Paragon - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

My focus wasn't as sharp on our case as it should have been. My attention catching on that damn mortal and her strangely bright eyes and easy smirks. An odd calmness before suddenly realising herself in the night and feeling the fear of my being touch her.
I didn't remember the hours flying by and that I was highlighting the same line of text in yellow ten times until Will coughed.
He didn't notice my distraction but seemed buried in his own work. I checked my shoulder through the glass wall of our office. Officers and staff continued flitting about.
I dug into my jacket and pulled out that black card with silver print. I watched it glint under the lighting for a few seconds before adding the number into my phone. Ironically I added the contact under the name: The Lawyer
My fingers flashed across the touchscreen quickly writing without sinking too much thought into it. I had after all been thinking of the mortal all damn day.
"Three hours, Miss Adams. Does your work still allow a workout?"
I set the phone down and stared blankly at my computer screen. Into the profile of a known dealer and seeing straight through it. My phone flashed alive.
"Sorry I don't respond to unknown numbers."
I drummed my fingers on my desk rereading Quinn's response and shaking my head.
"Apologies, I thought I was speaking to a professional. Everyone makes mistakes."
I could practically see her grinning at her sleek desk now. I couldn't even hide the smirk now. Her response was quick like her wit.
"Remind me why I shouldn't give out my card like this. You never know when they'll interrupt your day."
"5pm is hardly crunch time."
"In your world, detective."
I spun the phone around my hand with a smile. Before stopping it and rereading her words again.
"Remember you invited me tonight."
There was a slight pause in response as she either thought through her words or mine. I smirked at the glass.
"You'll like it."
"Perhaps. Let's hope I am prepared to catch the weight if it's too much for you."
"Don't be late." Was all she responded.
I left it at that. Staring at the green bubble of text. Not a second late. I never was.
"Fletcher?" Will asked with a curious look.
"Yeah?" I answered, leaning back in my chair and trying to tear my attention away.
"You have any fake plans tonight?"
I smirked slowly. "Real ones actually."
He looked at me doubtful, "Either you're getting better at lying or your mysterious family are in town."
"No, William. I'm meeting a friend to go to a gym." I answered, picking up a pen and writing nothing.
He raised a brow and contemplated this.
"Well—good for you Fletch." He chuckled, leaning over the desk. "I guess me and Jamie will have a pint for you."
"Please do." I chuckled.
The rest of the evening slipped by soon enough. I managed to stare at more paperwork and get absolutely nothing productive done. When it reached 6pm a lot of the office had emptied. Including my curious partner who nodded at me before leaving.
I had two hours to kill. I also had nothing in terms of casual wear mortals took to these places. I sighed and spun in the chair.
Paragon clothing was simply out of the question. I'd need to enter a mortal clothing store. I planned to make it swift. I knew my size to the inch and my simplistic taste.
I had my driver outside in minutes and stepped into the plush black leather without a word.
"Jamerson."
"Yes, Ms Fletcher."
"What does one wear to the gym—without completely losing their dignity?" I asked my driver.
He masked his laugh in a tight cough. "One would suggest running shorts if the exertion is intense... perhaps a tracksuit for less restricted movement. Most women of your age prefer spandex."
I considered this. Drumming my fingers on the door.
"Take me to such a store—nothing too crowded please."
"Ms." He nodded, before pulling away from the building.
We drove for twenty minutes before he pulled up outside a west end high street store.
"I suggest talking to the staff within. They are more than helpful in these circumstances." He told me, adjusting his suit lapel.
I smiled grateful. "Thank you, Jamerson. Keep the car running. I won't be long."
"I've heard that before." He answered with a tinge of humour.
I smirked, getting out the car and approaching the store front. Another thirty minutes passed before I walked out with several bags.
Jamerson watched me enter with no small amusement but smartly remained silent.
"Don't even say it."
"No, Miss Fletcher." He agreed. "Would you like to be dropped at your apartment?"
"Please."
We weren't far as we were already in the west end. I was overlooking Hyde Park in a modernised, high security flat. When we reached the security gates for underground parking it was past 7pm.
My driver nodded to the guards as the plate was scanned. My blacked out windows never needed to show them my own face.
The gate rose and we dipped smoothly to the car park below the high rise flats. I stepped swiftly from the car and pulled the bags with me.
"I'll need you in ten minutes!" I called as I strode to the elevator.
"I'll grab a coffee and be ready for you Ms Fletcher." He returned as I disappeared beyond the doors.
I reminded myself to add an extra pay package to his salary at the end of the month. This had after all been an unsuspecting week.
My phone vibrated. I pulled it out as I climbed in height.
