III - Encounter

The setting feels foreign for both Odette and Tara. Although they have seen parts of human life from the mirror, everything still feels overwhelming. Opposite from their life, they find the place too noisy and disorganized like there's no sense of system. Parties do not have a system anyways. Putting up with Odette's plan was Tara's biggest regret at this point. She's uncomfortable and almost wants to go back.

She felt a hand reaches for her. It was Odette who was looking around completely astonished. "This is actually good..." Odette whispered along the loud blasting music. "What?" Tara asked because she wasn't able to hear her words. 

Wandering around the foreign place, Tara tagged along with Odette. The place was busy, lively, and too energetic for them. However, Odette seems to like it. She loves the color and everything. 

A loud static noise stops the lively music that was playing. "Mic test", someone spoke. The two looked around, amazed that they were able to hear the voice around the room. 

"Was that telepathy?" Tara asked which Odette laughed to. "I don't know but humans can't use magic", she explained as a matter of fact. 

"We will now start the most awaited part! In 3 minutes, kiss anyone you like while the light is out!" and with that, a loud lively music faded his voice. People starts pushing their way everywhere in the room that caused Tara and Odette pull away from each other. 

"Odette!", she called but it was noisy and full of people. 

Trying to look around in the dark and crowded room, she felt a hand on her wrist pulled her to the side. "There." she heard a man's foreign voice. She tried to look at his dimly lit face only to see unrecognizable features. She doesn't know anyone in this world afterall. 

"I've been eyeing you since I first saw you here", the stranger spoke. At this point, she do not have any idea on how to react. The first thing in her mind right now is to find Odette and ask her to go home. 

Realizing that she might not respond, the man let out a chuckle as he brush his hair off with his fingers. "I'm Kieran. I can't deny it's the first time I saw someone like you here", the man says before offering his hand for a shake. Panicking, Tara bowed her head which amused the man more. 

"Tara", she said in a small voice which formed a smirk on his face. He chugged the remaining tequila in his glass before reaching for the side of her face. The action surprised Tara for she was never been touched by any man before. 

"Beautiful name but don't be tense. You're making me feel bad", he teased. Tara feeling something unfamiliar tried to smile at him. 

She felt something pulling her as she met his gaze. Comparing to her vibrant green eyes, she saw his almost pitch black pair of eyes. Also his thick brows only added darkness to his eyes. Licking his lips, he moved closer to her. "Shall we?", he whispered before meeting her eyes once again. Feeling drunk from his stares, her mouth slightly opened. Kieran assumed it as a signal to finally claim her lips. 

Like a victor claiming his medal, he brushed his lips to her. 

She tasted a combination of mint and alcohol which was all new to her. It was all unexplainable to her especially the nervous feeling in her stomach. It felt like the kiss drained all her energy that she unconsciously reach for his arms. 

Kieran smirked between kisses and move Tara's hand to his neck. The moment felt like a bliss until a glass-shattering scream echoed in the room. Tara quickly pulled away from Kieran while the latter sensed the possible reason for the commotion. He grabbed Tara's wrist and pulled her slightly to his side. "Don't move, we don't know what happened", Kieran whispered. 

Horror filled the room as the lights went on. In the middle of the room was a woman lying cold to the ground. Two dots on her neck were slightly bleeding, a sign that she was bitten by a vampire. "What the hell?", Kieran mumbled as his grip loosened. 

He faced Tara who is now looking pale and confused and frightened. He bit his lips and cleared his throat trying to catch her attention. "Hey, stay here. I need to look for someone. I'll be back quickly, a'right?" he said as he held her cheeks. Tara who doesn't seem to understand the whole situation just nodded. 

"Fuck Karma", Kieran hissed as he searched around the place. Most of the people already went outside due to the incident. 

He was gritting his teeth the whole time he was walking around the almost empty house. On his peripheral view, he saw a glimpse of a girl running away from the pantry. At first glance, he thought it was Tara for the girl was wearing the same dress but in different color. The necklace swinging around the girl's neck caught his attention. It was beaming unnaturally. 

"Karma..." he ran towards the pantry and there he saw his sister struggling to stand. "What the hell Karma?" he held her arms and saw her burnt face. "Damn, you look bad", he said jokingly. 

"Shut up. I assume she's the serpent keeper", she replied, glaring which made Kieran froze.

He held both of her shoulders. "You said what?" 

"Her necklace reacted when I shifted!", she snapped.

His eyes squinted. "Karma what the fuck? You shifted? Really? Right now? And can you explain the body outside?", he said, turned and walked towards the door. 

"I don't even know what you are talking about!" she exclaimed, frustrated at their situation right now. 

"Is there someone inside?" they glanced at each other upon hearing the voice. 

There's a dead person at the hall. Karma has a burn on her face. They were left inside the crime scene. 

In short, they're in trouble. 

