She hadn’t expected to see Lord Alexander here yet here he was while she trying to avoid any thoughts of him. His dark maroon eyes shifted his gaze from the man to her.

“I didn’t know we were having a show here,” Elliot said sarcastically as he clapped his hand, “Go on, shoo away,” people around bowed their head and got back to what they were doing.

“They aren’t birds,” Sylvia said shaking her head at Elliot.

“What is the matter here, that a vampire had to pull out his fangs? Speak,” the Lord of Valeria ordered and the man went first.

“M’Lord, the girl accused me of being a thief when she was the one stealing the charm pendant,” he defended himself.

“No, I didn’t! You accused me you liar!” she said, “You can ask the owner of the shop.”

“I didn’t see or hear anything. Don’t drag me into this. So meddlesome,” he muttered in the end and disappeared inside his shop not wanting anything to do with them.

“I’m sure she’s stolen the one what she is wearing right now,” the man said pointing a finger at her and the man dug his grave.

“This is a carnival and not a arena for a vampire to attack a human,” the Lord of Valeria said calmly, “And attacking a human for no reason when we are trying to co habitat earns a punishment,” and his fingers clicked.

“But M’lord you’re mistaken!” the man panicked as two men pulled him with them.

Alexander walked ahead without another word and Katie felt her breath in relief. Reaching back the mansion at midnight, Katie changed into a night gown and went to wash her face. She heard the knock on her door.

“It’s me, Corey,” she heard from the other side of the door. He stood with a box in his hand and soon came Dorthy pushing him in, “Hey!”

“Sorry,” she giggled, “We forgot to give you these which we brought for everyone at the carnival,” she said while Corey handing the box to her.

“Thank you,” Katie said feeling a little guilty for not getting anything for them but then she hadn’t bought anything for herself either.

“We’ll be going then,” and they left but there was a knock on the door again.

“Katie?” It was Corey who peeked inside the room, “You’re okay, right?” he asked her and she nodded her head.

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, nothing in particular,” and he disappeared behind the door.

The door was knocked for the second time and Katie raised her brows looking at Corey’s head pop again.

“What?”

Corey smiled sheepishly, “We have to wake up an hour early tomorrow. Don’t be late else Martin might scold you again. Goodnight,” and she wondered what did he mean by ‘scold you again’? When did she get scolded.

She stared at the door before going to brush her hair with the wooden comb and trying to tame her hair. She noticed that her left hand had begun to form an ugly bruise because of the man who had held her hand forcefully.

She hummed a song that got stuck in her mind that was being played in the carnival. And then there was the third knock and her eyes narrowed at it.

Were her friends not planning to get some sleep? Sighing she walked towards the door, “Corey, stop knocking-” and opened it, “-the door.”

“I didn’t know you were expecting male company at this hour of night.”

Katie felt her blood drain from her face. It was Alexander.

“N-no. I wasn’t expecting male company. Dorthy and Corey had come earlier and they kept knocking like silly kids,” she said moving back and he entered her room like a ghost moving across the floor.

“I came here to retrieve something from you,” he said walking towards the large mirror on the wall, “I would like to have my cross back if you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” she said her fingers going to the hook like lock behind her neck.

She wondered why he wanted it back now and why not anytime before? Did she embarrass him with what happened at the carnival?

“You’re over thinking things.”

“What?” she asked taken aback as her eyes met his while she handed back the cross to him.

“Come here, Katie,” he said with a gentle smile on his lips and very slowly Katie went to where he stood. He made her stand facing the mirror, “May I?” he asked her raising his hands near her head and she nodded her head warily.

His fingers touched her hair gently as he brought it together and her skin tingled, and she felt sleepy.

“The carnival has a higher population of vampires when compared to humans. Being on the vampire land, vampires support their own kind or don’t support any one at all. I think you were brave to stand against a vampire today,” he twisted her hair and continued, “But I would advise you to be careful next time. It was fortunate we were there else I don’t know what the outcome would be.”

“Okay,” she responded and saw him push something in her hair. She moved her head to see a plain wooden stick.

“Like the old man of the store spoke about equivalent exchange, I have something for you, for treasuring the cross safely until now,” he said putting his hand around her neck and letting a chain rest on her skin with a blue stone.

It was the rare charm stone pendant she had picked at the shop.

“I-I can’t take it, Lord Alexander,” she said looking at it and turned around.

“It’s not for free. I did say it was an equivalent exchange now, didn’t I?” he convinced her with a charming smile and wishing goodnight he left her room.

After Alexander left Katie’s room, he went down the stairs and to the dungeon that was underground. It was a dark and a restricted area.

He walked passed the empty cells and few which held people who broke the law. Going to one of the cell he saw the man whom he had encountered previously.

The man was sitting on a chair with his hands and legs tied. Alexander noticed he looked clean and untouched, no harm done yet.

“Why am I here?! I didn’t do anything!” The man cried seeing Alexander step inside the cell.

“Didn’t you now, hmm. What about hurting a human and the fact that you were about to attack her? Vampires like you jeopardize things for us.”

“I was only trying to scare her!”

“Scare her? Why?” asked the Valerian Lord, “Are you preparing for Halloween?”

“She had a charm stone and one which was red in color. It is obvious the girl of her caliber stole it,” the man trying to free himself but his limbs were bound.

“Without evidence you decided it on your own.”

“I was only-” he took the hammer that was on the table and played with it, “-what are you doing?”

“Don’t worry, I mean to do the same. You know just scare,” Alexander said shrugging his shoulders, placing back the hammer and going to stand in front of the man.

The man let out a sigh of relief when he saw no hammer. Alexander caught hold of the man’s hand and agonizingly slowly tightened his grip. He heard the man scream in pain until his hand snapped into two like a wooden branch due to the pressure.

A vampire’s bone grew but the time it took varied from every individual depending on their bloodline.

“And for the record. She didn’t steal it,” Alexander said as he stepped outside the barred cell and pulled the cross with his fingers. The man’s eyes widened looking at it.