slightly paler side. I let out a breath and heard the ding to my emails began to start up; time to delve into the world of technology and see what I could play with or what my latest teams were working on.

50 minutes later I glanced up from my computer as someone knocked on the door, Charles peeking his head in. I smiled and waved him in, taking my glasses off and leaned back in my seat.

“Mr. Grey is here. I have him in meeting room one. Lunch will be delivered from Chichi’s in 45 minutes, will that be okay?”

“Yes, of course. Thank you. Please tell him I will be right in.” Charles nodded and left again. I sighed as I stood up and grabbed my notebook along with a pen, leaving my glasses by my computer. Now, vampires don’t get sick, we don’t have human diseases, so the glasses were merely a pretense, something to make sure humans never question how I can stare at a computer all day and never be bothered. But, there is another hidden meaning for me; they only enhance the eyes and make me all that more alluring, sexy and mysterious.

I walked into the room and smiled at Oliver, extending my hand which he took when he stood up.

“Please, sit.”

“My mom would have my hide if I wasn’t a gentleman.”

“You’re mother taught you well. Now, Mr. Grey, what can I do for you?” He smiled as he leaned back in his seat and I got my pen ready, knowing that, again, this would be an extended meeting for nothing.

Mentally I groaned as I have listened to Oliver go on and on for the last 56 minutes, talking about what he needed, being past the point of bored. In fact, I almost jumped for glee when Charles knocked on the door stating that lunch was here.

“Why, you thought of everything.” I smiled at Oliver and stood up, pausing as Charles gave me a hesitant smile.

“What is it Charles?”

“Mr. Black is on line one for you, I told him you were in a meeting but he said it was important.”

“Excuse me Oliver, help yourself. I’ll be right back.” Oliver nodded and quickly got up to get his Italian food. I walked by it, struggling to keep my composure as I smelled it. Now, vampires can eat most human food, and no garlic didn’t bother us, but really we could only eat in small doses for our bodies were no longer meant to gather nutrients from it. In fact, the older you were as a vampire, the less you could eat. So we had to maintain pretense quite well. And as proof, Oliver was not a vampire, but one of the humans I worked it. I walked into my office and picked up my phone.

“Tyler Black, what a pleasure.”

“I’ll make it quick, Fire, as I know you are a busy…woman.” I heard the snicker and rolled my eyes.

“Thank you, I am. What can I do for you?”

“My son is taking over…the family business, as I’m sure you have heard.”

“Grayson is it? He’s all grown up and ready to fight in the big bad world?”

“Your sarcasm knows no bounds.”

“I try. What do you need from me?”

“I want Grayson to meet you, to make sure our further dealings are okay and you both are comfortable.”

“I can’t say I get too many werewolves in my office, let alone Alpha’s, or their sons, but yes, I can meet him today. Can he here by 3?”

“I’ll make sure of it Fire.”

“Thank you Tyler. I do hope when the ceremony comes, you’ll invite an old friend.”

“Of course. You know you are always welcome, stench and all.”

“Don’t be upset because you hate my smell. I’m gathering you won’t be coming as well today?”

“No, Grayson will be alone, with a few guards.”

“Of course. Bye Tyler.”

“Bye.” And with that, I hung up my phone, taking a deep breath and going back to my overly long and boring meeting.

I sat up as I leaned up in my chair, finally putting my phone back on the receiver as I wrapped up my call. I pinched the bridge of my nose, sighing but smiling as Charles knocked on the door.

“Yes?”

“Um, a Mr. Grayson Black is here to see you.”

“Oh yes. Sorry I didn’t mention it. Send him in and you can go.”

“Thank you ma’am.” I stood up, stretching my back and turned to look outside once more, spinning around as the door opened, my red eyes staring straight into the deepest, darkest pair of black ones I had even seen, an extraordinary feature on a wolf. My breath hitched and I struggled not to let his effect be known, after all, werewolves had the uncanny ability to have a strong sense of smell. But his next words made everything else dim in matter.

“MATE!” Excuse the fuck out of me!