The Taste of Seduction

Nightfall arrived swiftly, engulfing the city in its shroud of darkness. Marcus sought peace in the comforts of a hotel room. Having spent a significant portion of the day driving and dealing with the events at the office, he decided to get a place to rest and recollect his thoughts, delaying his moving in until the next day.

His hotel room was a sanctuary designed for tranquility. Its compact size gave it a sense of coziness he lacked, while the minimal lighting created an atmosphere of peaceful seclusion.

The room boasted elegant black curtains, skillfully blocking out the remnants of the fading sunlight.

The bed, adorned with crisp white sheets and gray duvets, might not have been his color of convenience, but for the night, he was willing to forgo his personal preferences and settle in.

Life truly is boring when there's no one to live it with. The thought swirled in his mind as he pulled open the doors that led to the balcony, allowing the cool night air to wash over him.

The sun was down, the night sky was evident, and the bustling noises of the city had almost completely subsided, leaving behind a serene ambiance that enveloped the streets below.

Nights in this city are somewhat peaceful. He noted with a hint of a smile.

But then, a sudden shift in his thoughts darkened his expression, replacing the smile with a frown. The woman he'd encountered during the day occupied his mind once again.

She had effortlessly awakened his hunger, a sensation that was unusual, especially considering the absence of a primal bond between them.

Or was she truly Cassandra?

That could only be figured out if he somehow found a way to get closer to her. But how he would go about the task was the challenge he now faced.

Armed only with knowledge of her workplace, he pondered the possibility of extracting further information about her whereabouts from one of the employees.

The receptionist.

"How did I forget?" He muttered to himself with a chuckle. But as soon as it dawned on him, it left him with a sense of loss as he realized he hadn't taken her number.

While there would be another opportunity to approach her, he couldn't be certain of her willingness to engage with him again. But he had just the plan for that.

Desperate times come for desperate measures. He thought to himself with a mischievous smile.

********

Tiny rays of the rising sun seeped through the heavy drapes that covered the large glass doors to the balcony. That was enough indication of the perfect morning to get to work.

Marcus, having spent the entire night engrossed in his phone, finally decided it was time to embark on the day's tasks.

He had stayed up all night watching paranormal movies, gaining insights into the human perception of supernatural beings.

The revelations from these films surprised him, as he realized that humans possessed a greater awareness of the mystical world than he had previously believed.

It made no sense that they'd be hiding. But from experience, he'd come to understand that they were not okay with the fact that creatures such as himself, which they 'conjured in their minds' actually exist.

It baffled him that they would deliberately hide from the truth, but dwelling on this mystery would serve no purpose. He had more pressing matters to attend to. And the first on his list was moving into his new apartment and determining his next course of action.

He got off the bed and whipped his coat over his shoulders, pulling up the hood in a single fluid motion. Within minutes, he was outside the hotel and in his car, relying on the GPS to guide him to his destination – the address indicated in his document.

***

The directions led Marcus to a neighborhood that bore some semblance to Ashtonville, albeit with a slightly livelier atmosphere.

The surroundings exuded a sense of tranquility, with only distant echoes of car horns from the bustling expressway and the intermittent sounds of construction machinery indicating ongoing development nearby.

It was the ideal environment for a peaceful life, like an oasis nestled within the industrial desert of New York – perhaps a slight exaggeration, but the sentiment was clear.

As he made the final turn, his gaze fell upon his destination – an evidently spacious, family-sized home with a charming porch and a designated parking space.

Parking his car just in front of the house, he stepped out onto the pavement. His expression held a hint of skepticism as he approached the building, his eyes scanning the exterior.

What now?

Like an answer from heaven, he turned to his right and locked his gaze once again with the woman he'd bumped into at the office. Standing on her corridor, she appeared before him, her figure cut off at waist level, but he was content.

His eyes were drawn to her form-fitting t-shirt that accentuated her ample bosom. And this time there was no lacy underwear.

Marcus felt the instant pull of what felt like forbidden lust coupled with something else creep through his core, urging him toward where she stood motionless.

The woman's initial expression bore a semblance to that of someone who had just glimpsed a ghost.

However, as her gaze lingered on his face longer than expected, anger began to twist her features into those of an irritated neighbor awakened by thunderous music blaring from a neighboring garage.

She was his next-door neighbor, residing in the house adjacent to his own.

Except for her incessant mood swings every time she set her eyes on him, this was like a dream come true, an answered prayer even.

Managing a smile, he rose his gloved right hand and darted it sideways whilst tilting forward slightly, like a Disney princess would. But all she did was scowl at him and storm back where she came.

Okay, does she hate me that much? He thought to himself with remorse and headed towards the entrance to his home.