Chapter 282 Future

Chapter 282 Future

Twelve years later

"He's going downstairs! Stop him, Mel!" Tyler's voice sounded throughout the two-story house.

Melina ran through the kitchen toward the foyer, hearing loud footsteps as the witch they were chasing made a run for the door. She darted into the hallway, looking toward the open front door to see the witch running for it.

Narrowing her eyes, she swiped her hand, slamming the door shut from ten feet away. She snapped her fingers, locking the door to keep the witch from escaping.

The witch was a lanky, young man with anger issues and a grudge against Tyler and Melina's latest client. He had tried to plant a spell bag in their client's room, but Melina easily sensed its dark magic. They hadn't been able to trap the witch until now. Finally, they could take care of him.

"You bitch!" the witch shouted before whirling around, preparing to cast a harmful spell at her.

Melina prepared to defend herself with a defensive spell, standing her ground as she faced him. She didn't scare that easily.

She had been struck with numerous spells, knocked off her feet by ruthless vampires, and even broken a few bones from tough fights. She was resilient, though. The job needed to be finished.

Before the witch could lift his hand, Tyler darted down the stairs at vampiric speed, slamming his hand against the witch's chest so hard that he flew through the door.

The wood splintered upon impact. He stepped through the hole where the door was, walking over to the witch's lifeless body. His chest and heart had been crushed from the blow.

If Alaric ever decided to come after her, she would be as ready as possible. So far, he hadn't made a move, so she couldn't help but think that the threat had finally passed.

As Melina and Tyler sat in a booth in the back corner of a sushi restaurant, food was the last thing on her mind. She picked at her dragon roll, unable to stop thinking about the decision that she wanted to make. She was still unsure, though.

"What's wrong? You've hardly touched your food," Tyler asked from across the table, giving her a concerned look.

Melina gave him a comforting smile, reaching her hand out to take his. She didn't want him to worry. He had stood by her side all of these years, loving her and protecting her. Her parents had made a good decision by choosing him to be her protector. After meeting her parents after graduation, it became obvious to her that they did care for her.

Their decision to separate their twins and give Melina to Benjamin while keeping her brother, Elias, had nearly crushed them. However, their care for their children was stronger than their sadness about separating them. It had been for the best. After everything that Melina experienced relating to Alaric, she understood their decision, even if it had been a heartbreaking one.

She had only seen them a few times over the past twelve years, but each visit was warm and welcoming. She just couldn't see them all that often because she was busy with her job, and she didn't want to accidentally come across Elias if he decided to randomly visit.

He had been known to pop up randomly. She was allowed to see pictures of him, and she could tell that they were twins.

They had the same hair and smile. It pained her that she couldn't ever meet him, but she didn't want Alaric to put his sights back on them.

"I think Alaric is finally gone," Melina told Tyler.

"Why do you think that?" Tyler asked her.

"Nothing has happened in a year. No one has seen him or his followers. I think someone killed him, or he just gave up and went into hiding," Melina replied with a hopeful look on her face.