NIGHTS OF HALLOW

Just as Sthena arrived in his chamber, was exactly when the maid Daemon arranged for him arrived too.

The maid walked in with her head bowed but it didn’t stop her eyes from falling on the woman who lay on the King’s bed.

Her eyes widened for a brief moment before they turned into a glare. Her red eyes simmered in anger and Jealousy.

Sthena didn’t let the maid’s gaze linger more on the sleeping Perdita as he yanked her hand and immediately bit harshly into the maid’s wrist.

Sthena had noticed the action of the maid towards Perdita, and already in a bad mood, he didn’t care if he injured or killed the maid in the process of biting her.

Unbothered by the pain from Sthena’s bite, the maid’s face was quick to flush. A deep blush crept up to her cheeks as she stared at the king with dreamy and loving eyes as if the King was her darling lover.

She had always made sure she was always available and also be the one to be called by Daemon to serve the king each time he needed someone to drink blood from.

She was just an ordinary maid with high ambitions and had gotten her way through lies and deceptions to get where she was today. From being one of the lowest maids in the castle to being promoted as the Head of the maids that served the king.

Having envisioned herself as the King’s favorite, she had done everything in her power to subtly prove to the King that she was strong and was the right choice that would stand by him.

However, finding another woman on the King’s bed when she walked in infuriated her to no end.

The first question that came to her mind was, Who was that woman? Was she the King’s woman, or was she just a night’s stand? And most importantly, when did she arrive at the castle? She had been in the king’s quarters throughout yesterday and she hadn’t seen the king nor this woman enter his chamber, so when did she come in?

So many questions swirled in the head of the maid who held a frown on her face and before she knew it, Sthena had drunk a great quantity of blood from her, making her legs slightly wobble and her head dizzy from the loss of blood and so many thoughts in her head.

”Leave,” The hard voice of Sthena resounded in the head of the maid after he had satisfied his thirst though he held himself back from drinking her dry.

Without sparing the lowly maid another glance, he walked up to the bed where Perdita stirred in her sleep.

It must have been the blood she perceived that woke her from her slumber. He thought.

Perdita’s eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of enchanting and sparkling green eyes that had Sthena entranced as he stared at her face for a long time.

”You’re awake,” He said and wound his right hand around her to help her sit up on the bed.

”What are you still doing here?!” Sthena bellowed at the maid who wanted to stay in the room beside the king and also have a glimpse of the woman on his bed. But the way Perdita sat with her back facing the maid made it impossible for her to see the face of Perdita.

Even though the maid was dizzy, it didn’t stop her eyes from growing big with envy at the way the King was carefully and gently treating the woman. All she wanted to do at the moment was to snap the woman’s neck and keep her away from her King. But the hard voice of Sthena brought her back from her evil thoughts.

The maid gritted her teeth with her hands clenched tightly by her side. She bowed at the King and unwillingly left the King’s room, stomping her wobbling feet in anger.

Perdita sat up on the bed with the help of Sthena and adjusted her eyes to the almost dark and unknown room she found herself in.

Her green eyes looked around the room, taking everything she saw into her brain and accessing it.

Terror and panic slowly crept up her skin at the thought of being in an unfamiliar place that didn’t let her go into detail about how grand the room was. But one word she had for it was, LUXURY. The room spoke loud volumes of luxury.

Everything her eyes landed on looked like it was the costliest of all that could be found in the kingdom and even the neighboring kingdoms.

Perdita’s judging and panic-filled eyes darted around the room before they fell on the man whose voice brought her back to reality.

She could feel the strong but gentle hold of the man on her back as she stared all over his face and the previous images of him flashed in her eyes.

”Sthena,” She muttered in a slightly cracked voice.

”Yes?” Sthena answered with a smile. ”Let me get you something for your parched throat.” He said and left her side.

After a while, he returned with a glass cup in his hand. ”Drink this,” Sthena said and handed the cup to her.

Perdita stretched her hand to take the cup, confusion and worry clearly written on her face.

”I know you are still confused about everything, so you can ask all your questions later when you are strong enough.” Sthena sat on the bed beside her as he spoke. He saw her take a sniff of the content of the glass cup. He explained,

”It is not water. It’s a wine for vampires. It will soften your throat immediately and make your body feel more relaxed.”

Perdita nodded and brought the glass cup to her lips and took a sip to have a taste of the vampire’s wine.

Just a sip and she found herself eager for more and before she knew it, she finished everything in one go.

The first taste had her taste buds jingling and dancing in joy for having tasted something so heavenly and divine. She had never had the opportunity to drink wine and drinking it now with this sweet and delicious taste, she couldn’t help but sigh internally.

She regretted finishing everything. She could have taken her time to drink and savor such a divine-tasting wine.

Sthena chuckled at her reaction and reached to take the empty glass cup from her and said, ”There are more wines in my cellar. If you want more, I’ll be more than glad to give it to you whenever you want it.”

Whenever she wanted it? Perdita internally questioned herself. And did the whenever she wanted it mean anytime in the future?