Page 42 of The Vampire and the Barista

CHAPTER 14

Ivan got Jamie to work without any incident, but as he sat watching Jamie walk into the library, he could feel someone watching him. He looked around but couldn’t see anyone. He decided to get out of the car and have a proper look.

He walked down the road, looking in the shop windows and using the glass reflection to look around. He still couldn’t see anyone, but he could still feel it, like a stare burning into his back.

He wondered if it was someone from the illegal organisation. He thought it must be, who else would want to follow him?

He carried on strolling and looking in different windows when his eyes caught someone across the road, smirking at him. Ivan gave a start and quickly spun around just as a bus passed, blocking his view for a moment. When the bus passed, the man had vanished.

Ivan’s eyes searched up and down the road, but he didn’t see him. He shook his head. There was no way he saw Derrick; he would be dead by now. If not, he would be hundreds of years old, and for a mortal, that was impossible. So why was his imagination conjuring Derrick up? Could it be tied into finding his Jamie? Not having an answer, Ivan strolled back to his car. He needed to get home, get back to work, and blank Derrick from his mind.

Seth and Olly were walking down the hallway when Ivan got home. AJ was painting the newly fixed wall.

Seth turned and smiled at Ivan, then frowned. “What’s wrong? Were you followed again?”

“No, I felt someone watching us when I dropped Jamie off, so I got out to have a look.”

“Whatever you saw, it couldn’t have been good,” AJ says, putting his paintbrush down and looking at Ivan.

“I saw a mirage, that’s all,” Ivan replied. It had to be, Ivan kept telling himself.

“What or who did you see?” Seth asked, looking concerned.

Ivan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I thought I saw Derrick.”

“But that’s impossible, Derrick would have died hundreds of years ago,” Seth commented.

Ivan nodded. “Yeah, he was human, so should have done.”

“Was Derrick an old ex of yours?” AJ enquired.

“Yeah,” Ivan confirmed. “Very old, and it was a bad break-up. Like very bad.”

“Maybe you should research him and see if he actually died. In your world, anything can happen. Maybe he found a spell to make him live forever,” AJ suggested.

“Goddess, I hope not,” Ivan said.

“Have a search and see what you can find out about him. Hack into the traffic cameras and see if they picked anything up,” Seth ordered. “If he is still alive and dangerous, we have your back; you’ll not face him alone.”

“Thanks. I need to make sure Jamie, Karl and Kitty are safe.”

“The children will be safe here. Jamie might need protecting, but have a search first and see what, if anything, you can find,” Seth said.

“I will do, and pray to everyone I can think of that Derrick is truly dead.”

For some reason, Jamie was rushed off his feet. He was just taking payment from one of his regular customers when his eyes caught the man behind them. He internally rolled his eyes.

“Thanks, Jamie,” the customer said. “Are you sure I can't get your number for my grandson?”

Jamie laughed. “I’m sure, Mrs Stacey, but thank you.”

Mrs Stacey laughed and picked up her drink, walking off to an empty table.

The man stepped forward, and Jamie noticed how handsome he looked, with his classical features and perfect hair, but it was his eyes that scared Jamie; they looked almost dead, the scar at the side of his eye only added to the sense of danger, as well as his dark clothes.

“So your name is Jamie,” the man stated.

“So I’ve heard. What can I get you?”