"I'm going on a stroll, mum." Jack shouted as he walked down the stairs, heading out of his bedroom.
Jake snorted from where he was playing on his play station. "If I didn't know better, Jack, I would worry that you have been turned human with the way you keep going on strolls nowadays. I would have said you were trying to keep fit."
Jack grinned. "There is no harm in keeping fit."
Jake scoffed. "Not when you don't need it." He narrowed his eyes at him. "I think something is going on. Is there something you would like to tell me?"
Jack kept his expression blank. "Nothing at all."
Jake shrugged, turning to his game. "If you say so."
Jack smiled to himself as he walked away. It was getting so much easier keeping this a secret from his family.
******
Zara breathed hard as she spun, directing the dart of lightning against the tree. This was good. She was getting better at this, far better than her expectations and she loved it.
Next thing on her agenda was to learn to be a shield with her mind without the use of her hands or a wand. If she really wanted to be strong, she needed to learn how to attack without giving her enemies a clue on her moves.
Mia walked into the practice arena, a glass of vitamin juice in her hand. "Now that is enough, daughter. You will wear yourself out pretty quickly if you keep up with this."
"No, mum." Zara argued.
"Now, don't." Mia cautioned with a shake of her head, extending the glass of juice to her. "Rest now. Don't forget that magic takes its toll on the body. I'm excited at your eagerness but I don't want you dropping down from exhaustion either."
Zara gulped down the juice, draining everything till the last drop feeling refreshed.
She glanced at her mother, suspecting her. "What is in here?" she doubted she drank only vitamins as her body suddenly surged to life, her cramped bones strengthening.
Mia shrugged. "Vitamins and just a little bit of this and that."
"What is the this and that that is in there?"
Mia clucked her tongue. "Nothing that would make you puke."
Zara shuddered. "Now, I want to puke."
"Oh, do you?" Mia teased.
"Mum!" Zara shrieked, glancing at her mum. "You were messing with me."
Mia shrugged, grinning. "You asked for it."
Zara smiled. "I guess I did."
"Now run along, dear and go get showered. You reek of sweat."
Zara nodded and ran off to her bedroom, heading straight for her phone. She pouted as she saw that there was no missed calls on her call log. She went to the bathroom, knowing he would definitely call. He had never missed a call. The holiday was a week gone and so far, everything was good on both ends. No family had suspected anything yet.
Her phone rang just as she stepped out of the bathroom and she grinned as she walked toward it.
"Hey," she sounded breathy.
"Hi. Are you okay?"
She grinned. Nothing escaped him. He was so sweet. "I have just been practising and I just stepped out of the bathroom."
"Oh good. How is it going?"
"The practice or the shower?"
He groaned. "Naughty girl. The practice, of course."
"Great."
"Strong enough to fight the most powerful witch in your clan and make them bow to our choices?"
"Not yet." She chuckled. "You? Strong enough to control the minds of all the vampires in your clan?"
"Soon. I'm trying though."
"Tell me all about it."
"I had mum change her desires to cook eggs to pasta and she had no idea she changed her mind."
"Oooh! You are good. In a creepy way, I guess."
He sighed. "I guess. I really don't want to do this but I have no other vampire to try it with. Humans are easily controlled so they wouldn't help me get better."
"Witches?"
"Not so much." He frowned. "Did you just worry that I might get so good and control you? Zara?"
"No, not at all. I must confess that the thought crossed my mind but I trust you."
"I would never control you unless..." He trailed off.
"Unless what?" she grinned.
"Unless you break up with me. I will make you fall in love with me again because I can't think of losing you."
She chuckled. "You don't have to worry about that because I don't intend to leave."
"That sounds comforting to the ears." He grinned.
"As it should. Have you tried controlling Jake?"
"No. I don't want to do it too often to not be suspected. Moreover, I feel bad afterward because I promised not to do that to them."
"I can imagine."
"Zara, will you like to steal away from home and meet up?"
"Jack." She laughed. "Always coming up with ideas every moment. Do you sleep at all?"
"Yes, I do but even there you still torment me so I have no choice but to think of how we are going to meet up. I miss you."
"I miss you too but it can't work. My mum will grow suspicious if I tell her I am going out. She will have Rosa follow me."
He sighed. "I will think of better ways but right now, I have to go."
She chuckled. "Or better, wait till the holiday is over."
He pouted. "That's too long. Bye." He blew kisses at her and ended the call, heading back home.
He stilled, his hands pausing on the door knob. He barely kept his groan to himself. He knew that voice. His father was home and with an undesirable guest.
"Come on in, Jack. We know you are at the door. I can hear your heart beat from here."
Jack grimaced. Damn vampire superior senses. He turned the door knob, an insincere smile on his lips, pretending he was happy to see them for his father's sake.
