Chapter 2

Preparing for a human infant and more

I woke up the next day not rested. I had tossed and turned most of the night thinking about someone's blue eyes, so annoying. I frowned as I entered my kitchen to see Flora putting groceries away. 

"Do you have any idea how to raise human babies," I Inquired and she eyed me questionably. 

"I think you just feed and diaper them like any regular child, don't you?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged as I headed for a cup of coffee. 

"Why, are you pregnant, miss," she asked me. I looked at her like she was daft.

"No Flora, I don't even have a male friend. Truth is I will be leaving tomorrow and will return with a human infant that I'll need to figure out what to do with," I mumbled bitterly and she watched me with her mouth hanging open. She started to speak then closed her mouth and shook her head.

"I need to make a nursery," I mumbled sourly and Flora clapped her hands excitedly. I heard my cell phone ringing from my office and rushed to answer it. I didn't recognize the number but answered it anyway. 

"Hello?"

"Good morning Pandora, it's um, Cassian. I didn't get your real name and I was thinking about you all night," he said softly. I bit my lip wondering how he got my number.

"Andre gave me your number with a little persuasion. I can always get what I want from humans, vampires not so much," he added. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Why do you want my real name," I asked him curiously.

"I can't tell you that at this time but I can when we meet," he said casually. 

"Sounds like a set up, knowing my name won't help you so here. It's Hera Constantine, my father is Mikhail Constantine, leader of the northern clans," I told him and he whistled impressed. I chuckled internally.

"Thank you precious, I look forward to our dance," he said and I laughed.

"Maybe I'll stab your kidney," I mumbled.

"I'd heal, just like you would, goodbye, dear," He laughed and hung up and I saved his number as deadvamp. 

"Who was that miss, I've never heard you laugh before and it sounded lovely, like bells," Flora commented. I furrowed my brow and told her I do not to laugh and huffed as I walked past her back to my coffee in the kitchen. My cell started ringing again and I saw Irene calling. I left a voice message last night.

"Hello Irene," I answered.

"I will pay you a hundred million dollars to kill Andre and his hired assassin," she blurted out. I swallowed uncomfortably and Cassian's face appeared suddenly in my mind. 

"Okay, I will do what I can," I replied and felt my gut suddenly ache. Irene told me thanks and hung up. I looked down at my recent calls and stared at deadvamp. My thumb hovered over the phone icon and when it connected I sealed my fate. His deep voice said hello in a questioning manner.

"I have a proposition, do you want to make an easy hundred million," I mumbled softly and waited. I heard him clearing his throat and he muted the phone. I furrowed my brow as I sipped my coffee and waited for him to return. It was a good five minutes before he came back on the line.

"Sorry for the pause. I was in the middle of a hit," he mumbled and added,"let's discuss this, meet me at the Black Bean coffee shop on Seventh Avenue at eleven and wear something nice." I furrowed my brow and growled.

"Not a date Cassian Aeron, we are just discussing business," I mumbled angrily and he replied of course. I agreed and hung up. I sat my phone on the table and rubbed my face, wondering what in the fuck I was thinking. 

"Cassian, hmmm, sounds intriguing miss," Flora mumbled with a smirk and I sent daggers at her with my eyes. I finished my coffee and headed to my room to get dressed. It was going to be a sunny and warm August day so I wore a graphic t-shirt and a pair of cotton shorts. I slipped on my tennis shoes and looked at myself in the mirror. I rarely wore makeup and when I did it was for a job. I added a light dusting of lilac eyeshadow, some dark gray eyeliner and put on mascara. I chose a light tinted lip gloss and sprayed myself with some Gucci floral perfume. I bounced out of my room and twirled around Flora.

"What do you think," I asked her.

