The Vampire's Oracle

Shadows in the Doorway

★Anastasia★

The moment I stepped inside of the apartment, I knew it was meant to be mine. It was perfect. The modern design, the open space, and the way the sunlight streamed through the sliding glass doors that led to a small balcony. It felt like home. The walls were painted in a soft beige, which only complimented the dark wooden floors. The living room and kitchen seamlessly blended into one another and that gave the space an airy, open feeling. The kitchen had an island with beige cabinets and dark wooden countertops that, oddly enough, made the space feel bigger than it was. I appreciated the storage the kitchen offered, and I liked the fact that there was an island that doubled as a dining area and extra prep space. It was small, but it was cozy, and I could imagine myself living here.

“What do you think?” the relator, a middle-aged woman who looked as if she could be on the cover of a magazine, questioned.

“I love it so far,” I said to her. I checked out the bedroom, which wasn’t large, but it didn’t need to be. It would fit a queen-sized bed perfectly against the far wall and a dresser would be perfect underneath the wide window that overlooked the quiet street below. A spacious closet stood opposite and, while small, it was more than enough space. The bathroom was pretty impressive with a deep soaking tub, a glass-enclosed shower, a vanity with a modern sink, and a toilet. It seemed like everything was new and updated.

“The owner remodeled after the last tenant left. Not sure if you can tell, but the bathroom was completely redone, so it’s all brand new,” Nikki informed me, and I nodded. I liked that the place had been redone after the last tenant, which meant it would truly be mine. No lingering scents of someone else's life. Just a blank slate.

“I want it,” I told her as I opened the sliding door and stepped out onto the balcony. We spent the next twenty minutes talking about the process and everything that was needed. It wouldn’t take long, and she promised I would be able to move in as early as next week. It was exciting, and I realized I couldn’t wait to go shopping with Aunt Eloise. Of course, I wanted to invite Marcia to tag along if she wanted to. As I left the building complex, my heart felt lighter than it had in weeks. This was it. My first place. My fresh start. My new home. I was quite distracted, so when I walked straight into someone, I gasped in surprise. A strong grip steadied me before I could stumble backward and when I looked up, my breath caught in my throat.

“Anastasia,”

“Noah,” I whispered as his amber eyes locked onto mine. The heat between us was immediate and unrelenting.

“We meet again,” he murmured, his voice tinged with amusement. I swallowed hard as I stepped back slightly to put some much-needed space between us.

“Again,”

“Not that I am complaining,” he teased with a slow smirk and butterflies erupted in my stomach as I tried to steady my emotions.

“What…what are you doing here?” I questioned as I glanced around the relatively quiet street.

“I was on my way to a little café just up the road,” he explained as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Of course, I hadn't expected to run into you,”

“Literally,” I muttered, and he chuckled. A brief silence followed as we merely stared at each other.

“Would you like to join me, Anastasia?” he then asked, and I blinked. “At the café…for coffee,” he added. I hesitated as I continued to stare at him. It wasn’t as if he was asking me out on a date. It was just coffee. And he was on his way there before I walked into him. But I wasn’t about to deny the truth and the fact of the matter was, I wanted to spend time with him.

“Sure,” I finally answered. Noah smiled, and we walked in comfortable silence to a nearby café. It was small, a bit rustic, and tucked between two brick buildings. I wasn’t sure why, but the area itself felt familiar to me in some way, even though I had never been here before. We stepped inside and the scent of freshly ground coffee beans wrapped around us.

“Hello, Noah,” the barista behind the counter greeted him by name and I frowned. “I know you don’t have a shift today,”

“No, I don’t…but that doesn’t mean I can't stop by,” Noah pointed out, and the barista blushed. She was quite pretty, but I was stuck on the fact that she had mentioned a shift.

“You work here?” I asked him.

“I do, yes,” he answered as he gazed down at me. I was a bit taken aback by the desire in his eyes and I blushed. “What would you like?” he then asked, but I shrugged. I hadn't ever had anything adventurous and since he worked here, I didn’t want him to know that little tidbit of information. “Go take a seat, I’ll get you something,” he said, and I nodded as I walked over to the couch that was tucked away in the corner near the roaring fireplace. It was warm and as I looked around, I couldn’t help but appreciate the atmosphere. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I checked it to see that it was a text from Marcia.

★Marcia: Please tell me you used the information I sent you last night.

★Anastasia: I did, and I owe you one. The apartment is perfect.

★Marcia: Great! When are you moving in?

★Anastasia: Early next week if everything is approved. I was actually wondering if you would like to go shopping with me and my Aunt?

★Marcia: I would love to! Just let me know when.

“Should I be offended?” a voice questioned, and I jumped as I looked to see that Noah had returned and was seated next to me.

“Um…no?”

“I got you a white chocolate latte,” he said as he gestured at the glass mug that he had placed on the coffee table.

“Oh…that sounds delicious,” I admitted as I picked up the mug and took a small sip. Noah watched me closely and I smiled. “It’s good, thank you,”

“You are welcome. I also got you a salted caramel muffin,”

“Oh…um…thank you,”

“So…what are you doing here?” he asked as he took a sip from his mug. Whatever he had ordered for himself was dark and smelled heavenly.

“Yeah, I just got an apartment,” I said excitedly.

“Congratulations,”

“Thank you,” I said as I leaned back and watched him. “You look so mysterious,” I couldn’t help but remark and he chuckled.

“I don’t think I’m mysterious,”

“And that is exactly what a mysterious would say,” I pointed out, and the smile he shot me made my heart skip a beat.

“Fair point,” he said with a nod. I had no idea what to expect, but he seemed so down to earth. I couldn’t quite get over the fact that he was probably the man from my dreams or my premonition. But that didn’t exactly tell me much. I had felt drawn to the man in my dreams, and I was clearly drawn to Noah. But I had also been afraid. And as the conversation flowed easily between us, I couldn’t help but wonder why I had been warned to be afraid of him.