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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 486 Timotei’s Skeleton
Inside the cemetery building, which had been built for Acheron Gauntlet, Eve lay on the dusty ground next to the open tomb. It took a minute before she gained consciousness. Upon inhaling the dust that had settled on the ground for several years, she softly coughed.
"Did you hear that?"
Eve turned alert on hearing someone's voice outside the building, and she quickly covered her mouth before another cough erupted out of her throat.
Outside the cemetery building were two castle guards who had decided to patrol the grounds after hearing the sound in the forest.
"What is it?" Asked the other guard with him.
"I heard someone cough, but it sounded… distant," said the first guard with doubt in his voice.
It was because no one ever came here to the forest cemetery that was made specifically for the Gauntlet family members. Even though they were once a royal family, people avoided coming here as many believed that the family was cursed. They were doomed, and anyone who came near their graves would be infected by bad luck.
The guard's ears were good enough to pick up the sound of a cough, but even after walking around for the next five minutes, they didn't find anyone in sight.
"There's no one here," said the second guard, carrying the burning lantern.
When they heard a deep sound as if someone was crying, the first guard said, "I am not imagining things, am I?"
"I heard that too! Is it the ghosts…?" The second guard's eyes frantically moved, wanting to see who it was, and he loudly asked, "Who is there?!" But no matter how much they walked around, they didn't find anyone, making the person wonder, "You don't reckon that there are spirits in here, do you?"
"Let us continue looking before we turn back," the first guard suggested, who wanted to make sure that there were no thieves lurking near the castle.
While Vincent and Timotei were busily looking inside the graves to find Timotei's past life skeleton, on the other hand, Eve sat upright on the dusty ground as she tried to recollect what she just saw. She heard footsteps approaching near the outside of the cemetery building, where she caught sight of light.
The guards were here, Eve thought to herself.
The guard who stood not too far from Acheron's cemetery, his eyebrows furrowed, and he noticed how the light reflected with a higher intensity when he raised his lantern. Eve quickly crawled and further dimmed the lantern's flame. Thankfully, the guards finally left the forest cemetery. Feeling a wetness on the palm of her hand, she looked down and noticed a drop of blood there. She touched her nose and looked down before pursing her lips. She wondered where the limitation to her powers laid.
Eve got up from where she had been sitting and returned to where Acheron's skeleton lay. She quickly walked to the door and used force to push it aside before making a gap through which she squeezed herself out of there. Turning the lantern off, she closed the door before meeting Vincent halfway.
"Did you find Timotei's skeleton?" Eve asked him.
"We did. What happened to your hair?" Vincent asked as he gently brushed and dusted her hair with his fingers.
"I found pieces of Acheron's memories," Eve then explained what she saw in the skeleton's memories as they made their way to the cemetery building.
Once Vincent heard what Eve saw, he said, "That's understandable as you were accessing the information through one person, so you will only see what he saw and what he knows. If you are looking to fill in the blanks, there's Erasmus Gauntlet."
"He's the other son who survived until the end?" Eve asked Vincent, and he gave her a nod.
"Yes. You might see something from his skeleton. Though I must inform you that some of his bones are missing," Vincent let her know, and Eve looked at him questioningly, "Timotei doesn't know about it either. Maybe you will find something in there, but before it, let us go where the black cat is."
When they neared the cemetery building, the rays of the moonlight fell on the name of the person to whom this place belonged. There were two names: Lady Kismet Gauntlet and Lady Selene Gauntlet.
Though prince Tobias had them tour the forest cemetery this noon, the young man hadn't given them in-depth information about the family members. Vincent explained to Eve, "Selene Gauntlet was the vampiress wife, and his daughter Kismet."
"That's Acheron's sister," