Kapitel 22: Nightmares

The dining area was more lavish than Prudence had expected. It was the ceiling that had various intricate designs with square patterns where some of the squares were pushed back into the ceiling, while others had a prominent border, like it was falling off. There was a huge table set in length and another small table set at the head.

It gave a look like it was a large T kept in the room and one did not need to be told that the horizontal head table with only four seats was for His Grace to sit.

When Prudence followed Vincent, he gestured for her to sit on the horizontal small table beside him. The maids in the rooms were shocked to see this because the Mafia King had never invited anyone to sit at the head table. Not even his own sister. Prudence realised the strange stares she was getting and when her eye turned to the maids, the maids lowered their heads quickly.

Prudence wanted to sit as far away as possible from Vincent, but there were only a few chairs, and that was when a butler came to pull two adjacent chairs for them

Vincent was the first to take a seat while Prudence awkwardly pulled the farthest seat. "What are you doing?" Vincent asked, and it immediately had Prudence jolt even though his voice was mild. "Sit here, come," Vincent gestured with his index finger, pointing at the chair beside him while one of the maids placed a clean napkin cloth on his lap. The butler stood stiffly as he waited for Prudence to come and then he would push the chair for her.

Prudence eyed the chair before speaking in a low voice, "I think I will be fine here."

Vincent tilted his head to the side as he scrutinised her with his gaze. The girl was being too stubborn, and it had him click his tongue, "Do what you are instructed, Prudence. Do you think my words are mere ordinary for you to take it as a suggestion when they were an order?"

It was the first time Vincent had shown her who rules this place, and he had not left any space open for her to talk.

No one in their sane minds would go against a king's orders and Vincent Dominick was no less to one. Vincent saw the hesitation with which Prudence moved towards the chair beside him and take a seat. Her tongue peeked out and nervously licked her lower lip to rid of the dryness that settled on it.

Vincent noticed this little action too well and just wanted to know the taste of those supple lips. Now that she was bathed and in good clothes, she looked like the same Prudence he had met the first time at the governor's dining party. Her soft musky scent mixed with the scent of flowers wafted in the air as she sat near him. It took him back to the little dance they had shared and the way his fangs had ached to bury themselves in her neck. He had thought it would be momentary, but the girl had persisted to be on his mind.

Prudence looked at the servants bring in food, and my goodness was this what they were going to eat! It was like a feast that was arranged on the table.

One after the other, the maids served on their plates and Prudence did not take much, refusing almost every dish that was being served. Meanwhile, Drakos entered the dining area with new clothes and his feet halted in shock, watching Prudence sitting at the head table right now.

He wanted to comment, but decided to keep it for later and ask Vincent in private. As usual, he took his seat at the long table where the maids started serving him food as well.

Prudence, who noticed Lord Drakos separately, questioned Vincent, "Why is Lord Drakos not sitting there? Shouldn't he join here with us, he might feel alone eating there."

Vincent was observing the amount of food that Prudence had taken when the sudden question was presented to him. He did not understand who Prudence was referring to until he followed her gaze, and it fell on Drakos, who was sitting in his usual position. "He loves to sit there. This head table is for the royal family members," Vincent said while lightly knocking the table to let her know the obvious that this was the head table. "No one else sits here," he added

Prudence's gaze shifted to Drakos and back at Vincent, and she spoke in an innocent voice, "Then I don't think a person like me should be sitting here."

"I ordered it," Vincent said casually, while dismissing the maid who had served him his steak. Another maid came forward with a small jug and Vincent did not give her any instructions, knowing she would do her job well unless she wanted her body cold and parcelled to her family. "No one goes against my orders here." The maid who had filled the red drink in Vincent's glass bowed and took three steps back before turning.

When Vincent noticed how Prudence was eyeing the red drink curiously, he asked her, "are you not hungry enough?"

Prudence's brows creased as she looked at her plate and then at his. Though she was having only half of what she usually used to eat, Vincent seemed to have taken double her fill. "I don't have a great appetite today," Prudence awkwardly picked up the spoon, as she had only taken rice and some side dishes.

Vincent hummed, "You should eat more." He reached out for the meat that was specially prepared for Prudence today, which wasn't half raw, and served it to her.

"His Grace!" Prudence retaliated when Vincent placed his index finger on her lips, and it immediately made Prudence conscious of his presence.

Vincent flashed her his charming smile and said, "This was specially prepared for you today, don't be shy go ahead and have as much as you want." Prudence did not dare talk as she furiously turned her body to face her plate of food. The maids in the room who had observed His Grace serve the food to this guest had got enough loud answers for her to be treated well. Drakos, on the other hand, was done being surprised by how special Vincent was treating her.

Prudence ate fast, as she wanted to go back to the room that was assigned to her.

She had plans to execute, and Prudence was being exceptionally obedient with Vincent just for the sake of how she had planned to escape from here. She could not do anything in the afternoon because he had stretched her gun to her then, but after dinner, when everyone would be sleeping, it won't be that hard even if she tried to just run away without the horses. Maybe that would be better as the horses would only attract more attention and then she won't have enough time to escape.

Prudence almost gobbled the food, which Vincent noticed and remarked in surprise, "You seem awfully hungry for someone who did not have an appetite, here have some more."

"No than-" Before Prudence could stop him, he had waved at the maid, who was serving him his drink, and the maid was quick, to follow the orders. "I am not that hungry," Prudence said in a low voice after being served more of the meat. She worried that filling her stomach up would make her want to go to sleep fast tonight, which she did not want.

