Sexting With A Vampire
Chapter 27

Stella

I'm worried about Evan. I sent him plenty of texts yesterday, but he never replied. Could something have happened?

With my head in the clouds, I follow Leonora from the car and walk after her to the school's football field.

The whole city of Lunaris has been compelled to stay at home, and a large fire brightens up the night. People are laughing, and an entire carnival has been arranged for the Spring Festival. I pause in my steps when children run past me holding cotton candy and experience my nostrils flare at the scent of food.

Plenty of stalls have been set up with hotdogs, hamburgers, and fast food. There is even a chef selling sushi.

A smile curls my lips.

My heart might not be fully into the festivities around me, but as I stare at the flames further ahead, I can't help but feel a little excited.

Who will be my mate?

Leonora stops walking and turns to face me. "Alpha Raphael said to meet us at the bar they have set up in a tent further down. If you wish to speak to the vampire, you should do it now."

I swallow thickly. No matter how many messages I've sent Evan and the times I've called his name, he hasn't appeared. I don't think it serves a purpose to search for him.

He obviously doesn't want to be found.

"I'm not against meeting alpha Raphael with you," I say and grip the folds of my dress with a pout. "Evan might not be coming."

"Nonsense," Leonora says, and I'm not sure if it's my imagination, but her voice sounds a little off. "You will definitely meet Evan tonight!"

I stare at her in silence and try to read her face. Why is she so optimistic about me finding Evan? Is Leonora hiding something from me? Now that I think about it, she is going along with this much easier than I expected. Is this a trap?

It would be stupid to make Leonora believe I'm suspecting anything, so I plaster on a smile. Leonora is still staring at me. How do I make her focus on something else?

Quick!

Think!

I decide to hide my suspicions with a question. "At what time will the flames reveal the mates of those staring into the fire?"

Leonora slumps her shoulders, relaxing a little. "I think it's a different time for everyone. The flames will call you and whisper your name until you stare into them. Some say it's the moon goddess's own voice that you will hear inside your head." I'm about to answer her but hear something inside my head right after Leonora has spoken.

'Are you interested in finding out your fate?' A voice snickers inside my head. It sounds like a female. 'You can come to the flames whenever you like-I will be waiting!

I gulp and smile at Leonora. "Actually, would you mind if I look around a little for Evan?"

She smiles back. "Of course."

Leonora turns on her heel, and I watch her disappear toward the many beer tents further down the field.

I take a deep breath. "Finally, alone!"

"BOOO!"

I jab forward in a wild panic, managing to punch Evan's chest. He curiously peers down at my hand. I keep it still, blushing when I realize it's connecting with the hard abs underneath his t-shirt.

"Was I supposed to feel that?" He asks, amused with the ghost of a smile touching his lips.

I gasp. "I'm so sorry!"

I withdraw my hand, but Evan pulls me forward into his chest. Thick arms wrap around me while my nose presses into his t-shirt. He smells nice, like newly washed clothes. "I've missed you," Evan says.

My cheeks grow hot, and I mumble into his chest. "You're the one who hasn't been answering any of my text messages. I even sent you nudes, which you totally ignored." He gasps, staring down at me. "You send me nudes?!"

I crane my neck to meet his shocked eyes. "Umm... Didn't you check your phone for them?"

A sheepish smile takes his lips. "My phone got destroyed yesterday. You wouldn't believe the s**t that went down. There were demons and snakes and total chaos." "Really?"

"Yes, and..." Evan wet his lips with hesitation written over his entire face. I've never seen him wear that expression before. "I know alpha Raphael might turn out to be your mate. But there is something urgent that I must tell you before it's too late. The truth-" Lightning shoots out from nowhere, and I shriek when Evan gets hit by the sudden magic. He growls at the pain and falls to his knees. But it doesn't stop there.

Raphael steps out from the shadows, and I witness his men hurry to seize Evan while Leonora keeps hitting him with her magic. Lightning bolt after lightning bolt strikes the vampire, who is now in chains.

"What the f**k is this?!" Evan glares down at the chains around his wrists. He hisses at them with entirely red eyes. "Why can't I use magic?!"

"Because those chains block out your magic," Raphael answers him, smirking victoriously at the vampire. "How does it feel to be entirely powerless, huh?"

Evan hisses as a response, and Raphael laughs. He looks insanely self-satisfied and turns his attention to me.

"Good job, Stella. I knew your relationship with the vampire prince would come in handy. Finally, no one is standing in our way of becoming husband and wife. Alpha and luna."

"What?!" Evan exclaims, turning around to meet my eyes.

The men are trying to pull him away, but he fights back to look at me with an expression that screams hurt.

I'm so close to tears, unsure what to do. "Evan, I had nothing to do-"

"You tricked me?!" Evan interrupts me. "After everything we went through, I thought you had forgiven me, and then..." he laughs. "Wow, I actually believed you liked me! You had me fooled, but I guess once a dirty mutt, always a dirty mutt, huh?" His words make me freeze.

I've always hated the word mutt but coming from Evan's mouth, the insult sounds a hundred times worse.

"I had nothing to do with this," I tell him, not caring that tears are running down my eyes. "You have to believe me."

Evan's response is to viciously glare at me. "I don't believe in anything you say right now."

Frustrated, I clench my fists and watch the werewolves bring Evan away from the field. I then turn around to face Leonora, who is being petted by alpha Raphael like a cat.

She looks so self-satisfied, and her lips curl higher up that face. Her eyes gleam under the street light, seeming to say, "Your biggest mistake was to trust me, darling."