My medieval story

Their dark secret

Without thinking twice, James took me to a local tavern. This place didn't inspire such horror. On the contrary, it seemed to me that I was in some kind of RPG game and now the tavern owner would give us the task to deliver the ring to Middle-earth or kill the local evil spirit.
The lights were on in a large room, the sounds of lutes could be heard, there was a hum of human conversations and occasionally loud laughter could be heard.
- Honestly, it's better than I thought. - I said enthusiastically, eating a dish of chicken with beans and washing it all down with a glass of red wine.
- And how did you imagine our food?- O'Miles asked with interest, sipping the red liquid from the cup.
- Well, something like a tasteless gray disgusting mass.- I shrugged my shoulders.
- And, by the way, the place itself is not so scary. There is even life here and people enjoy it. Well, maybe things don't get so scary in the company of a big man who pays for your food.- I burst out laughing and made James let out a chuckle as well. The wine seemed to be starting to take effect.
- So you are brothers, then?- Reason abruptly got the better of me, I realized where and with whom I was, so I decided to change the subject.
- Not really, we're half-brothers. One person took us into his family, all at different times and at different ages, and now we work for him.- James looked me straight in the eye as he drank the wine.
- So you're like knights?- I arched one eyebrow.
- Something like that.- The red-haired man shook his head. - We all used to be O'Miles, Sorley, and Taylor. I can list a few more surnames of our brothers and sisters. But now we are united under the name of the Hart family.
- Hart? Hmm, it's beautiful, just like in the stories about knights. Feats in the name of Hart!- (Consonant with the heart). I smiled.- Only I know from books that knights were dishonest people after all.
- Oh, we have a code.- James sipped his wine again.- And we won't touch the damsel in distress, don't worry.
- A good start. -I agreed, shaking my head.- I'm sorry, but I don't think you think I'm a lady. I do not know how to behave here, I do not want to do something conditionally challenging,- I made quotes with my hands, - but I simply do not know much. As if women can't even move here, it's so terrible.
- And in your world, you mean, women have more freedom? - The man squinted.
- Of course! I have a master's degree in literature from London State University, I work, I live alone, I can not get married If want to, and I calmly walk down the street in an outfit, seeing which the three of you almost ate me.- I got bolder under several glasses of wine.
- Well, first of all, it's good, I'm happy for the women of the future. And secondly, we weren't going to eat you,- he also made quotation marks in the air, - we just weren't quite used to this kind of... outfits.- He paused.
- I like your optimism about women's freedoms, but it will not be easy due to this.- I took another sip of wine.
- Don't worry about Sorley and Taylor, they won't hurt you, and I certainly won't. - James waved him off.- Edward is a man of honor, you can trust him. But William just wants to say something, but he won't do anything. - James shrugged.
- And you? - I asked and looked at the man defiantly.
- And I, - he laughed awkwardly, and then thought, - and you can say anything to me. I act when circumstances require it, but I won't go against a lady, and I won't get into a fight for nothing. The enemy must be able to fight back, otherwise what's the point of it?!
- Do you think I won't fight back?- I became even more emboldened. It seemed it was time to finish with the wine.
James just looked me up and down, then looked me in the eye and laughed sincerely.
- I won't even argue.- He managed to say, and then a man's laughter filled my ears again.
I wanted to be indignant, but his laughter infected me too. I burst out laughing with him, and to such an extent that tears started coming out of my eyes.
- That's the kind of tears I like on you. - James smiled.
Involuntarily, I put my hand on his, and then, when the realization overtook me, I tried to imperceptibly shift it to the table. But I'm sure he paid attention to it, but he didn't show it.
A little later we returned home. All the way the man led me by the arm, because from the local wine my body was swaying like a twig in the wind. Entering the room, I immediately undressed, this time I managed to cope with the dress myself, and fell asleep right in my shirt. I didn't know how long the white sheets on the bed had been washed, but I didn't care about that now. I wanted the room to stop spinning around. Only I could get drunk on the first day, being in the Middle Ages...
I woke up, it seems, a few hours later. It felt like it was the middle of the night. As always, the wine made itself felt. I tried to do all my chores in a chamber pot and not throw up, pouring the contents out into the street, and then decided to go downstairs in search of water... or someone to ask about it.
