Page 23 of Pieces of Halves

“Careful,” the woman says as she collects our fruits. Lifting her eyes, she looks between us. “Sofia is known to be ruthless. You don’t want to lose her,” she throws a glance at me, “over whatever that mad woman has.” She hands us the paper bag.

“Thank you for the warning.” His words sound dismissive, but as we turn to leave, his arm is around my waist again, holding me tighter than usual.

“Are you okay?” I look up at him.

“It’s a little more complicated than I thought it would be,” he responds without looking at me.

“I want to help.” My voice breaks.

I don’t know what I can offer.

“You already are.” He turns his head to me with a weak smile.

I don’t know what it is I am doing, but I want to do more.

Beautiful Pain.

Chapter Nine

ISABELLA

If witches, vampires, and werewolves are involved, this only means one thing – spells. Now, it’s obvious that Sofia wants to kill Victor and control the vampires. The problem is that because she is not a vampire, Sofia needs to bind herself to the vampires to rule over them. Hence, the need for a witch.

What if she succeeds and kills my father?Let her kill him. It is a thought that crosses my mind frequently. He is an evil man. The world would be better off without him.

Even though this village is mainly populated with werewolves, Jacob strongly insisted I stay at the Inn while he questioned Caleb. His explanation was that the wolf could be unpredictable. He is right, I understand that, but I want to be out there with him – learning, solving puzzles, and helping.

The room we are staying in is nice, but boredom settles in quickly. We picked up a few books at the market for time to pass faster. It worked for a few hours. Unfortunately, I already finished them. Now, I am sitting on the bed of a fancy Inn, staring out of the window as the sun sets behind the surrounding trees.

“We can go look around the Inn,” Tengu suggests from next to me. “There is a bar area and some hot springs outside.” The vertical slit in his eyes thins and his lips stretch wide.

We’ll go because Tengu wants to. That is what I tell myself. Otherwise, I will choose to stay here out of fear and wilt away from the lack of stimulation. I can already feel my mind going numb as random thoughts pop in and out. My body is getting restless with the need to stay busy.

“Okay. Let’s go look around.” I can’t hide my excited smile from him.

Tengu laughs, his voice low, and vanishes into the ring I carry on the necklace around my neck. I tried to wear it on my fingers, but it kept sliding off. The best solution I came up with was the small, golden necklace Vera gave me.

My heart beating quickly with the thrill of adventure, I walk down the wide set of stairs. Unlike all the other Inns we stayed in, this one is luxurious and sturdy. The wood is dark and polished, and it does not creak. The rugs are plush and dark, yet cozy.

As I make my way down, I use my vampire ability to hear and smell my surroundings. According to Jacob and Tengu, because my angel side has been activated, it is practically impossible to sense me as a vampire. I should be safe, but I want to be cautious.

There is a clanking of glasses and chatter below; it is steady and even, people talking about everything and nothing. The smell of alcohol follows. It is not a putrid scent but soft and calming. I would almost call it classy.

Should I get a drink?The exciting thought passes through my mind. I do have a little money that Jacob gave me.No. Maybe when Jacob is back.

A few people sit in the bar area, chatting and sipping drinks. The environment is different from what we have experienced previously. I expected loud men yelling and harassing the serving girls, but no. The few females who sit with the men seem to enjoy the peaceful conversations.

Pleased with what I see, I relax and inhale. With the large intake of air, something in the air gets my attention. It is sweet and musky. Tilting my head, I let my curiosity lead me to it. Walking away from the bar, I go through a barely lit hall.

My heartbeat escalates at the lack of light, but I keep going. At this moment, I wish I could have Tengu next to me, but if a human sees him, it will be chaos. There is a door at the end. It is smaller than the rest. The scent is coming from there. It is so appetizing, I must know what it is.

Against my better judgment, I open the tucked-away door. A steep set of stony stairs with only one lantern on the wall leads further down. Bringing my eyebrows together, I listen. Someone is there. I hear something— screaming, and – moaning?

Don’t go any further!My brain screams at me.

With my fingers shaking, I press my palm on the cold stone wall and take an unstable step down.

Go back. The reasonable side of me says.

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