"Welcome, dad." He rushed to embrace him.
Jason grinned, smiling at his son. "It's so good to see you, son. I got home and was told you went on an exercise walk. Are you sick somewhere?"
Only my heart. He shook his head, glancing at Jake. "Don't mind him, dad. I went on a stroll."
Jake laughed from where he was, his voice reverberating over the whole room. "Exactly what I told dad. Exercising, jogging, taking a stroll, those sound like what an unfit human would do."
"This is why I take a stroll. I need some space from you."
Jason laughed. "Now, Jack, don't go snapping at your elder brother. Don't tease your younger brother too much, Jake."
"I guess I have lived too long on earth that I have become invisible."
Jack did his best to not roll his eyes. He had tried his best to pretend his father's guest wasn't there, hoping the man would take a cue and leave him but as usual, the man just had to let himself be recognized.
Such arrogance. Well, you can hardly be the leader of a clan of powerful vampires without some dose of annoying arrogance coming with the package.
He turned towards the head of their clan. "It's so good to see you again, Lucian."
Lucian chuckled. "Finally accepted that I am in the room. That wasn't so hard to do, was it?"
"I was too excited to see dad, that's all. I didn't mean to be rude."
Lucian shrugged. "Not at all. I had some excitement as well going through your thoughts."
Jack paled as all blood drained from his face. "What?" he croaked, choking.
Suddenly, the air in the room seemed to not be enough and he gasped, struggling for air. He should have known Lucian was a disaster waiting to happen the moment he heard his voice through the door. All his sins were about to be exposed.
Jason scowled at Lucian, scolding him. "I warned you not to do that. I wouldn't have you invading the privacy of my family."
Lucian shrugged, unrepentant. "Old habits die hard. Moreover, I didn't get to read much. Jack quickly blocked his thoughts few seconds after he walked in." His eyes twinkled and glowed with pride. "I must say that this young man is going to turn into a fine powerful vampire."
Jack felt his tense nerves relax at Lucian's words. Thank goodness he hadn't seen anything. He made to excuse himself. "I will be in my room."
Jennifer snorted. "Don't be bothered by Lucian, son. He is an old tease."
"Stay." Jason said.
"Lunch will soon be ready." Jennifer added.
"I'm not hungry." Jack protested.
Jake frowned. "Are you okay, brother? You haven't been feeding well too."
Jason glanced at him. "Is that true? I thought you already got your blood appetite back. You should have been feeding properly by now."
Jack shrugged. He had gotten his blood appetite quite all right but after a taste of Zara's blood, he didn't want to have a taste of any other blood and moreover, her blood he had taken just before they departed from each other still pumped in his veins and made him feel less hungry for the red liquid sustenance he needed once in a while.
"Who is Zara?" Lucian suddenly blurted.
"Uh!" Jack stared dumbly at him, his heart going into overdrive. His father better send his guest out if he didn't want his youngest son to drop dead of a heart failure.
Lucian shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "That name was the first thing I read earlier from your mind and it pops up now again before you shut down your thoughts."
Jason hissed. "I told you to stop reading his mind."
Lucian gaped at him. "Aren't you curious what your little teenager is up to?"
"No." Jason growled. "Because then he would be curious as to what his father is up to and I don't want my thoughts read by my son."
Jennifer, Jack's mother, scowled. If not that they couldn't refuse the visit, she would have wanted them to lie that they were not at home but you could hardly say no when the leader of your clan and the most powerful vampire in the race chose to visit you. He was just too old-fashioned for her liking.
She sighed. "Jason is right. We operate a respect-based family here."
Lucian snickered. "If you are not curious, I am." He turned to Jack. "Who is Zara?"
Jack let out an exasperated sigh. He should have gone to his bedroom when he had the chance to. "She is just my classmate."
Lucian snorted. "A classmate who is on your mind during the holiday. Her name sits on your mind like it is etched there."
"Now, don't go dramatic on the poor boy, Lucian." Jason chuckled. "I know your long years are filled with boredom but don't take it out on my boy."
"She is just my classmate." Jack affirmed. "We sit together in class."
"And that is all?" Lucian arched his eyebrows, staring at Jack.
Jack held his gaze, daring him to say what it was that he knew. Lucian gave up with a sigh, clearly with no more idea and realizing that his tactic of intimidating Jack to get what he wanted didn't work.
"Fine, if you say she is your classmate."
"She is." Jack said with a ringing tone of finality.
He sat there, listening but not listening to the conversation around him, checking the time and bidding till Lucian would leave or his father would tell him that he could go.
They had almost gotten caught. Again. He sulked as he wondered if they would be so lucky the next time.