Hi guys, so... I hope you can forgive me for being away for so long. I know I left things at a cliffhanger for a really REALLY (and utterly inexcusable) long time. The only explanation I can give is that work got really out of hand, and then when I tried to pick up the story again, I had a bad case of writer's block. However, the characters have never left me, and eventually I felt I had enough push to carry on with Anya and Tyrus again. Believe me, I still have a story to tell and potentially lots more in store for the two of them.
I'm pretty anxious that the momentum is lost now, but I hope that the story still makes sense to you readers, and I hope that I haven't lost my original readers. Your comments were so encouraging and meant a lot to me! I can't promise that I can get the next chapters up in a reasonable amount of time, but I will most certainly try. A warning before you read this: this chapter is more about developing the plot, and might raise more questions than give any closure from the last chapter. PLEASE forgive me for staying away from writing for so long, and I hope you enjoy reading this!
*****
Loud music continued to pulse through the club. Strobe lights flashed, the trick of the lights making it look like everything was moving in slow motion.
Tyrus cursed under his breath, contemplating his next action from his seat in the hidden booth. He had to make a decision fast. He knew the predators on the dancefloor were not going to wait much longer. Goodness knows how long they had been marking out the group of humans. To go to Anya would reveal his interest, but to stay away would be to leave her at their mercy. Not everyone had respect for the laws that ordered them to leave their prey unharmed.
His eyes fell on Anya, drawn by the sway of her hips. He didn't think he had ever seen her so relaxed. Her hands trailed from her neck, down her body and to her thighs, moving in time to the music. The tightness of her dress on her perfect figure did not go unnoticed. Black high heels lengthened her already long legs, making them seem endless.
The man dancing across from her took her hand and spun her around. She smiled shyly at him as they danced. It was all Tyrus could do not to lunge forwards and force himself between them. He had to remind himself that she was not his, and he had intended to stay away from her. Every time the man touched her, Tyrus felt a pang of jealousy reverberate through him. If only he could offer her what this man could, to be human and to live out a full human life.
He studied them closely, wondering what their relationship was. No, they did not seem to be lovers, despite what the nagging jealousy tugging at his chest told him. She was too careful with their distance. Whenever he tried to draw her into his arms, she would find a way to move away. The observation appeased him a little.
"Tyrus, you are staring," Conner's voice broke through his thoughts. The werewolf was grinning, "I can see why though. She is just your type."
Tyrus let out a small huff of indignation from his throat. He knew that his friend was right. It wasn't just her long dark hair, or her full lips. She was effortless in her beauty, and carried herself in a confident yet unassuming manner. He knew that there was a lot more going on beneath that prettily packaged exterior.
He shrugged in defeat.
"Careful there Tyrus. If you do this, you're never going back."
"I know, Conner," Tyrus responded. He felt on edge, restless. Every instinct in his body told him to go to her. His demon wanted to claim her all over again. He recalled the feel of her soft curves against his body. Her faint scent was calling to him, enticing him. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out.
Leave her alone. She'll be fine. You'll put her in much more danger if you are with her,
Tyrus tried to reason with himself.
The others know the rules. They are not going to do anything more than feed.
Who was he kidding? He knew there was much worse that they could do. He had done much worse to his prey.
He cleared his throat, "I need some air."
He got up and pushed past Conner, ignoring the warning look on his face. Conner knew him well enough to know that he had made up his mind. Without looking back at his friend, Tyrus walked silently to the dancefloor.
****
Anya smiled politely as Luke placed his hand on her waist. As the music slowed down, she somehow managed to maintain her distance as Luke attempted to pull her close. Cute as he was, she just wasn't that interested in him. She didn't want to give him any wrong signals.
Other than having to watch her proximity to Luke, she had to admit, she was enjoying herself. The music was good, even though she didn't recognise any if the songs. The beats were infectious, and the tunes catchy. They made her feel as though she could dance all night long.
Luke's friends were good company too. They kept her included, even though they had just met. Jenna exuded confidence and energy, injecting life into the group. Jude had a wicked sense of humour, and Alex was charming and eloquent.
Anya realised that it had been a long time since she had let herself relax like this. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard, or felt so carefree. At least, not in recent years. If it meant swatting Luke away every now and then, she figured she could deal with it.
It was a couple of songs later when Luke reached out for Anya again. She turned away for a moment, in a move that forced him to remove his hand without her having to push it away herself. As she spun, she thought she saw a familiar face in the crowd of clubbers.
Her chest leapt as she recognized Tyrus, his intense eyes glowing as he looked directly at her. She turned back, trying to act nonchalant, even though her pulse was racing. What was he doing here?
She turned again, but he was gone. She frowned, scanning the crowd for him, but the club was dark.
