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PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST STORIES AND LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 216 Letter from a friend
Music Recommendation: Nowesind- Jacob David
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Feeling her heart thumping in her chest which was synchronised with her hurried footsteps on the ground as she walked, her breathing was quick and her eyes unsteady.
Eve’s thoughts were unsteady as if her still mind as the water had now rippling effect after Vincent’s words touched her heartstrings. She walked straight to the local carriage stop which was outside the town of Skellington, standing under the hot sun before the carriage arrived, and she got inside it.
She looked outside the carriage window. Blood had rushed up her neck before coming to settle in her cheeks. She gulped down the nervousness brewing in her chest thanks to the pureblooded vampire.
Eve was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn’t realise the carriage had arrived at Meadow, and the coachman, who was familiar with her, informed her,
“Ms. Barlow?” Startled, Eve turned away from the carriage’s window, and her eyes fell on the coachman. He said, “Your stop is here.”
Eve nodded, “Thank you,” she stepped out of the carriage and made her way home.
When she neared her home, she noticed the town’s postman standing in front of the gate with his bag of letters. The man bowed, “Good afternoon, Ms. Barlow.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Fox,” Eve got closer to the gate. She politely asked him, “How are you doing?”
“I caught a cold last week, but I am doing much better now. I hope you are doing well?” Eve noticed the old man shuffle the envelopes of letters in his hands. “I hear you found a job in Skellington. How is it?”
Thinking about Skellington brought memories of what Vincent said and how she felt. The postman, misunderstanding her silence, said,
“People of Skellington are never easy to work with. You don’t have to feel bad about it, Ms. Barlow,” the man nodded with a small frown. He continued, “They are people of high class and we aren’t meant to walk or be around each other without being under their feet. You will get accustomed to it.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Fox,” Eve offered a smile to the old man and asked, “Who is the letter for?”
“It is for Lady Aubrey,” the man pulled out an envelope from the lot and handed it to Eve.
Taking a look at the sender of the letter, Eve smiled and said, “I hope the sun goes easy on you.”
“Thank you, dear. I will see you around,” the postman walked away from there to deliver the next letter in the town.
Eve made her way to the front of the house’s patio and knocked on the door. Soon it was opened by Eugene, who bowed and smiled at her,
“Welcome back home, Miss Eve. How was your time at the soiree?” He inquired politely. “If you are early, I assume it wasn’t pleasant.”
“Far from it. It was as one would expect the high society’s soiree to be,” Eve replied and took off her shoes before wearing her house shoes. “Humans or vampires or werewolves, they are all the same elites… Except for a handful of them. Which is good,” she chuckled at the thought, “That means there’s still hope.”
“Hope is always good, milady,” Eugene watched Eve, and noticed the dazed look in her eyes as if she was simultaneously thinking about something. “By the way, there is something I would like to inform you about.”
Eve subtly raised her eyebrows, “What is it?”
Eugene pursed his lips as if trying to rearrange the sentences in his mind. He revealed, “There has been word going around that you are working more than just a governess in high society.” He paused for her to take in the information and continued, “I am unsure of where the rumours started, but I can only guess that it has something to do with our neighbour.”
Mrs. Edwards’ nose was too long for anyone’s liking, especially for the people who lived in Dawson’s residence as she was their neighbour. The woman’s eyes and ears were always in everyone’s life.
“It must be because we got our home painted and redid our flooring,” Eve responded.
“That is what I believe too. It might just be a passing rumour, but I will let you know if I find something more,” Eugene bowed to her, and Eve was more than grateful to know that she could rely on him.
“Thank you, Eugene. That would be a great help.”
Eugene returned to his work while Eve looked for Aunt Aubrey, finding the woman feeding the chickens in the backyard of their house. She made her way to where the older woman stood.
Lady Aubrey threw the grains on the ground, watching the chickens peck and pick them in their beaks. The older woman placed her hand on her back as if feeling a pain. Hearing the soft footsteps approaching from behind, she turned and seeing Eve, she smiled.
Eve raised her hand and waved the letter, “You have a letter from Mrs. Lowe.”
“Paloma? Did Mr. Fox drop by? What does the letter say?” Lady Aubrey asked Eve, who tore the envelope and unfolded the letter.
Paloma Lowe was Lady Aubrey’s dear friend, who lived in the capital town Berkshire, located in the North. They had been acquainted because of each other’s husbands, and Eve herself had been fortunate enough to meet the woman a few times in the past.
