Bitten Lover

Chapter 1

Mey

The waiting room was teal with grey wicker chairs and a few plants upon the window-sill. The lavender scent of the waiting room brought a sense of ease. I was nervous I could tell by the tapping of my foot that wouldn't stop.

After months of waiting I finally had my interview with Blanche. Mrs. Patterson kept telling me the whole way here I had nothing to be worried about. But, with all the money she and Haley shelled out to get me here I had better not mess this up. This is my last chance at finding someone within the companion program.

I was treating this first sit down like a job interview. I was like Mrs Patterson I didn't leave Manhattan unless I needed to. And this was the first time in 3 months I had left Manhattan and ventured out into to Edison. I guess I wasn't important enough for their Manhattan office but beggars can't be choosers I'll take anything.

I had on a simple v-neck black dress with a full skirt and a pair of matching high heels.

"Miss Chu" The receptionist behind the glass desk smiled. "Dr. Taylor will see you now".

I stood up and prayed I moved with the confidence I didn't have. The petite blonde haired woman opened a teal door for me to go inside. The room is like a perfect magazine cover. The couch is cream but inlaid with a fine green silk; leaves embroidered so delicately that they might have landed there in spring and just sunk in, but I know they took hundreds of hours to sew. The white curtains are linen, the kind of white that is untouched by hands and devoid of dust. A cursory look to the right shows me the almost hidden cords that are used to open and close them. There is no television, but hundreds of books behind a white desk in a display fireplace which leaps with a gas flame. There are photographs in black and white, not casual family snaps, but arranged to look like such by a professional. Any one of them wouldn't look out of place in a spread of a magazine. The floor is a high polished wood, dark and free of either dust or clutter.

"Miss Chu, it's a pleasure to finally meet you", a highly polished woman said behind the pristine desk.

I don't know how this woman was going to help me find my forever match. Seeing as she was dropped it gorgeous I'm sure she didn't have the problem I was dealing with. Her skin was the hue of an English oak in spring rains, Her long black hair was pulled back into a curly bun that looked beautiful with her almond-shaped face. She was toned tall and had the most vibrant green eyes I had ever seen. She was dressed smartly in a black pants suit with pinstripes along the bell bottoms.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet me", I stated.

She stood up to shake my hand and I accepted immediately. The receptionist shut the door behind me and I was motion to sit in one of the white wicker chairs before the desk. "Can I get you any coffee or water?"

"No, I'm fine thank you".

"Okay", She smiled him with a flick of her wrist pulled up a holographic file and completely covered every inch of her desk.

"Well you already know that Blanche is in the business of happily ever afters. So today I just want to focus on you. I want to get to know the real Mey so I can find your Prince charming".

"I'm an open book", I smiled hoping my foot would stop it's incessive tapping.

"So just a little bit about me, my name is Joy Taylor, I've been with Blanche for over eight years now. I have successfully matched over 900 couples that have a retention rate of over 98% and most of my clients end up successfully matched within five months", She said probably leaning back in her chair.

"That's impressive. Hopefully you can work a miracle with me".

Joy smiled with her eyes even when her lips were still. At least I had someone who enjoyed their job. "I asure you we can find you someone Miss Chu. You're a beautiful young woman, we're going to make sure we find someone who can appreciate and see that. Do you have any questions before we begin?".

"None that I can think of off the top of my head".

"Okay, just keep in mind that PAM will be recording our conversation. But just think of this interaction like you were talking to your best friend at brunch. Just very candid casual conversation", She said speaking with her hands. Okay, I wasn't exactly a brunch type of girl but I could play along.

"When you look at your future where do you see yourself in 5 years? Are you a mother? Traveling the world? Fulfilling your dreams anything like that ringing a bell?"

Yep, because this is how me and my friends talk about the future. "Uummm, I should probably be getting serious about having kids?"

"Do you want children?"

Honestly?

No.

But if I say no to that question she may take me as a shrill. Someone who doesn't have that motherly gene that men definitely want. Is it bad to say in 5 years I just want a house, nice things and maybe the opportunity to travel to non-infected areas of the world?

"I would be open to the idea if my partner was interested", It was the best non answer I could give her.

"Hhhmmm, hhmmm, you know it's fine to say you don't want kids. We get a lot of folks, who aren't interested in that lifestyle", She said calling me out like she could tell I was lying. "You know many of our vampire bachelors can't exactly perform in that area. So knowing beforehand that this isn't a deal breaker opens your net of opportunities".

"If it happens it happens. But, I'm not dead set on I have to have children before I'm 30", I said just giving her a blunt answer.

"And that is perfectly fine. And there are many lifestyles out there and I just want to make sure that we place you with someone who has the same expectations as you do. Now do you see yourself as being more traditional or avant-garde as far as your role in the house?"

"I'm pretty independent. Open to whatever works".

"Yes, yes...would you say that you're someone who enjoys a quiet spot with a book or would you prefer to be at a concert?" She asked.

"I can do either one. It depends on what the book is and what the concert is".

"Right, good. And from your pre-assessment you can read and write. And you put down you enjoy shopping, fashion and movies. Can you elaborate on your interest?"

Damn.

Why don't you just call me a basic bitch. When I fill that out I was actually trying to be authentic. But authenticity isn't going to get me placed in the companionship model,"I really enjoy....camping? And exercising.... like yoga. I'm really passionate about volunteering especially with the... People?"

"Oooo, that's wonderful".

"Yeah...that's me", I grinned.

"And I noted on the education part you left it empty did you go to college?"

"I got my associates through my high school", It's not like Evian and had a bunch of universities and the ones that were still functioning were God awfully expensive.

"That's great", She said typing without even looking at her keyboard.

"And would you be interested in continuing your education if given the opportunity?"

