Shadow Kiss

Chapter 4

******Zak’s P.O.V.******

I watched in shock as she walked away. It’s weird. She has been with us for a little over an hour and I still didn’t know her name. Of course, I had never bothered to ask.
I didn’t mean to act so harsh to her, but I was still reeling from what that palm reader has said a couple of days ago. My soul was damned? And I had to rely on a woman to save me? How in the hell was I supposed to know when I had found her? The woman hadn’t exactly given me any helpful clues.
I sighed in frustration and sat down on the edge of my bed. I gripped my head between my hands. I didn’t exactly believe in what that woman said, but then again I did. My mind was full of mixed emotions and confused thoughts all swirling around at once. Not only that, but then this girl is added to the mess and I end up unleashing my anger out on her. I lifted my head up to stare at the doorway where she had stomped away from. She did seem to handle my snappish comment kind of well though.
I shook my head clear of any thoughts and stood up.
“Hey, Zak?” Nick poked his head into the room.
“Yeah, Nick?”
“We’re ready to head out when you are,” he informed me.
“Thanks. Ah, wait, Nick!” I called out before he could walk too far away from the doorway.
“Yeah?”
“Erm…what, uh…what’s that girl’s name?” I inquired softly slightly embarrassed.
“Um, Aerolynn. She likes to go by Aero or Lynn though. I figured you already knew that?” Nick cocked a dark brow in curiosity.
“I’ve been busy so I haven’t had the chance to ask for her name,” I replied absentmindedly.
“You could have asked her when you first met her instead of interrogating her on the authenticity of the place,” Nick suggested.
I shot him a glare. “Let’s just go, okay?” I snapped.
Nick smiled. “You got it.”
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~~~~~~Aerolynn’s P.O.V.~~~~~~

