CA – Chapter 19
Chapter 19
The tavern's proprietor was a voluptuous and alluring woman in her thirties. Lacking the innocent naivety of a young girl, her entire being exuded the seductive charm of a mature woman. She rested her chin on one hand, her gaze sweeping casually over the handsome men and beautiful women in the corner who were eagerly selecting their prey. Her fingers tapped against a glass, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.
"Hello, I'd like a Forest Morning Dew, please."
A gentle, melodious voice cut through the tavern's chaotic din, reaching the proprietor's ears clearly. She glanced over and saw a blonde girl gracefully taking a seat. Her sky-blue eyes were as clear as a lake, completely out of place in the disorderly tavern.
Like a little white rabbit that had accidentally stumbled into a wolf pack-the strange thought flashed through the proprietor's mind. She curved her lips into a smile and picked up a glass, mixing the drink for her personally. "Forest Morning Dew is indeed perfect for a beautiful girl like you."
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow, the curve of her lips gentle and harmless. "Is that so? This is my first time in a tavern. The proprietress there recommended it."
"It seems that proprietress and I see eye to eye."
"In terms of taste, my opinion is the same as yours," she said, chatting idly with the proprietor while her gaze subtly scanned her surroundings. The vampires in this small town were already acting brazenly; in this tavern alone, there were six or seven of them hunting. Tang Qiu could feel several ill-intentioned gazes fixed on her.
They were so searing it felt as if they could burn a hole right through her.
Tang Qiu lowered her gaze, her hand, concealed by her wide cloak, rubbing the ring on her finger.
The proprietor pushed the mixed drink toward Tang Qiu, winking suggestively. "Beautiful girls always attract attention," she teased. "Care for a little romance tonight?"
"I guarantee those handsome gentlemen over there won't disappoint you."
Tang Qiu followed the proprietor's gaze. At that table sat three handsome men dressed in proper shirts and trousers. Unlike Lucille, they didn't have dark red eyes. Their manners were gentlemanly, making them look like ordinary noblemen.
However, Tang Qiu knew perfectly well that these were three vampires looking for prey.
The three men, who had been staring at Tang Qiu, met her eyes. They raised their glasses in a smiling toast, their gazes eager and restless.
Tang Qiu returned their smiles before turning back to the proprietor. "They are quite excellent," she said with a hint of regret, "but they don't seem to be my type."
The proprietor was a little surprised. She covered her red lips and let out a low laugh. Her suggestive gaze slowly traveled down from Tang Qiu's face to her chest. Leaning in slightly, she lowered her voice. "So, do you need a taller man, or a petite and cute girl like yourself?"
Tang Qiu blinked. Just as she was about to answer, a tall, handsome man suddenly sat down next to her. He leaned his arm on the bar, lightly clinking his glass against hers. "Hi, angel fallen to earth," he said, trying to strike up a conversation.
What a cliché pickup line... Tang Qiu glanced sideways at him, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes. Monica had said there were only eighth-generation vampires here, so why was this one a seventh-generation?
Though her mind was full of questions, she showed no sign of it on her face. Tang Qiu had settled on her target for the night, and the smile on her lips became much more sincere. "Hello."
The proprietor's gaze shifted between the two of them suggestively. "Looks like this one is your type."
Tang Qiu lowered her eyes slightly, a bashful look on her face. "I think so."
A look of certainty flashed across the man's face. He raised his hand, intending to take Tang Qiu's, but she subtly moved it away. The man paid it no mind, casually placing his glass on the table and extending an invitation to her. "The moonlight is lovely tonight. Care to go take a look?"
Tang Qiu rose obediently and followed the man. The other vampires in the tavern watched her being led away, then looked away with some regret.
The man lifted the curtain, gallantly stepping aside to let Tang Qiu pass first. Tang Qiu gave him a slight curtsy. As she bent to exit, brushing past his shoulder, the large ring on her finger suddenly slipped off. This is bad, she thought, squatting down to pick it up, but some of her aura had already leaked out.
"You..." The man caught a whiff of a light aura and froze. He looked down at Tang Qiu and frowned. "Are you a priest?"
The curtain had already fallen, separating them from the lively tavern. Tang Qiu slipped the ring back on and straightened up to meet the man's suspicious gaze. "What priest?" she asked innocently.
Although she put on an innocent act, trying to bluff her way through, she knew deep down it wouldn't work.
A seventh-generation vampire was difficult to deal with, but not enough to leave Tang Qiu helpless. However... the moment she took out her staff of light, every vampire in this town would know a priest had arrived.
Tipping them off... She wondered if Linda and Jennifer would glare her to death afterward.
As expected, the man wasn't fooled. He looked her up and down, his gaze growing even more feverish. A priest's blood... no vampire would want to miss that.
He cracked his knuckles and let out a low chuckle. Just as he was about to make a move on Tang Qiu, a cold voice suddenly came from behind him, accompanied by an oppressive pressure that rendered him immobile.
"This is my prey."
