The trio continued their dash towards the village. The Titans, though relentless, were also strangely inefficient in their pursuit, often crashing into one another or stumbling over the uneven terrain.
As they drew nearer to the small village on the horizon, the ground grew rougher, and the horse's labored breaths revealed its exhaustion.
Kaito patted the horse's neck as if consoling it. "Don't give up on us just yet, noble steed. We'll get through this."
The village drew closer, and Kaito's grip on the horse's reins tightened. As they entered the village's outskirts, it was evident that it had seen better days. Abandoned houses, overgrown with ivy, stood like silent sentinels against the relentless march of time.
The eerie stillness of the place sent shivers down Carla's spine, and the horse nervously snorted. Instead of taking the straight path, Kaito led them on a roundabout way to enter the village.
Carla couldn't hold back her anxiety any longer. "Kaito, this place gives me the creeps."
Kaito turned to her, his expression unreadable. "That's because you haven't seen it through my eyes yet."
With that cryptic remark, he pulled on the reins, stopping the horse. Carla did as he instructed, dismounting from the horse and scanning the surroundings for a hiding place. The tension in the air was palpable as they waited for Kaito's next move.
Moments later, the eerie silence of the village was shattered by an otherworldly scream, a sound that didn't seem to belong in their world. The horse reared in panic, and Carla's heart raced.
"What was that?" Carla exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear.
Kaito grinned, his eyes alight with an almost sinister excitement. "That, my dear Carla, was the sound of the Titans chasing us, getting a taste of their own medicine. I've just set a little trap for our pursuers."
As the ground rumbled beneath them, Carla watched in amazement as several large boulders rolled down the hills surrounding the village, crashing into the pursuing Titans with tremendous force.
The earth-shaking impact left the Titans disoriented and stumbling. Suddenly, the ground caved in beneath their feet, revealing a deep ditch that was big enough to bury the smaller Titans while also preventing the larger ones from climbing up anytime soon.
Kaito laughed as the chaos unfolded. "I told you, Carla, life's full of surprises. Well, not that one. It was contingency 66. Now, let's find a place to rest; we won't be seeing a Titan here for some time."
As they ventured through the village searching for a house in livable condition, many questions swirled in Carla's mind, the most pressing being, 'Who is he?' or, perhaps more accurately, 'What is he?' The events she had witnessed, from the inexplicable defeat of the Titan to the strange trap he had set, defied the boundaries of human capability.
Still, she refrained from asking any questions during their horse ride, concerned about his potential reaction and the fact that Kaito hadn't divulged anything about his superhuman abilities.
After 15 minutes of exploration, they found a house in somewhat good condition. Eager to have some respite from the nightmarish pursuit of Titans, Carla began to dust off the dwelling as best as she could. Leaving the horse to graze freely in the vicinity, Kaito entered the house carrying the bag the horse had been laden with and collapsed onto the ground.
"Ahh, finally some rest," Kaito sighed, leaning back against a wall.
Carla watched him curiously, trying to figure out how someone who had just evaded a horde of Titans could be so nonchalant about it all. A thousand questions still swirled in her mind, but she knew that this was not the right time to demand answers.
Carla shifted uncomfortably against the wall as Kaito reclined on the ground. She hesitated momentarily, her curiosity about him and the surreal events they'd experienced overcoming her shyness.
"So, Kaito," she began cautiously, "you won't get angry if I ask you some questions, right?"
Kaito raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "That depends on the questions. Like if you ask me why I have a hard-on, obviously I'm gonna get mad."
The unexpected comment caught Carla off guard, and she couldn't help but glance at the conspicuous bump in his pants. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she quickly looked away, her intended questions seemingly forgotten.
Minutes passed in an awkward silence until Carla quietly asked, her voice trembling, "Why do you have a hard-on?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Carla regretted asking such an inappropriate question. She scolded herself for her lack of self-control, but it was too late to take it back now.
