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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 281 Witch's curse?
Mr. Briggs rode the carriage away from the front side of the Council building, taking it to park away, while Eve stood next to Vincent. Feeling him place his hand on her back, she started to walk with him. They were about to step inside the building, when Vincent caught sight of Noah coming out from the edge of the forest, who appeared to have just visited the dungeon.
“Your favourite person is here,” Vincent sarcastically said and Eve turned to see it was Noah.
Noah’s eyes fell on Eve, and he looked taken aback by seeing her here. He had heard from his man that she had been dropped to Berkshire without any troubles. It had put his mind at ease, that she was away from his family.
Coming to where the couple had stopped right outside the building, he saw Eve offer him a bow and he did the same, while the two men didn’t bother to follow the same exchange. The last time Vincent and Noah met was the night when Noah had punched the pureblooded vampire’s face.
Before Eve or Noah could say something to each other, Vincent remarked, “Duke Noah, it is good to see you here. I wanted to thank you for looking after my Eve during my absence.” There was a slight glare in his eyes as If it weren’t for the werewolf, he would have found Eve much sooner.
Noah slightly smiled at Vincent and responded, “Eve is a dear friend of mine. It goes without saying that I would look out for her.” He noticed Vincent’s hand on Eve’s back, as if sharing a closeness that previously wasn’t apparent.
“Indeed, and I am glad that you two are friends,” Vincent replied with a bright smile.
The pureblooded vampire and the werewolf stared at each other, while Eve cleared her throat.
Noah said to her, “I am glad to see that you changed your mind and decided to come back, Genevieve. Are you doing well?”
Eve nodded, “I am. How about you?”
“Good. What are you doing here in the Council?” Noah questioned with a hint of curiosity, a question that he already had an inclination to what the answer could be.
Eve parted her lips, unsure of how to answer his question. But she decided to tell him the truth and said, “My mother’s body was dug out recently and I came to see her.”
“Your mother’s body?” Noah asked with a surprised voice, and his eyes continued to stare at her. “I thought your mother was buried with your father many years ago.”
“No… I lied about it. Many years ago, she was killed,” Eve replied, and Noah felt the heaviness weigh like a rock ready to pull him below the ground.
“I am sorry to hear that,” Noah replied, while Vincent stared at the werewolf.
Vincent couldn’t help but notice that when it came to Eve, Noah’s face turned into concern, but hearing her mother’s death, there weren’t enough emotions he would want the man to have. He remarked, “It is unfortunate that Eve’s mother was killed and buried here without her knowledge. Whoever killed such a good woman must rot worse than the decayed. Thankfully she was found by the councilmen.”
Noah’s eyes stared into Eve’s that held sorrow. Though he didn’t utter a word, he nodded. He asked Eve, “Are you sure that is your mother?”
“Yes, Vincent has already confirmed it,” Eve answered, and Noah’s eyes shifted from the young mermaid to look at Vincent, who looked back at him with a scrutinising gaze as if he was trying to dissect and read him.
Even though Noah was aware that Vincent was usually the person sought out in the Council when it came to solving mysteries like these, it still made Noah wonder how the pureblooded vampire could identify Eve’s mother.
Noah offered to Eve, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
While Eve shook her head, Vincent had other thoughts and said, “We are going to look for the murderer, who buried her in such emotionless way. It would be nice if you could help us find the person.”
Noah nodded, “I would be more than happy to do that. Maybe if Genevieve could tell me what she knows.”
“Excellent!” Vincent exclaimed, his lips curling and he said, “Duke Noah, visiting the dungeon so many times is going to make people wonder if you had anything to do with Fowler’s death. Consider it to be friendly advice, after all, Eve’s friend is my friend.”
Eve turned to look at Vincent because of the way he was marking his territory when he had nothing to worry about. The faint feelings she had developed for Noah in the past had disappeared, and the Duke himself had never shown romantic interest in her, except for the time when he had mistakenly leaned towards her during the ball night at the Moriarty mansion.
“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Moriarty. But as you know, Sylvester is a man who is a close acquaintance of the Sullivans. Questions are being raised to use and we will need to answer it to Clayton and the other members of the Inner Circle,” Noah’s words were calm and gathered. He then said to Eve, “I will see you later, Genevieve.”
Eve nodded and replied, “Okay. I hope Lady Anaya is well too?”
“She is,” Noah smiled, the look in his eyes gentle, and he said, “I will let her know that you asked about her well being. Excuse me,” he said, his eyes briefly meeting Vincent’s before he walked in the direction where the Head Council’s chamber was located.
