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PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST NOVELS || LATEST MOVIES || LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 286 Chaos under one roof
When Eve and Vincent arrived at Dawson's residence, the place appeared quiet. Once they got down, Eve looked for Rosetta's carriage but not finding it, and she wondered if the vampiress had returned to Skellington or had not come to meet her today.
Standing in front of the gates now, Eve asked, "Would you like to have dinner inside?"
"Are you inviting me to stay the night?" Vincent teasingly asked her. Eve's lips twitched and she reminded him,
"Eugene is home."
Vincent stepped towards her and she looked around the place to see if someone would catch them,
"Mm, I am sure I can arrange something to keep him busy." The pureblooded vampire caught hold of her chin, "Ignore the rest and only look only at me. I am all you will need to look at." Dropping his hand, he wrapped his arms around her, hugged her close and said, "There's no one who can protect you from me, but yourself. Sometimes not even yourself," he added, cherishing her in his arms.
Eve shyly smiled in his arms before fixing the expression on her face when he pulled away from her. She noticed his silver hair wavering in front of his forehead because of the wind.
Vincent turned his head to look at his coachman and ordered, "You can go back to the mansion, Briggs."
Even though the coachman wasn't looking at them until now, he was quick to answer to Vincent's command, "Yes, Master Vincent. Miss Barlow," he asked permission to leave with a bow before climbing on the driver's seat in front of the carriage and driving the vehicle away from there.
Vincent turned back to look at Dawson's house. Seeing the serious look on his face, Eve asked, "What happened?"
"Looks like Eugene isn't alone," Vincent responded, and not a second later, the house's main door opened and Eugene appeared with a ghost-like expression on his face with a hint of weariness.
Eugene quickly walked towards Eve, who asked him, "Eugene, are you alright?" There was a scratch mark on his face.
"Disasters have come together, Miss Eve," Eugene said to her with a low voice, "Miss Rosetta is sitting inside and so is the evil cat. Thankfully, they are both sitting away from each other now." Noticing Vincent, he offered a bow, "Good evening, Mr. Moriarty."
When Eve stepped inside the house with Vincent and Eugene right behind her, her eyes widened on seeing Timotei sitting on the table, while Rosetta sat in the living room with scratch marks on her arms and one side of her cheek. The vampiress sat like an obedient child without moving even an inch.
"Rosetta...?" Eve could only imagine the scratches belonged to the cat and turned to Timotei, who was busy grooming himself with his back against them.
"Oh, Eve! I am so glad you are back!" Rosetta exclaimed.
"I am sorry about this," Eve apologised, but the vampiress shook her head.
"That's fine. I love cats.I picked it up without its notice and ended up like this," Rosetta made it look like it was nothing and continued, "I once had this white kitty and I played with it in the bathtub. But somehow it drowned. It was sad," the vampiress said with little to no emotion, making the others doubt that Rosetta was the one who had killed it.
Rosetta's smile fell when she noticed Vincent in the room.
Vincent remarked, "How are you doing, Lady Rosetta? It is good to see that you are up and about, when one would assume that the family of the deceased would be mourning in the house."
Rosetta blinked before nervously saying, "My family is in the North and I am alone here. I thought staying in Eve's company would do me good."
Vincent nodded, while his bright eyes continued to look at the vampiress. He said, "Because of Miss Eve's job, it seems like you are spending more time with Eugene than with her."
Rosetta glared at Vincent for trying to poke at her. This horrible pureblooded vampire!
Rosetta wanted to spend time with Eve and Eugene but not with Vincent Moriarty. Quietly glaring at him, she said, "It is getting late, I should get back to my mansion now. But my carriage wheel broke before I reached here and is being fixed by my coachman," the vampiress sighed as if the world had ended. "I don't know how to get back to my mansion now," she sighed before her eyes fell on Eugene.
Eugene's eyes narrowed slightly, wondering why the vampiress was looking at him.
Eve suggested, "You can stay for dinner, and when your carriage arrives, go home in it."
It worked well for Rosetta because that meant she would get to spend more time, and she was quick to hug Eve. She said, "You are a strong person, Eve. I am so happy that you are my friend."
Eve smiled, not knowing a simple invitation for dinner would make the vampiress happy.
