Vero had nothing to cover the blood on her body. She didn’t know how there was blood on her shoulders and the top of her dress, which was now drying and sticky.
All Vero could do was run as fast as she could out of the hotel and called a taxi, then ask the driver to take her to her house, twenty minutes from the hotel.
Arriving at the house, two guards intercepted Vero at the gate.
“Ms. Windward!” called one of the guards as soon as he saw Vero getting out of the taxi and covered in blood. “Why did you take a taxi home? Where’s your car, Miss?! Did something happen?!”
Vero glared at the guard and snapped at him. “Shut your mouth and open the gate!”
The guard flinched and immediately ran into the guard post to press the gate unlock button.
Vero rushed in, half ran up the stairs, and nearly sprained her ankle. Her parents woke up as soon as Vero burst into their room, crying. Mr. Winward turned on the lamp sitting on the nightstand while Mrs. Winward got up and greeted her only daughter.
“Verona!” screamed the mother, when her hand accidentally touched Vero’s bloody shoulder. “What happened?!”
Vero couldn’t speak, she just cried and her whole body was shaking. Her mother, who understood her daughter’s shock, took a drink from a nearby table and handed it to Vero.
Vero received a glass filled with water. With trembling hands, she tried to keep the glass from falling or spilling before it reached her lips.
Mr. Winward approached the two of them shortly after turning on the main light in the room. Several maids came over hearing the commotion, but Mr. Winward chased them away, then closed the door.
Vero and her mother sat on the sofa, and her father knelt in front of her. “What happened? Aren’t you celebrating your birthday?” asked her father. “Did someone hurt you? Tell me who did this to you!”
Vero shook her head. Her breath hitched, and her chest heaved up and down in a short rhythm. “I—I think… I’m in big trouble,” Vero whispered in horror. Haltingly, she told them everything.
Vero had no other choice. Even though her parents would be disappointed that she went to a hotel with a stranger, Vero didn’t know what else to do. She did not prepare a lie to cover this story. Who would have thought that she would be involved in such a terrible thing as someone’s death?
This is not the first time Vero has caused a mess, and so far, her parents have always solved her problems. They are Vero’s way out of every trouble she made.
After Vero finished telling her story, her parents were silent for a long time. Her father’s grip on Vero’s arm loosened, then Mr. Winward stood up and headed for the bed.
“He… died?” whispered the mother in a giddy voice. Her mother must have hoped that all of this was just a dream, and Vero hoped so, too.
“Yes,” replied Vero. Her voice cracked, almost to tears, but Vero held it in. “What should I do?? If they come… if they find the body….”
“Don’t worry, baby,” interrupted Mrs. Winward. “We will do something.” Then she glanced at Mr. Winward, who was now sitting on the edge of the bed with the phone to his ear. “Isn’t that right, honey? You’re going to do something,” she told her husband.
Mr. Winward turned to the two of them and nodded. After that, he started talking to the person he contacted by phone.
“You’d better take a shower,” said Mrs. Winward then. She looked at Vero from head to toe. “You have to clean—this thing. I will send a servant to destroy these clothes.”
Vero nodded and together with her mother, they went to her room. Mrs. Winward waited for her on the sofa by the bed while Vero headed to the bathroom via her walk-in closet, which was as large as her bedroom. She took off her clothes and shoes and threw them in a corner. Then she took her phone out of her bag and placed it on the small table by the bathroom door. Vero threw the bag in the same place as her dirty dress and shoes.
When Vero came out of the bathroom, the off-shoulder dress was no longer there, as were the pump shoes and small bag she was carrying before. She glanced at the small table and found her cell phone on and ringing. It kept ringing since Vero left the hotel. But Vero didn’t dare touch it. The photo of the man covered in blood is still on her cell phone. She hasn’t deleted it yet.
Vero took the clothes that first caught her eye. A green T-shirt and jeans with rips at the knees. She unwrapped the towel around her head and started wearing the clothes in a hurry.
After finishing getting dressed, Vero came out of the walk-in closet and Mrs. Winward gestured, telling her to come closer.
