After the supermarket scare....

Ryders POV

This shadow man character was seriously fucking with my life. I sat down in my study and stared out the floor to ceiling windows.

Charlie had been most affected by this. I could feel her fear. It creeped along my body and it didn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

"Hello brother." Scott said entering the room and I nodded in response.

"What were you up to today?" I asked sighing still not taking my eyes off the tree line.

"Nothing much. Walked around Bambi's place. Made sure everything was secure. She wasn't home though." He answered shrugging.

I nodded again.

"Any leads?" He questioned.

"No. Dane is always at the top of my list but that fuck head isn't stupid enough to pull something like this. But still, it could be anyone." I said running my hands through my hair.

"Bro. When was the last time you saw Bambi?" Scott asked staring at me.

"Too long." I answered.

"Your beloved is supposed to be by your side at all times. Look at Jack and Nicole. Could part of her fear that your feeling be because you are never there?" Scott asked.

"How is she any of your fucking business?" I seethed. My anger shooting up quickly. I was already on edge about everything especially her.

She was my everything but I sure wasn't treating her like it.

"FUCK!" I screamed as I threw a punch at the wall. The wall have way quickly and my fist went through the other side that held my closet.

"Ryder. Go to her." Scott whispered knowingly.

I nodded in response and took off. I was quickly at her apartment. No lights were on but I had to try. I stopped in front of her door. I could hear her soft heartbeat and her even breathing. She was sleeping and calmer then she had been. I didn't want to wake her. But I couldn't shake the feeling of her fear rolling off of her body.

Something else had happened and my love hadn't called me again. But why the fuck would she at this point? I haven't gained any trust with her. I hadn't loved her like I should. I hadn't been there. Why would she text or call me if something happened.

My arms on each side of outside door frame. I listened to her heartbeat for a few more moments. It was soothing even to me. My body yearned to hold her and just be with her.

But I couldn't relax until this shadow man was caught.

But was she suffering because I wasn't there?

Charlie's POV

Waking up the next morning I felt groggy and out of it. I glanced around and noticed I was still in the living room. The eery feeling I had yesterday since the grocery store hadn't left me yet.

My body still shook and my the hair on my neck stood on it's ends. I tried to breath and calm myself down but it wasn't working.

Where was Ryder when I needed him? Knowing him he would find out soon about Scott being there for me yesterday and not him. But all he would do is yell at me again. Make me cry and then what? Us fight and me get pissed and finally stand up for myself only to be drug back down when he gives me that stupid fucking puppy dog look?

I got up and showered. A text came through from Nicole that she would see me for dinner tonight. She was calling a girls night. Jack, Ryder, Scott, and Sam were going out on their own to feed so we would hang out at our place without male distraction.

The day drug on by but 4pm Nicole was barging through the front door with Jack in tow.

No Ryder in sight.

This fucker has no clue. I shook my head as Jack caught eye contact with me. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes.

"Char. I'm sorry." Jack said softly and I nodded plastering a fake smile on my face.

"His loss." My voice broke while I spoke. His face fell and he stared at the ground. He gave Nicole a quick kiss and tried to smile in my direction again but I don't think he wanted to fake it anymore.

As soon as he left Nicole swept me up in a huge hug.

"No boys tonight. We are going out. We haven't been out in forever. We need to get fucking tore up and turn into WOO girls." She exclaimed excitedly.

"Nic. I just want to stay home." I said not returning her insane enthusiasm.

"Uh hell no girl. I never get a night out because Jack is up my southern lips." She said.

I gagged at the words she uses, "Fuck off Nic. You are nasty." I chuckled.

"Get your sweet ass ready. Wear the black lacy dress that is short as fuck." Nicole said bumping my hip and running off to her room.

I quickly got ready and finished my hair and makeup. Well hurried probably isn't the right word. It was 7pm by the time I was done getting ready.

Nicole was downstairs already.

"Food first. Then dancing." She said as our Uber pulled up.

The car quickly took us to the burger joint we always visited before getting tanked.

2 cheeseburger, 2 refills of fries, shakes and a few under the table shots of whiskey and we were ready and loose enough to dance.

Two blocks away was the club we frequented when we were still in high school because of their lax ID policy. Made to even easier now that we were in college.