While Eve was busy talking to Rosetta and Eugene's eyes were on the vampiress, Vincent's gaze shifted to look at the cat on the table. It looked as if it didn't care who was in the room, or more rightly to be said, that it didn't notice who had entered as it was busy licking itself.
When Timotei finished cleaning himself, he turned and jumped on the ground. All clean, thought the cat to itself. That damn vampiress thought she could pet him, he harrumphed in his mind. Now if only these lowly beings would serve him his dinner, he could take a good nap in front of the fireplace.
But sensing someone's gaze, Timotei raised his head to look at the vampire staring at him. Wasn't this the same vampire he thought Eve had turned into a bat? He glared with his cat eyes.
They stared at each other for three seconds before the cat realised something and darted towards the possible open window. But with every window closed, the only exit available was the main door and the one on the back of the house that led to the backyard.
"Why don't you prepare the dining table. I will be back in a bit," Vincent stated before making his way to the house's back door.
Timotei tried to move his paws as quickly as possible, but before he could jump over the fence, Vincent caught the cat by its scruff. The cat meowed, moving its paws in the air while being dangled in the air by the pureblooded vampire.
"Drop me down right this instant or I will scratch your face!" Timotei tried to wiggle but only failed.
"What a cute black kitty that even talks. Talking cats will fetch several gold coins," Vincent remarked and noticed the cat glared at him.
"How dare you call me cute?! You wo-- No, no, I did not mean that! You are right, I am the epitome of cuteness, but please don't sell me!" Timotei quickly changed his tone as if asking for forgiveness.
"Do we know each other?" Vincent asked, his coppery-red eyes turning darker. He noticed how the cat looked ready to faint any second now.
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 287 Old soul from the past
Music Recommendation: The War room- Trevor Morris
--
Vincent stared at the black cat, which stared back at him, as if it was the most innocent creature he had come across until now. When in truth, it was nothing less than a hell-raiser. Having never met a talking cat before, the vampire was intrigued by it.
"Know?" The black cat laughed, which sounded like a chuckle, before it sneezed. "We have never met before. Now if you could release me, my elegant self would like to be on my way." Timotei held a troubled look, which gave away that it was hiding something.
"I guess it wouldn't be bad to have a cat for dinner over the fire. Some say they taste like delicacies," Vincent remarked with no hint of humour in his eyes before turning towards the back door of Dawson's house.
Timotei panicked, "No, no! Cat's taste like garbage, ew! Awful!" He made a retching noise.
"You took so much time to clean yourself, it would be a sin to not cook you," Vincent started to make his way towards the back door. Timotei wiggled, growling with his meows that barely fazed the pureblooded vampire.
"I haven't met you anywhere before! We haven't met! I promise you on my tail!" Timotei quickly spoke. If he liked something about his cat's body, it was his tail that he liked to groom and keep fluffy all the time. The black cat quickly pleaded, "Please let go of me, I haven't done anything. I have been under great torture of other beings. Cursed to live a life so small and short. This is my eighth life, please don't kill me!"
Vincent stared at the melodramatic cat that had now stopped wiggling, showing it accepted its defeat with its head downcast. After a second, the black cat raised its head in question if it would be spared as the pureblooded had stopped walking.
"Why did you rush as if you were going to be killed? By me," Vincent wondered what it knew that he didn't.
"T--That... I thought you looked familiar, but I was mistaken. I mean I have met so many people, I just got confused and you know," Timotei replied with a laugh, and when Vincent gripped the cat's scruff, it meowed louder.
"Looks like you are tired with your ninth life. Fire it is," Vincent threatened it, and the cat raised its paws in front of Vincent.
"Eight! This is my eighth life," Timotei corrected the vampire and didn't know how he had ended up so close to a person like Vincent.
"That's what you think, but you don't appear to be too sure if this is your eighth or last life," Vincent remarked. The black cat turned confused and started counting with its front paws. He then added, "Reincarnating over and over again, you might have lost a count."
Timotei wondered if he had miscounted it, but his eyes widened, "I am on my last life!"
