Tonight, Will and I are going to my boss's house for dinner.

"You almost ready?" Will hollers from downstairs. "I'm gonna start the truck!"

"Okay!" I shout while racing around my room.

Will and I haven't really been out since I fell a couple weeks ago. I choose a grey sweater and black and grey plaid pants. For a while, I had left my dead hair grey, but Stella recently did my hair at the salon.

I had her put in some blonde highlights to give it some life. I'm wearing my hair in a low ponytail. I'm kind of feeling my outfit looks a little nerdy, but it's only because I would only wear something like this to work. I wouldn't normally dress like this.

Maybe, I should change.

"Val, we're gonna be late!" Will hollers.

"Coming!"

With a huff, I grab my purse and phone. I meet Will downstairs and he gives me a kiss. Will wears a nice red sweater and black jeans.

"You look very nice."

"Thank you," I say while following him outside.

It doesn't take us long to drive to Nick's townhome. It's a few streets over.

"Come on," Will says while walking up to the house, "Let's get this over with."

His aura glows blue in sharp pulses. He's irritated at having to do this. We certainly were not forced to come here. I hope he's able to relax.

Will knocks on the door. A moment later, Nick appears with his girlfriend.

"So glad you could make it!" Regina beams. "Come on in!"

"We're having chicken on the grill out back," Nick explains while shutting the door behind me. He guides Will and I into the kitchen. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Beer will do!" Will says.

Regina opens the fridge and hands him off one. She's a vampire like my boss. Her and Will head outside the screened back porch where a TV plays near the grill.

Nick moves around the kitchen preparing dinner. I think they already finished the cooking and are getting ready to serve it. I can see Regina moving the chicken from the grill outside and putting it on a tray.

I should probably go outside with Will. Nick's setting the table now though and I think they're coming in soon. Feeling unsure, I remain by the kitchen island where bread, salad, and corn wait.

"Would you like anything to drink, Valerie?"

"Oh," I mumble while finding my boss's gaze. He stands with a wide grin holding up a wine glass playfully. "I think I might have some water."

"Are you feeling okay? We're so glad you and Will could make it."

"I'm feeling okay," I say. Will comes back inside with Regina. He's got a half-eaten hotdog in one hand and a beer in the other.

"We made hotdogs, too," Regina explains while sitting down beside Nick across from us, "I hope you're hungry!"

"Yes, we are," Will answers loudly.

I giggle a little spotting some mustard on the corner of his mouth. Descreet as I can be, I wipe it off his face with my napkin.

"Thanks, darling."

"How long have you been dating?" Regina asks.

"Around a year," Will answers. He ends up doing most of the talking while we eat. He's a lot better at talking than me. "How about y'all?"

"Around three months," Nick answers.

"That's right!" Regina chimes in.

I nod my head and continue eating silently until I finish my plate. After we all finish eating, Nick and Will take their beers out back.

Unfortunately, we women are sort of left on kitchen duty. I don't really mind it. It gives me a moment to get to know Regina a little better.

"This is a lovely home. May I help with the dishes?"

"Aren't you just the sweetest?" she smiles, "Just like Nick says!"

Together, we clean up the plates. When we finish, Regina pours herself some wine and walks over to the couch in the living room.

"How are you liking working at the police department?"

"It's going okay. I'm still getting around the learning."

"I'm sure you will. Nick is pretty confident in you! He just can't stop talking about work."

"What do you guys like to do for fun around here? Will and I are always looking for new things to do."

"We do a lot of different things. We usually go out to eat in town every Friday. That's what we'd be doing if y'all weren't here right now. Nick always picks the best places. I've never had a bad meal going out with him. I just love going out and getting all dolled up for him. We went to a really good Japanese steakhouse last week...I can't remember the name."

"That sounds like a lot of fun."

"So, are you liking work? I mean, Nick pretty much lined this job up for you."

"Yeah," I begin to say. She sits back on the couch with a big sigh. Regina really is beautiful. "I hope I'm doing a good job for the team. I've only been there a week. You guys are a great looking couple by the way. You're so beautiful, Regina. You look kind of familiar, too. I'm not sure from where."

"I get that a lot!" Regina laughs. I jump a little hearing a door slide shut hard. Will gives me a little wave from out back on the other side of the back porch screen door.

He must have just shut it to keep the bugs from going in the house.

