Chapter 76: 76 — Craving Blood
From the corner of the hall, Ren watched Zayden and Eiran with Leon. They appeared like a family, without him. His chest squeezed tightly, but he smiled. At least now, Eiran wouldn’t feel unloved or neglected, with so many people there to care for him.
"Oh dear!" Lillia exclaimed, approaching Ren.
"I’ve been searching everywhere for you! Come and have dinner with me," she wrapped his hand around his wrist, leading him towards the servant’s quarters.
Ren simply followed, turning to see Eiran and Zayden once again.
At the dining table, Ren took a spoonful of rice into his mouth. Lillia had returned to her duty after having a short meal. His gaze fell on Paul, stepping closer to the table, holding a packet of red liquid in his hand.
Curious, he asked, "What is this?"
Paul who was about to sit tilted his head to the side before gasping.
"OH! This? Blood!" He grinned.
The spoon instantly dropped from Ren’s hand, clattering against the ceramic plate.
"Blood?" He narrowed his eyes. His stomach twisted as he looked at the red liquid.
Paul chuckled, his shoulders trembling, trying to suppress his laughter.
"Is this the first time you heard of this?" He asked once he calmed down.
Ren nodded.
"What should I do with you? You’ve been staying here all these months and you’re telling me this is the first time you’ve seen someone carry blood with them?"
"What do you plan to do with it?" Ren asked. Surely he wouldn’t—
"Drink it, of course," Paul answered as if reading his mind.
Breath caught in his throat, Ren looked at Paul as if he had said the most absurd thing in the world.
"Come on, don’t look at me like that. Maria is pregnant and she was craving blood. Because we aren’t purebloods, our bloodthirst isn’t as high. It manifests occasionally."
"Alright, but... Is it..." Ren hesitated to ask. What if it were human blood? After all, vampires preferred human blood over any other.
"It’s a rabbit’s. Don’t worry. You’re safe here," Paul shook his head, amused to see Ren’s face filled with worry for once. Tonight was the first time he had seen him make more than one expression.
"I’ll go deliver it to Maria," Paul said, pouring the blood into an empty glass.
"Wait, I will also go," rising from his seat, Ren walked toward Paul. "I need to say something."
"Then tell me."
"No. To both of you."
Paul smiled, although he wondered what crossed Ren’s mind. He was always unpredictable.
Once they stood in front of Maria’s bedroom, Paul knocked.
"Hurry up!" Maria shouted.
Ren flinched. He had never heard Maria yell before. She was already kind, gentle and well spoken.
Paul, noticing Ren’s widened eyes, chuckled.
"This is what a pregnant wife is like. You should take some tips from me," he flashed his teeth, proud of himself for handling his wife during such a difficult moment.
Ren replied with a faint grin. It wasn’t as if he needed to handle someone pregnant. If anything, he would be the one getting—
He sighed. Paul had already entered. He followed inside the room.
At first glance, the room could be mistaken to be the same as his. However, it was slightly bigger than Ren’s. A larger bed on which Maria was seated, the curve of her stomach had already begun to show.
With slow steps, he approached her.
"Is it?.."
Maria chuckled, glaring at Paul.
"Look, he wanted to say something!" Her husband explained, stepping back as if she would attack him anytime.
"I apologize. Maybe I shouldn’t have..."
"No, no. I am just curious. You never came here. And look at the room! It’s so messy," she covered her mouth, embarrassed.
"I came to say... goodbye."
The pair of husband and wife narrowed their eyes.
"What?!" They shouted.
"What do you mean?" Maria asked, her voice lower than just a moment ago.
"I need to leave. I have... Some urgent matters to attend to," Ren explained, fidgeting his hands.
Initially, he didn’t want anyone to know he was leaving. That was the plan however, he couldn’t bring himself to leave them without even bidding anyone farewell. They needed to know he left, not that he ran away with some values of the mansion, or anything.
And the reason behind his absence, even if a lie. He had to remain in good contact with them even as he left. After all, if he needed a place to stay with his child, it would be better to return to the mansion. No one recognized him at the banquet either. It meant, in Revhara, Imperial General Zayden’s was the safest place he could reside in.
Away from the Temple’s eyes.
"Oh! You needed a leave. You should’ve said it like that!" Paul sighed, relieved. "You scared me for no reason!"
"Right," Maria exhaled deeply. She reached for Ren’s hand, looking up at him with a bright smile. "Do you need something? Help with leaving?"
Ren shook his head.
"Right, you will need food!" Paul exclaimed.
"I have prepared it."
"Oh... Then clothes?"
"I already have that."
Maria snorted, bursting into laughter.
"H-Honey!" Flustered, Paul stammered.
"He just wants to make sure you have everything you might need and don’t get into trouble." Gently rubbing her fingers on Ren’s knuckles, she explained. "You were my husband’s first friend, you know?"
Ren turned to Paul.
The man simply turned his back, arms folded.
"Is that true?" Stepping in front of him, Ren asked.
Paul nodded, although unwilling.
"People don’t really like vampires, you know. And I hate hiding my identity. And mostly in the mansion—they say we are the creatures of the dark," he rolled his eyes, clearly irritated to even talk about it.
"I will not ask more if the subject is difficult for you to talk about."
Paul leaned his head backward, laughing.
"This is why you are the best, Ren!" He hugged Ren tightly.
Ren froze for a moment, his body stiffening. When his eyes landed on Maria, smiling at them, he returned the hug. They truly cared for him. He had forgotten how warm his chest felt when he made his first friend. And he was hiding his true self from them. The weight of secrets he had borne all these months felt heavy. When he parted his mouth, the words wouldn’t come out.
You fool! What do you think you are doing?!
Swallowing hard, Ren gently pulled away from the hug. Before he could say another word, the door creaked open.
"What?.." Hannah stepped inside, her voice echoing in the silent hall.