A car honked behind them, and Charlotte was startled thinking that it was someone who they didn't want to get entangled with at all, but when she turned around, pushing Lucia over to the side so that the shadows could conceal her, all that Charlotte could see was a stout man with a frown on his face eager to get through the small lanes.
She sighed knowing that someone like him was better than any vigilante, but it was a hazard to those around when a driver was speeding through the alleyways where children could be. It was the prospect of an accident that made anger flare up within her, but she ducked her head down since she didn't want him to get a glimpse of her face.
Only one moment of recognition would be able to put them all in danger if a vigilante had found the right person to question at the perfect moment which would point all arrows to her if someone was able to recall in the tiny inkling of their mind which would bring all Vincent's and Stone's effort to ashes as it burned down to nothing.
The man honked again out of spite making Charlotte sigh, but it posed to be no worry as the black vehicle sped down the rest of the bumpy road. That man wasn't going to find a shortcut anytime soon if he was also looking for a leisure ride considering the unevenness of the stone pathing that was even raised at some places.
Lucia peeked over her shoulder before blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes. "You're so kind, darling."
"Hm, thank you," Charlotte quipped. "I don't even need to try to be."
"What was up with that guy?" Lucia grumbled.
"I know," Charlotte agreed. "It is not safe to go those speeds back here at all."
"I can tell that he's looking for trouble."
Charlotte lifted a shoulder. "I think it's more likely that he will cause an accident himself. I only hope to speak life us rather than death."
"It's also called speaking in a positive manner," Lucia pointed out.
"Yes, that's true," Charlotte said. "But I would rather not wish for our end when things are only starting to begin."
"Charlotte," Vincent called from ahead. "We need to pick up the pace."
Charlotte lifted a hand in recognition since she could see how they were slowing the vampires down quite a bit and grabbed Lucia's arm so that they could continue going forward with caution.
Lucia shook off her grip annoyed at her touch, and Charlotte kept a close eye on her knowing that they needed to stick close together. She swore that it wasn't anything personal at all.
They made it over to the men, and Charlotte glanced at her watch to see that time was catching up to them. She fell into step with Vincent, and she looked over at him to see that his brows were coming together as he was lost in thought. It had to be something worrying if it was that pressing to even make him wonder.
"Penny for your thoughts," she whispered.
He glanced over to her. "It's not to your concern."
She lifted a brow. "At this point, what concerns you should also concern me as well, don't you think?"
Vincent sighed. "We're coming up to Sonya's boutique. A door should be hidden in one of these alleyways."
"Is there always a door there or are we making a door for ourselves?" Charlotte asked.
"There's a door there," Vincent said amused. "We're going to be civilized for once."
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "That's refreshing to hear."
Vincent pushed Charlotte to the side since her back was going to be exposed to the road, and she turned to look around when he forced her to face him. She made eye-contact with him, and she had gotten used to his golden irises, so the dark color was more of a shock than she realized, and Charlotte patted his chest to get more space in between them.
She tilted her head over to the side to see Lucia who was also getting pretty close to the road as well since she kept on looking at her feet while walking instead of taking in her surroundings.
Stone grabbed Lucia's arm making her startled, and Lucia yanked her arm back. "Why is everyone so touchy today?"
"Why are you so jumpy?" Stone said slowly. "I swear I don't bite."
That was the biggest lie that Charlotte had ever heard, and she couldn't hold the laugh that bubbled up in her throat, but luckily Vincent cut her some slack since she could see in his eyes since there was a light in his eyes that made her realize that he also found the situation funny, but Charlotte had to reel it back in considering how Lucia was panicking with a hand to chest that was worrying.