"No, thank you", I denied, "I had fried chicken".
I wasn't even feeling hungry. I had to bear too much of fear and shock today. I was shivering in the middle of our conversation by recalling the evening incident. Peter was exceptionally quite. He was eying me with worried looks. Megan didn't even had a doubt about our weird behavior. We were trying our best to stay normal.
"You can cook, huh?" she eyed me cautiously.
"Yeah", I smiled, watching Peter take a pretzel from her.
"I just remembered that I have to study for my English test", I stood up. I couldn't act normal anymore.
"Sure, sure", Megan threw an appealing look.
I stared at Peter for a minute. He winked at me. It was an indication to get ready.
I shut the door behind me as I entered my room. I had no test at all. Probably, Peter is gonna draw Megan's attention into something else so that we could sneak out. I put on my worn out jeans and a flannel T-shirt. As I was combing my hair, I heard three knocks on my door. It was Peter, standing on my door, carrying a plate of creamy pasta.
"Thought you were hungry", he smiled, handing me the plate.
"You made this?" I asked, looking at the pasta.
"Yeah", he said, "May I come in?"
I made way for him to come inside and shut the door.
"Comfortable room", he said, scanning my room as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Didn't Megan notice you coming in?" I asked in a worried tone.
"She is already gone in her room", he grinned, "She was pretty tired after her program".
"Fine", I sat beside him.
"So", he started, "Tonight you're gonna meet a few demon hunters like me".
"There are others?" I asked, putting spoonful of pasta in my mouth.
"Yeah", he answered, looking at me, "There are hundreds and thousands of us. Humans can't see them. But you did, Rose".
"I know", I put some more pasta in my mouth, "I will never forget what I saw today. That was terrible. I mean, the killing part".
"Don't think about it much", he patted my back, "We are gonna go to a meeting tonight".
"Meeting?" I asked, vacantly.
"A meeting of our kind", he smiled, "I hope they won't mind if I take you".
"Are you sure about that?" I asked.
"Yeah", he assured me, "Our kinds don't harm any mundane, Rose. Don't forget we are here for
your protection. We only kill demons".
"Whats a mundane?" I asked.
"A human", he chuckled, "That's what we call humans".
"So when are we leaving?" I asked, placing the empty plate on my table.
"After awhile", he stood up and took the plate, "I'll knock on your door thrice again".
"Sure", I smiled, "The pasta was great".
"Thank you", he grinned and left my room.
It was dark ahead in Unison Square. We were walking through the silent and almost dark roads which were dimly lit by gas lights. The air was cool which made me shiver a little. I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt to keep me warm.
"How far?" I inquired, trying to catch up with him. He was ahead of him.
"Just in the end of the alley", he answered. "In a building".
"You guys meet in a building?" I was amused.
"Yeah", he said, "Its an old and deserted hotel".
"A hotel?" I was surprised.
"Just look", he pointed towards a dark corner of the alley.
I looked at the place and at first, I couldn't see anything in the dark but slowly my eyes got adjusted with the darkness and I could make out a three storied building which was in its ruins. A neon sigh which once glowed, read- Hotel Pride.
"It's spooky", I shivered as I said the words.
"Don't you worry, Rose", Peter held my hand softly and lead me on the way.
As we reached the main entrance of the building, he knocked the door once. After waiting outside for exact two minutes, the door swung open. A tall and skinny guy like Peter stood in front of the door, blocking our way. He was wearing a blue sweatshirt and a pair of green shorts. A tattoo of skull was inked on his leg. He
smiled at Peter and then as he saw me standing next to him, his expression was suddenly tensed.
"Who is this young girl?" he asked Peter sternly.
"Rosanna Valdez", he answered, "My friend". He didn't mention that I was his foster so-called sibling.
"What nonsense", he threw a dark look at me, "You brought a mundane in our place, Petz. She could be a danger for us. She will let the other mundanes know about our existence".
"Relax, Louis", he touched his shoulder, "She is not a threat to us. In fact, she saw the whole thing when I killed James".
"You killed James? Really?" there were sparkles in his eyes, "But what do you mean she saw it? How could
she?"
