Danger

It was the first time that I saw him being so serious and I felt my left eyelid twitching. it always did that when things started to get tough. I called it my body's biological alarm and at that moment it was ringing very loudly.

'News of this family reunion has already gone out.'

'You mean people have learn of my presence here?'

'Yes.'

'But how is that a problem?' I asked innocently.

'People don't come to Bhuvar so easily Ash,' Nana gently said.

'So, it's about the locket then?'

'Yes and no.' There aren't many lockets that allow people to travel across the worlds, there are many who covet that for sure. But that's not the only thing,' he added carefully.

I apprehended what he was going to say, but I knew it was important to listen.

'Apart from us, no one knows that your father was a werewolf, but they knew that your Nani and your mother were two very strong vampires. Being of the same lineage, they think that you are as powerful as them, if not more. The lack of knowledge about your father has fueled even more rumors about you. While some see you as a threat, others see you as a weapon they could use.' In either way, they are already on the lookout for you.

'Were they the ones who came with drones at my house, I asked Dave inquisitively.

He actually looked ashamed of himself at that point and admitted, 'No, it was just a neighborhood kid playing with his drone. I'm sorry.'

'Then, how do you people know that they are looking for me?' I asked looking at the three men standing in front of me.

'Ilhas here,' Nana said, 'is part of the intelligence service of Bhuvar. They have intercepted transmissions from two of the lower worlds with news about Fira's daughter. Sooner or later, they'll come close. You're not safe on Bhuvar, for now.'

'So what do you propose we do?' I asked, knowing that they must already have formulated a plan before their arrival in the room. It felt frustrating, having to leave a decision concerning my life in the hands of people I had just met. But I was out of my depths here.

'You have to go back to Earth. You're safer there.'

'So, it was completely unnecessary for me to have come to Bhuvar then,' I stated resentfully, glaring at Dave, who at least looked sheepish.

'No, if you hadn't come, I wouldn't have met my granddaughter, my Fira's child,' Nana said looking at me with a warm gleam in his eyes. 'Everything happens for a reason child, you just need to understand the reason. Come here, give me a hug. You must not waste time.'

I went to him and this time when I hugged him, it was with the knowledge that I still had family, I still had people to call my own. I went to Anita as well and gave her a quick hug. We did not get off to a good start, but she was family too. Even she seemed touched by the moment and holding my hand, she pulled me with her, saying, 'Nana, one minute please, I need to show her something.'

I was confused by her act, but followed her nonetheless. She took me to her room which was decorated in tones of her red. She quickly opened a photo album which she had placed on her bed and pulled out a picture, which she handed to me. My eyes misted over when I recognized that it was a picture of Nana, Nani and my mother. Nani had never shown it to me.

'Keep it,' she said, closing my hands over the picture. 'I am here if you need me one day.'

I felt grateful and answered that I would let her know. She then took me back to the living room, from where Ilhas had already left.

'I've already called for a taxi, it's here. Leave as soon as you can and keep sending news. But be discreet,' Nana told Dave as he waved goodbye to us, without hiding the tears in his eyes this time.

The trip to Dave's house passed very quickly, even more so as I was caught up in my thoughts. Dave and I spoke just once during the trip, when he handed me an oversized cheese muffin to eat. He had pulled it out from a paper bag Nana had given hm at the time of our departure and I was touched by this thoughtfulness.

When we reached the house, Dave told me to feel free to look around and he would meet me in one hour in the study. I went to his bedroom instead, where the big bathtub had started calling me as soon as I set foot in the house. My muscles were cramped up from the ride back home and I needed to relax. It was quite easy to have the bathtub fill with warm water. I, however, had to push quite a few buttons before the water jets were activated. In the bathroom cabinet next to the washbasin, I had found an unopened pack filled with bath bombs. I chose the lavender one for is relaxing properties and threw it in the warm water, where it started fizzing up and generating purple soap suds and bubbles. Once it was done, I took off my clothes one by one and let them fall on the ground. I would pick them up later. I lifted my leg and used my big toe to check the temperature of the water. Perfect. Gratefully, I sank in the water which covered me up to my shoulders. There was a head rest just behind me and I leaned back, breathing in the fresh scent of the lavender. There was a knot which was bothering me in my left shoulder so I put it directly in front of one of the powerful water jets. The relief and pleasure was immediate and I couldn't help but moan. I repeated the same with the right shoulder. I now understood why Mariah Carey, the singer, chose to have a bathtub in her library. One day, I would have the same in my house, I vowed.