While Eve, Vincent and Noah were at Darthmore, in Meadow town and in the kitchen of Dawson’s residence, Eugene cut the meat he had purchased from the market an hour ago. He was preparing for dinner, cutting small and thin slices, making sure it would be enough for the two of them. But then he stopped and wondered, before cutting a little more.
“That’s right, cut some for me too,” came the raspy voice, on his left shoulder and it was enough to give Eugene a heart attack.
Without Eugene’s notice, Timotei had not only entered the house but also jumped on Eugene’s shoulder. The cat took a whiff of the meat’s scent on the table. When Eugene stumbled backwards, the black cat quickly jumped on the table.
“You are alive,” Eugene stated with slight disappointment and the black cat glared at him.
“No one can touch me. Of course I would be alive, you human!” Timotei replied and took another whiff of the meat. “You should fry this with the sauces. Add some leeks and asparagus. Salt, pepper and it will taste good. Did Eve go to work already?” The cat jumped on the table before sitting while staring at the lowly human.
Eugene stared at the cat and replied, “Yes, Miss Eve has gone to work. What are you doing here? Miss Eve has already told you that she can’t turn you back.”
Timotei clicked its tongue and moved its whiskers, “That is what she thinks, but it’s only because she hasn’t reached that potential. I can wait,” and the cat waved its paw as if ordering the servant to continue cutting the meat. “Add some more, I get hungry too soon.”
When Eugene dropped the cleaver knife on the table, which was close to where the cat sat, Timotei pulled his fluffy tail to him and glared at the human, “I didn’t tell you to cook my tail. Scaring it,” and the cat stroked its tail as if telling it not to be scared.
Eugene pushed the sliced meat into a bowl and then started to cut the vegetables before suggesting, “There are many witches living in the deeper side of the forest who can help you turn back to your original self.”
“What use are those dumb witches,” Timotei harrumphed.
“Didn’t you say it was the witch who cursed you and turned you into this small–” Eugene trailed off when he saw the cat narrow its eyes at him at the word ‘small’ being related to him.
“Calling me old when you are the one getting old,” the black cat raised its head, almost as if looking at the ceiling if its eyes weren’t on Eugene. “Who told you I was turned by a witch?”
“You did,” Eugene retorted, wondering if this cat had damaged its head during reincarnation.
“When?” The black cat looked surprised.
After a few seconds, it thoughtfully said, “Ahhhh, now I know. As I come from a high family, I refrain myself from using words that are beneath my class and taste. Witch is the most decent word to curse.”
Back in the Council, Vincent led Eve to the laboratory room where her mother’s body had been held back from being buried. The woman named Clarks bowed and informed,
“I have placed the asked skeleton on the table, Mr. Moriarty. It is on the left side.”
“Any new visits?” Vincent questioned.
“Mr. Hart’s men were here a moment ago, to take the reports of the deceased werewolves, but none after it,” Clarks filled him in.
Eve followed Vincent’s footsteps, walking through the place, they reached a couple of racks, moving past it one by one, until they came to stand in front of the table where a skeleton was placed. Her eyebrows furrowed, half in worry and half in question. She stepped closer as she felt her heart race. Her mother’s tattered bits of clothes and shoes were placed on one side of the table.
Eve raised her trembling hand to touch her mother’s boney face. This was her mother… she said to herself. A deep frown came to settle on her face. Her hand trailed down the front of her mother’s spine. Her eyes fell on her mother’s arms that looked like they had cracks. Her hand stopped at the end of her mother’s unusually long spine, and that was all there was to it.
Her eyes met Vincent’s coppery-red eyes, and he stated, “She was a siren.”
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 282 Answers of the Skeleton
Music Recommendation: Bloomsbury- Amelia Warner
—
Overwhelmed by the revelation, Eve held the edge of the table to support her body from swaying. She asked,
“H–How can this be possible?”
It was as if all these years that she knew had turned into a lie. She stared back at the skeleton and muttered, “Maybe… my mother’s clothes were used to distract someone else who this person was…” And though she said it, she knew she was only making up excuses for the reality that was in front of her eyes.
Vincent himself held a serious look on his face and said, “When I saw the skeleton for the first time, I was surprised because of the leather shoes buried with it. The skeleton belongs to a siren, look at the sharp spikes on the back of the spine. No matter how well a person tries to camouflage their true self in the society, the outcasts are bound to get caught in one way or the other. Or don’t last long.”
He then continued, “You might find your sea creatures in the lower or middle society, but in high class, it is hard to survive unless you are working for or under someone. This is the reason why your eyes turn yellowish gold.”
Eve tried to put her mother and her being a siren together, she just couldn’t wrap her mind around it. She then asked him,
“Did you know about it before you found her?”