Eve loudly read the letter,
“My dear Aubrey, I hope you, Eve and Eugene are doing well. I am writing this letter to you with worry in my heart. Mr. Lowe hasn’t been doing well for more than a month now. We have brought in physicians to look at him, but there hasn’t been much hope and I fear things are only going to get hard in the coming days.”
Eve looked up at her aunt, who frowned upon hearing the news. She looked back at the letter and continued to read it,
“Thankfully, my eldest son is here to look after Mr. Lowe’s work. We have sold the land that we bought a few years ago in Berkshire. Apart from that, things haven’t changed here. I will write to you again if there’s anything. Sending you all lots of love from here. Your dear friend, Paloma.”
Lady Aubrey sighed and said, “Mr. Lowe must be very ill for Paloma to write to me, else she would have never bothered to write to me about it. Just so I don’t worry. I should perhaps take a trip to the North and stay there for a few days with her.”
Eve nodded, “I think that would be a good idea. Aunt Paloma will be more at ease with you there.”
“Are you okay, aunty?” Eve asked the older woman in concern, who seemed worried about her friend’s husband. She assured her, “The weather is just being stringent and it might act up Mr. Lowe’s illness. Would you like me to travel along with you?”
Lady Aubrey shook her head, “You already missed your work before, I don’t think the Moriarty family would like you missing more days. Considering the journey up North is going to take two days and that’s just one way.”
“I could talk to Mr. Moriarty and see what he says,” Eve offered because Lady Aubrey herself wasn’t in the best of her health. She noticed how her aunt got tired easily and wanted to ensure she was okay.
But there was also another reason why Eve wanted to accompany Lady Aubrey. And the reason was Vincent Moriarty. Right now, her mind felt muddled, as if she couldn’t think straight, and every time she did try to think, she felt her heart race as if she was running… and she wanted to run away from the pureblooded vampire for some time before she would gather her thoughts.
Lady Aubrey placed her hand on Eve’s shoulder,
“You don’t have to worry about me. I will be just fine. Tell Eugene to check with the local coachmen about the carriage availability so that I can travel in it. Eugene can help you here and look after the affairs of the house.”
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 217 Rat into the trap
Music Recommendation: Don’t be Voyeur with me- Michael Giacchino
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As night arrived in the towns and villages, with heavy clouds gathered in the sky, a carriage entered Skellington and stopped in front of one of the mansions. The time was eight at night. The man who stepped out of the carriage was dressed well, with a grim expression on his face.
The man walked and came to stand in front of the mansion’s main door. When he knocked on the door, it made a sharp sound against the silence surrounding the mansion’s front part.
The butler of the mansion opened the door, and the visitor inquired, “I would like to talk to Mr. Walsh. It is urgent. I will wait here.”
The butler bowed at the man who wore a hat, leaving a slight shadow on one side of his face. Going back inside the mansion, he returned after three minutes with Mr. Walsh, whose eyebrows were furrowed. On noticing the unfamiliar man, Mr. Walsh questioned,
“Yes? What did you want to talk to me about?”
The man looked at the butler and then back at Mr. Walsh before saying, “I am from the Council. Landon Stone, who works under Mr. Ingram’s department. I would like to talk to you privately for a minute.”
Mr. Walsh’s lips set themselves in a thin line, and he wondered what this person from the Council wanted from him. He turned to his butler, who bowed and left them alone. He said, “What is going on?”
“This is about a woman named Annika Burges. We received information that you were close with each other?” Questioned the man, and Mr. Walsh quickly looked left and right to make sure there was no one to eavesdrop.
“I don’t know any woman by that name,” Mr. Walsh quickly denied.
“The evidence we have received states otherwise, Mr. Walsh. There have been a few witnesses who have confirmed your relationship with that woman. I am here because we found her body in Darthmore. We will need you to come to the Council for inquiry.”
Mr. Walsh’s eyes widened, and he stuttered, “D-dead? I did not kill her!”
“We can only know it once we are done cross examining you and you confirm her body. We found a letter in Ms. Burgess’s dress that addressed you. You are one of the main suspects,” the man calmly informed. He pulled the pocket watch as if he had to hurry back to Darthmore.
“I do not agree with this false accusation!” Mr. Walsh had slept with the woman not more than two times, and he had met her just last evening. Spending a good time with her yesterday, and thinking he could sleep with her again this weekend.
The man from the council said, “You can either come with me now, or be dragged in front of the people and your wife. Considering you are a man of your status, I thought to give you an option, Mr. Walsh.”
