Chapitre 7: Chapter Six
"Dmitrei? Dmitrei?" she asked for the third time as she tried to pull her handsome date's focus back on her. She still couldn't believe she was here with him, his attention all on her in a way that was so foreign and pleasant she was afraid to hope it was real. Would she wake up tomorrow and find out it was all just a dream?
His body looked amazing in the slim tee shirt that fit his biceps perfectly and showed off his large, square pectorals and rippling abs. It was light blue, enhancing his eyes, not that they needed any enhancement. Then there was how amazing his ass looked in his jeans. She resisted the urge to fan her face as she remembered watching him at the counter. She had been so excited for her date, she had forgotten to take her medication again, so she had to take them here. Oddly, forgetting her medication seemed to be happening more and more lately. She wasn't sure why. Maybe hot dudes were a natural form of painkiller.
She giggled at the thought and looked over to see Dmitrei still glaring at the group in the corner, so she signed and nudged his arm again, "Dmitrei?"
"What?" he asked without looking at her.
"Are you okay?"
His entire demeanor had changed when he saw the group of men enter the ice cream parlor. They looked a little rough, but this place wasn't in the nicest part of town, either. It was set up like a fifties diner and served things other than ice cream, so it wasn't unusual for a group of guys to be grabbing food. Yet, Dmitrei didn't seem to get that. If he were a cat, he would have his hackles up. He looked even bigger than usual as he stared over at the group in the corner.
"Hey," she said placing her hand on his arm. "What's bothering you?"
He pulled his eyes away from the group and glared at the table. "Disgusting men," he mumbled and shook his head. "Humans are disgusting."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Their thoughts," he said.
There he went again, implying he could read minds or something. "How would you know what they're thinking?"
For a moment, he looked confused, then shook his head. "I am a man, aren't I? I know what men are thinking." He rolled his full lips together, then took a deep breath and relaxed a little, "But I am being rude. I apologize."
"Come on," she said, taking his hand between hers and warming it. It felt so cold. "Don't worry about them. Tell me more about you."
"Okay," he said hesitantly, clearly trying to resist looking back at the group.
"Why do you have the ocean as your avatar on your phone?"
"A friend put that in for me. I didn't pick it."
"Aw, I love oceans," she said.
"Yes, you said that. Why?"
"I grew up near an ocean. I would go all the time, until my parents split up and I had to go with my mom. I haven't seen the ocean since then. I love all the different colors of the water. The life under the surface that you have to dive in to see."
He raised an eyebrow, "Are there different colors? I never paid that much attention."
"So many shades of blue, green, even purple, and white. Depending on the depth and clarity of the water. Then there's the aquatic life underneath."
"Hmm, what else do you love about the ocean?" he asked curiously.
"It's so mystical and strong, yet gentle and calm. It's truly amazing and we know so little about it, so it's mysterious. How long has it been since you've been to the ocean?" she asked him.
"A few months ago, but I will look at it much differently the next time I see it. I took it for granted before you opened my eyes."
She smiled warmly, "So, what do you do in your free time?"
He bit his lip. It was full and slightly pink, and she wanted to be the one biting him. "Nothing much really right now."
"That's a shame. There are so many fun things to do. So, before you moved, what did you do for a living?"
He thought about it before answering, "I suppose you would call it security."
"How so?"
"I was a bodyguard, of sorts."
That made sense with his tall build. "Why did you stop?"
"I was fired."
"Why?" she asked.
He leaned closer to her in the booth and pulled her against him, "Don't worry about it."
She pushed away, "No, I will worry about it. You're so vague about everything you tell me. What about your family?"
"Dead," he said flatly.
"Right. Of course. So, you can't tell me where you lived before or what you specifically did or anything about your family, other than they're dead."
He ran a hand through his sun-streaked, dark-blond hair, "I can tell you anything else, though."
"Why did your friend put an ocean as an avatar? I assumed you were an ocean lover or something."
He shrugged his massive shoulders, "I don't know. You would have to ask her."
She sighed, leaning over her ice cream bowl, "Sometimes I feel like you're so distant. Then you kiss me, and I feel so close, like I know you. None of this makes any sense."
"You are telling me," he agreed.
"Why?" she asked. "I'm an open book. Everything should make sense to you. You're the one in control."
"What is your family like?" he asked.
