Chapter 49 Chapter 49
Chapter 49 Chapter 49
That afternoon arrived faster than I had expected. Sunlight crept through the narrow gap in the window, sliding across the faded walls of our room. I slipped on a thin jacket and tucked the remaining money into the deepest pocket I had. Dahlia sat on the bed, hugging her small bag to her chest.
“Are you sure you’ll be all right if I leave you?” I asked.
“I can take care of myself,” she answered quickly—too quickly. “I’ll stay in the room. I won’t go out. I won’t open the door.”
I studied her for a long moment. “If anyone knocks, don’t open it. Not even if they say they’re from the building management.”
“Yes, Sis.”
I cupped her face with both hands. “Dahlia. Don’t hunt. Don’t.”
She nodded, her eyes serious. “I promise.”
I stepped outside with a sense of unease weighing on my chest. The streets were growing busier. The scent of humans thickened as night approached. Every step felt like a test of restraint, a trial I had to pass over and over again.
The small eatery was already crowded when I arrived. The owner stood behind the counter, rolling up his sleeves.
“You came,” he said. “Good.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“Wash dishes. Carry sacks of rice. Clean up. You can handle that?”
“I can.”
He nodded and handed me an apron. “Work until closing. Paid daily.”
I tied the apron around my waist. Water rushed loudly from the sink. The pile of dirty dishes looked endless. My hands moved quickly—too quickly. I forced myself to slow down so I wouldn’t look strange.
A female server glanced at me. “You’re new.”
“Yes.”
“You’re strong,” she said with a small smile.
“I’m used to it,” I replied shortly.
The hours dragged on. The smell of hot soup mixed with human sweat made my head ache slightly. I kept my gaze lowered, focused on my tasks. Hold back. Hold back. The words repeated in my mind like a prayer.
When the eatery finally began to empty, the owner approached me again. “You did good work.”
“Thank you.”
He handed me a few bills. “Come back tomorrow.”
I closed my fingers around the money. It felt heavier, more meaningful than palace gold ever had. “I will.”
The sky was fully dark by the time I returned to the rental house. The corridor was quiet. I unlocked the door carefully and stepped inside.
Dahlia was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed. Her face was pale. Her eyes stared blankly at the wall.
“Dahlia,” I called.
She turned quickly. “Sis.”
I shut the door and hurried to her side. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m hungry,” she said honestly. “Very hungry.”
I knelt in front of her. “You didn’t go out.”
“No,” she said quickly. “I held myself back. But it feels like something is burning inside me.”
I closed my eyes for a moment. Guilt pressed heavily against my chest. I took out the bread and simple soup I had brought from the eatery.
“Eat this.”
She looked at it hesitantly. “It won’t be enough.”
“I know. But it’s all we have.”
With trembling hands, she took it and ate slowly. I sat beside her, sipping the soup myself, even though it tasted bland and thin.
“Sis,” she said quietly after a while. “How long can we live like this?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “But we’ll find a way.”
She leaned her head against my shoulder. “I’m scared.”
I wrapped my arms around her. “So am I. But we’re together.”
That night, we shared the last piece of bread. Silence settled over the room again. From outside came the sounds of drunken laughter, unsteady footsteps echoing down the street.
I stared at the window. This city was cruel, but it was also the only place where we could hide for now. I had to become stronger. Smarter. For Dahlia.
When we finally lay down, I remained awake long after Dahlia’s breathing grew steady. I counted each beat of my heart, fighting the urge to slip outside and hunt.
“I swear,” I whispered to myself. “I will protect us. No matter the cost.”
Outside, the city continued to live and breathe. And inside that narrow room, two vampires learned how to survive as humans.