Mr. Walsh imagined being dragged by the authorities in public towards the carriage. He gritted his teeth in frustration and said, “Let us go to the Council then and clear my name.”
“The journey is long and the weather is cold. I insist you wear a coat, Mr. Walsh,” and Mr. Walsh stared at the councilman before said,
“I will pay you if you can completely clear my name and disappear Ms. Burgess’s letter,” Mr. Walsh whispered, not wanting his wife to know what he was doing behind her back. He stared at the man, who said,
“I will see what I can do,” Mr. Stone bowed.
Mr. Walsh turned pleased and stepped inside the mansion to get a bag of money and to wear his coat. The two men then got inside the carriage and left for Darthmore.
Once the carriage entered Darthmore, Mr. Walsh anxiously wrung his hands, not expecting the woman to be dead. Now he would have to look for a new woman, he thought to himself while staring outside the carriage window.
He then remembered the woman he had seen attend Quintin’s soiree this noon. The woman had turned out to be the governess of the Moriarty family. If only she had obliged him, he would have done her many times. In and outside the mansion. He thoughtfully rubbed his chin, not realising the Council’s gates pass by.
When the carriage stopped, the coachman pulled open the carriage door, and Mr. Stone stepped out, followed by Mr. Walsh. The rain had started to drizzle, and Mr. Stone said,
“Ms. Burgess’s body has been placed in another building. Follow me,” Mr. Stone carried a lantern in his hand.
“I didn’t know the Council had another building built here,” Mr. Walsh followed Mr. Stone when the man started to walk.
As they continued to walk through the forest, the drizzle increased. Three minutes passed, and soon it started to rain.
Turning doubtful now, Mr. Walsh questioned, “Where are we going?”
“Just a few steps more,” Mr. Stone stated, and dragged the man up the forest area.
A minute later, when Mr. Walsh looked up at the trees, one of his feet got stuck in the creepers on the ground and fell flat on the muddy ground. In the process, a sharp stick stabbed into his leg and he screamed in pain. He found it hard to pull his leg out.
The councilman offered to him, “Why don’t you stay here and I will bring help!”
“I don’t need that. Just help me get up! Wait!” Mr. Walsh shouted, but the councilman had already disappeared behind the curtain of rain. “Ugh!” He exclaimed in annoyance, he couldn’t believe his clothes were now covered in dirt.
He tried to pull his leg and freed it. Getting up from the forest ground, he walked around the forest, looking for the Council building. On noticing a dim light coming from a tree, he believed Mr. Stone had returned and made his way towards the light. But when he reached near the lantern, he realised it was hanging on a branch, and soon the flame exhausted itself.
“Where the hell did he go?” Mr. Walsh angrily questioned, with water drops dripping down his face.
When he looked back and forth, his eyes fell on something shiny on the ground. Walking nearing it, he bent down and picked it.
It was a muddy shovel.
Without paying much attention, he used it as a support when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.
“Put the shovel away!” One of the men ordered Mr. Walsh.
Mr. Walsh, turning confused and not realising it was his earlier scream that had brought the men here, said, “Look, I didn’t do anything.”
“Throw the shovel away and surrender yourself,” demanded the same man.
“Sire, look there!” Another council member pointed his hand to the right side. It was a grave that was half dug or half buried.
Mr. Walsh’s eyes turned wide and the shovel from his hand dropped. He coughed in disbelief and said,
“I had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. I just came here with Mr. Landon Stone. He said Ms. Burgess’s body was found. He should have met you! He’s your fellow councilman!”
The men looked at each other before staring at Mr. Walsh, “There’s no person named Landon Stone working in the Council. Go check him!” The man in charge ordered two of his men.
Mr. Walsh raised his hands, “You will not find anything on me. This shovel was found on the ground.”
The two men started searching Mr. Walsh and one of them found fangs, in one of the wealthy man’s coat pocket. Mr. Walsh’s mouth hung open on seeing the fangs, and he pleaded, “T-that is not mine! I don’t even know how it came into my pocket!”
The in-charge councilman glared at Mr. Walsh. He ordered, “Check the ground there and the one next to it!”
“I am an innocent man!” Mr. Walsh tried to make them listen, watching four men who started digging the ground as it continued to rain.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 218 Hiccup before the ride
Mr. Walsh couldn’t believe someone had come to him disguised as a councilman. How could he have not bothered to ask for an identity badge. In a hurry to cover up his tracks of affair and the thought of being caught in murder, he hadn’t expected he was going to fall into a deeper pit.