The music blared through the doors as the lights streamed on to the sidewalk and the drinks were definitely flowing tonight.

A few shots at the bar had now led us on to the dance floor with Nicole and I dancing on each other. Guys tried to cut in but we pushed them off or ignored the shit out of them till they left us alone.

Also guys humping the shit out of someone does not equal actual dancing.  I think one guy almost popped one of my hips out of place by the way he was humping the shit out of my side.

Assholes.

The night was getting louder by the moment but the drinks had definitely taken affect when I couldn't even see straight. There was about 3 of everything and I knew I was sweating but it was so amazing to get out of the house and finally be free again.

No worries.

No Ryder, no vampire drama, no shadow man, no studying, no classes, just me, Nicole, and the 12...13? Drinks I have consumed tonight.

Nicole and I were laughing off the latest guy when we both stilled at the same.

"Do you feel that?" I asked yelling.

She nodded, fear running through her eyes.

She grabbed her phone from the pocket of her dress and immediately texted Jack. I didn't even bother. Jack was with Ryder.

I glanced around the dance floor as my feet stopped moving. No one that I noticed look suspicious. My eyes followed the bar area where only one person stood off to the side. Their face covered by the darkness of the corner.

But I knew they were looking at us.

"Oh my god." Nicole whisper yelled. I pulled her off to the side and in the opposite direction of the man in the shadows.

We stared at him and he didn't move from his spot. I wanted to run up to him and yell at him to leave me alone.

People passed by in front of us in a blur and he was gone. In an instant he was there and then he disappeared.

"Fuck. Nicole I lost him." I yelled grabbing her hands.

She shook with fear staring at her phone. "Boys are on their way. Should we go outside and wait for them?" She asked yelling.

I shook my head. "Shadow man might be outside." I answered keeping a lookout for the man to return.

Not even a moment later.

"They are outside." She yelled hurriedly as we both turned to run outside.

We pushed past bodies as a hand shot out and grabbed my waist. I turned to see who had grabbed me and raised my hand to smack them.

"Whoa Bambi! We have got to stop meeting like this." Scotts joking voice fell to my ears.

I stared at him in confusion. The boys said they were outside. Why is he in here?

"Scott. What are you doing in here?" I asked.

He smirked, "I came through the back to see if anyone had run off. Nicole said the shadow man was here." He yelled.

I nodded as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the club. As I reached the doors a whoosh of cool air hit my overheated skin.

Ryder, Jack, Sam, and Nicole stood off to the side.

"Fuck. Charlotte." I heard his voice before I even got to look in his eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing out like this? Dressed like that?" His eyes roamed my body in only what I could tell was disgust.

"Nicole and I decided to go out. We need a girls night while y'all went out and did whatever the hell you guys wanted." I retorted, "And don't give me that damn look. I look good. I know I do and so do half the guys on the fucking dance floor." I ended it with a smirk.

He growled as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"Your caveman ways won't work this time Ryder." I said softly as he pushed me into the passenger side of his truck.

I looked behind us as everyone else except Scott got in to Jacks car. Scott walked off in the opposite direction. Where the fuck was he going?

I opened my mouth to comment but Ryders face said it all.

"You aren't making my life easy my love." He whispered angrily as he drove off towards his house.

"Take me home Ryder. I'm not in the mood to deal with your issues with me." I said lazily as I laid my head against the cool window.

My mind buzzed from the alcohol and I know I wouldn't be able to stay no if he even touched my bare skin. Drunk or not I don't know if I could ever say no to him.

His touch lit me on fire and I don't know if I could take it tonight.

"I'm so tired of fighting. So tired of not feeling like I should. Tired of you not acting anything towards me except for annoyance and hate. Jack treats Nicole so well. I get nothing from you. I get pushed away, pushed to the side and forgotten. I haven't see you, like actually seen you and spent time with you in over 2 weeks? And even then it was only for you to yell at me?" I asked harshly. Slurring taking over almost every word. But the alcohol helped my confidence even more so with speaking my mind.

"Worst beloved ever." I mumbled before letting the darkness consume me.

I swear Ryder mumbled something but at this point it would make a difference. He had ignored me for far too long and I was over it.