Chapter 7

Rex could barely hold his attention in his class, the only thing he could think about was dinner plans, what meals he wanted to try, dining setup, he was putting a lot of thought into trying to make the night memorable.

The sound of the end-of-class bell brought him back to reality, quickly packed up and he made his way to his bike. Nothing had made him this happy in a long time, he was not going to ruin it!

Rex peddled quickly as he made his journey home, wanting to give himself as much time as possible to be prepared.

Galloping into the house after dropping his bike off he was that preoccupied he nearly ran into Iris.

"What has you in such a hurry!!??" She cried out just being able to jump to the side in time.

"I'm going to need your help gran, I have a visitor coming for dinner tonight!!" He chirped.

Must be an important person Iris thought, "Who is this visitor?"

Blushing a little, he said sheepishly, "It's a girl from school."

"My mym is that so?" Iris grinned, "What do you need help with dear?"

"Everything!" He said eagerly.

After getting changed, Iris and Rex made a meal plan, sorted out the entertaining area, and got the dining room dressed up, Iris even added the romantic candle in the center of the table.

As the clock slowly ticked closer to 6, Rex really started to fuss and doubt if he had done enough. 

"Do you think the table is good enough? That smells a little burnt! I think my shirt is still creased!" 

Seeing Rex becoming tense, Iris simply chuckled and constantly gave him words of reassurance and encouragement.

"You'll do fine dear" 

550pm has arrived, Rex decided to sit near the front window, constantly watching for her arrival, fidgeting with the button-up shirt he had just finished ironing for the 7th time.

6pm. Rex looked down at his phone, the time has arrived, she isn't here, maybe she has pulled out...he shuddered at the thought.

605pm. He could see a vehicle turn into his street! His eyes lit up again once the car stopped outside his house! 

Once he saw who had stepped out of the car, his jaw hit the ground, she wore a long sleek hazel dress, beautiful brown curly hair down to her shoulders, perfect skin, Rex knew he was extremely lucky right now.

She turned to the person in the car, oh dear that's the same woman who she got in with outside of the school, and she is looking at me through the window, is she smiling or snarling?? I can't tell if this woman is happy or wants to kill me...

After what seemed like a minute of reassurance she shut the car door, turned around, and with the grace of a goddess walked up to his front door. She had lifted her hand to knock when he swung it open, not being able to wait.

"Good evening Vanessa," he said, not even bothering to hide his smile at seeing her this close up, the dress she wore was even more incredible close up, he even noticed she wore a thin belt around her waist with a round belt buckle. 

That symbol on the buckle looks familiar he thought.

"Can I come in or are we eating outside?" She giggled.

"Of course, please come in and make yourself comfortable," he replied, standing aside to let her in. 

He noticed that the car she got out of hadn't left, parked up at the end of the srteet. Maybe her mother doesn't trust leaving her daughter so easily he thought. With a daughter like her I wouldn't be surprised.

Iris greeted Vanessa once she came into the house, she had agreed to be the waitress so Rex could focus on Vanessa.

"Welcome Vanessa," she said smiling at Rex bringing home such a stunning woman.

Dinner went off without a hitch, Rex and Vanessa laughed and chatted the whole time, Iris taking great pleasure in seeing Rex so happy. Once dinner was finished they moved to the entertaining area, when Vanessa suddenly asked, "Would you mind if we sat out the back? I like to look at the stars"

"Not a problem at all!" He chimed, sounds like even she wants it to be romantic he thought.

He noticed she took her belt off and dropped it on the table on the way out, that's odd! Rex thought, maybe she ate too much for the dress he chuckled, that only made her seem so much cuter.

Once they walked outside Vanessa chose a spot for them to sit, "I really enjoy being outside" she said looking up, "It's a pity how easily a good night can be ruined so easily," She said sighing.

While Iris was in the house tidying up, she stopped and looked at the young couple through the window, they seem so close for not knowing each other long she thought, ah young love. She started cleaning up again making her way into the dining room and saw Vanessa's belt sitting on the table, "odd place to leave that" she thought, picking it up and turning it around, it's actually quite cute..." trailing off and dropping the belt after seeing the buckle.

"What do you mean a night easily ruined?" Rex queried, wondering if something wasn't right.

"It was a wonderful night, and I am so sorry for this," she said solemnly standing up.

"My daughter might constantly miss, but I do not!" Came a voice from the darkness.

