Chapter 6 CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6

REINA HEARTS

I slowly let out a long, steady breath through my lips, hoping it would somehow calm the restless storm brewing inside me. We hadn't even left yet, and already my chest felt tight with anxiety.

The reason was simple.

I had just learned that I wouldn't be serving only one vampire.

There were three of them.

Three male vampires.

The realization alone was enough to send countless questions racing through my mind. I had no idea what they were like, what kind of personalities they had, or what awaited me once I arrived and the more I thought about it, the more nervous I became.

"Get inside."

Sir Lucan's deep, formal voice broke through my thoughts as he reached for my suitcase with practiced ease.

Without protest, I climbed into the car. The leather seat felt cool beneath me as I settled in, and I immediately pulled the seat belt across my body, fastening it securely. Through the window, I watched Sir Lucan place my luggage inside the rear compartment before closing it with a firm click.

A few moments later, he walked around the vehicle, slid into the driver's seat, and started the engine.

Soon, the wheels began to turn, carrying us farther and farther away from the only home I had ever known.

Almost immediately, I turned my head toward the brightly illuminated estate behind us. Even from a distance, I could still make out the familiar roof of our manor house standing proudly against the sky.

I couldn't bring myself to look away.

My gaze lingered on the manor.

I continued staring until the road sloped downward, and the manor slowly disappeared from view, swallowed completely by the darkness behind us.

That's when my attention slowly shifted to the front of the car, where I found Sir Lucan watching me through the rearview mirror but his eyes seemed to notice every emotion I was trying so hard to hide.

"If you have any questions," he said in a gentle, even voice. "I'll answer whatever I'm permitted to."

I swallowed hard. Without realizing it, I slowly clenched the fists resting on my lap, trying to suppress the nervous tremble running through my hands.

There was only one question weighing heavily on my mind.

"I... I'll be able to come home alive... won't I?" I asked.

Sir Lucan didn't answer immediately, but there wasn't even the slightest hint of surprise on his face.

"Of course," he replied. "Silvia recommended you to me because Don Blod was searching for a servant here in the human territory. That's how you came to be selected and as long as you don't commit a serious offense, your life won't be in danger. I'm sure Silvia has already told you about that and how strict the Volgoth family is... So everything depends on you now. Perform your duties properly, follow every rule, and avoid making costly mistakes. If you do that, you'll have nothing to worry about."

"And regarding your salary," he added. "I'll ask for your bank account details on payday so your wages can be deposited directly."

I nodded, taking in every word he had said.

"W-Would I be allowed to go home every payday?" I asked softly.

"I'm sorry, Miss Reina," he replied in a calm, apologetic tone. "That's not something I have the authority to decide. Only your masters can determine when you're permitted to leave the mansion. As of now, they're already expecting your arrival."

I lowered my gaze to my lap, staring at my tightly intertwined fingers.

So... whether I could return home or not wasn't my decision.

It belonged entirely to the people I was about to serve.

Pushing that disappointing thought aside, I gathered enough courage to ask another question.

"Are... are there other... Staff working in the mansion?" I asked cautiously.

"There are," Sir Lucan answered with a reassuring nod. "They're humans, just like us. Most of them are around my age, so I won't be the only one showing you the ropes once you get there."

Without realizing it, I let out the breath.

A wave of relief spread through my chest.

I had been imagining myself as the only human surrounded by vampires, and that thought alone had terrified me. Knowing there were other human servants living and working in the mansion made the situation feel a little less intimidating.

"I'm actually planning to recruit another or more servants as well," Sir Lucan added.

"I see..." I murmured.

I simply gave him a small nod, accepting everything he had told me.

The car fell quiet once more, leaving only the low hum of the engine to fill the silence. I watched the passing scenery through the window, but my thoughts remained occupied by the mysterious mansion waiting for me, and the three vampire masters I had yet to meet.

After a few moments, Sir Lucan glanced at me again through the rearview mirror.

"Do you have any other questions, Miss Reina?" he asked politely.

I hesitated.

I couldn't bring myself to say a single word.

My thoughts were in complete disarray, each one colliding with another until I no longer knew which question I should ask first.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat before clearing it.

I slowly lifted my head and met Sir Lucan's eyes through the rearview mirror. He was still watching me.

"W-Will they... bite?"

Sir Lucan let out a restrained cough.

"Don Blod's sons are recognized professionals," he said in a measured tone. "I highly doubt they would do something like that... unless, of course, you give them reason to believe that you wish to be bitten."

His answer made me close my eyes for a moment.

I wasn't sure whether his response was supposed to reassure me or make me even more nervous.

