their walk

Chapter 10

          Being with Annabelle felt so natural to Dimitri. He hated that he had lived so long without her. As they walked he noticed tiny little things that gave Annabelle away as not being human but he doubted that anyone would look that close. Annabelle’s subtle catness seemed obvious to him. The way that she didn’t insist on holding his hand. The way that her walk was more graceful than any royalty or any model for that matter. Dimitri didn’t think that Annabelle even noticed him as she walked confidently down the street. Annabelle looked like she was having so much fun.

          Dimitri loved just watching Annabelle be herself. He wished more humans would be more like that. Annabelle seemed so happy by herself but Dimitri having been inside Annabelle’s head he knew how much Annabelle really hated being alone but works hard to not show it.

          Dimitri looked at the cat and had a thought as she stopped to look into a shop window. Before Dimitri could grab Annabelle’s hand like he planned Annabelle opened the door and walked into the shop. Dimitri looked up at the sign above the door and realized that Annabelle had just walked straight into a tattoo parlour. He was sure that she knew exactly what she was doing, Annabelle wasn’t the type to just walk into a place without knowing exactly what it offered and what she wanted. Dimitri just had no idea what she wanted, and like most cats Annabelle didn’t think she had to explain herself to anyone.

          Annabelle walked into the clean well lit shop and smiled as she noticed Dimitri hesitate. Annabelle though that this might shock him but she wasn’t really here on business, she came here just to chat.

          The place looked the same as the last time Annabelle had been there. The walls were still covered in art from local artists and the floors were still dark shiny wood. There was still a comfortable overstuffed leather couch for customers to sit on as they wait. The counters were still the main focus of the shop displaying all the merchandise. Annabelle had always loved looking at all the jewellery that the staff could put into your body. The cat behind the counter was still the same too.

          “Well if it isn’t Annabelle Lee one of my favourite cats.” The girl behind the counter said as she flashed a very genuine smile at Annabelle and the vampire who walked in behind her.

  “Yes, Nightshade, it’s me. How have you been?” Annabelle asked the cat.

Dimitri looked the cat over and deduced that there was no way that this girl was anything other than a cat. It was almost like she wasn’t trying to hide the fact that she wasn’t human. She was pretty enough by human standards. She had black hair with green streaks running through it. Her skin was paler than most vampires with more tattoos than seemed possible on one person. She had a number of piercings some on her face and a whole line of gems running up both of her ears. Though at first glance she might look like some misunderstood gothic girl that worked in a tattoo shop but Dimitri had the ability to look closer and saw that Nightshade as she was called, was indeed a cat.

  “Nightshade this is Dimitri. Dimitri this is one of my cousins Nightshade.” Annabelle said pulling Dimitri out of his analysis of Nightshade.  

“Hello, Nightshade. It’s very good to meet you. I feel like I should remember you but everything is a bit jumbled in my head.” Dimitri said with one of his most charming smiles.

Nightshade’s mouth dropped open and she stared at the vampire. “You two are bonded?” The cat asked astonished. “When? Why didn’t you tell me?” The questions poured from her mouth without stopping.

“Nightshade you didn’t know? I thought my mother would tell everyone the moment it happened. I thought that she would already be planning some crazy elaborate party that we would be forced to go to.” Annabelle said shocked at her mother’s restraint for once.  

“Your mother does seem like the type to send some kind of mass email telling every supernatural person she knows the good news.”  Dimitri said a little relieved that Annabelle’s mother hasn’t told everyone.

“Well no one told me a f*****g thing about any of this. I feel so utterly left out.” Nightshade complained dramatically with a grin.

“Nightshade what have I told you about language in my shop?” The voice came from a tall broad shouldered man standing in the doorway to one of the private rooms. Dimitri had no idea who this man was and one look at Annabelle he knew that this man was new to her as well. “I apologize for Nightshade’s fowl mouth I have been trying to get her to be more polite but she is the most stubborn person I have ever met. I would fire her but apparently she can be incredibly charming.” The man seemed to look at Nightshade with a mix of annoyance and admiration.

