Chapter Eight - Part Two

“What was your proof?” I said.

“Sully’s diary.” Tidus said, straightening and stuffing his hands in his pockets. “She admitted that she felt guilty for what happened, and she confessed that my brother had had nothing to do with her attack. Someone else was responsible, but she never wrote who. Not even in the suicide note.”

“Well it sounds to me like someone out there would have had a lot to lose if you exposed the truth. Someone obviously stole it from you, and maybe whoever took the diary still has it. Hey, maybe you can get it back –”

“Naomi, it’s been almost sixty years.” Tidus said, his voice coming out suddenly harsh, and condescending. “The person who did this could be dead by now, or very close to it.”

“Ok,” I said, trying not to feel hurt. “But maybe that person wasn’t a Human or a Wolf. Maybe it was another Vampire – and if that’s the case, then there’s more than a good chance that this person is still alive.”

“And what makes you think they didn’t destroy the diary, huh, Naomi?” Tidus replied, taking a step towards me in his anger. “Why would someone leave that kind of evidence just lying around for sixty years? Because if I were them, I would have gotten rid of it the second I had the chance.”

“You know what?” I said, staring him down as I crossed my arms over my chest. “It kinda seems like maybe you don’t really want the diary found, Tidus. You’re acting like maybe you’d just prefer it stayed hidden, but that wouldn’t make much sense. Because only Sully’s attacker – or someone who knew who the identity of the attacker – would want something like that. But that’s just my input…”

A few moments of heated stillness ensued as we both glowered at each other. Quickly, I put my hands behind my back to hide their sudden shaking. It was too much too fast to allow myself to suspect that Tidus could have attacked Sully. After all, his anger at her could have been an obvious motive.

But at the same time, looking into those angry, hurting eyes, I had a hard time even imagining that Tidus would have ever let his brother take the fall for something so appalling.

“Look, I’m sorry if I cornered you into that story.” I said, in attempt to break the ice. “I didn’t bring this up in order to make you a punching bag. I just wanted to make sure that what happened between our families isn’t going to determine what happens between us.”

“You asked for the story, and I had no problem giving it to you.” he said, and the narrowing of his eyes told me that my apology had only served in exasperating him further. “And it’s up to you to decide what to make of it. But understand, this isn’t leverage for us to somehow get closer. You and I – we’re business, Naomi. So don’t waste your time inventing problems between us that you think need solving.”

And without another word, Tidus brushed past me to join the line of fellow passengers that were beginning the queue to board the plane. Feeling my own stirrings of anger, I observed as the young blonde attendant that was accepting tickets immediately caught his attention. They locked eyes, and he grinned, causing her to smile coquettishly at him from around her line of customers.

It were as if he was intentionally going out of his way to flirt with her right there in front of me. And it was so juvenile and petty a move that I couldn’t help but feel wounded – even though I knew that I was just giving him exactly what he wanted.

But no matter how hard I glared, Tidus didn’t look at me again, nor did he as much as sigh in my direction. His gaze was intently focused on the blonde – and her alone. So feeling grassed, and a little self-conscious, I took my place in line behind him. Besides, I knew that I would only look weak if I backed out now, and I’d be lucky if Addy or Ethan ever let me live it down.

Meanwhile, the line moved forward quickly. And as soon as Tidus reached the attractive blonde (whose name was Candi, according to the nametag), she immediately took the liberty of striking up a conversation.

“I see you’re flying to New York.” she said in a purr. “Me too. We should hang out after touchdown, maybe go for a drink?”

“You know, I am dying for a good drink.” he replied with a charming smile. And Candi took his ticket and handed him back the stub, blushing as he walked away.

“FYI hon – that one’s a total Vampire. He’ll leave you with nothing but an empty tequila bottle and despair. But that’s only if you survive after he rips your heart out.”

“Oh god. Are you his ex?” she asked with a scowl, thrusting the stub at me.

“Actually, I prefer to call myself a victim…” I said with a forlorn sigh, before miserably trudging away. And with a grin, I caught up to Tidus, who stood waiting for me at the tunnel entrance. But remarkably, he looked far more amused than upset.

“Feel better?” he asked.

I looked behind me and made it a point to observe Candi, who was currently staring with fury at Tidus.

“Actually, yeah. I kinda do.” I replied cheerfully, and marched past Tidus and into the tunnel.

*  *  *

A little more than an hour and a half was actually spent on the plane, but somehow the flight felt more like an eternity. And that the seats were first class – with all the luxuries the plane could afford – made no difference at all. It didn’t distract me from brooding as I stared out the window, absorbed in the blackness of the night. And beside me, Tidus remained closemouthed, flipping idly through some complimentary magazine – not upset with me, but clearly not interested either.

And after our flight finally touched down, Tidus and I left the plane and navigated the crowded terminal. We bypassed the baggage claims area, and headed straight for the exit, where two attendants were already waiting to escort us from the building. Wielding luggage carts that contained our bags, they followed us outside, where instantly I was greeted by the chilly touch of a true NYC night. Slipping on my shades, I looked upwards to an inkwell studded with drops of silver, shedding its light on a city chock-full of sound and color. Besides Harbor Village, I had never seen a backdrop so foreign or striking.

“Well,” I said, without looking at Tidus. “I’m gonna find a hotel room and then get really drunk – alone. You can call me tomorrow, but if you don’t mind, just give me a few hours to deal with the hangover.”

I turned away from him and pulled out my cellphone to find a number for a cab in the city. But Tidus gently caught hold of my sleeve and pulled me back to him.

