Chapter 23: Blood on the Sheets
{IRIS}
That morning, I woke up feeling off.
There was a dull ache in my lower abdomen, a familiar, unwelcome discomfort that made me shift uncomfortably in the sheets.
I blinked, groggy, stretching my arms as I turned onto my side—
And then I saw it.
The bed.
The stark contrast of blood against the crisp white sheets.
My period.
Oh . . . shit.
My entire body went rigid, a rush of panic shooting through me.
And then—I heard it.
A low, guttural growl.
I turned my head slowly, dread creeping up my spine.
And there, at the edge of the bed, stood one of the maids.
Or at least—what was left of her sanity.
Her red eyes were locked onto me, wide and unblinking.
Saliva dripped from her parted lips, her chest rising and falling in heavy, ragged breaths. Purple veins crawled across her pale skin, her claws extending, her fangs flashing in the dim morning light.
I barely had time to process what was happening before she lunged.
"AhH!"
I threw myself off the bed just in time, hitting the cold floor with a thud as her claws slashed through the air where I had just been.
"Sebastian!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "LORD VAL! ANYONE?! HELP!"
The maid let out a low, inhuman snarl, her body trembling violently as she took another step forward. Her crimson gaze flicked to the bloodstained sheets, then back to me, her hunger so tangible it sent a chill through my bones.
Oh my goddess.
Oh my goddess.
I wasn’t just dealing with a maid.
I was dealing with a starving vampire.
And I had just bled in front of her.
I scrambled backward, hands shaking as I grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at her. It hit her face with a soft poof.
She didn’t even flinch.
"Oh, come on," I groaned.
I grabbed the bedside lamp next and hurled it.
Crash!
That got a reaction. She flinched—just for a second—but that second was all I needed.
I bolted.
I didn’t get far.
Before I could even make it to the door, she tackled me to the ground, her claws digging into my arms.
"Ah—!" I kicked her, thrashing beneath her weight as she pinned me down, her lips parting, her breath hot against my throat.
THIS IS IT. THIS IS HOW I DIE.
"Enough."
The entire room froze.
A single word.
Spoken in a voice so low, so dangerous, that even the feral maid stopped breathing.
I felt it before I even saw him.
A shadow loomed over us, an overwhelming, suffocating presence that sent a primal shudder through my bones.
And then—Val was there.
His silver eyes flashed, his expression a perfect, unreadable mask of control—but I could feel it.
The rage simmering beneath his skin.
With one swift motion, he grabbed the maid by the throat and ripped her off me like she weighed nothing.
She let out a strangled, gurgling sound, her body convulsing in his grip.
"You dare to lose control in my house?" His voice was deathly quiet, but the weight of his fury was enough to send a chill down my spine.
The maid gasped, choking as Val tightened his hold.
Her red eyes rolled back.
And then—she went still.
Just like that, she turned to ashes.
Val exhaled, his grip loosening as the ashes blew by the cold air.
I pressed a trembling hand to my chest, my heart hammering.
Silence.
Then—
A slow turn of his head.
Val’s piercing silver gaze met mine.
My mouth went dry.
I was still sprawled on the floor, tangled in the sheets, looking very much like someone who had just barely avoided getting eaten.
His eyes flickered to the bloodstained bed.
And then—back to me.
Realization dawned in his gaze.
A muscle in his jaw twitched.
I flushed.
Hard.
"I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Lord Val," I said quickly, holding the sheets in my hands like it was my lifeline.
Val pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply—only for his silver eyes to glow even brighter as the scent hit him.
Probably my blood.
His jaw tensed, and in an instant, he swiftly covered his nose, as if trying to block out the temptation.
"You bled," he muttered. "In a mansion full of vampires."
"I-I didn’t do it on purpose," I said weakly.
Sebastian finally entered the room, his expression stony as he took in the scene—the shattered lamp, the unconscious maid, the blood.
I watched as his face tensed, his expression briefly twisting in discomfort. His eyes darkened red, turning bloodshot, the crimson hue flickering like embers.
But then—he shut his eyes, his jaw tightening as his fingers clenched into fists, holding himself back with sheer force of will.
Val sighed, rubbing his temple. "Sebastian."
"Yes, my lord?" Sebastian asked, voice strained from controlling himself.
". . . Burn the sheets."
I groaned, dropping my head against the floor.
Kill me now.
I had never felt embarrassment like this before.
In mere seconds, Sebastian moved with the speed of lightning, grabbing the sheets and disappearing out the door.
Before I could even process what was happening, Lord Val swept me up effortlessly into his arms. His grip was firm yet careful, as though I were something delicate.
My breath hitched when he carried me into the bathroom, saying nothing as he placed me gently in the bathtub.
The cold porcelain sent a shiver through me, but before I could protest, he turned on the warm water, letting it rush around me in a comforting embrace.
"Stay here," he commanded, his voice strained in a way I had never heard before. His jaw was clenched, his sharp features even more defined under the flickering candlelight. "The water will mask the scent of your blood."
That’s when I noticed—he wasn’t breathing. His chest remained perfectly still, his lips pressed into a tight line. My heart pounded as realization sank in. He was restraining himself, battling against instincts that threatened to take over.
