Chapter 7: Francis Barker

"I'll put this in the car and bring it around," Sol told me as he lifted the heavy bags of groceries in his hands easily. "Wait here. I'll be back quickly." I nodded my head and waved him off before going to stand near the wall. We had managed to hang out in civilized society without much of a scene, besides the meeting with Kaya. I heaved a sigh of relief. I took a deep breath of the cool night air. A rusty smell hit my nose. It was small and barely noticeable. At that moment, I realized that the strange smell in the air was from blood rather than oxygen. My head turned around immediately as I tried to find the source of the smell. Just as I did it, my eyes came into contact with the hard gaze of a human male. His skin was dark, and his eyes even darker as he stared at me. Before I could act, the man came toward me and pulled me into the side of the building. He hid us from everyone else. I felt the cold metal of an object on my skin. When I looked down, I realized he was pressing a silver cross against my neck. I tried to fight the man off, but chains surrounded my arms' open areas. I was trapped for a moment before the man spoke. Fear settled in me as I thought I was going to be captured again. I felt the blood pounding in my ears. "I guess you're not a pureblood." The man's voice was harsh. "Half-blood? Either way, your kind is a menace. Forgive me, girl. Everyone would appreciate it if I took you out right now." I gasped as he brandished a dagger from his side. Just when I was going to attack him, his body was flung back and off from me. When I realized what was going on, Sol was standing in front of me. Sol's tall figure utterly encompassed that of the man who had attacked me. Now, Sol was holding him up by his neck. I noted the way the man's feet dangled inches from the ground and the gasping motions he made to try and claw Sol's hand from his throat. It was useless. We all knew it. There was no way a human could go up against a pureblood. "Who exactly do you think you are, little hunter?" A chill ran down my spine at the tone of Sol's voice. It was like something I had never heard before, vicious and unforgiving, yet somehow relieving. I felt relieved that he was here. "You're… going to… regret… it…" the human male choked out, his face becoming red due to the grip Sol had on him. "Oh," Sol purred, "I doubt it." I quickly rushed forward before the man fell unconscious and laid a hand on Sol's arm. He looked at me for a moment before rolling his eyes and begrudgingly loosening his grip on the man. But he didn't let him go. Sol reached into the inside pockets of the man's suit and pulled out his wallet, searching through it to find out the man's identity. "Francis Barker, age 37," Sol read aloud. "A bit old to be a vampire hunter, aren't you?" I quietly gasped as I realized the occupation of the man in front of me. Sol continued to speak. "Do you human males have anything to do other than bother young girls?" "I could ask you the same question! Filth! Can you vampires contribute a little to this country other than sucking citizens' blood?" the man shouted out. "Human girls have been missing all across the country!" I looked at him incredulously. "Do you think I am the reason girls missing? " "Maybe not you." The man stared at me. "But your kind has been nothing but a blight on society ever since… Gah!" The man coughed when Sol slightly increased the tension on his neck. "You'd better pay attention to your attitude toward this young lady." His voice was threatening. "Once I hear any bad words from your dirty mouth, or I find you and your stupid colleagues attack her again, I swear I will rip you to shreds. Those missing girls will be the least of your concerns." My eyes widened in terror as Sol's demeanor changed—even before he still held somewhat of a softer air about him. Now, I truly reveled in the authority of purebloods and the power they possessed. "How did you find us?" Sol asked calmly and released the grip on the man's neck. "The organization hasn't known your particular existence for a long time until Ms. Rivera," the man informed and looked at me, "joined your company. My supervisor told me to get involved." "Since she must have been seen in daylight, you thought she was human," Sol concluded for the man before he finished. "Am I on your list of suspects?" "Why should I tell you that?" Francis gasped when the grip on his throat became tighter. Sol growled at him, showing his sharp teeth to the man. "No!" he choked out. "The organization knows it's better than to attack an old one. We have eyes watching you, but there is no order to take you down." "Then keep it up." My eyes widened as I sensed the change in Sol's voice. I had to avert my eyes because I could perceive the coercion in it. "You must make sure Ms. Mia Rivera is taken out from your files as well. She is human if your superior questions it." "She will always be a target if she is seen with you," Francis informed Sol. The vampire shook his head. "Then make sure she isn't. Delete all the footage you have of us together. Do you understand?" Francis nodded his head slowly, fear-stricken and worried. Terror was the only word I could use to explain the look on his face, but that word didn't even seem to do it justice. When Sol let him go, he didn't have a chance to scurry away before the two of us were gone. Back at the house, we put away the groceries in silence. After I took a shower, I found Sol sitting in the kitchen. He had his laptop in front of him. I supposed he was sending some information about the previous hunter attack. I had heard of the attacks that had been happening to vampires of all calibers lately. It was his duty as a pureblood and owner of the mansion to report it. Still, I didn't doubt it had such an impact on him, considering how he had managed to overpower Francis. I recalled the moment Francis had grabbed me and tried to push the memories away. It was not easy to push away the images and thoughts of being captured again. "Did you forget your bands? "Sol asked as he saw me and pulled me out of those images. He noticed I removed my wristband. I blushed when I rubbed at my naked wrists. "I… Um… You saved my life twice. Well, so… It wouldn't be necessary to keep them when I am in the house, or you are at my side." My eyes widened as I looked up at him. "Not that you have to–" But my breath was caught when he appeared in front of me before I could finish my sentence. I watched with bated breath as Sol lifted my wrists to his mouth and laid a gentle kiss on each of the exposed skin there. "I will," he said, answering my unspoken request. My heart leaped at his words. I will, I repeated the words in my head, I will be by your side. He meant he was going to protect me. I couldn't help the wide grin that took over my face. ###