His eyes were cold and emotionless which glared at the girl. He exuded a powerful, intimidating presence that commanded respect.
The girl in his arms appeared frightened as she gazed back at him. His eyes trailed from her brown ones to her bare neck, lingering on the spot where her pulse beat strongest- the place he most enjoyed sinking his fangs to quench his thirst. The thought made his jaw ache, and he released the girl from his hold.
Like all of his preys, he waited for the girl to run. He enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and the futile attempt to save their lives.
But Eve wasn't leaving, her brown eyes narrowed, looking at him in suspicion.
"You are- are you a vampire thief?" she asked.
The man must have stolen from the market and ran away. He even covered her mouth, preventing her from screaming. He was most definitely a thief. Yes!
The glared down at her guts to call him a thief.
"Wait, you didn't steal and ran away.. yo-you killed someone!" Eve gasped, her eyes was glued on his bloody shirt and gloved hand she just noticed.
One side of his lips pulled up, seeing the fear grow in her widened eyes. He tilted his head and stared at the human.
"Why?" His voice deep that made alarm bells ring in her head.
"I was thirsty," he said, his gloved hands wrapping around her neck. His touch felt like cold tendrils clinging to her skin, sapping the life out of her with every passing moment.
"You said you wouldn't hurt me," Eve reminded him of his earlier words when his hold tightened on her neck.
The man snickered. "Humans," he muttered in disdain.
"How foolish of you to trust a vampire's words," he added.
"You can't just give your word, and then break it, whether you're a vampire or not," Eve retorted.
The man narrowed his eyes at her outburst, feeling slightly irritated. He had expected her to cower in fear, but instead, she was giving some darn human lectures.
Veins appeared around his eyes and his fangs enlarged, peeking out of his parted lips. "Leave," his voice thundered.
The single word he spoke carried a sharp tone of authority, causing a shiver down Eve's spine.
"Are you okay?"
"...."
This stubborn human!
His thirst was still raging and he wanted nothing but to sink his fangs in her delicate neck but somehow, he was able to restrain himself despite his insatiable urge.
His attention shifted to the entrance of the alleyway and Eve also turned which was when the worried head maid arrived.
"Eve?" she sighed out in relief, she had been looking for the girl.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Eve turned back to the man but he was gone, she frowned as she turned to the other end if the alley but there was no trace of him, how did he leave so fast leaving no trace behind?
"What are you looking for?" the head maid asked.
"Who."
"Huh?"
Eve softly sighed as she rubbed her forehead, "I caught a rabbit but lost it when it got here."
"Don't worry Eve, you would get another one," it wasn't the first time the girl had caught a rabbit and taken it home but it always got missing and the woman knew where it always went.
"Sorry for keeping you, let's go home."
They went back to the cart that was parked outside the market and placed all the goods in it before taking a seat on the wooden board of the cart.
"Mrs Gwen, do you think Vampires use magic?" Eve couldn't help but ask, she didn't understand how the man could have vanished.
"No, why?" the cart had started to move on the muddy road in the direction of the mansion.
"Do you think Lady Grace casted a spell on the Duke's son," the woman joked and they both laughed. It was a surprise that the arrogant and spoilt Lady would earn herself such a respectable man.
Grace using a spell book and magic wand? Hilarious, Eve thought as she forgot about the vampire for some moment.
The cart parked few metres from the gates and the two maids got down, carrying the goods through the back door.
"Eve dear, you are back," a middle-aged woman appeared in the kitchen, she was the chef who always had a long wooden ladle as her companion.
"Yes Mrs Coope," Eve smiled at her.
"The party is almost over and I'll get to rest," Mrs Coope sighed.
"I never imagined Lady Grace getting married and to a human," the woman said and shook her head, she walked to the pot and stirred the soup on fire.
"Let's hope she won't be chasing the man out of his house instead," Eve laughed gently. It was a huge relief the young mistress would be leaving.
"Tell me Mrs Coope, how is Mr Rogers doing?" she asked about the woman's husband.
"He's getting better, I took two days leave to tend to him and I almost regretted doing that," she shook her head.
"He got too pampered and asked me to stay till he gets completely better. I had to remind him he wasn't getting any pay on the bed and neither would I if I decided to stay home."
"Mr Rogers is really lucky to have you," Eve said as she cleaned the dishes.
"He must be."
"I would like to meet the man that would be honored to have a loving lady like yourself," she looked at Eve who also turned to stare at her.
"I don't think I have a life outside this walls Mrs Coope," Eve laughed at her predicament.
She couldn't live a great life but she could still dream about it, right?
Unbeknownst to her, a new life was being written down for her in the study room of the mansion.
"I don't agree with that Marphus, Eve don't deserve a better life than Grace," Lady Madonna argued with her husband.
"It's already decided, Madonna."
"I had to agree to get in favor of the King, the Count title is free and giving out Eve would help us get that."
"Eve would be getting married to a King," the woman couldn't believe how her first daughter would get such a position.
"He is a vampire, a ruthless one. Eve wouldn't survive too long, you don't have to bother with that."
Vrussia had long been embroiled in a bitter rivalry with its neighbouring Vampire Kingdom of Howvale. In an efforts to being peace between the two factors, a marriage alliance was proposed to unite the humans and vampires. When Marphus learned of this, he quickly put forward Evelyn's name to the Duke, who automatically selected her to be the bride.
Eve had always wondered why the two Kingdoms continued to fight against each other, despite having members of both factions living within each other's territory. Her own family had lived peacefully in Vrussia for generations, and she struggled to understand the animosity that still existed between the two sides.
And now, it will be all settled like how she always wanted it but her life was going to take a huge turn she wasn't expecting.
Madonna finally sighed and sat on a chair, "She would be informed about it tomorrow morning. Sending her off faster would be good," having the Countess title was tempting and it wasn't bad to sacrifice the human for it.