"I haven't figured it out yet", Peter smiled, "Now please let us in so that we can discuss the rest".
We entered in a big lobby. It was lit with candles. I could only see the reception desk ahead. The candle was put on the desk.
"This way", Peter elbowed me and then we turned to our right where there was a staircase that led to the first floor.
Louis was ahead of us. The staircase was dimly lit by a small bulb. We landed on a corridor which had a number of doors at one side. They used to be the rooms of the hotel. Louis finally stopped at a door to the end of the corridor. He opened the door and gestured us to go in.
"Is that okay?" I whispered.
"It's just fine. Now come on", Peter muttered.
Peter and I entered side by side in the room. It was brightly lit with a big table in between. Six people were sitting at the sides of the table on uncomfortable looking chairs. They all looked straight at me as we
entered and started whispering amongst themselves. Louis shut the door behind us and sat on an empty chair next to a blonde haired girl.
"So", he cleared his throat, "Guys, Peter has brought a mundane here. I don't really know the reason".
Every eye were stuck at me while he mentioned 'mundane'.
"Peter", the blonde haired girl scowled, "How dare you get a mundane here in our own meeting?"
"Easy, Courtney", Peter said calmly, "Let us at least sit and then I'll fill you guys in with the story".
We both sat at a side. Peter was next to me and there was an emo guy next to him. Peter told them about the fight which took place in evening and that I have witnessed everything.
"But", the emo guy began, "That's impossible. Mundanes can't see any such activities of us. They will probably see a guy cleaning up his lawn or something".
"I don't understand that either, Theo", Peter answered absently.
"Tell us about your past, Rosanna", inquired Courtney.
I told them all the dull stories about my past which I had already shared with Peter and Megan when I was a newcomer.
"That's unusual!" snorted a red head guy, "I mean your uncle's love life thing".
"Yes, it is", I answered.
"Don't you remember anything about your parents?" asked a tiny girl who was sitting at the farthest end.
"I do have some memories of them", I tried recalling, "The trip to Venice is one of them. I remember we had stayed in a huge castle. I had tripped and fell in the garden that surrounded the castle. My leg hurt a lot".
"A castle?" coughed Courtney, "In Venice?"
"Yeah", I answered, "I remember it very well".
"Do you remember anything else?" Theo asked, wide-eyed.
"I had been standing in front of a huge mermaid shaped fountain and feeding the goldfishes".
"She must me talking about the Clave Island", Louis said.
"I don't know anything else...", I scratched my head, "I mean any name or anything".
"Its an obvious thing for a two year old girl that time", chimed that tiny girl.
"Clave Island is dominated by vampires", Peter looked at me, "Legend says that vampires all over the world visit for councils every ten year. In that council, they elect the council members".
"But", I was confused, "Why will I go somewhere like that? I'm just a human". I couldn't believe my ears what I was hearing.
"Maybe you are not a mundane", a big, muscular guy who was just sitting and listening to our conversation spoke for the first time.
"What?" I was shocked, "How can you come into such conclusion?"
"Marian", Theo looked at the tiny girl, "Go and get the Handbook 110".
Marian got up at once and walked out of the room.
"What is it all about?" I lost my patience.
"You'll see", Peter patted my shoulder, "Let her get the book and then everything will be clear to you as well as us".
The room was quiet and then in a few minutes, Marian entered, carrying a fat book. She jumped through the room and came to me. Then she placed the book in front of me on the table and flipped through its pages.
Everyone else came near us, all eyes on the book. Finally, she stopped at one page. It had a picture of a beautiful castle which was surrounded by a garden. There were palm trees everywhere. Sea was visible in the background. The picture had a caption below which read- Clave Island 1768.
"Is this where you have been?" asked Courtney, thoughtfully.
I looked carefully at the picture. There it was, a huge mermaid, with a shell in her hand, smiling, in the middle of the garden.
"Yes", I said breathlessly, "This is it". Everyone gawked at me.
"So", Peter cleared his throat, "You're saying that you've been to Clave island which is ruled by vampires?"
"I just can't believe it", Theo looked at me in surprise.
I only stared at the picture in the fat book.
"I think you're a vampire, too", Marion gasped.
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