Valhoon stared at the girl desperately pleading to go home. Such a little fool. If he was in her place, there was no way he was going to leave such a beautiful place and go back to the forest. She was so interesting that he wanted to keep her.
"I don't let people who help me leave my palace empty handed. So tell me, what do you want as a reward?" He asked.
"How did I help you?"
"You've forgotten that you helped me get rid of the poison on my body that day?"
"Oh, that? It's nothing, I always do that to my pets. Don't consider it," Raziel answered, waving her hands backward.
"Do I look like a pet to you?" Valhoon asked, standing up from the chair and hovering over her. How dare this girl indirectly call him a pet? First, she called him an animal, and now pet?
"N-no, you're not a pet, you're a person," she replied hurriedly.
"Now name your reward and I'll give it to you. Do that before I change my mind."
"I don't want any reward."
"Are you sure? I'm asking for the last time."
"Yes I do know of one reward but I don't know if that will be too much," She replied.
"Name it. I'll be the one to decide if it's too much or not."
"Hmm, you said you're the king right?" She asked and when she received no response, she continued, "I'll only believe you're the king if you reward me by getting my family out of the forest. If you're a king this wouldn't be so hard right? Just give the order and we're out," Raziel said, peering at him with her big round gray eyes. This is an opportunity to get out of that godforsaken forest and she was going to grab it as if her whole life depends on it. This was the opportunity to atone for her foolishness and get her family out of that cramped place.
"Don't try acting smart with me, Raziel, I'll get your family out of the forest and I'll give your family back their mansion and position in this country. A good citizen who helps their King should be rewarded massively. This would make our country's fame strengthen."
"R-really? You get my family out of there?"
"I already told you I will, and I hate being questioned. Now come with me I'll take you home," Valhoon offered, walking to the door of the room with Raziel trailing behind, but before he could open the door, her stomach made a weird noise causing him to turn back to her.
She has been hungry ever since she woke up but she decided not to say anything with the possibility that they will serve her raw flesh and blood instead of real food.
"I think I should get you fed we wouldn't want you falling unconscious from hunger," he said and she quickly shook her head in disapproval.
"No, I'm fine I-I don't want to eat raw flesh or drink blood like a vampire."
" Now who told you, vampires, only eat raw flesh? is it your friends?"
"There are no friends in the forest except those pretty doves. They will surely be hungry by now, I would have to go and feed them," she said thinking about her pets.
"Come with me. I'll give you cooked food and if you don't want it, then let's get on the journey to the forest. If you dare fall unconscious because of hunger, I will leave you for the wild animals to feast on understood?" Valhoon threatened.
"O-okay fine, I'll eat something and you take me home."
They walked out of the room with Raziel gawking around, her mouth open. Was this place made of gold? The walls were made of gold. She suddenly wanted to reconsider her decision on leaving this place now. They walked past a lot of maids with their heads bent and some staring at her. She was still turning and staring around like a lost cat when her head came in contact with a wall.
"Ouch," she exclaimed rubbing her forehead and raising a head to stare at the wall. It was a wall and a strong one at that. This was going to leave a scar. She turned to the other side and saw Valhoon shaking his head at her. This was such an embarrassment. He had actually turned to the left but due to her looking around and praising everything she came across, she failed to notice and that brought her hitting the hard wall. She finished her meal in the beautiful dining hall and just like he said there was a lot of human cooked food there. She never thought vampires eat cooked meals.
..........
They both went outside the palace gate and Valhoon wore her a large hood jacket that covered her entire body He slipped the golden stick which he has been carrying along, into his pocket and bend to carry her, but she suddenly hissed and backed off. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to take you home."
"No, are you going to carry me and run there? I'm going to freeze to death like I almost did the last time."
"That's why I wore you this hooded jacket. Now, come on let's leave."
"But there are cars here, why don't we take one?" Raziel asked.
"You want to take a car to the middle of the forest? How stupid are you? Hold me tight," he ordered, brushing her off her feet and carrying her princess style. Raziel quickly did as he asked and wound her arms around his neck.
He leaped into the woods and ran forward, jumping through the trees and speeding deeper into the forest. Raziel's hair was flying with him, with a few strands sticking on his face. The sleeve head of the jacket had fallen off from her hair to her shoulders, causing her red hair to fly around.
This hood jacket is so cool, she thought as she buried her face in Valhoon's neck. The jacket shield her from the cold in the forest and warmed her.
She suddenly pinched his neck hard for him to stop, but he didn't bulge and she pricked him again, this time harder than the first and he stopped to stare at her.