“I had a doubt, but I wasn’t sure until I saw her,” Vincent jerked his head to where her mother’s skeleton lay.
When Vincent had come to Berkshire to bring her home, he knew it. Eve couldn’t believe that her mother had not even once let her have a hint of doubt that she wasn’t any regular human but a sea creature. A siren. But then she was too young for her mother to explain in depth about such things, she thought in her mind.
Finally, some things started to make sense. The reason why the siren was able to identify her was in her final moments before she was killed.
“Hart believed that the woman he spoke to at the night soiree had golden eyes,” Vincent let her know, “Without your knowledge, you subconsciously used your ability to seduce and pull out answers from him. Sometimes when you are aroused, your mermaid self weakens and is taken over by your siren side.”
“Thanks for the knowledge,” Eve whispered.
“Why don’t we take a walk outside?” Vincent suggested, knowing she needed some time to digest.
“Okay,” she agreed.
The two of them left the skeleton and stepped out of the building. They walked into the forest that belonged to the Council.
She had been a mermaid until, which had come from her father and now that she knew her mother was a siren, Eve realised she was a mixture of the two.
“Are you okay?” Vincent asked, rubbing Eve’s shoulder when they had stepped into the forest and stopped walking.
“How would you feel if I said apart from a vampire, you are a werewolf?” Eve asked him, and Vincent pulled her in his arms to hug her.
“It would be terrible. Did you hate sirens a lot?” Vincent stroked her hair. Eve let him, without resisting his hug or touch.
Sirens were the next hateful creatures right after the witches. To be associated with something considered evil and worse in the entire outcast, Eve wasn’t sure how things would turn out in her future. Because right now it only looked like things were starting.
“I just find it hard to place my mother to be a siren,” Eve stepped back, and so did Vincent, loosening his hold around her. She said, “My mother was always gentle, always kind and soft-spoken. She never raised her head and looked people in the eye. Instead… she kept to herself because she knew… that if she was exposed she would die.”
“And so would you with her,” Vincent remarked and Eve nodded.
Eve looked around at the trees surrounding them while a deep frown came to settle on her forehead. She softly said, “I used to wonder why my mother didn’t try to sell the pearls that came from my tears. It would have helped whatever debt she had to repay, and live a much more comfortable life, instead of sleeping with men that cost her life.”
“Your mother was smart to not sell it as it is a double edged sword. She could either earn well, or she would be killed without hesitation. And you would have turned into someone’s quick snack,” Vincent responded to her words. “I think the more important and intriguing question is how a merman and a siren got into a relationship. It doesn’t happen even in the rarest of rare cases.”
Eve stayed quiet, remembering her mother’s kindness and their time together. She said, “I don’t remember her taking baths with me. It is as if she always waited for me to sleep before she took a bath.”
“Maybe when your mother was alive, you didn’t show any signs of being a siren until recently and she must have believed it would be right to raise you only as a merman’s child,” Vincent suggested.
He added, “There is something else you need to know.”
“Bad news?” Eve wanted to prepare her mind, feeling dread starting to form in her mind. Her blue eyes looked at him in worry.
Vincent looked curious as he said, “From what you saw and told me, my theory is that your mother had the ability of blood manipulation. Changing one’s blood to taste in a specific way. Because I doubt the number of people she ‘worked’ for, would have spared her without sinking their teeth at least once to not realise that she was a siren.”
Vincent continued, “You saw your mother die in front of you, but there was still a little more life within her.”
“What are you talking about?” Eve frowned.
“I don’t think the man who killed your mother ever knew she was a siren till the very end. Her body, as you saw, was dug out after years. A siren’s skeleton. Patton told me that the reason they even found the three bodies was because her finger stuck out of the ground. Over the years, the level of soil reduced, bringing her up a little closer to the surface of the ground. She probably tried to get out, but it was too late.”
Vincent’s words sank into Eve’s mind, and her heart grew heavy in her chest with emotions she couldn’t explain. Many years ago, when she had noticed her mother’s eyes grow lifeless, she had run, not knowing her mother still had a little more life in her. Their journey had been cut short without her being able to say goodbye.
Eve wondered why her mother didn’t try to kill the man who had killed her when she could do it. She could turn into her siren self and kill the person, but instead, she had let him kill her and had told her young self to run and fend for herself.
Did that mean not all sirens were bad? Or that there were exceptions to every kind. And as the thought sank further in her mind, she asked Vincent with a low, worried voice,
“What if this is only the beginning and my siren side takes over my mermaid side?”
“Do you want me to sever your head or pull out your heart from your chest when it happens?” Vincent asked, tilting his head to the side. Eve stared at him and saw him roll his eyes, “I will still protect you the same way as I have until now, silly girl. Maybe even more.”
