QSthena enjoyed seeing the terrified look on the faces of the humans as he watched the green-eyed human do her work.
While observing her, he noticed something about the way she moved. The elegance and the…, he couldn't pinpoint what it was, but he felt something odd about her.
Listening to the frantic heartbeat of the humans made a sly smile tug on his lips which he flashed to the green-eyed girl who suddenly turned to continue with her sales.
Perdita froze when she saw the red-eyed man. Her body slightly turned stiff and she clutched her skirt feeling the eyes of the man on her, and his unnerving smile that made her want to bolt out of the market to where no one will see or hear of her again.
Clearing her throat and trying to calm her heart, she smiled at the man and turned to her customers who watched him with so much hatred. She noticed the rising tension between her villagers and the man, which made her look at him again where the smile was still on his lips. She gauged his expression and saw he was not speaking. 'At least he didn't notice' She thought and let out an internal sigh.
Perdita schooled her features and flashed a sweet smile to her customers "What are you all standing there for? Come on and buy your buns while it is still hot."
The humans slowly and cautiously stepped forward and bought the buns before hurrying away from there.
Soon, she finished selling the baked buns and only an empty tray was left.
"If you can wait, the buns in the oven will be ready in a few minutes." She spoke to the remaining customers who were not able to buy the buns some minutes ago. They felt tongue-tied and only nodded their heads.
They were apprehensive of the red-eyed man and at the same time, their eyes were filled with anger and hatred toward him. He was a blood-sucking leech their village and other humans didn't approve of since a decade ago after the last massacre of humans that was caused by them.
These leeches as they called them, had killed and drank blood from humans and they turned some of them into vampires! This made them wonder how the man was able to get past the village gate because these creatures were never allowed to enter the village of humans, especially this one, the village of Woodbridge. At this moment, they all wanted to run a stake into his chest and kill him. But they knew not to trifle with people of high status, especially when it's a vampire.
Vampires were creatures humans despised to no end. The very breath they took repulsed them that, if it were possible to create a separate air they have to breathe, then they would do it no matter the cost.
Since decades ago, humans have never appreciated the existence of vampires and likewise the vampires. Whereas the humans could only feel aggrieved and run for their lives, the vampires enjoyed hunting them for food. This made the humans succumb to the fear and hatred they held in their hearts as they never got to avenge the death of their loved ones who were killed by the vampires.
"Such unwelcoming humans," Sthena commented, stressing the word human to annoy them more.
His scrutinizing gaze swept past them, which made them take some steps back in fear. This was what he enjoyed most in humans. The scared look on their faces each time they saw him thrilled him the most.
Not bothering with the scared villagers, he turned back to look at the green-eyed lady who had taken his interest since he came to the stall. She had a look of wariness in her eyes. The other villagers were scared of who he was, but the fear he saw in her eyes was of terror and panic. Not because he was a creature of the night. Though he didn't know what it was, he was going to find out today.
It felt like an internal war was going on at the intensity at which Perdita and Sthena were looking at each other. People began to whisper while looking at them.
'Do you think they know each other?' The first villager spoke.
'Of course not. Perdita has always been here since little. She couldn't have befriended a vampire!' Came the quick denial from the second villager and others agreed to his words.
'Hmmph!, you never can tell. People can be vile and mingle with the cursed creatures.' The first villager harrumphed and continued watching them with the other villagers.
Perdita kept up to Sthena's gaze without blinking an eyelid while at the same time, the fear of being caught grew in her mind.
"I see you have preferential treatment for your customers," Sthena said and shook his head disapprovingly "Is it because I'm a vampire that can drink you dry?"
Gasps filled the air and the villagers around became more alert.
Perdita couldn't understand what was happening. Just some minutes ago, she had been selling her buns before this vampire came inside the market, and to her stall of all places. It was obvious the man was here to cause trouble for her which she would not allow.
Her gaze on the man became fierce, and she clutched her skirt to keep her emotions in place.
"What do you think you are doing, Mister?" Her question made the smile threatening to show on Sthena's lips widen.
"What am I trying to do?" Sthena clicked his tongue in pure fun of enjoying the little show "Aren't you brave to ask a creature of the night that question?"
Sthena chuckled and continued "Isn't it obvious that I came to buy your buns but you never paid attention to me? Is this how you treat your customers? So unfair and unjust?"
Sthena's words pricked a nerve in Perdita's head and she glared at him. "So what if I don't want to sell to you? There are other stalls to buy buns from."
Sthena's rolled his eyes, "I'm not blind not to see them. I only want to buy your sweet and appetizing buns, yet you treat me so unfairly. So this is how vampires are treated by humans, and the church thinks we are the ones inflicting pain on you poor souls."
"What pain is greater than being sucked dry by you leeches!" The first villager who insisted that Perdita knew Sthena shouted at him.
Sthena slowly turned to face the man with a smile as if meaning no harm, "The pain of the heart." He answered and the smile on his face vanished.
Perdita's eyes narrowed at the man's words. She couldn't help but curse her luck today. Of all the stalls this man could go to, it was hers!
Sthena looked at the villager and said, "Do you know that if I pull your heart while drinking your blood, it is pure pleasure to my kind?"
At this moment, when the villagers saw the look on the vampire's face and the words he uttered, they quickly began to disperse not wanting to be drunk dry by him.
Sthena turned to Perdita, the smile returning to his face, "Your buns are burning."
Perdita gasped and quickly went to the buns she was baking. She brought the tray down from the oven and placed it on the table. When she opened the lid of the tray, she felt like crying. Everything had burned and some had turned black.
She looked up and glared at Sthena. She had been occupied with the man's trouble she forgot her buns and they were all damaged except for a few that were still edible.
"You damaged my buns! I demand the payments!" Perdita pointed at Sthena. Her hands shook from anger and she felt her throat go dry suddenly.
She held her neck and bent down to cough. No, no, no, please not now. She silently whispered while holding her neck that itched for a warm liquid.
Sthena silently watched the human who was subtle with her movements. If he hadn't noticed what was odd about her since he came here, he couldn't be mistaken with what he saw now.
He walked forward and stood in front of her stall and said in a low voice only for her to hear "You know, you shouldn't accuse me of something I didn't do. It is your negligence that caused you."
The itch on Perdita's throat increased and she coughed to ease the irritation. She looked up at Sthena with her heartbeat thumping with fear "What are you talking about?"
"Your buns," Sthena gave her a knowing look. "You have been subtle and careful with your movements, but don't think it will last forever in the eyes of the humans." The seriousness in his tone couldn't be denied by Perdita that he knew what she had hidden for decades now.
Sthena reached out and took two good buns from the tray on the table. He smiled at the pale Perdita and walked away.
He knew!
Perdita held the tray in a tight grip as fear slowly crawled into her body more than the itching in her throat. She quickly poured herself a cup of water and gulped down everything. But it didn't stop the itch, rather it increased and all she wanted was to run away.
She quickly put her things away, closed her stall, and ran home. People who saw her pitied her. Her buns got burnt and she had a vampire visiting her shop and causing trouble for her. They all thought it was the vampire's fault.
If only they knew.