It looks like he's much more relaxed now. I can see Nick and him standing by the grill talking. Will's aura is a calm blue. Nick's aura is mostly red since he's a vampire with a few traces of blue intertwined since he bit me and took in some of my witch blood. He by no means is any witch. He didn't turn me either and I have no red in my aura.

When I look back at Regina, she's no longer smiling and watches me with what feels like a soul-piercing stare with her green exotic eyes. Instinctively, I use my sight and see her aura's a normal vampire red tone. It looks calm. She doesn't seem angry but I feel a little uncomfortable and I'm not sure why.

"Sorry, I, um, forgot what we were talking about," I mumble while hugging my stomach lightly, perhaps, to self soothe, "The guys seem to be getting along well!" I note.

She's still just watching me. I get a really bad feeling from her emotionless stare.

What do you expect you're going to feel around one of mine? Send her back! Send her back to me, a demonic voice gurgles in my head.

This has happened before. I don't know what the source of the voice is, but I remain calm unwilling to be controlled by it.

Thankfully, the men come back inside and I'm no longer stuck in here with Regina alone.

"How's the weather out there? Beautiful! Right?" Regina asks them. Her gaze lightens on the men as though a moment ago she wasn't sitting there staring at me in silence. Whatever. At least, no more creepy voices are in my head. "I think I fell asleep with my eyes open! I probably freaked Valerie out!" Regina says while hopping up from the couch heading over to them.

I'm not really sure what to think about that. I'm weighed down by an invisible force that wasn't here before I was alone with her.

I hear Will over in the kitchen. He's talking to Regina.

"Time for dessert!" I hear Nick say loudly. "Regina can you get the pie out of the oven?"

"What kind of pie are we having?" I ask.

"Apple," Nick answers. "Come on over to the kitchen."

"Sounds yummy, I'll be over in a minute," I say while turning around a little to speak to them, "Will can you get me a piece?"

"Sure, baby."

"Valerie, what's the matter? You look petrified," Nick says in a low voice while rounding the couch. He stands tall while watching me down the bridge of his nose. "You didn't have another demon attack while we were out there? Did you?"

"No," I answer after a hard gulp.

Nick was around the last time it happened. This time, at least, I didn't scream. I waited for it to go away and it did. I don't feel that scared now or out of control. It's just my imagination, after all.

My boss doesn't look like he buys my words. His eyes narrow on Will and Regina before he sits down beside me with a softened gaze.

"Tell me what really happened."

There's no way I'm telling him what happened. I'll lose both respect and my new job. So, I remain mute and put on the best relaxed smile I can. Stiff, I turn to face him like a scarecrow propped up on a stick with a stitched-up grin.

"Nothing happened."

Nick sets his hand on my leg. I'm not expecting him to touch me at all, but the touch seems paternal and a simple act of comfort. My face feels a little warm under the pressure of his expectant gaze.

"I'm not feeling well-"

"Let me help you relax," Nick says, "You look like you're ready to run for the hills. I can't have you leaving here so afraid. You'll tell me what's wrong, won't you? Little lamb?"

He really shouldn't be talking to me this way with all his sweet words, especially, when Regina is here. He shouldn't be calling me that at all.

I look at my boss's aura and watch the hues of red and blue shifting in a woven pattern around him. He's a hybrid and I really don't know what his powers are, but he does have some influence over me.

Has he ever deliberately used it on me?

"Tell me what she said."

"She didn't really say anything. N-nothing happened. I said she's beautiful...and that she looks familiar. Th-then, she kept staring at me and it made me feel uncomfortable."

"Thank you for telling me that, Valerie."

Nick's hand leaves my leg as I stand up rapidly feeling I've overstayed my welcome. I've said too much.

"Thanks for having us," I mumble uneasily.

"Are you ready to get going, Val?" Will asks. He comes around the couch pulling me in for a kiss. "It's getting late, baby. Your pie's on the table."

"I think so. I'd like to try Regina's pie," I reply with forced excitement. Will walks over and grabs my plate.

Will sets his hands on his waist appearing content as I finish the dessert.

"Thank you for inviting us. All the food was really good it was so nice. Thank you!" I say.

Will and I walk over to the front door.

"Thanks for having us, Nick," Will says. He hands me my purse as I put on my shoes. "Maybe, next time you can come to my place. We've got a fire pit out back."

"Yes, we'll have to do this again!" Regina calls from the kitchen.

Nick and her meet us by the front door.

"Thanks for coming. I'm glad we had some time to talk, Will. See ya Monday, Valerie. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," I say quickly.

🌜