Page 19 of Rescued By the Vexed Vampire

I smiled, waving at him before turning my attention back to the crowd. The decorations, the costumes, the candy—it all blended together in a kaleidoscope of Halloween magic.

“Looks amazing, doesn’t it?” Drake’s voice sounded from behind me, smooth and low, and I turned to find him standing next to me, his eyes scanning the crowd.

He was back in his Dracula costume from the party, and even though I knew he didn’t need the fake fangs or the black cape, he somehow managed to make the whole thing look effortlessly cool. The dark velvet of his cloak seemed to blend into the shadows of the shop, his black eyes gleaming as he watched the bustle around us.

“It really does,” I said, a little breathless. “I think we actually pulled this off.”

Drake smirked, his eyes flicking to me. “You sound surprised.”

“I mean, considering where we started? Yeah, I’m a little surprised.” I grinned back at him. “It’s a miracle we’re even still standing.”

Drake chuckled, and for a moment, everything felt...easy. Normal, even. The tension that had been hanging between us ever since our futile attempts to break the curse seemed to dissipate, replaced by the shared triumph of what we’d managed to accomplish together.

And honestly, for the first time in a while, I wasn’t thinking about how to get into heaven. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I was now technically undead or that I hadn’t figured out a way out to free us from this mess. I was just... happy. Here, in this moment, surrounded by the smiling faces of my small-town community that had welcomed me back with open arms, it felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

People continued to stream in and out ofSugar Rushall day, donating blood, grabbing treats, and marveling at the new look of the shop.

By the time evening rolled around, the event was winding down, but the excitement in the air hadn’t faded. I watched as the last few families left, their kids bouncing with energy, clutching bags of candy and plastic fangs. Halloween was officially a success.

“Think we can finally call it a night?” I asked Drake as the last customer waved goodbye.

“Almost,” he replied, glancing around the shop. “Just a little cleanup left.”

I sighed, leaning against the counter. “I’m so tired I could pass out. Literally.”

He gave me a sideways smile. “You can’t pass out, remember? Undead and all that.”

“Oh, right,” I said with a laugh, giving him a playful shove. “I forgot.”

We moved around the shop, tidying up the displays and sweeping the floors, both of us too worn out to even banter much. The shop had a cozy, warm glow about it now that the crowds had gone, and we said goodnight to Noah, Gary, and Alice as they left for home. After they had gone, and it was just the two of us, I paused for a moment, appreciating the peace and quiet.

“Hey, Bethany,” Drake called suddenly from the front door. “I think we’ve got one last customer.”

I frowned, glancing up from where I was wiping down the counter. “What do you mean?”

Drake motioned for me to come over, and as I approached, my eyes widened in shock.

There, just outside the front door, was a small bassinet. And inside it, wrapped in a fluffy blanket, was a baby.

“A baby?” I gasped, hurrying over to get a closer look. “What the…”

Drake bent down, carefully lifting the bundle from the bassinet, and I could see the tiny face peeking out from the layers of fabric. The baby was dressed in a little yellow chick costume, complete with a soft yellow onesie and tiny wings. She blinked up at us with wide eyes, her tiny hands clutching the edge of the blanket.

“She’s adorable,” I whispered, my heart clenching in my chest as I reached out to touch her tiny fingers. The baby grasped onto my finger, her grip surprisingly strong for someone so small.

“A girl,” Drake murmured, his voice soft as he looked down at the baby in his arms. “And look, her blanket’s monogrammed.”

I squinted at the edge of the blanket, where a name had been stitched into the fabric in delicate script. Lily.

“Lily,” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. “But...where are her parents? Who would leave a baby out here like this?”

We both glanced around, but the street was completely deserted. The families that had been milling around earlier had all gone home, and the town square was eerily quiet now, the only sound the rustle of leaves in the cool evening breeze.

“There’s no one,” Drake said, his voice tight with concern. “What do we do?”

I bit my lip, my mind racing. We couldn’t just leave her here, and it didn’t look like anyone was coming back for her anytime soon.

“I guess we take her home with us,” I said, already reaching for my phone. “I’ll call the police, and...Gran. Gran will know what to do.”

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