Tegan stared at her cousin in astonishment. “I cannot believe you asked me that. You are very blunt with your words, aren’t you?”
“Yip, I have no filter.” He sat up on the bed as he grinned at her. “I find it easier this way.”
“You’re lucky I don’t hurt you, for the disrespect you show my father.” Tegan walked over to her bag, placing her dirty clothes inside. “No. Father never fed me his blood. You should be ashamed of yourself for asking,” she admonished.
“I’m older than you,” Sloane stated as he lay back down on the bed.
“What’s that got to do with the price of fish? It’s quite obvious you aren’t wiser, so are you suggesting that you are senile?”
“The price of fish? I have never heard that saying before!” He laughed at her as he lay relaxed on her bed. “Good to know you’re feisty!” Sloane grinned at her as his hands propped his head up. “I knew you would be.”
“And I knew that a child of Cornelius would be flawed.”
“Ow, that’s a low blow, cuz.” Sloane sat up again and looked at her. “Do you want to exchange tales of childhood loneliness and demanding expectations?”
“No. Simply because I wasn’t alone and I had no demanding expectations, and if I did… I met them.”
“Cold!” Sloane laughed as he stood up. “You’ll be just fine here.” He walked over to the interconnecting door. “Sleep well Tegan, may the Ancients watch over you in your slumber.”
Given all his teasing and easy smiles, Tegan was surprised when her cousin gave her the formal goodnight. “Sleep well, Sloane, may the Ancients watch over you in your slumber,” she returned with a slight inclination of her head.
“I hope not, and if they do, I hope it’s only Arflyn and Brindlelay that are watching, I’ll give them a show.” Seeing Tegan’s incredulity at his blasphemous words, Sloane ducked out of the room.
“Forgive him, Ancients, he is young,” Tegan whispered her apology to the room, before climbing into bed. She turned off the nightlight and settled in to sleep, a few moments later she was smiling over her insolent cousin.
Tegan woke at her usual time, she lay in bed for a few more minutes before rising. Her sleep had been peaceful, despite the strange surroundings. The bed was soft and comfortable, and the pillows were fluffy, reminding her of clouds. She padded into the bathroom and took care of her morning routine, finishing with a quick splash of water on her face, she would shower later. Quickly unbraiding her hair, Tegan ran a brush through it, it was still damp from last night’s shower and she quickly rebraided it for training. Pulling yoga pants and a sports bra from the drawer, Tegan slipped on a pair of sneakers, before heading for the door. She noticed a piece of paper under her door and opened it curiously.
Tegan, the gym is down the staircase, take a left at the second corridor on your right, turn left and the gym is the third door on the right.
Michael
Tegan smiled as she placed the note on her dresser, she had memorised the buildings floor plan before coming here. She knew where the gym was without the directions, but she appreciated his thoughtfulness and recognised it as a peace offering for his heated words last night. It seemed to be another offer of friendship and she would gladly take it. Jogging easily down the stairs, making her way to the gym, Tegan didn’t meet anyone on the way. She frowned as she wondered where the night watch was, they couldn’t be so secure in their defences that they did not need a watch? Did her entry into the building last night not prove they were weak? Or did they think it was the fact her father was a Vampyre that they put the security breach down to? A Vampyre had penetrated their Headquarters, rather than a barely adult Sentinel.
When Tegan arrived in the gym, it was empty. Although she had been looking for other Akrhyn on the way here she realised she was grateful she was alone, as she did a few stretches and lunges before getting on the treadmill. The machine was intimidating. Having so many programmes and settings she wasn’t sure where to start, so she opted for just increasing the speed until she was running at her usual pace. Halfway through her run, the door to the gym opened and she heard someone come into the room.
“You again?”
Tegan turned her head and saw that it was one of the males from last night, was he Kai or Darus?
“May the Ancients bless you on this day,” Tegan greeted as she turned her head and faced forward again.
“You alone?” he asked, ignoring her obvious dismissal of him.
“No, I am here with several Akrhyn.”
“Oh great, you’re sarcastic.” He walked around so he was in front of her. He was tall and broad, as were most Sentinels. With his blond hair, chiselled features and blue eyes, he was attractive, Tegan realised as she assessed him.
“By the Ancients you look exactly like him,” he stared at her open mouthed. His eyes then ran over her and a slow smile appeared on his face, “well notexactlylike him.”
Tegan continued her run as he assessed her. “Why are you staring at me?”
The Sentinel’s face reddened as he looked away quickly. “I’m Kai.”
Tegan nodded at him as she ran, reaching forward she increased the pace. “Time me,” she stated, “five minutes,” she instructed as she ran faster.
Kai nodded, after a few minutes of standing in front of her, he walked around her on the treadmill. Tegan tried not to let it distract her, but she could feel his eyes on her, and she wasn’t entirely sure he was appraisingjusther technique.
“You’re staring at my behind?” Tegan grit out through clenched teeth as she continued on with her punishing pace. A soft laugh was her only answer and she cursed the fact that even as fast as she was running, she couldn’t runfromhim on this stationary piece of equipment.