The Return to Willow Lake - 2

“Vampires, ten o’clock, seems like they’re just lurking at the moment. They haven’t crossed the border.” I spoke with confidence as I watched the screen.

“Well, given we found an unfortunate hiker out there, drained of blood. I can’t imagine they’re hunting for food,” Emmett spoke through pursed lips. “Thankfully, no one from town, but that’s beside the point.”

“Just means it’s someone from another town.” Alicia sighed, “They’ve been feeding on animals too. It would seem they don’t get enough human traffic to feed themselves.”

“Maybe that’s why they’re making attempts to move closer to town? More food.” Masato suggested as his shoulders shrugged sharply.

“Possible.” Emmett nodded in agreement, “Maybe they thought that part of the woods would get more human traffic than it does.”

“Emmett, how did you clan get blood?” Zach peered over at Emmett expectantly.

“Mix of lost hikers and occasionally two would be sent to the nearby towns to scout. They’d work out who would be missed the least, then one night, kidnap them. We’d move around a lot too, especially if we weren’t getting enough. It was just a case of taking whatever we could get really.”

“That’s how most clans work.” Alicia continued, “Although you also have ones that don’t care and will feed on small towns and villages regardless. Less cautious, and don’t fear getting found out. They’re much less common these days though, thank god. With a growing population of humans...”

“More chance of them revealing themselves and winding up dead.” Masato hummed.

“More or less, we had our version of the Salem Witch Trials before. More than once, because of careless Vampires like that. Emmett almost got caught up in one, that’s how we met. The clan I was in at the time saved him, well I did.”

“Yeah, if it weren’t for Alicia, I’d have been Kentucky Fried Emmett.”

I snapped my head towards Emmett, looking at him with a raised brow at his ridiculous joke. Emmett just looked at me with a perfectly innocent face before he broke out into a grin.

Alicia rolled her eyes and gave a shake of her head before she proceeded, “A lot of forest fires, at least back then, were humans setting fire to the ground, believing Vampires resided there. Wouldn’t be surprised if that still happens.”

“Hey, Emmett, you said two were sent to scout, right?” I questioned.

“Yeah?”

“Well, the past month, it’s been two who’ve been getting close...”

“She’s got a point. Now I’m convinced they’re scouting for townfolk. They just haven’t come into town yet.” Zach’s lips pursed into a hard thin line. Despite the fact he was willing to accept Alica, Emmett and me, it was evident he still had a steady hatred for Vampires in general. “I dare the fuckers.”

“Zachariah.” Alicia warned, “Don’t go throwing yourself in danger, please.”

Zach scoffed, “I could take on two Vampires, it would be child’s play.”

“Yeah, until the entire clan is alerted to us and come for all of us.” I pointed out, looking at Zach with a deadpan expression, “Remember, every move you or any of us make against them puts us three in danger when we’re out hunting.”

Zach had wanted to storm in and wipe the clan out before. It was safe to say; he was the only one backing the idea. Right now, we were all but surrounded by two packs and at least two clans; it was a significant risk to go in all guns blazing.

“We can wipe out the clan, but despite clans, most Vampires are pretty friendly with each other. Another clan gets wind that we just went in a wiped them out; we’ll end up with a war on our hands.” Emmett raised one of his bushy, red brows questioningly at Zach, “You think you can take on an entire army of them?”

“Maybe not, then.” Zach sighed, “What are we supposed to do then, Emmett? We can’t just let them take people from the town. They already killed our history teacher and his brother.”

“We’ll have to protect them, simple. Only attack if we have no other choice.”

Zach paused for a moment, his brows creased in the center before he relaxed, “All right. Well, I’m going to head to bed, we have mock exams all day tomorrow.”

“You go two go as well, Emmett, and I can stay up.” Alicia smiled, looking over to Masato and me.

“Okay. Love you both.” I got up off the chair and kissed both their cheeks.

“We love you, too.” They chimed together with a grin, and we all headed upstairs.

------

“I was thinking of a summer wedding.” Masato chimed, making me jump.

We’d been silent as we got ourselves ready for bed, so his sudden words startled me as I’d been in my own world. “Sorry, didn’t make to make you jump.”

“No, I was in my own universe.” I chuckled, “I like the idea of a summer wedding. Maybe here at the house, in the backyard?”

“I think it’s perfect. Maybe next summer? Or we could even do it this summer if you wanted? If we do it in late August, it gives us about four months to plan.”

My lips pursed into a pout of amusement, “I can hear Alicia’s reaction. Oh no, that’s not enough time as she starts listing everything off.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I only want a small wedding: just us lot, Mahala, Hannah, Bryan, and a couple of my friends from work. Just something small and simple.”

“Yeah, I want small and simple, too. I don’t like the idea of big fancy fairytale weddings. Sure, they’re nice but not for me personally. All I care about is that at the end of the day...” I walked over to Masato and wrapped my arms around his waist, “Is that I get to marry you.”

“Maybe we should elope, you know Alicia is going to take over. Honestly, she’s probably listening right now.”

I shook my head and looked at him with a wicked smile, “Nah, I cast a spell on the room after the other day. We could play loud, heavy, death metal, and no one would hear it.”

“Oh, god.” Masato groaned, leaning his head on my shoulder, “That was so embarrassing.”

“Yup, nothing like your brother knocking on the door and telling you to stop defiling his sister.” I laughed, “He couldn’t look at either of us the next day.”

“I thought he was out! Why the hell did I not think of throwing up a spell like that?” Masato’s face twisted into a look that I knew he was internally face-palming himself.

Although the look didn’t hang around for long and quickly turned into a darkened, suggestive one, “Wait, if you did that, then we don’t have to wait for Emmett and Alicia to go out hunting. Or for Zach to be asleep.”

His lips curved into a lazy, sultry smirk as his chocolate eyes became slightly hooded and glistened with mischief.

“No, we don’t.” I shook my head, biting down on my bottom, knowing precisely what he was implying.

“Thank god, because I’ve been going crazy the past couple days not being able to have my way with you.”

Masato moved quickly, lifting me in his arms, causing me to squeal and throwing me onto the bed before he climbed onto me. Just for a while, we completely forgot about everything and anything.