The Vampire and The Idiot

To a safe place

The trio arrived at Mariano's house, they saw all the lights were off and the house was silent. They exchanged confused glances.

Xerxes observed the house and looked around, "It's quiet." He used his heightened senses to detect any presence inside and looked for any energy that might give off.

Johnson nodded his head, "Almost...too quiet." Thalia looked at Xerxes and Johnson in wonder, she was scared - yes, but she was also curious. Ever since they left the house, the guys never did tell her what was happening, all she knew was they were on edge.

"What's wrong guys?"

The guys ignored her and she felt Johnson tense up, she looked up at his face and saw his callous expression. She shifted her eyes to Xerxes to see his eyes glowing in a bright blue light, she knew she was supposed to be shocked but somehow she wasn't. Instead, she was interested in his power. She knew Xerxes was a warlock but she hasn't seen such a strange phenomenon before, and watching fantasy and sci-fi for so long made her fangirl at the sight of his powers.

"What is he doing?" Thalia whispered to Johnson, but her eyes stayed on Xerxes' face.

Jonhson looked at her and sighed, "He is trying to summon his power so he can do a spell. I just don't know what kind," Thalia turned her eyes to Johnson and lifted her brow. She then tapped Johnson's arm and he looked at her curiously, "Let me down please." Johnson nodded his head and slowly placed her on her feet.

Feeling the coldness of the pavement on her socks. She ignored the stinging of her knee and soles as she limped to Xerxes, who was standing not farther away from them. She tapped his shoulder, while Johnson watched with curiosity.

Xerxes looked at his side to see Thalia, "What spell are you working on?" Johnson rolled his eyes, while Xerxes glanced at Johnson with a baffled look on his face. Johnson replied with a shrug and Xerxes let out a sigh to look at Thalia again.

"A protection spell."

Thalia nodded and was about to walk towards Mariano's house when Xerxes' hand took a hold of her wrist, she looked at him, puzzled. "What?"

"You and Johnson stay here while I go inside to check the house."

Xerxes glanced at Johnson, "Take her away from here quickly if something goes wrong okay?"

"I'm not leaving you here all alone. What if something happens to you? You know you can't deal with him alone," Johnson replied, stubbornly.

"I'll be fine. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before, her safety is more important. So take care of her okay?" Xerxes replied, his voice was laced with concerned. He didn't want anything to happen to Thalia if Luciano was on house, he knew Luciano wanted the girl and he wasn't risking it and going inside with her.

Johnson was worrying over his friend, he wanted to help him but he also needs to protect Thalia because for some reason he didn't want her to be hurt or suffer from Luciano's power. Even in the short amount of time, he had spent with her, he felt at ease with her for some reason.

"I'll go now," Xerxes stated then faced Thalia, placing his hands on either side of her arms and leaning down to be face to face with her.

Xerxes smiled at her and she responded with a smile of her own, "Take care of yourself, chief." Thalia said, her soft voice echoing in his ears.

"You too little butterfly. You ran away with Johnson and don't look back when I'm not back in a minute or two okay?" Xerxes tapped Thalia's nose and she wrinkled it, making him smile at the adorable gesture.

Thalia nodded her head and shocked Xerxes when she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head on his chest, "Come back okay? Don't die please," Xerxes smiled and wrapped his arms around her also, feeling happy from her sudden concern.

"You're the sweetest girl I've ever met. I'll try to come back alive okay?" Xerxes placed a kiss on her hair and removed her arms around him gently, holding her at arm's length. He saw her let out a tear and then another - he wiped it all with his thumb.

Johnson watched Thalia and he smiled at her, he never expected how sweet and caring the girl was, especially to people she only just met. He liked her for she was a breath of fresh air to him and he was pretty sure Xerxes liked her too for he had never seen Xerxes smile like that ever since he met him.

'Take her away right now. I will be holding him off for a while, long enough for you to be at a safe distance,' Xerxes sent a message telepathically to Johnson, and Johnson nodded his head stiffly.

'He's here isn't he?' Johnson thought out and he saw Xerxes nod his head.

'I don't know yet, but I sense two powerful presence inside. I'm not sure who it is, so I'm going to investigate first,' Xerxes replied.

"Johnson," Xerxes nod his head in Johnson's direction and Johnson nodded his head. He grabbed Thalia away from Xerxes and they walked a couple of feet away from him, Thalia waving her hand goodbye to Xerxes and he responded with a wink and started walking towards the house.

Johnson wrapped an arm around Thalia's shoulders and she leaned her head on him, "Will he be okay?"

Johson looked down at Thalia to see her staring at him with a tear running down her cheek, he wiped it with his thumb and hugged her closer, "Let's pray that he will be."

When Xerxes closed the door, Johson knew that it was his cue to leave. "Come on Ms. Clumsy, we have to leave now." Johnson carried Thalia bridal style and took one last glance at the house before running as fast as he can.

"Where are we going?" Thalia asked him, her surroundings were a blur just like before. The wind blew her hair and she felt nauseous from the speed. She felt like time was repeating itself, as they glide past the pavement and into somewhere she didn't know.

"Somewhere safe," Johnson replied, not looking at her.

Thalia looked baffled, "Where is that?"

"To Adriano's house."

Thalia widens her eyes and jolted in his arms before looking at him with frantic eyes.

"What!"