"Leaving now, detective. I hope you're still on track."
I smiled as the doors chimed and I walked out onto my stone floor.
"Just making a few last stops."
I pushed my phone back in and dumped the bags on my large L-shaped sofa. I pulled my jacket off and threw it on the back of the chair too. I walked over to the open plan kitchen and pulled open the fridge.
It was lined with fake packets of human food and liquid. All of it for show. I pressed my finger print into the side and a draw opened to me. Lined with vials of crimsons.
I only ever drank these if I knew I needed to. If I was away on travel or if I thought I may be compromised. I pulled out a vial and popped the cork.
My teeth lengthened as the rich, cool blood hit my tongue. I drank quickly and deeply.
I closed my eyes and sighed as it's vitality rushed me and calmed me. A strength returning in force. I washed out the glass and placed it back in the draw.
My contacts in the hospital would replenish me at the end of the week.
I glanced at my watch and hurried now. I threw my clothes off me as I walked to the sofa with the bags. My flat was so high the floor to ceiling glass windows didn't show any wondering eyes anything. Only the sprawling green of Hyde park lay beyond and it was mostly trees.
I pulled on a pair of these strange skin like leggings that were black. Then added a pair of sports shorts over them. Perhaps I was over doing it but it felt so exposed. I added a black t shirt and pulled my high collared jacket over the top.
Finally I traded my leather boots for these canvased sports shoes with laces. I stared at them and reminded myself mortals couldn't exert themselves in leather.
When I reached Jamerson again I calculated the time to the east end with just minutes to spare. I smirked. Never late but never early either.
"See you soon, Miss Adams. I'm on time."
"Bring your A-game."
I frowned at the phone in my hand. "May I remind you I'm here to assist your training if needed."
I instantly thought of how to excuse myself from any workout that would make a mortal sweat... because it would soon become obvious I couldn't.
"You didn't actually buy that did you?"
I stared at the phone. This mortal. This audacity.
"It's not too late for me to turn the car around."
"Don't be a pussy."
My mouth fell open again. For whatever reason I felt my dark blood stir again and something tense inside me at her sheer boldness. I was attracted to it.
"You'll regret saying that." I responded simply.
It took a few seconds for her to get back to me. Maybe I had finally got through to her. Reminded her that I too could—
" ;) "
A wink face.
She had to be god damn joking. Why did this make me smirk like a fool. I was mocked openly by a mortal that had barely lived past two decades.
And I allowed it.
* * * * *
Jamerson dropped me off down the road from the underground gym. I didn't need my tinted black business car to be spotted. Members of the police force weren't supposed to have such things.
No one lingered on the streets apart from a few passing cars and the overhead trains.
I dodged a puddle and pulled my collar up as I rounded the archway and made out Quinn's form leant against the wall with her headphones in. It was strangely mellow music for pre exercise routines but what was I to know about her preferences...
She noticed me when I drew closer at precisely 8pm.
She pulled a hand out and tapped her wireless headphones pausing the music. She smiled lightly and pulled her hood down revealing those forest green eyes and dark hair in a high ponytail.
"You look ready for more than spotting tonight." She uttered, eying the leggings and trainers below my jacket. I rolled my eyes and nodded to the door.
"Come, it's cold."
"You've really got to stop thinking I'm so fragile, Fletcher." She muttered, pressing the intercom. I glanced at her from the side. "Jack, it's Quinn."
"Come on in." He got back in seconds.
She opened the door and the purple lit staircase greeted us. When we reached the bottom the room was lit differently this time. It was brighter and not blue or purple but simple white light. There were not as many people packing the large area and equipment covered more space.
I was grateful for the sheer lack of pulses beating and blood pumping. The more I thought about it, the worse the idea seemed for an immortal blood sucker to be stuck in an enclosed space with so many hearts racing–let's call it a test of control.
Quinn strode over to a desk and a thickly muscled male shot up out of his chair with a bright grin. He leant over and flicked his hair back. I smirked watching him try to keep her attention longer than necessary when she told him about me. She nodded, skilfully playing along and smirking in the right places. But her pulse didn't quicken the same way his did and the mortal was glancing at her chest far too much for courtesy.
I grit my teeth a little and distracted myself with the room and its equipment. I'd seen more inviting torture equipment. Honestly people spent actual money to do this...
"Hey!" Quinn said with a grin. "Jack says it's totally cool to tag along as my guest, he'll add sessions to my card if you end up coming back."
"I bet he did." I murmured with humour in my eyes and smirked back towards the man that was checking out her ass even from here. I felt a nudge on the shoulder and she gave me a knowing look.
"You know how it is. Look at you." She said as casually as if discussing the weather. I raised an eyebrow at her but she avoided my eyes and looked ahead.
