Chapter 284 Preparation of the ground

Chapter 284 Preparation of the ground　　Back in front of the main building, Dante had gathered the Elder vampires, the vampire staff and the few vampire students who were still there while she stood in front of them with her arms crossed against her chest. She said loudly, 

"We have received information that there might be an attack on Veteris. I need you all to be on guard."

"Where did the information come from?" asked one of the students. 

"Two vampires were found dead near the boundary walls. Ashed to the ground," replied the headmistress. "It would only be wise that we take measures of precaution. Further information will be relayed if there's any change. There's word that we will be attacked tonight. Disperse!" 

After hearing what the vampiress had to say, there were murmurs in the little crowd. One of the staff asked Ms. Dante, "Milady. If the information is about being attacked tomorrow, shouldn't we gather weapons and prepare ourselves in a strategic manner?" 

Donovan smiled at the staff's question. He said, "Leave the strategies to us. You shall be divided into little fun groups. With the Elders, and our respective turned vampires, who lead you to specific sides of the property." 

"But if the people had to come attack us, they would have done that by now, wouldn't they?" questioned one of the students. "Why attack just two people and leave?" 

This time, Roman responded, "That is because the two vampires who had been ashed, they aren't from Veteris. People are going to get back up soon, so it would be better that you back up too." 

When everyone started to move into groups, most preferring to go with the Elder vampires, barely four or five were willing enough to go with Griffin. Especially after his continuous failed attempts in beating Roman and the recent embarrassing events. 

Castiel had decided to stick to the centre of Veteris, which was exactly where he stood right now with Dante. The headmistress blew out a tired sigh. 

"Worried?" Castiel asked her. 

Dante's lips were pressed in a thin line, and she said, "No. The day came later than I expected. It was going to happen one or the other day." And though she wanted to get it over with, she knew once the word would spread with the hunters, it would only invite that much more trouble. "I am so glad that I asked Evans to pull down the network service beyond the walls of Veteris. At least they won't be able to know what happened here." 

And while the vampires in Veteris started to prepare and secure the land, back in the Greasy Corner, Conner was fast asleep in his room. The door to his room slightly opened. Someone stepped inside, carefully walking towards his side of the bed before picking up his phone and leaving the room. 

"He's asleep, Archer," whispered Conner's father to the old man once he closed the door. The same man who had locked Melanie in her house's basement. "What's going on?" he asked. 

Archer jerked his head towards the hall, and when they walked away from the room, the man said, "It would be better that Conner continues to sleep undisturbed, while I will need you to pack your weapons. We are going to Veteris tonight." 

"I thought the plan was for tomorrow," Conner's father appeared slightly confused. 

"We believe that your son and the Davis's daughter are helping the vampires," stated Archer with an unhappy expression. 

"That's absolute bull! Conner would never do that," Conner's father defended him.

"Of course it is only my stipulation, but I would not like to take any chance. It would be best that we keep the kids out of this, just this one time, and then clear the suspicion," replied Archer, and Conner's father noticed the Davis family loading their weapons into the back of their car. "We don't want the vampires moving out by tonight, especially after we caught them. It would be rather hard, if they disappeared before we have the chance to attack them." 

Conner's father didn't like that his son was being accused of being called a traitor in the hunter's association. But seeing everyone getting ready, he gave the old man a nod. 

"Fine. I will go and get my stuff," he said before walking to the secret closet and pulling out guns and bullets that would be needed in hunting down and killing the vampires. 

In the next house's basement, Melanie heard the door being opened, and she saw her mother enter. 

Melanie was glad to see her mother for a moment, and she was sure that she was here to unstrap her from the chair. But her mother walked past her chair and went to the shelf. She started to put the boxes in the bag. 

"Mom," Melanie called her mother, and the woman paused her movement. "I am your daughter, are you really going to let me spend the rest of my hours like this? With the dead vampires?" 

"Don't you dare, Mel," her mother glared at her. "I don't know who put a spell on you, but you should know that what you think is not right. Vampires are creatures who kill and we are trying to save the humans."

Melanie bit her lip, holding her words back in, until she couldn't anymore, "Just because something bad happened to you, doesn't mean it is the case for everyone."

"Can you ever hear yourself? To think you are siding with them, maybe this little time in here will help you. I will come back and talk to you. You will not be needing to go to a new university either," replied her mother before she continued to get the boxes from the shelves. 

"New university?" asked Melanie. 

Her mother started to walk past her and said, "We'll be killing the vampires tonight in that university of yours. Your father and I will teach you everything that you need to know. Right here." 

"I am an adult, not a child!" Melanie voiced her thoughts, feeling the control of her life slipping through her fingers. 

"Then it is better you rethink what you have been doing all this time. Hiding and lying to us," said her mother before stepping out of the basement and locking the metal door. 

"Mom!" Melanie called her mother, but in response, she received nothing but silence. She tried hard to pull her hands and legs out of the straps, but she couldn't. How could she? These were made for the vampires!

"Simon! Conner! Please please come here," said Melanie, her eyebrows furrowing in worry. She hoped that Conner had at least informed the others that the hunters were going to attack right now. 

Melanie was trying to think of possible way to get out of here, when she heard something creak in the room. Something didn't feel right... and she turned to look at her left. Her eyes widened. 

One of the vampire corpse, that laid on the table slightly moved. 

"Oh dear God..." 

That was the last thing she had imagined to happen!

Simon was drinking milkshakes in one of the cafes with straw in his mouth when he heard his cell phone beep. He brought the phone in front of him and noticed the message from Ms. Dante. When he opened the message, he stared at the screen. It read—

'Veteris alert. Possible attack.'

"Seriously, they choose to attack now?" questioned Simon, as he would have to travel from Greasy Conner to Veteris. "Mel!" his eyes widened when he realized that he hadn't heard from Conner or Melanie. 

Throwing the milkshake in the trash, he quickly made his way to come to stand in front of Melanie and Conner's house. 

With Veteris having zero networks, there was no way he could call anyone who were there, and it was Dante's special SOS that she had used to send it to every vampire in Veteris. Simon called up Melanie's phone. Her phone rang, but she didn't pick up. He went in front of the window of her room, waiting to pick up her heartbeat, but the room was empty. 

It was only after two minutes did she pick up, but Simon didn't speak and waited for her to speak. But she didn't speak either. Simon's eyes narrowed, and he questioned, 

"Where's Mel?"