HER KIND

cold and warmth

'Chapter 17'

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

The weather showed no signs of clearing up; in fact, it seemed to worsen as they continued their journey. Dria had no idea where they were heading, and the further they drove, the denser the surrounding trees became.

Outside, a thunderstorm echoed, and a chill seemed to seep into the car with each gust of wind. Dria felt a shiver run up her spine as she turned to check on the three kids in the back seat.

Marcelo and Elliam were both resting on Kane's shoulder, and the older boy appeared lost in his thoughts. Dria decided to rummage through her bag, searching for a small blanket she had packed. She carefully draped it over the three boys, earning a grateful smile from Kane.

"Are you cold?" Alucard's voice broke the silence after a while, and Dria shook her head.

"No, just tired, but I don't want to leave you alone," she muttered, pulling her knees up to her chest and gazing at the road ahead.

"Where do you think this place is?" she asked, breaking the silence that had enveloped the moving vehicle.

"I don't know, not really sure," Alucard replied, his eyes shifting between Dria and the road. "Javier said it should take us three days to get there, but he knows places where we can rest along the way," he explained.

Dria nodded, and the comfortable silence settled in between them once more. They had been in the car for hours, and she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of claustrophobia. Her discomfort was exacerbated by the dull ache in her backside from the prolonged sitting.

She endured a few more hours of confinement until she noticed the car they were following suddenly turn onto a gravel road, which she hadn't even noticed had a sign. The bumpy road was enough to rouse the twins from their slumber, and they ventured deeper into the woods.

Javier eventually pulled the car into a small clearing and parked, instructing Alucard to park their vehicle nearby. Dria heaved a sigh of relief, eager to escape the confines of the car. Alucard stepped out of the vehicle, joining Edrik and Javier outside.

"Dria?" Marcelo's voice pulled her attention, and she turned to face him.

"Yes, baby?" she replied.

"Where are we?" he asked, his curiosity evident.

"I don't know, sweetheart, but I'm guessing we'll be watching the stars tonight while we rest. Isn't that exciting?" she replied, trying to inject some enthusiasm into her voice.

He gazed outside at the night sky through the window before breaking into a smile. "It's beautiful, Dria," he said.

Dria returned his smile, saying, "Yes, it is."

Dria observed the boys still engrossed in conversation. She decided to step out of the car and join them. The chilly wind bit at her skin, causing her to shudder slightly, but she brushed it off, her attention focused on Alucard's scowling expression.

"I'm guessing we're at the resting point," she remarked, her breath visible in the cold air.

Javier nodded in confirmation, explaining, "Yes, we were just going over the details. Kane and Edrik will go searching for wood to make a fire, while Alucard helps me set up the tents."

Dria was eager to be of assistance. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she inquired as Edrik went to retrieve Kane from the truck.

"Get the extra blankets; tonight is going to be extra cold," Javier instructed.