SCARLETT (Kiss From The Darkness)
Chapter 8

I decided to take Roland and Erick to my house. I think it's better we put together a plan and a strategy in my house. It would be much safer if we gathered in one place. And for me my home is the safest place because I have a high-level security system. But Roland asked for a moment to look at the scene of the last victim in the city center. I agreed.

The three of us headed towards the city center. I stopped the car behind Roland's car. Erick parked his car behind me. I got out of the car and saw that there were many police cars with sirens lit up that were fencing the scene of the attack. There is a police line installed around the park to make room for police to conduct an investigation. I saw Roland step towards the police line and he was greeted by another policeman who seemed to be Roland's friend. Ah, meaning Roland is a cop. No wonder he had a gun on his waist.

Erick and I leaned beside my car while observing the situation around. A lot of people were panicking there. That's human. They were supposed to be hiding in a safe place, but they chose to cram in there wanting to see the victim. Fortunately, the police moved quickly and immediately took the victims and transported them by ambulance to the hospital for an autopsy. I saw Erick light a cigarette and smoke that nicotine. He will usually smoke when he is thinking hard. It was a habit that he had been carrying around since he was still a human.

"Who do you think did this?" I asked while looking at him.

"Come," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

For hundreds of years we vampires have been forbidden to hunt humans. There are hard rules about it. But this day it seems like there is a vampire who deliberately challenges blatantly the laws that have been implemented for centuries. Usually if there are vampires who violate the limits, then the Dark God will sanction by beheading the guilty vampire. That's enough to make vampires obey the rules for centuries. But now apparently there is a vampire who deliberately wants to challenge the God. It seems the war drums have been broken.

I thought back to the masked man who attacked me two nights ago. What does this have to do with the vampire attacks that killed so many people in the city? Ah, I have to decipher this riddle.

I saw Roland walking towards us. Erick and I stood up cautiously. I looked at Roland with questionable eyes.

"They bleed to death." He answered the curious look I was looking at him.

"Huh, it seems like we should find this bastard soon," I said, shaking my hands in the air and turning to get into the car. Roland and Erick got into their cars. I drove my Porche at high speed. I like the speed. Maybe it's a vampire instinct. I watched from the rearview mirror, Roland and Erick followed me. I reduced the speed of my car as I approached my home area.

My house is surrounded by a high wall fence and equipped with cctv that I put in some important corners and some lasers to avoid intruders that I do not want to break through the area where I live. I paused in front of the fence and pressed the remote from inside my car to open it. The turnstile opened and I drove my car into the grassy courtyard and into the garage where I kept my collection of vehicles. I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Erick and Roland's car following me.

I got out of the car and took them to my house. Roland looked amazed at how wide my courtyard was and he could not hide the gawking gaze when he saw my house so magnificent as a white palace in Greek architectural style with sturdy pillars adorning the front of the house.

"Wow, beyond my expectations." He said while looking at me.

"Welcome to my house" I said with a teasing smile.

I heard Erick snorting behind me. It seems like he has not liked the human yet.

"I thought I'd see a dark old castle instead of a magnificent white palace." Roland said that with a tone of admiration.

"I'm a millennial vampire who loves modern life" I said with a laugh.

I walked towards the house. They both followed behind me. When I opened the door, I was startled by Leda's embrace which almost made me stagger back.

"Why do you endlessly worry me!" He let go of his embrace and looked at me from top to bottom to check on my condition. He's always been like that.

"I'm fine," I said to calm him down.

His gaze turned to Erick and Roland. He raised one eyebrow at me curiously.

"He's Roland" I told Leda. "Roland, he's Leda." I added while looking at Roland.

"Hi," Roland said with a smile. But Leda did not return her smile, instead she looked at Roland from head to toe as if judging whether he was a dangerous person or not.

"Sit down!" I pointed towards the empty sofa for him to sit there.

He obeyed my orders and sat there. It seems like his obnoxious behavior has disappeared since we agreed to become a team.

"You, come with me for a second!" Leda gestured me to follow her to another room.

I followed him into the kitchen.

"Why did you bring humans home?" ask her with a face mixed between worry and anger.

"He's on our side." I pacified. "Trust me." I added.

I saw Leda go silent. But his gaze implied doubt. I understand that he was always worried about my safety.

"Don't look at me like that" I said, pursing my lips spoiled.

"You know, I always worry about you, Scarlett." He always mentioned my name when he spoke seriously. Right now I'm like a kid who's been caught making a mistake by his mom.

"Yes, I know." I said that while touching his shoulder. "I promise she won't hurt me."

He took a deep breath.

"The situation is currently precarious. I need his help to unravel this mess" I said. I hope Leda understands the reason I trust Roland and I also want Leda to trust her.

He nodded weakly. I went back to the living room to see Erick and Roland. There, I saw Erick standing right in front of Roland with a gaze that focused on Roland's eyes.

"Stop doing that to me, you fucking creature!" I saw Roland almost punch Erick.

"Stop acting like a bad boy!" I sauntered towards the two of them and pulled Erick so he could sit next to me.

"He tried to hypnotize me!" Roland said as he pointed towards Erick.

"You're not going to make it with him" I told Erick in an annoyed tone as I rolled my eyeballs. I don't understand why the compulsions had no effect on Roland.

Leda entered the living room with a bottle of champagne and a few glasses. He put it all on the table. I told her to sit in the living room with us so she would know what our plans were.

"Is he the same as you?" Roland asked me.

"Later you'll find out," I said, glancing at him.

I started that discussion. I devised a strategy to capture who the vampires were that had made a mess.