His Hidden Jewel

Chapter 17

Eureema(1) is flat and dry, in shades of light green, beige and blue-green. It’s mostly shrubs and tall trees of the blue green. And through the slit of the carriage window and the darkness of the evening, I can see looming desert mountains with flattened tops.

“We’re here, my lady,” the carriage driver calls to Yeke.

“Thank you.” Yeke states.

I start to pull up my hood but Yeke stops me.

“Let’s first put a scarf around your neck, to better hide the bottom half of your face.” She pulls out a black scarf and wraps it around my neck. She pulls the material up to cover my mouth. She then fixes my hood over my head.

“All right, come on.”

I nod, stuffing my hands into my pockets, and we step out of the carriage. There’s no one out in this late hour. We’re at a small, forest-green inn with blue green lining and ivy vines growing along the walls. Yeke and I step inside. It’s brown with wooden everything inside.

My throat tightens when I see the vampire behind the front desk, remembering my scent. I discretely glance at Yeke and notice she’s just as tense as me.

The vampire, a non-binary vampire with long brown hair, doesn’t seem affected in the least bit. They greet them with a pleasant smile.

“Good evening, and welcome to Eureemas most recommended small inn, Green Fields Inn. Would you like you two like a room for the night?”

“Yes please; one room, two beds.”

Yeke throws money onto the counter, and they hand Yeke our key.

She’s just as desperate to get away as I am.

“Thank you, enjoy your stay.” Their smile is wide and they wave as we walk away.

Yeke and I hurry as quietly as we can to the room. As we pass through a hallway, two vampires with long blonde hair pass us. One has a stronger jawline and is tad shorter than the other, who has a softer has but taller in height.

They don’t even spare a glance at us.

Once, we’re in the room, and safe, we shared a horrified look. “That was a close call,” Yeke breathes.

“Yeah it was,” I breathe in shock.

“But, why didn’t they notice anything? I thought vampires can easily smell out a human?”

The conversation between Marcel, and the queen and king from so long ago comes to my mind. “I’m not too sure Yeke. I do remember a conversation between Marcel and his relatives about my smell; they claimed that though by smell was very sweet, it’s heavily masked. They thought it was just from being around gogiki berries though.”

“Maybe it’s more than that; maybe rare humans can’t be smelled out? We never really knew much about humans before the Wars. Most didn’t even know there were two types of humans. And all they can tell is that the difference is rares have a different sort of blood and have purple eyes.” Yeke admits sadly.

“I don’t know Yeke.”

“Did your parents ever tell you anything?”

A wry smile crosses my lips. The sickening memories of their death, coming to mind. Skins on a hook.

I suddenly feel sick; I barely hold back from vomiting.

“They died when I was really young.” I utter slowly.

“I’m so sorry Bunny,” Yeke consoles genuinely, reaching to touch my arm. “You know, my dad died when I was a kid too.”

“I’m so sorry Yeke.”

The air elemental shrugs. “It’s all right. I miss him but I don’t remember much about him. I remember how much my other dad was so heartbroken. But he stayed strong for me.” She sends a sad smile, I smile comfortingly back. Thankfully, Yeke seems to understand me.

“Thanks Bu-“

There’s a sharp knock. “Housekeeping?”

Yeke and I look at one another. Going by her expression, we aren’t supposed to get housekeeping. I go to open my mouth, but Yeke signals me to keep quiet. She slowly stands and reaches for her sky blue bag, pulling out a small dagger.

She walks closer towards the door, but the door is suddenly rips open, the lock on the door tearing out a small chunk of the wall. Two black-cloaked figures come in; the taller figure in the back waves it’s hand the door is suddenly concealed in light green light.

Yeke lunges for the one in front and starts to attack with her dagger. I reach for our heavy bags, and throw it towards the taller figure going after me. The taller figure scoops me into its arms. I I squirm against the strong coldness holding me, but it holds me in place. I glance over at Yeke and see the shorter figure twist the dagger out of her hand, prompting a yelp from the air elemetnal.

“Yeke!” I call, squirming harder. The figure suddenly bits my neck, fangs slicing through my skin, and I stiffen. They’re not deep enough to be lethal, but just enough to be a threat.

“Don’t hurt her!” Yeke pleas. She’s now stuck in the hold of the other figure.