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 283 Burying her finally
Music Recommendation: What do you see in me? Nathan Barr
--
After spending some more minutes near the edge of the forest, Eve and Vincent returned to the Council's laboratory where her mother's skeleton lay on the table. Eve stared at her mother's long spine, knowing if she were still alive, she would have seen her translucent feathery tail at the end.
Eve came to believe that her mother probably had a strong reason as to why she never once showed her siren self even during her dire time. It would have been easy to kill the murderer and the butler, but she had stayed in her human self. She touched her mother's fingers, before letting it slip as if holding her mother's hand and her eyes burned with emotions.
Though until now she wasn't particularly fond of the existence of the sirens, who were not just a threat to the people on the land but also the mermaids and mermen, it was her mother's kind and gentle demeanour that right now gave her confidence.
Her mother Rebecca Barlow had not once shown any of the evil qualities that belonged to a siren, and it gave Eve hope.
Maybe not this very moment, and not today, but one day she will find more about her parents, Eve thought to herself.
While Eve stayed next to her mother's skeleton, Vincent finished talking to Clarks, as she was in charge of the laboratory and bodies in there. He ordered the woman to fetch Patton to pick up Eve's mother's skeleton so it could be put to rest. Turning around, he noticed Eve's quiet and lonely expression.
Coming near Eve, Vincent said, "Patton will get your mother in another carriage, while we will travel in mine. He will pick up your mother's headstone that is placed in Darthmore's cemetery."
Eve nodded, and asked, "Eugene and I will bury her at night," that way she would be able to stay near her mother.
But Vincent proposed, "I was thinking about Skellington's local cemetery? This way the grave will never be disturbed even in the future. Meadow, you never know when people will decide to dig it upon someone's word."
Vincent had already decided that Eve would not be spending the rest of her life in Meadow, but with him. If the murderer ever came looking for Eve, the seach would stop at his name as the dead end. He said, "I know the cemetery caretaker and he will arrange it quickly on my word."
Eve gave it a thought before giving him a nod. When they started to walk out of there, she asked in slight curiosity, "Did you ever arrange your own kills to be buried there?"
"Certainly, not. I don't think any of them deserve a grave and they would be floating in the river if there was no suspicion of people on me. I did try it initially, but it is risky. I must say, I am enjoying having these couple-like conversations with you," a grin appeared on Vincent's lips.
Hours passed, and by the time of night, when the tower bell in the town of Skellington rang loud enough for everyone to know the hour, who was counting. In the town's local cemetery, where many of the high social standing deceased members of the society were buried, a grave for Rebecca Barlow had been prepared.
After many years, the unfortunate lady was put to rest, and the headstone picked from Darhtmore's cemetery was placed on the right grave.
Eve sat on her knees in front of the grave, her heart heavier than the last time she had believed the person to be her mother.
Patton, who had made arrangements on Vincent's instructions, now stood next to the pureblooded vampire, watching the Moriarty's governess who now sat in front of the grave. He said in a low, cautious voice,
"Sire, this must be the first time we buried a siren," Patton's eyes were slightly wide because this was something that had never been done by anyone. Sirens or mermaids were their food, and they were thrown in one corner of the forest or in the water bodies.
"There's always a first. It must be how vampires of the high society felt when they initially started to bury humans in their cemetery," Vincent remarked, his eyes watching Eve.
Patton vigorously nodded and apprehensively asked, "Sire... Is she related to Ms. Barlow?"
"She is, and it would be best for you to seal your lips about it like everything else," Vincent placed his hand on Patton's shoulder before squeezing it and the lower vampire quickly nodded. He said, "Keep an eye on Sylvester and Duke Noah. I don't want him escaping from there."
"The security is already tight, Mr. Moriarty. I doubt even a fly can enter there without authority," Patton responded, but on receiving Vincent's stare, he nodded, "I will go check on them myself!"
As Patton left the local cemetery of Skellington town, a strong breeze passed through the cemetery, brushing away the twigs and dried leaves that were in and around the graves to one side.
Vincent walked to where Eve sat and heard her ask, "Do you think my parents would have turned into spirit mermaids?"
Though Vincent didn't want to kill her hope, he didn't want her to have any disappointments. He said, "Your mother was killed in the land and was buried here. Your father, we don't know what happened."
"So it is only if they die in the sea," Eve murmured and a sigh escaped from her lips. She then asked him, "Is your mother buried in this same cemetery too?"
"She is," he answered and said, "Come, let me introduce you to her."
Eve turned to look at him, and he offered his hand for her to take, something he had been doing since they had both acknowledged their feelings for each other. She took his hand's support and stood up.
