Chapter 28: Vampire-Werewolf Partners: Part Two

While Esme was thinking about the werewolf-vampire duo cop team and sniffing the air, Niko stopped and turned, looking at the rooftops before watching the she-wolf. Niko's gaze swept across her body like it had done a few times in the past, but this time it was because he smelt her blood on the bin. He wondered what sort of life she had lived so far for her to call him up so calmly the night before and tell him she killed two rogues.

He should not have been surprised, considering she killed those hunters for him, and Esme was a rogue herself. But that wasn't what he was most concerned about right now for the she-wolf; it seemed Gabriel had taken an interest in her, and he didn't know if it was because of her bold personality or something else.

Esme was a stunner, of course, but Gabriel had been with plenty of girls, so he knew it wasn't just because of her looks. She was also a werewolf, and until recently, he hadn't taken much interest in the other creatures. Besides Esme, he only requested information about some upcoming Luna in the Silver Crescent pack. Gabriel never showed signs of really hating werewolves, but then he could be unpredictable; in the past, he even took out members of the werewolf royal family – The Cross's.

As long as they kept the peace, then Gabriel had no issue with them, though rogues were always a cause for concern.

"Esme, you should be careful with the King. He can.. that is.. he has special powers that no one else can do, and I am concerned his interest in you might not be genuine." Niko warned gently, glancing at her before looking ahead at the alley. Esme paused and looked back at the vampire.

Special powers..

"Is there more than the ability to speak to someone else in their mind?" She pondered, thinking back to when Gabriel apologised to her after pushing her up against the wall.

"Yes, there is." Niko looked away as though he did not wish to say anymore.

Well, they were speaking about his King.

But Esme had not seen anything out of the ordinary with Gabriel. How could she, though? She had not spent that much time with the King to pinpoint anything. The only thing Esme could possibly think of was that at times he seemed to chuckle or smirk like there was some hidden joke of his, but she put that down to his personality.

Hmm...

She stared at Niko, wondering if there was some hidden purpose behind his warning. She knew men in power had enemies, and someone like a King must have many enemies in plain sight. But was Niko one of them? What would he gain in return from warning her about the King's powers? How could this impact him positively?

"Niko, why are you telling me this?" Esme decided to ask him outright. From her time with Niko, he seemed loyal and close to Gabriel, much like Luther though they worked in different areas. But again, she was just a rogue she-wolf looking into the outer edges of the vampire world.

"Ha! Not just part of the vampire world but seeing some of the leeches in the Vampire King's inner circles. Chester really will be a place to remember," Isana gushed, sounding like a tourist and seemed quite impressed with their positioning considering who they were.

"That's not a good thing, Is. If word gets out about the King befriending a she-wolf, people will start to get very curious.."

Niko turned around, and his usual passive expression was now full of concern. "I am telling you because you saved me that night and.." He looked away, and Esme swore she could see a faint tinge of red on his ears, making her smile from how cute he was. Niko raked his hand through his brown locks dishevelling his hair further.

"And?" Esme tilted her head to the side, trying to refrain and failing at the smile spreading on her face.

"And.. although you're .. you know.." He looked down while fidgeting with his golden cufflinks. "A werewolf.. I consider you.. a frien- somewhat of a familiar acquaintance."

Esme leaned towards him, a smile playing on her lips as she held her hands behind her back and stared up into his deep brown eyes. "I like you too, Nikolaos. I too consider you to be a friend erm um somewhat familiar acquaintance considering you're a.. blood- um .. vamp."

Niko smirked at Esme's mocking his awkwardness. "Yes, a vampire and werewolf acquaintance.. If you knew me 500 years ago, you'd see how impossible that would have been."

Esme burst into a peal of laughter. "500 years ago!? My my.. Niko! I thought you were a young vampire! You umpth!"

Niko covered her mouth with his hand. "You are too loud!" He scolded though his eyes gleamed with amusement at her giggling behind his hand.

Esme pulled his hand down with both of hers, grinning and whispered, "There is nobody here. But.. I can't believe you are such an old man. You blush so much from my teasing! Surely you've been with women-"

"I have been with plenty of women," He hissed, then leaned away from her glancing at his hand still in both of her smaller ones. Glancing away, he continued, "But I am also.. old fashioned."

"Uhuh.. old fashioned would be not sleeping around and just having one partner, right?" She smirked at his glare.

"Could you go 800 years without coitus, Esme?" He asked with a raised brow.

Esme paused, thinking deeply about his question. "That depends.." She pondered.

Niko looked at her, baffled by her response. "You could go that long.."

"What would my situation be?" She asked seriously, her eyes flickering between his as though this was truly important.

Niko paused and squeezed her hands gently. "You are a free woman," He replied quietly, surprising Esme with the vampire's choice of words.

A free woman...

A free woman- Did he know she was mated? Had he guessed of her circumstances or, had he discussed with Gabriel the possibility of her being on the run?

Esme smiled gently and glanced down the alleyway. "Then, as a free woman, I would not go without it, but I wouldn't go crazy. 800 years is an awfully long time... I'd want a companion."

"Exactly," Niko replied gently, making Esme wonder if that was what Niko wanted. But before she could question him further, there was a sound of a metal dustbin falling over, and the pair split apart, looking in the direction of the noise.

Esme instantly frowned; the scent she smelled earlier was more pungent now. Niko walked forwards then disappeared from her sight while she gazed upon the rooftops, her body tense, her hand reaching behind her lower back for her knife. Niko returned minutes later, but Esme still stared at the rooftops with her eyes narrowed. "What is it?" He asked.

"I can smell something.." Esme whispered, then placed her finger on her mouth to quieten Niko, she wished she could mind-link him, or he could speak to her like Gabriel could, but that was the best she could do for now. With silence between them, she ran and jumped onto the large green dustbin and hopped up onto some pipework, climbing up until she was on the rooftop.

Straightening out of her crouched pose, her gaze landed on a hooded figure, large enough to be a bulky man's build. She took a step forwards, but he turned and sprinted away; Esme instantly started to chase him, following him across the rooftops, jumping and leaping over buildings. He was quick and just as skilful as she at free running for someone who seemed to have a stocky build. But after five minutes of following, the she-wolf realised he wasn't trying to escape her but lead her somewhere.

Esme halted before a wire that could serve as a zipline across the large street. She watched the figure land, and jog a little further away, then stop and turn to look at her. They seemed to stare at each other, neither able to see the other's features though she knew he had seen what she looked like from spying on them earlier. Who was this person? And why did he seem so familiar?

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