MIRA'S POV

  Even after Xander has told me to go home I refused. I can't believe I had hallucinated what I thought I saw at work today even after I took my drugs. It could be that the pills are not working or my condition had become worst.

   Finally, we are closed for the day and I can't say how excited I am. The fact that I have to finally leave work for the morning shift tomorrow is something to be happy about. Leaving the scary but calm-looking man is another relief, I still don't know why he had to stay still when I close.

    Immediately I dropped my apron and walked out the door, my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw my brother's name. Before picking up, I looked around to check if he was watching before I plan any lie.

    "Sup bro," I said cheerfully.

   "Where are you?" Jeremy said immediately, he sound worried.

  I looked around again before I stopped in front of the building next to my working place. I know Jeremy might be able to detect that I am working or still far from home so I have to plan a sweet but calm lie.

   "In a bus?" I said unsure.

   Poor me!

I couldn't even get to lie even when I need it the most.

  "You don't sound like you are in a bus, Mira" Jeremy replied "Just hold on, I am coming to pick you up," he said.

   This can't be happening, I was about celebrating how I would punch Jeremy in the face if we reach home without issue. This when I left the house, My parents and him had refused to let me go alone. They say I am too young to be left alone.

   Can you imagine? I will be 18 tomorrow and they still say that I am young!

  "I am not a child, Jer" I whined "please just let me punch you in the face that I can bring myself back home" I plead.

   I mentally visualized Jeremy shaking his head in disapproval. In times like this, especially when it has to do with me, he never agrees to let me do things my way.

   "I am coming to pick you up and you can still punch me in the face," Jeremy said.

  My cheeks dropped, how can I be a legal adult and still won't be able to go to work myself. What if I go to college in another country, will he come to leave with me or send someone to walk me to class and back to my hostel every day.

   "You don't have to do this," I said in a calm voice "I will be 18 tomorrow and you promised to let me be on my own when I turn 18" I decided to use his word against him.

  "You are still 17 for all I care," Jeremy said "And even if you are more than 39, you are still my baby sister and you will have to wait for me to come to pick you up from work"

   Whenever Jeremy says something he won't change, I should know better to just accept because nothing will change his mind. Not even when I beg for hours and show him the cutest ocean eyes I can make.

   I stood still watching left and right, patiently waiting for him to come and pick me up like a piece of paper. Most people I know get to go out and come back by themselves since they are 15 but I still don't understand why my own case is different.

   After standing for what seemed like thirty minutes, I decided to call Jeremy back. It could be that he had forgotten about me or changed his mind to allow me to go home.

   "I am so sorry Miranda," Jeremy said immediately he picked up the call "Something came up and I have to settle it" he paused for a while before continuing "I hate to leave you stranded but I can call one of my friends to take yo-"

   Before he could finish his suggestion I yelled, not when I am starting to get excited that I would finally go home alone.

   "I promise to punch your face so hard when you reach," I said calmly "Make sure to get me my favorite ice cream as my consolation prize because I will reach home safe" I rapped the rest.

   Just as if my little speech worked, Jeremy agreed to let me go home by myself. At first, I wanted to freak out after ending the call but at the same time, I am the happiest person on earth.

   Since it is been long I walked alone, I run walked to where I would take a bus to my house. Luckily for me, it was about moving but surprisingly it waited for me.

   All the chairs were occupied, So I had to stand with some other passengers. It didn't take long before I start to feel paranoid like there was someone watching my every move.

    I looked around to see people minding their own business so I decided to do the same. I brought out my phone and began to scroll down random posts online before I felt someone move close to me.

    After making myself think it's just my imagination playing with me, I decided to ignore the feelings until felt his warm body closer. I could tell that it was a man because his height towered mine, it was almost like I wasn't there but in an Icebox.

    I shivered visibly before I gather the courage to look behind me, and lo and behold, it was the freak that came to the restaurant today. The same freak that said he love my tattoo.

   At first, he didn't act like he noticed me staring up at him until he looked down and flashed me his pointy canines. His smirk was more than creepy as he bent a little to meet my height.

    "What a coincidence" he faked a smile "We meet again but under different circumstances this time" he added.

   It seems like I am melting because I feel the back of my clothes soak in my heat. It was surprising how hot he is, so hot to burn me that was freezing out seconds ago.

    The only thing that I could do at that moment was to do as if I didn't know him. I faced front and moved away from him, in the process, I bumped into the person in front of him and he immediately turned back to flash me his Fang-like teeth.

   "This is not real! This is not real!! This is not real!!!"  I cried.

  That Was the only thing I could tell myself before closing my eyes tightly and taking shaky breaths. I opened my eyes to meet them both flashing their fangs at me and I could not help but completely freak out.

   I press the stop button and wait with my shaking legs for the bus to stop at the next bus stop. I haven't even realized the bus stop I was been stopped when I looked up to see the same people after me.

   "What do you want?" I asked in a shaking voice as I began to walk faster.

   Seconds ago, they were both behind me now I'm between them. I can't even tell if they teleported, were just so fast or it's my hallucinations again but it feels too real to be fake.

   "What do you want from me?" I asked in a shaking voice as I stood still.

   "We just want to know how you got that tattoo," The freak asked "And after that, we are taking you to meet our king " he smirked.

   It happened so fast, so fast that I could not get how it happened. Immediately One of the freaks was trying to get hold of my shoulder, Alaric appeared between us.

   Alaric is the scary customer that has the same tattoo as me.

  He pointed at both of them and they went mute, it was like his fingers were controlling them because immediately he moved them to close they followed. One after the other, he spoke to them.

    "Forget about today, everything about her and the tattoo," he told each.

   Like zombies, they just looked at each other then walked away to random directly. Too scared to scream, I began to move back gently but he stopped me with just a single word.

   "Stop!" He had said, he moved close to me and placed his lips on mine.

   My eyes flutter wide open, it felt so strange and yet legal, My knees weaken as I rested on his strong body. His lips claimed mine gently, sending a sweet sensation that I haven't felt in my entire life then he stopped.

   "Forget about this moment" was Alaric's last moment.

   The next thing I noticed was I standing in from of my house, pressing the doorbell. Immediately the door opened, Jeremy rushed out and wrapped his arm around me.

   "Oh my God you did it" he squeezed me more "We were scared, I thought you would have gotten into trouble"