From the main level, I rode an elevator to the basement.
As I walked through the tunnel, toward the capital,
clusters of government employees passed by. Unlike the
other days when I came to work, men and women wore suits
and chatted with serious looks on their faces. None of them
carried lunch bags in their hands. I wondered if they'd
come from a meeting or were going to one.
I reached the elevator to get to the subbasement and hit
the button. While I waited for my ride, I scanned the area
around me. The empty hall showed no signs of trouble and
the voices of those who'd passed recently faded. I breathed
in a relieving breath, finding myself alone and safe.
The ding of the elevator alerted me to its presence. The
doors opened and a crowd of men and women in professional
attire walked out. I stepped aside, staying clear of their
path.
"Good evening, Shelley," said an evil voice from behind
me.
Since I had vampire hearing and hadn't heard her
approaching, the bitch must have misted to appear near me.
My blood boiled with anger. I hated the charmed bracelet on
my ankle, preventing me from utilizing my demon and angel
abilities.
With my jaw clamped so tight my teeth could've chipped,
I glanced over my shoulder. She stood alone and dressed in
a red suit.
"I didn't hear you coming," I said in a rude tone.
Her lips formed a devilish smile. "You won't."
Heat flamed within me, causing me to perspire. My
clothes, damp from my dash through the rain, began to feel
even wetter. The demon in me wanted out, wanted to rip her
to shreds. Fortunately for her, the angel in me held the
demon back.
After a few nods from the people passing, I strode onto
the empty elevator. The bitch followed me and stood at the
opposite side with her arms crossed. Alone with the
Senator, I picked up her demon scent mixed with some other
citrus type of perfume. The two odors mixed with the sight
of the Senator made my stomach churn.
Once the doors closed, we faced each other. She had a
feral look in her eyes, but I felt no fear. I had zero
doubt I could kill her with my bare hands. She knew I could
too, given she knew I had vampire strength. Her charmed
bracelet couldn't freeze all supernatural abilities.
"I'm surprised you decided to show up this evening."
Galluzzi smirked.
I clenched the strap of my purse tighter. She obviously
knew about the attack on me at Boss's house. Did she think
she could provoke me?
I stepped closer to her and stood a foot from her face,
glaring at her. "I'm not easy to get rid of."
Emotion drained from her face. "No, you're not, but I
have my ways." She lifted her chin, displaying her
arrogance. "Setbacks are normal in life, but I always win."
Sweat trickled down the back of my neck. What would
happen if I killed her in the elevator? Every bit of me
wanted to see her dead now, instead of hung out in front of
the world as a criminal. She deserved far worse. She
deserved death.