Chapter 37
Alaric had stopped walking when I stopped, he didn’t say anything as I admired the outfit, he waited patiently. I let go of his hand and slowly walked up to the gla*s window, looking up at the mannequin wearing the outfit I really liked. I must have looked like a complete idiot, what sane girl even did a thing like that?
“If you like it, we’ll go in so you can try it,” Alaric’s deep voice filled my eardrums. I turned around slowly and shook my head.
“No, it’s fine… You’ve already paid for so much-”
“-Valerie, get your backside in the store and find the outfit,” Alaric said calmly, adjusting the many bags into both of his hands.
“Are you sure?” I asked, fiddling with the hem of his plaid shirt.
“Yes, now go remember I’m on a tight schedule today,” he said, but there was something that told me that he didn’t have a schedule; after all, we had been shopping for at least three hours. It just seemed like Alaric was saying that to make it seem like he was busy today.
We walked side by side into the huge store, and immediately he followed me as I went to go and find the outfit. Thankfully the skirt and top were both in my size, and I noticed that they were the last ones there.
Alaric escorted me to the fitting rooms and like always he waited outside.
“I’ll be right here, I need to call Elijah so just come out when you’re ready,” he said, placing the shopping bags down at his feet. He leaned against a wall and gave me a small smile.
“Okay, I’ll be quick,” I promised walking towards the fitting room clerk and showing her my items. She gave me a large metal shaped tag that had the number 4 on it and directed me to changing room number four.
Once I was in the changing room, I closed the curtain and hanged the outfit up on a hook. The room slightly smaller than all the other changing rooms I had been in, and what was strange that this room had curtains instead of doors like the other rooms. I shrugged off my thoughts and stripped out of my clothes and put the new outfit on.
The denim black skirt fitted me nicely, it wasn’t too big or too tight. The rips weren’t so bad, as it was just ripped enough to give the skirt some more texture and definition. The silky purple spaghetti–strapped top, felt a big baggy as it was hanging over the skirt. Something wasn’t quite right with the top but then I remembered that the mannequin had it tucked into the skirt. Quickly, I adjusted the fitting of the top; tucking it and refitting the straps. I stepped back and looked directly into the mirror, feeling excited to take in the new outfit on
- me.
I froze in midtrack, my bones running cold. Behind me stood the palest man I had ever seen. He smirked at me and was behind me in seconds.
“Well don’t you look S**y,” he said. I shrieked and soon I felt his cold hand slap onto my mouth, whilst his other hand gripped my throat tightly.
“Damn, you reek of that infernal monster!” he hissed.
In the reflection of the mirror my eyes met pitch–black eyes, with bright red lines on the pupils, his skin was pasty white with a greyish undertone to his complexion. His jet black hair was long down to his shoulders, looking a little greasy and was thinning in some areas.
The man locked his eyes onto mine, and I could see him smirk in the reflection of us. Tears started to spill as he squeezed my throat even tighter, his hand was clamped down on to my mouth and a part of my nose, stopping me from breathing. I wanted to cough and choke but I couldn’t, my neck ached from his painful iron grip, as he restrained my b*dy into his. His b*dy was freezing cold and felt hard like metal, I instantly knew what species this man,
was.
“So, he has a mate after all these centuries. I wonder what he’ll do if I snap your neck right here and right now?” The man sneered into my ear. Where the hell was Alaric, couldn’t he hear or even smell what was happening.
I started to struggle against him, screaming into his hand, begging him to let me breathe.
“Such a shame, you are a beauty-”
A menacing growl cut the man off, and he turned us around as the curtain of the changing room was ripped open. Alaric charged towards us; grabbing me and pushing me down to the floor. I spluttered out, coughing trying to get as much oxygen back into my b*dy as possible. Tears streamed down my face, as my hands reached up to my neck trying to soothe the burning pain away. I looked up for a split second and saw Alaric holding tightly onto the man as if he could break him in half at any point. Alaric’s right hand push into the other man’s chest, he pulled back swiftly revealing a bloody black heart. I couldn’t scream, couldn’t shriek at the horror I had just witnessed.