"Splintered. My dad divorced my mom when I was young. He had a whole new family with his second wife. My mom and I aren't close. She worked a lot while I was growing up. I'm closer to my sister, but she moved to another country to be with her husband. So, I guess now, I'm all alone." She smiled sadly, "See? I'm an open book."
"Then why do you hide your pain?" he asked as blatant as the nose on her face.
Her jaw dropped slightly in shock. Had she been that obvious? No one ever really noticed. "I… I guess I'm just used to it."
He folded his arms, "What happened?"
"I'm not sure that's any of your business," she said. "But I was in an accident."
"A car accident?" he asked.
She nodded.
"So, nothing like Sebastian?"
"No," she confirmed. "I'm not dying, if that's what you're worrying about."
He frowned, "I just… can sense your pain. Usually people don't hide it."
She raised an eyebrow, "How would you know if they were?"
He shrugged, looking over at the group for a moment before turning back to her, "I just can sometimes."
"Sometimes, but not all the time," she said.
"I think that's one of the things that draws me to you. Your constant positivity. It's such a mystery to someone like me, who can't seem to let go of anything bad that happens," he said.
"I just choose to be happy, I guess. To see the good in life," she told him.
"How did it happen?" he asked.
"I was hit by a drunk driver. It was… Twelve years ago. It kind of… ended my life back then. But I'm okay. I found a new life. It wasn't all bad."
His expression went dark, "So, someone hurt you, probably nearly killed you, because they were stupid."
Was it her imagination or had the air gotten colder by a few degrees? Probably just the ice cream in her stomach. "Dmitrei, it was a long time ago."
"How do you forget it?"
"I don't forget. I just don't let it ruin me," she sighed. "I knew when it happened, I had two choices. To be incredibly unhappy and angry at the unfairness of it, or to be happy I still had my life."
"But it should never have happened," he said.
"You can say that about a lot of things in life. Like Sebastian's cancer or my parent's divorce or the shootings on the news. But in the end, there are so many good things in life that make it worthwhile."
"Like what?" he asked folding his arms and leaning on the table. His eyes were starting to wander back to the other table again, so she had to distract him.
"Sunny days. Cute animals. Knowing you're making a difference in the world." She took a bite, "Delicious ice cream. Good company." She looked into his eyes, "Sexy guys."
That got a smile out of him. "Think I'm sexy, huh?"
"Yeah," she said. "And a good date."
He grinned, but his eyes wandered to the corner again.
"Maybe we should go. It seems like you're getting antsy."
"I do not have a high opinion of people. I do not trust them around things that are precious to me."
Her heart fluttered like paper in the wind. She was precious to him? She tried to remember what they were talking about. Oh, right. Assuming the worst. "If they're worrying you, then let's get away from them."
"Yes. I was hoping they would leave first. I do not like how they are thinking--I mean, looking at you."
She rolled her eyes, "Seriously, Dmitrei. Guys don't think of me like that."
"Yes, they do," he said sounding strangely certain about it as he took her hand and helped her out of the booth, leading her outside.
He let go of her hand to put his arm around her and draw her close to him, she luxuriated in the warmth of his body in the cool night air. She heard male voices and realized the group from the diner had followed them. Had Dmitrei been right to be paranoid?
Dmitrei's face was stern but he kept his pace calm, his energy reserved. They were nearly to the car when she felt a hand on her arm jerking her away from him. She was shoved against the side of the car and turned to see a large man in a leather jacket looking down at her. Two others were in front of Dmitrei, blocking his way to her.
"Wallet," the guy demanded holding out his palm.
Dmitrei shook his head, "No. Get out of here." He looked over at her to make sure she was okay.
She bit her lip an looked at Dmitrei. Why was he resisting? "D…"
The guy in front of her reached out to touch her face and she flinched back just as he went flying out from in front of her. Dmitrei was there, almost as if he had teleported and the guys who had been blocking him a moment ago looked around confused.
"How'd he do that?" one mumbled.
"So fast," the other commented in bewilderment.
Dmitrei folded his arms over his impressive chest. Elena could feel his rigid strength in front of her and knew he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.
***
"If I were you, I would not try that again," Dmitrei warned darkly, attempting to maintain his cool but seething with rage. For too long, Dmitrei had to hear the grotesque thoughts these men had been inadvertently sharing. The unspeakable things they had casually considered about the woman he felt more protective of by the minute. And to top it off, they had come out here and were now attempting to steal from them like common robbers.
