Bella changed her path and went to the Forek lane where local carriages were hired. She gave two silver coins to the man and took the seat near window. It was the money she had earned last time when she went to human lands.
Thanks to her skills of painting, she had made many portraits that day and earned a fair share. If luck gave chance, she was going to earn more today. With that thought, she smiled.
"The carriage did not go to black market." the man warned and everyone turned to look at her with a wary look as if she was going to hell. "I will leave you near Millnole street." he announced and before she could refuse, the carriage started again.
Bella did not care about the strange gaze she was getting. With time, she had become habitual of far worse. They crossed a few lines before stopping in front of a dark street.
"If you walk straight and cross that dark alley, you will reach black market." Bella nodded but the man was still not done, "I will still advise that a naive and weak woman like you did not go there. That is not a fair where you can dwell on your own."
She snorted at the comparison. The bracelet in her hands was only there because her anger had killed twenty people or was it because she had burnt a row of house just with her gaze. She was a monster, an untamed one at that. Nothing could be more harmful in this whole world except her.
As she crossed the dark alley he had told her about, she noticed lighting just like in the fair. The sound of flute and singing took her attention as she entered.
Except for the fact that every customer was wearing a cloak and the street felt silent and deserted despite hundreds of men walking in and out, the place was no different from other markets.
There were small and large shops covering both sides of the path. They were not shouting to sell their goods like market but their eyes were judging everyone. And if they notice a visitor stopping in front of their shop, they lure them in with sweet words.
Bella felt their eyes on her whenever she stopped to look around but none of them called for her. As if they knew, she was not their customer. She shook her head and walked further only to see a large crowd standing on the left side.
"Witches! I have potions made by witches that can sustain your youth. A drop of it before sleeping and you would stay young like them all your life." Bella paused, surprised that a witch made something like that for humans. She walked closer when the woman frowned, not happy to see her blocking the potential customer.
"What do you need, girl?" the woman with her crooked back hissed at Bella, "if you scare my customers away, i will force you to buy it."
Bella stared at the green and red liquid in the hands of the woman and frowned. "I want one of them." she announced, making the woman squint her eyes, "how much is it?"
"Twenty gold coins." The woman announced with a smirk. It grew wider when Bella's eyes widened. "Leave now or I will force you to buy it."
Bella walked away. Even if she was curious to know about the potion, she did not have that much wealth to splurge. Her attention was again on her left where she could see a few men and women at the Dais.
"You should not be there." a voice stopped her and she tilted her head to see a youngster with crimson eyes. Her eyes widened and she took a step back with fear when the man grinned.
"That is a slave house. If anyone found a long girl standing there, you would be next on the stage and be sold before you can even blink." he stared at her from top to toe and frowned when he noticed her silver hair.
But her eyes were black like commoner, humans. "Do they have a spell to change the eye color now, witch?" she flinched the way he called her and she could feel hostility developing in his eyes.
"I am not a witch!" she hissed, "my hair went white because of a disease. My body lacked iron." the youngster tilted his head and walked closer.
Despite feeling anxious to see a vampire for the first time, she only felt curious when he came closer. His movements were agile but except his eyes and pale skin there was nothing really different about him.
She did not understand why witches were so afraid of this creature. She could easily handle him.
"Luhan must be exaggerating." she decided loudly when the man raised a brow. "You do not smell like witches." he replied, making her roll her eyes.
"Even if they change their physical look, most of them reek of potions and aftereffects of magic. But i do not sense any on you." Should she be flattered about it? It was all thanks to her mother.
She had not let Bella perform any spell since her birth and after the last explosion four months ago, she had not made any potion either.
"I never knew a vampire can sniff witches." would her father be happy if she shared this information with him or perhaps she could convince him that she knew more and he would finally take her to high Altar. "What else can you do?"
The man blinked, surprised by her sudden enthusiasm. Her bored eyes gleaming with curiosity and joy when he raised a brow,
"Why shall I tell you?" He scoffed, ready to walk away when she held his wrist. He paused and stared at the entangled hands as if he was looking at a new creature.
"How did you do it?" his eyes went to her face again, "how could you hold my hands without running behind me?"