Annabelle looked the man over. He towered over her. He must terrify people but Annabelle was no ordinary person for him to scare. Annabelle looked at her cousin who stood behind the counter taking no notice of whoever this man was. She then looked at Dimitri and she gave him a smile. “Sir, I have been dealing with Nightshade and her lack of manners our whole life, there is no way you will ever get her to do anything she does not want to do. I would advise you to let her do as she pleases.”

The man looked as if he were going to move towards Annabelle but he took a very long look at Dimitri and decided against it. He turned and stalked away on to one of the back rooms.

“Who was he?” Dimitri asked. He didn’t like that look that he gave Annabelle and Dimitri did not want Annabelle’s cousin to get in to trouble because of them. He didn’t say anything though. He knew that Nightshade would probably want to kill him if he in any way expressed doubt that she could take care of herself.

Annabelle looked at her vampire she could read his face like one of her favourite books. She could tell that he was concerned about Nightshade and knew that he wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt. Annabelle smiled at her vampire he really was sweet when he wanted to be.

There came a loud yell from one of the private rooms that startled all three of them. A tiny blonde opened one of the doors still yelling at someone that was still inside the room. The woman seemed to be angry about something on her left arm. She turned and headed through a door marked as the ladies room. Annabelle and Dimitri looked confused, but Nightshade looked around before she started laughing. The man from the room smiled but he didn’t seem very happy. “An léei “kéfi " gia mia akómi̱ forá tha ti̱n skotó̱sei kai na pínoun káthe stagóna tou aímatos sto só̱ma ti̱s.” He said to Nightshade. She laughed and smiled at the man.

“Annabelle Dimitri this is Alex he is one of our best tattoo artists, with one of the worst clients on the planet.” Nightshade said still giggling.

“What the hell did he just say to that girl?” Dimitri asked concerned about the girl. “What language is that any way?

The two cats shared a look. “Dimitri calm down he was speaking Greek. She apparently has a habit of saying whimsy, which really annoys him, so much to the point of completely forgetting discretion.

“I am sorry guys I was not expecting to have an audience. She really is incredibly annoying to someone n my line of work.” He said in English.

“Is she still complaining about the design?” Nightshade asked.

“She will never stop complaining. Sometimes I really just want to eat her.” Alex replied.

Dimitri looked confused. “That girl wants a tattoo of a unicorn on her arm and she continues to say make it more whimsy and being as spoiled as she is she wont stop nagging at me until it is perfect. It really pushes my self-control to its limit.” Alex said. He seemed to be calmer than he was a few minutes ago. Alex was a tall slender man. He had ink all over his hands and a grin on his face.

Annabelle looked from Alex to Nightshade wondering what was going on between the two. “We should get back to work before she finds something else to complain about. How about you come over to our place for dinner?” Nightshade asked.

“Very funny Nightshade I remember your cooking.” Annabelle said smiling at her cousin.

“Yes her cooking is beyond inedible. I really have no idea how she would survive if I was not here to cook for her.” Alex said smiling at Nightshade. “I however can cook wonders and would be delighted to cook for you.”

“We would be delighted to accept your offer. Shall we be there the usual time?” Annabelle asked.

“Yes, I suppose that we should not deviate from our usual.” Nightshade said as she absently straightened some things behind the counter. “Am I really that predictable?” she asked not really expecting an answer.

“Nightshade you will never be predictable but if we don’t leave soon I do think you will be fired. We will see you later.” Annabelle replied and turned toward the door to leave.

Alex turned back towards his private room, “He would not dare fire my kitty.” He said and walked into the room and began cleaning off his instruments.

          As Annabelle and Dimitri left the little shop Dimitri tried to remember what it was like for Annabelle to grow up with that cat. It must have been fun. The two walked back towards their home in silent thought. It wasn’t awkward though it was peaceful.

Reviews

[cloakedone]

well i'm a big fan on fantasy and i enjoyed this .I commend you.


~cloaked one

[nightshade]

thank you for reading!!! I am so glad you liked it. I am still in the process of writing the next chapter and I'm not sure when I will be able to upload because I have to study for finals. sorry

[cloakedone]

its ok dont rush this story,ts wonderful...and hope you pass