Refuge (Vampire!Levi x F!Reader)

Chapter 7

Your feet touched the ground and you turned your head to gaze upon the grand castle that lay before you.

Levi had taken you far away, you had no idea that there were any mountains anywhere near you. The night was still young and the sky was clear, allowing moonlight to settle upon the ancient structure nestled into the side of the mountains. The castle looked even bigger than the Royal Palace!

The short man started to walk towards the grand castle doors, prompting you to take a few steps forward to follow him.

The stone steps under your shoes were old. They were chipped and dipped due to the number of people that had walked on them throughout the years. The staircase had a slight incline, but it wasn't steep. The staircase curved to meet the metal doors.

Levi stood before the doors that towered above him. As he did what he needed to do, your eyes wandered and then settled on the bricks next to you. They were dark grey and had been weathered over time. They looked slightly damp, but that was probably due to the recent rainfall.

Your eyes snapped back to the doors as they clanked and creaked. They were pulled back and you gasped at the sight before you.

Following Levi in, your eyes scanned the different paintings, tapestries and ornaments that decorated the entrance hall. You took no notice of the eyes that stuck to you like glue.

"Prince Levi! Prince Levi has returned!" Someone shouted, breaking the silence. You finally realised the people staring at you. Some stood in groups in the corner of the hall while others leaned on the banister of the balcony upstairs. Looking over at Levi, you saw him roll his eyes in annoyance. You could relate, it got annoying when you were the center of attention on every occasion.

On either side of the staircase that led up to the balcony, there were doors. One of them was flung open and a tall, brown haired woman stormed out of it. She was wearing tight trousers and a loose top, but that was kept in place with a corset so only the sleeves moved as she stalked towards the small prince.

Right behind her followed a small, mousy haired woman. She took many little steps just to keep up with the first woman who wore glasses. The woman wore a small skirt over her leggings and still wore a corset over her shirt.

You were a little surprised at their clothing, you thought that in a place of royalty everyone should be wearing proper attire. Granted, you were in your bed clothes, but that was because you had no time to change.

The woman with glasses stopped in front of Levi and stared him dead in the eye. Levi returned the stare and didn't falter.

"Levi," she addressed him, now taking a step back.

"Hanji," he returned.

"Where were you?" She burst out in frustration, "most people have been worried sick, especially in the heightened hunt for us."

"I was perfectly alright," Levi sighed. He removed the cravat around his neck and handed it to the second woman who was shorter than him by a few inches. "Petra, can you go clean that up?" The woman, Petra, nodded and took the stained cravat before scuttling off back from where she came. "I had a place to stay."

Hanji's brown eyes skirted over you. "Thank you for looking after this idiot."

Before you could say anything, a voice boomed, "Princess Hanji...and Prince Levi." You moved your eyes to the door where Hanji came from.

Standing in the doorway was a tall, blonde-headed man. He was clean-shaven and dressed in the finest materials. He adjusted something on his coat before walking over to the little gathering that had appeared in the middle of the hall.

You were still surprised that the woman before you was a princess, her attire certainly didn't suggest royalty. Was she Levi's sister?

"We've got a lot to discuss," the man said with a grave expression. His eyes fell on you. His stare was intense. "Who are you?"

"Y/N L/N, sir," you responded, bending your knees slightly and bowing your head to show respect. You returned to your natural stance and saw the man give a nod at Levi.

Hanji began to walk behind the man as he began to leave. Levi took one step forward before glancing back at you. He grabbed your wrist and gave it a little tug to get you walking.

You all stopped in a relatively large room. The far wall was covered in windows, granting anyone a perfect, picturesque view of the mountains and forests that spread out over the landscape. A desk was situated in front of the windows. Along the other walls were shelves to hold books. Some were small but battered, while others were big and covered in dust.

"Any reason you bring a human into our stronghold?" The taller man asked.

"Y/N let me stay in her home," Levi responded. "They will bring us no harm."

"I think it's fascinating to have a human here," Hanji grinned.

They were talking about you as if they weren't human.

"Humans aren't fond of us at the moment, in case you haven't realised. Ever since Bram Stoker and that book..." the man sighed.

"Bram Stoker's Dracula?" You questioned. You took a cautious step back as the cogs started to tick and turn in your head. "You're all killers then..."

"Y/N," Levi began, "if we wanted you dead, then you would already be dead. You saved me so why would I do the complete opposite and kill you?"

"Y/N doesn't seem too bad, Erwin," Hanji jumped in. "She's a little frightened right now, but I'm sure she can't harm any of us."

Erwin hummed slightly as he thought. "Fine. Hanji, take Y/N to find some more clothes. I need to discuss things with Levi and update him on our current situation."

Hanji escorted you out of the room and turned you down the hallway. You ascended a few staircases before walking down a corridor with very few rooms. She stopped in front of one of these rooms and opened the door, taking you inside.

The room contained a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and some other things. The desk was littered in torn paper, scrunched up paper, pens, and cups. If this was her room, then she clearly kept herself busy.

Hanji opened the wardrobe and pulled out a slim-fitting forest green gown. She laid it down on the bed and stood back to admire it. "I never wear dresses. I've only ever worn this once at a very important meal, other than that, I wear this." She picked it up and handed it to you, "this should fit. It will suit you as well. Now tell me, what's it like being human?"

--haha should I include the first chapter of the original book in the next chapter so you guys can see the comparison?--