Chapter 12
It was only after quite some time that Melony finally looked over at Cain, who had come out at last.
“…What did you talk about in there?”
“Do you really think I’d tell you? More importantly—Mel. You didn’t take your medicine, did you?”
“How do you even know that?”
“Because I’ve been watching you the whole time. And also…”
Cain opened his palm. A red pill sat in the middle of it. Melony’s brow furrowed instantly.
“When did you—! …take that.”
Melony’s voice had risen before she hurriedly reeled it back in. Making noise here would only draw attention. And the last thing she needed was attention in a vampire village.
She reached out to snatch the pill back, but Cain was faster—as if he’d predicted her movement. He closed his fist and shoved it straight into his pocket.
“Well then. Since you don’t have this, you know what you have to do, right?”
“Cain.”
“Oh? Planning to use holy power here? Go ahead if you want to die. It’ll be quite a show.”
Cain’s eyes curved like crescents. Melony bit her lip and let out a sigh so heavy it seemed to sink into the ground.
“…You lunatic.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Ha…”
As her sighs continued, Cain chuckled. Then he slowly curled his fingers around hers—one by one—before locking her hand tightly in his.
“Don’t let go. Unless you wanna die, that is. I don’t care either way.”
“…”
“Choose.”
“There’s nothing to choose.”
They had already entered the village. At this point, taking the pill back would take much longer than letting Cain use his camouflage ability.
I let him pickpocket my pill without noticing…
This was her mistake—one she needed to reflect on.
For a hunter, weapons and pills were extensions of their own body. She knew that better than anyone, yet she’d relaxed for a moment and let her guard down.
Seeing her expression, Cain wore a victor’s smile.
“How is it?”
Melony, lips pressed in a straight line, lifted her head a little.
“What is?”
“A village full of vampires. You were curious, weren’t you?”
“I never said that.”
“No point denying it when your face is full of curiosity.”
Unbelievable. Was her expression really that easy to read? Melony ground her teeth internally.
Instead of answering, she looked around at the vampires and their town.
The vampire village was surprisingly ordinary—not much different from a human one. People gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing peacefully.
“See? It’s not so different from where you lived.”
“…Yeah.”
“Hm.”
“What are you staring at—ugh. Move your fingers.”
He had first grabbed her hand lightly, almost like a child’s game. But then Cain shifted his hand, lacing their fingers together. She tried to yank hers free, but he tightened his grip.
“Do you have a death wish, Mel?”
“Haa…”
She would never let her pill be taken again. She’d rather risk her life than have unnecessary contact with a vampire.
Annoyed, Melony dragged Cain along. Watching her suffer seemed to entertain him greatly—she almost wanted to shoot him right then and there.
“Just bear with it a little.”
Cain’s soft voice brushed her ear.
“It’s not like I want to cling affectionately to a hunter.”
“Then hold me loosely.”
“The deeper the contact, the better my aura clings. Makes the disguise stronger.”
It seemed Cain wasn’t lying. Even as vampires passed on either side, none reacted. His aura must’ve covered her well enough to conceal her entirely.
It was an annoyingly convenient ability. Part of her wanted it too.
Not that I’d ever want to use it.
Needing physical contact for the ability was disgusting—beyond unpleasant.
Melony pulled her hood forward to make sure it wouldn’t fall off.
“Do humans never come to this village?”
“Some do. Humans who wander in by accident.”
“And what happens to them?”
“You know that already. What happens when a vampire wanders into a human village?”
“…Right.”
A pointless question. She had simply wondered if vampire villages worked differently.
But seeing these peaceful vampires had made her imagination wander.
If a vampire was discovered in a normal village, they’d be killed immediately. Or captured and taken to Clovis. What happened after that was a mystery no one returned to tell.
“Mel, do you like alcohol?”
The place Melony walked toward was a tavern.
She didn’t particularly like drinking, but she often used taverns to gather information.
“No.”
She sat down firmly—still holding Cain’s hand.
“Oh my, what a loving couple,” the waitress said, glancing at their interlocked hands with envy. Melony desperately wanted to pull away, but she held it together.
With difficulty, she forced a smile and ordered two beers and some sausages.
“You don’t even like alcohol. Why order it?”
“Taverns are the best places to gather information.”
“Ahh. So that’s why you went to Bloody Night?”
“That was because I was looking for you.”
“You willingly walked into that den of blood-eaters just for me? I’m honored.”
“Don’t be.”
Melony lifted her foot and stomped hard on Cain’s. He was fast—usually—but not fast enough this time.
“Ghk!”
He collapsed forward onto the table with a short groan. Melony smirked and took a long drink of the beer that had just been served.
Watching him suffer made her irritation ease a little. She decided to treat their linked hands like she was carrying her umbrella.
“We leave early in the morning.”
“You’re in a rush.”
“I am.”
“Makes sense.”
Cain sipped his beer, a crooked grin curling his lips.
“Once you achieve your goal, I’ll take off what’s around my neck.”
Melony listened, but her eyes kept scanning the other vampires. She wanted to pick up whatever conversations she could, but more importantly—
The tavern was small, and the tables were close. The vampires around her were uncomfortably near.
Cain watched her pale face and spoke.
“Having a hard time?”
“…Not at all.”
“You’re sheet-white.”
Cain reached out and brushed her cheek with a long finger, making her hood slip back.
“You—…”
Realizing he was trying to pull it off on purpose, Melony kicked at him under the table.
“I’m not falling for that twice.”
Cain dodged, so Melony twisted the hand he was holding. His fingers almost popped open—but then he grabbed her other hand.
“No, Mel.”
He clicked his tongue.
“I may want your neck, but I’m not planning to share it with these guys.”
“I’m not giving my neck to anyone. Not them, not you.”
“We already made a deal, remember?”
Cain lifted their clasped hands and shook them lightly. Melony’s eyebrow twitched.
“If I help you, you’ll give me your neck just once.”
“That’s something you—”
“Then should I let go now?”
She wanted to pour holy power into the chain around his neck—right now. But she couldn’t. And knowing that only made her more irritated.
She drank more beer, downing the glass in no time.
“Fine. Act up here all you want. It’s different at Bella’s house.”
“Oh, I look forward to it.”
After all the pointless bickering, Melony suddenly felt something missing.
Her ten-year-old memories had never faded.
The closer she got to a vampire, the harder it became to breathe. Her body trembled like it had back then.
Until moments ago, those symptoms had been about to flare up again. But as she argued with Cain… they’d disappeared.
Melony gave him a side-eye.
“What?”
She was about to reply when she overheard two men talking diagonally across the room. She closed her mouth and listened silently.
“Hey, did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“They say there was gunfire in the forest earlier today. I heard it myself.”
“Oh, that? I heard it too. I was going to check it out, but Lady Bella stopped me.”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s probably nothing. Noisy things happen all the time.”
Useless conversation. Melony turned her ears elsewhere.
This time, a couple at the bar behind her.
“Baby, really? You actually saw him?”
“I didn’t see him myself. But according to rumors— My friend’s father’s grandmother—”
“What, that has nothing to do with anything!”
“Anyway, she supposedly saw him once from afar. And she said she once saw a woman who had a similar aura to him.”
“Really? Where? But he’s a man.”
“That’s why it’s strange. But she said the woman’s aura definitely felt similar.”
Bingo. That was it.