"Getting unwanted attention? Sure, I'm a bit less polite though." I said dryly. Careful to avoid her comment on my appearance.
She laughed lightly shaking her head and turning off in the direction of a door. "Come on detective, before we start testing that theory."
Did that mean... testing it with the irritating gym owner or her? Her attention was hardly unwanted but maybe she assumed that from my cool responses. I trailed after her as she held the door open to me.
"Leave your stuff in here and we can make a start."
She walked ahead to stuff her bag into a metal locker and shrug out of her hoodie. It revealed the flat lines of her stomach briefly before I ripped my eyes away and shrugged off my jacket.
"You didn't come too prepared did you..." She ventured, I turned and saw her with her arms crossed watching me.
"I'm dressed appropriately." I defended, shutting the locker door that held only a jacket and police badge.
"You didn't bring any water." She smirked, "–or headphones for that matter."
"It's fascinating how you still think I'm working out here." I responded, passing her and opening the door for her.
She took in my black t-shirt and leggings.
"But you're dressed appropriately." She mirrored.
I sighed. "Just show me where you need to be spotted."
"Let's warm up first."
I watched her with a flat expression as she walked over to a wide set of mats and mirrors. The beat of a treadmill and low dance music set a steady rhythm. She nodded her head and pulled back her leg and watched her form as she did in the mirror.
I continued to watch her for a few seconds before I sighed heavily and kicked my leg back into my hand the same way she did. But I felt no ache or pull of muscle fibres as she did. It was utterly useless to me. I could still kick a car down the road with or without calf stretching. But I was patiently humouring this mortal as she bobbed her head to the music and occasionally smirked at me in the mirror.
"We'll try a few deadlifts to start."
"Lead on." I answered, growing more amused as the minutes passed in here.
She narrated as she walked which I decided was quite adorable. This place meant something to her and she was keen to share it for a reason that was beyond me. "It's a simple exercise that works your lower back and legs. The point is not to actually use your arms but let the weight run through them."
She drew us up before a bar on a rack. She pulled it off before setting it on the mat. Then proceeded to pull plates with numbers off the walls.
"The bar plus the plates is around 50 kilograms. But we'll start you on just the bar to get a good form." She told me as she eyed my arms briefly. I smirked.
"I'm as strong as I look." I joked, dripping irony.
She grinned before turning to the bar. "You want a straight line from here–" She point to various places, "–to here." I was indeed lingering on some places in rather tight clothing before cutting my eyes back to the bar. "Did you get that, detective or did you need to check again." She mocked.
My blood froze as I cut her a flat look. "I got it, Adams."
She grinned noticing the lack of 'Miss'. "Good because I don't like repeating–"
"Quinn!" Jack called jogging over to us before she could bother with the bar. He nodded to me with an arrogant smirk, noting a few things about my body and lips that I disliked. "Jack Leefield." Before turning intently to her. "If you need a spotter I'm always okay–"
She gave him a quick smile. "Thanks Jack, but Fletcher here has me covered. Right detective?"
His eyes widened. Taking me in a bit more intently. "Detective huh? I wouldn't have thought you looked..." He trailed off unsure and I merely raised an eyebrow waiting for his leave. He shrugged his thick shoulders in a t-shirt a good two sizes too small.
"Off duty." I filled in for his slow brain. "Unless there's a problem." I ended with slight implication. The way my body language and predatory nature cut in made the humans always notice it without realising–his pulse picked up.
He took a subconscious step back, making me smile. "Cool–cool. Uh–let me know if anything." He nodded stumbling on the mat before fleeing the scene.
"Do you intimidate everyone you meet that easily?" Quinn asked beside me.
"Only if I want to." I answered more truthfully than I intended. I shook myself out of it while Quinn watched me a bit more intently and I nodded to the bar. "Am I learning how to lift metal or are we just here for the teenage house music?"
She laughed heartily before turning back to the weights and getting into a low position.
"You don't scare me, detective." She said as she grabbed the bar and set her stance.
I smirked at her darkly in the mirror. "Just focus on your weights, lawyer."
She repeated her drop and lift eight times before setting it down with a puff and stretching her neck. Her eyes soon found me and she smiled.
"I'd love to see you try that. You're much too smug stood there."
"Not at all that seems pretty heavy." I uttered with a slow smile.
"I dare you."
"God it really must be your music they play–you are a teenager." I drawled watching a grin find her face again. I wanted to see it more.
"All I hear is talk and no action to back it up."
