The soft hum of the city filled the evening air as Awa stood on the rooftop of Tina's office building. The sun was setting, casting an orange-pink glow over the skyline. Awa leaned against the railing, taking a deep breath, feeling the crisp air on her skin. At first, she had expected the cravings to return with full force, the same uncontrollable need that had overwhelmed her the last time she had been this close to Forrest. But surprisingly, the urge had lessened. It was still there, a dull, persistent hum in the back of her mind, but nothing like the fierce hunger that had consumed her before.
Forrest still smelled delicious. His scent lingered in her memory, warm and rich, a kind of primal pull that ignited something deep within her. But it wasn't unbearable. It was manageable. She could be around him now without feeling like she had to fight herself every second. And yet... there were others. A few other people in Tina's office had passed by her earlier in the day, each carrying a similar tantalizing scent. Not as strong as Forrest's, but still enough to make her pause.
Werewolves, she assumed. Or maybe something else—something not entirely human. Whatever they were, they were dangerous in ways she was just starting to understand.
Awa shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Her mind wandered back to Forrest. She would need to talk to Tina—warn her about spending too much time alone with him. Not because she was jealous, no, it wasn't that. But what if Forrest's appetite wasn't limited to food? What if, one day, he decided to crave something else? Like human meat?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine, but she quickly brushed it off. She wasn't scared, just cautious. She wasn't jealous... at least that's what she kept telling herself.
Sighing, she pushed off the railing and headed back inside. There were too many unanswered questions swirling in her head, and the office was still bustling with activity. She'd figure it all out eventually. For now, she had other plans.
Stepping into the office, her gaze immediately found Forrest. He was sitting at his desk, focused on something on his computer screen. The sight of him made her heart skip a beat—those broad shoulders, the way he carried himself. She couldn't help but think about what could have been. Forrest had chosen her sister, but that didn't mean Awa didn't feel that strange pull toward him.
She shook her head, smirking. Bad taste in women, she mused. Tina was amazing, of course, but she was almost the best woman out there. Awa, though—she would have been the perfect match. Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she made her way toward the kitchenette, this wasn't revenge for anything. No, this was purely research and science..
The scent of freshly brewed coffee greeted her, and Awa poured herself a cup. But this wasn't just for sipping. Oh no. She had something else in mind. She poured the coffee into a fresh mug, then opened the microwave and set the timer. Two minutes should be enough. She needed the coffee to be scalding—just enough to test a new theory she had about Forrest.
While the microwave hummed, Awa leaned against the counter, tapping her foot and letting her thoughts drift. Why had the cravings for Forrest faded? Why had it been so unbearable before, but now it was almost easy to ignore? Was she getting stronger? Or was it something to do with Forrest himself? She still didn't have all the answers, and that frustrated her.
The microwave beeped, and Awa retrieved the cup. Steam rose in wisps from the surface of the coffee, the liquid practically boiling inside the mug. She smirked, giving the cup a small swirl to make sure it was just the right temperature. Not hot enough to seriously injure him, of course, but enough to leave an impression, just a second-degree burn is good enough. If he was human that is.
Walking toward Forrest, Awa could feel the thrill bubbling inside her. He sat there, oblivious to her approach, completely absorbed in his work. He didn't even glance up as she got closer, closer still. Her heart pounded in her chest, not from nerves, but from excitement.
As she neared his chair, she couldn't help but admire his back—strong, muscular, and so completely unaware of what was coming. The temptation to reach out and touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin, crossed her mind. But she held herself back. That wasn't the plan. She had to play her part right.
And then, with a perfectly executed stumble, Awa "accidentally" tipped the mug, sending the scalding coffee cascading down Forrest's back.
The reaction was immediate. Forrest let out a scream that could have rivaled the one in the canteen from earlier. The sound reverberated through the office, heads turning as everyone stopped what they were doing. Forrest shot up from his chair so quickly that his head collided with the concrete ceiling, a sickening thud echoing through the room. He staggered, clutching the back of his head with one hand while desperately trying to pull his shirt off with the other.
Awa bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She hadn't anticipated such a dramatic reaction, but it was perfect. Absolutely perfect.
Forrest's face contorted in pain as he tore his shirt off, revealing his bare back, now red and angry from the burn. He bolted toward the kitchenette, grabbing the fridge door and yanking out a bottle of cold water. He poured it over his back, gasping in relief as the cool liquid met his scalded skin.
The office had erupted into chaos. Employees were rushing over, asking what had happened, their faces filled with concern. Tina, hearing the commotion, quickly approached with a look of confusion on her face.
"Forrest! What happened?" Tina asked, her voice filled with worry.
Forrest, still grimacing in pain, tried to explain between gasps. "I... I don't know. Someone spilled boiling coffee on me. I didn't see who it was. I just... damn, that hurt."
Awa, watching from the sidelines, put on her best horrified expression and rushed over to his side. "Oh my God, Forrest! I'm so, so sorry! I was bringing coffee and I—I tripped! I didn't mean to! Are you okay?" She widened her eyes, willing tears to form at the corners.
Forrest, still reeling from the pain, looked at her, his brow furrowed. "You... did that?" His voice was filled with disbelief, as though he couldn't quite wrap his head around what had just happened.
"I'm so sorry," Awa continued, her voice filled with faux remorse. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just clumsy. Please, forgive me."
Tina, standing beside them, seemed unsure of what to say. She knew Awa could be playful, but this... this was something else.
Forrest, still hunched over from the pain, waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine... it was an accident. Just... damn, it hurt."
Awa nodded sympathetically, her heart racing with satisfaction. She had gotten away with it, and better yet, she had another weakness to add to her list.
She pulled out her phone discreetly and opened the same document from earlier. Under the previous entries, she added a new line: "Hot liquid exposure: confirmed." She smiled to herself, marking it in red before slipping the phone back into her pocket.
But as she glanced at Forrest's pained expression, a strange thought crossed her mind. What if she had gone too far this time? Sure, she was playing a game, testing his limits, but there was a part of her that felt... something. It wasn't guilt, exactly. More like... a strange sense of protectiveness.
No, it wasn't about protectiveness. It was curiosity. She wanted to know how far she could push him—how much he could take before he snapped.
And what would happen when he finally did?
Forrest, still cooling his back with the cold water, shot a quick glare at her, but Awa could see the confusion in his eyes. He didn't understand why she was behaving this way, but more than that—he didn't know what to do about it. She had the upper hand, and for now, she was content with keeping it that way.
But that feeling, that strange sense of competition, was only growing stronger. And as she walked away from the scene, pretending to feel remorseful, she couldn't help but smile to herself.
This is only the beginning, she thought. We're just getting started.