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Chapter 3: What Do You Want From Me
It was dark. The air was still. Pilea's breathing grew heavier as she tried to recover.
Something wet was dripping down her leg like liquid. Her vision remained blurry as she struggled to regain her sight.
A young lady—about her age—stepped closer. She smiled, satisfied, as she glared down at Pilea, who was still trying to pull herself together after that brutal fall down the staircase. Her eyes were full of anticipation, watching Pilea closely, waiting for her to come to.
Pilea's eyes opened a little. Her head was heavy—aching—before the memories of what happened at school flooded back. The argument, the push, the fall...
Her eyes flew open.
But all she could see was darkness.
That's when she felt the wetness again—on her back this time. She tried to touch it, but she couldn't move her hands. Panic struck her when she realized—her hands were tied.
"Where am I?" she whispered, her head pounding. The pain was sharp, unbearable.
She winced, struggling to free herself. That's when she noticed someone sitting in front of her—a figure on a chair.
"She's awake," a young woman's voice announced.
"Is... someone there?" Pilea's voice was barely audible, drained of strength.
"Pour her some water," the same voice commanded.
Pilea's eyes widened. "Water?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Please, who's there?"
Before she could say another word, something cold splashed over her. Her body was soaked. Sticky. Her vision worsened.
Then came footsteps.
The same girl squatted in front of her and grabbed her face firmly.
Pilea, struggling to breathe, squinted to see the figure before her. Though her vision was poor, she could make out the girl's brown eyes—and feel her breath against her skin.
The closeness gave Pilea goosebumps. Her aura alone sent shivers down her spine.
"What do you want from me?" Pilea used what little energy she had to speak.
The girl stood up, laughing coldly. Then, her expression shifted to serious as she sat back down.
"She's cute... for someone who nearly escaped death," the girl said.
Pilea remained silent, struggling to see the girl's face. Her strength was fading fast.
The girl sighed and leaned in. "So, you're the petty girl who tried to catch my Androsen's attention, huh?"
Pilea groaned in frustration. "Androsen? Who is Androsen?" she asked, confused and weak.
The girl let out a dark chuckle. "I'm sorry. I don't have time for this."
She turned toward two young men—Pilea hadn't even noticed them until now.
"Do with her as you please," she said with a sly smile, stepping back as the two men—vampires—approached Pilea slowly, hungrily.
Fear spread through her like fire. Even through the pain, the thought of their hands on her made her sick. She screamed, her voice raw with desperation. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her mind went blank, only flashes of her younger brother coming to her.
She knew no one would hear her. She had wasted most of her energy running, and the fall had taken a huge toll. But still—she screamed.
"There's no point," the girl said casually. "We're in an isolated area. No one will hear you. So don't waste your strength. You'll need it... for the boys." She smirked. "Oops—I mean the vampires." She laughed cruelly.
Pilea sat there, speechless, still struggling to move, to escape.
BOOM!
The door slammed open.
A man walked in. His aura was dark—he didn't need to speak. Just his presence made the others step back instantly.
The girl and the two men froze.
Even without seeing his face, Pilea felt the atmosphere shift. Something dangerous had entered the room.
The girl's hands began to shake violently. She bowed quickly.
The men dropped to the floor, begging for their lives without daring to look up.
Pilea, unfortunately, was too far gone. Her eyes fluttered closed—exhaustion took over.
The girl forced herself to speak. "Mr. Androsen... It's a pleasure to see you here. We were just about to—get rid of her."
His cold gaze said everything.
"What did you do to her?" His voice was icy, commanding—lethal.
The girl panicked. She knew he never repeated questions.
"N-nothing! I just... I just asked some girls to push her, and then—"
"And then what?" he shouted.
She trembled in fear. Tears fell down her cheeks. One glance from him could end her life.
"I—I just brought her here. I promise I didn't hurt her!"
His eyes blazed with hatred. "Get out."
His tone alone could kill. The men didn't wait—they scrambled out.
The girl hesitated. "I thought she was your enemy... so why—?"
She didn't finish. His glare alone silenced her. She bowed deeply and rushed out.
Now, only Pilea remained—unconscious on the ground.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered.
He knelt beside her, checking her neck. "She's still breathing."
He placed his hands gently on her head. All the blood on her body slowly disappeared, returning inside.
"She lost a lot of blood," he whispered, sighing. "I can't believe I'm doing this."
He moved one finger close to her nose. Her breathing had stabilized.
He turned to leave—then paused.
Something... was holding his leg.
Annoyed, he looked down.
Then he remembered what that annoying Kensley had said.
He sighed and turned back to her. Her unconscious form lay still, her long hair covering most of her face.
Despite everything, her small, round face looked peaceful, almost calm.
"She's surprisingly light," he murmured, lifting her into his arms. "Though her clothes are drenched."
He exhaled deeply, brushing her hair away from her face with one finger. Then, without another word, he walked out of the building—carrying her with him.
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