Captured by the Prince of Blood

Chapter 3: Meeting the Manor’s Residents

*Mika*

First day of the job jitters, but here I was, staring up at the manor with that same feeling that had hung like a cloud over my head these past few days. Was Abby right about it being haunted? No, no, that was a ridiculous notion.

I took in a deep breath, examining the sharp edges of the building and feeling an aura of mystique billowing out from all around this area. The yard had scattered leaves all over it, leading to a more natural feel that I liked better than well-manicured lawns. Would I be instructed to clean that up, though? It looked pretty overgrown and untouched, which led to some wildlife wandering about. I gasped with delight as I saw a woodchuck meandering around, lifting up leaves for some juicy berries.

Maybe working here wouldn't be so bad.

I reached forward and grabbed the knocker, letting it clang a few times before stepping back. For clothing today, I selected a simple T-shirt with the cute graphic of a bluebird on it. My pants were loose black jeans, and I had the typical gothic-style makeup tailored to fit my light tan skin. Dyed red hair fell down my back, but I knew I'd need to fix it up soon, as the roots were starting to show my natural black hair. Not too much of an issue, as all things considered, it blended well.

Anyway, I snapped back to attention when the door opened to reveal a muscular man standing there with a full beard and medium russet skin. His hair was combed over to one side in quite the fashionable style. His eyes were a light brown, and in the light, they almost appeared gold.

He said cheerfully, “You must be Mika Kimura! Nice meeting you, thanks for agreeing to start on such a short notice." He had a warm smile and smelled like a mixture of the autumn leaves outside, fresh rain in the woods, and pine. I couldn't help smile back, as his was contagious.

“Oh, I don't mind. I appreciate you giving me this opportunity. I'm also grateful the interview went so well," I said, beaming. He nodded enthusiastically. I recognized his voice; he had been the one to speak with me over the phone. Just as friendly in person, what a relief! The off-vibe of this place was starting to fade.

“Wonderful. I am Reginald Wulf, pleased to help you out. I think I'll give you a tour of the place you'll be working. Now, I remember you asking if you could listen to music; we have spare, unused ear buds if you need them. The place is so large we have a few maids, and yes, we're aware cleaning can be a drag, so most people will listen to that," he said. How accommodating! I shook my head, however, given I was all set.

“That is so kind of you," I said, allowing my shoulders to relax just a bit. “I have my own, but I'd love that tour!"

Reginald kept his grin and dipped his head, turning around and saying cheerfully, “I bet you've heard rumors of this place being haunted. Do you believe in ghosts? I think I've had several of my cups be pushed off of the counter here, and we just moved in! They must be spirits of cats." I giggled at his joke and followed him through the manor.

“Oh, er, I do not, though I wonder if my beliefs will be challenged here," I replied. Reginald gave a boisterous laugh, encouraging me to relax further. I was happy he was self-aware! What was that about the owner of this place being creepy, anyway? He was far from such a descriptor. Unless he wasn't the owner. Hm…

I asked, “Are you the one who moved in here, alone? It must be a lot taking care of this huge place."

“Oh, no! I'm actually hired by Lord Percival, in a sense, and live here with him. We travel and work together. We're not mates though, even if he is something wonderful to look at," he winked. I nodded, wondering now how this mysterious 'Percival' could look. The tour continued as I listened to Reginald explaining each part of the house with excitement.

We walked down a long hallway with wooden walls and red carpeting. There were murals of battlefields up on the walls, some blood being shed making me shiver. We passed by a few more pleasant paintings of nature scenes however, and I stopped briefly to study one of a particularly large wolf with crimson fur. The wolf was howling at a beautiful moon, painted to glow. “This is beautiful," I breathed. Reginald turned to me and beamed.

“Isn't it? It's one of my favorite pieces in the manor. Probably because it is mine, set up by me," he said proudly. I gaped.

“You painted that?"

“Oh, no, I didn't, but my sister did!" he said. The tour carried on, and we entered a large library. A maze of books and the scent of old paper greeted me, causing a sense of both comfort and wonder to rush through me. Everything was placed nearly in the wooden bookcases, not a thing out of place.

“You'll be tasked to maintain this area quite a bit," Reginald explained. “I was impressed with your described organizational skills, so figured this may be a good spot for you. I know what you're thinking. How often do people come here to mess things up? Well, we want to get visitors during the week! It has historical relevance, but more than that, people just enjoy all the books in the library."

I nodded, turning to smile at him. “A library this large would be a shame not to share," I said. “How long have you been here? I don't remember seeing anyone in this place about a week ago. You seem to have set up really fast."

“Not long at all, but we have ways of setting things up super quickly. Call it a trade secret," Reginald chuckled. My eyes sparkled as they swept over the books. I opened my mouth, but my next question was likely obvious. “Yes, you can take out books if you wish, so long as you agree to return them."

I chuckled and nodded. We moved on through the manor and came upon a lounge-area with a chandelier hung above. There was a couch tucked in the corner with a man sitting there on it. I had to double take, as he was shrouded in shadows as he rested there with a book in his lap. As we got closer, he glanced up, fixing me in a stare with deep blue eyes.

His dark hair was brushed back and slightly wavy. His jawline was strong and angular, like chiseled from stone. I noticed his nails were painted black and slightly sharper than people generally kept theirs. He definitely embraced a more gothic style, given the dark makeup around his eyes. I felt my heart skip a beat because damn, he was incredibly sexy.

What an inappropriate thought! I scolded myself inwardly for thinking that, but couldn't take my eyes away. He was wearing a slightly open button-down shirt which showed well-defined pectorals. Clearly, he worked out in some capacity quite often. My mind was focused entirely on him so that I missed the first part of whatever Reginald was saying. Thankfully, he repeated himself, though I still felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“Earth to Mika! She's entranced by the beauty of this manor and how haunted it is, aren't you?" Reginald joked. I laughed nervously and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Yes, I apologize," I said.

Reginald smiled lightly. He said, “Don't worry about it. Mika, I would like you to meet Percival Martin, a charming guy who overworks himself on the regular! Don't be like him, Mika, take plenty of breaks."

Percival glared toward the other gentleman for a moment before his eyes fastened upon me again. He gave a very light smile that made my heart flutter, frustratingly enough. I felt my mouth get a little dry under his stare, still unsure about why I was acting like this. Oh well, hopefully I wasn't being too obvious.

In a smooth, deep voice that he kept low volume, soft, as if speaking to a frightened kitten, “This place is not haunted. Reginald tends to exaggerate for shock value. Breaks are excellent, but I do not overwork myself. Yet another exaggeration by the equivalent of Moon Moon."

Reginald scrunched up his nose and snorted, not explaining to me what Percival could mean by the insult. I mean, I guessed it referenced a common internet joke, but I kept my mouth shut, not entirely knowing the context. Still, I couldn't help but smirk.

“No, no, I bet I'm right on all accounts. Anyway, come on Mika, let's leave the big boss to his sulking in the shadows," Reginald said. That earned him an eye roll from Percival as we made our way back out.

The tour continued, but my thoughts were entirely on Percival. Why did he have such an effect on me? Oh well. Hopefully I wouldn't see him often enough for it to be a distraction.