"Well, it's kind of casual for business," she mumbled carefully. I exhaled harshly, told her my clothes didn't matter and I checked the time, 10:25. I had thirty five minutes to travel five miles. I decided I could run. I grabbed my purse and phone, waved by to Flora and Pudge before I started my jog. I ran at a comfortable pace and arrived five minutes before eleven. I may have used a few speed bursts. I ran my fingers through my hair as I headed towards the counter to order a strawberry smoothie. I felt a warm hand on the small of my back and turned to see the attractive man in the flesh. He lifted his sunglasses and winked at me and I chuckled.

"Might want to remove your hand before I turn myself and remove it for you," I mumbled softly, showing him my long talons. He looked down at my eyes and grinned. 

"As you wish, Hera," he said into my ear as I paid for my order and moved to the end of the line. I studied the tall attractive man and couldn't believe he was real flesh and blood. He felt my wandering eyes and glanced over at me and smiled seductively, causing gooseflesh to spread across my skin. I got my drink and sucked on the straw as he headed towards me with a hot cup of coffee and saucer perched in one hand.

"Let's go find a table," he tells me as he passes me and I follow after him. I noticed that he was wearing form fitting business slacks and a buttoned up light blue shirt that clashed with his hair color and style. It was like he had tried to look put together for me. I chuckled, causing him to glance back at me. I noticed a streak of blood along his jawline and waved him down to my level. I took my napkin and pressed it to my tongue and rubbed it along his jaw roughly. His eyes were glowing brightly and looked puzzled by my actions. I paused, realizing what I was doing and lowered my hand as my cheeks heated.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

"What was that about," he asked roughly and I explained that there was a blood streak on his jawline. 

"I must have missed it in my rush to get here on time, you're very observant," he teased and found us a secluded table far in the back of the establishment. He released my hand and he placed his coffee down and pulled out a chair for me. I sat and thanked him. He settled in the chair across from me and took a sip of his black coffee. 

"Did you remove it all," he asked me as he tilted his jaw towards me. I looked over the smooth skin and nodded.

"Yeah, it's all gone," I grinned and he nodded. 

"Sorry for that I have no idea why I did that," I mumbled softly and he smiled at me and said that it was alright.

"So let's discuss this hundred million," he stated.

"Well I was hired to kill you, Andre and Stephanie and for some reason I thought that we could work together and kill them all and split the money," I mumbled sourly, realizing it sounded ridiculous. Cassian frowned and took a bigger drink of his coffee.

"I was hired to terminate you as well dear, I believe that the Emery's are working together to destroy both of us so that their  newly acquired investment of a certain mister Everett can become a top listed assassin, so they can be feared amongst their neighbors," he told me plainly. I cocked my brow and gritted my teeth.

"How do you know all of that," I Inquired. Cassin eyed me casually and grinned.

"I hacked their computers and went through their files, I also know that neither of them can afford a hundred million dollar bounty and they are just using us both as play things for Everett," he mumbled angrily. My brow was furrowed and I pulled out my cell phone and called Flora and told her to scratch plans for a baby coming. Cassian was watching me intently and smiled when I hung up.

"You were looking forward to a young one," he asked. I shrugged.

"I wasn't completely enthralled but I was a little intrigued," I stated honestly.

"But if I want an infant I'll get a puppy," I added and he nodded. I grabbed my drink and stood.

"I guess this concludes our meeting, I will ignore any further communication with the Emery's and hope that you'll do the same in good faith," I mumbled as I prepared to leave. Cassian frowned and stood.

"Wait, aren't you worried about Everett," he mumbled. I grinned slightly and looked up at him.

"Not really, is he a vampire or do you know," I replied and he said that he wasn't sure but did know that he was ruthless and he would try to kill me without batting an eye. I patted Cassian's smooth firm cheek and told him that I was a big girl and could take care of myself. He cocked his black brow and looked down at me and looked pained. 

"Don't worry about me, I've been on my own for hundreds of years, sweetheart, catch up with you another day," I said simply and waved bye as I opened the door and started running back home. I should have been wiser and not run straight there, especially when not realizing that Cassian had followed me the entire way. Of course he'd already hacked my computer and knew the location of my home.