Indecent Folks

I ignored what he just said and balled my fist, looking for Sawyer in the crowd of men. "Where's Sawyer?"

He silently watched me before holding out his gloved right hand. "Come closer," he whispered.

My eyes scanned him from head to toe. "Did you just try to compel me?"

His lips formed into a mesmerizing smile; it wasn't anything I've seen before. It felt like that smile was only his, and no one else could copy it just as beautiful. "I heard you could resist the compulsion, so it was a humble request," he replied. "I couldn't hear you earlier." He spoke with so much respect, but I could see the lust in his eyes with how he looked at me. Every stroke of his gaze felt like a warm touch to my skin.

"I assume you're a vampire. You surely heard it." I turned to the men around me. "You're all vampires!" I yelled. "And I was inside asking for help!" They looked away and cleared their throat, so I clenched my jaw and glared at the man in front of me. "But no one came. Did you enjoy watching me run for my life?" I scowled.

He took a deep breath, and in just a blink of an eye, disinterest filled his eyes. "I apologize. We were just testing your abilities. Records came a few minutes after you passed out. You're a swordsmanship mentor at Peraven Academy, Self Defence Division. You're also a murderer," he revealed. I held my breath and stepped back. The crowd behind him began whispering to each other as I stood there tongue-tied. My head spun when I heard the same shrieks and growling again while that bloody place lingered in my head. Shivers travelled down my spine when I felt anxious at the gazes that they pinned towards me. "You're convicted and sent to jail eight months ago. Sentenced with ten-year imprisonment and placing 16th on death row."

I bit my lower lip as he uttered those words boldly. "Are you going to send me back?" I asked.

He beamed, but although it was the prettiest smile I've ever seen, I couldn't trust it. "You've come a long way. Most jailbreakers don't even get past five kilometres from the Penal Camp. However, you're able to reach this region and enter one of the kingdom's heavily fortified villages. I commend you on that."

"I'm hungry. Can I get more than commendation?"

His smile grew wider while he nodded. "Come with me."

He walked away, and I took one last glance at the vamps around us. They began going on their way and entering their houses, so I followed the smug vamp when he walked towards the main entrance. We took a few turns inside the mansion, and none of them stayed in my memories.

We ended up on the topmost floor. Unlike every other place, this one had no hallway and had only one door. "Where are we?" I asked.

"Mansion's left-wing," he said.

I trailed along behind him and spotted a spacious and elegant bedroom. Everything was shades of brown, the curtains, furniture, and the bed to my right. The ceiling was a dome coated with black paint and carved with gold paisley designs. There was a fireplace beside the floor-to-ceiling window, and on its edge were sconces, illuminating the area. My eyes darted at the empty wooden table by the window before I turned to him. "I said I was hungry. Why did you give me a tour?" Snubbing my question, he untied his cape and took his vest off, tossing them on the rack beside the wall. Then he placed his sword on the holder and took his gloves off before finally looking in my direction. I heard a few footsteps behind me, so I turned and saw two women walking towards us. They held a tray of food. I stepped aside to let them in while I observed their features. Are they vampires too? I know vampires follow a power structure as well, but how did they end up as servants while this man seemed like a lord?

They wore simple black dresses where the collars hugged their necks, and their grey bodice shaped their body elegantly. They look better than me. My hand prickled as I gripped onto my nightwear too hard. I realized I'm still bleeding, and now my dress has bloodstain all over the skirt, triggering the memories of my crime again. I shut my eyes, but my body suddenly withered as I fell on the floor.

**

My eyes burned from the warm sunlight, so I pulled the sheet over my face. A pleasant scent filled my nose, and it was too fragrant, prompting me to shove the sheet away from me. I caught a figure beside me and almost jumped in confusion when I saw that it was the man from last night.

I moved away and fell on the carpeted floor while a faint growl escaped my lips. Someone wrapped my wounded hand with a bandage and made me wear a cotton robe. The man showed himself to my line of sight and gazed down at me. "What are you doing there?" His hoarse voice echoed in the room like a devil whispering to my ear.

"Why am I in your bed!" I yelled, causing him to shut his eyes. He's not even wearing a shirt! His heavily toned arms flexed as he propped his forearm to support his weight. He ran his fingers through his long wavy hair that fell nicely on his shoulder.

"Are you done gawking?" he asked. I looked away when I noticed his smirk, but my stomach growled again, so I turned back to him. "Can I finally have a meal now?" I pleaded and looked around for the tray of food that the handmaids brought last night.

