Vamp Guards ✔️

F O U R T E E N

"Wow, you broke the shovel." Iris mused as he tried to balance on a small concrete platform to refrain from falling in a muddy puddle.

The weather was iffy since the storm passed. The air itself wasn't cold but there would be five minutes of drizzle then the sun would peek around a cloud for ten. Other than the three inch puddles hoarding the walk space on the ground, the weather was generous to Iris and Kai.

"What did you expect me to do? Ask it to let me out?"

Iris crossed his arms and glared at his bodyguard. "Very funny. Why did we come back here? I thought we're-"

"Supposed to be checking out the auction, I know. But I want to make sure that vampire is dead, also, maybe there's something still here." While Kai explained, he held out his hand so he could guide Iris away from any puddles jeopardizing his spotless clothes. It was like guiding a princess out of her carriage, except Iris would definitely throw fists if he found out he was being compared to such a person. However, as he did so the prince would give foul glances at the murky floor, where Kai walked on unfazed.

He shivered. "Gross."

"It's called nature, sir."

"Yeah but-it's so dirty."

Kai closed his eyes to roll them in peace before stopping and turning towards Iris. "Don't give me more than one reason to push you." He watched the prince suddenly perk like he offended him.

"More than one? What's your first?"

Kai shrugged, "To see what type of face you'd make. Seems like a valid reason to me."

"You..of course it does."

Kai smiled innocently and turned back around to walk ahead where the beaten down cabin stood, secrets dark that were once loving swarmed the inside, pooling into the cracks on the walls.

Kai waited for Iris to catch up before he opened the door. The scent of burnt flesh, now that they knew, had vanished and replaced with wet asphalt.

They stopped in front of the hole in the stairs and while Iris frowned at the disturbance, Kai looked up to find a way to get up stairs. He shrugged the bag off and it made a thud sound as it hit the floor. Iris looked at him as he started walking towards the steps.

"I'll be right back. You should look around down here." Kai said as he turned around so his back faced the hole and he was gazing up where the second story floor seemed reachable. 

"What am I looking..for.." His words trailed off when the vampire suddenly jumped, his hands gripping onto the more sturdy railing, and he pulled himself up. The structure of the stairs were made so as you got onto the second floor, there was an opening where you can look off at the stairs, almost like a miniature balcony. That area gave Kai the easy route to the floor.

Iris slapped his hands on side of his thighs and sighed. He walked in the direction where the footsteps above him didn't go. 

He found a small living room with dusty books scattered on the ripped and poorly sewed couches. Their floral patterns were dirty as well. Iris walked around with eyes pealed for details. It was a genetic commoner sitting area. Nothing expensive or worth value, however he did pick up a book that looked interesting. It was a blue hard cover book with tarnished edges. The title was in gold letters, sparkling and eye catching. 

Smirched Love.

The author wasn't on the front cover, nor the two pages after, which providing publishing information. He turned the book over, nothing on the back, either. Then, when Iris opened to a random page it wasn't what he read that surprised him. It was what he didn't. As the pages flipped, something fell from the book. Something tucked between another two frail pages.