Vincent was only poking the cat, but it seemed like a confused black kitty that got swayed and doubted anything said. Not to mention, it appeared to look like it wanted to live. While the cat was fretting on its own, the pureblooded vampire questioned,
"I will ask this one last time. When and where have we met?" As interesting as the talking cat was, it wasn't enough for him to let the cat live and bring problems to Eve, when he didn't know if he could trust it being around, especially when Eve had mentioned to him that the cat knew about her true identity.
"Okay okay! Just put me down so that I can speak in ease!" Timotei demanded. Seeing the evil look in Vincent's eyes, he adjusted his tone and beseeched, "Please!"
Vincent let go of the cat, which jumped on the ground. It stretched its body, pushing it backwards and straightened itself before clearing its throat. Timotei then said in a proud tone,
"I actually come from a far time from now. The time when the world was divided by factions of pure predators and preys. Humans and supernatural creatures like vampires and werewolves. Humans feared the existence of the supernaturals and were under the thumb of our rule. The King had many illegitimate wives... of different kinds, and each of the children were bestowed with gifts like abilities. Some that were good, turned into destruction."
Vincent's eyes narrowed, and he asked, "Are you talking about the King who took in powers from the sea goddess Nerhys?"
Eve, who had stepped out from the house's backdoor, caught sight of Vincent and Timotei talking to each other. She made her way to where they stood. Timotei turned to look at Eve and replied to the pureblooded vampire,
"Yes. The same King who wanted the mermaid goddess for himself," the black cat turned back to look at Vincent and said, "Once the King died, these gifted abilities were misused, and were used to force people into submission. And soon the children and their children's children started to fight for power. For some years, they conspired and backstabbed each other until only two princes lived. The reason why I, uh, walked earlier from you is because the energy inside of you... it has the same energy as one of the two standing princes in the past. And it isn't the good kind."
"Are you trying to tell me that I am the son of that person?" Vincent deadpanned.
"I am not sure. It is said that the two princes fought for two days in a row. They were told to be destined to fight against each other even without the existence of the abilities. It was said, if one lived, the other one was meant to die as the two couldn't exist during the same time, or there would be a shift in balance of life and death. But in the end, they both died."
"Did you know the King and his family closely?" Vincent questioned the black cat, who suddenly looked nervous.
"We were familiar," the cat answered.
"How familiar?" Vincent questioned, and the cat looked left and right as if it didn't hear the question.
"Oh, look! A butterfly!" The cat exclaimed while being stared at Vincent and Eve. Realising he wouldn't be let off easily and not wanting to be thrown into the fire, he replied, "I, uh, used to work under the other prince."
"Interesting," Vincent murmured, not bothering himself with the history as much as Timotei, and questioned, "Do you know about the curse that fell on the King and his children which was placed by Nerhys?"
"Of course, I know about the curse. What am I stupid?" Timotei waved his soft paw hand in the air as if there was nothing he wasn't aware of. The black cat raised its head as if it had turned into a God for having all the answers to the question. Except that he hadn't foreseen turning into a cat one day. It continued, "The curse wasn't just for the King and his children, but also people who served him closely. Most turned corrupted by heart and mind, eventually dying like plague had struck the land. The children of the King were doomed to die once the sea goddess died."
Eve asked Timotei, "And do you know about breaking the curse she placed?"
The black cat opened its eyes. Clearing its throat, it glared, "Before that... I had been turned into a cat and had been killed by the hands of a wretched human child. Children are evil!" he hissed before continuing, "Life has been so hard since then, and I thought I would be promoted. Instead I got demoted into this small thing. I can't even speak freely, because when I did in the past, people assumed I was a witch and I was instantly killed."
Timotei had not bothered about the curse or the King's children as he was busy looking for the siren who had turned him into a cat. There was no point worrying about others when he was cursed.
Eve stared at the cat. It seemed like it had the ability to look at people's inner being the way it did with her and Vincent.
Vincent then questioned the cat, "Does Eve share similar energy as Nerhys?"
Eve was surprised by the question. Timotei walked up to her and sniffed, "Not that I know of. Just the siren." The black cat then said, "I am hungry. Is the food ready?"
Eve nodded, "Can you not scratch Rosetta again?"
