closing the deal(1)

Seeing the invisible rising tension between the two ladies, he spoke again.

"Just because I am paying you five gold coins, that does not mean that you can miss work any time you please."

His words were an order and while Larissa was quick to retort, her aunt's face was covered in shock.

How possible could her niece earn such an amount. Even her own husband had to work for several years before she could have a hold of such a huge sum.

"I don't need work good sir.._"

She started only to be cut off by her aunt who was displeased by what she was saying.

"Riss, what are you saying? We need money and since you have landed such a good job, why are you trying to decline?"

For a moment, she opened her mouth ready to give an answer to her aunt. That behind that veil of pretense, the man was a murderer and worse than that, he was a night creature who thrived on human's blood but then on a second thought, would it be wise to tell her aunt all that?

"Aunt, if it is about money, I can look for work somewhere else. Lady Sylvia had told me that I could work as a teacher.._"

"How about six silver coins and other than that, I shall be giving you a free ride from your house and then back." Saying that, he pulled out a gold coin from his pocket to which he started to play with it and seeing how the greedy woman kept on looking at the coin, his lips pulled up into a sinister smile.

"This is the down payment and now that I am already here, we should get going." Even though his words were not demanding, there was that air of superiority that came from him but just like him, Larissa had her own pride to which she did not give in.

"Sir, I will decline your offer."

"Alright then. I don't think that I can force you to work."

Larissa herself was shocked by his words. He looked like a pushy person who was used to getting to his own way.

When he was about to turn around, Loretta, Larissa's aunt quickly said,

"Sir, you should not mind my niece's words. All her life, she had always depended on other people for survival and as her rightful guardian, I think that it is high time that she started to work."

"But aunt, you don't know this man. He is a murderer. A vampire." Those words slipped out of her mouth. In as much as she would be glad to earn her own money, she would not do it in a place where her life was at stake.

"What are you saying Riss. I would know of a night creature if I was to meet one. Their red eyes aren't something that I would miss." Once her aunt was done saying that, she heard him say,

"Your aunt is right. Just because you don't want to work for me, you don't have to claim things that are unreal."

"You and I know that I am speaking the truth.."

As if her words had gone unheard by him, he turned to face Loretta to which he tossed the golden coin to the older woman who was quick to catch it. "I need to have a chat with your niece. Could you excuse us."

When it was just the two of them, Raphael closed the distance between them and with nowhere for her to go, she did not move. "You can bribe my aunt as much as you want but that does not mean that I will change my decision. More than anything else, I care about my life."

"I don't care about all that little girl. I am here because I need your services and if you think that you can refuse, then you should be ready to bury your remaining family members. I have tried the nice approach but I don't know why humans always choose the difficult approach which brings me to my question, will you work for me or would you rather that I kill that cute little cousin of yours?"

"You can't harm her." The way she boldly said those words was something that had him chuckle. She was a poor human while he had everything that the world could offer yet she was trying to stand up against him.

"Watch me."

The confidence in his words was a daunting one and no matter how courageous she looked, she well knew that she could never win a war with a night creature and while she was preoccupied by her own mind, Raphael called Ella who showed up in less than a minute.

When the girl chose to stand next to her cousin, Raphael sat on his heels such that he was almost the same height as her. Before even Larissa could register anything that was happening, Ella fell on the ground, unconscious.

"It's just going to take me a snap of my finger and then poof! The girl dies."

Seeing her cousin unconscious on the dirty ground, Larissa quickly knelt next to her and ignoring the vampire's presence, she started to call her,

"Ella, Ella! Ella... Wake up!"

"She won't wake up. That will be up to me.. and you of course."

"Why are you doing this. She is just a child." She questioned and for a mere moment, her light brown eyes fell on his black ones that held no emotions in them.

"All I need is a servant for the old man little girl. And he seems to be taken by you. So, what do you say. Will you be working for me?"

"Yes... Yes! You want me to work for you? Then fine. I will do it but please, leave my family out of this."

With those words, the girl got up. She was confused at what she was doing on the floor and quickly, she got up and rushed out of there.