I heard a few voices coming from beyond the door and every time I heard Garry greeting his customer with, 'My Lord'.

There was some deep conversation going on and I could not let my nose out of it. Maybe the person didn't even know that caveman had a hostage here? He might actually help me.

I slowly, very slowly opened the door and with steady footsteps, I reached the back door of the shop. My heart did somersault in my ribcage but I had managed to calm it for a moment with steady deep breathes. There was a window attached beside the door but it was dusty and I couldn't see anything but I managed to hear them.

"... course, My Lord!" I heard Garry say.

"I would need that in three days as there are certain matters that need my attention and I shall not be late." A deep voice said with authority. And I felt the need to look at the man.

The window was full but if I could- well, I would though- just wipe the dust off then I might see him.

"As you say, My Lord!"

With not much difficulties, I managed to wipe a small portion of the dusty window but at that moment I didn't notice when I stepped to the side making a log fall down.

"Whose there?" The man shouted and I managed to glue myself to the wall beside the window, stood as if I was doused in icy cold water.

"Err... Cat, my Lord, cat. A very, very noisy one."

A chuckle came out not long after and I resisted myself to do meow. I wasn't sure if vampire cats did meow or something else. Did their cats bark or howl?

"Well, I didn't know, you were fond of animals." The voice said giggling and I peeked inside.

"Ahahaha, I do, my Lord, I do." That didn't sound convincing enough.

I rolled my eyes however, my gaze fell on the tall man- a very handsome man- who stood before Garry and he had worn doublet and trousers that screamed his wealth. I didn't like ancient clothes but these had to be darn expensive. His golden hair shone as if made from the pure gold. However, his eyes which were blood red managed to freeze me in my place. Not to avoid his canines.

The canines stayed like it belonged there and it didn't felt like he had wore false ones for halloween. Well, I had so many canines- fake canines for halloween and for regular purpose... I do wear them often and B would just make fun of me.

He looked around and sniffing the air he said, "I smell a human." He shot his gaze at Garry who stiffened in his place. "Is there anyone?" He asked, I felt my knees trembling as his gaze traveled throughout the place.

Garry gulped and gave a nervous chuckle, "I...I had just finished my supper, My Lord."

He nooded, "Very well, I shall take my leave now. I'll come by in three days." He turned around and casting one last glance at the shop then he went away.

The sound of the horse's hooves faded away and then Garry came bursting open the door while found me standing still as a marble statue in the same place.

"What are you doing? I told you not to come out. We can get your scent!" He hissed however, I didn't have the courage to even move my head, let alone my body. My brain felt like it was already a mush in my head. I hadn't believed a thing he said about vampires but now, I had seen the proof, they indeed were real.

"You weren't bluffing," I mumbled.

"What? No! I am sure I said pretty much clearly that the customer- Sir Perseus doesn't like to be around humans, if he is then it would be entirely for blood."

"I meant the vampire part."

"Oh!"

I looked at Garry, "You don't really look like a vampire though." Actually, I thought all vampires had attractive looks added to their extra features. If they were vampires they would be definitely sexy. Then my eyes fell on the specimen before me...

"So, are there more vampires too?"

He blinked, "Err... Of course, seventy percent of the population of Vernon is of vampire beings."

I nodded, "In other words, hell." I casted a long look at the entrance and asked, "Who was that man?"

"He is Sir Perseus, a Knight of Slithrot. He is very obsessed with his armours to keep them in shape and always shiny." Garry crossed his hands over his chest and added, "He even bought his horse an armour and a very expensive one at that."

I shrugged, "He must be very wealthy."

"Oh, he is. He even owns a breeding firm."

"A breeding farm, eh? Like, human breeding you've mentioned?"

He nodded, "Yes. Humans. But he is also most trusted man of Prince Zethar. Very cunning, I might add." Garry patted on my shoulder, "I'm glad he didn't sense your scent otherwise you would be taken to his breeding firm."

My mouth hung open. What? A breeding firm and me? That was definitely something that I would avoid.

*****

Placing his hands on his head, General Stefan sat in his camp thinking how he would answer to his King about his ninth son's sudden disappearance.

He was sweating profusely, the beads rolled down from his neck and brows. His muscles clenched and unclenched at the thought of something that was so absurd as Prince Rogan's abduction. Prince Rogan who was the most feared vampire in entire Vernon was abducted, who would believe that?

Stefan's ears perked up as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, he snapped out of his trance and looked up at one of his men.

