Chapter 4: Protect

"Why didn't you do as I say?!" Elisse gasped for air, feeling herself being suffocated from someone's hands wrapped around her neck. Her eyes rolled at the back of her head, her sense of smell never failed to that it was him.

She couldn't see in this darkness and there she is lying down, struggling to get out of his grip. But his hands continued to tightened around her neck even more. If she were a mere human, she would easily die. Thus, she couldn't breath anymore and bones started to crack from the pressure.

"Hel-lp m-me." She tried to let out a word but ended up choking her own words. Her hands continued to roam for a way out but her strength is not even 1/8 to his.

"Elisse?" A soft voice was heard behind the doors as a knock was followed. "Are you sleeping?"

"Ha-Ha-Na." Elisse wanted to scream. To get her out of the house, but she couldn't.

The Duke chuckled in an evil way, and tightly squeezing his hands around her neck, pushing her back further on the bed. But he knew. He knew she wouldn't die by this method. She will suffer in pain only.

"I guess it won't be wrong to have a little fun." He sneered.

Her fist clenched, glaring at his face that she could not even see in this darkness hoping that he would be able to clearly see her eyes instead. But then, she was again suffocated by his strong hands on her neck causing her to shriek in pain. Gladly, Ha Na seemed to not hear the sound.

"D-Don't h-hurt her." She choked out her words again.

Nonetheless, she felt his hands loosen this time making her breathe properly and heard the window cracked signalling that he has left already.

"Elisse?" Ha Na's voice called, still knocking on her door many times as Elisse tried to catch her breath and panting heavily.

"Ha Na?" Elisse silently coughed, covering her mouth. "I-Is something wrong?"

She could feel the girl sighing behind the door. "I can't sleep."

"Why?" Elisse asked. "Do you want to sleep with me?"

She decided to spend the night in Ha Na's house since the human offered to let Elisse stay for the night.

"Try opening it. I think it's not lock." Elisse replied pretending to be lazy, and Ha Na then walked in, laying beside her before snuggling her face to Elisse's chest.

"Aigoo. Why can't you sleep?" Elisse whispered, hugging Ha Na in a tight embrace. "Go to sleep. Unnie will protect you from those monsters."

She, too, is one of the monsters Ha Na hates.

Then Ha Na's snores resonated throughout the room making Elisse chuckle. Her eyes slowly drifting close on its own.

"What a sweet and loyal friend you are." His voice whispered from behind, sending anxiety and fear to Elisse’s whole body.

Elisse tightened her embrace around Ha Na to prevent him from touching her.

KIM TAEHYUNG’S POINT OF VIEW

"Protect her at all cost." I demanded Namjoon, one of my Dukes.

I told Namjoon about this girl who I happened to meet last night. Even told him about the events and how I met this human. And how he will definitely hurt her.

"Why? What are you so afraid about when you're the ruler?" Namjoon asked.

"I might be the ruler but I know He might hurt her and go against my wishes. You know how he is." I honestly told him.

Looking at Namjoon's eyes, he seemed to be confused at what I'm talking about.

"Hyung, I don't want her to get hurt because of me. Not again. I will protect her this time."

"Alright, I will." Namjoon sighed and looked at me with amused expression. "She really did make the ruler fell head over heels."

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Your cheeks are red." Namjoon continued to tease, and smirked. "You better control that feelings of yours. We don't know what he will do yet."

"I will."

Namjoon smiled, revealing his dimples. "Even with what you witnessed last night, I see that you still care about her."

My chest tightened as I recalled the clear and vivid event last night of her with her lover. It was so clear that the human had a romantic relationship with the other.

"Don't be disappointed." Namjoon patted my shoulder, who noticed my expression.

"If you want her, get her and steal her away from her lover."

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KIM TAEHYUNG'S POINT OF VIEW

I sat there in silence thinking about the things that possibly be the reason for him to hurt her. I glanced at Seokjin who seemed to be having fun and having his lame daddy jokes in which humans and vampires fall in love with. We find it lame but you cannot understimate the power of his jokes. He gets way too many blood slaves especially women who are willing to be bitten just to be by his side. I took a glimpse at Namjoon who was listening this whole time, trying not to laugh at his jokes.

"What took them so long?" Seokjin whined with a pout lips on his mouth.

"Hoseok has to take care of something." Namjoon responded. "And as for Jimin, he will arrive in just a few minutes."

Seokjin pressed his lips into thin line and shrugged his shoulders looking at the door."Speaking of the devil."

Everyone snapped their head towards the door to see Jimin, one of the Dukes.

Seokjin mocked with his arms crossed over his chest and wiggled his brows "Did you have a little fun with your target?"

Jimin just laughed sarcastically and joined in the group.

"Why are we here, by the way?" Jimin huffed before looking at me with his brows raised yet I didn't reply and just glared at him. He lips curved and crossed his arms.

"What?” Jimin snickered, eyes never wavering from mine. “Are you mad at me for playing with your target?"

Namjoon choked his water and Seokjin was a bit confused at both of us. I couldn't help but think. You shouldn't steal what's mine, Park Jimin.

My lips suddenly formed a smile before chuckling at Seokjin and Namjoon who seemed confused at the situation.

"You shouldn't have drank what's mine. You had your own." I said smirking at him.

"Let's talk about this later." Jimin laughed and looked at both Dukes who are confused before looking back at me. "You scared both of them."

"Look at your expressions! You both looked horrified." I laughed.

"You don't say." Namjoon scowled.

"I thought you two were going to fight!" Seokjin groaned, glaring at us.

"Just imagining you two fighting over a blood slave would be the most horrifying scene I could see. Best friends fighting again over—" Namjoon stops mid-way.

"Anyway," He gulped then stood up and grabbed a glass of blood. "Let's cheers!"

"Hoseok hyung is not here yet!" Jimin exclaimed and Namjoon stopped, looking defeated as he just made it an excuse to stop what he was talking about a while ago making Seokjin laugh.

"You guys are ridiculous." I chuckled and shifted my position to a different one, crossing my legs.

"He's here!" Seokjin announced.

"Were you waiting for me?" Hoseok raised his eyebrows and walked towards his seat. "Sorry if I made you wait."

He sat down and fixed the edge of his shirt, grabbing a spoon and fork.

"So what's up for today?" Hoseok asked and looking at the food in front of him.

"Where were you?" Namjoon asked before gasping. "Don't tell me you already ate?!"

Hoseok bursted out laughing. "I didn't! I was just out with someone! If I did, I shouldn't even bother picking up these."

He lifted up the spoon and fork.

"What? Did you have fun alone with that little human you were with last night?" Seokjin teased and winked at him. Hoseok didn't reply and just groaned at him.

"Anyway, since we are all complete, let's cheers now." Namjoon said standing up again. "Cheers!"

We all grabbed our glasses of blood, standing up and lifting it up in the air before saying 'Cheers!' to each other.

We sat down, eating and talked about random things until Jimin decided to open a topic regarding me, making me freeze in my position and cringed.

"Did you have fun with your girl last night, Taehyung?" He asked as Namjoon's eyes widened and I shot Jimin a death glare.

"Let's not talk about that." I snapped before eating my steak again.

"Why?" I could hear Seokjin gasped. "Did she reject you?"

"That's strange." Jimin tilted his head, scoffing as if he was mocking something. "No woman could resist your beauty."

"And to add it up, no woman could reject the ruler." Seokjin smirked looking at me.