“Well that wasn’t too bad of a tour,” Aaron yawned as he stretched his arms high above his head. We had just finished the tour and were now heading back to the van.
“It seems Aero was right though about those stories on the internet. From what the owner of the house was telling us, none of those kinds of things happened there,” Nick replied smiling over at me.
I smiled back. It was too bad Nick was married. He was such a cutie.
“Tomorrow night we can begin setting up the equipment,” Zak chimed in from behind us. I scowled. I had been hoping by meeting them I could get close to Zak and kind of find out more about him, but with the way he has been acting…I’m not sure I want to anymore. I mean, I want to believe he has a legitimate reason to be acting the way he is, but I’m just not sure. Maybe I can ask Nick and Aaron if he is typically like this with guest investigators off-camera.
“Man, I’m starving,” Aaron complained wrapping his arms around his stomach.
Nick laughed. “Alright, we’ll go get something to eat then.”
“Hey, guys, I need to swing by my apartment and pack up some things before heading back to the hotel. Is it alright if we head there first?”
“Yeah, sure thing,” Nick agreed opening the car door for me.
“Thanks,” I smiled in gratitude at him before cutting a glare at Zak. He glared straight back. Even when I was angry with him and he was acting like a complete ass, I still found him incredibly attractive. Ugh, what is wrong with me?
We all piled into the van and headed back to my apartment. I lived on the third (top) floor and was renting one of the two apartments that occupied that floor. It was larger than all the other ones below it, but compared to my last apartment it was a major downsize. It also cost a lot less, too, than the other apartment which as definitely a plus in my book.
I took my keys out of my Invader Zim purse and opened the door to my apartment.
“Wow, nice place,” Aaron complimented stepping in after me.
“Is it expensive?” Nick inquired as he headed for the leather couch in the living room.
I shrugged. “Not as expensive as my last apartment.”
Zak was the last to enter. I could tell by the look on his face that he was surprised and impressed, but was too proud to say anything after our little spat at the motel.
“Make yourselves at home. I’ll only be a few minutes,” I told them.
They all mumbled something as they discovered I had an X-Box 360 and Playstation 3. I rolled my eyes. Men.
I walked down the hallway to my bedroom and began packing some of my things into a large suitcase. I was one of those people that damn near packed the entirety of their room into their suitcase afraid I might need “that one thing”, when I really knew I probably didn’t.
I was just about to head into my closet and pick out some outfits when I heard a light rapping on my door.
“Come in,” I called out continuing on my way to the closet.
To my surprise, it was Zak.
“Oh…hi,” I greeted unsure of what else to say and how to react. I didn’t want to lower myself any further to his level by acting cold towards him, but at the same time I really wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine.
“Hey…I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I shouldn’t have said that.”
I was taken aback, but kept a calm appearance. I sifted through my clothes in the closet. “It’s no big deal. It’s not like you hurt my ‘delicate sensibilities’.”
“Ah, I see.”
The room had grown so quiet that I assumed he had silently left the room. I was shocked to see him standing by my nightstand with a picture frame in his hand when I turned around with some outfits in hand.
“Is this your family?” he asked looking up at me. I nearly tripped all over myself when those bluish-hazel eyes met mine. It was the first time I had seen them hold any warmth towards me. I quickly looked away as I felt a light blush pinken my cheeks.
“Um, yeah. My mom passed away shortly after I was born and then when I was fifteen my dad was killed by a drunk driver. All that was left was me and my brother. He raised me until I was 18. I’ve been on my own ever since,” I quietly explained.
“Did you go to college?” he asked placing the picture back where I had it.
I shook my head as I set the clothes down on the bed to be folded into the suitcase. “No, but my brother did and then joined the military after he graduated. It kind of makes me feel bad that he still feels the need to financially support me even though I’m 25 years old,” I sighed.
“You’re 25?” Zak asked slightly shocked.
I laughed. “Yeah, why? Do I look older or something?”
He shook his head vehemently back and forth. “No, not at all. I thought you were at least 21.”
“Thanks, but no,” I smiled packing the clothes from my closet into the suitcase.
Soon the room grew uncomfortable with the sudden silence.
“Uh, so…may I ask why you were a dick to me earlier today? Was it because you were hungry or something?” I questioned as I began heading for my bathroom.
“Um…yeah, I guess. Just been under a lot of stress lately, you know? We’re supposed to have so many episodes to air by the next season rolls around and it’s tough sometimes,” Zak sighed rubbing the back of his neck.
“Yeah, I can imagine,” I called out to him from the bathroom. I grabbed my toothbrush, toothpaste, and facial wash before heading out of the bathroom. I packed my personal care into my suitcase and zipped it shut.
“Alright, I think I’m ready to head out,” I sighed in relief. I glanced up and noticed for the first time how close Zak had moved to me.
My eyes were level with the top of his chest. Being so close to him, I could see the clear outlines of his muscles through the thin, tight fabric of his shirt. I would always admire him while wearing those shirts when watching him on television. But being up close and personal to the real thing? Completely different. I swallowed passed the lump in my throat and resisted the urge to reach out and just run my hand over his abdomen. My eyes slowly made their way from the belt of his pants all the way up to his broadened shoulders. Then my eyes slowly made their way to his face. All I could do was stare and admire his features. Square jawline, aristocratic nose, high cheekbones, and piercing bluish-hazel eyes. Beyond that though were his lips. Those perfectly crafted, kissable lips. I watched in envy as his pink tongue darted out and wet those delectable lips of his.
I couldn’t stop staring. I wanted so badly to kiss him. I had dreamed of this moment for years and now here it was in front of me presenting itself. All I had to do was lift up onto my tip toes and brush my lips against his. That’s all I had to do. So why couldn’t I move?
“You have such beautiful honey brown eyes,” Zak whispered softly running his fingers along my jawline.
I swallowed hard. “Th-thanks,” I stammered feeling my cheeks pinken. God, I felt like such a schoolgirl right now!
“You, uh, have some pretty awesome eyes yourself,” I clumsily complimented. You have some pretty awesome eyes yourself? What the hell is wrong with me? I mentally facepalmed myself.
Zak gently tilted my head back so that my eyes met his. His face inched closer to mine. I panicked. First, he acts like a complete jerk to me and now he wants to kiss me? What was this crap? Was it his way of flirting or something? I didn’t know what else to do so I closed my eyes waiting for the moment his lips would meet mine. Whether he had been a jerk or not, kissing him was still a fantasy of mine.
His fingers gently brushed my skin beneath my eye making goosebumps appear all over my skin.
“You had a runaway eyelash on your cheek,” he whispered in my ear. My eyes snapped open to see him smiling. My cheeks flushed a bright red in embarrassment. He straightened to his full height before shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
“Well, if you’re ready to go, then let’s head out and get something to eat.” Zak ruffled my hair before quietly leaving the room.
After he had left the room, I smacked my palm hard against my forehead.
I can’t believe I thought he was going to kiss me.
God I’m such an idiot sometimes. Epic fail on my part.