The man who had earlier claimed to be a council member, was he related to this woman Annika Burgess? Her husband? Her brother? Or was it someone else’s husband who had set him up?
When the ground was completely dug, the men pulled out a woman’s body that was in the process of decomposing.
Mr. Walsh’s jaw fell on the ground, realising the body belonged to the missing woman from Skellington. It was the body of Lady Camille Wright.
“Check her mouth,” ordered the councilman, and one of the men looked at the deceased woman’s mouth. After a few seconds, he informed,
“Her fangs are missing, Sire!”
Mr. Walsh shook his head and said, “T-this is a big misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with her death. Lady Camille and I had a healthy good relationship as townspeople. Why would I kill her or anyone else–“
“You killed more than one?” the councilman questioned, his eyes narrowing, and Mr. Walsh wanted to bang his head on the nearby tree.
“I did not kill anyone! I haven’t even hit anyone before, killing is a far thought. Believe me!” Mr. Walsh panicked, “I am not capable of murder.”
But the councilmen didn’t believe a word he uttered. The man in charge said, “Dig the grounds around and see how many other bodies you find. Who knows how many murder he has committed.”
“Come on! Are you fucking serious?! You cannot–“
“Mind your language. You are under arrest on the suspicion of killing this woman and you will be taken to the dungeon until your name is cleared as suspect,” the councilman declared, whereas Mr. Walsh’s face turned pale.
While the councilmen had caught Mr. Walsh in the forest, in Vincent’s office in the Council’s building, Patton knocked on his office door and entered with a bow.
“Sire, it is done.”
Vincent sat on the side of the window, watching the rain outside and the drops of water racing against the window pane. A satisfied smile smeared on his lips, and he responded, “Did you send the man away?”
Patton nodded, “He’s already on his way to the South and won’t be returning here anytime soon. He wasn’t aware of what was going on and only completed the work.”
Vincent hummed, raising his hand towards the windowpane and writing his name, “How many men did you see leave from here?”
“Six of them,” Patton answered, and he turned worried, “Bringing out everyone in the open, won’t it cause trouble for us?”
“There are too many bodies and we don’t know which one belongs to whom. It will be an interesting sight to witness tomorrow morning. Go home and get some sleep,” Vincent dismissed Patton, who gave a nod and then stepped out of the room.
Patton was loyal to Vincent not just because he had worked for his father in the past. But because he was around when Vincent had killed some of the people, making Patton involved in the murder, and no one wanted to go to the dungeon voluntarily.
Now the only question was, how to know if the body found here belonged to Eve’s mother or not. He was sure the councilmen would find more than two or three human bodies resting under the ground, but one couldn’t be sure just by looking at the skeleton. By pulling what he did today, it wasn’t hitting the two birds with one stone, but there was another bird in the picture and he smiled sinisterly.
One less thing to worry about and the bodies would be cleared.
Vincent watched his name slowly disappearing because of the fog. He got up, leaving the office room, and closed the door behind him.
He made his way towards the other building that stood next to the one which held the office rooms of the council members. The building was made using black rocks, standing firm with the rain that glistened now. The entrance was nothing less than a cave, where torches of fire burned brightly, and he made his way down the stairs.
“Mr. Moriarty,” Clarks greeted on noticing Vincent. The woman wore thick-framed glasses and her gloved hands were covered in blood.
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“Have you been able to find who the body belongs to, or using the blood of the offspring to know if they are related?” Vincent questioned the woman, while his eyes fell on the dead bodies on the tables, waiting to be examined. Some were rotting, some mostly decomposed, and some were freshly pulled out from the ground.
The woman gave it a thought before answering him, “With blood or tissue of the dead body, it is possible. But from a skeleton it is hard, Mr. Moriarty. It is something no one has ever been able to achieve. The only thing we can identify is what kind the skeleton belongs to by the shape and count of bones. The most I can tell you is the gender, but that is all.”
Vincent hummed, taking a look at a man whose eyes were pulled out.
“It is something out of my expertise and something a witch can work on. But knowing how witches are outlaws and don’t listen to anyone, I don’t think it is a feasible answer you are looking for?” Clarks asked with doubt in her voice.
In the past, all the witches had done was cause problems in the society. Abducting or killing people for their own joy, and after the establishment of the Council, law and order was placed, which drove away the witches to the corner and hide from people.
“Witches,” Vincent hummed and wondered where he could find one now.