The soap had now foamed so much that it was reaching above my neck and some of the bubbles were even floating up.

'Ah, you're trying to escape, 'I threatened the bubbles. I promptly used my pinkie toe to try to burst them before they could escape the bathtub. I was so caught up in the moment that I did not realize that time was passing and soon I felt the temperature of the water getting cooler. My skin had become all wrinkled from staying in the water for so long.

'There you are, all cleaned up,' a deep voice interrupted my thoughts. I immediately froze and looked in the direction of the door, unbelieving. I hadn't even closed the door secure in the knowledge that Dave would be busy for the next hour.

'You've been in the water for more than an hour already,' he said in response. 'And I came to check if you hadn't fallen asleep.'

The bubbles were starting to pop up one by one and the foam had reduced to a very thin layer. Very soon, it would start revealing what it was previously hiding. I felt so exposed even if no skin was showing. At the beginning, I felt shy but when I saw Dave's eyes shining with admiration when he looked at my naked shoulders and neck, it made me feel warm and the familiar tingle was back. What would happen if the bubbles near my chest continued dissolving?

'I'll give you a few minutes to rinse. I have to get a few things from my closet,' he then said before moving away hurriedly, but not without casting one last glance.

I quickly took the shower head and started rinsing the soap off. Then I dried myself, tied the towel as securely as I could around myself and poking my head out through the door, I checked if Dave was still in the room. He wasn't and I sprinted out to grab my bag and bring it to the bathroom. In my rush to enjoy the bath, I had not laid out my outfit.

As soon, as I was dressed, I applied my toner and cream. I looked at myself in the mirror; my cheeks were pink with excitement and my eyes were shining. I wondered how I could be so happy despite the stressful situation I was facing?

I then picked out my belongings and packed everything in my bag. I left the bedroom, looking at the bed ruefully. I had spent such a nice time in this room. I slowly walked to the study, the same ivory walls, yet today they looked even more beautiful.

'It's the regret of leaving this place, probably,' I thought.

Dave was not in the study when I reached so I took my red book, which I had left on the table, and continued reading it.

****Strengths of vampires:

They are stronger and quicker than normal human beings. Some can read thoughts or are sensitive to others' emotions or auras. Vampires can stay a long time without eating and drinking as long as they get a regular supply of blood. They live for many centuries. They can be quite charming and seductive, using this attribute to get their next donor. They are charismatic and are highly appealing due to their charm.****

The topic continued on the next page, but Dave had just entered the study and was looking at me intently. I packed the book in my bag and stood up. So the time for me to go back to my world had come. I felt a mixture of conflicting emotions, but the strongest one was sadness to be leaving behind someone who had taken good care of me.

'Liar,' the little voice at the back of my head whispered. 'You like him a lot, that's why.' I didn't want Dave to read that thought, so I started singing my favorite song mentally. I hoped that it was working. Apparently, it did, because he didn't tell me anything.

'Ready?' he asked and I responded by pulling out the locket from beneath my shirt.

'Bye Dave, I'll miss you,' I said before I lost my nerve.

'That's good to hear, but why?'

'You'll be in Bhuvar and I'll be on Earth, so I won't be meeting you, that's why?' I patiently explained. Why was he making it so hard? I knew that the more time I took, the more difficult it would be to leave, so I merely lifted my locket to kiss it, but just before I did that, Dave said, 'Stop.' And I froze.