They walked a few rows of graves from where her mother was buried and finally reached where Lady Katerina Moriarty lay in her grave.
Eve noticed the black, marble headstone that had the deceased viscountess's name on it. Vincent said to his mother,
"I know if you were alive, you would be happy seeing whom I have next to me. This is Genevieve Barlow. She is the second person I have cared for the most after you, mother. She's too kind and naive at times, but that's alright as she has me and I will readily watch over her. She would have loved you," and the last sentence wasn't for his mother but for Eve to hear.
"Your father misses her too. It is good that he married Lady Annalise," Eve knew she would never be able to understand or feel the depth of what the Moriarty family went through by the loss of a mother and wife.
"My mother would be happy if she knew he married someone after she passed away. Her soul would be unhappy if he didn't," Vincent remarked as if he knew his mother's thoughts better than anyone.
Vincent knew that father hadn't married because he wanted a wife. But because he wanted his children to have a mother. There was a con and pro there. On one hand, Marceline was quick to embrace Lady Annalise as her rightful mother, while Vincent had accepted the vampiress only to be his father's wife, he had never accepted the woman as his mother as he already had one.
When silence fell in the cemetery, Vincent teased Eve by saying, "Are you not going to say anything to her?" He slipped his hand into his coat's pockets.
"T--That, yes," Eve turned slightly pink at his words, and she cleared her throat before saying, "Good evening, Lady Katherina. I want to thank you for loving and protecting Vincent when he was small, for sacrificing your life for his and others sake so that they could continue to live." Pausing for a moment, she continued, "I promise to care of him the way you did. To stand beside him--"
Vincent confirmed with her, "Always?"
Eve's blue eyes shifted from Lady Katherina's headstone, and met the eyes of the pureblooded vampire who stood next to her. She noticed the breeze around them wavered the strands of his silvery hair.
Vincent stared back at her with his mischievous eyes and said, "You know I am not easy to be with and in yours and many others definition, crazier than the most. Will you be able to survive?"
"You are crazy," Eve responded and Vincent's eyes narrowed.
"It was your cue to deny that I wasn't and was perfect," Vincent said and the way he said it brought a small smile on her lips even though her day had turned upside down. A crooked smile appeared on his lips.
Though they had come to stand in front of the grave, Vincent had not let go of Eve's hand. She felt the firmness of his fingers around her. She said,
"I don't think any normal person would ever accept me for who I am." It was the truth. Most people, even the ones who were married to mermaids or sirens, were quick to kill them once they found out about their identity.
"It's because they don't see you the way I do," Vincent hummed, brushing his thumb against the back of her hand. He then called her by her full name, "Genevieve."
Eve raised her eyebrows, not knowing why he was fully naming her now with such seriousness, "Yes?"
"Marry me."
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 284 Speak with respect
A gentle wind breezed through the cemetery and the place where they stood, softly ruffling and wavering the pieces of both of their hair. Eve used one of her hands to stop her hair from hovering in front of her eyes.
Eve felt Vincent's coppery-red eyes staring at her, patiently waiting for her answer. But he hadn't posed it as a question but as a statement.
She remembered the time in the past, when she was invited to attend some of the townsfolk's weddings and she attended with a slight envy and sorrow. Knowing she would never have what the other people did. To be loved and proposed for marriage. And now that it did, it felt surreal.
Eve softly gulped the feeling of the butterflies fluttering in her chest, and asked him, "Isn't it too fast?"
"I don't see a point of waiting and unnecessarily dragging the time when we both have affirmed our feelings for each other. Unless you don't want to be married," Vincent stated, his eyes calmly looking at her. "Like I told you before, you are a remarkable woman and if there's anyone I find worthy enough to spend my life with, I would want it to be you."
Vincent's words left warmth in Eve's mind and heart, a feeling of absolute safety. She then said, "Can you wait until Aunt Aubrey returns to Meadow?"
"To answer my words or to hold the wedding?" Vincent squeezed Eve's hand in his while taking a step close towards her.
Eve took a deep breath which ended up taking a whiff of Vincent's scent, which reminded her of the ocean. Of home. His gazed weighed on her, and she answered,
"To hold the wedding." A small worry appeared on her forehead, and she asked, "What about your family?"
A smile crept on Vincent's lips, the sweetness turning into mischief, and he said, "That will be taken care of. You don't have to worry about it. Now...I will need to hear it in words, my beloved."
Who knew that the arrogant pureblooded vampire would take responsibility so quickly. Not her, Eve thought to herself. She didn't have to ask if he was sure because she knew Vincent wasn't a person to do things without being sure. When he had mentioned Marceline as her future sister-in-law this morning, she had believed it was something in the far future.