The following day, Eve and Eugene helped carry Lady Aubrey’s trunks from her room to the living room, before Eugene started to take them outside to place them near the inside of the gates. The carriage in which Lady Aubrey was supposed to leave was going to be here soon.
Eve asked, “Did you carry everything you need? It would be best to carry a blanket with you as the weather has turned colder than the last few days and it is only going to get worse.”
“I have everything I need. You do not have to worry. Both you and Eugene be careful in my absence,” Lady Aubrey stepped out of the room with a shawl hanging around her arms.
“We’ll be fine. This isn’t the first time you have left us by ourselves,” Eve assured the older woman.
LadyAubrey nodded, “I will be staying there for a week or two at the most. Depending on Mr. Lowe’s condition. Write to me if anything happens, I will write to you once I reach half way.” While the woman bent to pick up a small box under the couch, she screamed in slight pain and held her back.
“Aunt Aubrey!” Eve quickly came to the woman’s side, and helped her to stand, whose face was contorted in pain. “Are you alright? We have told you so many times not to pick anything so suddenly, and you never listen. Why don’t you sit.”
“Oh, dear,” Lady Aubrey sat on the couch, feeling intense pain. “I must have pulled an old muscle of mine.”
“Maybe you should rest a bit and then leave when you feel alright,” advised Eve, but Lady Aubrey shook her head.
“The next available carriage isn’t until tomorrow and I have already sent a letter to Paloma. She would be disappointed if she doesn’t see me arrive at her place,” stated Lady Aubrey, adding, “It is just a slight pull and will be gone in a jiffy.”
Eugene, who was done keeping the trunks outside, entered the house and asked, “What happened, Lady Aubrey?”
“Just my body being a child. Are all the things placed outside to load to the back of the carriage?” Lady Aubrey inquired, and Eugene nodded.
“Everything is ready, milady,” Eugene affirmed.
When the carriage came to pick up Lady Aubrey, the trunks were tied to the back of the vehicle while the older woman continued to sit on the couch. She pushed herself with great difficulty. Eugene and Eve noticing this, Eve said,
“What if you need help sitting or while standing? I don’t think it would be easy for you during the pauses in your journey. How about you sit down for a moment and I bring you a glass of water?”
She could try her ability to help her aunt, but the older woman was in a hurry, and she waved her hand. Aunt Aubrey said, “I will be just fine. You both are making it sound big for no reason,” but she could still feel the pain when she walked out of the house and towards the gate.
Eve helped Lady Aubrey sit inside the carriage. Eugene looked troubled and asked,
“Milady, maybe I can accompany you and then get back right away? It will put all of us in ease.”
When Lady Aubrey tried to straighten her back, the pain shot up again, and she sighed. The coachman stared at the three of them. The woman was in no condition to travel. If it weren’t for her friend, she would not have stepped out of her home now. She wasn’t a young woman anymore, and her body made sure to make her aware of it.
Lady Aubrey sighed, “Alright.”
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 219 News about Mr. Walsh
With Lady Aubrey and Eugene travelling on their way to Berkshire, Eve was left behind in Meadow. Turning the key to lock the house, Eve turned away and left to work.
When she reached the front of the Moriarty mansion, she stood in front of the big and wide gates. Softly gulping the nervousness that bubbled up her throat, she finally stepped inside the gates and continued to head towards the entrance of the mansion.
“Good morning, Ms. Barlow,” Alfie greeted Eve.
But the butler wasn’t alone and he was helping Vincent with his overcoat at the front of the hallway.
When Eve met Vincent’s eyes, she remembered the pureblooded vampire’s lips inches away from hers yesterday. His previous words and closeness had evoked something in her and she couldn’t look him in the eye for long.
Eve bowed at Vincent, “Good morning.” She decided to behave as if everything was normal.
Her feet were nothing less than the wheels of a carriage pushed from the top of the hill, ready to escape from his sight.
“Eve,” Vincent stopped her, and suddenly Eve felt as if heavy stones were tied to her feet. “Have breakfast with me,” he ordered in a calm voice, unlike her ruffled self.
“Pardon me, but I have already finished my breakfast,” Eve was quick to come up with an excuse and she offered a slight bow to him.
“You don’t have to eat. Your presence in the dining room will do,” the arrogant and proud vampire stated, raising one of his eyebrows at her before walking towards the dining room. The butler followed right behind his master.
Eve clutched her umbrella.
She shook her head to get rid of her thoughts that had crawled and crept into her mind since yesterday.
