17. Marigold

Raven placed the flowers in front of the graves, watering the already-potted plant.

"I see you are still doing great," she said, brushing her fingers over the flowers when a thorn pricked her finger.

"It has been a month," Raven whispered chokedly. "Aunt Mel has been great," Raven smiled. "The town is wonderful and everything is well," Raven lied, staring at their grave. Not wanting to worry them even though they were no longer here, she knew they were still looking after her from above. "There are some bumps in the road, but I can handle them."

After her last interaction with Dorian, she needed to get away from it all; now she and her aunt had come to visit their graves only for a couple of days. Grabbing the watering can, Raven poured the water over the plants. The cemetery keeper was sitting in the small office along with a security guard.

"Ahh." Pulling her hand back, Raven lifted her finger, spotting a drop of blood. 'You are too clumsy, Raven, especially in your new world,' she thought, using the water to clean the blood.

***

"Humans, oh, so fragile," the man said from his position behind the tree, watching the girl talk to the graves. The scent of her blood smelled sweet and enticing. His eyes were red and his skin sickly pale. He had one goal, and that was to kill her. "I love you," she whispered, brushing her hands across the headstones, grabbing the watering can, and turning around; she walked toward the office. The security guard and gravedigger were oblivious to the predator lurking close by. The immortal stepped out from behind the tree.

"HHMMM," a throat cleared. The vampire stopped, turning around to face the one who had stopped him from getting his prey. Dorian stood in front of him. them, his hands folded behind his back, holding his steady gaze on them, his eyes void of emotion.

"It's a bit early for you to hunt, isn't it?" Dorian questioned him.

"And who are you?" he questioned.

"Someone who does not like to share."

"I got here first, and I was not planning on sharing," he answered. Dorian turned around.

"She is mine; I got here first; go look for someone else," the vampire spat hissingly.

Dorian nodded his head. "There's something that you should know."

"And what is that?" he questioned, not even sparing a glance at Doran.

"I don't like sharing," Dorian said as his face transformed, his fangs extending. Before the man could react, he was pulled away from Raven. Dorian gripped the vampire in his hold.

"She is a witch; what do you want from her?" he choked out from his grip. "You are not the first sent to kill her," he told the audience. "How do you know I was sent?" the vampire questioned. "Cyrus is always the one who sends others to do his work," he told him unruffled, "and so you know," tightening his grip on him. "I am the only one who gets to torture her," Dorian said, reaching out and grabbing the vampire around the neck and biting into it. Then there was silence. Dorian watched Raven talking to the security, motioning to the watering can. Turning around, he grabbed the body.