Who? | The Dhampir (Book Two)

XIX

George

"What are you doing here?" I ask through my gritted teeth.

I wrap my fingers around Joaquin's neck. I know I can't kill him. But, my mind is filled with anger. He used my Aunt. He tried to kill me. And now, he's right in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" I repeat and grip the vampire's neck tighter.

"Es," he starts as he taps my hands, "...peranza told me to meet you here."

"How!? Why!? You know her?" I'm confused. How would she know him? After all this time, she knew them?

Joaquin put his hands between my arms. He pushes my arms away from his neck. Due to his force, I stepped back a bit.

"Goodness," he fixes the neckline of his turtle neck before clearing his throat. His gaze lands on me. I ball my fist to stop myself from attacking him again.

"What brought you here?" I say as I walk towards the lake.

"Doing errands. I told you, your mother says I have to meet you here, instead of her. She said there's an urgent stuff that she has to finish."

Huh. As if.

His arms touch my shoulder as he stands beside me.

"I guess you have enjoyed your stay here quite well that you forgot I can hear what's in your mind," he says as he crosses his arms.

"Right," I say as I sidestep away from him.

He chuckles and puts his hands on his waist, moving his long black coat back. "Hah, I thought I outsmarted a witch," he says as he breathes through his nostrils. "Turns out it's the other way around. I thought I got a spy in this forest, " he continues and looks around.

Silence.

"Instead, I am the informant," he says as he points at himself.

"What is it?" I ask and cross my arms on my chest. By the look of his eyes, he seems tired. The vampire in front of me looks youthful as always. But there are hints of lonesome and tiredness as he watches his reflection in the calm pond.

"Here," he says and he faces me. "She told me to give you this," he pulls out a wooden lipstick case out of the pocket of his coat.

"A lipstick?" I furrow my eyebrows as I reach for it.

A deep chuckle escapes his mouth. I lift my gaze. Amusement is written all over his face.

"I never thought of that. Maybe that's why women look at me confused every time I pull this fancy thing out of my pocket," he says before walking beside me. "This is our means of communication."

I frown and start twisting the bottom part of the lipstick. "How? This is lipstick," I conclude as I try to open the case. However, I can only twist the bottom.

"Hey-" I glare at the vampire beside me when he snatches the lipstick out of my hands.

"I think you should stop contacting your mother now. She's probably freaking out right this moment." He rolls the sleeves of his coat. On his wrist, there's a silver bangle with jewels around it.

"Once the jewel shines, it means she's calling you," he says and shakes his wrist. My eyes widen when the white jewels change their color to yellow.

"Oh, shoot," he clears his throat and looks at me. "Mine's vibrating, by the way."

A swarm of fireflies surrounds us.