(Still editing...)
By the end of the day, Eric and Logan had made acquaintance.
Logan seemed nice and trustworthy. However, Eric wasn't the type to accept anyone, so he didn't trust him with much information.
Although, he thought he might gain from their companionship since Logan was close to the alpha of the Everglades Pack, the dominating wolf pack in Miami.
Logan told him more about their school than what was contained in the booklets Mr Santos had given him. He also talked about mixing normal academic life with the supernatural side without raising questions from anyone.
"So you've lived here this long without leaving anything suspicious?"
They were in their human form, fully dressed, but simply walking through the woods, minutes after devouring some rabbits and squirrels. Little animals scurried away at their presence. Those animals were lucky they'd already eaten to their fill.
Logan shrugged. "Yeah. Though, it hasn't been easy," he said with a short laugh.
"You're a pureblood."
"Yep."
Eric stepped over a huge fallen branch. "Interesting," he murmured thoughtfully.
They stopped at a lake. Eric watched gulls dip their beaks into the clear water to capture the hiding fish.
"Who's Seth?"
"He's in training during school hours. He doesn't attend Einstein's anyway. I guess he must've wandered off after lessons to this part of the forest." He kicked a rock into the water.
"He seems weak."
Logan chuckled. "He's got backup, though. Talgans. Stefan won't let the kid roam the woods alone."
"Your both parents are mates?" he asked, looking up at the sky. With his supernatural instincts, he read the time.
He eyed him warily. "Yeah," he drawled, following Eric's gaze. "Two fifteen. Lunchtime's over. The temperature's gonna drop tonight."
"Sure. Waxing crescent, too."
The two boys kept on staring at the sky, lost in each's silent thoughts.
"We better head back," Logan spoke up.
Eric nodded. They started back to the school. "Are there others?"
His partner tensed beside him. "There used to be."
"I'm gonna ask what happened."
"You shouldn't."
Eric scoffed. "Cause I'm not a member of your pack?"
No reply.
"You don't have to worry. I won't kill off the last Talgan pureblood from Einstein's."
Logan chuckled this time. "That'd be impossible."
"Hmm. You're talking to a guy who killed twenty-two Talgans alone four months ago."
He eyed him curiously. "Why?"
Eric furrowed his brows. "Grave issues."
"I wonder," he mumbled.
They elapsed into another silence.
"Mr Ashers?"
Eric turned to meet Mr Santos approaching him, when he walked into the foyer of the classroom building.
"Where have... you been?"
"Out." He shoved his hands into his pockets.
"The library?" He stopped in front of him.
He heaved an exasperated sigh. "Is it a norm in this school to enquire about students' whereabouts?"
The older man adjusted his glasses, looking a little flustered. "I'm in charge of students' welfare. It's my job to know how students are doing, especially the newbies."
"Well, it's my job to let nosy people know they should fûck off."
He turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Mr Santos to stare after him in bewilderment.
After school, Eric headed out of chemistry class immediately. He went to his locker and put his books inside. After grabbing his homework, he left the hall. But he was stopped on the way.
"Missed me?"
He looked up into the angry dark eyes of a much taller boy. Eric's fifteen-year-old human form was the same height as his wolf. But not the same as his true vampire form. The dark-haired boy before him was two inches taller. Really tall for a boy of fifteen.
He recognised him to be the boy in the cafeteria that had nearly punched him. Oh, the fight.
"Didn't. What do you want?" He paid attention to his nails like they were the most interesting thing at the moment.
"You owe me, boy."
Eric tensed but ignored the word he considered an insult. Just a human. "And you do. Get me lunch and I'll fight you. That was the deal."
"Humph." He crossed his arms and put on a scary scowl. Or what he thought was scary.
On his own part, Eric decided to humour him. So, he sighed and looked down at his sneakers.
The January winter was biting, but he wasn't wearing boots or a thick hooded jacket like everyone else. Instead, it was sneakers, cotton shirt, light denim jacket, and trousers.
"Oh goodness, it's Dean and the new weirdo," he heard a female student whisper to her friend. Others stood around, watching wide-eyed. Yup, they had an audience.
"Ashers, is it?" the boy snarled.
