On the road, Blaine drove while Lillian rested her back on the front seat, staring out the window. The silence between them was almost comfortable.
"I'm stopping at my shop to buy some snacks. Do you want some?" Blaine asked before pulling up close to his café.
"No. But didn't you eat at home? I cooked and you didn't eat it?" Lillian turned to glare at him, arms crossed.
"Calm down. That's how I eat my things. I eat breakfast, then I eat snacks after. So, do you still want snacks?" Blaine explained patiently before opening his door.
"No, I don't want any snacks." Lillian looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.
"O...kay. But don't leave the car. I don't want any scandals because if my face is seen on the internet. I'll be found faster." Blaine warned, then got out and walked toward his café.
Lillian waited a few seconds, then tried the door. Locked. Why won't it open? She tried again, rattling the handle. Nothing.
A moment later, Blaine opened the driver's door and slid back in. "I knew you would try to leave the car. Always the stubborn one and their innocent face." He dropped a bag of snacks on the passenger seat.
Lillian grabbed one of the snacks and smacked Blaine on the head with it.
"What was that for?" Blaine held his head, genuinely surprised.
"I thought it wouldn't hurt a werewolf." Lillian's voice was sharp, but her eyes held a glint of mischief.
Blaine shook his head and started the car. "You know, sometimes I wonder whether you're a sane person."
"No, I escaped from a psychiatric hospital," Lillian said flatly.
"I knew it!" Blaine exclaimed, as if he had just solved a great mystery.
"Of course I'm a sane person!" Lillian shot back, unable to hide a small smile.
"Whatever." Blaine rolled his eyes and focused on the road.
---
Meanwhile, in the small technology company where Tony worked, he stood in front of the manager's office holding his resignation letter. His hands trembled slightly, not from fear but from the effort of keeping his claws hidden. He took a deep breath, walked in, and placed the letter on the desk.
"I'm resigning," he said quietly, then turned and walked out without looking back.
The manager sat in shock, then scrambled to his feet and ran after him.
Tony reached the hallway where his three bullies were waiting – Mark, Josh, and Ezra. They leaned against the wall, arms crossed, cruel smiles on their faces.
"So it's true that our small handsome guy is resigning," Mark said in a teasing voice. The others laughed. The manager stopped a few feet away, watching.
"Do you have another job?" Josh asked, pushing Tony's shoulder. "Or are you just running away?"
Tony looked down, feeling his eyes begin to glow. He clenched his fists. We fight, we lose, then we run to fight another day. We fight, we lose, then we run to fight another day. He repeated the mantra in his head, forcing his claws back.
Josh pushed him harder, and Tony stumbled to the ground. Josh kicked him in the face. Tony turned his head, tasting blood. His claws threatened to emerge, so he curled his fingers into tight fists.
Ezra bent down and looked Tony in the eye. "Why would you resign now? What did we do so wrong? Don't you know that we have a lot of work to do?"
"Exactly, Tony." The manager finally spoke, stepping closer. "Do you want to disappoint your parents who found this job for you before they died? They'll feel pathetic."
That was the last straw.
Tony stood up in one swift motion and punched the manager square in the face – full force, but without claws or glowing eyes. The manager flew backward across the corridor and crashed against the wall, unconscious before he hit the ground.
The three bullies stepped back, their faces pale.
"Who do you think you are to bully me when I did nothing wrong?" Tony's voice was low and dangerous. "I didn't even get bullied when I was in high school." He walked toward them, and they flinched.
Josh scoffed and threw a punch. Tony dodged easily, caught Josh's fist, and twisted his arm until Josh groaned in pain. The other two lunged at him. Tony sidestepped, grabbed one by the collar, and threw him across the hall. Mark tried to run, but Tony kicked Ezra in the back, then grabbed Mark and Ezra and slammed them together.
All three lay groaning on the floor.
Tony walked back to the manager, who was just regaining consciousness. He bent down until his face was inches from the man's. Tony let his eyes flicker yellow for just a moment and let a low growl rumble in his chest.
The manager's eyes rolled back, and he fainted again.
Tony straightened and smoothed his shirt. "That's what you get when you mess with the werewolf me," he muttered under his breath, making sure the conscious bullies didn't hear. "I'm so good at this werewolf thing."
He walked toward the exit, a satisfied smile on his face.
---
He stepped outside into the cool morning air and looked for a taxi. A man brushed past him, and Tony immediately covered his nose.
"What is that horrible smell?" Tony said aloud with disgust. The man stopped and looked back.
Vampire.
Tony's blood turned to ice. The vampire grinned. "So it's you?"
"Oh, shit." Tony turned and ran.
The vampire chased him through the crowded streets. People shouted and dove out of the way as the two figures raced past. Tony's lungs burned. His legs pumped desperately. He looked over his shoulder – the vampire was gaining.
Where is a werewolf when you need one? He rounded a corner and saw a car approaching. He had no time to stop. He ran straight into it.
The impact threw him onto the hood and then onto the pavement. Pain exploded through his shoulder, but already he could feel the bones knitting back together.
Lillian gasped inside the car. She and Blaine jumped out.
Blaine rushed to Tony. "What happened?"
Lillian walked to the front of the car and touched a small dent. "My beautiful car," she said mournfully.
"Seriously, Lillian?" Blaine helped Tony to his feet.
"What? He'll heal. My car won't. And besides, you were the one who didn't watch the road." She tried to sound cold, but the corner of her mouth twitched.
Blaine shook his head and helped Tony into the back seat. "Why did you run into the road like that?"
