Vampire & Witch; The Shadows

19

     I pushed a plate towards Apollo.

He studied it for a minute, then up at me. "The future queen cannot serve me!"

"Apollo, this is not Syra. And please don't say that when my friend is around."

He placed his staff on the table and pulled the plate that was decorated with bacon, fried eggs and two toasted slices of bread.
     "Also, can you hide your weapon, please?"

There was a moment of silence in the dining area after my request. But he obliged, and as if it was never on the table, the staff vanished.

     "Thank you!" I said sitting opposite him.

Silently, my eyes bounced on him, he sure had an appetite. Which was good, because he had a lot of work in the coming days.

   "So, the queen sent you? Why?"

His brown eyes floated to mine. "To take you back to Syra!"

    "Wha-what?"

"Queen Marjorie ordered me to take you back to Syra safely. She knows you have learnt the spell of compulsion and you no longer have your escort with you."

My chest started to shrink bit by bit.

   "What else...does she know?"

My worst fear was mother being aware that I had given a vampire my blood.
"The Queen-"

     "Syin?" Daisy's thrilled voice interrupted before she showed up from the lounge. "Where are-jesus! You didn't tell me we have a guest!" She cried quickly pulling the robe petals to hide her naked frame.

For the first time, the sight of her made me feel angry... But why was I mad at my friend? It was Lucian that had made me feel like a fool last night. He had drowned me in an illusion of us having sex, then went ahead and had sex with my housemate.

    I beckoned her to join us with a wave of my hand.
There was an extra plate for her I had set next to mine.

  Daisy walked closer, eyeing Apollo, maybe hoping that he hadn't seen her boobs and Mrs P. "It's okay!" I mouthed with a small smile.

        "So...who do we have here?" Her eyes were on Apollo, who looked unbothered(fully concentrated on his breakfast).

"This is Apollo, my...um, cousin."

Daisy didn't look away even as she uncovered her plate. She grinned picking it up, "sorry guys but I have someone in the room."

   My heart dropped. "He's still here?"
One slight slip and it would have come out as a complain... Apollo had to tear his eyes eyes off his plate. Every vein in me pulsed screaming how stupid I was sounding. "I mean, I thought he left," I lied, adding a sweet convincing smile.

Daisy shook her head. "Dan is not feeling that well." She leaned to whisper in my ear, "He was mugged and stabbed last night but too stubborn to go to the hospital."
   I swallowed hard. Mugged? Huuuh!

Did he tell you that when he was fucking you or after?

"Oh! Sorry to hear that."

She beamed me a thankful smile, then at Apollo before walking away.
   My eyes were fixed on the direction Daisy had vanished to, my mind lost in the graphic scene it had created of Lucian and Daisy.

Come on! Why was I bothered?
Not that I liked him.
The bloody vampire had assaulted me severally. And the last one would have ended up badly had Apollo not intervened.

       "Your mother would never approve a blood race as your husband." Apollo suddenly voiced his thoughts.

"What! Why would you think I would have a blood race as my partner?" I squealed frightened by the thought of it.

He didn't answer. Typical Apollo, a man who spoke only when necessary.

*******

  I had had to plead with Apollo to give me some more time, but not telling him why I needed the extra time.
Now suddenly, things had to be sped up. Had to find that grimoire as soon as I could. And for that, I needed help. Whether from a vampire, or a witch.

    It had taken a pint of blood to convince Lucian to let me meet the witch under his wing.

The thought of walking in dangerous territory didn't sit well with Apollo. How I wished I could mind-bend him, but he had created a wall around his mind to shield him from outside forces.

With the promise of not repeating it again, Apollo allowed me to go, though on one condition...he would escort me.

    
    
Flo, the female vampire that had been drawing my blood was behind the wheel, her eyes sorely focused on the road ahead. On the passenger seat was Apollo, who appeared dead serious and not a light expression had crossed his face in the past twelve minutes we had been in that car.

    Lucian, the bloody bastard was quiet. He  was a seat away from me at the backseats, smoking weed.
He pushed the smoke out the open window, but some of it kept making way to my nostrils in a very upsetting manner.

We had been in that car for that long(,felt more than mere twelve minutes in my head), yet nobody spoke. Well Flo and Apollo couldn't start a conversation unless Lucian and I did.

     But it was a good thing.
I had a lot of things to think about, not make merry with a being that had no morals.

We were heading to Sidney, a twenty-minute drive from McKenzie Ave where I had found shelter(which would soon be history). That single thought made me feel torn.
I had felt alive being with humans, there was still so much to see, yet, no more time.

  At least this little trip would expose me to Sidney.

     

The car drove up to the driveway leading to this two-storey house that stood proudly, its gray roof smiling at the sky.
     I caught a face behind one of the windows on the second floor, but it moved out of sight quickly...what a friendly start.

Apollo jumped out of the car and rushed to open my door for me.
    "Thank you!" I smiled taking his hand.

The sun heat was enough to fry a fish alive, how would these two vampires make it out of the car and into the house?

  As if someone was listening to my thoughts, dark clouds appeared out of the blues, spreading across the sky like a blanket of terror. They hid away the sun, shielding Lucian and Flo who were now stepping out of the car.

Lucian smirked teasingly as he read the confusion on my face.
       Fuck you, you-

"Master Lucian!" A voice greeted from behind us. It sounded of a more older male, full of respect and cheer at the same time.

Apollo and I turned, graced by the sight of an older couple, maybe in their late fifties or early sixties. Beside them were two teens, looked like siblings from their appearances.

   The older male eyes fell on me, before making a slight bow, "Princess Syin of Syra. We are humbled to welcome you in our home." The warm smile on his face felt so genuine. But could I trust him? He was Lucian's 'puppet'.

"My name is Jason Harlow, this is my wife Bridget. And these-" he directed his hand towards the boys not older than twenty. "-are our children, Leo and Harvey. We have a daughter who's in the house, her name is Trix."

         He stepped forward and made the royal Syran salute then came his voice in my head, "Your mother told me of your presence here a year ago. Sorry we couldn't have met sooner. I couldn't risk exposing you to the blood race. But now they know you're here, it is going to be a tough road ahead before you get back to Syra." His message made a few breaths vanish.

"Please, come on in!" The wife, Bridget invited us with a welcoming smile.

I let Apollo lead the way, Lucian and Flo followed behind us.