Paragon - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The receptionist quickly found my eyes as I crossed the marble lobby. I plastered a false smile on my face and she returned it. I slipped into an American accent instantly and leaned against the desk.
"Hey there, I'm looking for 502?" I said picking a number out of thin air with confidence.
The secretary smiled again before glancing at her screen. "Of course. Can I get the name you're looking for so I can let them know you're here?"
"Matthew Jenks."
She looked fully at the screen now giving me the time to reach over and grab her hand. Her eyes glazed instantly and her mind became compliant.
"A man. Bald. Expensive suit. Walked in with a woman, tall, brunette. What door number are they in?" I commanded, with more ice in my veins than I'd felt in a long time.
"Penthouse. He owns the top floor." She murmured. "Lift number 45. He has the only key card–"
"I won't need one." I growled. "You never saw me tonight."
I released her rapidly and strode for the lift. It opened to me and I pressed the floor number. It rose rapidly but it couldn't have been fast enough for my taste... When the lift stopped at the monster's floor the key pad flashed red and required a card to open.
I sunk my hands into the doors with a groan and ripped them open. The metal made a vicious screech but I didn't care. A thick wooden door began to open ahead of the lift so I raced out faster than any mammal could and ripped the mortal through the doorway before it had opened.
A suited man hit the ground heavily in shock before I knocked him out with a kick to the head.
"What was it?" Another voice called down the hall. I left the door open and waited for the footsteps. Waited as I heard a gun drawn.
"Henson?" He called again with more caution.
I let the footsteps take a few more feet closer before kicking the door off its hinges entirely and hitting the guard on the other side. He should have brought more with him... I thought darkly as I watched the mortal struggle under the door. He stared at me in utter confusion before raising his gun. He shot me in the neck.
I glanced as the bullet casing bounced off my skin and fell to the floor. He lowered his gun staring with more fear than ever before.
"I wasn't here for you." I sighed, before moving faster than he could blink and breaking his neck through the door.
There was no getting around a witness like that. If he worked for this creature I didn't have too much sympathy but it was still needless.
I crossed the rest of the hall and noticed loud music beyond the door. A strange opera that struck me as Italian. I front kicked his last door off its hinges too not giving the slightest care about his fear or home.
A large living room opened to me with stone pillars and glass beyond. I heard a male shout muffled beyond another wall and movement. But what really caught my attention now was that frantic heartbeat. The pure and whole scent of Quinn Adams. I didn't smell blood so I knew I wasn't walking in on murder or injury for a start.
The door ripped open to the far side and I smiled so darkly at the fat mortal leering at me in rage.
"You!" He spat, stumbling towards a side table and fumbling with the draw. His white shirt was open and so was his zip. I walked calmly towards him. Quinn was out of sight.
Good.
He grabbed a gun from the draw and shot three times only landing one shot directly into my chest. He started laughing in a slight drunken mess. Waiting for me to drop to the floor. I didn't. I continued to approach him with a lethal calm. An endless death.
"The fuck–damn thing!" He aimed and fired off four more times point blank. Each bullet catching my clothes and falling off me like they were paper. He looked back to me in much more fear now and fell back into the wall before trying to open the door to the bedroom.
"Wh-what DON'T!"
I lunged forward and ripped him off his feet, throwing him to the stone floor with all his abundant weight. He coughed and gasped heavily. The utter shock was sending his pulse through the roof and I actually noticed his heart walls stutter and stop. I froze watching his own body betray him. He clutched his right arm sharply before grabbing at his chest.
His eyes bulged wide as the blood stopped moving around his body. I dropped into a crouch as I watched him writhe on the floor.
"Is this not an irony?" I murmured, watching him intently. "Not even your own being can stand you."
He gasped and tried to crawl backwards only making his body seize up more in what I assumed was agony.
"Fucking... FUCK–I knew you had–done something–" He wheezed.
I tilted my head at him with a dark look. "Now there are no loose ends. I agree this works well."
He tried to throw a fist at me. I caught it with half a thought before shattering the bones in my grip. His agonised wail filled the vast penthouse and I glanced behind me checking Quinn didn't emerge–in fact why was she so still at all...
"I'll be right back." I told him with false sweetness. "Be a dear and–" I stood on his leg breaking it, making him scream again, "–stay put."
I rose quickly as the lump of fat behind me rolled around on the floor. As I neared the door I opened it carefully, half expecting a terrified mortal but... her heart rate was too slow. When I took in the large bedroom I made out Quinn's still form on the bed. I saw a needle on the bed and snarled. I crossed the room in a second and pulled her head close to measure her vitals.
My teeth lengthened in proximity and I snapped my head back quickly. The power of that scent hit me so hard I stumbled back and held a hand out. I leant on the bedside table before stopping my breathing. I looked back to her, totally at peace and unconscious.
From what I could tell she wasn't injured and her pulse was steady–tempting and desirable and so tempting... I gripped the wood so hard I shattered it as I tried to control myself. I did not come all this way to drain the life out of this mortal. I shut my eyes and drew on every piece of self control I had. Remembering that easy smile and those bright green eyes. I could do this.
When I opened my eyes I lifted her into my arms quickly and took her from that hideous room. I walked us past the wailing sobs of the pathetic creature and to the fire exit stairs beside the broken lift. I set her down carefully before the threshold before returning to the man responsible for all of it.
"I can–give you money." He sobbed as he clutched his hand and rolled. But he was almost gone himself. His heart had only stuttered a few times in the time between and soon there wouldn't be enough blood to keep his brain functioning.
I walked past him to the extensive kitchen. I ripped the large stove back from its fittings and pulled a blade from my coat. I sliced cleanly across the blue pipe and gas started hissing into the space rapidly. I scanned his living room quickly before finding a candle.
"Would you mind lending me a light mortal? No?" I called, as I ripped open more draws nearby and finding matches. I struck it quickly and set the candle in the middle of the table. "No evidence, I hope you understand." I stated as I didn't bother looking at him lying on that floor and walked out of his penthouse.
If I calculated correctly, a room that large and the distance to the kitchen... he had about six minutes until that flame ignited.
I dialled Pearson and he picked up on the first ring.
"Jamerson said you would call." My second driver informed me cooly.
"Be outside Jamerson's last drop point as soon as you can." I responded without delay.
He confirmed just as swiftly and I ended the call.
I found Quinn still lying unconscious with whatever drug that was now running in her system. I shouldered the fire exit open and turned to the fire alarm in stark red. I freed one hand and pulled it down. The building beyond lit up in sirens and lights.
I rushed back to the elevator that had now disappeared past the broken doors. They now wouldn't be in use and a perfect out. I secured Quinn close to my body being sure not to take a single breath the entire time. I stepped before the empty lift shaft and jumped. Grabbing the thick cable and letting us drop as quickly as possible without losing her in my unbreakable grip.
We flew downwards past many floors as the steel cable groaned against my hand.
We were seconds from the ground when I heard the top floor ignite and the building shook with it. My boots touched the ground floor–which was the top of the elevator box now. I pulled open the ceiling hatch and dropped us inside it while people rushed towards the exit escorted by staff.
We blended in seamlessly. I kept one arm tucked under her shoulders and quickly brought us out with the crowd that were far too panicked with the alarm to notice Quinn's state.
Pearson was already on the street opening the car door to us.
We disappeared into the night.