After one more day of work, Aika was in a supermarket buying groceries. Aidan's snacks for school are ending and she needs to stock more. As she's walking through the halls, she senses someone following her.
She looks around from the corner of her eyes but doesn't see anyone, however, she's sure there's someone watching her from a distance.
At the parking lot, she puts the shopping bags on the sidecar of her bike. She sits on the bike and sighs annoyed.
"What do you want?" She asks, then the vampire who went after her some weeks ago comes from behind a pillar.
He comes walking to her, but behind her and far from them, there are two men watching them. Both put their hands on their handguns, to tell him to back off.
"I came to warn you.. A life for another. Watch your back. The gun dealer also has a wizard on his side." The vampire whispers to her.
"Thank you. Now, leave me alone." She says, then wears her helmet.
The vampire leaves wondering who those people are. They were clearly watching her.
Barely did the vampire and Aika know that she was being followed all the time whenever she leaves home by elven bodyguards.
One of them, after getting inside their car, sends Ian a message about what happened. They didn't know that it was a vampire and they didn't listen to what Aika and the vampire talked to each other, however, they saw by her posture that she wasn't happy with his presence.
They assume it was a playboy wanting something with her.
Ian reports to Odir, who becomes instantly anxious again. What if she gets caught by one of his enemies and they mark her first? What if she gets attacked by a thug or thief and the bodyguards don't get to her in time? He will wish to literally die too, he can't life without her.
Astri gets home and after she has put the groceries down, she calls Viktor to tell what happened.
"Dante told me that the wizard who he works for is Nathaniel, but the vampire didn't want to be partners with Nathaniel because he's not trustworthy." Viktor speaks.
Nathaniel is Aika's ex-boyfriend. Another reason she doesn't trust people easily.
"I see. Dante might have heard about me from Nathaniel. It makes sense." She says.
"Do you think that he wants to come after you again?"
"He always did, but he knows I'm not an easy catch. Everything he sent to take me I killed."
"What if you kill him?"
"He knows I can do that, but he's smart and keep himself protected by other wizards. I left him and his covenant 4 years ago and he still couldn't get me. He's actually trying less now."
"I worry about you.. you should come back to live with me for some time again."
Aika and Aidan already lived with Viktor for some months, but Aika felt that was dangerous for Aidan because some vampires can't be as controlled as Viktor is.
"If things ever get harder we will, but we're good for now."
She tells him about her plan of moving to Zealand Island and he believes that it will be a good idea because she's not as known there and Nathaniel can't reach her there. He says he can help her restart there, he knows some humans and vampires there that can help them.
The three people that Aika trusts are Bones, Elleanor, and Viktor. She had to work a lot inside of her to accept to trust them, and they know that, but until now she never opened herself up again entirely. Always asking for help only when things are impossible and there's no other way besides asking for help.
Viktor also sees her as his own daughter, but being as old as him he also knows that what she went through had hurt her deeply and it will take years to heal.
She decides to not think too much about what the vampire said. He probably wanted to use that as a way to convince her to accept his alliance, so she decided to just keep living the way she planned.
–
Odir is anxious, and not capable of sleeping because soon he will be flying to Cankyoto to stay with Aika.
"Brother? Can I come in?" Odir hears from outside his bedroom.
"Yes." Odir answers, looking at the screen of his phone.
After he was notified that she was at home, he tried to call her but apparently, she was on another call and he was waiting anxiously to talk to her like every night.
"I have some things to tell you about the neighborhood she lives in." Ian speaks.
Odir looks up, having all his attention on Ian.
"It's a medium size to small neighborhood, considered a red zone area. A gang called Troopers rule the area, their main income is drugs. They're not a big gang, but they're respected. In the mornings, Aika takes Aidan to the bus station before going to work, but when he's back no gang members ever bother him. They actually, sometimes, watch out for him. Aika treats them with respect and they also respect her." Ian explains.
"I see."
"Do you think she has something with this gang?" Ian asks, worried.
"You think my mate is a gangster?"
"No! It's just that it's weird that treatment."
"If she was a gangster she wouldn't work at Alpha Airways. She could have all the money she wanted from them. She must treat them with respect just to show she's not a threat and they treat her well because of that. Treat friends well and keep them close, and double it with enemies." Odir speaks.
"It makes sense. I'm sorry, I didn't want to sound like I was suspecting our Queen. I mean, she's right to treat them with respect if they can be a threat to her and her brother."
Odir goes to the little fridge near the sofa and takes a bottle of water, taking some sips to cold down his anxiety.
"She's smart. I just hate the fact that she uses her intelligence with gangsters. She had to be active and smart to leave the streets and have a roof above their heads. That's what makes me sad and mad: My Queen has to fight to survive every day." He says.
"That will stop once you mark her and bring her here."
"Have you ever imagined yourself on the streets? Alone? Not knowing what to eat, what to do? Have you ever noticed someone in that position? How many of them have you ignored? I know it's not possible to help everyone, but on their side, they're being hurt by most of the people ignoring them. They accept anything to just have a better perspective. Living on the streets, after being abandoned by her own father, what do you think she carries in her heart, Ian?" Odir asks.
Ian's heart froze, he only looks down having no exact idea.
"I think that I wouldn't trust anyone…" Ian softly says.
"Me too. I need to build her trust again and make her shine again. I'll tell her as soon as possible, but I just have to be sure that she won't run away."
Ian nods. Odir's phone starts ringing, and by his smile, Ian knows it's Aika. He leaves Odir alone again to talk to his mate. Odir's heart feels lighter after seeing her smile and hearing her voice.