"Yes. Yes, I will marry you Vincent Moriarty," Eve responded to the magical words Vincent had been waiting to hear from her.
"Let us seal it then..." Vincent's hand came to caress the side of Eve's face, and he leaned forward.
Eve's heart skipped a beat. She closed her eyes, welcoming the feeling of Vincent's lips on hers. No matter the number of kisses they had shared this week, it didn't dull the excitement of the moment. Her heart was ready to burst with happiness, to think that a man like him wanted her as much as she wanted him, maybe even more.
The kiss wasn't deep, but it was enough to spread sweetness in their body. Vincent tasted the sweetness from Eve's lips, and the more he tasted her, the hungrier he got as if not satiated.
Eve winced when she felt one of Vincent's fangs nip her bottom lip, and she felt him tenderly run his tongue to collect the drops of it. Vincent pulled away from her and said,
"Sealed with a kiss and blood."
A shy smile appeared on Eve's lips and she felt Vincent's hand slide from her face to settle on her waist. Their foreheads touched each other, and she saw him take a deep sigh of relief.
"Have I told you how lovely you are?" Vincent's eyes stared into hers, and he continued, "You might be a siren, but there's so much innocence of the mermaid in there, that I cannot wait to corrupt you in ways that you can't even imagine."
Eve's cheeks flushed at his words, and she cleared her throat, "We are standing in front of your mother's grave."
"My apologies, shall we go back into the carriage so I can continue about it in detail?" Vincent poked at Eve, noticing her turn flustered. He let go of her hand and placed it on the other side of her waist, gently massaging it. "I am sure it isn't something she never did," he cheekily remarked.
Eve wondered if Vincent had some fascination with graves and cemeteries. It was because the last time he had made her lay down next to him in the grave, and now he had proposed to her in front of his mother's grave. Somewhere it was a sweet gesture that he did it in front of the woman who was significant in his life.
"Come on, let me take you back home," Vincent let go of Eve's waist and caught hold of her hand as if not wanting to lose her and at the same time wanting to spend as much as they could together.
Offering their greetings to the deceased members of their family for the day, Eve and Vincent left Skellington and travelled in the carriage to Meadow.
And while the couple were on their way to Eve's home, on the other side, Rosetta Hooke had already appeared at Meadow, but her carriage broke before it could reach Dawson's residence. She glared at her coachman and scolded him,
"How hard is it for you to do your job as a coachman in making sure to check the condition of the wheels?"
"Forgive me, milady," the coachman offered her a deep bow, while she held a look of disdain at the lower vampire. "I didn't know--"
"When did I say you could give your explanation? Now I have to walk all the way and I will be tired, carrying all these gifts in my hands," Rosetta harrumphed in annoyance and her eyes narrowed. Looking around the place, she said, "I will walk to Eve's house, and you can get it fixed and park the carriage. Don't be late or I will fire you from your job."
"Yes, milady!" The coachman didn't raise his head until the lady walked away from the carriage.
Rosetta walked on the streets of Meadow with her head held high, making it hard for her to look at what was ahead of her path. With one hand carrying the gifts for Eve and Eugene, she used her other hand to fan her face, she continued to walk before pausing her footsteps. It was because she noticed someone familiar walking in the opposite direction.
From the opposite side of the street walked Patrick Humphrey, who was on an errand to go to the market, in his mother's words. Since that day his family had been humiliated, his mother had stopped stepping out of the house to avoid any remarks on her, and had sent him to the market and even the seamstress, so that she didn't have to face the other women and men of the town. After all, it was upon their word that the people had decided to tarnish Genevieve's image.
He was tired of walking on the street when he caught sight of the wealthy vampiress, who stood not too far away from him and stared right at him. Before he could try to run away from there and out of her sight, Rosetta loudly said,
"You there," and Patrick's back straightened.
He pointed his finger at himself while the vampiress walked towards him. He asked, "Me?"
Rosetta rolled her eyes, "What are you dumb? Of course, I am talking to you. Have we met before?"
Mr. Humphrey shook his head, "I don't think so, milady."
But Rosetta wasn't convinced, because she knew she had spoken to this man before, but she was having difficulty placing him where she had seen him. She then said,
"You are right, I wouldn't have met a low status person like you before."
A nerve struck in Patrick, as he had always aspired to be a part of high society. But he was now working as a servant. He forced smile on his face and said,
"Excuse me, but I have to be--"
"Carry these. I will give you a gold coin," Rosetta was quick to unload the little bags into Humphrey's arms. She dusted her hand and wiggled her fingers as if she could finally walk without any hassle.
