The Beauty in Pain | Book One of In Pain Trilogy *EDITING*

43 - Days Gone By

He rode in silence. Darkness surrounded them like a cape, covering them in its shroud, and no one spoke. Surrounded by vampires he thought were extinct mere months ago, Hale felt a little on edge. He was never really comfortable around them, and walking with them without their leader present made it even more so.

Hale was the assumed leader of his group. By now, they were all sure that Mynera had made it into the castle safely. Every time he thought about her with that horrible man who savaged the lands, he felt his heart clench with worry and unease. Her with Barron made it no better. He was one of them; how could they know if he could truly be trusted?

"Are you okay, Lord Hale?" someone asked him. It was a vampire woman, curly hair, sharp red eyes. She peered inquisitively at him. They had long ago shed, the covering board and now they were now walking under the cover of the trees, heading towards the fabled river. Every now and then, someone would happen upon them, but so far, it never went further than a few fearful glances their way before the person scurried off.

Hale never looked at the woman. No, he wasn't okay. From the moment he saw Saenar and Mynera, he hasn't been okay. "I'm fine," he pushed out.

"You don't look fine," the woman continued.

"'Tis too dark to see anything but my silhouette, my lady."

"For you maybe. But I'm a vampire. I can see everything clearly as if it were day."

"You're eyes deceive you then, my lady, for I am quite fine." It has become too easy lying like that.

The woman, however, didn't look fooled. She grunted. "I'm no lady, Lord Hale. I came from a town in Moed, not from castle. You can call me Trinka."

Hale didn't answer. Maybe if he kept his mouth shut, she would get the message and leave him alone. He was in no mood for silly chitchat.

Unfortunately, the woman seemed hell bent on getting him to spill his deepest, darkest secrets. "So," she started again. "What made the high and mighty Lord Hale look like he lost his lover?"

Hitting the nail right on the head.

"'Tis none of your concern, my lady," he said through gritted teeth.

"Maybe not," she agreed. "But an ear willing to listen can go a long way. Why don't you try me?"

"My lady..."

"Or maybe not. Maybe you just need someone to take your mind off things. Is that it, my lord?"

The rest of the group had already fallen way behind. Hale didn't even realize that he was walking so fast and so furious. The woman was the only one near him but he could still hear the chatter from everyone else. Soon, they would meet up with the others.

Hale looked at the woman, whose deep red eyes stared blatantly at him. He could feel the anger clenching his fist, could feel it throbbing in his veins. Slowly, he came to a halt and looked at the infuriating woman. All he could hear in her words was Mynera. If Mynera were here, she would be saying the same things to him. The very fact that it was coming from this stranger's mouth made him want to rip her apart.

But she was a vampire, and an ally. So he played it safe. "I appreciate your concern, my lady, but you are mistaken. I am feeling quite fine, if not overly anxious about this attack. I apologize if you mistake my anxiousness for something else, but 'tis just that. Now, I would rather we continue in silence since we will soon meet up with the others."

The woman merely shrugged. "As you wish, my lord. But I am always here when you decide to tell the truth."

Oh, he wanted to kill this woman.