Chapter 121

Almara’s Pov

Fear settles in my chest like stone dropped into a still lake causing a cold rippling effect.

“That wasn’t part of the plan.” Roman growls low enough only for us to hear.

“Plans change.” Robert is quick to respond. I sit wide-eyed waiting to see what happens next.

“How interesting.” The vampire says, a new sense of vitality taking over him. He probably didn’t expect his shift to begin with such an exhilarating start. “Wait here.” The guard says, a delighted smile revealing razor sharp teeth.

“I should kill you now.” Roman says and reaches his hands out to grab Robert’s throat, but Robert rushes to explain himself.

“It’s a sure way we’ll get inside the Council now, isn’t it? What else would you have told them?” Robert raises an eyebrow as though waiting for his to impart a better plan.

“We’re not going into that building. Not without a fight and we don’t have time for that.” Bess says.

“What will you have me do, sir?” the driver asks Roman, peering through the review mirror clearly worried.

Before Roman can answer, the guard comes back. “Pull your vehicle over to the side, you can wait here while escorts come.”

“Escorts?” I ask. The vampire is quick to bring his eyes on me as though I’m a prize to behold.

“Why yes, pretty one.” He doesn’t try to conceal his look down my neck. “You think we’re going to just send you on your merry way?” He laughs, though it’s more like a cackle. He tosses his head back and his Adams apple bobs up and down. “Now pull over.” He commands, backing away from the car.

Roman slams the door shut. “Driver, take us as far as you can to the center of the town.” The driver hesitates to follow Roman’s orders until Roman shoots forward and yells, “Now!”

The driver sets his foot to the gas and the car takes off so quickly all of us are thrown against our seats. Tires screech, sending a pile of dust behind us as the car breaks through the iron gates. That’s when I realize this car isn’t just a plain average vehicle, it’s designed to be incredibly durable and bullet proof.

The car continues on as though it was driving on open road the whole time, forcing the driver to catch up in terms of composure as this car is. Robert begins to laugh like a hyena. Bess smacks his chest, but he doesn’t stop.

“What is so funny?” I ask.

“Just the thrill of it all.” Robert says with a sort of crazy-look in his eyes.

“They’ll probably send a notice out for every official to be on the lookout for this car.” Roman says to no one in particular. He whips out his phone and begins to make a call.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Driver,” Roman says as he punches numbers into his phone. “When you drop us off, you drive out the way you come as quickly as you can. Ditch the car just as you reach halfway and go the rest by foot. remember your ID, you can blend in. There will be a new car ready to pick you up.”

“Yes, sir.” The driver says, sounding more confident than he did moments ago. The further we get into town, the slower the driver must go. There’s a few pedestrians sulking about, only lifting their heads to ponder who that is driving like a maniac.

“This will do.” Robert says. “We can walk the rest, we’ll just need to find a way to get underground.” The driver responds swiftly, pulling the car over to a spot that’s more deserted. We quickly unbuckle and pile out of the car. Roman tips his head toward the driver and the driver nods back. Then he steers away leaving us here in this awful city.

I instantly feel exposed and vulnerable. I guess I hadn’t realized how used to loft living and body guard protection I’ve grown to. There’s hardly any time to orient myself as we move on our feet up the sidewalk.

As we make our journey, Robert tells us to keep our heads low and to even slow our pace. Try to blend in, he says, as if we could ever possibly be one of these miserable creatures. I keep my head down, only able to see where my feet are going, and I don’t think I would have it any other way. I’m sure the surroundings are just as bleak as the cracked gray slabs of concrete.

“Over here,” Robert says. I lift my head only to see the direction he’s pulling us. He lifts a manhole from the side walk and nods for us to drop in.

“You’ve got to be joking.” I say.

“You know how much I love to kid around, Almara, but this time I’m not.” Robert replies. I recoil at the subtle reminder he and I used to date.Roman steps down, going about halfway and then turns to help Bess climb down. Once they’re in, there’s no turning back. I look around as if possibly seeing one last other route, there isn’t. Only what appears to be deserted buildings, graveyards, and shops advertising things I thought only existed in horror movies.

I make my descend down the manhole, gripping the cold metal ladder. Once I reach the bottom, Bess rubs my back. It smells like a mixture of dirt and pond water. It’s also a lot more crowded down here than it us above the side walk, which I suppose makes sense. When it gets darker outside, that’s probably when everyone goes up.

Robert joins us and nods his head toward the direction we’re to head. We all follow his lead in raising our jacket collars and moving slow. Robert falls more into character, I suppose for the sake of our coverage, and hisses periodically any time anyone leans to close to try and get a whiff of our blood.

We continue on for a longer time than I would like, growing more impatient and more nervous. I get the feeling we’re being watched and just as that sensation grows the its peak, a vampire his hissing and pressed right up onto Roman.

All of us jump at the sudden intrusion, Except for Roman who pushes the lanky creature off of him as though he weighs nothing. “You are not one us of!” The vampire hisses through exposed teeth. Others begin to flock over.

“Run.” Robert tells us and we do. We dodge between hisses and body hands grasping out to us. We make our way through a sea of gremlin like faces until eventually we come to a stop.

Luckily for the rest of our walk, we’re unbothered. Eventually, we come up to a split in the tunnel and a sign offering directions.

Socials and entertainment are to veer right, whereas business and employment veer left. We head down the tunnel to the left, immediately the crowd is lessened. It would make sense that the population in the most desperate condition wouldn’t have anyone that worked.

Carved onto the side of the tunnel are caves with their purpose carved above the entrances. Robert stops at a cave that’s labeled Domestic Affairs. He speaks in a low voice and someone hiding in the shadows of the cave steps out. I muffle my startled gasp and step back.

“Code?” Is all he says, sounding as though he’s about to receive a dark secret. Robert replies back, but I can’t hear what.The shadow figure leaves.