Chapter 47 Chapter 47

Chapter 47 Chapter 47
We walked a fair distance before I truly felt that pressure fade. Not because he appeared again, but because I forced myself to stop thinking about his shadow. If I kept remembering him, my composure would collapse on its own.
I took Dahlia to a small park at the corner of the city. It wasn’t crowded, just a few wooden benches and old trees whose leaves had begun to yellow. We sat side by side. Dahlia clutched her stomach, her face lowered.
“Kak,” she said softly. “I’m hungry again.”
I turned to her, looking at her with a mix of guilt and worry. “I know.”
“Not hungry like humans,” she continued honestly. “This is… deeper.”
I nodded slowly. “I feel it too.”
We fell silent for a moment. The morning breeze drifted past, carrying the scent of passing humans. Each trace of it pierced us, testing our control.
“We can’t hunt,” I said at last. “In a city like this, even a small mistake could make everything end.”
“I understand,” Dahlia replied, though the weight in her voice was unmistakable. “But what if I can’t hold on.”
I squeezed her hand. “You’re not alone. We’ll find another way.”
She looked at me doubtfully. “What kind of way.”
I took a long breath. “We survive as humans. For now.”
She frowned. “But that won’t last long.”
“I know,” I said honestly. “But it’s enough to keep us from being discovered. And enough until I find a safer solution.”
We left the park and walked through an old residential area. Brick buildings, dusty windows, small signboards offering cheap rooms for rent. I stopped in front of one of them.
“This one,” I said. “We’ll try here.”
The landlord was an old man with a raspy voice and wary eyes. He looked us over from head to toe.
“You siblings?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered quickly. “We just moved.”
“Got a deposit?” he asked again.
I took out the remaining money. Not much. The man counted it, then shook his head.
“Enough for one week,” he said. “After that, you pay again.”
I nodded. “We’ll take it.”
The room was small but clean. Two narrow beds, one window, one tiny bathroom. Not luxurious. Not warm. But safe.
As soon as the door closed, Dahlia sat down on one of the beds.
“Kak,” she said softly. “We’re really living like humans now.”
I gave a faint smile. “For now.”
She looked around. “I’ve never slept in a place this small.”
“Me neither,” I replied. “But we’ll get used to it.”
Dahlia was silent for a moment, then asked in an innocent voice, “Will we go back to the palace someday?”
The question stabbed into my chest.
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But while we’re here, we’ll protect each other.”
She nodded and lay down. “I trust you, Kak.”
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the cold floor. That trust felt heavy, but it also strengthened me.
In the afternoon, we went out again to buy basic necessities. Bread, water, a little fruit. Human food doesn’t give vampires energy, but it’s enough to trick the body into not collapsing.
At a small shop, a young cashier looked at us and smiled kindly. “You’re new here.”
“Yes,” Dahlia answered spontaneously.
I shot her a quick look, but the cashier only smiled. “Welcome. This city isn’t very friendly, but it’s livable.”
“We’ll try,” I said.
Night fell slowly. We returned to the room. Dahlia looked tired—more than usual.
“Kak,” she said before sleeping. “If one day I lose control…”
I cut her off. “No. You won’t.”
“If,” she repeated softly. “What would you do.”
I looked at her for a long moment, then answered honestly. “I would stop you. By any means necessary.”
She gave a small smile. “I hope it won’t come to that.”
So do I.
We turned off the light. Darkness enveloped the room. I lay there, staring at the ceiling.
In this foreign city, without a palace, without the protection of a clan, without enough blood, I knew one thing for certain.
From now on, every day is a struggle.
And I have to be strong enough to live through it.