"There's no need for you to worry," he said calmly. "The Volgoth Brothers are respected gentlemen. They carry themselves with dignity and professionalism. If you allow yourself to become too frightened, you'll lose focus on your duties. And if that happens, you may end up placing yourself in danger."

I nodded twice before shifting in my seat, adjusting my posture to make myself more comfortable.

There were still so many questions running through my mind that I desperately wanted to ask Sir Lucan. Every answer he had given only seemed to awaken another wave of curiosity, and I couldn't deny that I wanted to know more about the world I was about to step into.

But I held myself back.

The truth was, I didn't want to spend the rest of the trip scaring myself.

I was already overwhelmed as it was.

The previous night had been anything but restful.

I had tossed and turned in bed for hours, unable to fall into a deep sleep because my mind refused to quiet down. It kept replaying countless possibilities about the job I had accepted, and unfortunately, almost every scenario I imagined ended badly.

The more I thought about it, the more my anxiety grew until sleep became nearly impossible.

I didn't want to make things worse by asking more questions that might only feed my fears.

As our journey continued, darkness slowly gave way to the soft light of dawn.

The horizon gradually brightened with shades of pale orange and gold, casting a warm glow over the empty highway.

Judging by the early morning light, it was probably around five o'clock.

A yawn escaped my lips before I turned to Sir Lucan.

"Sir Lucan," I said softly. "If it's alright with you... I'd like to get some sleep."

He glanced at me briefly through the rearview mirror before giving a small nod.

"Of course," he replied calmly. "Go ahead and get some rest."

The steady vibration of the car, combined with the soft hum of the engine and the peaceful silence surrounding us, made my heavy eyelids impossible to resist. Within minutes, exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted into a deep sleep.

Several hours passed before I slowly opened my eyes again.

For a brief moment, I blinked in confusion, still trying to remember where I was. Then everything came rushing back, the long trip, my new job, and the destination waiting for us.

Feeling my stomach growl, I reached for the lunch Mom had lovingly packed before I left home.

The journey seemed endless.

Hours blended together, and the roads stretched on without end.

I ended up falling asleep several more times inside the car. Whenever boredom began creeping in or I found myself staring too long at the passing scenery, I simply closed my eyes and let sleep take over once again.

It was the easiest way to pass the time.

Somewhere in the depths of my sleep, I slowly became aware of my surroundings again.

My consciousness stirred little by little, pulling me out of the peaceful darkness. I let out a soft breath before gradually opening my eyes, blinking away the lingering drowsiness that clouded my vision.

For a few moments, I simply stared blankly ahead, trying to gather my thoughts.

Then my attention drifted toward the closed window beside me.

The instant I looked outside, my eyebrows instinctively furrowed.

Just before I had fallen asleep, the sun had been shining brightly overhead. The daylight had been so brilliant that the entire highway was bathed in warm golden light.

But now...

The scenery outside looked completely different.

The road we were traveling on cut through the heart of a dense forest, surrounded by towering pine trees that stretched endlessly toward the darkened sky,  forming a seemingly endless corridor of shadow.

A thick blanket of white mist drifted through the forest, curling around the trees like ghostly smoke. It was so dense that it swallowed everything beyond a short distance, making it impossible to see what lay deeper within the woods.

The atmosphere had become strangely gloomy.

It was as though we had driven into an entirely different world.

Although it was supposed to be daytime, the sunlight barely reached the forest floor. Heavy clouds blanketed the sky above, blocking almost every ray of sunshine and casting an eerie gray darkness over everything around us.

The deeper we traveled, the more lifeless the surroundings felt.

Not a single bird sang.

Not a single animal could be seen.

Only the endless rows of towering pine trees and the thick fog accompanied us along the deserted road.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Something about this place felt... unsettling.

Unable to ignore the strange feeling creeping into my chest, I turned my gaze toward Sir Lucan.

His hands remained firmly wrapped around the steering wheel as he carefully guided the car forward. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his expression calm but noticeably more focused than before.

The fog had become so thick that it was beginning to swallow the road itself.

From where I sat, it almost looked as though we were driving blindly into an endless sea of white mist, with only a few meters of pavement visible before disappearing into the haze.

"Are we... already on Bloodsucker's Mountain?" I asked softly

My eyes remained fixed on the thick blanket of mist beyond the car window as I waited for Sir Lucan's response.

"Yes, Miss Reina," he replied in his professional tone. "We'll arrive at the mansion in about an hour."

So that's why...

No wonder the surroundings had changed so dramatically.

Without even realizing it, we had already crossed into the vampires' domain.