On the table, there was a feast? I walked up to the table and found fruits, bread, meat and chicken dishes, a wine bottle, pitcher and kettle. I pulled a chair and smiled. "This is perfect. Can I pack some of these once I leave?" I asked before putting the slice of bread on my plate and scooping a grape jam from a bowl.

"Where are you off to?" the man asked behind me. I don't even know his name. I caught him standing up, revealing his white pair of drawers that hung loosely over his hips.

I got a glimpse of his toned lower abdomen and the huge bulge between his legs, so I shifted my gaze back to the table and shoved the bread into my mouth. "Anywhere as long as it's outside the four regions of Peraven," I replied. When he finally settled on the chair beside me, he already had a green tunic on with gold lace on the collar. He tied his hair into a bun, so I had to slightly move my face away to keep his elbow from hitting me.

I glanced at him and noticed his nicely tapered hair on the lower part of his head. He picked up the kettle and poured himself a tea while he took a glance at me. "Still not done gawking?" he asked.

His deep voice sounded attractive, but I would never let him know that, so I sat straight and kept my eyes glued to my plate. "Why is this village so welcoming?" I asked, lowering my voice. I once imagined how it would turn if I ran into vampires, and the situation that always came to my mind was that they would just outright suck my blood. I've seen vampires before but not here; in some other kingdom, imprisoned.

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"We don't starve for blood if you didn't notice. Except for the young woman," he said.

"What happened to her?"

"One of us found her and took her in a few hours before you. Paige cured her with vampire blood since she was already dying, but she died before the blood takes effect, so she turned." You killed her just like that," I realized.

"She's already dead. Our guild follows a set of rules. If we accidentally turn anyone, we have to kill them."

"But why?"

"Do you want to be a vampire?” he asked. My jaw dropped as I gently shook my head. Then I finally got his point. "Being like us is something you wouldn't want. So did that girl," he added. "Sawyer was nice," I said, glancing at him. He clenched his jaw before taking a quick sip on his teacup.

"Hmm," he agreed, coldly at that.

"And Paige too."

He sighed and pulled a plate of a chicken dish closer to me. "Eat. You passed out because of hunger and blood loss."

I suddenly remembered my injury, so I bent to reach my calf. "Impressive..." I whispered when I figured that my wound has healed.

"Paige gave me a herb last night. Can I have some of that too?"

"If you need everything you see in here, then why don't you just stay?"

I fell silent, taken aback at his question. I didn't know what to say. He looked away and clicked his tongue before picking up a piece of blueberry on the bowl. I brushed off his question because he might not be serious about that. Me? Live in a village full of vampires? I might as well just die.

"You're not acting like the witch in Hansel and Gretel, are you?" I asked.

He wrinkled his forehead as he turned to me. "What are you talking about?"

"You sheltered me and gave me food. The witch sheltered the siblings and fed them only to eat them after," I said. He shut his eyes like he was trying to hang onto his last string of patience, so I turned back to my food and continued eating. "Just making sure," I whispered.

I took my time eating while he finished his tea and stood to get his sword. He walked up to the couch in front of the fireplace and picked up a bottle from the floor. He poured its contents on the firewood and lit a match. When he finished lighting the fireplace, he settled down and began cleaning his sword.

Even the side of his face could compare to the beauty of classic art. How unfair for the rest of the world. I finished my meal with a glass of water before turning to him. "I should go back to my room and prepare to leave," I informed him, but he didn't respond. "What's your name?" I asked as I stood.

"Rougan."

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "When Paige tended my injury last night, she told me certain things about this village. She also said that if I leave here alive, she will kill me because of the things I learned." He stopped wiping his sword and stared at the fireplace. "I cannot be compelled, so killing me was her only option to protect this village's secrets. Will I be able to leave peacefully?"

He had a perfectly sculpted face, so I could see him clench his jaw even from a few steps away. "Don't mind whatever she told you. They won't bring any harm because I informed them that you're my visitor," he replied, going back to cleaning his sword.

"And you will let me go just like that? Despite knowing almost everything?"

He gently shook his head, still won't look at me. "Even if you tell people, who will believe a murderer and fugitive like you?" His words pierced through my chest like a dagger, making me shudder in an instant. "In any case, you don't know everything. You don't even know half of it," he added.

My eyes landed on the floor before I stepped out of his bedroom. I wasn't sure that I took the right turns, but I was already too lightheaded to care. I just kept walking until I reached an arched hallway. I believe I'm already on the ground floor, but I don't remember passing through this hallway here last night.

Without warning, a disturbing scream blasted somewhere, prompting me to take a step back and grip onto the collar of my robe. My eyes landed on the only door in the hallway situated at the other far end. This whole place won't stop terrifying me with its shockers.