"She was trying to dirty me by touching me like some pet! I was protecting myself!" Timotei looked appalled by the memory of it. Seeing Eve's frown, the cat added, "Tell her not to touch me and I will be good." Saying that Timotei pranced on the ground, making its way inside the house to have a good meal.
Eve walked to where Vincent stood, who held a serious expression and asked, "Is your family related to the King's bloodline?"
"Not that I am aware of, but it wouldn't hurt to take a look into it," Vincent remarked and then offered her a bright smile, "Let us go inside and have dinner."
During dinner, Eve, Vincent, and Rosetta sat at the table while Eugene served the food from the kitchen. The fourth seat was taken by none other than the black, which now placed its front paws on the table.
Rosetta remarked, "I have never seen a cat that has been so well trained to eat at the table."
Timotei was too engrossed with the food that was kept on the table to glare at the vampiress for her calling him 'trained'.
Eve smiled, "You would be surprised."
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 288 Ghosts of the dead
Music Recommendation: Dances for Harp and Orchestra- Lavinia Meijer
--
As the dinner continued, it went by peacefully, with each person busy with another. Vincent and Eve shared looks at each other. Rosetta's eyes followed Eugene as if he was the only one who existed in the room, leaving the black cat's focus on the food served to it.
Eugene felt the vampiress's eyes on him and wondered if she would end up demanding his blood if it weren't for Eve's presence in the room.
On the other hand, Vincent's eyes calmly, yet with a hint of mischief, stared at Eve as if he didn't care if someone noticed him watching her. It was only one night where he had been able to spend time with her the way he wanted, both of them surrounded by it, and right now, he missed it.
It was probably the new place and rush of feelings that had turned Eve brave enough to kiss him back. Because now that they were back to where they belonged, his mermaid had turned slightly guarded and aware of people's watchful eyes and thoughts. Not that he minded it, because he enjoyed seeing her shy and bold side.
Eve, who was having her meal, felt Vincent's gaze on her and turned to look at him, "Is the food to your liking?"
"When I have the best company next to me, there's hardly anything to complain about," came Vincent's unfiltered words for everyone to hear.
A small controlled smile appeared on Eve's lips, while Eugene's attention fell on the couple, noticing something brewing between his young miss and Mr. Moriarty as they stared at each other. But Timotei, who sat between Vincent and Rosetta, who had finished licking the corner of his mouth, who responded to Vincent's words,
"I have always been the best company one could ask for. People have always conside--"
Timotei stopped speaking when he felt someone's hand on his tail. It was the pureblooded vampire's hand.
Eve and Eugene's eyes widened on hearing the sudden raspy sound of the black cat, and they turned to glare at Timotei. She should have known that this cat could cause trouble. The cat had been so immersed in eating its dinner that it had forgotten that Rosetta had no idea about him being able to speak.
Eve turned to look at Rosetta, who was staring at Eugene for a moment before she looked back at her plate. But then the vampiress paused with a slight frown. Eve couldn't help but glare at the black cat, which was a hot mess.
Rosetta looked at everyone at the table, and the vampiress then looked around the dining room and then at the kitchen from where she sat. She asked Eve, "Did you hear someone speak just now? It was some kind of scratchy voice."
Timotei felt his tail to be under threat and meowed to convince Rosetta that he was a cat and wasn't the one who spoke earlier. He slowly turned to look at Vincent, who stared at him with a faint smile on his lips, but there was obvious intent of murder in there!
Vincent turned to look at Rosetta and commented, "It must be a dead person."
"Dead?" Rosetta genuinely turned worried and intrigued, her naive self ready to hear it.
"It has been said that this town, Meadow, has been cursed for quite some time now. Many years ago, there was a massacre of people, and their ghosts now pass through the houses as if looking for their family members to take back with them," Vincent explained to her with a straight face in a matter-of-fact tone.
For a moment, Rosetta believed it, but then she stared at him with suspicion. She had fallen for his lies once, but she wasn't going to fall for it again. She harrumphed and said, "That's a lie. I am sure I heard the scratchy voice as if someone who has never spoken much. Maybe there's someone in the house. Maybe I have good hearing," the vampiress turned slightly surprised by her new ability.
Timotei cursed at his luck and wanted to beg Vincent to spare the life of his tail, but he couldn't do it in front of this vampiress. All he could do was stare.