"We have to get out of here right now" searching around the room for an escape, Kieran pulled Karma towards the window. "Go help yourself!" he said and motioned her to climb up the window. Karma rolled her eyes before doing so. 

Kieran sighed. "Go alone. I need to show up or we'll be suspicious. We have a lot to talk about when I get home", Karma don't have any choice but to agree. 

Massaging his temple, he watched Karma disappear from his sight. There was a lot of question going through his mind. One thing he's sure about, Karma's not the one who bit the girl. 

Kieran swiftly blend with the crowd. The police are already asking every one. 

"Mr.?" Kieran mustered the best apologetic look he could make. "Blake. Kieran Blake, Sir" the officer nodded upon recalling the famous name. 

"Son of Carmen and Brandon?" Kieran tried to hide his smirk when he noticed the shift of officer's attention. 

Politely, he answered. "Yes sir. By the way, may I know what really happened?", he asked despite knowing the possible reason. 

"Our primary investigation shows that the victim have a strange bites on her neck. I'll get back to you later once I finish talking to each one of you." Kieran smiled making it look like a forced smile, well it was. He thought. 

"I was making out with a random guy. I guess, that one. Yeah, right" a girl answered the officer. It was the same answer they're getting ever since they start questioning everyone.

The police wasn't able to gather enough information. Everyone has the same alibi and most of them could testify each other. They were in the same place at the same time after all. 

"I guess, that's all for tonight. We'll catch up to you again once we found a new lead. For now, go home and stay the night"

Sighing, they went straight to their cars. "Finally"

"Officer, I'll head home now. You can call me if you have something to ask. I'd be honoured to help. Paula was a good friend of mine" Kieran said politely before heading to his car. 

Damn you, Karma. 

Far across the room, Tara saw Odette panting and looking around like she's in a rush. It was not hard not to notice her, you can see her necklace beaming from afar which is obviously too attention-seeking. At this point, Tara knew what's happening. She tried to break through the crowd to meet Odette who was obviously looking for her frantically. 

"Odette!" she whispered and there she saw Odette's face filled with mixed horror, fear, and anger. She ran towards Tara and enveloped her into an embrace to seek comfort and assurance.

"Tara, I'm so sorry! I didn't meant to leave you here alone", she uttered with regrets and disappointment to herself. 

"No, I'm fine. Were you?" pulling away from the hug, she held Odette's arm and look her in the eyes. "Where were you? There was a vampire attack here. I knew it, they're true", Tara said, whispering. 

Just when Odette thought that she was the only one who have the story to tell about the vampires, Tara caught her midway. "What? I mean, are you fine? Are you hurt? Because Tara, I just met one!", she said that made Tara gasped. 

"Odette, we cannot stay here any longer. We need to go back now!" Odette nodded and tried to calm herself. 

Tara is the only one who can calm Odette at moments like this so she knew what she had to do. She held Odette's hand and together, they ran away from the place. 

Not far from the crime scene was a woman in black, smirking from the commotion that is happening at the moment. Who caused it? Her. "Fools", she whispered to herself as she watched the two fairies running away. 

"Can someone tell me what exactly is going on?" Brandon's voice boomed around the Blake's household. 

In front of his was his daughter with face marked with burns and his son playing with his dagger. "I hope I have the answer for that", Kieran mumbled as he glanced at Karma who's not happy with their situation. 

Glaring at Kieran, Karma butted in. "So do I. I was just kissing a random person and suddenly, her necklace glows! I did not know that it would burn me. What the fuck is that?", she said it like she was weirded out. Well, she was. 

This made Brandon's brow furrowed. Carmen laughed on the side. "So, they're on the move", she said that catches everyone's attention. 

"The serpent's keeper. They finally moved" she added. Karma walks towards her. 

She held her mother's hand and spoke. "So, I was so close!", she exclaimed. 

"No wonder she looks quite different..." Kieran recalled what happened earlier. Clapping his hand, he turned away from everyone in the room. "I guess that's enough to tell everything that happened.", he said. 

"No! How the hell did Paula died?" asked Karma. The brother only shrugged, "that's for you to find out" and pointed at their father, Brandon. 

"So it was not you?" Carmen asked. Karma nodded. "Just to let you know, the ministry's visit is cancelled"

Brandon wasn't able to do something but sigh. They knew their children. They would admit if it was them but this time, it was different. There's a lot going on and there's a lot of questions in their mind. 

Kieran jumps towards his bed. "Tara, huh?". He closed his eyes as he tried to remember what happened. He chuckled in disbelief as he realized that he wasn't able to sense something from her. 

On the other side, Karma doesn't seem to understand herself. There was a hint of regret but she doesn't know what that regret is for. If it's because she wasn't able to ask her name of if it was because she wasn't able to sense the danger coming from her unearthly beauty. 

One thing is for sure, something big is to happen soon.