“Come here,” Mrs. Winward told her to sit in front of the dressing table. She took the hairdryer and unraveled Vero’s wet strands of hair. She dried Vero’s hair carefully. Her mother said nothing until their father arrived.
“Vero,” his father called. His face was serious and a little pale. From his father’s expression, Vero knew he could not solve easily the problems she was facing.
Mrs. Winward turned off the hairdryer and listened.
“How?” her mother asked.
“My friend in the police promised to help,” said Mr. Winward. “But… if it is true that the person died and his family sued….” He did not finish his words.
Mrs. Winward can no longer control herself. She starts to cry. Mr. Winward reached out to touch Vero’s shoulder and squeezed it. “He suggested you leave this town for a while.” His eyes stared blankly at Vero.
“Leave?” Vero did not understand the meaning of that word. “You want me to take a vacation until you solve the problem? But what about my college—”
Mr. Winward shook his head. “Not a vacation,” he cut in. “Move. You have to move.”
Cognition crept into Vero’s mind. “Move?” Vero parroted. “Move where? And why should I do it??”
“Vero, it’s for your own good.” Mr. Winward’s hand on Vero’s shoulders tightened. “My friend gave me information about a good university in the suburbs. Says you’re safe there because the city is pretty closed off from the media. You can live there until things are safe here and—”
“Dad!” Vero shouted and stood up. She shook off her father’s hand from her shoulder. “I’m not leaving! Can’t you find the man’s family and give them money so they don’t sue us?? You can do that, right??”
“Verona! What do you mean?! You’ve killed people! This is not a problem that can be easily solved with money!”
“I didn’t kill him!!” Vero screamed. “I don’t know what happened! I was scared, but I didn’t kill him!”
“In that case, would you prefer to undergo an examination at the police station, go through endless trials with the possibility that you could end up in prison?!”
Mr. Winward’s voice rises, and that makes Vero’s anger subside quickly. Mr. Winward hardly ever gets angry with her, even though Vero often gets into trouble and makes things difficult for them.
Mr. and Mrs. Winward is foster parents who love Vero with all their hearts. When they came to the orphanage where Vero lived and decided to adopt her, Vero was really grateful. Because she finally came out of a terrible life. She was saved by a pair of angels.
And here she was now, disappointing her savior for the umpteenth time.
“It’s for your own good,” said Mr. Winward then. “I promised to work things out so you can get back here as soon as possible.”
Vero’s tears started to flow. Her feelings were mixed between anger and fear, and now she became sad.
What should have been a happy birthday turned into a disaster in a matter of hours.
If only Vero had not accepted the challenge. If only she had refused the man’s invitation.
Now it’s too late. Vero can’t come back.
“Okay,” Vero said between sobs. “But promise me everything will be over before I even know it.”
Mr. Winward lifted his hand and placed it on Vero’s head, gently stroking her hair. “Yes, I promise.”
*
A man wearing a hotel employee uniform is pushing a trolley filled with cleaning supplies. He’s only been working at this five-star hotel for a month and so far it’s been a pretty good job, although it can be tough sometimes.
He walked down the hotel corridor, humming, and his trolley stopped at a room that was rented for one night.
They must be a young couple just looking for fun, the employee thought as he was about to knock on the bedroom door. His hand was half raised in the air and his movements stopped when he saw the door slightly ajar.
Have they left?
“Excuse me,” he said politely.
No answer.
The employee repeated his greeting once again and got no reply. Then, carefully, he pushed open the door slowly.
And what he saw behind the door almost made him scream. He fell to his butt and dragged himself backward until he hit the trolley. His eyes widened in horror. It took him a while to think clearly. After making sure that no one else was around, he closed the door and ran to meet the hotel manager on duty.
*
Lev opened his eyes and frowned.
Fuck. He swears.
Who is she?
He was very sure that she was just a stupid human being spoiled by her parents too much, and not a cult follower who knew about Lev’s secret.
And Lev was pretty sure she wasn’t a vampire hunter. Because they were all gone. They are already extinct.
But what happened to him?
Lev blinked and narrowed his eyes. Then he raised one hand and looked at it. The woman’s blood was still there, drying on his skin.
