“I have my mom’s location on my phone. It looks like they’re still close by, actually. That’s strange. Most likely, he’s still with them, though,” Vincent said as he unlocked the doors to his car.
“Take me to him.”
Vincent started his car and took off. He shook his head before speaking. “I never liked him, you know? Drake? I worked for him because I had no choice. I don’t know how, but he was able to seduce my mom, and she actually wanted to be part of this fucked up vampire lifestyle. When I tried to take her back from him, to convince her to live her life with me, he intervened. Drake threatened me the same way he threatened you. I had no choice but to help him. He needed me during the day and actually paid me some of the time, but honestly, I’ve just been trying to figure out a way to get my mom away from him.”
“How is your mom going to react when she finds out he’s dead?” she asked, wondering if she’d have to put up another fight.
Vincent shrugged. “I don’t know. She should be grateful. He didn’t treat her right, either of them. I think you just did everyone a big favor by killing his sorry ass.” Vincent pointed to the circus tent off in the distance. “It looks like my mom’s location stopped somewhere right around there.”
Marie released the pressure from her neck and checked for blood.
“You got bitten?” Vincent asked softly.
She nodded, wincing in pain.
“What was it like?”
“Dangerous, like a drug. I almost fell right under its spell,” Marie admitted.
“How’d you get away?”
“I took a potion that poisoned my blood amongst other things. He never saw it coming.”
“You’re really a witch?” he asked.
Marie nodded, looking at him.
“Do you think there’s some hope for my mom?”
Marie shrugged, her tone softening towards Vincent. “That depends on your mom, Vincent.”
He nodded, understanding.
Vincent parked when he saw his mom’s empty car. Marie braced herself, ready for anything.
Chapter Thirteen
William ducked into the circus tent without being seen by the security guard, who was currently distracted by his phone. The circus tent was empty. William wasted no time in looking for a piece of circus clothing lying around. There always was. Performers usually rehearsed during the day and left personal items behind. He found something sitting on one of the seats and picked it up. A pair of tights in shiny blue material. He didn’t know if they were meant for a man for a woman, but they’d be absolutely perfect. He ducked into the shadows, where the security guard wouldn’t see him. He left his clothes in a pile and changed into the leggings. With a confident smile, he trotted up to the security guard and held out his hand. This time he wanted to get noticed.
“Hi, I’m here as an understudy for one of the other acrobats. There’s a flu going around, and they might need me tonight. Mind if I do a few practice acts?”
The security guard shook his hand and gave him a false smile. “Go right ahead.”
William pointed through the tent flap, at the vampire women. The security officer turned around. “If those two women happen to cause any trouble, kindly escort them off the premises. I think they followed me here.”
The security guard laughed. “Popular with the ladies?” he asked.
William only shrugged as he walked backwards, smiling.
He stretched before climbing up the ladder, totally at ease. Once at the top, he grabbed a hold of the trapeze swing and gave it a quick tug to make sure it was legit. William planned out his movements before swinging, so he didn’t notice the security guard turn his back and stop the vampires from getting to him.
VINCENT AND MARIE GOT out of the car. Marie took a look at the circus tent ahead of them and smiled.
“I think I know where to find them,” she said. “Follow me.”
Vincent and Marie jogged to the tent. The closer they got, the more she was able to feel the presence of the other vampires. They were there, too. She knew it.
Moments later, Vincent pointed to two women. “That’s them!”
The women were arguing with a security guard as Vincent and Marie got closer to them. The two vampires, though, didn’t want to put up a fight with the security guard lest he called the cops. They were starting to walk away when Vincent and Marie caught up to them.
“How’d you get away?” Daphne asked Marie, fear in her eyes, when she saw Marie.
“Vincent will fill you in. And if you come after me, my husband, or my mom, I guarantee the same thing will happen to you. Now, tell me, where is my husband?”
Vincent’s mom, Beatrice, motioned towards the circus, deflated. “He got away. He’s in there.”
Marie nodded and ran past them, towards the security guard.
“Can I help you?” the security guard turned when he saw Marie.
Marie turned her jacket collar up before answering, so that it covered the bite on her neck. “Yeah, I believe that’s my husband up there.”
He looked at her and smiled. “Oh yeah? You’re his lady?”
Marie met his gaze and returned his smile. “Yeah, I am his lady. Mind if I take a peek? I haven’t seen him do these stunts in quite a few years.”
The security guard stepped aside. “I can’t let you in, but you can stay here and watch for a bit,” he answered.
Meanwhile, Vincent took the two vampires off to the side. “Look, this witch and this vampire guy, they mean business. We need to leave.”
Daphne scoffed. “It’s nothing Drake can’t handle. I mean, I’d hate to be to the one to tell him, but what are we supposed to do now?”
“Wait, how exactly did the witch escape? Wasn’t she with Drake? Maybe he won’t be so hard on us if she managed to escape him?” Beatrice wondered.
Vincent looked at his mom, a serious look on his face. “Mom, Drake is gone.”
“Gone?” she asked, a bewildered look in her eyes. “What do you mean, gone?”
“He’s dead. She killed him.”
“Bullshit,” Daphne said.
Vincent shook his head. “I was there. He’s gone. She got to him.”
His mom shook her head. “That’s impossible. We’re immortal.”
Vincent grabbed his mom by the shoulders. “Mom, she’s a witch. She knows what she’s doing, and believe me, he’s gone. And she did it in a matter of seconds. She’ll do the same to you if you try anything stupid.”
Daphne pushed Vincent. She erupted in anger “And why are you with her, huh? You never wanted to be a vampire. You helped her, didn’t you, you little traitor?”
His mom, Beatrice stepped in-between them. “Please, he’s my son. This is all my fault,” she said in a whisper.
“Mom, this is our chance to get away. Start a new life. We never needed him. Neither of you did. C’mon, let’s go home and pack. Let’s get the hell away from here. Mom, you said you always wanted to live in Paris. Let’s start now. This is our chance,” he said, brushing her hair from her face.
“What about them? Will they come after us?”