Chapter 23: Chapter 23

The night's air is cooler than the one about an hour ago when I came here with Shade. I push the discomfort away and search for my car amidst the rows of car, filling the parking lot. When I couldn't find the car anywhere close, I walk to the end of the front part of the clubhouse still haven't seen the car, then I turn at to the side and follow the list of cars across from me. Did Shade re-parks the car or something? Or perhaps, it has been towed? That's wrong. I remember parking well so there's no way a valet will re-parks the car. I scratch the scrapes of my hair, clenching my teeth in response to the chillness. Maybe I should go back in after all. The music, so easy reaches my ear as if I'm still inside.

A reason unknown to me causes me to raise my gaze, and when I did, I'm locking eyes with a glinting silver blue eyes. Crystal clear under the moon's light.

"Lost again?" Nicklaus teases me. I'm unable to do anything, but listen. "You must have been tired from wandering around." He state simply as he approaches me with such fast gait that I'm left frozen, and rendered speechless.

The air shift around me all of the sudden as I feel a hand carry my legs off the ground, and my hair sprawling as more cold breeze beats against my skin, but before I could be sure of anything, I'm standing in front of Nicklaus again...and...and we are inside the clubhouse. My hands are entwined and locking his neck, while his hands are on my back, bit lowered, almost touching my behind. I gasp from realization and step away from him. He doesn't give any emotion away. For a second, I'm outside, in the chilled air and he's talking to me, but the next, flashily, I'm inside, dancing in rhythm to the music with him. The fact that his skin is cold under the warm room baffles me.

"How—" I was unable to finish with my statement as suddenly again, I'm sitting on the same barstool I had stood from earlier, and he's sitting beside me. There's two glass shot in Nicklaus' hands. He hands one to me, and the other for himself, and gesture with his head for me to scoop up the cup. I did not do as he's bidding.

"What's happening?" I ask him in a small, and meticulous voice, one that I do not intend to use, but comes out anyway. From outside, to dancing inside, and now at the booth, sitting.

"Drink, or you'll be transported again." He says. I quickly pick up the cup. Does his inhuman actions that's always gives me the headache have portal powers? With a smack from me, my subconscious is off, holding her cheeks as she cries. I don't need her disturbance now.

I drink the shot, and feel the heat climb up my nerves again, agitating and at the same time, inebriating my body.

"You will come with me to the hospital now since your mother is there. You can not drive in this state. Shade will bring your car to you later, or whichever way you want it." He says demandingly. I shake my head.

"You do not tell me what to do, okay? How did you even know if my mother is not having night-shift?"

"Remember the hospital is owned by my father. I can tell him to shift your mother's shift to another's."

What's with the odd accent of his and weird way of addressing his dad and my mom?

I sigh, surrendered. "Well, I have to let Shade know I'm off. Don't want to scare her like the other night where you were busy sucking necks, or whatever shit you're doing, which obviously leads Lydia and I into this mess, where, in the thrilling case, I wouldn't be allowed an insight to understand what's going on." I blurt out in addition.

"Point understood. My sister's talked to Shade and Mia."

"What's your sister's name?"

"Adeline." He mention simply, no stress.

"Oh."

"Now, let's go."

"I need to confirm."

Before my brain can process much, I'm being pulled by my arm under the influence of a strong, cold hand, and away from the booth to the crowds that's dancing.

"There." Nicklaus points to somewhere in the crowd, and somehow I'm able to locate where his long, pale fingers are pointing to, and see Shade, being talked to by Adeline, his sister.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"Sure." I reply angrily. Can a girl not be curious?

With Nicklaus' hand guiding my movement, we get out of the building safely. I hiccup, still feeling affected by the alcohol and this bad boy had to force me to drink another shot. So much for me not drive home myself.

"We're not walking, are we?" I ask when he starts walking ahead of me. As usual, he is unconcerned by his facial expression, but by attitude, he is very concerned.

"No."

Walking behind him, I hiccup again, this time, feeling nauseated in the pits of my stomach. My forehead hurts at the same time and every now and then, since he's left me to walk on my own, I've started tripping over my very legs. I couldn't keep up with his graceful steps.

He stops walking and turns back to me, his eyes roaming my frame. I look down at my cloths instinctively and raise my gaze back at him. Why was he looking at me like that, as if I'm some kind of cooked meat?

"What?" I shout at him. If he's taken aback, he sure knows how to hide it then. He gait closer to me and tap my forehead. Unknowing to me, I flinch and I'm again locked into his darker taint of silver blue eyes. It's like he's reading my soul, telling her what to do. He's telling my stubborn subconscious what to do?

My head calms and like a reverse reaction, I feel the sober-ness crawling in and mitigating the alcohol's effect. My body lightens up as if released from a heavy weight.