Eve didn't want to make a fool of Rosetta by making up stories because she already felt guilty enough for hiding her aunt's death. She said,
"I think it was the breeze outside the house, Rose. Sometimes it feels like whispering."
Noticing the slight frown on Rosetta's face, Eugene went along with Vincent's earlier words and said, "Mr. Moriarty is right, at the time when the sun goes down this town turns haunted. Some ghosts have unfulfilled wishes to turn back to their living self..."
To Rosetta, Eugene's words were God-sent, and she was quick to believe them. She suddenly turned worried, and her back stiffened while her eyes moved left and right. She asked Eugene, "Really?"
"Yes, milady," Eugene offered the vampiress a bow.
"It seems like some ghost has taken a liking towards you, Lady Rosetta," Vincent chimed in. Rosetta's comfortable dining time was suddenly replaced with uneasiness, where she wanted to return to her mansion as quickly as possible.
For the rest of the dinner, Rosetta's eyes kept looking everywhere in wonderment if she would hear or catch sight of the ghost again. Timotei's tail had finally been released from the hostage, and he kept it as close as possible so it wouldn't be threatened again.
During that time, Vincent said to Eve and Eugene, "I will send some of my men here tomorrow to pick up your things and have it placed in another safe place, so that they can start the renovation work of the house."
Eve nodded, "Eugene and I have started to get some things cleaned on the above floor, and have placed it in Aunt Aubrey's room."
"You don't have to do it, when my men will do it. I don't want you getting hurt," Vincent stated, staring right into Eve's eyes.
This time, even Rosetta, like Eugene, wondered if something was happening between her friend and this first-wife sacrificer. Timotei stuffed his mouth with food so he wouldn't, by mistake, open its big mouth to talk again.
Rosetta cautiously turned to Eve and said, "Until your house gets fixed, you can come and stay with me, Eve. We will have a good time together."
"That won't be necessary, Lady Rosetta," Vincent dismissed the vampiress's suggestion and said, "Eve will be staying in the Moriartys mansion. Eugene too until the house is redone"
"Oh," Rosetta's mouth turned into an 'O'. As she stayed in Skellington, she would be able to spend more time with her friend, and she internally nodded. She stared at Eve, who was eating her dinner. Aunt Camille's butler was crazy to think that her friend had a hand in her aunt's murder.
Once the dinner ended, the vampiress's carriage arrived in front of the house and she took it as a cue to wish her friend goodnight and jump into the carriage before leaving the supposed haunted town.
Eve walked Vincent to the front of the main door, and she asked him, "Will you be going home or have work to attend to?"
"Missing me already?" Vincent's sinful lips curled while his eyes sparkled in mirth.
"I will see you tomorrow," Eve responded, noticing the black cat had followed them and stood at a distance, which was why it stood behind a wall.
"Mm. There's some matters that need to be addressed with my dear family. Good and fun times, are right around the corner," Vincent remarked as if he was enjoying something in his head, and a wide smile spread on his lips.
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 289 Paving way
Music Recommendation: Harriet Smith and Robert Martin meet- Isobel Waller
--
When Vincent returned to the Moriarty mansion, Alfie quickly came to the front part of the mansion with hurried footsteps. There was a slight frown on the butler's forehead, with his eyes subtly wide.
"Welcome back home, Master Vincent," the butler bowed and quickly stepped behind Vincent and helped him out of his black coat.
"Why do you look like you saw someone getting murdered?" Vincent questioned, and his eyes moved to the corner when the butler stepped to the side, his gaze following the butler who came to stand in front of him. "What is going on here?"
Alfie stood with a slight bow, holding Vincent's coat in front of him and answered, "Lady Marceline and Lady Annalise have been in a heated discussion with your father since they returned from the soiree. It is regarding Lady Marceline's marriage alliance."
"Ah, my dear sister is going to get married. And here I thought I would never come to hear such news considering how she is. Such wonderful news to a brother," Vincent looked delighted by hearing the news and questioned, "Where are they?"
"In the drawing room of the first floor, Sire," Alfie dutifully answered and watched his master starting to walk from there, heading towards the room where the rest of the Moriarty family members were now.