She had hoped that what she felt here yesterday would pass by this morning. But instead, she was aware of Vincent’s presence and wondered if the friendship she had tried to build with him would ruin her. She told herself that he had only meant to cheer her up, and the qualities he had mentioned to her that the man she needed should possess… he didn’t have it.
And the thought made her heart clench.
Eve made her way to the dining room, and a chair was pulled for her to sit next to Vincent.
All the members of the Moriarty family were already seated, and everyone’s eyes fell on her for a moment. Senior Mr. Moriarty was kind enough to welcome her as she was his youngest daughter’s governess,
“Take a seat, Ms. Barlow. Though the occasion is to celebrate, we would like to keep things within the family and our servants.”
On one side of Senior Mr. Moriarty sat Lady Annalise, and for a change, on his other side sat Allie. Marceline wasn’t internally pleased, but she put up a small smile.
Eve gingerly made her way around the table. On the way, her eyes met Vincent’s eyes that watched her, and she feared she was going to trip. No. She had tripped. She took a seat next to him, while calming her heart. He was her employer, she said to herself.
“Do you know what the celebration is about, Eve?” Vincent questioned her with a sly smile.
Senior Mr. Moriarty then announced, “Allie’s fangs have regrown, something that has never happened in the history of vampires.”
Eve blinked. She had hoped that Allie would hold the secret in for a week at least, but it seemed like even a day had been hard.
She brought out a shocked expression as if it was brand new information, while Vincent smiled as he knew she was the first to know about his sister’s regrown fangs.
“We are ecstatic to see Allie’s fangs appear and people will stop gossiping about what happened a few months ago,” Marceline hummed as she smeared the jam on her bread. She then stopped and turned to look at Allie, “It is strange that it has come now. Nobody has ever got back their broken fangs.”
Senior Mr. Moriarty stated, “It is because of Ms. Barlow of course. She has been working with Allie and giving her words of encouragement, not to mention care. It must have changed something.”
“That’s true, father,” Vincent chimed in agreement, “Clarks said when you speak to wilting plants and sing to them, they get better in appearance.”
“Talking to plants only a degenerate would do,” Marceline muttered under her breath.
“Talking to something is better than talking to oneself like you, my sister,” Vincent offered a charming smile, to which Marceline didn’t retort.
Eve bowed to Senior Mr. Moriarty from where she sat and said, “I am happy to hear that Miss Allie’s fangs have regrown.”
Senior Mr. Moriarty was very pleased, and he looked at his wife, who paused on feeling her husband’s gaze. Lady Annalise cleared her throat and said to Eve,
“As Allie’s fangs have grown back, and the Viscount believes that it is thanks to you, we have decided to permanently keep you as the Moriarty family’s governess. You will be given a raise so that you don’t have to look for any other family to work for.”
Eve turned stunned and could tell that the vampiress wasn’t telling it out of pressure, but because she had finally accepted her as a suitable governess for her daughter. A smile appeared on her lips, and she bowed at the vampiress.
“Thank you for allowing me to continue my work here, Lady Annalise.”
Lady Annalise offered a slight smile, half in acceptance and half because Eve still belonged to a lowly town and status beneath hers.
Senior Mr. Moriarty ordered the maids in the dining room, “Serve Ms. Barlow breakfast.”
Refusing it would be rude, and now that she was here, Eve decided to have a little breakfast with them. The maid served her breakfast before stepping away. When Eve’s left hand reached for the fork, the same time Vincent’s right hand reached for the glass of water and the back of their hands innocently brushed against each other.
Eve felt her heart skip a beat, and she coughed to disguise it.
Marceline gritted her teeth for the lowly human interrupting her breakfast. She couldn’t believe her parents had accepted this woman of low birth into their dining room. Her vampiress mother wasn’t bothered about it anymore.
Vincent turned to Eve and asked, “Aren’t you able to breathe? Your face has been red for quite some time.” His copper-red eyes stared into her blue ones.
God, have mercy on me, Eve whispered in her mind.
“The weather was hot outside. I didn’t realise it was harsh,” Eve murmured, feeling herself getting slightly lost in him. She quickly tore her eyes away from him and started to eat as if she had been starving.
How could this happen? Eve asked herself. Out of all the men in her town and the nearby ones, her heart had begun to race in the presence of this pureblooded vampire. If only she could rewind time, she would go back to the time and avoid attending the soiree at the Quintin’s.
Vincent gave a curious look at her suspicious actions.
