Page 80 of Petals and Fangs

I knew it was Demetrius behind the door, but I can't believe it was him behind the electricity cut off. Everything seems too much for me to take in. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. I just want this nightmare to end.

“I hate that I put you in the middle of this,”" Ethan sighs, as he runs his hands through his hair.

“I am here with you.”

“I promised to protect you and keep you safe, Lily. And that I will,” Ethan looks straight into my eyes, cupping my cheeks.

I don't want him to leave me alone, especially after what happened today.

“Come on, let me take you to my place,” he says, holding my hand.

“You can't keep hiding me,” I look around the darkened hallway, and take one last deep breath before following him outside.

“It's not a good idea to stay here. Not tonight. Especially tonight,” he says, pulling out his car keys.

“I am aware of that, Ethan.”

“It is not a good idea for you to stay at your place either.”

“What do you suggest, then?”

“Come and stay with me. At least until all this mess is sorted out.”

“I don't want you to be the only one taking action,” I say, getting into his car.

“And you won't. We will act together.”

“Are we going to report to the police?”

“What are the police going to do concerning a vampire, Lily? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

“You have a point,” I sigh, sinking in my seat.

“We will figure something out, I promise,” he assures me, squeezing both of my hands together.

Ethan starts the engine, and the car roars to life.

As we pull away from the darkened back of the building, a shadowy figure emerges from the darkness, watching us with glowing red eyes.

“What's that?” I ask as I point at the figure in front of the car, my heart skipping a beat.

Ethan's gaze narrows, his grip tightens on the steering wheel, and his eyes immediately change color to the same shade of gleaming red that the creature in front of us has.

Chapter 18

Ethan

“There he is,” I snarl under my breath.

“Is that Demetrius?” Lily asks, her voice barely above a whisper. The horror on her face makes me despise myself. How did things get like this?

“In flesh and decay;” I answer Lily, keeping my eyes fixed on the road ahead, scanning his every action.

“We're being followed,” she says, narrowing her eyes and trying to get a better look at his shadowy figure.

“Stay calm. I got this,” I press my hand on hers, squeezing it, reassuring her that everything is going to be okay as long as I am right here next to her.

“How could I?”

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