I sighed and flicked my eyes down to the bar with weight. I realised that she would just go on about this if I didn't even look like I attempted this mortal routine. I set myself up before the bar with her exact form I memorised. I set my hands and pretended to attempt a lift. I moved it up a few inches before setting it down shaking my head. "Too much for me."
"Bullshit."
"What?" I demanded, glancing up to see her hands set on her hips.
"Why are you such a bad liar?" She laughed. God damn it all why indeed was I lying so poorly to her now? None of the others with warm blood noticed. "In fact why are you even trying–"
"Quinn, I don't even go to the gym."
"But you've passed the force's fitness tests this year I assume?"
"We don't deadlift." I said lamely.
"You put in one maximum effort lift and I'll drop it." She promised, eying me closely and crossing her arms. I stared her down unflinchingly and neither one of us moved. I let a puff leave me.
"So stubborn." I muttered.
"So secretive." She muttered back. "You don't like showing your friends you can actually play pool and now you don't like exposing your strength." She noted with too much focus on me. My blood grew colder by the second under her scrutiny.
Maybe spending time with a lawyer was one of the dumbest things I could have done. Especially a good one.
"I do this and you stop prying into what I can and cannot do. Deal?" I told her instead.
"Sure."
I turned back to the bar and dropped into position before lifting it simply into the same position she had without making it look too easy. I set it down carefully and she nodded like she expected this. Then she turned and called over to the front desk.
"Hey Jack!"
"Quinn." I warned. "What are you doing?" I murmured in an almost growl.
"Just testing a theory." She smirked playfully. Jack was already jogging over to her with a wide grin and a cautious look my way.
"Hey, Quinn. Need me to spot?" He asked eagerly.
She turned her voice into that of flirtation and bright eyes. I tried not to roll my eyes out of my head. "No, no, I just wanted to know what it was you deadlifted these days." She asked, even going as far as to turn a piece of hair in her fingers.
Seriously.
"Oh huh–" He puffed his chest out and rubbed the back of his neck being sure to tense his arm. I bit the side of my tongue in exasperation. "–probably around 150-160."
She made to widen her eyes and turned to me exhaling like it impressed her more than ever. I used everything I had not to drag my own eyes out. Her heart rate gave her lies away to me but this buffoon was lapping it up.
"I told you, Fletcher. You wouldn't get to those high weights without a serious build." She said dragging out the word serious and eying Jack again intently.
It was actually making me want to smirk now. Did she honestly think she could bait me into something this obvious? I decided on an entirely different response. I nodded and turned back to Jack, eying his arms deliberately and setting a hand on the curve of my hip taking him in.
I let the primal sense of desire fill me and practically changed the air around them with it. I took a step closer to him and tilted my head. "How about your benchpress?" I uttered in a smooth voice, making Quinn's eyes snap to my face too. "I'd bet you could probably do me–I mean bench."
His jaw slackened slightly, sensing the predator disappear and something else entirely fill my eyes. It was too easy. His heart rate was at a new high and it was nothing to do with fear now. My appearance alone was enough to catch attention if I let it. But it wasn't just his heart rate picking up. I avoided turning my eyes to Quinn. It felt wrong to use it on her. She wasn't the game here. But she had started one.
"I–I–yeah." He mumbled.
I raised an eyebrow slowly with a dark smirk. "Could you maybe show us?"
He nodded, trying to lean on something but finding nothing.
"No that's okay." Quinn answered quickly, knowing exactly what I was doing but being too confused to understand how easily I did it. She frowned at me briefly seeing the dark lust in my eyes and shivered. "Umm–sorry Jack we'll err–finish up."
I let the emotion and lust leave me in a blink. I took my hand off my hip and leant against the metal rack. "Great meeting you, Jack." I smirked as he stared back at me in his own daze.
"Ye–yea. Course. I'll be–" He jutted his thumb before making his way back to his desk and glancing back at us like he just had a dream.
"What. The hell."
I looked innocently at Quinn. "Just trying to get good tips."
"No–that–I have no idea what that was or if your were a stripper in your previous work–"
A surprised laugh left and I even tilted my head up enjoying how confused and how far her imagination was taking the mortal.
"Seriously Fletcher... you went from conservative, upstanding woman to red light district in half a second." She got out, taking me in closely. "Where did that come from?"
I remained leaning against the rack watching her for a few seconds before answering. "Because, Quinn, you were going to try and use that testosterone fuelled rock to prove a point. I just played your game but better."
Now it was her turn to look innocent as she avoided my eyes. She cut a look back to me before stepping up to the weights to resume training. "You're fast detective. I'm not sure I like it."
I met her eyes in the mirror and matched her smirk with an easy smile. "It's when you find someone as quick as you that you stop getting your way. I would know."
"We'll see about that." She murmured.