He didn't say anything.
"Well, you're new here. But new or not, nobody messes with me." Two mean-looking boys joined him. "Or my friends. So, today's gonna be your first lesson." He grinned evilly.
"And my lunch?" the boy in front of them asked coolly.
Dean smirked. "Oh. You will have your lunch." He looked up, let his eyes scan the group of onlookers before settling on someone. "Hey, Dunus."
The boy he referred to, tensed. "It's Doudall," he grumbled out as he approached him.
"Whatever, blackface. Go get something for our fella here to eat."
Doudall exchanged looks between Eric and the three boys. "No."
"No?" Dean sounded confused and angry.
"I said, no," he said defiantly, though there was a slight tremor in his voice. "You should be the one getting it. You spilled his lunch. I don't have any spare money."
"Ah, my bad." He smirked again and walked towards the dark boy. "But you have to do as I say." He then shoved a few bills into his hand. "Now, run off."
Doudall glared at him before walking away.
Dean returned to who he considered his victim of the day that was being held back by his friends, and gripped his shoulders. "Your lunch is on its way, boy. And when it comes, we settle our scores in a manly way."
Eric was about to speak but stopped. A scent that had now become familiar to him reached his senses.
"What's going on here?"
Everyone turned to see a tall, handsome teenager walk into the hall. Girls sighed at the sight of the blond, green-eyed beauty. He was wearing a white vest and a deep blue denim jacket on it with black slacks. His feet were tucked into combat boots.
"Let him go," the new arrival snapped at the bullies.
Dean, who didn't understand what these boys were, didn't. Instead, he made an attempt to punch Eric. Logan caught his hand before it could make contact with his face.
Doudall returned with a cardboard box bearing the school's emblem. He looked at the new scene in confusion. He made a step towards Eric and the other boy glared at him.
"It's his lunch," he spoke in a firm voice.
Eric mentally groaned when he got a whiff of the food's smell.
"Let's go, Eric," Logan said to him after he shoved Dean and his two friends to the wall.
He looked at Logan and nodded reluctantly. He didn't like someone fighting for him, not even his parents, unless they were joining him to fight. He turned back to Doudall. "Keep it."
"What?! But I just got—"
"Keep it," he repeated more firmly.
Everyone, including Dean and Doudall, watched awestruck as both boys walked away. They all wondered what the heck just happened.
"Those bullies should know this isn't public school," Logan mumbled as they walked towards the school's parking lot. He led them to his Porsche Caymen that was parked at one corner. His car wasn't the coolest in the lot, though. There were definitely more expensive and shinier ones.
"Like it?" He grinned proudly at the car.
Eric shrugged.
He shook his head and muttered under his breath. Eric caught it.
"So, you think I'm weird."
"Well, I don't understand why you can't recognise or appreciate beauty," Logan said unlocking the car.
"It's not as beautiful as my mom."
Logan shot him a look, then motioned for him to get in. "You definitely are weird, but I like that. Your mom must feel proud."
Eric snorted and crossed his arms, still rooted to the ground. "A wolf should appreciate his mother."
He poked his head out the window. "Aren't you getting in? Let me give you a ride home."
He shook his head. "Nah. I'm fine. Got my own ride."
He cocked one brow. "You're not legal as a human."
"It's a bike, Logan," he spoke carefully as if talking to a child.
"Whatever. So, we'll see tomorrow then." He started the engine.
"Not sure," Eric mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"We'll talk, Eric. I don't hate you even though you're a hybrid. Unless you're my enemy."
Eric frowned slightly. "How do you know you can trust me?"
"Because not everything is ever as it seems. You should know that. Especially while you're here."
He shrugged after a moment of thinking. "Okay. Tomorrow it is."
Logan gave him a small smile. "Sure thing."
Seconds later, Eric was standing alone on the spot with leaves floating around him.
He turned around and walked to his bike. It was a brand new Suzuki Hayabusa his dad had gotten him when they'd arrived at Miami.
On his way home, Eric stopped at Krymenthos. He walked into the saloon and headed straight for the back room where the cosmetics used in the outer rooms were stored.
"Mom?" he called out while his eyes scanned the room.
