Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Rohit felt a chill run up his spine, like he sensed an impending danger, but it was replaced with the store associate calling out to him.

“While your girlfriend’s in the back dressing up, why don’t we get you a matching outfit?” she suggested, scanning his attire. “I can tell you don’t go out often, so flashy is definitely not your style. You seem to prefer solid colors.”

“Uh, yeah,” he replied, slightly shaken by her words. “But I’m really not in the market for new clothes.”

“Come on,” Colette urged, as she drew herself closer to the young man.

Nerves welled inside Rohit, as he anxiously backed away from her advances, but there wasn’t much ground he could cover. He was soon laying against a rack of clothes, while the store associate placed both of her hands on the metal beam behind him, encasing him with no escape.

Thanks to her heels, Colette stood slightly taller than Rohit, but even if she weren’t wearing them, the clerk would probably be his height. She cleared her short, ash brown hair behind one ear and removed her glasses.

The young man swallowed, being captivated by her piercing gaze. No woman, other than Ingrid, had ever looked at him with more lust in her eyes like that, especially after they suddenly turned gold.

“Please indulge my curiosity a bit while we have this time,” she stated, softening her gaze and blushing.

Ingrid felt around the stall for anything like a weakness in the spell, so she could use her strength to shatter it, but it all felt the same. “Think, Ingrid! Think!” she told herself. “How can I escape?” She then widened her eyes, as the escape plan finally hit her. Her eyes looked at the size of the gap on the ground and at the top.

“Of course!” she exclaimed before taking a deep breath. Her body shrunk and transformed into a bat, where she slipped through and emerged on the other side. Her body reanimated to its normal size, and she was also wearing the emerald dress she picked out earlier.

The area before her looked like the same store, but the visible guise she detected earlier still lingered.

‘How could I have not known?’ she wondered in disbelief. ‘I can easily detect these things…’

Speculating that it was a combined effort of being malnourished and prioritizing her senses to her own devices, she rationalized her lack of focus. In addition, depending on another to relieve her of her fate simply wouldn’t do. Ingrid knew that she was going to have to adapt fast if she were to survive in this new land, and only had herself to rely on.

“Rohit!” she called out, as she dashed her way within the barrier. “Rohit!” Even though she’d been running, it normally wouldn’t take that many steps to reach the sales floor. The distance between her and her destination was the same distance away no matter where she tried to move.

Colette had complete control of this domain.

Meanwhile, Rohit felt immobilized at the realization of what this woman was. He swallowed and tried to come up with a plan in his frightened, yet calm state. His secure mindset allowed him to calculate a potential plan before this vampire could commence anything. So he smiled awkwardly in the position Colette backed him into, and cleverly circumvented her intense stare. “Looks like you got some customers.”

This made the young woman jolt, as she eagerly turned around to the front of the store.

Using this time, Rohit gained control of his senses and slipped under Colette’s slender arms, then tried hiding out of her range by crouching inside a rack of long coats. His heart was beating fast, but he took long, deep breaths to calm himself down, and to also not make so much noise.

After realizing it was a ploy, Colette laughed hysterically at herself. “What a clever one! Nicely executed.” She then scanned her store with a smirk. “I must admit, you caught me off guard,” she continued, “but you can’t hide from me. I can hear your heart and smell that sweet blood of yours.” She licked her lips again, exposing four fangs where her bicuspids usually were.

Rohit was trembling, but kept a blank expression. He could feel sweat form at his brow and under his armpits. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he was going to be okay, he knew he was powerless against this paranormal entity.

“Come now, I won’t play rough,” Colette jested, and then the tone in her voice receded to more of a beckoning plea, like she was trying to lure her prey out. “We’ll take it slow if you want,” she continued, but after realizing her siren call strangely had no effect on her target, she remarked, “You’re a unique one, I see…” She placed a hand by her chin like she was thinking, “I don’t think anyone’s seen your type in a long time…” and then grinned sinisterly. “It’s no wonder she kept you around.”

Knowing that she was referring to Ingrid, Rohit realized the vampire heiress was nowhere to be found. ‘Crap,’ he thought. ‘I have to find her!’ Just as he thought that, the coats were parted to reveal the lusty store associate.

Colette stared straight through his soul, her golden eyes beaming like stars. “Found you!”

In the changing room area, Ingrid had already awakened her vampire form, as her eyes turned as red as blood, and her physical and magical powers were heightened. However, drawing these powers out were like bringing moths to the light—it would alert unwanted attention from her enemies. Another downside for Ingrid in this instant was the strain it suddenly had upon her body.

Even though she wasn’t displaying much strength earlier, using her vampire powers to fuel a weakened host put her in even more distress. The pain that came from her silver bullet wounds flared up again, as she bent forward and fell on her knees. She grunted and gritted her teeth, while holding her sides, which exhibited the most irritation than her limbs.

As she collapsed to her side, panting and sweating from exhaustion, Ingrid eventually steadied her breathing and reverted to her normal form. “Okay…” she analyzed. “That wasn’t so bad this time. I managed thirty seconds. That’s enough time…” She proceeded to stand up, stumbling a little to the side before stabilizing her base.

“I can do it…” she told herself. “I have to do it. There’s no other choice.”