He could sense the footsteps at his heels long before the man shoved his brown loafer into the ground with a crackling collision against the pavement. The small stones rubbed against each other, overlapped and rolled across the earth at his feet, creating a rift in the space that had been filled with the honking of car horns and the revving of engines before the mistake was made. Pausing, Riddle pretended to linger on the noise, feigned interest in the hidden, shadowed stalker when he didn’t have any care for whoever was following him with a beast’s hunger.
Walking along the edge of the small, rectangular shaped parking lot, he stepped onto the smoother visage of the sidewalk, still pretending that he didn’t notice anything threatening, still acting as if he didn’t know any better. The vampire stalked behind him only because he was permitting it. If he hadn’t been in the mood to put up with a lesser creature and it’s fiendish tendencies, he would not have stood for their game of follow the leader. Riddle would have reduced the vampire to ashes had he not been feeling generous.
The bar’s entrance lit up beside him and he turned to it, pushed open the door and crossed the threshold. Heads turned to study the new arrival in the black, emerald lined trench coat and the boots that kept his treading hushed when it should have created a stomping vibration against the floor. No matter, Riddle maneuvered between tables, taking notice of the door opening to admit his shadow, who he presumed to be set on getting what he wanted. That however, would not be happening.
Placing his arms on the bar’s counter and leaning forward, there came a charming, half smile, not quite there as usual. “You should keep an eye on the door. You never know what will come slinking through the cracks. You could end up losing customers.” He wasn’t talking to anybody in particular, but instead, to whoever would turn his way.