CHAPTER 16: Hairpin

**ALICIA**

“Stop it, Alicia!” Akihiro forcefully grabbed the dagger from me. “This will not solve anything. You will just make all the low-life vampires go wild and do you think it will help? It will just make us kill Ross!” His crimson eyes glowed under the old lamp.

“Then, what am I supposed to do with Ross? He’s in pain right now! Do something!” I almost begged on my knees as I looked at Ross vomited blood. “He’s gonna die!”

“He’s gonna die, either way, and we cannot do something about it.” Leah grinned. “Sorry, but your friend will die.” Hades broke his bone making Ross cry in pain. But, he’s different now. It felt like there’s no soul to him at all as he tried to free himself.

“Someone’s coming.” Niko said to us as he arrived. “We have to live now.”

“No! What are you going to do—-” Akihiro covered my mouth. “Hmm…”

My eyes widened when the vampires brought him to the woods. I hit Akihiro’s arms but he’s too strong.

“Calm down, Alicia. If you shout after I remove my hand, I will deliver Ross’ heart to you.” He said in an authoritative manner. “If you scream for help, I’ll have your heart on my shelf.”

He let me go. I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress my anger. Just then, a vehicle arrived. It was a patrol car. I was blinded by its light until it stopped in front of us.

“Ms. Reed?” It was my father. “What are you doing here this late? Shouldn’t you be at home?” He checked the surroundings and saw my brother’s car and Akihiro standing beside it. “Mr. Kuran, I didn’t expect to see the two of you together.”

I coughed. “It’s not what you think, Sir.” I responded.

“Oh, are you keeping this a secret from your father? Don’ot worry—”

“I said it’s not what you think…” I raised my voice a little. “I just heard something so I went out for a drive. Did something happen? Where’s my father and my mother? Are they okay?” I directly asked.

“You should head back home for you to know.” He seriously looked at me, checking the car. “You’re not doing drugs, are you?”

“We are not doing drugs.” It was Akihiro who replied. “We appreciate the care, Sir. But, shouldn’t you be in your way? You are not yet done patrolling.”

“I will only leave if you leave. I have to make sure Alicia will go home or your father will get at me. It's a fast curfew. You shouldn’t be here…” He looked at me and I smiled.

“Ah, yes.” I showed him my car keys. “I am going now.”

“You should head home, too. Mr. Kuran.” He looked at Akihiro, then a car approached us. I saw Hades driving the car yet I didn’t see Ross.

“Where’s Ross?” I whispered to him.

He pulled my wrists and opened my car door for me. “Ross is safe for now.”

“Don’t dare kill him.”

“Or what?” He teased me with a smile on his face.

“Or you will forget that I ever existed.” I warned him, but I am not sure if it’s going to work. “I will come early in the morning in your unit…and I want Ross still alive.” I said, as soon as I got inside the car.

The patrol car is still waiting for us to leave. Akihiro leveled his face on the window and smiled at me.

“I’ll see you then, love.” He winked. I almost punched him in the face. “I’ll prepare your favorite tea.”

“Damn you!” I cursed and drove away from that place.

I want to take a detour to go to Akihiro’s unit but the police car is following me. I had no choice but to park in our garage. The light is still not on which means my parents aren’t there yet. But, I cannot be so sure so instead of using the main door, I decided to climb the window to the balcony of my room.

Just then, I heard the garage open again. When I looked at it, it was my father and my mother. Then, followed by my brother. Where did they go? Why does it seems like a family business now?

I quickly rolled to my bed and covered myself with the blanket when they went inside. I heard footsteps on the other room which seems to be my brother.

I tried sleeping but I couldn’t, not after seeing what happened to Ross and it might happened to my family considering they worked to catch the killer.

Alicia, you need to do something to help them.

It’s past midnight, I got up of bed and went down to the kitchen. I didn’t expect that my father would still be awake this time.

“Alicia?” He was shocked to see me.

“Uh, I am sorry, Dad. I just want to drink some tea since I cannot sleep.” I smiled at him and started preparing tea while he was doing something in the table. “How’s the case, Dad? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“It’s the same question as you, Alicia. Why are you not sleeping yet?”

“I am worried about you, Dad. Can you choose another job, something that will not put you in danger? It’s the same as mother.” I shook my head. “What if…what if you got hurt…” I tried to control my emotions.

“I have been doing this, Alicia. We have been doing this…and nothing happened.” He held my hand. “This isn’t the time to stop since the enemy is out there.”

“What enemy are you fighting, Dad?” I said, looking at the photographs and report that he is looking into. “Is that a normal human? Dad, that’s dangerous. Can a human do those brutal things?”

“Alicia, I appreciate the concern, but you are still young for this. Sooner, you will understand—”

“I want to understand now, Dad.” I sounded hopeful. “I can help you.”

“Alicia, this is a police work. If you want, then you should shift course now instead of studying for medicine.” He smiled at me.

“Should I?” I said, pouting. “Well, you need a doctor to take care of you when something happens.”

He brushed my hair. “Of course, but before that…I want to give you something.” Dad opened the old box beside him and I saw a hairpin stick. It’s not the moden hairpin but a traditional one with ornaments at the end and a stick that can make you bleed.

“This is a family heirloom that came from my grandmother…and I am passing it to you now.” He smiled at me, handing the hairpin stick.

It wasn’t heavy like I thought it would be, but just like a feather. I observed the ornaments at the end. It has a black wavy stick, the size of my pointed finger. It has a red tulip and its petals are shaped like angel wings. I felt like I saw this before…but couldn’t remember where.

“Happy Birthday, Alicia.”

The big tower clock in the middle of the town rang…