Lev almost died last night. And he thought that after his body convulsed and became unconscious, she would end his life. But where is she now?
Lev sat up and tightened his jaw when he felt dizzy, like a sledgehammer hit his head. His throat and chest still left the aftertaste of the burning feeling he got after drinking her blood.
Lev brushed his hair and reached into his trouser pocket for his cell phone.
Just as he was pressing the speed dial button, the hotel room door opened and two men in hotel uniforms entered with frightened faces.
“Th-that’s...” pointed out one of the two people. His face was as pale as corpses, even paler than the old vampires where Lev came from.
“Sir?” This time it was another man’s turn to speak. He looked bolder, though both pale-faced. “Are you okay?” the man asked. He gulped as he looked at Lev’s clothes, which were covered in blood. “I’m Sam, the manager of this hotel—”
Lev raised his hand, telling the man named Sam to shut up. Then Lev spoke to the person he contacted by phone.
“Pick me up now,” Lev muttered. The guy on the other end said something, and Lev just growled in annoyance. “Don’t ask too many questions,” he complained. “I’ll send you the location.”
After that, he hung up the phone and stood up.
The two hotel employees were still standing in the doorway and Lev glared at them both.
“Get out of my way,” said Lev.
Immediately, the two employees jumped up. They pulled over to the wall and made way for Lev.
*
Vero’s journey was long. The night almost didn’t pass, and not even a second Vero could close her eyes. The figure of a man covered in blood flashed through her mind, and she covered her mouth every time she remembered the incident.The sun formed a faint orange line across the horizon, making Vero realize where she was. The road the car passed was so winding, flanked by mountains full of pointed pines.For a moment, Vero forgot her problem and was stunned at the sight. She pressed the button to open the window and the cool air caressed her, causing Vero to close her eyes for a moment while taking a deep breath.“We’re almost there, Miss,” said the driver who escorted her, Elijah, as the car swerved down and over a bridge.The bridge spans over a ravine. At the bottom of the cliff, there is a river and beside the bridge, there is a waterfall that is so high and flowing fast.“I’ve seen no buildings at all,” said Vero after being satisfied with looking at the waterfall, whose voices we
“What do you mean??”“Don’t trust anyone. Keep your room locked, especially at night.”“Why-““Good morning.”Vero and Elijah jumped until they screamed when they heard the voice of someone saying good morning.Vero jumped beside Elijah and turned to look at the figure that startled them.A woman of unusual height stood tall with a smile. Her eyes were blue as ice, hidden behind square glasses, and her red hair was in a tight bun.“Are you a freshman?” she asked. She glanced at the sheet of paper clutched in Vero’s hand.“Ah… yes,” Vero replied, nervously.The woman held out her hand and moved her head slightly. She glanced at the paper one more time before looking at Vero. Vero immediately understood what the woman meant. She handed over the papers, and the woman accepted it.“Verona Windward,” read the woman aloud. “Welcome,” she said, looking at Vero. “I’m the head of the dormitory building B, Caroline. You can call me Ms. Carol.”Vero tried to smile back at Ms. Carol, but the musc
He’s the guy Vero met on her birthday. She was so sure about it. Vero would never forget that face anywhere. A handsome young man with a distant, cold impression, his pale face was so easy for Vero to recognize. As soon as she saw him, two things happened simultaneously within her. Her memory of the young man covered in blood in the hotel room gave her chills. Then an unstoppable curiosity welled up within her. How could he be here when Vero had to hide and leave her life because she thought he was dead? With no hesitation, Vero stood up from the chair. The sound of her chair creaking caught the attention of her new friends. They stopped chatting and followed Vero with their gazes while she walked towards Lev’s table. “You,” Vero said as soon as she arrived in front of Lev’s desk. She stood straight and folded her arms in front of her chest. “How could you be here?” Lev, who was sitting facing to the side, listening to his friends chatting, glanced at Vero with an expressionless