Vincent's clean, black shoes sharply clicked against the white marble. The corridor outside the drawing room was deserted, and he heard his sister's voice coming through the door left slightly open.
"...ot the person I want to marry. I am still young and there's no need to hurry!"
When Vincent pushed the room's door wide open, his father, his sister, Lady Annalise, and Allie who were in the room, turned to look at him. His father said, "It is good that you are here, Vincent."
"I am glad too, it seemed like I would have missed a good family conversation if I didn't get home soon and we all know how family is important," Vincent walked inside the room and took a seat.
Lady Annalise filled him in, "We met Mr. Tomlinson's son at the soiree today and I believe he is an excellent match to Marceline. She showed great interest in what he said, and the man had nothing but praises of her with me. But now Marceline refuses to have a marriage alliance with him."
Vincent turned to Marceline and questioned, "Surely, dear sister has a good reason if she is rejecting him?"
"I talked to him the way I talk to everyone else in the soiree. You cannot use just that to match us. I just... don't want to marry him, mother," Marceline tried to keep her calm composure as she replied.
"That is no reason to reject at all, Marcie. Horace has positively taken an interest in you and if you are talking about being par to us, he belongs to a pureblooded bloodline," Lady Annalise held a deep frown on her face.
"Maybe Marcie has someone else in her heart?" Vincent threw the bait, and Marceline's eyes widened whilst she tried not to falter with her words. He added, "There's no reason to be shy, dear sister. Knowing how high your standards are, you must have surely chose a great man who is suitable to you."
"Is that true, Marceline?" Eduard questioned his daughter, while he sat on the couch, staring at her.
Marceline didn't want to get married because it was true that she held someone in her heart and mind. It was Noah whom she wanted, but she couldn't reveal his name. Because as unethical as her feelings for a man who was meant to be engaged and married later, the young vampiress didn't know how her family would react.
"Marceline, your father asked you a question," Lady Annalise's words were stern and sharp.
Marceline politely smiled at her family, which held a hint of nervousness. She said, "Don't I get the option to marry whom I want to marry and when I want?"
"If you tell who it is, I am sure father and dear mother would be happy to accept the person," Vincent urged her.
Marceline wondered if perhaps she could try as her family had never denied her anything. Not to mention, she had always posed to be the dutiful person, who listened to every word her parents said. Surely, they would grant her wish and she said, "I like the Duke."
Eduard and Lady Annalise looked surprised. Marceline's father asked, "Duke?"
"The Duke of Woodlock," Marceline watched the look of distaste on Lady Annalise's face, while her father held a frown.
"A werewolf..." Lady Annalise looked shocked, not expecting her obedient daughter to choose a werewolf as her husband.
"Duke Noah?" Eduard wasn't horrified by his daughter's pick, but he sure was surprised. He said, "I didn't know you both had interactions with him. He's a decent young man."
"He is, father!" Marceline quickly chimed in and said, "He is an honourable man, polite, and has always been kind to me."
"Surely, you aren't thinking of having an alliance by mixing our pureblood bloodline with a werewolf's family, Eduard," Lady Annalise wasn't keen on this. To add to her disappointment, this was the second time where her children had rejected the alliance she had brought for them. As a mother, she had tried to find the best match, keeping their best interest in her mind.
"That would be a wrong thing to say, dear mother," Vincent hopped on the wagon as if he were here to rescue his sister's dreams and wishes, and Marceline couldn't be happier. All these years, she wanted his approval and for him to stand next to her. He said, "You forget that Marceline and I are the children of a pureblooded vampire and a human woman. We are still pureblooded vampires. Isn't that right, sister Marcie?"
"That..." Marceline, who had not acknowledged her birth mother after her death, was now caught in the crossfire and couldn't refuse Vincent's words. She swallowed the bitterness and responded, "That is true. We turned into pureblooded vampires."
"Truthfully, I think Horace is a better choice compared to a werewolf," Lady Annalise then continued, "Tomlinson's might not have a rank, but their bloodline is an old one. His family is sound and people that we have known for a long time now. He had great manners too."
