Chapter 14
They returned to Bella’s house.
Bella, who had been in the living room, looked back and forth between Melony and Cain with a tilted head.
“It seems something happened.”
At Melony’s reply, Cain’s eyes curved as though he had finally gotten the answer he wanted.
Melony, on the other hand, looked furious, her face scrunched up tightly.
She entered first and practically ripped her hand out of Cain’s grasp.
Bella’s brow twitched at the sight, though only Cain seemed to notice.
Melony threw her cloak at him without a word, then stomped upstairs to the second-floor room.
Cain didn’t follow her. Instead, he picked up the cloak she had tossed aside.
“As you saw, she’s very angry.”
Though he shrugged casually, his eyes didn’t match the relaxed tone of his voice—they weren’t smiling at all.
“I made the hedgehog bristle her quills.”
“…”
“So don’t touch the hedgehog.”
“…Is that an order?”
“Of course.”
Cain’s blood-red eyes deepened.
“As I said, I hate when anyone touches what’s mine. Don’t ever lay a hand on her.”
The air grew sharp and suffocating.
Unable to withstand the pressure, Bella bent her waist in a deep bow and finally answered.
“Y-Yes, sir.”
“And from now on, don’t come up to the second floor before I do.”
Cain continued in a low warning tone.
“Never. No matter what happens.”
Cain glanced past her toward the back of her head and clicked his tongue softly.
His fingers rubbed at his neck as though thirsty. When his fingers brushed the restraint device, electricity sparked faintly—bzzt.
“C-Cain… sir…”
The threatening crackle made Bella lift her head, her face draining of color—then slowly filling with fury.
“How could you… use something like this…!”
“Shut your mouth.”
“But—!”
“…”
“…Forgive me.”
Cain looked down at the device, then shrugged.
“I’m sure you understand now.”
Waving a hand dismissively, he walked up the stairs at an unhurried pace.
Even though he knew she was watching, he never looked back.
Bella, left alone in the living room, bit her lip so hard that beads of blood formed.
“I won’t… forgive her.”
Her teeth ground together fiercely.
Hey, trash. My whim is giving you a chance. Choose.
A proud and noble being—
He had been dying when he gave her a new life. Ever since then, Bella had sworn:
That her insignificant life would belong entirely to him.
“To think she used a filthy hunter’s weapon on someone like him…”
Cain had warned her clearly.
Not to touch Melony. Not to do anything to her.
But Bella had no intention of obeying.
Even if she died, she would make sure she dealt with Melony herself—the woman who had dared bring humiliation to Cain.
“I’ll never forgive her.”
…She had to kill her.
Bella’s blood-red eyes glimmered coldly. With some thought forming in her mind, she went into her room.
The empty living room chilled instantly.
Meanwhile, Melony entered her room and immediately checked her bullet pouch.
She remembered she hadn’t managed to make many earlier.
“This is a problem…”
She couldn’t stay up all night making more.
As she muttered, the door opened. She didn’t bother turning—she already knew who it was.
She simply reached out to grab her materials.
Clack—
The door shut, and Cain grabbed her outstretched wrist.
Standing close behind her, he pulled the pouch from her other hand and set it aside.
“I told you it was mealtime.”
“You didn’t come right away. That’s your fault.”
“Mel, you have no patience. Not a very good personality.”
“…”
Cain gently turned her body toward him and raised the arm he held.
With his thumb, he slowly rubbed the inside of her wrist, searching for where to bite.
She wanted to shove him off.
Honestly, shooting him a few times would’ve felt refreshing.
“Don’t make such a hateful face.”
Cain deliberately caught her gaze. Then he raised his fangs and grazed them along her inner wrist.
The gesture irritated her even more.
“Just drink.”
“I should at least prepare myself before drinking blood.”
“Since when do you prepare for anything?”
“Hmm. Starting today.”
Cain’s eyes curved like crescents. To others it would be alluring—
To Melony, it was just infuriating.
