"D-Don’t worry, Faye I am here... I will protect you...."

Malo was behind my back, he was holding my hand, I could feel his hands vibrating, even his words too.

I smacked his arm away, my focus completely glued to the front entrance, while he frantically patted down his jacket pockets, his eyes rolling around the counter trying to find the screen so he could call Princess.

"I’m looking for Pali Patel... do you mind informing him I am here.." the girl who happened to be the biker girl who ripped Princess’s heart was standing right in front of me, this time she wasn’t putting on her leather suit, just casual wear.. her red hair was in a half-up, half-down style, face still looking pale.. knowing what she was... a blood-sucking walker. She stood perfectly straight, her hands tucked loosely into the pockets of her dark jeans, her voice flat and cool, without any warmth in it.

"He is resting, he had a busy day, you should come back later, maybe during the daytime, when the sun shines.." I said straight to her face, letting her know that I was aware of what she was...

But the girl ignored me, passed both me and Malo who scrambled away, she went into the room where Kali, Henry and PP were... She didn’t even blink at my words, just glided right past us like wind, her shoulder brushing mine.

"What the fuck does she want with him?" I muttered with a confused look.. My hands balled into tight fists, a sharp stitch of panic hitting my stomach as I turned around to face the back hallway.

"I don’t know, Faye, let’s just go... you are the reason why I am still here.." Malo cried, dragging my hand towards the door.. He yanked at my sleeve, his face completely pale under the shop lights as he tried to pull me toward the exit.

But I just couldn’t leave, what if she did something bad, Henry, Kali and PP were there... I ripped my arm out of his grip, my boots thudding hard against the floor as I pushed the door open, ignoring Malo’s whiny whispers behind my back.

It turned out that PP was friends with the biker girl, it was confusing but me and Malo with Henry stood side by side watching the two talk like they had known each other for years... all I did was gaze at her wishing I had laser eyes to cut her in half. Uncle PP was smiling, leaning against his worktable while she leaned opposite him, her cold face softening slightly as they spoke in low, easy tones.

Uncle PP was preparing herbs for her, looking at the ingredients and how he was preparing the medicine, I easily recognized that process.. it was for one of his customers, the woman who coughed blood, having an unending sickness... Ms Martha. He was measuring out the dark dried leaves into a small paper packet, pouring the brown powder with a steady hand.

But why was she helping her get her medicine?

I shifted my gaze, scanning her face properly, the sharp jawline, deep eyes with the color I can’t tell... oh. The realization hit me like a slap in the face, my eyes widening as I remembered the small frames resting on the old woman’s bedside table.

"So you are the wife of Ms Martha, the one in the picture..." I said.. The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them, cutting right through the quiet sound of the grinding herbs. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Now it made sense, her hair color might be different but the face still stayed the same.. she looked young, looking our age but night walkers are way older than our ancestors... She didn’t have a single line on her face, her skin totally smooth and frozen in time while her wife was old and fading away.

The girl turned to look at us then her face returned to Uncle PP who was busy packing the medicine.. She gave me a long, empty look that made a shiver run down my back, before she turned her shoulders away again, focusing on the paper bags.

"I can’t believe night walkers are here in Oakland, right inside this shop, they are meant to be extinct, her being around means trouble..." Malo whispered. He leaned his head close to my ear, his breath hot and shaking as his eyes darted from her to the exit.

"I don’t care, she ripped my girlfriend’s heart, I am only standing still because Princess told me not to do anything.." I whispered back. My fangs ached to come out, a dark heat spreading through my arms as I watched the back of her head.

"If you are referring to that Alpha girl.. the only reason I ripped her heart was because she ripped mine first..." the girl said collecting the medicine from Uncle PP, then she turned to me.. Her voice was completely steady, her ears easily picking up our quiet whispers from across the room.

"She did that because you were attacking her friends..." I said back. I took a step forward, my hand resting flat against the doorframe to keep myself steady.

"And you killed innocent people without thinking twice.." Malo added... He poked his head out from behind my shoulder, his voice cracking a bit before he pulled back.

"I wouldn’t have done that if that blonde girl didn’t rip mine first.. you two were there right, you witnessed everything, I was just trying to help the Petrova maiden and her obsessed girlfriend repaid me.." She tucked the medicine bags securely, her eyes locking onto mine with a cold, solid look that didn’t have any lies in it.

I couldn’t say anything, because she was actually telling the truth, Beam was the one who started the heart ripping.. killing her because of jealousy and uncontrollably anger.

"Dre, you should go, Martha needs her medicine." Uncle PP’s voice broke our conversation... He placed a gentle hand on the counter, his old eyes looking tired. The girl gave a small, respectful nod to him, then walked right past us without another word, the front bell chiming as she closed the door.

Finally, she’s gone.

Immediately we all could breathe, that was for Malo who had been holding his breath. He let out a massive, shuddering gasp, his shoulders slumping down as he rubbed his chest with both hands.

Malo asked Uncle Pali for an explanation, why was a night walker in his shop because they are not meant to be.. he explained that Dre was only in town because of Martha, Martha’s time was near and her wish was for Dre to be by her side.. he said despite knowing how dangerous night walkers are, he knows Dre, she happens to be one of the good ones... He sighed, brushing some stray herbs off his apron, his voice soft and sad as he spoke about the middle aged woman’s final days.

Good ones my fucking foot. I turned around and walked back to the front counter, my mind spinning with anger as I grabbed my school bag, completely unconvicned by his words.