Unseen Scene—Book One, Chapter Three (Ava PoV) (Patreon)

Ava paces the small space near the front desk of the station, her boots thudding with each careful stride.

“Could you not?” Mason chides with a frown.

“She’s just nervous, aren’t you?” Felix says with a smile over at her. “It’s always that way meeting someone new. Well, sort of new. Last night doesn’t count.” He leans his arm on the desk beside Mason, the young man behind it not paying attention to them in the least. “What if they don’t like us?”

“How could they not like you, Felix?” Nat asks, not even a sliver of sarcasm on the words, only a true smile to back up the words.

The heartfelt sentiment receives a roll of the eyes from Mason.

“I’m not nervous,” Ava states to bring the conversation back on track. “But we are supposed to be keeping this human—” She stumbles to a halt realising the young man manning the front desk is sat nearby. The boy—once again—doesn’t even glance up at Ava’s rare fumble. “We’re supposed to be protecting this detective. It is a responsibility.”

“A big one considering they’re Agent [Surname]’s kid,” Mason comments with a scoff. “Did you even know she had one?”

“I—” Nat begins before Rebecca leans from the doorway and gestures them inside.

The group trail towards the small office amongst the clutter of desks that surround it, no organisation or thought to their apparent placement. Ava does her best to ignore the chaos of the station and instead follows the others into the office.

-

Inside, Ava waits for the others to settle before slipping her muscled frame into the strange sort-of line up they’ve made, but glances back over her shoulder to make sure their exit is still easily accessed.

"Detective [Name Surname], I'd like you to meet my team: Unit Bravo,” Rebecca says, drawing Ava’s focus back into the room and directly onto the person introduced.

The floor seems to fall from beneath Ava’s feet as she locks eyes with the human.

She sucks in a silent breath as, for the first time in centuries, her heart beats a sudden racing rhythm in her chest. It pounds against her ribs, demanding to be felt, demanding to be heard, demanding she take notice of this Detective.

It takes all of her considerable strength not to reach up and clasp at her chest as the thundering overcomes her—as it threatens to drown her in sudden emotion as she struggles to think or even breathe beneath the raging storm of it.

The human turns to introduce themself to Nat, but the words in the room swim about Ava’s head. She shakes it slightly, unaccustomed to having her senses deafened in anyway.

What on Earth is happening?

That’s when the human’s gaze slides to meet hers again.

And Ava knows.

The racing of her heart steadies to a slow, heavy pace as she gazes into the human’s eyes. Her limbs tingle as their focus continues to linger on her. Her body surges with heat.

She knows.

Fear soon erupts inside of her, bringing her senses back to laser-sharp focus, and she is grateful for the respite of what this human is forcing out from her.

She tightens her jaw and stares down the Detective. But the emotions the Detective continues to compel from her threaten to drown her once more as her gaze remains frozen…so she looks away. She can’t remember the last time she surrendered to anyone.

This can’t be true. It’s not possible.

Her teeth grind together as she stiffens on the spot.

She won’t let it be true. She won’t let it be possible.

Her fists tighten at her sides, and she forces her mind and body to relax. The room begins to swim back into full consciousness as she drives the emotion deep down.

And thankfully, once more, she’s in control…even as the wealth of longing claws at its new cage inside of her.