CHAPTER 41: A HAPPY SLAVE

"Kai, sleep properly," said Sylas, pulling Kai’s arms and legs so he could lie down more comfortably.

Kai woke up and, as usual, immediately sat up, surprising Sylas.

"It’s okay. Sleep here." Sylas pulled the slave closer to him.

It took some time to get the slave to lie down properly beside him. Sylas caught a small smile from Kai, but it disappeared right away. He realized that the slave had never smiled or laughed before.

"Are you sick?" asked Sylas, lying down facing the slave.

Kai tensed up. He quickly shook his head. He closed his eyes when Sylas rubbed his forehead and neck. He felt very tired, which made his body hot and feverish. It had happened to him since he was a child. But it was dangerous because he was a slave.

Kai was traumatized. He didn’t want Sylas to throw him away just because he looked weak. So he was terrified when the man examined him.

"You have a fever," said Sylas, getting up and grabbing a bottle of water.

Kai shook his head. "I’m not sick, Master."

Sylas made him drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration. "We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. You have to be strong," said Sylas.

Kai drank all the water in the bottle. But he went quiet as soon as Sylas spoke. Was he going to be taken on the trip?

"I... I will come with you, Master?" asked Kai. His heart pounded with hope.

Sylas nodded. "I don’t need slaves. But I’m sure I can find you work in the palace. It’s just that things aren’t good right now. I hope you can hold on until we get through this."

Kai didn’t care about anything else. As long as that man took him away, he was happy. His face immediately lit up, his eyes glistening with joy.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Sylas was surprised to see Kai breaking down in tears. But the slave quickly wiped them away.

"T-thank you, Master..." he said softly, almost in a whisper.

Sylas sighed. Why did the slave want to come with him when he had the chance to be free and live a normal life? Life in the palace was like a prison for him. If he could, he would rather live alone in a village, where no one knew him. A quiet and peaceful life.

He looked at Kai once more. He knew the slave would look for him, so it would be better to take him along. He couldn’t let Vlad get his hands on Kai again.

Inside the room, Vlad put Alvaro down, who immediately became angry.

But Alvaro was stunned—there was already a young man, naked and on all fours.

What the hell?!

Vlad smiled at the slave who was bowing his head beside the bed. He led Alvaro to sit on the bed while he approached the slave.

"My boy... come here..." Vlad lifted the slave and held him on his lap. The slave looked tense as he bowed his head.

Alvaro frowned as he looked at the two of them. But the more he looked, the more goosebumps he got.

"You know, your blood won’t taste good if you’re tense. Calm down... It’s not your first time, Bari," said Vlad, rubbing the slave’s back.

The slave nodded, clearly trying to take a deep breath to calm himself down. He closed his eyes when Vlad kissed his neck.

"Calm down..." whispered Vlad, embracing the slave with his muscular body.

Alvaro was shocked to see the slave stiffen, his eyes wide open. The slave’s hands were clenched around Vlad’s back.

"Nggh!" the slave groaned, holding back a scream.

Alvaro looked closer, seeing Vlad sink his fangs into the slave’s neck, making him cringe. The man was really a vampire! He saw it with his own eyes!

Alvaro held his breath. The slave looked like he was in pain. But after a while, Vlad pulled back and licked the blood from the slave’s neck.

The slave looked weak, his arms limp.

Vlad kissed the slave’s cheek. "Good boy..." he whispered. He cradled the slave for a while, gently stroking his bare back.

"I can’t play with you tonight. You can go back to your room," said Vlad. Then he lowered the slave to the floor.

The slave bowed his head. "Thank you, Master."

Alvaro just stared as the slave crawled out of Vlad’s room. What had he just seen?

"You’re really a freak!" said Alvaro. He couldn’t believe that man had just drunk human blood in front of him.

Vlad looked at Alvaro and smiled. The vampire’s face looked fresher now.

"What did you just say? I can’t hear you. Come closer," Vlad teased.

Alvaro shivered. But he was already in the vampire’s embrace. No matter how much he resisted, he couldn’t escape him.

***

It seemed like only a few hours had passed, and morning had already come.

John woke Sylas up and got ready because someone was coming to take him away. He brought leather shoes for Sylas.

Sylas opened his eyes and got out of bed.

"Is Duke Terion coming this morning?" asked Sylas.

John nodded. "That’s what Master Vlad said. You can eat first."

Sylas nodded. He looked at Kai, who was already awake and kneeling beside the bed.

"Why are you there?" Sylas pulled Kai’s hand to get him up. "Oh my God, what should I do with you? Don’t kneel."

Kai gave in when Sylas slowly pulled him out of the room to follow John.

Early in the morning, he wasn’t the only one who had woken up. The central area of the garden was already crowded with people chatting and going about their activities. It was no different from the palace.

Sylas walked slowly, aware of their stares.

Kai just looked down. He was used to it, but he still didn’t know them very well. Especially after the incident with Hein.

John took them straight to the dining room. But Sylas stopped in front of a building filled with firewood. His eyes widened as he stared at the scene in front of him.

A boy was being whipped with a piece of wood. Bruises were visible on his bare back. The man whipping him was big and strong.