"Uhmmm… so what do we do now," Dorian said, weaving a worried hand over his head.
Thalia stared at him like he was particularly acting strange tonight. "Well, how about you start by calming down."
Dorian looked at her like she was insane. "Calm down? What if it was traced to us? What if the people pointed any fingers at us? You know that we shouldn't be doing anything that could jeopardize Leona chances of becoming the next alpha…"
Thalia looked surprisingly calm. But if Dorian knew her any better, he could tell that she was far from being calm."Let us leave that for Leona to worry about. Besides we didn't kill anybody. Or did we?"
"No…" Dorian answered quietly, probably because he realized that he had nothing to fear then thought about something.
"LUCAS!" Dorian growled. "Oh if I find out that they have a hand in this… or they're trying to cause trouble for us it will be so over for them."
Thalia scoffed. "And when Leona stops you?
"Why would she…" Dorian's voice trailed up as a slick black car rolled up in front of their apartment.
Leona walked in with a worried expression on her face and crashed into the sofa.
"What is the update? Is Lucas the one responsible for the murder?" Thaila asked, looking on the brink of boiling over.
"No. I think it's something else. Or rather someone." Leona murmurs, her mind replaying the events she witnessed and the strange boy she saw when she was about to leave the club.
"WHAT!" Thalia and Dorian echoed at the same time.
"Wait… is there something you know that you are not telling us?" Thaila asked in her usual bubbly manner.
"Yes. But first of all, we have to go back." Leona replied looking at her friends with that certain businesses look she always had whenever her mind was already made up about a thing.
Thalia's mouth fell open and Dorian finally spoke, convinced she was insane.
"Are you joking with us right now? That's the worst suggestion you've ever come up with.
"Yeah. So you want to be linked to a crime that you didn't commit? And whoever this is or whatever it is, have you stopped yourself to consider how dangerous it could be?" Thalia asked desperately.
"Let's just go." Leona answered tiredly. "Besides when did you ever start doubting me you two?"
"Since the day you decided to become an FBI," Thalia replied smuggly.
Dorian who had been shifting uncomfortably where he stood was already heading to get the keys. "I'll get the car."
"Good." Leona said. "Don't worry I'll explain everything when we get there."
It was past midnight but their vehicle continued speeding past the quiet roads, bright streetlights and forests that guided the way.
Leona was suddenly alert, excited by the possibility of an adventure totally ignoring the gnawing feeling in her stomach that something was wrong.
"Is it just me or you're almost jumping in excitement while we're here waiting for you to spill." Thalia said, eyeing her.
"Phew," Leona said, still shining her thirty-two canines. "Let me tell you guys about it now."
"We're listening," Thalia and Dorian said together, obnoxious of each other.
"So after that little interruption with Lucas at the party and I decided that we should leave, I saw a very strange dude in a black hoodie, grey pants and a black face mask… and everything about him was very strange and fascinating at the same time. I had to excuse myself and go after him because I couldn't just resist the urge to follow him."
Dorian stepped on the brakes. "You what?!"
Leona smiled. "I followed him. Please keep driving, we have to get there before anybody sees us."
Dorian obeyed but not without a dissatisfied grunt. "You followed a strange man. Alone. The same person that could be responsible for the deaths just announced on the news."
"Yes I did." Leona waves it off. "Look, I'm fine, okay? I'm still alive. Mtchhh, you worry too much." She hissed.
"I'm just saying…"
"Dorian please could you wait for her to complete her story before you scold her?" Thalia cut Dorian off.
"Whatever. But you have to warn your friend to stop taking risks like that." Dorian replied as a matter of factly.
Thalia ignored him, "So how is this strange man? Is he cute?" She said with that mischievous glint playing in her eyes.
"You play too much." Dorian smirked.
"Well, I don't know if he was cute," Leona continued casually, "because like I said, he was covered. But he had supernatural speed, insane healing abilities… and his blood was different."
Thalia was paying more attention now. "Different? How?"
"It wasn't the usual red blood the humans have, or the brownish red of ours, his was dark. Dark and black like something that shouldn't exist. And not just that, he wasn't dying. He should have died but he didn't." Leona concluded and a cold silence settled over the car for a moment. As if they were all taking it in and wondering what it could be.
