Two days ago, I would have been scared out of my wits.
But now, I calmly sat up to investigate. A prickle of unease drew my eyes to the foot of the bed. Something wasn't right. Who boards up the bottom of a bed frame?
Without bothering to find a latch or hinge, I pried off a plank. My hand closed around the familiar hilt of my knife, always kept within arm's reach.
A figure scrambled as the board gave way. The cold silver of my blade was pressed against the figure's throat before any reaction was possible.
The young woman before me was a captivating sight. Her blonde hair was a tangled mess, her facial features exquisite and heroic. Her dirty face was contorted in anger. A gag muffled her words, which were undoubtedly far from friendly.
Her once pristine white dress was torn and soiled, her hands bound behind her back. A fresh bruise marked her forehead. She must have hit her head on the bed frame just now.
Recognizing her beautiful face, my expression changed from confusion to anger. I drew a shaky breath, trying to regain my composure.
How much trouble...had I left for myself?
Anger wouldn't change the situation, so I sighed and calmly pulled the cloth out of her mouth.
"You scum! Consorting with beastvamps! You'll regret this!" she spat, her voice raw. "Release me, or I'll have my mentor flay you alive! You–"
A silver flash silenced her. The woman's gaze fell to the severed rope, her mouth still agape with unfinished curses. Her expression shifted from rage to confusion.
Released, yet not as she'd expected.
Licking her lips, she hesitated a moment before asking, "I'm starving. Have you any food?"
I met her gaze and shook my head. "Get out."
Tempting as it was to have a woman by my side, inviting trouble was the last thing I needed. Her identity alone was enough to keep me up at night.
Pinewood County wasn't particularly wealthy, but it had its share of affluent merchants, the Hightower family being the most prominent among them. Their fortune was built on the tobacco trade, rather common in the region.
Mr. Hightower's only daughter, however, was a different story. While he doted on her, even he wouldn't defy the authorities.
The problem was that "only daughter." The old man had a wive and… let's just say, a rather complex family life. Yet, he produced few children, most of whom had died young. Only this daughter remained.
In desperation, he adopted a son to carry on the family business. As for the daughter, afraid of similar tragedy, he focused on her physical training and development, sparing no expense.
What no one expected was that she was truly gifted and returned from her studies with a newfound passion for… slaying vamps.
And this was where I came in.
The girl, foolishly venturing out of town, had riled a band of foxvamps. It was only with great effort I'd saved her life.
See, one particular fox, curious about the human world, had decided to play a little game of Pauper and Prince. It had brought the girl here, to my doorstep. Not only it transformed its appearance to match hers perfectly, it even mimicked her every word and action. I, in turn, had delivered the "gravely wounded" daughter back to the Hightower mansion, crafting a convenient tale of amnesia to explain away any inconsistencies.
The fox, pleased with my handling of the matter, had given me the girl as a reward. So long as she remained outside the street of Pinewood County, I could do with her as I pleased. To ensure my safety, her powers had been sealed.
"Days ago I had rice porridge, now I'm denied even water," Rose Hightower rasped, hauling herself onto the edge of the bed.
I eyed her warily. "I released you. Why haven't you left?"
A shapeshifting fox was far beyond my capabilities to handle. It had infiltrated the Hightower mansion and, as of yet, harmed no one. I had no desire to escalate the situation.
"Do you take me for a fool?" Rose retorted, rubbing her stomach. "That beast placed a tracker in me. If I leave this room, it will know within the half-hour."
A humorless laugh escaped my lips. "So, you think I'm the safe option, am I?"
"Touch me, and I'll fight you to my last breath," she declared, her eyes flashing with defiance. "But if you leave me be, I'll simply...eat."
Judging by her fierce gaze, the girl clearly valued her meals.
I had no desire to prolong this conversation. "I'm going to rest now. As long as you remain quiet, you may do as you please."
With that, I lay back down, the official knife tucked under my arm.
Moments later, I glanced back.
There was no denying Rose Hightower's beauty. Even in her disheveled state, she was the most striking woman I'd ever encountered.
But it was still difficult to withstand her sitting beside me like a ghost, hair disheveled, expressionless, staring at me with those big eyes.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked, annoyed.
"I haven't made a sound," Rose replied and kept staring.
"I'm sorely tempted to shove you back under the bed," I muttered, slowly sitting up.
"Suit yourself. Shall I offer my wrists for rebinding?" Rose extended her hands, a sardonic twist to her lips.
That look on her face made me wonder who the real rascal was: "Are you trying to latch onto me?"
"I simply don't wish to die," she said calmly. "And to live, I must eat."
"If you didn't wish to die, you wouldn't have antagonized those foxes," I retorted, feeling a surge of frustration. I'd assumed her to be rash and impulsive, but turned out she was quite resilient.
Her brow furrowed. "They prey upon the people of Pinewood County. How have I antagonized them?"
With that, she leaned closer, her fingers tracing the hem of my blood-stained uniform.
She sniffed at it like a curious animal, then raised her head. "Besides, aren't you provoking them as well?"
"I'm not as foolish as you," I scoffed, pushing her face away. "Did you learn anything from your mentor?"
Recognizing the scent of vampire blood so easily, she must possess some skills.
"The mountain-splitting axe, the vampire -slaying sword, the eighteen-style wave-breaking palm..." she began to recite.
"Which one do you want to learn?" She asked, "Just for two measly toasts."
"Just go to bed." Watching Rose's exaggerated gestures, I couldn't help but smirk.
Indeed, it was a rare stroke of luck to encounter someone like Wade who could casually share a training technique. Once in a lifetime was enough. My own panel was far more trustworthy.
As I settled back onto the bed, Rose reluctantly lowered her hands.
She realized the bluff didn't work. Her casually made-up names wouldn't earn her a free meal.
She stared at her abductor's back, deep in thought. Could it be that I've been out in the field too long? she wondered. How did a mere policeman come so close to the First Realm?
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. Maybe I should try again, this time making up some names that's more realistic ...