The teeth pull away, “as long as she misbehaves, I’ll punish her.” The taller figure snarls mostly at me than Yeke. I stiffen and with the little light under the cloak hood, I see a maliciously pleased smile on a fair skinned face.

I feel the hood brush the side of my head as the figure smells the little blood on my neck. “Do you see what I mean now, Swee?”

The shorter figure, Swee, hums. “Mmmmm I smell it now Bent, that sweet, sweet aroma of human blood.”

They both pull down their hoods, and I recognize them as the blonde vampires in the hallway earlier.

Bent pulls my chin to face him more; his red eyes roving all over my body. “How interesting… you know Swee, last I heard this little creature was supposed to be the princes blood cup. Seems like we’re in a treat for some royal seconds.” Both vampires look at me, their eyes hungry.

I try to hold a stoic face, but inside I’m trembling.

“Now that has to be our best find yet,” Swee laughs cruelly.

Bent leans his face closer along my cheek. I tug my face a little away, until I feel his grip tighten painfully. His eyes are wandering all over my face. “You know, you are quite pretty. I think you might end up being more than just a blood cup.” I glare slightly.

His lecherous grin is nauseating.

“You know,” my capture sings, “not having any scent is as much of a dead giveaway as smelling that heavenly aroma.” Bent leans back down near my neck and takes in another long sniff.

I squirm uncomfortably again. He stops suddenly, and he squeezes his arms.

“Don’t pull away from me!” He snaps as he shakes me hard, squeezing his arms as hard as he can.

I cry out in pain.

Marcel…

The green light around the door suddenly drops and the door opens again.

Marcel?

The small creak catches the entire rooms attention, and I widen my eyes in shock as the last person I ever expected to see show’s up.

The pixie, Dmitri Uluosliv.

Dmitri looks between the two groups with a bored expression. But while he may seem aloof, I can see the glaze of fury in his mint eyes. “I don’t think this is your room,” he snarls, glaring heatedly at the two vampires holding us.

Swee laughs humorlessly. “You’re the one that has the wrong room, pal. So I suggest you move along,” he growls.

“Then how about we all leave, and leave these ladies alone.” Dmitri fires back, glare narrowing.

Dmitri glances towards me and we make eye contact for a moment.

“Look, this doesn’t concern you. You have one last chance; leave now or you’ll end up just like them.” Bent snarls.

Dmitri laughs and suddenly leaps me, grabbing the vampire holding me and ripping him off me.

I scamper away as the two start fighting one another. I run for Bent, who’s trying to sneak Yeke out in the commotion. I leap onto Swees back and throw my weight back hard.

It rips his hold from Yeke. The air elemental stumbles and regains her footing. Swee tries to throw me off. She runs up to us, sending a powerful kick to under the vampires jaw. He stops moving, dazed. I jump off his back and join the air elementals side.

Yeke and I look at one another and then simultaneously kick the vampire under the jaw again. Swee falls to the floor, knocking himself unconscious as his head hits the floor with a hard thud.

I look around for Dmitri and see that he has Bent knocked out too and it coming to join us.

“Well, that all happened quickly,” Yeke chuckles half heartedly, trying to break the tension and shock of the events.

Dmitri straightens, fixing his messy hair.

“Sorry to barge in; I heard the door breaking open from my room a few doors down. Its wonderful to see your beautiful face again dear Bunny,” he greets me in a charming tone.

He turns to Yeke, “Uzui, long time no see.”

“Yeah, it has been,” Yeke says hesitantly, eying the pixie. I frown and look between them; she’s acting the same way Marcel did around him. Is he not good news? “How do you know Bunny?”

“We met at the Pearlinarity Eves Ball.” Dmitri explains simply with a shrug.

Yeke looks to me for confirmation and relaxes when I nod.

“So, where is Verdinin?” The mint pixie asks casually.

Yeke and I tense. No one is supposed see my face except for Yeke, Marcel and Yekes father.

And now three creatures have already.

Before Yeke or I could muster an excuse, Dmitri seems to catch the air and tenses.

His eyes narrow. “He’s not here, is he? Or else he would’ve already been here, rescuing you two. Is Bunny in danger?”

Yekes eyes widen, and suddenly, the dagger is in her hand and its pointed at Dmitri’s throat.