Sometimes humans really were the worst.
For a moment, the man he had stepped in front of flinched at Dmitrei's size. Then, emboldened by his buddies coming up to join him, he took a step forward. "Threats, huh?" he said with a smirk. "Maybe we oughta teach this guy to be more polite."
"Yeah, and to share his girl," another said from behind.
That was it.
Instantly, Dmitrei grabbed the man in front of him by the collar and jerked him up in the air, letting him dangle like a rag doll. He sent a vicious glare at his buddies who were now trying to back up as their leader struggled in his grip. Then he took a step forward, aimed, and launched the man at them, sending him flying through the air and knocking the others over as they grunted from the impact.
Humans like them were no threat whatsoever to him. All they threatened was a world where he could protect humans, bond with humans, trust humans. And he hated them for it.
"Bastards. You will regret ever thinking about her like that," he spat venomously, his voice chilling as his breath grew colder and icier with each passing moment.
Without hesitation, he strode forward to the men as they scrambled to get up off the ground. He kicked hard into one man's guy, so hard the man slid backward and rammed into a nearby brick wall, knocking him unconscious. Seeing the imminent danger, the remaining men clambered to their feet. Upon getting up, one tried to retaliate, swinging a wild fist at Dmitrei, but he side-stepped effortlessly, the punch seeming to be in slow motion compared to his reflexes. He countered with a jab across the man's face, the force of it throwing him to the side as a crunch resounded off the nearby cars and building in the parking lot, the sound of it not the least unsatisfying.
He was losing himself again, he could feel it. But he wanted to punish them, both for what they had tried to do and what they had been picturing in their minds. Yet, as he fought, he could sense Elena watching. He could sense her worry and fear. That pulled him back from the icy mental ledge he dangled over.
The last man finally rose to his feet and reached behind him to pull something out. Dmitrei whirled around and grabbed the man's hand, which was gripping a gun. For a moment, Dmitrei stared at the weapon, leaving it pointed skyward. Then, in one quick motion, he ripped it free from the man's grasp and crushed it in his grip like a soda can, letting the pieces clatter to the ground. The ringleader saw he was clearly outmatched and his lackeys were incapacitated around him, he jerked his hand free and tried to run for the street. But Dmitrei snagged him by his leather jacket and hauled him off the ground, holding him by the neck as the man struggled fruitlessly against his unwavering supernatural strength. Dmitrei could sense the coldness in him growing colder. He could see himself unleashing his ice breath on the thug, freezing him solid so he could never hurt anyone again. But he also felt another part of him, one that was slowly waking up, telling him to let go. It was hard though. The strength of his restraining collar was weakened when a human was in danger, giving him access to more of his power. It was hard to contain all that iciness.
The man's face was turning red as he tried to claw and kick himself free from Dmitrei's grasp. Finally, he calmed the raging beast inside him long enough to toss the man away to a nearby dumpster. His throw had enough force to make him think twice about his life of crime, but not nearly enough to end him.
He turned back to Elena, still watching in amazement, and felt warmth course through him once again. She was safe. That was all that mattered. This time, he hadn't lost everything.
He walked to her and put his arms around her, sinking into her embrace for a moment. She hugged him back, giving comfort, but then he pulled back, realizing the needed to get out of there before anyone else came along.
"I'm sorry for all that. Let's get you back home," he said.
Her eyes were still wide with shock as he guided her toward her door. "I mean, but what just happened? The gun, and you…" She shook her head, "That was amazing, but I'm so confused."
"Later," he said as he helped her in, then hurried around to his door.
As he did, he saw the ringleader charging toward him one last time, a knife in his hand. Why did humans make it impossible to show mercy? Instantly, the beast inside him kicked into action and he felt power surge through him as he focused on the attacker and breathed. The man immediately froze in place, knife in hand, his body still as a statue, cold as ice. Dmitrei walked closer to the man, hearing his shallow breaths as he tried to move but was unable to.
"You are lucky she is here, or I would have frozen you until every cell in your body exploded," he said quietly, making sure the man could hear him, while Elena could not. Then Dmitrei turned, got in the car, and drove off leaving the frozen man with time to thaw and reconsider his life choices.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone