Tasting Drakness

Chapter 67

The town actually wasn’t that far from the castle. It only took roughly 20 minutes to drive there. The time seemed to fly by as I was busy talking to my internet friend. When Darius pulled into a parking spot out the front of a grocery store that was part of a small shopping complex, he got out and walked to my side. The place was bustling with shoppers as I glanced around.

The moment I stepped out of the car myself, Darius was already at my side before I had even shut the door. He grabbed my hand, and I glanced down at my hand when he laced his fingers through mine before raising an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t argue; I want you close,” he said, glancing around almost anxiously, which I thought odd. He led me to a small post office first before pulling a key from his pocket and unlocking a PO Box. “You don’t get your mail at the castle?” I asked him.

“Nobody can find it. It’s hidden,” he said, placing the mail in his back pocket. He dragged met o a few different places, including a pharmacy where he picked up scripts for Kalen, and I was surprised to see how many different pills Kalen took. When we were done there, Darius pulled me to the grocery store.

I did, however, notice that anyone that stepped near or in our path quickly scattered. The Pharmacy completely emptied of people when Darius entered, leaving only the pharmacist who was familiar with Darius. The grocery store was the same except even a few of the workers scurried off.

“Do you always get such a warm welcome?” I whispered.

“It has its benefits. Never have to wait in line,” Darius chuckled while stepping closer to me and placing his hand on my hip so I was pretty much tucked under his arm. He led me to an aisle that contained feminine products, and both of us stood there like idiots.

“Please tell me you know which ones to buy?” Darius murmured, and I picked up one of the colored boxes reading it, and so did Darius.

“What, they couldn’t make it one size fits all?” he said, picking up a couple of different boxes o f pads while I picked up some tampons. 1

“One size fits all?” I asked him, shaking my head.

“Yeah, why are they different sizes, and how do you know what size to buy?” he asks, holding up two different ones. This was the most bizarre experience of my life and not one I ever pictured doing with Darius.

“Just go with regular?” I tell him, and he looks at the box in my hand.

“You are not using those, Lycus said. If you forget it is in there, you can die,” Darius said, placing it back on the shelf.

“Huh?”

“Lycus said something about some syndrome,”

“Toxic shock syndrome?” I offer.

“That’s the one. Stick with the less-lethal kind,” Darius said; I shook my head at his words. Darius grabbed a few different boxes, chucking them in the basket he had. “You know it only lasts 24 hours, right? I don’t need all those,” I tell him. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“What if they are uncomfortable?” he said, and I just let him go, letting him steer me toward the next aisle. His basket was full by the time we were done, and he escorted me to the register. The entire time Darius kept glancing around nervously when his phone binged, and h e got a text message. He

pulled his phone from his pocket. Looking at it and sighed. He looked around for a second before looking behind him.

“I will be right there, put the rest of the stuff up. If anyone speaks to you, scream,” Darius said, wondering off about 3 meters away to some confectionary stand. I placed the contents out with a sigh before putting the basket back beside the register when the man behind the register spoke.

“Never seen you in here before with Darius Wraith, family member?” he asked while scanning another item and placing it in the bag before looking at me. Surely Darius didn’t mean to scream if the teller spoke to me.

Before I could answer, though, Darius chucked some chocolate bars on the register. “Her mate, so eyes down.” Darius sneered at him. My face flushed; the poor guy only asked an innocent question. The man dropped his gaze and quickly started scanning.

“Why are you so nervous?” I asked Darius when I noticed him looking around again.

“Because you’re with me,” he said before stopping as he stared out the window at something, cutting off what he was about to say.

“So?” I asked, and he looked down at me.

“Usually, I don’t bring Kalen or Lycus in here without Tobias. I should have brought someone else with me. You’re too exposed,” he said, and my brows furrowed.

“Exposed to what?” I asked, looking around at the empty store before looking at the man serving us. He smiled at me before dropping his head when Darius’s hand fell on my shoulder a s he tugged me back against him, wrapping his arm around my waist.

“You won’t like it if I have to warn you again about looking at her. Fucking do your job,” Darius growled. He scanned faster while my face flamed at how rude Darius was to him.

Getting to the car, Darius placed everything in the boot before walking me to my side of the door and waiting for me to get in before walking to the driver’s side.

When he got in, he chucked a chocolate bar on my lap, and I stared at him. “Lycus said you is could crave sweet stuff?” I shrugged before opening it. What girl turns down chocolate? Not

this one, that’s for sure.

“Exactly why is Lycus googling about Keepers shredding?” I asked him.

“Because I asked him too,” Darius said, starting the car.

“And did you have to be so mean to that poor guy? He looked like he was about to wet his pants the second time you snapped at him,” I tell him, biting into the chocolate bar.

“He is a Vampiric-Fae, Aleera,”

“So?” Darius tilted his head to look at me before looking at my lap.

“Remember Tobias when I found you?” Darius asked, and my smile fell. My face heated, remembering how crazed he became.

“Exactly why. I don’t want him taking a bite out of what is mine,” Darius said, pulling onto the road before slamming on the brakes. I lurched forward in my seat and nearly smashed into the dash when Darius’s hand flung out, shoving me back before I head-butted it. My breathi ragged when a dark- haired middle-aged man walked out in front of the car.