Duradel may not be Vero’s domain, but she believes she can make her new friends bow to her, just as she did back home.After making sure Lev was no longer on the 4th floor, Vero entered her room and took the cell phone she kept in the nightstand drawer. She turned on the phone and waited for the main screen to appear and the signal was established.For a moment, she expected notifications of messages or missed calls, either from her parents or from her friends who wanted to know her whereabouts and current condition.But none appeared.Vero pursed her lips, and her shoulders slumped in disappointment. She put her phone on silent mode and put it in her bag. It is a violation to carry a cell phone to class and Vero didn’t want to lose it on her first day here. So she had to be careful.The long lunch hour was still going on when Vero returned to the campus. She headed to the cafeteria and looked around for her new friends amidst the crowd of students having their lunch.Mia’s red hair a
Vero found her cell phone, and she was pulling it out of her bag when someone crossed the side hall and stopped when he saw them.“What are you doing here? Isn’t the lecture over?”A tall, thin man like a dry tree in winter appeared and gave Vero goosebumps. Looks like it’s one of the campus staff. His appearance and face reminded Vero of Ms. Caroline. Both were pale-faced and seemed to have no feelings.All the girls were shocked and the arrogant attitude they had shown to Vero just now disappeared.“We’re taking Vero for a walk, introducing her to the campus area,” said Mia. The lies she told were so smooth that Vero wanted to compliment her.“You can do it tomorrow, at lunchtime,” the man said in an even tone. He barely even opened his mouth as he said it.“Okay, Mr. James,” said Ava.Mr. James glanced at Vero. “You’re the new student? Verona Windward?” he asked.“Yes, sir,” Vero answered, nodding.Mr. James gave Vero an appraising look from head to toe.“I hope you’ve read and mem
“What?” Vero thought she was misheard. There’s no way her father said that she couldn’t come back. “Dad, what are you saying?”“You can’t go back here.”“Why?!” Vero almost screamed when she asked that. This was the worst news she had heard after moving here. “Dad, don’t pull my leg! Are you not listening to me? The person is still alive! He is here!”“Vero, we’ll talk about that later, ok? Now, you must—” Her father’s next voice faltered. Only in the form of fragments of words that Vero could not hear.Once again, Vero took the phone away from her ear and looked at the signal indicator on the screen. The signal was very weak.“Dammit.” She put the phone to her ear as she walked out of the room. “Daddy! I can’t hear you! The signal is terrible,” Vero said in a hurry. She opened the door to the verandah and stood there, hoping for a better signal. “I was walking out to find a better signal. Don’t hang up the phone just yet.”No answer.“Dad?” Vero took the phone away and looked at the
It’s cold tonight. Just like any other night in Duradel. At least that’s what the locals have been saying for a long time. The same complaints about Duradel that never let go of the bone-chilling cold at night, even in summer.But whatever the weather that hit Duradel, it didn’t affect Lev and dozens of other vampires who lived in Noblebranch, the area where the vampire nobles of Duradel lived, which consisted of large mansions that attracted the attention of tourists in this little town.Although many seasoned tourists are willing to pay whatever it takes to visit Noblebranch, this place is not accessible to just anyone. Of all the Duradel areas, Noblebranch and the surrounding forest areas are forbidden places for tourists and residents who do not have permission to enter.Lev was sitting on the domed roof of the tower of his mansion. The moon tonight shone brightly in its perfectly round shape. And no matter what impulse moved him, Lev wante
When Lev lifted Verona from the lake, the girl was passing out. She slumped limply in his arms. Her body was as light as a feather, thought Lev. Does she never eat? Lev still doesn’t understand why girls these days are obsessed with skinny bodies like slates.Lev didn’t take her back to the dormitory or to the town area. There will be many eyes watching and that is not good for Verona. Especially if the dormitory gets to know about it.He carried Verona into the woods on the other side of the lake, a suitable distance from the town and closer to Noblebranch. Unlike the residents of Duradel, the noble vampires in Noblebranch wouldn’t give a damn about what was going on around them, as long as it didn’t disturb their comfort.Lev walked a little into the woods and, after making sure that no one could see them, he laid Verona down on the grass.“A very heroic act.” Sant emerged from the darkness. Lev knew he caught up with