I hastily put on my boots. Walking in them all the time was, of course, torture. However, yesterday morning, leaving the house, I did not think that I would get into this mess. It was worth putting on uggs...
Going down the stairs, I heard some strange sounds. Well, there was someone on the ground floor, which meant that I could ask for water, although it would be a little awkward if it wasn't James here.
Without a second thought, I walked into the dining room and literally froze in the aisle. It really wasn't James in the room. William was standing in the middle of the room, covered in blood. He was pressed tightly against the neck of a girl with black hair, who, it seems, no longer showed signs of life. Noticing me, Taylor pushed the poor thing away from him, and her body fell loudly to the floor.
- Oh, shit.- He said, looking me straight in the eyes and wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. His whole face was smeared with it, and his eyes for a moment shone scarlet.
All I could do was scream as loud as I could. Literally a second later, James and Edward were next to me, which only increased my panic.
"It can't be... but how is it? No, no, they don't exist, they can't exist."- it was spinning in my head. But what was it then? It was all too real to not believe in such a thing. The next thing I thought was that I would soon repeat the fate of the poor thing who was barely breathing on the floor. There are 3 fucking vampires around me! Real, big ones!
- Edward, you son of a bitch, we agreed! - James growled angrily, making me cringe.
- And what, O'Miles, because of your whore, I can't even eat properly in my house? - Taylor spread his hands theatrically.
- In our house, you idiot!- The red-haired man said even more angrily. - And she is not a whore!
- William, we indeed agreed. - Edward said in a very cold tone, chilling to the bone.- And we also agreed not to kill the victims, we have problems because of this, you know, and you almost took the girl's life. Fix it! - The vampire ordered.
- I'll fix it. - The guy grunted irritably under his breath, shifting his gaze to the body at his feet.
- And don't scare the witch of Jamie, we need her. - Edward shook his head.
Suddenly, all three vampires looked at me again. I couldn't move from my place out of fear.
-I... I'm not a witch! - I blurted out, and then I felt something terrible. The smell of blood... mine! It came out of my nose again. Apparently, the head injury made itself felt when I got nervous.
- Oh fuck it! - I screamed loudly, looking at the blood stain that formed when I ran the sleeve of my shirt over my nose.
I raised my eyes full of fear: the three vampires were still looking at me, without saying a word. I knew that it was impossible to stay here at all! I'm bleeding, and I'm alone with three strong creatures that feed on it.
I screamed loudly and rushed to the front door as fast as I could. Due to the adrenaline rush, I opened it the first time and ran along the street without looking back. I was sure that they were chasing me and I had to run as far as possible so that they could not find me and kill me.
I stopped to catch my breath in one of the alleys. Again, there was a dead end in front of me. It didn't end well last time, but I didn't see a soul around.
- You ran far away.- A velvety voice cut through the silence.
James was standing at the beginning of the alley. I saw only a small grin on his face, but for some reason his eyes did not express anger. Seeing him, my whole body trembled. I instinctively screamed in horror. In response to this, the vampire was in front of me only in an instant.
- Shhh, people are sleeping.- He held out his hand.
The stream of tears gushed out again and it mixed with the blood from the nose again. My legs stopped holding me and I collapsed on the mud from impotence and animal horror. I covered my face with my hands and curled up into a ball. I didn't want to see him killing me. I didn't want to feel it...
He seemed to squat down and his big hand touched my back, as if in a soothing gesture.
-You're going to kill me, aren't you?- I asked through tears.
- No, of course not.- James replied softly and shook his head.- Why would I do that?
- Because you're a vampire.- I whispered with fear, looking at him with eyes full of horror and tears.
- But I would have already killed you if I wanted to, why wait?- The man shrugged his shoulders, and smiled slightly.-I don't want to and won't hurt you.
- How am I different from the girl William killed?- I asked.
- This is how William eats, I don't do that. - James stroked my back soothingly.- And he didn't kill her, she will recover. He will give her his blood and everything will be fine.
- Let's go back, huh? You need to rest. No one will hurt you there, I promise.- He spoke with some tenderness, looking at me with his blue eyes, which seemed to glow in the darkness of the street.- You're going to die on the street, I can't let you stay here.
And he was damn right. I wanted to believe him. The choice was between certain and possible death. I liked the second option much more.
- I want to trust you.- I whispered and tried to get up, but couldn't.