Forbidden Blood

Chapter 8: Clara

I'm going to pretend to be the witch who put the spell on the vampires. Vincent tells me to act natural, but I'm too terrified. There could be hundreds of vampires in their cave. If they don't believe my story, there's no telling what they would do to me.

We are standing near the entrance to the vampire cave, the night air whipping around us. The moon shines brightly overhead, and the trees rustle, creating a soft sort of music. Vincent explains to me what I have to do.

"You're going to go in before I do, and I'll come in shortly after. We cannot act like we know each other. If they sense any foul play, they won't hesitate to act."

"Okay. When I go in, who do I ask for?"

"Ask for Zarro."

"Who?" I interrupt.

"Zarro. Say you're the witch who put the spell on us, and they'll let you in immediately."

"Okay. So I go in, and I ask for Zarro, and... then what? What do I say then?"

"You tell him your situation: you were exiled from your witch community because they found out that you were the one who put the spell on us. Tell him you need a place to stay, and you figure it's the least we could do since we already blew your cover."

"What about if he asks me other things and I can't answer them?"

"Just tell him it's private. He'll understand." I take a deep breath.

"I'm scared." I whimper.

"You will be fine. Remember, I'll be there shortly after, so don't worry. Hopefully Zarro will let you live with Ilan and Rina; they're my friends and I'd make sure they were nice to you." He hesitates. "Just take a deep breath and go in. Remember, I'll be right behind you."

I turn toward the entrance and try to calm down. Before I leave, I give Vincent one last hug.

"You'll be fine." he whispers, "I promise."

"Thank you." I mumble. I break away and walk into the cave. Looking back, Vincent gives me a thumbs up.

I enter the cave. It is very dark and a bit stuffy. I couldn't imagine living in here without being outside during the day. It seems so morbid... and sad. I hope I don't have to stay here for too much longer. Hopefully I won't have to stay here at all, but I know that's not an option.

I am walking in the cave when a girl a few inches taller than me steps out in front of me. She has short, brown hair and is frowning. She doesn't seem happy that I'm here.

"Who are you?" she growls. I gulp.

"I'm here to see Zarro."

"I said, who are you?"

"I'm the witch who put the spell on the vampires. I need to talk to Zarro." Her eyes widen when I say this.

"Right this way." She leads me deeper into the cave. I see a lot of vampires sitting around in the middle of the cave. They all stare at me, and I feel uncomfortable. I try to hide my fear as they glare at me. Appearing confident isn't as easy when you're surrounded by people who look like they want to kill you.

The girl I'm following walks into a small room where a man, I presume Zarro, is sitting. Zarro looks up at us and frowns.

"Who is she?" he inquires.

"She's the witch who put the spell on us. She wants to talk to you."

He stands up and walks over to me. I try not to cringe as he folds his arms and looks me over. The veins in his arms are defined, making him appear very muscular. He has very short hair and dark, hard eyes. He begins to speak.