He only had to wait a few seconds. Clicking footsteps were heard from beyond the door across. It flung open to reveal Chelsea in a clingy, soft red gown that stopped mid-thigh, and six-inch-high Louboutin heels. Her hair was perfectly styled into waves and curls, and her face had only red lipstick as makeup.
Yep, she was stunning.
Eric had told Logan the right thing. His mom was beautiful. Probably the only most beautiful woman he'd ever meet in his entire lifetime.
"Honey, you came by." She speed-walked towards him—since no one else was there—and pulled him into a hug. "How was school today?" she asked after pulling away.
"Quite eventful for a normal first day in school."
She held his face between her palms, her bright smile faltering a bit. "Tell me."
They sat on two chairs positioned at opposite sides of a small, round table, near the window. Eric told her about his restlessness in class, meeting Seth and finding out that they were on a pack's territory, meeting Logan and all they talked about, the bullies and Logan's intervention.
When he was done, she was pursing her lips in thought. "That Logan boy. Sounds mysterious. You shouldn't trust him much, although he does seem to be a good person." She looked down into his eyes. "How do you see him?"
He shrugged. "Well... kinda cool. For a pureblood belonging to a pack, he sure is tolerant. Said he doesn't hate me even if I'm hybrid."
"I'm just curious about why he wants your friendship," she murmured, tapping a finger on her chin. "He could be a bug."
"Don't know yet."
"Invite him over. Your father and I need to see him, check him out."
He arched a brow. "To our house?"
She shot him a look. "No, silly. Caraway's Diner. You know, the one that serves tasty steak."
"Okay. Will do." He leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. "How's business today, by the way?"
She grinned happily; her eyes were filled with sparkles. "Great."
He frowned. "Let me guess. Dad stopped by." He could tell by her cheery aura. Chelsea was usually cranky after spending eight hours in the same building with humans without feeding on them.
Her eyes flashed and her fangs grew out of excitement. "He did."
"How many hours did you guys roll in the hay?"
She made a thinking face, twirling a lock of her fiery hair around a finger, and gave him a cheeky grin. "Lost count."
He scrunched up his nose and folded his arms. "Isn't it getting a little too much?" In fact, he was relieved that the walls of the back room were very soundproof. The humans would be scared out of their fragile minds to hear wolfish howls and loud groans.
"Nah. It's even more perfect." She nearly clapped as she reminisced the memory of the make-out scenes with her husband. "But I think your father was a little cranky today."
His brows rose up, he leaned forward, and slammed a fist on the table. "I knew it. I knew his wolf won't be at ease. Let's get another apartment."
Suddenly, her expression changed. "No, Eric. We're not moving. It's becoming a great and perfect hide-out for us."
Eric sighed but he didn't slump his shoulders. He never slumped his shoulders. "I get it. I understand it's for the fact that you and Dad can have more frolicking time as he gets crankier."
"What makes you think it's the ap—?"
Suddenly, both gazes turned to the door of the back room. Seconds later, it flung open, and Chelsea was wrapped up in big, masculine arms. She giggled as he twirled her around. He didn't put her down, but brought her head down to meet his lips for a deep kiss.
In the background, Eric rolled his eyes at his parents. He didn't dislike their blazing romance. No, he was very much happy for them. But he felt the PDA was too much for his eyes, even though he'd seen and done worse.
He cleared his throat, letting them know of his existence since they were still making out. He groaned in frustration when he caught sight of his father's hand pushing up the hem of his mother's short gown. Ah well, she'd worn something enticing.
"I'm still alive, you know." His grouchy voice made them break apart hesitantly. Key word: hesitantly.
Chelsea's flushed face was still looking up at her husband's with starstruck eyes. Half of her lipstick was already smeared on Connor's lips.
Finally, Connor was able to turn to greet his son.
"Hey there, buddy." With an arm around Chelsea's waist, he walked over to Eric and embraced him with the other arm. "Sorry. Your mom caught my attention. Wore a killer today."
"Is there any day she never catches your attention?" he muttered under his breath, but his parents heard. However, they ignored it.
"How was school, by the way?" he asked, chuckling.