A tall, red-haired woman emerged from the darkness, her black boots making soft tapping sounds on the ground. She walked past the man, her dark red eyes fixed on the blonde priest whose radiance even the darkness could not conceal.
Tang Qiu's hand, which had been about to summon her staff of light, paused. She stared in surprise at Lucille's sudden appearance, her mouth opening slightly, but no words came out.
Lucille had actually come all the way to the Bill Empire. Tang Qiu suppressed her shock, subconsciously rubbing the now-vanished bite mark on her wrist. Recalling Erin's words, her brow furrowed slightly.
The man stared in shock at the red-haired woman before him. Although he couldn't tell her generation from her aura, it was obvious she was of a higher rank than him. He glanced at Tang Qiu, then raised his hands and tentatively backed away. "Sorry," he said weakly, "I didn't know she was taken."
Tang Qiu, who had been lost in thought with a frown, heard the man's words and shot him a strange look. Taken... The word annoyed her.
Lucille shot the man a sideways glance, and her figure suddenly vanished. Seeing this, the man panicked and tried to flee, but a sudden coldness pierced his chest. He looked down in horror to see a pale hand thrust through his torso, crushing his heart in its grip.
A vampire could have their head torn off and reattached, but if their heart was crushed, there was no possibility of healing-even though that heart had stopped beating the moment they were turned.
The man's scream reached the tavern. A few vampires flashed outside to investigate. They froze upon seeing the body, then understanding dawned when they saw Lucille standing nearby.
It was very common for vampires to fight over prey. After assessing the situation, the few vampires cautiously retreated back into the tavern.
Lucille meticulously wiped her hand with a handkerchief, then walked over to Tang Qiu. "Let's go," she said in a low voice.
Tang Qiu glanced at her. Noticing vampires watching from the shadows, she pulled her cloak tighter and followed Lucille away.
The inns in this small town didn't operate at night, but that was no obstacle for a vampire. Tang Qiu followed her to a room reserved for nobles. An orange flame flickered in the fireplace, the warmth chasing away the cold. Warmth could easily make one's guard slowly dissipate.
Lucille poured a glass of red wine and leaned back against a table, her cool gaze fixed on Tang Qiu. The bitter, slightly sour liquid did nothing to soothe the dryness in her throat; instead, it only intensified her craving for the blonde priest's blood.
She had never craved blood so intensely. This was the very sin that had dragged her into the dark abyss.
Tang Qiu used the motion of removing her cloak to ease the subtle tension in the air. She walked over to Lucille, picked up another glass, and smiled gently at her. "You don't mind if I pour myself a glass, do you?"
Lucille lifted her chin slightly, gesturing for her to help herself.
Tang Qiu had little interest in wine and poured herself a glass of water instead. She took a few slow sips, moistening her dry lips and tongue before speaking thoughtfully. "...The Marshal of Edry, running off to the Bill Empire instead of guarding her country. King Charles II would throw a fit if he knew, wouldn't he?"
Lucille took a sip of wine, then set the glass aside when she realized it wouldn't quench her thirst. "He won't know."
"Is that so?" Tang Qiu shrugged and said casually, "Then Anna will definitely know."
She made absentminded small talk with Lucille, and when she noticed Lucille wasn't making any untoward moves, her wariness subsided a little.
"Anna misses you very much," Lucille said flatly.
Tang Qiu smiled faintly. "Please tell her I miss her very much, too," she said softly.
Lucille glanced at her, the dark red in her eyes deepening. When Tang Qiu looked over, she shifted her gaze away slightly, subconsciously hiding the instinct she could barely control.
"Actually, I've joined the Holy See in the Bill Empire."
"Oh?"
"On my very first day, I was sent here to drive out vampires," Tang Qiu briefly explained her reason for being there.
Lucille listened quietly, then turned to look out the window at the moon, half-hidden by the night. "The full moon is almost here," she reminded her softly.
Tang Qiu also glanced over. "Yes, it is," she said, following her lead.
Seeing that Tang Qiu seemed completely oblivious to her hint, Lucille knew the clue she had left her back then had been of no use.
Tang Qiu and Lucille chatted about their recent lives like old acquaintances who hadn't seen each other in a long time. Tang Qiu was very satisfied with this calm, danger-free atmosphere.
When she felt the time was right, Tang Qiu put down her empty glass. "I'd love to chat with you a little longer," she said with a smile, "but I'm afraid I have things to do."
She gave Lucille an apologetic smile and turned to leave, but her arm was suddenly grabbed. The icy temperature seeped through her sleeve, making her shiver involuntarily.
Tang Qiu's heart sank slightly. She looked back at Lucille questioningly, the gentle smile still on her face.
"I saved you." Lucille's tone was flat and emotionless. Her gaze, fixed on Tang Qiu, remained cool, but the dark turmoil swirling in the depths of her eyes proved that her heart was anything but calm when facing the blonde priest. "I require payment."
What kind of payment would a vampire demand?
The curve of Tang Qiu's lips slowly faded as she met Lucille's gaze in silence.
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