"There was a vampire after me again. I was looking for any of you." Tony panted, gripping his shoulder.
"What's special about you? Why would they look for you? Are you also a Savior?" Lillian asked without batting an eye.
"No, he's not." Blaine started the car. "But he can smell them when they're near. Since they like being sneaky, they want to get rid of him. That way, it'll be easier to reach you."
Lillian's eyes widened. She turned to Tony with a suddenly sweet smile. "Do you mind staying at my house so that they won't get you?"
"You're only saying that so you'll be protected," Blaine said.
"Of course. Why else would I care about him?" Lillian shrugged.
Tony stared at her, his mouth hanging open.
"Lillian, where are your feelings?" Blaine asked.
"A car crushed them a few years ago. Now drive and take us home." She settled back into her seat.
"Don't worry, drop me at my house. Herakim surrounded it with Panthera and Schracula the other day," Tony said, already feeling his wound close.
"Good. I'll drop you there." Blaine pulled away from the curb. "We'll meet tomorrow morning at my café."
---
That morning, Blaine and Lillian arrived home. Lillian waited at the front door while Blaine unlocked it. His movements were slow, distracted.
"Why do you look like that?" Lillian asked, not with worry but with mild curiosity.
She sat on the couch. Blaine dropped his bag of snacks on the table and walked into the kitchen. Lillian stared at the bag. Her mouth watered. She looked toward the kitchen. Blaine was out of sight.
Just one, she told herself.
She grabbed the bag, tore open a packet, and took a bite. Her eyes widened. Oh, that's good. She took another.
Blaine came out with a plate of food. He stopped. "What are you doing?"
"Eating snacks obviously." Lillian pulled the bag closer to her chest.
"Why would you eat my snacks when you said you didn't want any?" Blaine placed the plate on the table and walked toward her.
"Well... you see..." Lillian held the bag protectively. "The snacks were staring at me. I was intrigued. So I came closer, and they told me to eat them. So I did." She smirked.
"You're kidding me, right? Who would believe that obvious lie?" Blaine stepped closer, a grin spreading across his face.
Lillian stood up and backed away slowly. "You won't tear me apart, will you?" She smiled foolishly.
"Oh, I am going to tear you apart limb to limb." Blaine lunged.
Lillian laughed and ran, clutching the bag of snacks to her chest. For a moment, she was a child again, playing tag with her sisters. The sound of her own laughter surprised her.
I thought you were going to drop the snacks out of fear. Blaine said.
"You have to catch me to get your snacks!" she called out, her voice light and free.
Blaine sighed dramatically and ran after her – slower than he could, just to make the chase last.
Lillian dashed into her bedroom and slammed the door. She locked it, then leaned against the wall, still laughing. She opened the bag and shoved more snacks into her mouth.
Blaine tried the handle. "Lillian, open the door."
"No!"
He sighed and leaned against the door. "Okay, I give up. You can take the snacks." He was about to walk away, but then he felt it – her heartbeat, spiking. And fear.
Lillian had stopped laughing. She had dropped the snacks. Her eyes were fixed on the door as Blaine tried the handle one more time.
Thump. The sound of her father trying to break down the bedroom door. Her mother's screams. Her sisters crying. Lillian pressing her back against the wall, praying he wouldn't get in.
"Lillian?" Blaine's voice was soft now. Then he heard her heartbeat – faster, panicked. He smelled fear, raw and suffocating. He didn't hesitate. He broke the door in one shove and rushed to her side.
Lillian had her arms up, covering her face, trembling. She didn't see Blaine. She saw her father.
"Lillian, are you okay?" He knelt beside her, not touching her, just being there.
She blinked. The image faded. Blaine's face replaced her father's. She burst into tears.
"I'm glad you came. I thought he was here. I thought my father was here again." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "You're really keeping me sane."
Blaine patted her back gently. "It's okay. He's not here."
After a few minutes, Lillian's breathing steadied. She looked up at Blaine, her eyes red but fierce.
"I'm going to destroy those brothers of yours if they touch a strand of hair on your head," she said, meaning every word.
Blaine gave a soft, sad smile and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "And I'm going to protect you from your father."
Lillian nodded. "I have a plan. I'll tell everyone tomorrow morning at your café."
---
The next morning, they were the first to arrive. Blaine parked the car a short distance from the café.
"Why did you park here?" Lillian asked.
"I want you to enter the café before I do. No scandals. I don't want both of us in the news." Blaine explained.
Lillian grumbled but got out and walked inside. She ordered a coffee and sat near the window. Blaine went to his office after greeting his employees.
Moments later, a crowd of reporters rushed into the café. Cameras flashed. Customers stared. Lillian looked up from her phone, a cup of coffee halfway to her lips. She knew they were here for her, but she didn't know why.
When they reached her table, Lillian stood up, her expression cold and confident.
"Lillian Silver, is it true you murdered your mother and your sisters by burning them alive when you were thirteen?" A reporter shoved a microphone in her face.
Lillian still managed to maintain her composure. Her mouth opened, but no words came.
"Why aren't you answering?" another reporter shouted. "Is it because it's true?"
"Your career is on the line! Will you confess to the world, or will you try to deny the truth?" Another voice, another camera.
The questions blurred together. And then Lillian saw him – at the back of the crowd, smirking.
Her father.
Blaine had heard the commotion from his office. He pushed through the crowd, following the scent of her fear. When he found her, she was frozen, pale, staring at a man in the back.
Blaine stepped in front of Lillian, shielding her from the cameras. His jaw was tight. His eyes were hard.