Chapter Thirteen : The Shopkeeper
Eliza
spoke up in an almost hypnotic tone, “Try to focus. Look him in the eyes and focus your
will. Push your desires over his.”
Annabelle
did just that. She took a deep breath
and looked deeply into his hate filled eyes.
She repeated, “I would like to buy this doll. Please.”
The
storeowner blinked and nodded his head.
He rang up the doll and told her the price. Annabelle placed some currency on the counter
and then walked towards Eliza with a broad smile on her face.
Roland
stepped forward and pointed behind the man, “Can I have that ball, sir?”
“What’s
going on? How did that girl get that
doll? Who are you urchins?”
Roland
tried to focus. “The ball, sir. Give it
to me.” His face scrunched up with
concentration. Annabelle suppressed a
giggle, but when the storeowner ignored him and stormed over to yank the doll
out of her hands, she blanched.
“Give
me that, you stupid urchin!” He raised his arm to hit her but in a blur Roland
grabbed his arm. The storekeeper’s eyes
widened with shock.
“Roland,
stop!” Before he could bite down on the
man’s arm, Annabelle pushed her brother back.
Roland’s body smashed into a display of dishes.
As
he stood up and brushed the broken plates off, Eliza scolded him. “We don’t
feed on mortals, remember?”
“He
couldn’t hurt me,” Annabelle chimed in.
“My
dishes! How can you urchins move so--”
Eliza silenced the storekeeper with a stern glance.
The
minute Eliza’s eyes locked with Roland’s, his defiance melted to shame. “I’m sorry.
I thought he was going to hurt her.”
Annabelle
hugged him. “Thank you for caring enough to try and save me.”
The
firmness in Eliza’s voice grabbed their attention. “Roland, next time control
your temper and focus. He cannot harm
us. He has no wooden stake or any other
weapon. To properly mesmerize someone
you must push your thoughts over theirs.
Push your will. Now try it.”
“Mister
Shopkeeper, it’s not nice to bully others.
You should be more polite.”
The
man mumbled the word, “Polite.”
“Now
please go fetch that red ball. Yes. Thank you.”
Roland placed the money on the counter and continued with his practice. “Now forget you ever saw us and...
leave. Yes! Leave town.”
“Roland, wait.
You can’t just tell him to--”
Annabelle’s
voice must’ve broken the trance because the shopkeeper’s eyes opened wide with
terror. Eliza spoke up quickly. “The trance I put him under has completely
broken. He can see us for what we
truly--”
“You’re
vampires!” His face white with fear, he shouted, “Vampires are in my shop! I’m going to die! Help!”
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