"That's okay, eat," Vincent said, and Prudence glared at him. Was he expecting her to burst her stomach when she already said she wasn't that hungry? Vincent, who saw her glaring at him, smirked at her while picking up his drink and taking a sip.

He licked his tongue over his upper lip, that had turned red because of the blood that he sipped.

Prudence noticed the change in colour. The drink surprisingly looked red on Vincent's lips, unlike how in the glass it had a red hue but looked thick and darker in colour. "Is it... blood?" Prudence asked, her voice trailing almost inaudible at the words blood.

Vincent flashed her smile before sliding the drink to her, "Yes, do you want to taste it?"

Prudence felt a shiver run down her spine, looking at the amount that was in the chalice. Her brows creased, and she looked at Vincent with displeasure, thinking of how many humans would he have drowned that amount of blood from! She took a sharp breath from her lips as she answered, "I think I have enough of it in my body to be drinking someone else's."

Vincent's lips twisted in amusement and he did not retreat the glass away from her, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am fine," Prudence spoke with a dry throat before taking a bite from the meat on her plate. Vincent brought the glass back to his lips, gulping down all the contents in his glass. Prudence could not help but look at him, horrified, as a single drop trickled down the side of his lips and he did not even spare that. His thumb came to bring the drop of blood back into his mouth.

The maid approached Vincent with the same jug, which was smaller than others in the room, "Do you need more His Grace?" The maid asked, and Prudence started to feel dizzy at the thought of what amount of blood must be there in the entire jug.

She imagined herself being a blood bag for Vincent, where he sucked her blood every time it formed back up in her body and maybe one day it would be her blood that would fill that jug.

Prudence could not finish her food after seeing that amount of blood and she retreated to her room, accompanied by two human maids.

The maid, Nicola, opened the door for Prudence and when she stepped inside, the maid informed, "Let us know if you need anything, there is a bell beside the bed." Prudence nodded her head and the maid closed the door. For a moment Prudence stood there by the door, hearing her own thudding of heart as the only sound in the room. How was she to live with someone so cruel? A night creature who lived on human blood. Prudence had to get out of here as soon as possible.

She silently locked the door and took few steps backwards as her feet lightly padded across the floor.

Her eyes shifted to the bed that was made properly, and the window closed. Prudence rushed to the cupboard to check if the maid who had prospered her bed had seen the knotted sheets on the bottom shelf of the cupboard. She huffed in relief seeing it was still where she had left it to be with of the sheets that were left to be tied as Vincent had barged into the room.

She had to be careful and wait till everyone fell asleep, thought Prudence, shutting the cupboard and going to sit on the bed. Her heart was beating nonstop like a loud drum as the moon further rose in the sky.

When she saw from beneath her door that the candles were being blown out in the corridor, she did the same in her room.

There were many candles stands for a room this big and the fireplace was not touched by prudence since she had come here even though the weather had turned cold. She did not plan on waiting here in the first place and the logs of wood were still fresh inside the fireplace. In the time that she was blowing away the candles, she noticed the room had a peculiar woody scent.

Her eyes had gone through the furniture, and it was all white in colour with golden linings. The bed had thin white curtains above it which were tied to the bedpost.

The bed was kept on an elevated platform while the fireplace was on the right of the bed and the cupboard right in the front. On the left wall were two doors, one that was closet to the bed and led to a lavish bathroom and the other that was the furthest from the bed which led outside of this room. The bedpost rested against the wall facing the cupboard and there were two windows on with side while at the far end of the same wall was a door which opened onto a balcony.

This was more than what she could imagine, thought Prudence. But the reasons for Vincent bringing her here were not clear to her. Why would a night creature like him take a liking to a human like her?

She did not want to end up as his feeding stock or one of the mistresses who he would kick out of the manor once he was bored with her.

Prudence opened the window as she had checked the balcony a while back and below it was another structure built, so Prudence thought it was the safest to go down the window where there was grass. A cold breeze made its way inside the room and Prudence shivered as it rose, goosebumps on her body.

Her heartbeat picked up the pace again as she felt the moment nearing. She got down from the elevated platform on which the bed was and her feet silently moved to the cupboard.

"Can't sleep?" The sudden voice of Vincent inside the room made her jolt as she almost screamed.

Her eyes shifted to him, and she broke into a sweat. Prudence licked her lips while trying to come up with an answer. It was the second time Vincent had caught Prudence lurking around the cupboard suspiciously, and it only made Prudence fill with the anxiety and guilt of getting caught when he had discreetly warned her not to even think about escaping.

Vincent, whose frame was leaned against the door, stood straight before he walked towards prudence. His feature slowly coming into view as the moonlight coming from the window fell on his face.

Prudence tried to compose herself, but looking at his crimson eyes shine made her more nervous as she started harshly fiddling with her fingers.

"You are up this late," Vincent said, and his daunting voice was only making Prudence's breath quicken. She felt like some weight was placed on her as Vincent continued to approach her. He stopped a few steps away from her and narrowed his eyes at her, "planning something which is not letting you sleep?"

Those words made Prudence felt like she was being caught red-handed in the crime Vincent was only enquiring.

"N-No," Prudence stuttered before gulping down her nervousness, trying to bring back her normal self. "I was just having some nightmares," Prudence said, while her eyes refused to meet with Vincent's for more than a second. She wanted him to leave her alone and hoped that this answer would suffice him.

Vincent hummed as his eyes generously shifted to the window and then at the unlit fireplace, "Let me keep you company, that way you will have someone to hold onto when you wake up from your nightmare."

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