Chapter 52: A deal with vampires
Zade’s POV
The following night, I kept a careful distance from Lucas and Wayne. They wore a hoodie over their heads as soon as they passed the secret exit of Ashwood.
I followed them quietly, making sure not to make any sound that would make me noticeable.
As I walked, I kept an eye on them, so that I wouldn’t know when my leg hit a twig and I stumbled. I recovered quickly and hid between tall trees because my fall made them turn.
"I heard something," Lucas said, turning to survey his environment.
"Maybe it’s in your mind, Lucas, you are scared, that’s why you are paranoid," Wayne countered.
Thanks to Wayne’s inattentiveness to his surroundings, at least he can dissuade Lucas from trying to comb the forest in search of me.
"No, I’m so sure I heard something," Lucas insisted, "This is not the first time we are going to the casino, so why should I be scared?"
"Well, let’s say, for multiple reasons, Lucas, you have always been one to object to casino meetings, and now that we have another shitty business deal probably relating to Ashwood, you are more scared out of your soul, you have been since yesterday," Wayne stated in a teasing manner to Lucas.
"You don’t believe me?, Let’s hope that I’m not correct this time, we will be in much bigger trouble," Lucas muttered.
"We are almost late, and their patience has a limit. We are dealing with dangerous ones," Wayne warned, glancing towards Lucas with a stern face.
Well, that solves the problem. I made more distance between them and me, but I followed anyway. I was more conscious of their scents.
They thought they were clever, all these times, waking up at odd hours, wearing hoodies over their heads to avoid being noticed as Ashwood’s students, and disappearing to the casino, which was obviously against the school rules.
Today, I was allowing them to go scot free, seeing that this shady business of theirs concerns Ashwood.
I followed them silently, watching my steps this time, even trying my hardest not to breathe too hard, they don’t have sensitive noses, because they were low-ranking wolves, ’Gammas’
The casino sat on the far edge of town, a crooked place draped in neon lights and false glamour. The kind of place that thrived on greed and secrecy.
They walked inside, and I followed suit, blending into the smoke-thick air and noise of clattering chips and laughter.
Women sat on both sides of a particular fat man, rubbing his head, and laughing out loud whenever he scored points.
In another part of the room, a man was being dragged out, his face swollen from being beaten by probably the two men dragging him and a huge man cursing him and following behind.
The whole place smelled like sin, deceit, violence and greed.
Lucas and Wayne moved with purpose, matching the room’s aura, changing their stance; they didn’t look like the nonchalant, silly men in my apartment.
They walked their way through the crowd, knowing exactly where they were headed, and disappeared into a back corridor.
I trailed them, keeping my footsteps light until I found a broken wall partition I could peer through.
They were suddenly not alone. Two figures stood across from them, cloaked in black, their features half-hidden beneath hoods. They had a strange aura emanating from them; they didn’t seem like wolves, but I couldn’t quite place the creature’s aura.
Lucas spoke first, his voice low and bitter. "We’re risking too much meeting here. What exactly do you want from us?"
"Slow down a bit. Why are you in a rush? You are the ones that kept us waiting," one of the creatures spat angrily and revealed a set of canines resembling the vampire’s.
They are making deals with a vampire?, Something is wrong with the sigil; it has been breached, and something bigger is looming.
One of the vampire creatures leaned forward. His voice was deep, almost raspy.
"What we want is simple—the girl, Aria, who attends your Academy. You will monitor her movements, her routines. We will provide the opportunity. When the moment is right, you lure her to the designated place. We’ll handle the rest."
Aria? I wanted to move from my hiding spot and teach them a lesson, but I was outnumbered, and I would be dealing with the creature of the night, also. I wouldn’t risk that.
Wayne shifted uncomfortably, scratching his neck. "And what if anyone traces it back to us? This academy doesn’t forgive betrayal easily, nor does the werewolf kingdom."
Lucas and Wayne were visibly shaken; their stupid brain didn’t inform them that they might be dealing with vampires until now. And if the other creature didn’t bare his fangs, they still wouldn’t know.
For bottles of liquor and currency, they would do the shadiest business. I knew Aria was in danger. Thank goodness, she refused to stay with me; I would have put her in more danger than she was already in.
The second figure chuckled darkly.
"No one will trace anything back to you. Your involvement will only look like you were victims of circumstances, and she was taken from you; the person behind this whole business will ensure that you are safe."
Lucas narrowed his eyes. "And who exactly is that?, and why do they want Aria in particular?"
For a moment, silence pressed thick in the air—then the first figure answered.
"I wouldn’t tell who she is, but I can tell you a few hints. Your school is organizing an election soon, and my boss doesn’t want her to win. If Aria disappears before the vote, victory falls easily into her hands. But she doesn’t want her name stained. That’s why she came to us. And now, you." The tallest vampire said.
My stomach twisted. It was so easy for me to tell the perpetrator, Tracy, but I’m sure their dumb, truant asses wouldn’t know that, hell, I doubt that they know that there’s an upcoming election on in the academy.
Tracy! She would go to any length to ascertain power to put people underneath her, so awful. Well, let’s see how this works out.
"Tracy has to face my wrath," Kylan growled, visibly enraged by the thought of his mate being abducted because Tracy wants to win an election.
Wayne stuttered, terrified, his false nonchalance and bravery faltering. "Kidnapping a candidate? That’s dangerous. What if the school council finds out?"