5. Hunted

Triana

Just like hers, Vlador's entire body glowed green, and it had just gone out.

Unexpectedly, the magic that worked for Triana also worked simultaneously on the vampire in front of her, which was expected, considering that giving the magic potion to Vlador was indeed a requirement from the witch.

But didn't the witch say that her magic potion would make the vampire who drank it feel like burning for three days? The witch’s words were far different from what was happening now.

Vlador looked at his hands, which were no longer bound by chains. "My strength... it's returned," he muttered.

As Vlador rose to his feet, all of Triana's guards drew their swords.

"Lady Triana, we must leave now!" Grivin said, grabbing Triana's upper arm.

Awakened from her daze, Triana rose to her feet with a slightly swaying body as she had lost a lot of blood, making her dizzy and weak. She was escorted by her guards towards the door, but a strong wind suddenly blew from their backs, slamming the door shut.

"Ah!" Triana screamed, closing her ears. Then she turned around to her other guards, who were standing in front of the freed vampire.

The last thing she saw was a wide grin forming on a frighteningly gaunt face, revealing a pair of long and sharp fangs. After that, all the lanterns and torches they carried went out.

"Hurry, run, lady!" Grivin exclaimed as he reopened the heavy iron door in front of them.

"Please save yourself!" the man continued, pushing Triana's body until she stumbled out of the prison room towards the hallway, which only received a little light from the full moon to give it a dim glow.

"Grivin!" Triana turned her body. But the door closed back before the leader of the guards could get out.

After that, the sounds of Triana's guards shouting along with the sound of falling iron hitting the stone floor were heard. She was sure all the commotion was the sound of her guards falling.

"They're being attacked. The vampire is killing them!" Triana murmured, covering her mouth with both hands while stepping back. With no other choice, she reluctantly left all of her guards behind, including Grivin.

Triana's vision was blurred. She couldn't run straight, and her body kept hunching over. Her steps were unsteady, as if she wasn't touching the ground at all. Nevertheless, she kept trying to run as hard as she could.

Without a lantern, Triana relied on the moonlight entering the gloomy castle through its broken windows. On the uneven and dirty floor, she continued to step as fast as she could towards the castle's exit door, even though she wasn't sure if she was walking in the right direction.

How could the vampire break free? Wasn't he supposed to be in pain and choose to die? Did the magic potion make him break free?

Tears began to well up in Triana's eyes. She couldn't believe the situation had turned out like this. The hope of eternal beauty to brighten her future was now threatening her life. All her struggles would be in vain if she died at the hands of that monster. And worse, she was sure her guards were already dead.

Wasn't her beauty supposed to bring happiness to everyone, as her father said?

But why was reality speaking otherwise? Triana's beauty caused her guards to lose their lives.

If from the beginning Triana knew that to maintain her beauty there would be spilled blood, she wouldn't have obeyed the witch's orders. But now everything was too late. No. From the beginning, everything was already too late. Triana's happy life had actually been shattered when she met that witch.

Triana couldn't forget the witch's words that she would become hideous if she didn't make Vlador drink her potion. Even if she didn't bring her guards here, her life would end because her form would change into a monster.

Looking back, Triana found nothing but darkness enveloped in cold, humid wind blowing from all directions. Although she didn't find anything chasing her, she felt that something was watching her and would suddenly emerge to pounce on her.

"Run, Triana! It's just your imagination. Maybe he is drinking the guards' blood now. He won't have time to chase you as long as you escape from here very quickly!"

Somehow the prey instinct helped Triana find her way out of the castle without getting lost. But she found that the remaining guards who were supposed to be guarding outside the castle had disappeared, leaving behind their horses.

"Oh, God... This is not good. It looks like I have to escape alone."

Running out of breath, Triana approached one of the guard's horses and mounted it after a few failed attempts due to her weak knees. After successfully sitting, she spurred the horse's reins. But instead of running, the horse reared up, almost causing Triana to fall backward.

"Oh, dear! Why am I so foolish?" Triana complained to herself while looking down.

Then she dismounted from the horse. Her weak legs caused her to fall forward, staining her beautiful dress. But she quickly got up and limped over to the reins that were tied to the horse's carriage wheel.

Regret engulfed Triana as she realized she had been too obedient to her parents' words, who did not allow her to ride horses too often. Even if she were to ride, the servants always prepared everything for her, including preparing a horse that she only needed to ride.

After releasing the horse's reins, Triana tried to climb onto the horse's body again with her remaining energy. However, the sound of footsteps crushing dry leaves froze her cold body.

A squeezing pain in her heart made Triana grimace. With a stiff neck, she turned around only to make her body tremble even more, and dryness struck her throat.

A man with glowing red eyes stared at Triana as if she were a fresh roasted turkey served on the dining table. The blood that smeared on his mouth and chin was still dripping onto his shabby white tunic that was wet with fresh blood. Meanwhile, the long nails on one of his hands were stuck behind the neck of Triana's dead guard.

Without needing to think hard, Triana could conclude that the man was the vampire who had sucked her blood earlier. However, he was no longer a skin-covered vampire skeleton, not even a pitiful skinny one.