Vulnerable: Book 1 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

54: The Vampire's Lair

I kept walking down the stairs, one step at a time, when suddenly I ran into Lukas's back.

"Ow. My nose," I whined. But before I had a chance to ask why he had stopped, I heard a doorknob jiggle, and light flood the stairway, opening onto a very chic and modern foyer.

Centred in the middle of the room opposite the door was a reception desk, a doorway on either side. By the entry we stepped out of, I noticed two large seating areas.

When do they get this many guests? I wondered.

But before I could follow that thought further, the middle-aged lady (who was most likely at least a hundred years old, let's be real) at the desk got to her feet, jaw dropping before she gasped, "Is that Lukas Fuller?" Her voice was thick with British inflections.

"Hello, Katherine," Lukas replied, walking over to her, a coy smile on his face.

"You've grown so much! How long has it been?"

"Over thirty years."

"And you've come to visit!"

"Indeed. Introducing my best friend to my parents and hometown."

She glanced over his shoulder, eyes going over me, before turning back to Lukas to whisper not so secretively, "Just a friend?"

"Best friend. She's bonded to Ben."

"Ah! That one." Turning to me again, she smiled and said, "Lovely to finally meet you, dear."

"You too," I mumbled, nodding my head at her.

Before their conversation could carry on any further, the hallway door to the left swung open, and walking through was a man and woman, appearing to be in their late 30s, who were so clearly Lukas's parents.

His mum had his toffee-coloured hair, but a deeper complexion, almost as if she was from Italy or Spain. As I watched a grin spread across her face as her eyes took in her son, I realised where he got his smile from as well. She was short in stature, petite too, but this clearly did not limit her. She bounded across the room, throwing herself at her son as she pulled his face down, kissing him all over.

"Mein Sohn!" she gushed. The links between German and English were clear enough for me to gather she had said 'my son'.

His father, around Lukas's height, sauntered over in calculated steps, no smile on his face as his brown eyes stayed on Lukas, his chestnut hair parted and styled in a crisp manner.

Neither his father or mother had so much as glanced my way yet, absorbed in the appearance of their son, making me grow to wonder when the last time was that he had seen his parents.

I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face as Lukas wrapped his arms around his mother, trapping her in a bear hug as he lifted her from the ground, spinning her around as he muttered to her in German.

Eventually he set her on the ground and turned to his father, holding out a hand.

Who shakes hands with their parents? It was the polar opposite greeting he had with Stephen. But I didn't blame Lukas for acting this way towards his father... who was the sole reason he lost Anja.

Then Lukas's eyes flickered back to me, giving me a brief smile before he returned to his parents. "Mama, Vater, this is Olivia. My best friend," he said, indicating to me with his hand and switching to English for my benefit.

They turned to me in an instant, eyes going over me. Lukas's father's gaze was slow and virulent, taking in every inch of me as if monitoring my weak points, fitting for a vampire, I suppose. Lukas's mother was reserved but warm as she took me in with a friendly smile, but her eyes held back, protective of her son.