Humphrey found it rather insulting that this vampiress had, out of the blue, forcefully pushed all her things into his hands as if he was her servant when he was not! He opened his mouth to say--
"I saw you at the Moriarty mansion, didn't I?" Rosetta asked the lowly human who was beneath her. "Do you work for the Moriartys?"
Humphrey, who had tried to hold the drunk woman and bring her more alcohol so that he could gain some possible benefits from her, as she was the daughter of a Marquee, had not only gone into the drain, but she was now treating him as her servant.
"I work for the Quinn's, milady. Henry Quinn?" He brought up the name, but Rosetta only stared at him. "Let me arrange someone to take these precious bags from you--"
"Quick, I don't like to be kept waiting, or I will complain to Henry Quinn," Rosetta walked swiftly towards Eve's house, while Humphrey stared at the back of the vampiress. At a second thought, he could use the gold coin from her as the pay at the Quinn's mansion wasn't enough. He would quickly drop the things and scurry away from there!
When Rosetta reached Dawson's residence, Eugene had already left the door open expecting for Eve to be home any second. And on hearing the gate creek, he stepped out to greet Miss Eve but it was the vampiress who appeared to be in a good mood. His eyes then fell on Mr. Humphrey, who was the reason why Eve had been insulted and shamed.
Rosetta noticed Eugene's serious expression, who stared at the man behind her with a hint of contained anger. She wondered what had happened.
"Miss Eve isn't here yet, Lady Rosetta," Eugene informed the vampiress.
"That's okay, I can wait," Rosetta had all the time in her hand, because her aunt who used to keep an eye on her had passed away, and her parents weren't here. She was a free bird who wouldn't be questioned where and with whom she was.
When Mr. Humphrey stepped inside the gates and noticed Dawson's servant, he jerked his head and said, "How are you doing, Eugene?"
"Very well," hearing Eugene's curt reply, Rosetta wondered what was bothering her love. She directly asked Eugene with no filter,
"Did he do something?"
Eugene didn't realise that he had failed to school his expression, while Humphrey stumbled before catching his footing and placing the gifts at the front of the house. Humphrey slightly laughed and said,
"What is not there to like, milady. The family this man works for is an acquaintance of ours. Isn't that right?"
Rosetta didn't know why, but she didn't like this lowly human even though he came from the same town as her dear friend. She snapped, "Don't talk to him with such familiarness."
Humphrey didn't know what he had done wrong when he only stated the obvious, while Eugene turned slightly taken aback by the vampiress's words. Patrick said,
"He is a servant. You shouldn't--"
"So are you. He's in a position that you cannot match and you better speak to him in respect. Did you do something to Eugene?" Rosetta questioned, completely turning to look at Humphrey, who looked back and forth between her and Eugene. Humphrey's eyes went wide, not knowing what was going on or if this was a ploy to trap him in something worse.
Rosetta didn't like the thought of someone trying to belittle Eugene, and her eyes narrowed at Humphrey.
"I have not, you...!" Humphrey lost his mind and tried to control himself, not liking being talked down by this obnoxious vampiress. "I would like you to give my coin now so I can be on my way."
Rosetta turned to look at Eugene, while ignoring Humphrey and in a mellow voice asked, "Is everything alright, Eugene?" Humphrey didn't understand why this wealthy vampiress was speaking kindly to the lowly servant as if he belonged to her status!
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 285 Protective vampiress
Music Recommendation: Heavens, what an afternoon- John Lunn
--
Eugene stared at Patrick Humphrey, the man many of them in and around the town of Meadow regarded as the sought-out eligible bachelor. As Miss Eve had grown up into a beautiful woman, the servant of Dawson's family was aware of the rumours about how she was one day going to marry Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey's son.
But Eugene, who had stayed under Lady Aubrey's shelter and knowledge, knew that this man would never win his young miss's heart or keep her happy. In his eyes, Patrick Humphrey was not just arrogant even though he belonged to the same human town he lived in, but the man was also a chauvinistic person along with his mother Mrs. Humphrey.
He hadn't expected the Humphrey's to fall so low and go against Eve. Now that the question was posed by the vampiress, who was Miss Eve's friend, he answered,
"It would be best if you hear about it from the man who was involved, Lady Rosetta."
Rosetta's eyes turned to Humphrey's, where the softness in her eyes had disappeared to be replaced by suspicion. She took a step towards the lowly human, while one of her eyebrows rose in question,
"It would be best for you to spit what you did. Unless you prefer to be tied to a tree upside down, worse I can ask my father to put you in the dungeon," the vampiress didn't bother to hide whose daughter she was as she liked to flaunt it in people's faces to get her work done and also receive respect. "My father has put many people in the dungeon, people who have upset me in the past," she casually threw in the words.
