Enslaved (ON HOLD INDEFINITELY)

Chapter 37

“Dustin, hey, are you alright?” Emma asked, worried at my sudden reaction. I just shook it off, adjusting myself before gesturing to her that I was okay. Which wasn’t much of a lie as it is the truth.

Keeping my fangs in check, we wadded through store after store, with Jaden and Emma pausing at some to try out things and laughing at each other’s ridiculous outfits. I just sat and try not to breath as I look at the two friends, the nausea came and went but the thirst was still there, waiting for me to break anytime. I didn’t let it, as we exited Macy’s.

Chester was nowhere to be seen, probably engrossed in some antique store. Emma hand her arms sling around mine as we passed by stores. The place was filled to the brim, with people. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, ten floors of retail glory covered in a Moroccan theme, bathed in a sea of gold and green.

People, kids, women, men, families, passed by me, talking, shouting, screaming even, everything hitting my sense dead on. My head swam a little, I tried shutting out the noise but they just rose to an unbearable level. I tried to tell Emma about it but she was too busy bickering with Jaden. I was losing them, I was losing myself.

As we neared Harrods main store, the crowd thickened, I lost my grip and wavered as people pushed by me. I stopped in my tracks, my head spinning now, my vision blurring. I can’t breathe, my lungs screaming for air but I refused its request.

The demon inside me, rattled at it cage, threatening to tear out of it confinement. It took every ounce of me to make it stay put, to put it down. My ears rang with a high pitch note; faces swam around me, concern stricken ones that floated in and out of my periphery. Emma and the rest were gone and I was on my own. I felt my body move, but I wasn’t too sure about that. I couldn’t feel a thing, my whole body going into a panic attack.

It was not until a voice called out that I started to get a hold of myself. “Dear boy, are you okay?” the voice asked. It sounded like a woman with that tinge of worry in them.

When I regained much of myself, I found that I was on the ground right outside the exit at the far end of the mall. How the hell did I get here?

“Boy? Can you hear me? What’s your name? Hello?” the lady said, with a careful tone and I looked up at her. A genuinely worried look greeted me, with those pair of grey eyes that exuded warmth. She was in her forties I guess, with her thinning brunette hair that flowed down to her neck.

This time I managed to at least get my name out, well, sputtering is the more appropriate word but it made her noticeably relax. “You got me a little worried there, looked like you’re going into a panic attack or something.” Which wasn’t much of a lie but she didn’t need to know that.

“I am fine. Thank you.” I answered stiffly, still trying to recollect my own thoughts. There weren’t many people in this part of the mall, only the ones that was looking for the washroom, which gave me some extent of space to breathe.

“Are you sure? I can bring you to the hospital if you want,” she insisted but I was quick to decline. The veins in her jugular are getting too tempting to resist and sure as hell, I don’t want to hurt a kind heart like her. I knew I could kill when I am like this…better not risk it.

Finally, after reassuring her, she helped me up to my feet. “Well, at least let me stay until you have your friends get you,” she said and I couldn’t deny her that. Pulling out my cell, I called Chester. After vaguely telling him where I am, I hung up and leaned up against the wall.

“Thank you, em…”

“Grace,” she cut in.

I smiled, “Thank you, Grace, for your concern. I didn’t mean to trouble you like this.”

“No, no.” she interjected. “I was just on my way to meet my husband. You were literally choking on air when I saw you. It’ll be cruel of me just to leave you here. You could’ve died”

“Well, I am truly moved.” I said, putting on the usual charm. My brain was more or less in control of itself but I wasn’t sure of my legs just yet.

Grace seem to look at me with a sort of fascination, her eyes gleaming with curiosity, “You know,” she finally spoke. “You’re one of those rare vampires are you?”

My muscles tensed at those words, my face unable to hide my obvious surprise. How did this lady know what I am? We were barely distinguishable from a human. She was quick to pick up on that and let off a chuckle. “Don’t be so shocked, I could smell a vampire a mile away, trust me.”

I was completely dumbfounded, my usual calm façade slowly melting away, replaced by a barrel of uncertainty. Surely, no human could stand being this near to a vampire, especially when they are strangers. I felt my canines elongating themselves from my gums and I flashed them for her to see. Her reaction was not what I expected.

Instead of running away screaming, she stood where she was, eyeing them with no hint of fear. “Fairly impressive,” she said, “But I’ve seen bigger.”

Now, I am really confused. “Aren’t you scared of us?” I cringe my forehead into a frown, my arms crossed on my chest. This is one weird female.  

She just shrugged as if it was no big issue. “You’ll get used to it when your husband’s a vampire too.”

My jaw dropped.