“Mel, I really do like that expression you make when you hate something.”
A prickling sensation hit her wrist. Her expression slowly went blank.
She sighed quietly and turned her head away—but Cain tugged her hair, snapping her head back toward him.
“What are you—”
Sink—
Her protest cut off as his sharp teeth pierced her wrist.
Melony frowned at the stabbing sensation. She doubted she’d ever get used to this—
The pain was always hers alone.
Sluurp, slurp—
The sound of him drinking echoed by her ear.
She tried to turn her head away, but the moment she met his eyes, she froze.
Why?
It felt like she was being caught in his gaze.
Whenever he drank blood, Cain’s eyes turned the same vivid red as the blood itself—deep, hypnotic, almost enticing.
I need to turn away.
If she didn’t, she’d end up letting him do whatever he wanted.
Realizing that, she forced her head aside.
Cain clicked his tongue lightly. The drinking seemed finished; the pressure on her wrist eased.
“You’re the first human my hypnosis doesn’t work on.”
“So that’s how you’ve been drinking freely until now.”
“Of course not.”
Shrugging, Cain licked his lips as though still unsatisfied.
Melony looked down at her wrist and sighed. The visible bite marks disgusted her, and she pulled her sleeve down to cover them.
“They came to me without me doing anything.”
“How impressive.”
Even in that short moment, he had taken a lot of blood.
Feeling slightly dizzy, she steadied herself against the wall before regaining composure.
Cain watched her closely.
Melony ignored him, grabbed her pouch, pulled out a chair, and sat at the desk.
“If you’re done, get lost.”
“We’re sharing the same room.”
“Why would I share with you? You have the room next door. Go there.”
“Oh? I can?”
“…”
“And if you escape the moment you’re out of my sight?”
“That restraint—”
“True. Even if I crossed three mountains, that terrifying device would still control me.”
Tch.
So he knew that much.
He was right. The restraint could be controlled no matter the distance. That was what made it horrifying.
A slave could never escape the master’s grip.
Because of abuses like that, restraints had stopped being used.
“If I run away, what would you do?”
“…”
“Then you’d have to face countless vampires here alone.
And I’d sneak back and watch you crumble.”
“…”
“Just imagining it is fun.”
Grinning mischievously, he stretched out lazily on the bed.
Melony glared and pressed her fingers to her forehead.
“Don’t you dare take a single step without my permission.”
She grabbed the nearest umbrella and pointed its tip at his shoulder.
Cain raised his hands obediently.
“If you do, I’ll shoot your heart without warning.”
“Oh, how scary.”
He clearly didn’t mean it.
Melony found him annoyingly unfazed, but she chose not to respond.
She had no choice but to share the room with this obnoxious vampire.
“Cain.”
Melony pointed the umbrella toward the sofa.
“You sleep over there.”
“But Mel has a big enough bed for three grown men.”
“Absolutely not. I sleep there alone.”
“That won’t do.”
He gently pushed the umbrella’s tip aside, and in the next moment—he vanished.
Melony narrowed her eyes and slowly turned her head.
He was already on the bed, propped on one arm, looking up at her.
“Don’t forget.”
Her grip on the umbrella tightened.
“You’re only able to be here because of me.”
Melony glared at him silently, then sighed and finished preparing for bed.
She climbed onto the bed, placing the umbrella beside her and tucking her gun under her pillow.
Cain watched every motion.
“Not going to hide it? I saw everything.”
“I’m not hiding it.”
“Then why?”
“I’m just used to being attacked while sleeping. Habit.”
“Fair enough.”
After all, when he had barged in earlier, she had grabbed her gun instantly.
Cain suddenly sat up and walked to the window, opening it.
Melony stopped mid-movement and stared.
“A walk.”
“Fine. Close the window on your way out.”
“No.”
With a sly grin, Cain leapt straight out the window.
Melony lay back and pressed a hand against her forehead.
“One day, I’ll kill him.”
Grinding her teeth, she jumped up and slammed the window shut.