The pixie doesn’t move, doesn’t even flinch, staring coolly down at weapon. He sighs. “Look, I don’t want to hurt Bunny either. We became friends, and she seems too sweet to me to do any harm.”

I can see Yeke hesitate a little, and I nibble my lip worriedly, unsurely.

I don’t think Dmitri is a threat, but I know I have to trust Yeke to make the right decision.

“Besides, I had a feeling something like this would happen,” Dmitri adds.

“You have?”

“Yeah, when I first heard of the announcement of Bunny being found. Like anyone would believe that King Volkari, the main contributor to g******e of humankind would be okay with keeping a human alive. It’s obvious King Verdinin couldn’t kill Bunny right away. It may have only been 200 years, but a lot has changed; there’s a lot of new generations and older generations that growing who have different views. The views that are more curious than anything else. Everyone is curious of Bunny, but not afraid of her. And the fact she hasn’t done anything wrong, and has lived in s*****y her whole life makes her all the more innocent; not like she should have been assumed to be a guilty, monster in the first place. It’s just all that anyone was ever told is that humans are monsters. And it helps that Bunny shows the same reaction back,” he looks directly to me.

“You only show curiosity, maybe a bit of anxiety when they openly stare, but mostly curiosity. Creatures that have seen you, don’t see a threat. And well, knowing Volkari’s views of humans during the Wars, I can see how he would see that as a threat in itself. He probably wanted and expected the public to turn on you.”

Yeke sighs, “so? What are planning to do about it?”

“I’m not planning to turn her in to King Verdinin if that’s what you mean. In fact, I want to buy her from you,” he states seriously.

My eyes widen, and I feel sick. Being with Marcel and Yeke is the closest I’ve ever felt to free. I don’t want to lose that.

Yeke’s eyes narrow dangerously, “what makes you think I own her?” She growls, spitting out the word “own.”

“Look, I know Marcel probably sold her to you to get her away from Silvonya. I’ll buy her off of you.”

“Shes not for sell,” Yeke hisses, “and what would you want her anyways?”

“I…” he looks away and rubs his neck sheepishly. There’s a heated blush growing on his neck and face. “I want to free her.”

“What?!” Yeke and I exclaim in unison.

“I want to free you,” Dmitri repeats, looking directly at me intensely. “s*****y is disgusting. It shouldn’t exist. I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through all that.” My eyes tear up, his sincerity taking hold, but I choke them away.

Yeke pulls the dagger away from Dmitri.

She sighs, pushing back her white hair, “look, what you think happened, isn’t exactly that. Bunny isn’t enslaved to me; technically she’s still enslaved to Marcel. But you can’t tell a single soul that you saw either of us.” Her plea catches his attention.

Dmitri’s eyes narrow. “Whatever is it, I can help too. It wouldn’t hurt to have another creature helping keep Bunny safe from whatever is going on.”

I frown at the suggestion; I’ve barely talked to him. In fact, I’ve seen more of Marcel’s lord friend Heo than I’ve seen this pixie. Yet he’s so determined to help; it’s fishy.

The air elemental seems to share the same thoughts, matching my expression.

“Why do you care so much about Bunny? I doubt you know each other too well knowing your relationship with Marcel.”

“I’ll tell you,” Dmitri shrugs. My confusion increases when he leans down next to Yekes ear and whispers something to her. Yekes eyes widen; she glances at me quickly and then looks back to Dmitri.

“All right. You can join,” Yeke groans. “Goodness, Marcel isn’t going to be happy with this.”

I touch the air elementals arm, and motion her closer. Once we’re a little away from Dmitri I whisper, “are you sure? Marcel didn’t seem to keen of him at the ball.”

Yeke gives me a wry grin, “after what Dmitri told me, I can understand why Marcel felt that way. Trust me, Dmitri doesn’t mean harm.” I furrow brows but before I could get her to elaborate she turns to Dmitri.

“It’s really dangerous; as far as Volkari Verdinin knows, Bunny died last night. There’s a lot weighing on this; keeping her still-alive identity a secret, is crucial.”

“A little danger never scared me,” Dmitri smirks.“Besides, we have to protect an innocent bun.” He winks at me.

“Well then, welcome.”

(1) Eureema: city in Photarium (earth elemental home kingdom)