Senior Mr. Moriarty took a deep breath and then exhaled as if in deep thought. Neither he, nor Lady Annalise had heard about Lady Anaya. But that didn't mean Vincent had not heard about it, and he knew that even if his father approved Marceline's wish, his sister's dream would never come true. It was because he knew that the Duke was still in love with Eve.
"Fine," Eduard responded, and Marceline turned happy, "You will ask for his response within a week, and not a day later. If his answer is what you desire, you will bring the Duke to meet me and your mother."
"Thank you, father!" Marceline replied excitedly.
"But," Eduard raised his hand, as he wasn't done talking and said, "If his answer to you is not what you want, then you will be marrying Horace Tomlinson. Is that clear?"
The smile on Marceline's lips faltered as she realised she would have to plan quickly and she nodded, "Yes, father."
Lady Annalise continued to frown but didn't go against her husband's words. She decided to speak to him alone about it in front of the children.
Now that Marceline's matters had been settled, using which Vincent had paved his way, he called for his father's attention, "Father."
"What is it, Vincent?" Eduard asked.
"I have decided to take a wife," Vincent dropped the news with a smile, and Eduard stayed quiet, knowing there was more to come, "I am guessing if you don't have issue with Marceline's choice, you won't be worried about me marrying a human?"
Eduard's lips set themselves in a thin line, because he somewhere already knew who it could be. Marceline's face turned pale, and she whispered,
"You weren't joking this morning... You cannot take her as your wife!"
Vincent rolled his eyes, "No need to be a hypocrite, Marcie. Unless you are eager to marry Horace."
"Which human are we talking about?" Lady Annalise was the only one who didn't know, while Allie, who had been quiet, stared at her brother.
"Genevieve Barlow," Vincent replied with happiness, where some part of it came from watching the look of disbelief on Marceline and Lady Annalise's face.
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 290 The Reason
Lady Annalise, who had been keeping her cool until now about Marceline's matter, couldn't keep her thoughts to herself anymore and stood up from where she had been sitting until now. She exclaimed,
"This isn't funny, Vincent! You shouldn't create things like these for your amusement."
"Which is why it isn't a joke, mother. I have already proposed to Genevieve for marriage and she has accepted it," Vincent remarked with an elated mood and continued to sit with his legs crossed and one of his arms resting on the back of the couch.
Lady Annalise glared at him while Marceline was trying to recover from the slap of shock her brother's words had brought upon her. The young vampiress didn't know how Vincent even chose a woman with low status like Eve to be his wife, until now she had thought him to be someone with great standards, but it appeared now that her brother was proving her wrong.
"Just because your father and I haven't stopped you from doing whatever you have wanted until now doesn't mean we will accept this absurd union," Lady Annalise glared and breathed fire at him. Her eyes held anger as she clenched her hands. "Even though she is the Moriarty's governess that doesn't mean she is eligible to be part of this mansion or the family."
Vincent calmly said, "My apologies, as I didn't seem to make my words clear." He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs. He said to Lady Annalise, "I wasn't asking you for your permission, but stating my decision."
Eve's existence repulsed Marceline because over time, the bitterness had been mixed with her sour moods directed at the lowly human. She continued to stand in front of her parents, while staring at her brother now.
"I will never accept a woman of that low stature in this mansion, to be part of us," Lady Annalise's voice had turned higher, and her words spilt out of the drawing room. She continued, "It was one thing for Eduard to marry a human before because Lady Katherina came from a high-standing family. But the woman you have chosen belongs to Meadow, a town where the lowly humans occupy. Eduard, are you not going to say anything to him?" She turned to her husband with a bewildered look.
Before Eduard could say something, Marceline's soft words spilt out of her dainty pink lips and she said,
"Brother, may we know the reason why you chose someone like her?" She decided to use a deceiving approach to trap her brother the way he had used her a few minutes ago, just so he could trick her.
Vincent stared at Marceline, tilting his head, "She's excellent in bed." His coppery-red eyes turned amused when he noticed his sister's eyes widen.
Marceline's jaw fell on the floor as she didn't know what to say, along with Lady Annalise, who looked at him with horror. The older woman said, "Have you no shame to speak so crudely. Your younger sister is in the room!"
"Nothing she will not know in the future," Vincent then turned to Allie and said, "Knowledge is everywhere, hamster."