"Great."
"What happened?" he said in a serious tone. He sat on the other chair, with Chelsea on his lap.
"Stuff. My wolf got restless, thanks to the overthinking teenagers. Then I met Seth and Logan, Tulscan and Talgan respectively, in the school's woods. From Everglades Pack."
Connor frowned. "Wait. Your school has woods?"
"Yeah. Kinda expected it to be bare, but the forest is thicker as it runs deep into a small lake," he mumbled thoughtfully.
"And the wolves?"
"Well, they asked for my reason for being on their territory."
His father smirked. "And you told them to fück off." He felt his wife's hands roaming on his body.
Eric smirked back. "But not literally."
"Nice one. They should be put in their place. These pack wolves think it's all about their territories."
"Anyway, Logan was nicer in the end. We talked. Turns out we're in the same school but he's a sophomore."
Connor caught Chelsea's hand before it reached his crotch and intertwined their fingers. "What do you know about him?"
"That he doesn't hate me yet, is a pureblood, close to the alpha, a warrior of the pack, too friendly for a Talgan, etcetera."
Connor paused for a moment. "Bring him for dinner."
Eric nodded. "You and Mom think the same thing most of the time." And that was another thing he admired about his parents.
"Of course, we do." His father grinned. "That's why we're two halves of a whole." And there they go again with the long staring into each other's starry eyes.
Eric sighed and got to his feet. "Going for a hunt."
"Skipped lunch?" his mother finally spoke.
"No. Ate scraps."
He teleported himself—and his backpack—to the mansion. After drinking two glasses of fresh blood from the kitchen, he went out of the house and to the backyard. He took off his clothes, shifted, and sprinted off into the back woods.
Eric didn't return till evening. He carried two bleeding rabbits between his jaws as he trotted back to the house. The lights inside were still switched off but he could smell his parents' scents from a few metres away.
He dropped the rabbits on the porch, shifted back, and put his clothes back on. The porch door swung open immediately.
"What did you get?"
"Snack," he replied his mom. "Tell Dad that was all I could find."
"Why don't you mind-link him yourself?" She picked up the rabbits and walked back inside to the kitchen, making a mental note to clean off the blood from the porch.
"Don' wanna do the talking."
When Eric got to his room, he took a quick shower and changed into only a pair of blue faded jeans. He lay back on his bed, gazed up at the ceiling, and thought about his boring human life.
Before he'd come here, he'd been locked up in the Harem of Shadows, an otherworldly dimension where supernatural beings hid away from the human world. The Shadow Veil, an invisible boundary between both worlds, prevented anyone from switching between them or one world from seeing the other. Although, those in the Harem were very much aware of what happened to humans.
When he and his family had crossed the Veil through the gates, they'd stepped into a world of civilization and organisation. Nevertheless, it wasn't difficult to adapt to the current advanced systems.
However, for Eric, it had always been difficult to socialize with these beings he considered "bugs". With just time and his fangs, he could wipe off the entire residents of the United States.
Although, this was the world where his parents had met and found their love. Where they had mated and created him. Where his mother had died and turned herself—and him subsequently—into immortal beings. It was in this world they'd found help in a sorceress to ensure Eric's safe delivery. And it was in this same world he'd encountered hate at its worst, both to himself and his family.
Beside him, his phone rang. Without touching it, he picked the call.
"Speak."
"I found it," the voice on the other line said.
"Where?"
"Tucson, Arizona." There was shuffling in the background.
Eric frowned. "Who has it?"
"The thing is... who had it? It'd been with this psychic for quite some time before she died. I checked her belongings and found out she passed her stuff over to her son."
"But?" He knew there was a 'but'.
"He's dead. And his death didn't seem... normal." More shuffling sounds as the voice became muffled. "Brain tumour, says the report. But it smelt fishy from what I felt."
"Did he pass on his stuff?"
"Well, that's the problem. I didn't find it among his willed properties. Besides, I'm yet to find his widow and kids. One of them should have it."
"Hmm." Eric rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
A pregnant pause. "Alasdair."
"Uh-huh?"
"With the way he died, I think revolvers were involved."
Eric's eyes widened. "Shît."