Alfie appeared in the room with a newsletter and handed it to Marceline as she was finished with her breakfast. On reading the headline, the vampiress gasped in surprise.
“Mr. Walsh is in the dungeon.”
“Mr. Walsh?” Lady Annalise questioned with a frown and asked, “What for?”
Eve’s ears picked up the name. She subtly turned to Vincent, noticing him enjoying his meal.
As Marceline read the details, she turned confused and said, “He’s the one who killed Lady Camille! I cannot believe it. He was found burying her body near the Council last night. How courageous!”
“Or stupid,” Vincent added to Marceline’s thoughts.
“You must have already heard about it, Vince. What happened?” Marceline eagerly asked, wanting to get the details before others in the town.
Vincent leaned back in his chair and said, “He was found near the Council last night, with a shovel and next to Lady Camille’s body. Poor Lady Camille, they are still finding out why he killed her. There was something about him killing a woman whom he slept with, but who knows what is true. Maybe he was framed for the murder?”
Eve wondered why Vincent sometimes did what he did, as it raised her blood pressure in not a good way.
With Lady Camille’s body out in the open and the blame on Mr. Walsh’s hand and not on her, it gave her space to breathe. The worry and tension she had been carrying in her mind settled down, but even she knew this wasn’t the end.
Knowing Vincent, the man had aimed for more than one thing at a time, which was going to disrupt many people’s peace who were in the shadows until now.
She heard Senior Mr. Moriarty speak, “It is indeed a shock that he would have anything to do with the disappearance of Lady Camille.”
“If the man was having an affair with another woman and killed her, who knows. Maybe he killed Lady Camille over an affair too? Mrs. Walsh must be in shock,” Marceline spoke her thoughts, enjoying the fresh news with her warm cup of blood tea.
For the rest of the breakfast, Lady Annalise and Marceline continued discussing about Mr. Walsh and Lady Camille. Vincent occasionally added his own input. Eve was not part of the conversation as she was only the governess here, but she listened to them, and every time Vincent spoke, her senses turned more attentive to him.
When everyone was done eating, Eve got up, “Thank you for inviting me for breakfast,” and she offered a bow.
As Eve left the dining room, she sensed Vincent’s eyes on her, but she didn’t turn and slipped away.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 220 Attempt to ignore
At around four in the evening, Eve finished her job of teaching Allie, and she picked up her belongings and stepped out of the piano room. On her way, as she got down the shortest flight of stairs, she caught sight of Vincent on the opposite side of the stairs with a servant. The servant’s eyes were downcast, not meeting his master’s eyes.
The silver-haired vampire wore a white shirt, a dull olive green inner coat and a brown tie that matched the colour of his trousers. His hair was unkempt and his eyes cold as if annoyed by the servant for not being able to follow his orders.
A second later, Eve realised that she had stopped walking. Instead, she was noting the details of Vincent’s appearance.
“Go fetch Alfie right now,” Vincent ordered to the servant, who bowed and quickly scurried down the next flight of stairs.
Sensing Eve, Vincent turned his lazy gaze towards where she stood. He parted his lips to speak, but before he could say anything, the mermaid looked away from him and walked down the next flight of stairs as quickly as she could.
Vincent’s eyes narrowed, and he glared at her back, “Where does she think she’s running too?”
When Eve reached the last step of the stairs, Vincent appeared in front of her and she gasped in shock.
“What are you trying to do?” Eve asked him.
Vincent watched her with narrowed eyes, “You have quite some nerve to ignore me.”
“I did not ignore you,” Eve watched him take a step towards her, and her foot that was on the ground went two steps backwards.
“You forget that it is usually I who turn people into fools and not the other way around, little girl,” seeing Vincent’s eyes darken more than usual, Eve wondered what had gotten him in an irritated mood.
“I was just in a hurry to catch the local carriage,” Eve reasoned, and the irritation in his eyes settled down. He was affecting her. “Can I go?” She asked him.
“I need you,” Vincent’s blunt words only stirred her new emotions. But he wasn’t done talking and continued, “Your blood.”
Though this wasn’t the first time he had asked for her blood, his words were enough to pull her back to reality. He further surprised her by raising his hand in front of her face, which held a small glass vial.
“In a glass vial?” Eve shifted her eyes from the vial to look at Vincent.
“I thought I could snack on it with one drop at a time. Your hand,” Vincent raised his other hand in front of her. Eve placed her hand in his.
It was the first time Vincent was going to preserve her blood. A soft whimper escaped her lips when he ran his sharp nail across her wrist and let the blood drops fall into the vial.
