Vamp Guards ✔️

S E V E N T Y

Iris, Kai, and the others waited nearly five minutes before Kris returned.

"Zoe has gathered near the west side of the mansion. She said that your friend, Sage, has already gone to the location. Zoe will be joining shortly."

Iris nodded at Kris's information. "Thank you, Kris."

"Of course." Kris gave a short bow of his head before returning with the other Vamps.

Iris looked down at Kai who was still sitting down. He didn't say anything, only roll his eyes at Iris's quirked eyebrow.

"Alright!" Kai said loudly as he stood up. He made every head turn in his direction. "We are going now. Make sure you take only what you can carry. We don't want luggage to slow us down. We must move fast. Understood?"

Everyone gave their own assurances and started standing, scrambling calmly around to get their stuff. Some just stayed and continued to talk or remained silent.

Kai's shoulders relaxed when he felt soft fingers touch his rougher ones. He looked down at Iris and expressed a small smile.

"Let me say goodbye before we leave," Iris said.

Kai nodded and let Iris take him towards the young woman he first said hi to when they arrived.

"Mary." Iris smiled when he got her attention. "We are going now, but I wanted to thank you before we left. For the food and your company."

"Oh." Mary put a hand over her heart and chuckled softly. "You are very welcome, my prince! I will pray for your safety." Her eyes wandered down to his and Kai's intertwined hands before she raised her gaze with a wide smile. "Yours as well," she said, smiling at Kai.

He stared at her for a short moment before bowing his head lightly. "Thank you."

Iris was smiling warmly when they walked away. Kai just shook his head at him.

No had commented on the affection they were showing, which was mainly gentle smiles and hand-holding. They stared and they tilted their heads, pondering, but they kept their comments and criticism to themselves if they even had anything to say. Iris and Kai were thankful for that.

The judgment in their eyes was mellow, if not there at all. When Cyrus caught on, she expressed a look that could only say, it's about time.

"I'm curious to see how many Sage managed to gather," Kai voiced his thoughts while lowering his hands to Iris's sides.

Iris smiled at him. "Well, we'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

"Mm. But we might've made a bet, so I'm really anxious."

Iris scoffed. "What did you bet on?"

"Let's just hope I won."

***

The smoke-ridden and black midnight sky had slowly begun to brighten and clear. On the east, the sky was growing lighter, the black morphing into a distinguishable dark blue. The clouds continued to block the moon, but they weren't as opaque as before, so Vridora was lit up with the faint help of the moonlight.

The crickets were silent and the hooting of howls was distant. Nature continued to sleep through the chaos happening around it.

Like Kris had informed, Sage was already waiting at the shed when Iris and Kai arrived along with the vampires and Vamps they gathered.

Sage leaned off the wall of the shed as Iris and Kai walked closer. She rushed up and threw her arms around them.

"Sage, we were barely gone for an hour," Kai mumbled, patting her back. Iris chuckled.