"It could just be a bioengineered werewolf." Leona offered.
"Uhmmm… nope. Doesn't sound like it?" Dorian said quietly.
"Maybe it's a vampire." Thalia chipped in.
Dorian scoffed. Leona laughed.
"Uhmmm… What is that? Don't tell me that you believe in that nonsense." Leona said.
"The fact that you don't know of their existence doesn't mean that they don't…" Thaila's said, helplessly trying to defend herself. "Look, it's just like us. The human doesn't know of our existence and to them we don't exist. But we do. And we are real. Maybe they are the enemy the Oracle talked about." Thalia said skeptically.
There it was. Thalia could be playful, jovial, but she always thought things deeply and that attribute of her was rubbing off greatly on her friend Leona who suddenly started to question everything.
Dorian felt uncomfortable with the silence. "Why don't we find out what it is when we get there?"
"Yeah…"
"Yeah." Leora chipped in. "Let's go play detective."
They packed their car a few meters away from the club and the sight was nasty. It was a red zone with red tapes and lights marked around the area.
"Dorian, would you please be a darling and be on the lookout for us?" Leona said, giving him those big irresistible puppy eyes.
"Absolutely not," Dorian snapped, ignoring her eyes. "You know that you can be too reckless for the next successor of a thriving pack right? And you just got back not long ago. I have to go in there with you. What if some sort of danger comes?"
Thalia rolled her eyes.
"I can take care of myself, Dorian. When are you ever going to trust me…" Leora said, visibly upset.
"Maybe never—"
"Please…" Thalia came to her rescue. "i'll protect her with my life and we'll take pictures so you don't miss anything."
Dorian paused for a moment, looking at both Thalia and Leona with a concerned look.
"Fine. But you both have to be careful. Stay away from trouble."
"Yes boss," Thalia said, already running off with Leona.
They bent over the red tape, then disappeared behind the dark passage.
Thalia brought out her phone, taking pictures of the scene around them. The victims all had something in common. They were all drained of their blood with bite marks on their necks.
"Over here. Look," Leona said, beckoning on the spot where she was squatting over, her fingers stained with a black spot.
Thalia took pictures. "What are those?"
"Their blood." Leona replied. "It seems one of them was wounded. This was the same substance I saw earlier."
"I am right." Thalia said taking pictures of everything around. "They are vampires. They have to be."
"Maybe…" Leona was saying but she was interrupted by the loud wail of the police vehicle.
Dorian's car drove into view. "Hey… come in. The police are on their way."
Thalia and Leona flew through the tapes and into the vehicle, driving away before the police vehicle could get close.
"Phew… that was close." Leona sighed, exasperatedly, the rush of adrenaline still flowing in her blood.
"Dangerously close." Dorian replied, instantly killing the mood.
"What's wrong with you? You're such a killer joy." Thalia said, hitting him lightly on the back.
"Killer joy? So you would have preferred to be implicated in a crime you didn't commit? Have you even stopped to think of what your father would say?" Dorian asked sternly.
"Dorian…" Leona said quietly, commanding his full attention.
Dorian's tongue became tied, unable to utter another word.
Leona smiled, happy that she was still respected despite his obsession with her protection.
"Thank you for saving the day." She said, smiled sweetly.
"You're welcome." Dorian said sheepishly. "I'm sorry if I came off too harsh. But your life is too valuable to be taken for granted.
"I know." Leona said, still smiling. "I guess I'll be going home now. I've had a long night and I'm tired."
"I'll drive you." Dorian offered immediately.
Leona shook her head. "My driver is on his way. Besides, you need to rest as well."
She shoved her head towards the window, "oh my ride is here already. Thalia, make sure you show Dorian everything and explain things to him."
"Done," Thalia said, hugging her tightly. "Sleep safe."
Leona walked slowly towards her car. Settled down and let out an exasperated sigh. Just as she rested her head backwards, her phone pinged.
She sat up straight again, pulling out her phone. She'd just received a text message. She clicked on the notification without paying too much thought to it but what she saw made her cover her mouth to suppress a shocked gasp.
"You saw him. Now he's seen you too. And he's coming for you."
Unknown number.