Kaito, who had been casually reclining, suddenly sat up, his expression mischievous. "Oh, you want to know?" he replied, letting his eyes wander up and down Carla's body, as if undressing her with his gaze. "Somebody was pressing her body so hard against me while riding the horse. Is that really a question she should be asking after that?"
Carla's face reddened further, and she stammered, "I—I didn't mean it like that! It's just... I was trying to ask something else."
Kaito burst into laughter, realizing he had embarrassed her and enjoying her flustered reaction. "I'm just messing with you, Carla. You can ask whatever you want. I won't get angry, promise."
Carla, still red-faced, cleared her throat and decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. "Fine, then. Who are you, and how did you manage to do all those things with the Titans?"
Kaito leaned back on his hands, looking up at the old, cracked ceiling of the house. "Well, Carla, let me tell you a story."
Carla scooted closer to him, intrigued despite her earlier embarrassment.
Kaito continued, "Have you ever heard of vampires?"
Carla thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No, that's a new word for me."
Kaito's gaze turned thoughtful as he explained, "Vampires are a species of supernatural creatures."
"Supernatural creatures?" Carla's eyes widened in disbelief. "You can't be serious."
Kaito chuckled. "I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true. Vampires are known for their incredible strength, speed, and regenerative abilities. They often feed on the blood of the living to sustain themselves."
Kaito grinned, revealing his unnaturally sharp canines. "Well, you could say that. Vampires, Carla, are indeed real."
Carla's skepticism was evident in her voice. "So, what does this have to do with you?"
Kaito grinned, revealing unnaturally sharp canines. "Because, Carla, I happen to be one of them—a vampire.
The abilities you've seen me use against the Titans are part of what we can do. I'm different from the average vampire, though. Not that you will meet one, but let's just say I have some unique talents."
Carla's mind whirled with this new revelation, and she struggled to comprehend the implications of what Kaito had just disclosed. "That's... that's impossible!"
Kaito chuckled softly, his features a mix of amusement and sorrow. "Carla, after everything you've seen today, is it really that hard to believe? Titans exist, Carla, and so do vampires."
Carla couldn't argue with that, not after the surreal experiences she'd lived through. She leaned back, her face etched with a mixture of shock, fear, and fascination. "So, Why are you helping me? "
Kaito raised an eyebrow, smirking as he leaned closer to Carla. "Let's just say I wasn't initially inclined to help you. But then I saw that pretty face of yours, and I couldn't resist coming to your aid."
Carla blushed and rolled her eyes. "You really can't be serious for a moment, can you?"
Kaito continued to tease Carla, leaning in closer with an impish grin. "Come on, Carla, aren't you curious about what a vampire could do?"
Carla was both intrigued and flustered. "I guess I am, but that doesn't mean I want to find out firsthand."
Kaito chuckled. "I promise not to bite... unless you ask me to." His playful tone and suggestive gaze made Carla blush even more.
"So, Carla," he began with a sly grin, "is your husband as charming as me?"
Carla sighed, trying to ignore his playful advances. "Kaito, we're in the middle of a Titan apocalypse. Now isn't the time for such conversations."
Kaito's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Ah, but isn't facing death together the perfect time for a heart-to-heart? Besides, I've saved your life a few times now. I think that deserves at least one romantic story."
Carla rolled her eyes, a faint blush on her cheeks. "I don't know why I even bother with you."
Kaito chuckled and leaned in closer. "Because, Carla, you secretly enjoy it. And who knows, by the end of all this, you might just fall for your handsome savior."
Carla couldn't help but smile despite herself. "You're impossible, Kaito."
Kaito winked. "I prefer to think of myself as irresistible." Saying so, he leaned even closer, making Carla's eyes widen a bit and her cheeks getting even rosier. Just as she was about to say something, Kaito stepped back.
"Take some rest, we will be leaving in 2 hours, and there's some food in the bag if you hungry," he said as he walked out of doors, leaving behind Carla, whose heart was experiencing the turbulence of feelings.