Ripping his head around to where the voice had come from, Rex squinted into the dark and saw a face he remembered very quickly.

"What are you doing here?" Rex asked, jumping up off the seat.

"I have come to finish the job my daughter doesn't seem to be able to do!" She sneered, glaring at Vanessa. 

Rex knew exactly what Vanessa's mother meant when she pulled out the bow that was over her shoulder, sliding an arrow out from behind her. 

"I don't understand!!??" Rex exclaimed, confused at the current situation he was being thrust into. 

"You don't have to," She sneered, pulling back on the arrow loaded into the bow and loosing it at Rex.

Well, this is how I'll die, Rex thought to himself, frozen from shock because his brain didn't have time to comprehend what was happening. All he could do was stand there and watch as the arrow drew closer toward him, as if in slow motion.

Only one more foot until it hit its intended target...

*CLING* 

The sound of metal hitting metal rang out in the night air.

A steak knife from the kitchen had flown past Rex and connected with the metal head of the arrow, putting it off its course and into the wooden railing to his side.

"Not happening if I can help it Reeva."

 That voice was familiar, Rex looked to where the would-be assassin had looked and saw none other than his own grandmother, Iris. She was walking over to Rex holding another steak knife in her hand.

"It seems I underestimated you Iris," said the woman called Reeva while nocking another arrow into her bow.

Upon seeing Reeva getting another arrow ready, Iris quickly put the knife to Vanessa's throat, "I would drop that if you want to be able to leave with your daughter still breathing."

All Reeva did was smile and draw her bow again. This woman is insane! Rex thought she was willing to sacrifice her daughter to kill him! He didn't even know what he had done in the first place to be put into this situation.

"You have always been skilled Iris, let's see what you make of this. Now Nessa!" She screeched letting the second arrow go. 

Iris could see the next arrow heading straight at Rex once more, they were determined to claim this kill tonight. Using the only method of saving Rex she had available, she moved the knife from Vanessa's throat and used the blade to deflect the arrow away.

Without the pressure on her throat, this gave Vanessa time to take out a small dagger she had strapped to her leg, bringing it up and into Rex's shoulder in one fluid movement, she aimed for his heart, but Rex moved after she had fully committed to the stab and she missed her target.

After the dagger sank into Rex's flesh, Vanessa kicked Iris in the side of the knee putting her balance out, allowing her to break free. She started sprinting over to Reeva knowing they were not going to win tonight. 

Iris saw what Vanessa had done to Rex, blind with rage, she pulled from Rex, flipped the knife in her hand to be clutching the blade, and sent it flying towards Vanessa’s back.

Seeing the look that appeared on her mother's face, Vanessa knew something was not right, so she jumped to the side and rolled in a different direction, little did she know this put the knife into the path of her mother instead.

*THUNK*

The knife plunged deep into Reeva’s chest. Although Iris had intended the knife to hit a different target, she knew the message she was trying to send would have the same effect. Reeva fell back onto the ground just as Vanessa arrived at her side, tears already falling down her cheeks.

“Finish the job” Reeva wheezed through laboured breaths, handing Vanessa the bow and her last arrow.

Taking the bow and arrow, she stood and spun around to face Rex and Iris, drawing the arrow back at the same time, took a breath, sighted her target, and let the arrow fly.

Rex was clutching the wound from where Iris had removed the dagger.

“You’ll be fine,” Iris told him, trying to keep him calm. Rex did something Iris had thought impossible without spells, once the dagger had been removed, she saw the muscle and tendons already starting to knit back together, it was almost like the dagger had prevented his body from being able to do that. “That is incredible” she exclaimed.

“Iris look out!”

Whipping her eyes up, she knew with how close the arrow was, she no longer had time to react. The arrow Vanessa had shot hit Iris in the chest with a wet thunk, the impact folding her backwards onto the deck. Blood had already started pumping out from the knick in her heart muscle.

There was no recovery from this, Iris could feel her life slipping away, so with her last breaths she whispered to Rex, “You are something special, find Ivan, he will show you the way, your parents would be proud.”

Closing her eyes and smiling, Iris was gone.

Rex felt like he had lost everything, he jumped up in a rage, looking at Vanessa, ready to fight.

Vanessa drew her mother's dagger, tears streaming down her face, also getting herself ready to fight.

It seemed Rex’s first date had turned into a showdown.