Fuck no.

"Yes, I have a real passion for learning new things", I could tell by her smiles I was giving the right answers.

"And as far as your partner would be concerned if you could build your dream man what would he look like? What would he do? How would you two interact on a daily basis?"

"Well, taller than me would be nice, but not necessary", I was 5'5 so I wasn't asking for the world,"Really, it doesn't matter what he looks like as long as he's a good person and cares about me as much as I would care about him. Someone who's dependable, and wants to share their life with me. Bonus points if he's funny".

Lady, I will take whatever you give me at this point.

"Would you say you're more city or rural?"

"Open", I truly was open I had lived in Chicago then we moved to Therap. My family stayed in a little suburb community. I could honestly work with either one.

"Is there an age cutoff point?"

"For a vampire?" I restated with wide eyes trying to suppress how stupid I thought that question was.

"Well you know we have some older gentlemen and we have younger. It would be the age they were turned at not the actual age".

I would hope,"Under 3..5?"

"That's a good age range. We have a lot of new candidates who are in that bracket. ". Lucky me. "And what lifestyle are you looking for? Do you want to live in a mansion in the hills? A condo? Apartment? A little cabin in the woods? A house just on the edge of town? What would make you happy?"

"I mean don't we all want a mansion?" I joked.

"But is it going to take a mansion to make you happy?"

"I'll take a roof over my head", beggers can't be choosers.

"Okay, okay... Is there anything else you can think of that I may need to know to find your perfect match?"

"No, I think that's about it", I said as we both stood up.

"Well if you think of anything else feel free to call me day or night and I'll make sure I make the modifications on your profile. I'll be in contact before the end of the week to set up your first date".

"Perfect, thank you", I didn't get out right rejected so I'll take this as a win.

Joy walk me out of her office and we said our final goodbye as I stepped into the elevator. I lean against the cold metal wall and as soon as the metal door closed I felt I could finally breathe a sight of relief. Five months... and I would have my person and hopefully assemblance of a good life.

Hopefully, Mrs. Patterson would be willing to put up with me for that long.

For now, I think she only keeps me around to keep her mind off of Haley. I couldn't blame her for being worried I was too. Even with all of her money and power Mrs. Patterson didn't have any real answers as to why Haley just disappeared. I even reached out to those two girls, Emma and Raven, just to see if they knew anything ---all I got was nothing.

And that wasn't like Haley to just disappear without saying anything.

I didn't want to think the worst but it's been three months and we hadn't heard anything new. Even Noah seemed to have disappeared. Which completely canceled out my original idea that he may have hurt her or killed her. I was now clinging to the idea that they just enloped after their fancy weekend with POTUS.

But that happy thought never lasted long. There was a dark thought in the back of my head that they weren't living out their fairy tale ending and something terrible had happened to both of them.

The elevator was so smooth that I didn't even notice how deep in thought I was until the doors started to open.

"O fuck", I said come in the stand up straight as I meant honey golden eyes I never wanted to see again.

"Hello, to you too gorgeous", The dark haired man that had a weird fetish for people talking said casually strolling into the elevator. He was dressed casually in black jeans, a jacket and a t-shirt. I really didn't like how he just seemed to pop up and pinned me down in an enclosed spot just when I least expected it. I wasn't going to dignify his comment with a response as I strolled out of the elevator determined to show him he didn't affect me at all.

"It wouldn't kill you to say hello", Eric said right behind me as I push the wooden door open and headed out into a cold wet night. The blacktop street was as soothing as the velvet sky above. I stood on the end of the sidewalk and raised my hand for a taxi.

"I am sorry", I continued to ignore Eric. "I shouldn't have.. reacted---"

"Accosted", I corrected walking away from him.

"If I remember correctly your hands were on me too".

"Don't you have someone else to harass?"

"You make it really hard to offer up an apology", He groaned.

"The apology doesn't mean shit if it's not sincere", I shivered as a light mist started pouring down. I saw a taxi coming down the street and as I rushed for it Eric stepped in front of me with golden honey eyes.

"And how do I make it sincere in your eyes?"

"You can move out of my way to begin with", I fowned as the taxi barreled past me.

"Are you heading back to Manhattan?"

"I'm not telling you that. Go away".

"I'm just trying to be helpful", He said with a sinful smile. Sure you are.

"Mey!" A familiar voice shouted and from one of the parked cars at the end of the street. It was Mrs Patterson. She said she was going to do some shopping while I was doing the interview I didn't expect for her to stick around this long.

"That's my ride. It was a displeasure seeing you again", I said side stepping Eric and quickly making my way over to Mrs. Patterson's car.

"We should do it again sometime", he shouted after me.

"I'd rathered throw myself off a bridge", I laughed to myself.

Today was a good day and I wasn't going to let Eric ruin it. In five months, I would have my Prince charming even if he was undead. Today was a small victory and nothing was going to destroy that. I slid into the back of the Rolls-Royce ready to share my good news only to meet a panicked Mrs Patterson.

As soon as my door was shut the car took off. "Is everything okay?"

"They found her", She said detached.

She didn't need to say who. I knew she was talking about Haley,"That's great! Where is she?"

Mrs. Patterson put on a pair of dark sunglasses and stared absent-mindedly out the window,"New York Presbyterian hospital. According to reports she was shot four times".

"Jesus christ", I gasped. "Why!?"

"I don't know. I just got a news alert from PAM as you were walking out", So she had no answers and we were over three hours away from the main city. I had a hundred questions I wanted to ask but Mrs Patterson didn't have any answers. "She's going to be fine. Haley's tough".

"But not invincible", Mrs. Patterson whispered to herself.

And definitely not having the fairy tale ending I was imagining for her.

Damn.