(Author’s POV)
"Where have you been, Dion Everests?" Alaric questioned, his voice laced with sharp sternness as he bored his eyes at his younger brother.
Dion walked inside casually, a hint of lazy elegance in his stride as he settled down on the couch leisurely. "I was at Red Stone University." He knew Alaric must have already known about his visit there, so he didn’t try to lie or conceal it.
"What for?" Alaric, who was seated on the opposite side, leaned forward and interlocked his fingers, his eyes never leaving Dion.
"Ohh~ nothing. They approached me to give a special lecture to the Fine Arts Department," he answered casually, without any hitch or hesitation.
Alaric observed Dion’s expression as he asked. "Why the sudden interest? You never do stuff like that." He knew how masterful Dion was and how skillful he was at deception.
"Just because. No particular reason. Anyways~ .... it was fun getting to interact with so many humans like that," Dion said nonchalantly. "Did you ask me to come here for this?" he counter questioned.
This time, Alaric posed the real question he had been thinking about, which caught him slightly off guard, "Did you~ .... Did you see anyone familiar there?"
Dion’s eyes flickered for a nanosecond, but he didn’t let his mask of casualness slip. He rubbed his nose and mentioned, "Familiar? I guess so. I did see someone familiar there."
At his words, Alaric’s heart raced a mile a minute. His interlaced fingers tightened their hold on each other. With a hint of a strained voice, he asked, "Who did you see?"
"Uhhh~ ..." Dion leaned back on the couch and said, "A couple of kids we met in those charity galas and business dinners. They were attending the class."
At his remark, Alaric visibly relaxed his tightened fingers, and his jaw eased up as he commented, "Don’t indulge with people here"
"Bro, chillax. They are just humans ...... bunch of kids. What harm could they do to me?" Dion stated.
"Dion, you are very well aware that this is the vampire clan’s territory. And humans~ .... You know they are no less vicious than any other race. They can seem harmless with no weapons, but they are the most cunning and ruthless of all the species," Alaric spoke. His voice was firm as if he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
"Al~ ... I understand your concern, but you really need to tone it down sometimes. Not everyone is cut from the same fabric. Everyone is not the same," Dion didn’t back down as well. After all, Myra, his mate, is a human as well, and he was head over heels for her.
"Just do as I said," Alaric spat. "Do you always have to argue? Can’t you do as you are told for once, Dion Everests?" He almost lashed out.
This led to a staring match between the two. It was so intense and electrifying that sparks were flaring between them. Neither of them spoke a word, just gawked at each other.
Alaric sighed deeply and broke the silence, "I don’t want you to get hurt. That’s all. So, don’t go there again." Saying his piece, he walked out of the room without waiting for Dion’s reply.
’Why is Alaric behaving so out of character? He is harsh~ .... Yes. But today, he was exceptionally punitive,’ Drey muttered.
Dion just gazed at the door for a couple of seconds longer, trying to decipher Alaric’s words. ’Why do I feel like something has happened with him? He was emitting a very odd energy.’
____________________________
"Hello," Myra spoke as she called Amy from Yelena’s number.
A steady, authoritative voice echoed from the other end, "Who’s this?"
Myra cleared her throat and answered, "Umm~ .... Mrs. Garcia, it’s me. Myra Miracle."
"OHHHH~ ... MYRA, it’s you. How did you call dear? Is this your number?" Amy’s tone did a complete one eighty degree.
"No~ .... This is my friend, Yelena’s number. Are you perhaps free right now?" Myra asked hesitantly.
"Of course, I am free. You are at Red Stone, right? I will just be there," Amy was ready to come.
But Myra stopped her, "Ohh no~ .... I am not at the university. Actually, I am out. So, can you please tell me where you are right now? I will just be there."
"I am staying at the Crown Opulence. The hotel where we met," Amy answered, her voice a little excited.
"Mrs. Garcia, I accept your thoughtfulness towards me. But this~ .... This is way too much. I simply cannot take it. I wasn’t even of any help to you. Plus~ ... I have already given my phone for repair. So~ ..." Myra pushed back the box again.
Amy gazed at the neatly packed gift box, neither accepting nor rejecting. Then she murmured, her voice almost inaudible, "This really~ ... it really hurts. You, trying to distance yourself."
After a brief pause, the smile was back on Amy’s lips as she stated, "Okay, I won’t insist then." Myra sighed in relief, hearing her words. Then Amy added, "But~ ... You will have to accept something else. I won’t take no for an answer. Promise me."
Myra remained silent. She didn’t want to agree on something she wasn’t aware of. Amy chuckled lightly, looking at her face and continued, "Don’t worry. It isn’t anything extravagant. It will be a simple dinner. It won’t be a problem, right?"
After thinking for a while, Myra nodded in the affirmative. After all, a dinner would be a much better choice than accepting such an expensive gift. She could feel a burden lifting off her chest.
Now that what they came for was done. Myra got up and said, "We will be taking our leave then."
"So soon? ... You should at least have something," Amy also got up and remarked.
"Next time. We are in a bit of a hurry," Myra was quick with her reply. Although she had made up her mind about the Everests’ presence but she still didn’t want to encounter any of them.
Amy then asked, "Then, about the dinner, is the day after tomorrow good for you? Are you free then?"
Myra didn’t think much of it and said, "I guess so. I will let you know, ma’am." She then took Yelena’s hand and walked out in a hurry. She was scurrying out and turned at a corner. That she didn’t even notice that someone was already coming from the other side.
As a result, she crashed into the person. An involuntary yelp came out of her mouth. The force was such that she stumbled backwards and was about to fall when the said person pulled her and steadied her.
With a thud, Myra felt the firmness of the person’s chest through the fabric. Her heart was somersaulting as her cheek and ears were pressed onto the person’s chest. She could clearly hear their heart beating like a bullet train.
She quickly pulled her away from the person and glanced at them, her eyes widening.
To Be Continued . . . . . . . .

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