Wolf Bound

Chapter 25: Void

The clock was going to strike midnight in twenty minutes and Vincent was just now walking in the house. I could hear his footsteps downstairs. Did he think I was asleep? I couldn't tell if he was being cautious or not. He wasn't walking as loud as he normally did.

My right hand was on the knob. I stood completely still, listening for the sound of his footsteps on the stairs. And I waited. I waited until he was closer. The floors outside my door began to creak. He was passing my room. Was this a good idea? I didn't know anymore. It was too late to question it though. I was already flinging the door open and stumbling out.

"Happy birthday," I blurted. Vincent's body stiffened.

I thought he would have continued walking, but his hand curved around the doorknob to his bedroom, unmoving. He turned his head and shot me a look. There was a brief moment of silence between us. He tilted his head and eyed my face.

"Claudia told you, didn't she?" Though he phrased it like a question, I knew it wasn't one.

I scratched the back of my head, avoiding his eyes.

Finally, I heard him sigh. "You don't need to acknowledge the day, Genesis. . . You don't even have to say the words."

"Hmm, maybe you're right. After all, you did have me chained to a radiator. Perhaps, I should take my happy birthday back then. I'm not sure you deserve my kindness," I feigned.

Vincent perched himself against his bedroom door, his heavy stare never leaving me. "You don't even have to say the words . . . but thank you for saying the words. . ." His arms were crossed, and the bottom of his right foot was leant on the door.

"Oh? That's more like it." There was a smile sewn into my words.

"You didn't let me finish," he said, chuckling.

"Ah, but it got you to lighten up though, didn't it?" I wagged my eyebrows at him.

"Lighten up? You've got a weird perception of me." He scoffed.

"I'm just trying to do whatever it takes to get on your good side." I winked at him.

"Just so you know, I've been seriously contemplating putting you on a bedtime curfew. I think I will, starting tonight."

"A curfew to go to sleep? Like locking me in the room again?" My eyes shot wide open.

"That isn't exactly what I had in mind. But that can be arranged." He shrugged.

"No! Not allowed! I am an adult. You'll have to force my cold, dead body."

He copied my wink. "That can be arranged as well."

"Darn. You're still good looking with an attitude that sucks," I mumbled. "All of you are wicked. The whole lot of you." I heard him snigger at me.

We were welcomed with the cold draft breezing through the hallway. It numbed my legs for a second, but I shook it off, shifting on my feet. If we stood here in complete silence any longer, I just might have crumbled.

I took a cautious step forward. "Um, are you going to sleep now?"

"I might," was his only response.

"There's," I drifted off, checking my phone, "fifteen minutes left of your birthday."

"So?" He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Just wondering what you were going to do if you're not going to sleep."

"Someone's still as nosey as ever." I couldn't tell if that was teasing in his tone or if he was being serious. But the faint smirk on his face was leaning more towards teasing.