"General Stefan, we've sent half of our men to West, everything has been done according to your plan," he said.

"Sir Draven, I would like to know, when I was away to conquer the Westguard, what happened to Prince Rogan?" General's voice boomed in the camp and made the Knight freeze in his place.

"I... I'm afraid, I have no clue," he kneeled in front of General Stefan and added, "You may punish me for my tardiness. It was my fault while you were away, it was my duty to protect His Highness." His head reached the soil underneath him, "I have failed you."

Stefan knew it would be waste of time to punish his best knight. Sir Draven was anything but tardy. What he needed to do now was act according to the situation that had arose. He knew King Vance wouldn't be pleased to hear, his another son had disappeared. It would anger him and break him.

His King may have the reputation of being ruthless and strong but he held his sons close to his heart not to forget his only daughter, Princess Viona. If anything had to happen them, he would bring purgatory on Vernon.

A shiver ran down his spine recalling the memories when his sixth son had disappeared. Prince Derrick Daardendrian.

Disappointment crawled on Stefan's skin as he again saw the memories flashing on before of his eyes. The nine princes and the princess. It was his job to teach them swordsmanship and combat. Derick had been clumsy and different from the other princes but he had enamoured them all equally. He already felt as if he'd failed to protect the sixth prince but now he couldn't bear to shoulder the failure of losing the ninth prince.

He sighed and stood up. He would do everything in his power to bring back his highness. Even if he had to take down the Promised land to Vernon.

"Raise your head, Sir Draven. It's no time for punishment. We have to find our Prince..."

General was paused when two men of his troops came running and entered without asking his permission. In normal circumstances, he would have punished them or maybe abolish them however, they seemed to be in a rush to meet him. Both of them huffed, sweat stuck their hair on their foreheads and then kneeled.

"General Stefan, Sir Draven, forgive our sudden interruption but we may have found out where our Prince might be."

General Stephan took a long stride and reached the man, "Pray tell me, where?"

"We aren't sure but one of our soldier had confronted the enemy who took him."

A flood of anger rose in his veins and he clenched his teeth, "Who was it?"

"We could not see the enemy's face, My Lord. One of my men had been killed while saving his highness and another one found something."

He clenched his fists and reminded himself that he had taken an oath to protect Prince Rogan and whoever it was who was responsible for Rogan's disappearance, he would call his doom.

"What is it?"

The man looked the other soldier beside him and the said soldier pulled out a golden emblem with three star and an eagle. Stefan and Sir Draven both stiffened as they watched the crest, it wasn't an unfamiliar one on the contrary they knew very well of which country it belonged.

"Slithrot!" Stefan rumbled as he snatched the emblem from the soldier's hand and glared at it.

The intense rage which exploded within Stefan was enough to burn down the entire Slithrot empire. He knew those people would do something, especially that cunning second Prince who was foolish enough to pull such an act. Prince Zedan.

He must have sent an astonishingly clever man who knew how to abduct someone without anyone noticing. He cursed himself why hadn't he heard of anyone with this kind of skill. It was his duty to predict it.

"I'll kill him with my own hands!" General Stefan growled.

Both of the soldiers looked at each other and one of them corrected, "Err... My Lord, it's 'her'."

General Stephan, however, went still his eyebrows mashed together and he wasn't the only one. Beside him, Sir Draven followed suit. Both of the men blinked and asked, "What?"

Her?

General Stefan's gaze pinned the trembling soldiers daring them to move a muscle. Both men were trembling under his intense gaze.

"What?" He asked as he thought he must have heard it wrong.

"My-my Lord, it was a female who-who abducted Prince Rogan."

"Female? A female warrior?" Sir Draven asked even he was having hard time to swallow the information, "I have never heard of any female warrior from Slithrot."

They both nodded while General Stefan stood there still unable form any words out of his mouth. He had trained Prince Rogan and it was hard to believe that a female would abduct him. It was ridiculous!

"You must have seen it wrong." General Stefan spoke.

"No, My Lord, I have seen it with my own eyes she had big...err... I mean, it was a female. I am sure," one of them spoke.

"A Slithrot Warrior then. They even hired a female to lure him. How low of them!" Sir Draven said clenching his hands that hung both side of his armour.

"Send the information to our King and prepare men." General Stefan said grinding his teeth while the other three men could sense his anger radiating and they gulped.

With a sinister smile playing on his lips, General Stephan spoke, "Whoever is this warrior will pay for this!"

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[Edited by Sam8136, third draft: 9th August, 2020]
(1918 words)
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