"Now, you should be able to walk in silence—and not get yourself wounded." He says. I knew it. Comment my subconscious. He sounds caring. Killers don't sound that way. Or perhaps they do at the initial stages to deceive their victim. No! I'm not a victim.

"Thanks."

Nicklaus glances at me from the corners from his eyes. "You're welcome." His tone is gentle. I savour the tone.

Darkness fills more of my vision as we walk into farther distance away from the clubhouse where lights are. The streetlight are fewer here which darkens the area, but with the help of the moon, I am able to see clearly enough not to collide with him in case he stops walking suddenly in front of me.

I jog to meet up with him, and thankfully, he lessen his steps, mollifying my own legs in the process.

"You never gave up, do you?"

"If I have would I be in any mess?" I question back. Nicklaus nods at me in agreement, and smirks.

"I wanted you to leave. I don't want to be attached." He says as we walk on.

"I won't reject you if you want to be." My voice is small, and collective. I had to calm and think before I say anything. I don't want to spoil any of this.

"Actually I'm the one spoiling things." He says, out of league, catching me off guard. I gape momentarily, shocked. Did he...just read my mind, or thoughts?

"I did."

"I don't know if my theory about you is right, but I wish if you can tell me what you really are. I can never hate you for long, not forever. I've seen it. I know it. I don't want to think of you as something you might not be." I say, my voice becoming lower and lower.

"Whatever you think of me will actually be what I am. I've known it." He smiles a crook smile at me. I return a thin-lined smile back at him. He faces his front once more. Even though, I haven't understood him still I think this will be the first time, I'll not feel puzzled by his words. He's more clearer than usual. I hope he doesn't change back.

"You are right. I know you are not a killer. I know you did something to Lydia that you regretted. I know you did something to me." I breath. " And I also know you stopped the van with your hands."

I had expected a different reaction which will be repulsing kind, but Nicklaus smiles at nothing but himself. The sides of eyes wrinkles, but normalize when he stops.

"You are my chosen truly. I remembered everything I wanted you to forget."

"You do talk insane, you know?" I ask, snickering.

"I've always known." He replies.

I hiccup again, feeling the nausea comes again. I look behind me and realize that we've walked far. I hiccup again and stop walking. Nicklaus stops too.

"I think I'll soon vomit." I say as I feel my throat feels uncomfortable.

"Hold still then." Is all I hear Nicklaus say before he sweeps me off my feet, carrying me in a piggy back ride all of the sudden, and next he's fixated my legs to hook the sides of his waist with the help of his though to hold me still. Afterwards, he picks up a pace, jogging fastly at the start before changes into running. He is running humanly fast, and till we get to the hospital, he never slows down which leaves me reeling.

His sister, Adeline approaches us the moment we walk in the hospital after I had gut out all the waste caused by the alcohol and takes him away. I now feel sober. Really sober.

I take out my phone from my purse and turn on the front camera. Once it's on, I check my face to find that my makeup hasn't spoilt that much, but wasn't great either. At least it is manageable, and enough to convince mom that I didn't do whatever she might be thinking I could have done. I pretty much as sexually saint as I was at birth. I take the stairs to higher floor where Mom is likely to be. When the elevator dings and opens, I get out and getting to the registry, I talk to the blonde woman behind the counter.

"Hi, I'm Rayne, Mrs. Chloe's daughter. She's having night-shift and I'm here to see her." I say calmly and healthily. I check my breath to smell that its scent is okay since I have washed my mouth with the water from the tap, just outside the hospital building.

The woman checks the computer in front of her, sharing half smile at me. Raising her gaze, she points to a door, that just in time opens to reveal Mom.

"There—"

Mom was confused momentarily before she walks over, passing a record book to another nurse, whom they both walk out of the door together.

"Rayne, how are you dear?" Mom says and pull me into a big bear hug. "You surprised me, you know? I didn't expect you. Was your Dad that boring?" She ask as she releases me.

"No. I came here with Nicklaus." I tell her.

"Nicklaus who?" Mom has no clue. I expected Mom to know Nicklaus' name since he's the son of the owner, but then, Nicklaus isn't the kind who associate with people that much. He might not have let anyone know he's the owner's son.

"Doctor Aaron's son." I say, and Mom arches her brows.

"Oh." Realization dwells on her. "That's his name."

Just as Mom finishes saying, her fellow nurses rushes a man in, lying unconsciously on the stretcher.

"I need to go. My help will be needed." Mom hastily says as the man is wheeled into the ICU room.

"Can I come with you?" I don't know why, but I'm intrigued by the matter. I want to know what happened to the man, especially with him being soaked in his own crimson.

"That's impossible and you know that. Find a place to seat." Mom begins to leave for the ICU.

"I'm not a kid Mom. I'll stay outside and watch from the glass." I sound pleading. Mom exhale exasperatedly, and closes her eyes. Opening them, she tilts her head as a beckoning sign.