Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Chapter 5: New Neighbor

Adrian

The look on Cody's face was both amusing and adorable. It went from horror to complete and utter annoyance. Those brown eyes of his revealed pure anger as he glared at Adrian. It was hotter than when they are full of lust.

"No! No! No!" Cody repeated angrily. He points an accusing finger at Adrian as he backs up into his apartment. "How the hell did you know I was here? I made sure Sarah and Michaela never told anyone!" he said all but screamed.

"Told me what?" Adrian asked curiously. Honestly, he didn't know why Cody was here. He had walked down the stairs to meet his new downstairs neighbor. (The couple living in that apartment got kicked out after the wife murdered the husband.) When he saw Michaela leave the apartment, he thought that it was her moving in. But he knew for a fact that if she was there, Cody was there as well.

Boy, was he right.

It has been almost a year since they actually talked. All because Cody couldn't handle Adrian's need to kill. He tried to contain his urges because Cody had eased the anger inside of him. Adrian's urge to kill had faded the more he stayed like Cody. But when he saw how that math teacher talked to his Cody, he couldn't contain it anymore.

He sliced up the man in many pieces as if he was meat. Slice after slice. Splatter and splatter of blood. Adrian was so caught up in his usual routine that he didn't realize Cody was standing behind him. That night ended with Cody screaming at him and they broke it off. Of course, Adrian tried to get Cody to calm down but it made him even more hostile toward Adrian.

It was as if Cody was possessed by the devil himself. He held Adrian down with a knife at his throat. Just like the night they met. Adrian knew that he had to stay away after that.

Now, he was just excited to see his ex again.

"I came to greet my new neighbor. I live on the floor above this one." Adrian said calmly. He used to live in a run down apartment building that had both rats and many different bugs. After getting a job as a bouncer at a few different clubs, he's been able to get an upgrade. This new building was much better.

Cody's eyes popped as he squeezes his lips together. He seemed to realize something just as Adrian did. Both their eyes widened as the same thought hit them like a truck.

"You are my new neighbor?!" exclaimed Adrian and Cody in unison.

A smile grew on Adrian's face as he couldn't hold his excitement. "This is perfect!" he said happily. "Perfect?! How about horrible!" Cody countered angrily, his voice rising.

'He's overreacting like he always does.' Adrian thought amused. "Now, now, Cody. There is no need for shouting." he said warningly. "Shut up." Cody snapped, his eyes revealing the same wild look he had when he killed Michael.

"Okay. This is some turn of events." suddenly spoke Michaela.

Adrian and Cody turn toward the elevator and saw her staring at the two with an amused look. She had two boxes in her hands but could see the two over the second box. "Nice to see you again, Nighte." Michaela said with a quick wave as she walks pass the two and into the apartment.

The two men watched as she disappears into the apartment. "She still confuses me. Three years and she is just weird." Adrian stated. "Don't try to change the subject!" Cody snapped at him, though Adrian could tell he was thinking the same thing. "Listen," Cody started, his voice softening to a strict yet calm tone. "I'm not gonna ask you to move out but I don't want you anywhere near me." he finished. Cody stared at Adrian directly in the eye as he said that.

He had to keep a facade of understanding while underneath he was irritated. 'Why does he keep doing this?' Adrian thought as he stared at Cody. The boy waves him goodbye without giving him a second glance before going into his apartment. 'I've protected him; he's even saved my life. Yet he does this.' Adrian thought as he watches the door shut.

The tightness in his chest sent a burning sensation in his heart. Adrian steps up toward the door but doesn't do anything. He stares at the door, imagining that he could see Cody on the other side. 'Is this what actual heartbreak feels like?' Adrian thought as he steps back and began to ascent upstairs to his own floor.

'Aren't murderers like me suppose to not feel any emotions?' Adrian thought confused and very frustrated. 'I only feel pleasure in my kills.' he thought. "But when I'm with him, I feel . . . love." he spoke aloud to himself.

His apartment was the closest to the staircase. Right above the apartment Cody is in. Just that thought of that made him shudder in excitement. 'What if I make a lot of noise? Make him so frustrated he has to come up here to stop me himself?' Adrian thought.

The small hallway that held the doorway was entirely dark despite it being midday. It became lighter down the hallway as Adrian entered into the living room. He looks around his vacant apartment, noticing how lonely it actually is.

'I wonder what it would be like with Cody living with me?' he thought as he walked into the kitchen. Every apartment was the same. (As he had saw when a resident 'invited' him into their apartment.) Adrian opens up one of the drawers, revealing a set of steak knives. But he pushes down on the wooden base of the drawer and it pops itself loose.

Slowly, he pulls it open and slips his other hand inside. His fingers brush over the hilt of an object. Adrian grasps the object and pulls it out of the hidden compartment. The blade was ink black while the hilt was a navy blue.

It was the only thing he still had of his father. On the blade were the words 'Walk Like A Lion' engraved in cursive.

"The only good words you've ever told me, Dad." Adrian said to the blade. He rolls up his shirt and sticks it into his jeans. 'One more man. One more man then I'll try again.' he thought as he bit into his lower lip. 'I'll try to win Cody back.'