"Is that everything you own?" He was careful to ask.
Again, she nodded with a sad smile.
Ladislas felt terrible for her. Why did she have to live like that? She had seemed alright the last time they had met. She had even teased him. People always said that the homeless were either insane or drug addicts, but he knew her to be neither of those. She just didn't fit into the narrative.
Everyone said she had a good relationship with her parents, then why did she leave university and her family to live like this?
He was so curious, but he just couldn't ask. "Do you want some ice for that?" That was what came out of his mouth instead.
Anna raised her eyebrow and gave him an amused look. And then he finally got what she meant.
"You probably don't. Considering the condition I found you in, right?"
Anna chuckled softly and played with her fingers while she shook her head a little.
"I'll bring you a bottle of water?"
Anna looked surprised but nodded her head and smiled. She watched as he jumped off the chair and went to get a glass of water. He also brought along a plate of cookies.
Anna desperately needed to leave but she found herself remaining seated. She figured that she might as well go along because she wanted to stay a little longer. Only until she was done with the hot chocolate.
Had she really become so lonely and jaded that this was her idea of a good time? Hanging out with her former professor, who for all intents and purposes might just kill her?
"Anna, I am waiting for you to say something," he announced after a long silence.
She looked up helplessly. "Can you speak?"
She shook her head. She pointed to him with her index finger.
"Are you playing a game? Bang bang. You're dead?" he joked.
She startled for a second before unexpectedly throwing her head back and laughing. Ladislas gaped at her as she shook with laughter. He felt a smile tug at his lips until they were stretched so wide that it nearly hurt his face. He wanted to record the sound and play it over and over.
Anna chuckled and then pointed at him again.
"You want to know about me?" he prompted.
Anna nodded.
"There really isn't much to tell. I'm over twenty-two hundred years old. I am a half-demon and I can do just about anything to relieve my boredom," he said easily.
She certainly didn't believe him because she snickered at his remark and motioned for him to go on.
She saw the harsh reality of the world on a day-to-day basis. Where else could she hear such nonsense? This was much more entertaining. She could depend on Ladislas to give her a good laugh and a moment away from reality.
"My life is so tedious that it bores even me to tears. Being immortal is hard, you know. Gone are the days when torture devices were a thing. I certainly liked to see people squealing like pigs," he shrugged.
Her eyes widened comically and she shook her head.
"You don't believe me?"
She shrugged and looked skeptical.
"Is it that hard to believe that I enjoy watching people suffer? It makes for good entertainment," he commented, feeling a little annoyed that she thought he was lying.
She shook her head. Then, she looked at him from head to toe with a smile.
What? Is this supposed to be a compliment? Did he look like the sort of supervillain that exuded charisma?
His heart jumped in his chest when he saw her sneak a peek at his face. She smiled again and stroked the mug with her thumb. Butterflies that he had forgotten existed suddenly fluttered crazily in his stomach.
He could even admit to feeling a little lightheaded. He had no control over his body, either. He didn't know when he approached her and was a few inches away from her.
Her heart jumped in her chest when she felt his hand on her cheek. She looked up and sat him lowering his head to sneak a peek at her face. She hid it from him.
He smiled again and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
Anna had never known that butterflies existed in her stomach, but they fluttered like crazy.
'I need to get out of here. Right now. I was just hungry and cold from the blizzard. That's the reason why I feel this way.'
She pulled back from his caress abruptly, the chair scraping loudly as she stood up. Ladislas' hand lingered in the air for a few seconds before he pulled it back, looking mildly confused.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
She shook her head as she stepped backward, never looking away from him. If she allowed herself to speak, she would tell him it had been fun but she needed to head out.
He followed her slowly. He cocked his head to one side and Anna felt herself back away until she hit a wall.
'I am trapped!' she thought in panic.
His eyes softened and he took two more careful steps until he was right in front of her. She swallowed audibly and her heart thundered in her chest. He reached out to touch her face again and she closed her eyes and gripped the corner of the wall.
She wouldn't even make it to the headlines. She could definitely not kill this man and get away with it, considering that he had classes the next day and people would look for him. If she was caught, she would have nothing to say, her cover would be blown. But also, she could see that this man was acutely dangerous. Not in the serial killer kind of way, but something stranger and which made her animal instinct go wild when she was near him.
This man meant untimely death. Painful death.
His fingertips traced her cheek and her breath hitched in her throat.