Chapter Six #2
“Uncle, the nice lady at the register said you came in here. Did you get your directions,” Erie asked as she bounded in their direction. Bo looked over the map at the little girl, frowning at her presence.
“Little girl, this isn't a good place for someone your age. The smoke is bad for your little lungs.”
“Well, we should get going then,” Lucien commented, taking back the map as it was offered to him. “Thanks for the assist.”
Bo let out a gruff noise before returning to his sandwich and game. Lucien took Erie and pulled her outside. “The smell of that place was vile,” Erie spoke. She lost all innocence in her voice as her eyes scanned the parking lot. “I’m still hungry.”
“Go catch that man before he leaves that truck," he suggested before gesturing to the very truck he was talking about.
He crushed the barely burned cigarette under his boot as he spoke, grimacing at the taste that lingered in his mouth. Erie’s posture became like a lion, ready to jump its prey, as she neared the truck. Lucien heard the man ask if she was lost before the scent of blood reached his senses.
The smell nearly consumed him, forcing his feet in their direction. Taking hold of the man’s neck, he drank him in while Erie tore into his shoulder like a feral beast.
Blood coated her mouth, trailing down her chin and onto her clothes. Once the man was near death, they left him inside his truck to die. Lucien grabbed a rag from inside the cabin to hand to Erie, gesturing to the blood that decorated the lower half of her face.
While she cleaned herself up, Lucien fetched the car and Erie vamp sped inside of it so no one was able to see the blood that dotted the top of her blouse. Erie was placed on map duty while Lucien drove to Burrow Hills.
Upon their arrival, Lucien’s guesses proved true as they rolled through the small-town. They abandoned their vehicle near a fishing spot sign on the outskirts so they could return later.
“Let’s split here. Let’s see who can find Isadora and Ambrose first. If they’re even together.” Lucien sighed. Erie saluted before disappearing out of the car with impressive speed. “Don’t leave so quickly. Makes me think that you despise my company.”
Erie returned, having heard his teasing words, “I do," she replied before leaving once again. Lucien’s eyes rolled as he exited the car, stretching as he shut the door behind him.
Erie waited in the shadows until Lucien took his chosen path, opting for the opposite in hopes of finding the pair before he did.
Erie adored Isadora and the thought of having her fall prey to the hands of Lucien seemed unjust for her crime.
Leaving Shadowhaven was a dream of hers as well, but she knew the leader would gladly grant her leave since she was of no use to the coven.
Isadora didn’t have that luxury since she was the daughter of a leader and sister of a future leader.
Ambrose on the other hand, had no intention of leaving Shadowhaven.
He was just as strict as Lucien, but his curiosity was probably what drove him to allow Isadora passage out of their home.
Lost within her thoughts of her sibling and cousins, Erie was not aware of the girl barreling towards her in a brisk jog.
When she finally noticed, the dark haired mundie came to a halt beside her.
After removing her earbuds, the woman looked at Erie with confusion, “Are you lost? You’re quite a ways from town.”
Erie put on the same persona as in the convenience store, but was quick to notice how the girl was unaffected by her aura. She was able to properly see the mundane before her, despite the sliver of light the rising sun provided.
The woman was pretty with dark hair pulled cleanly back into a ponytail with tanned skin decorated with freckles that looked almost like splattered paint across her shoulders and cheeks.
With a great physique, Erie was able to discern that she was an avid runner by the muscles in her legs and lack of struggle as she breathed, despite how far she must have run by then.
“Yes, I’m actually here with my cousin. We came to see Isadora and Ambrose. Have you heard of them yet?”
The woman’s eyes lit up with excitement as she bounced on her heels. “Does that mean that you’re a vampire too?” she questioned. Erie took a cautious step back which Mel was quick to notice. “Don’t worry, Isa told me. I’m not going to hurt you or anything.”
“Not like you could if you wanted," Erie retorted haughtily.
“Fair,” the mundane chuckled before squatting down with a pleasant smile. “I’m Melinda Hardgrave, but you can call me Mel. What’s yours?”
“Erminia Amonette, but I go by Erie.”
“Do you want me to take you to Isa? Not that I could keep up with your speed, but we can continue my run to their house,” she offered Erie. There was something about this mundane that let Erie know she was trustworthy.
Maybe it was the pleasant smile or the docile nature despite being in the company of a vampire; Erie knew Mel was no foe of hers. She nodded her approval to Mel and the two continued Mel’s jog towards the crumbling house where Isadora and Ambrose waited patiently for their arrival.
None the wiser that Lucien was lurking in the shadows, no intention of finding his sister so quickly. He would observe for now.