No more interested in the gold coin, Patrick wanted to leave before Eve, or the vampire showed up. But at the moment, he felt stuck between a wall and a rock because of this obnoxious vampiress in front of him.
When Rosetta looked away, Patrick quickly glared at Eugene as if he would deal with him later for hinting what happened.
On the other hand, Eugene wasn't sure if Rosetta had heard about the incident that had happened in Meadow and was only behaving ignorant in front of Mr. Humphrey.
Patrick responded to Rosetta, "I don't know what you are talking about, milady or what this servant is talking about. You are mistaken. To believe--"
"A week ago he and a few others publicly mistreated Miss Eve to be sleeping with men," Eugene finally blurted, not liking the way Patrick had not been humbled even after Mr. Moriarty had dealt with him and the others.
Rosetta's eyebrows furrowed at this. Why hadn't she heard about it? Out of all the rubbish gossip that took place, people had failed to bring this up to her ears.
Eugene didn't stop there and added, "This is the reason why Miss Eve left for Berkshire."
The vampiress's red eyes narrowed at Patrick; if it was possible, Rosetta's eyes would have turned the lowly human into dust. Noticing the glare in her eyes, Patrick shook his head,
"That was a mistake on everyone's side. Actually, it was Mrs. Edwards's fault for spewing such nonsense and we were only--"
SLAP!
Patrick felt his ear ring and one side of his face turn numb. Did he... Did he just get slapped by this woman? He touched his cheek with his hand, widening his mouth to ensure his jaw was intact.
"How dare you splash mud on a woman like Eve?" Rosetta demanded, and she quickly caught hold of Patrick's collar.
It wasn't that Patrick was weak, as he was a human and Rosetta was a vampiress, but the man feared the title that came with her name. She wasn't a regular vampiress, but one who was the daughter of a Marquee.
"You dare to even show up in front of her house," Rosetta looked furious and harshly shook the man like a piece of parchment. The sight of it not only worried Patrick but also Eugene, who noticed the wild temper of this woman, where he had hoped for it to stop at a few words or worse a slap.
But Rosetta was indeed an ordinary vampiress of high society, a spoiled daughter who had been given everything, where people followed her beck and call. She was angry that because of this lowly human, her friend had decided to leave Meadow and not come back. She had finally found a friend, and this lowly man had tried to drive her friend away from here. Not only that... it could even drive Eugene out of Meadow.
"It was you who forced me to carry your bags!" Patrick tried to get the vampiress's hand off his collar. And when he successfully pried away from her hold, he glared at her, "I told you it was a mistake, you du--What do you think you are doing?!"
Rosetta had picked up a pot with a plant in it and was ready to throw it on Patrick, when Eugene interfered with her.
"Lady Rosetta, please put the pot down!" Eugene didn't believe Patrick was worth having his head broken with his well-maintained pot.
Patrick glared at them and said, "I will report this to the higher authorities! That you come here to harm us!"
"What did you just say?!" Rosetta wanted to throw the pot on the lowly human's head, but Eugene caught hold of her hand to stop her from destroying the garden he had built with much love and care.
Patrick took this opportunity to disappear from not only the front of Dawson's house, but also the street with no sign of him. Eugene wondered if he had made a mistake by telling the vampiress about what happened, but he wasn't happy with what had happened with Eve and wanted to hit Mr. Humphrey himself. But he couldn't do it as he was bound to the norms of the society in which they lived.
Rosetta's concentration left Patrick and returned to Eugene, who now held her hand, while her hands were at the top of her head, carrying the pot. Her cheeks turned warm at their closeness, and she stared at him.
"Why don't I take the pot, Lady Rosetta?" Eugene asked her, and Rosetta, not knowing what to do with him touching her hand that brought in butterflies in her stomach, quickly dropped the pot from her back.
Eugene caught hold of the pot before it touched the ground and broke, not expecting her to drop it without notice and heard the vampiress say,
"I didn't mean to break the pot earlier. I was only trying to scare him. Usually I am a very nice and well mannered person with no temper at all. I am a very calm person."
Rosetta cleared her throat, schooling her expression and putting a more feminine front in front of Eugene. Eugene nodded and suggested, "Why don't you come inside and have a seat, until Miss Eve returns?"
"That I will," Rosetta walked straight inside the house, forgetting to pick up the bags of gifts she had brought along with her.
Eugene stared at the back of the vampiress, knowing well that if he hadn't stopped the vampiress, the woman would have thrown the pot on Patrick's head, and he would have had to hide the body somewhere with her.
When Eugene placed the pot back where it belonged, he heard Rosetta remark inside the house, "I didn't know you had a cat!" Hearing this, he quickly ran inside the house.
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