The vial had not been filled even until its half when Vincent pulled Eve’s hand towards his lips and licked the blood off her skin. Her eyes widened, and she hugged her hand close to her chest. As much as she tried to smoothen her heartbeat, it was impossible.
“You don’t have to be scared. No one saw me lick you,” Vincent put the lid on top of the vial and slipped it into his pocket.
Eve was thankful that the situation misled Vincent. When he stared right at her, she softly gulped.
“I wonder if I will need your hair,” Vincent murmured, and Eve’s eyebrows furrowed.
She asked him, “Did the people dig every person out?”
Vincent nodded, “Thirty-seven of them are out of their graves for some fresh air. I buried only twenty of them, no idea who the others are. But nobody knows who is who, so they are identifying the people by their clothes. Three human women were found apart from Lady Camillie’s body. Do you remember what your mother wore at the time of her death?”
Eve shook her head. She didn’t have that kind of memory to remember every detail unless she saw a memory that the place projected.
“Can I come there to take a look at them?” Eve pleaded, feeling slightly anxious about seeing her mother’s skeleton.
“Not right now. The skeletons are under inspection and in the laboratory. It has been long since they have found so many dead bodies all together and they are trying to track it against the missing report filed in the towns or villages,” Vincent explained in a nonchalant tone as if he wasn’t worried about getting caught. Or, more rightly said, he knew he wouldn’t be caught. He said, “It might take three or four days before things settle down.”
“I see,” Eve murmured.
“We aren’t sure if the skeletons found actually belong to your mother so I decided to take a faster route.”
At the same time, Alfie appeared from behind and bowed. The butler informed, “Master Vincent, the horse is ready for your use.”
Vincent asked her, “Do you know how to ride a horse? Without a carriage.” His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her.
Eve looked at him questioningly before she answered, “I ride fairly well. Why?”
“Alfie,” Vincent called his butler, who quickly straightened his back. “Prepare a horse for Ms. Barlow. She will be accompanying me for a stroll in the woods.” He added, “Unless Ms. Barlow doesn’t know how to ride one.”
“Yes, Master Vincent,” Alfie bowed his head and went to prepare another horse quickly.
When Vincent started to walk, Eve asked him, “Where are we going? I need to be home.”
“I thought you were looking for answers. We are going to meet someone special,” Vincent cocked his head to the side, and Eve wondered if she would get answers sooner than she had expected.
When they stepped out of the mansion, at the front stood two horses. One white and another brown. It took only a second for the pureblooded vampire to mount on the white horse.
Alfie stepped forward and said, “Allow me to take them, Ms. Barlow.”
“Have them delivered at the Dawson’s residence. That’s her precious umbrella and she would be sad to lose it,” Vincent ordered Alfie, while Eve picked up the sarcasm about her umbrella.
Eve caught hold of one end of the saddle before she mounted the horse and straightened her skirt. She heard the pureblooded vampire remark,
“Not bad at all.”
She asked, “Did you think I was going to fall, Mr. Moriarty?”
“Unfortunately, you didn’t allow me the pleasure of sight, Ms. Barlow,” Vincent matched her tone of words.
“Forgive me for disappointing you,” Eve smiled, tipping her chin up, and he grinned.
“When did you learn to ride a horse?” Vincent questioned while having the horse start to walk forward.
“Probably when I was eleven or twelve. Eugene taught me when we were in the backyard of the house,” Eve followed his suit, listening to the horses’ clip-clopping hooves against the ground.
The mansion’s gates were opened for them to pass. Eve and Vincent walked their horses at a steady pace. She noticed people watching them with a curious gaze.
Eve asked him, “Why aren’t we using a carriage to meet this person we are meeting?”
“I thought it would be more interesting to ride the horse than have poor Mr. Briggs try to find the horses later,” Vincent answered, who was busy watching the people who passed them on the streets. “Alfie will let your family know that you are with me. Considering you have the habit of returning home at odd times.”
“Actually they aren’t home. One of Aunt Aubrey’s friend’s husband is ill and she’s on her way to see the family. Eugene is accompanying her.”
“Where?” Vincent asked her.
“Berkshire,” on hearing Eve’s reply, Vincent hummed.
When they reached the outside of Skellington, Vincent said, “I am guessing you will not have any trouble keeping up with me,” saying this, not a moment later, his horse started to gallop, moving forward and away from her.
Soon Eve’s horse galloped from behind, following Vincent’s horse like a North Star for direction.
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