"That's enough!" Lady Annalise snapped in anger. She looked at her husband, who appeared to be quietly listening to the drama unfold while gauging the situation around him. She said to him, "Something came to my notice a few days ago and didn't want to mention it before. But Vincent leaves me no choice. This woman, Genevieve Barlow was condemned to have slept with multiple men for money." Her voice then lowered and she asked her husband,
"What would people say if they were to find that we are associated with a woman of such low character?" She then looked at Vincent and questioned him, "I am sure even you didn't know about it."
Vincent's eyebrows furrowed, and he stood up as if in shock. He questioned Lady Annalise's words, "That happened?"
Lady Annalise nodded, "You think you know everything about this woman you want to marry, but you don't. If you want to sleep with her, do it, but she will not be part of this family. If she comes here as your wife, I will leave this mansion."
"Anna, there's no need for such a thing," Eduard sighed, trying to calm his wife, who had been riled up by the thought of having Eve as her daughter-in-law.
"No, Eduard," Lady Annalise raised her hands as if she had enough. "Marceline will be marrying Horace, and Vincent will be marrying a pureblooded vampiress or someone from the high society."
"What?!" Marceline's voice turned high pitch, not liking she was put in the mix again. She protested, "Father has already given me his word that I have a week's time before you decide, mother. You cannot take that back. Until now, I have done everything I was told and have been the most obedient one out of the three, you cannot do this to me!" she shook her head in denial and then looked at her father. "Father, please!"
Lady Annalise stated, "I have been more than patient with everything, but it is time we bring some discipline as purebloods." She then looked at Vincent and questioned him, "So what is it going to be?"
Vincent nodded as if he had finished thinking and said, "Father and you should go enjoy the view up in the North. Unless you don't mind living here."
Lady Annalise stared at him, knowing there was little to nothing she could do to change Vincent's mind, but she couldn't sit still and watch her family being colluded. She said, "You think I am lying about what I heard," she placed her hand on her chest.
"Don't be harsh on yourself, mother. It isn't that I think you are lying, but it is your source that I don't trust," Vincent offered the older woman his thoughts.
By now, Marceline had stiffened at the topic being discussed and the direction in which it was going. Her mother then said,
"I heard it from Marceline. Not to mention, word about Ms. Barlow had started since we attended the Quinn's soiree."
Vincent's now darkened red eyes shifted from Lady Annalise to look at Marceline, where the humour in them had disappeared like vapour because of the anger that sizzled beneath his skin. He asked, "Where did you hear it from, dear sister?"
"It was from—from a friend. Stella told me," Marceline tried to keep a straight and innocent face as if she was only the messenger of the rumour.
"And what did she tell you about it?" Vincent took two steps towards where Marceline stood.
Marceline shrugged her shoulders, and her head jerked as if she couldn't control its movements. She responded, "She said that Ms. Barlow was sleeping with men."
"And who are these men?" Vincent's question unnerved the young woman, who stared back at him.
Lady Annalise started, "What does it matter which men she slept with? The bottom line is for a human, and for a governess, she has been compromising her character. Didn't you just tell you slept with her?"
A wicked smile appeared on Vincent's lips, and he answered, "I lied."
Lady Annalise and Senior Mr. Moriarty frowned at his reply, while Marceline continued to stare at Vincent without letting fear seep into her expression.
Lady Annalise began, "What are you trying to get—"
Vincent raised his hand and offered the same smile with his eyes holding a hollowness before they turned to look at Marceline. He questioned her,
"Anything you would like to confess, dearest sister? Now might be a good time."
Marceline was firm, and she replied, "About what? Ms. Barlow has a reputation as much as a whore would—"
Vincent didn't let her finish as he slapped his sister across her cheek with his open palm.
"Call her that one more time and don't think I will brush it away," Vincent glared at her.
"Vincent! What do you think you are doing?!" Lady Annalise quickly came to stand next to them; this time, even Senior Mr. Moriarty had gotten up from where he had been sitting. He said with a deep frown,
"You cannot go slapping your sister for her speech."
"But I can if her actions has cost someone's reputation, right?" Vincent questioned with his smile deepening into a maddening one.
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