--

Finally. We have arrived. I can get out from the car now! It's strangely constricting and tense inside of his car. I wonder why.

"Lawrence?" I worriedly face him while his knuckles are still white on clenching the stirring wheel.

"I'm taking you home."

-.-.-

This isn't good. I thought there weren't anymore vampires besides Ema but I stand wrong.

Valerio

It would be okay if it were other blood-sucking vermines but it is fucking him.

"Lawrence?" My Claire calls out

I harshly pull the brakes and proceed on backing my car.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" Claire shouts out and I just ignore her.

I can't let her go near that bastard.

-.-.-

"LAWRENCE!" All I can do is yell and shout at him cos his muscles have reflexed tensely. He might snap at me and break my neck for crying out loud!

There he goes again being that big jerk he is.

"I'm going out!" I open the car door and jump out from his vehicle. He yells at me but I just blocked him out from my mind.

"You're being stubborn again, Claire!"

"As if!" I throw my hands in the sky to emphasize I'm rebelling against him.

What I didn't expect is that he parked the car again and this time he didn't follow me.

He completely ran away deep into the forest.

What is he freaking doing?

"Claire!" I turn around and see Leo calling out to me with Ema waiting on the main gate. Lawrence parked our car outside the premises. The gate is mighty tall and has that 'gothic mansion' edge to it.

The night sky has already risen upon arrival so that makes Ema's home illuminating with bright lights on the inside beyond these fortresses.

"Where's Lawrence?" Leo asks and I just lower my head in shame

"Leo, can you follow track him?" Ema asks and Leo nods then he runs off through the forest.

Believe it or not. The whole area is surrounded with a forest.

"Does Leo already know that I know that he is a wolf?" I ask Ema and she nods

"Well yeah. I didn't tell him though. Mate bond, remember?" Ema winks and I just roll my eyes, "oh Claire. If only you knew."

"You always tell me that and I'm getting frustratingly curious." I rub my face with my hands, "can you just tell me what it is?"

"No can do. I can't freaking tell. All I can say is that that time will come to show you the truth and I don't know when exactly." Ema shrugs like it is no big deal, "how about we go inside now? It's literally cold outside."

"Do vampires also catch cold?" I raise an eyebrow and she just scoffs

"Well sorry if your expectations were false but it is not like vampires can't sometimes be like humans." Ema rubs her shoulders using her hands

"Isn't it oddly cold?" I look around while rubbing my shoulders as well due to the coldness of the atmosphere. The temperature drastically alleviated.

"You're right." Ema looks around warily as if she is hunting, "I think we better head inside. Don't worry about Lawrence. Leo has him."

"I hope so." I sigh and follow her

-.-.-

How is it possible that I'm literally standing in the grounds of a very old and rustic mansion? By rustic I mean medieval or gothic. I didn't expect this. I didn't.

The guests? Oh they are just outside the mansion. There is a big pool at the backyard and the college students are hitting it. Ema doesn't do much interaction and her brother understood- she said. That's why the party was taken outside and not inside so that Ema can have some privacy.

To be honest, I was expecting for her brother to be all jerk and ill-mannered. Somewhat like spoiled.

BUT! Unexpectedly, he isn't-- judging by how Ema described him while we were walking towards the entrance of the mansion.

"Where shall we start?" Ema squeals, "this is so exciting!"

"Well everything is fine as long as it doesn't include the frenzy outside." I just let out a chuckle

"Ema? Is this your friend?" I hear a husky yet kind of boyish voice behind me

"Oh! Valerio! Yes, she is.... Claire, that's my older brother." Ema points behind me and I turn around to see him while plastering a smile.

Oh my Lord.

"Nice to finally meet you, Claire. I've heard so much about you."

Greek God Adonis who has pale skin.

I didn't expect for Ema's brother to be this ATTRACTIVE! But believe me, Lawrence is waaay more attractive than him. Valerio, I believe his name, just has this slightly Cassanova touch which really is a difference between Lawrence's muscular yet alluring look.

"I'm.. Claire."

"Yeah, I know."

I'm stuttering, aren't I?

Well this sucks.