Chapter 355: The Vampires are Here
Meredith.
Draven stopped briefly to buy me cotton candy from one of the vendors in the park.
I took it, but the sugary fluff melted heavily on my tongue. It was the distraction I craved, not the sweetness.
When we returned to the car, one of Draven’s men drove us toward the mall while two others followed closely behind.
Then I forced myself to finish the cotton candy because I hated the idea of Draven catching on to my unease.
But he didn’t say anything, though. He just sat there beside me steadily as always.
At the mall, we took the elevator to the seventh floor. Inside the toy store, I quickly picked out three teddy bears for Xamira because I couldn’t bring myself to choose.
Draven paid for them without a word, and one of his men grabbed the bag.
As we stepped back into the main walkway, I felt human eyes on us, some curious, others wary, while some lingered too long.
Just then, Draven’s voice cut through, calm and steady: "Pick whatever catches your fancy."
I managed a small smile, though my stomach was twisting. "You think I will have the chance to enjoy any of it when war comes?"
His golden eyes flicked toward me. "Then it’s all the more reason to take it now."
We walked together, scanning the storefronts. My eyes swept the crowds. There were too many Humans and an overwhelming amount of noise, leading my mind to betray me and paint the scene with fangs and blood.
"It would be bloody if vampires attacked this mall," I muttered.
Draven’s lips curved faintly. "Good thing you and I can jump off the building if all the exits are blocked."
I exhaled a shaky breath. "What a good day to be a werewolf," I murmured, though the words felt more like armour rather than humour.
On the first floor, we entered the supermarket. I pushed a basket along and filled it with chocolates, candies, and sweets. They were Xamira’s requests, but also my own strange impulse.
A part of me thought. ’If the war starts tomorrow, at least I’ll have these little pieces of normalcy to hold onto.’
After picking up everything I wanted, Draven paid for them with his card, and his men carried the bags as we left the mall.
Back in the car, I leaned my head slightly against the window, still restless.
"Where are we going next?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"The ice cream store," Draven said simply.
Minutes later, the car slowed, pulling up in front of a glass-fronted shop with bright pastel signage.
Draven gave the driver instructions, "Take the cars to the underground parking lot nearby and wait for my call."
Then, he opened the door, and I stepped out with him, the crisp city air brushing against my skin. Together, we walked into the store, our presence drawing quiet stares.
We walked straight to the counter. The young attendant’s eyes darted nervously between us, her fingers fidgeting over the register.
"What flavour do you want?" Draven asked me, his voice steady and grounding.
"Vanilla," I replied, "with caramel drippings."
"No toppings?" he asked, his eyebrow slightly raised.
I shook my head. "No."
He turned back to the attendant. "I will have the same thing as my wife."
The girl almost dropped the scooper in her haste, bowing slightly before hurrying to prepare our order.
When the pints were finally handed over, Draven guided me to a table tucked in the corner. We sat, facing one another, the low hum of human chatter filling the space.
I could feel their eyes on us, still curious and uncomfortable, but I ignored them, focusing on the melting swirl in my hand.
"When are Dennis and Jeffery coming?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.
"They should be on their way now," he answered.
I hesitated, then leaned forward, my voice dropping to where only he could hear. "They didn’t find any vampires?"
He shook his head once, firm, controlled. "No." Then his gaze lingered on mine, golden and calm.
"After we are done here, we will take another walk and then head back to the estate."
I nodded, scooping my ice cream with a plastic spoon as a streak of caramel slid down the pint.
But inside, doubt twisted through me. Valmora had sounded so sure, so why is everything still so quiet?
Shaking my thoughts off, I tried to enjoy the ice cream, but every bite tasted faint and hollow. And then, something gnawed at me.
At first, I thought it was just my nerves, but then quietly, I noticed the way the air shifted. The chatter of humans dimmed, replaced by uneasy murmurs.
I glanced around. A family at the far table had gone silent, the parents whispering to each other while the children poked listlessly at their sundaes.
Near the counter, two men who had been talking stopped abruptly, their eyes flicking toward the door and then away, as though afraid to look too long.
My grip on the cone tightened. "Is it me they are looking at? Or... something else?"
Valmora stirred inside me, her voice low and sharp. "Do you feel it? The shift? The air doesn’t belong to them anymore."
A shiver ran down my spine. I set the ice cream back onto the napkin. Across from me, Draven watched me closely, his calm expression unreadable.
"What is it?" he asked softly.
I shook my head. "I don’t know. But something is off." My gaze darted to the door, then to the wide windows framing the bustling street outside. Everything still looked normal.
Valmora’s chuckle was a whisper only I could hear. "Oh, they are here, hiding and waiting. And they are patient enough to strike when they please."
My pulse spiked, and I leaned closer to Draven. But just as my lips parted, his expression changed. His brows knit, his golden eyes unfocused, as if his mind had slipped elsewhere.
I knew that look. He was communicating with someone through the mind-link.
I held my breath, trying not to intrude, though every fibre of me screamed to demand answers.
Then, suddenly, he blinked and refocused on me again.
"Is there a problem?" I asked carefully in a low voice.
He studied me for a heartbeat before answering. "My men just informed me they found two vampires in the underground parking lot."
My stomach dropped. ’So Valmora was right after all. She really does see the future.’
At the same time, Draven stood. The scrape of his chair seemed louder than it should have been, and my pulse quickened.
I rose halfway from my seat, my nerves fraying. "Where are you going?"
He looked down at me steadily. "Wait here. Don’t go anywhere. Finish both of the ice creams. I will send Dennis to come get you."
My eyes widened, panic breaking through. "You are leaving me here alone?"