“Don’t bother. I’ve booked The Penthouse in the Waldorf Towers – there’s plenty of room for us both.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.” I said, still absorbed in my phone.

“It would be a waste of your money.” Tidus insisted, drawing my attention by harnessing the speeding of light to steal my phone. But by the time I looked up, I hadn’t the faintest clue where he’d put it, as his hands were already dangling empty at his sides. I blew out my breath and he looked back at me with a small, teasing smile that left me both enamored and confused.

While considering his offer, and trying to appear more irritated than impressed, I surveyed the busy sidewalk around us. People were in a constant stream of either coming or going. They scurried to their destinations, chatting, texting or tweeting their lives away. And they were all completely unaware of my existence – they didn’t care who I was, or what I looked like. And consequently, none of them made a single attempt at eye contact as they passed me by. All except Tidus, that is. And as I felt his eyes fixed intently upon me, I realized that this was the reason I had strayed from the lit path and taken the road into darkness. His eyes were the licking flames, and I was the timid moth.

“So lemme get this straight.” I said, and finally looked at him. “You don’t trust me, you don’t like me, and you’ve made it abundantly clear that we’re not friends, yet you’re ok living with me?

“I’ve endured two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the taste of blood ruined by the bubonic plague.” he replied smoothly. “And something tells me I’ll survive you too.”

“Ok, fine.” I said, lifting my chin obstinately. “But I get full access to the mini bar. And I want one of those monogrammed bathrobes – the big, fluffy kind. And I’d like my phone back while you’re at it.”

“Whatever you want.” Tidus replied easily. “Phone’s in your purse, by the way.

“And you don’t happen to snore, do you? Because if you do, you should feel embarrassed, because they have procedures for that kind of thing. Not to mention, I find it obnoxious and rude –”

“Naomi,” Tidus said, looking upwards to the sky as he searched for more patience. “The walls are thick, and I’m also a Vampire, remember? I don’t blush, I don’t need to eat the food in the mini bar, and I don’t need to breathe, which means I don’t snore. Anymore questions?”

“Yeah, I’ve got another question for you, smartass. If Vampires don’t have blood flow, then how do you get your jimmies to work? Because without blood flow – from a biological standpoint alone – sex for Vampires should be impossible … right?”

“Would you like me to show you?” he said in a low voice, from behind gritted teeth.

“Ouch. Too far? Yeah? Still so sure you can live with me now?”

I said with a sneer, reveling in the anger that seemed to spread across his face. He needed to know that he wasn’t the only one in control here. My feelings could be hurt, and my ego could be bruised, but I would never admit defeat in the face of my own fear. Even if that fear was slightly inspired by Tidus.

He lunged forward without warning, and took me completely by surprise, despite the fact that he had moved with a speed that was perfectly Human. I yelped as Tidus easily picked me up, slinging me across his shoulder to dangle upside down, helpless, as he captured the perfect moment to sprint through a break in four lanes of traffic. Earlier, I hadn’t noticed the two attendants slip away during our conversation, but apparently they had loaded our bags into a stretch limo that had been parked across the street the entire time.

After crossing the street, Tidus set me down before one of the passenger side doors of the limo, smirking down at me as I recovered from the indignity I had just suffered.

“Well,” I said, sounding like a stuffy old biddy as I smoothed my curls and tried to regain my composure.

“The problem is not whether or not I can live with you, Naomi.” he said softly, looking down at me from cool blue eyes that devoured me, heart and soul. “The problem… is whether or not I can resist you.”

*  *  *

It was an hour’s drive from JFK to the Waldorf Astoria. And despite his earlier admission, neither of us seemed to feel that it was the right time to re-approach the subject. Instead, we simply enjoyed fine champagne courtesy of the limousine company and admired the view of the city.

Eventually, the limo pulled up to the curb of the hotel, where two finely dressed bellmen waited to receive us. I took one of the men’s gloved hands after he opened my door, thanking him, and he looked back at me with the usual well-mannered impassivity of people with such jobs. But before he could return the smile, his expression changed from civility to horror. Frightened, he dropped my hand and stepped back.

“Miss – your eyes!”

Momentarily I was confused, but it didn’t take long for me to cotton on.

“Shit.” Hastily, I grabbed my sunglasses from my coat pocket and jammed them onto my face. “Sorry,” I said to Tidus, but judging from the mask of trepidation on the bellman’s face, this was something an apology definitely couldn’t fix.

“Forget you saw that.” Tidus said, stepping in for the rescue, and sliding the man a crisp, folded note. Instantly, both men seemed to be locked in an unbreakable gaze, as if one were magnetically drawn to the other. And I watched, in amazement, as the look off horror on the other man’s face seemed to slide away like a plateful of runny eggs.

“Ok,” the man said, in an odd, dreamy voice. He blinked several times, shook his head once, and then turned to help his co-worker in the task of unloading our bags.

“Sorry about that.” I said, feeling the need to apologize again. “It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while I forget to put my contacts in at night. It won’t happen again.”

“Must be quite a nuisance – your eyes giving you away like that.” said Tidus, casually.

“Yeah,” I said. “It is. Light reflects differently on a Wolf’s eyes, so at night the moonlight causes our eyes glow. It can really be a pain.”

With a simple nod of acknowledgment, Tidus began to walk closer to the Waldorf’s front entrance, but something about what had just happened caused me to hold back.

“Um, Tidus?” I said, and he turned back to me with an air of unpleasant expectancy, as if he already knew what this was about. “You could have handed a one dollar bill to that guy and he wouldn’t have noticed.” I said in a low voice. “He didn’t even look in his hand.”