Rosangela: The Half-Blood Princess

The car ride was spent in utter silence. Ivan focused on driving, meanwhile, I kept looking out of the window.

After driving through wooded area for more than an hour, at last, we reached a nearby city. Suddenly, Ivan pulled the car into the driveway of a small café.

“I’m sorry Rosanne, but I have to drop you off here,” Ivan unexpectedly said.

My jaw dropped. “What? I thought you would drive me to the vampire kingdom.”

“I wish I could, but I really can’t do that,” he said apologetically.

I was confused. “Why?”

“It’s because there is a long-drawn-out hostility between the vampires and the werewolves. So technically we are enemies. If King Bellamy found out that you came home with a werewolf, we both would be in a great trouble,” he explained.

“But you could come to the vampire kingdom to kidnap me last night and you didn’t get a trouble. So why can’t you drive me there now?”

“That’s another story. I have my own way to sneak into the palace without being detected last night.”

“How could you do that?”

“You know, Rosanne, magicians never reveal their tricks,” he said with a grin.

I rolled my eyes.

“If you don’t want to drive me to the vampire kingdom, then how could I get home?” I complained.

“Just wait at that café until sunset!” Ivan jerked his head to the direction of the café ahead of us. “I’m sure King Bellamy is going to send his best vampires to search for you as soon as the nightfall. When they spot you, they will bring you back to the vampire kingdom.”

My jaw fell. “You expect me to wait at the café all day long?”

“I’m sorry, Rosanne, but it’s the only way. The vampires won’t turn up until the sunset. Besides, it’s safer for you to wait for them in the public place.”

“What if they didn’t find me here?”

“I’m sure they will find you. Just make sure you don’t wear your locket so that the vampires can smell your scent,” he told me.

“Wait! How do you know that my locket can hide my scent from the vampires?” I asked suspiciously.

“It doesn’t matter how I know,” he said, avoiding my question.

“You know that the vampires won’t come out until sunset, so I think it would better if you take me to the vampire kingdom now rather than ask me to wait for them here alone,” I suggested.

“I’m sorry Rosanne. I told you I can’t,” he said apologetically.

“Fine. You can drop me off here. Thanks for the ride.”

Unfastening my seat belt, I opened the door. I was about to get out of the car, but Ivan suddenly grabbed my arm, holding me back.

“Wait, Rosanne!”

“What?” I retorted.

“If you want to meet us again, you can go to this café. We’ll come here every day and wait for you until the sunset,” he told me.

“Thanks, Ivan. But you have to know one thing. This is the first and the last time we meet because after this, I don’t want to see you ever again,” I said coldly.

Ivan smirked. “Let’s wait and see, Princess! I bet in a few hours from now you’ll definitely look for us again.”

“Don’t be too confident!” I scoffed.

I hopped out of the car and slammed the door shut. Leaving Ivan’s car, I stomped towards the café. Just as I stepped into the café, I suddenly remembered something important.

Turning around, I ran out of the café and went to the car park. Fortunately, Ivan’s car was still there.

“Ivan?” I knocked on the window pane.

Ivan wound the window down.

“Hey, look at you! You said that you didn’t want to see me ever again, but you come back to me after you left less than five minutes,” he mocked me.

“To be honest, I don’t want to see you again. But I have a problem,” I said.

“What’s that?” asked Ivan.

“You told me to wait at that café, but I don’t have money to order some food or drink,” I complained.

“Wait!” Ivan fished a wallet out of his jacket pocket.

When he opened his wallet, I caught a glimpse of a picture of a woman inside it.

“Is that your wife’s picture?” I pointed to the photo in his wallet.

“Yes,” Ivan answered while pulling out a few notes from his wallet.

“May I see it?” I asked hopefully.

“Maybe next time,” Ivan replied as he put his wallet back into his pocket.

“Why can’t I see your wife’s picture?” I protested.

“Because I said so,” he said.

I snorted in annoyance.

“It is for you.” Ivan handed me the money.

I gasped when I saw the sum of money he gave me. “This is too much.”

“That’s okay. You can keep the money in case you need something next time.”

“Thank you.”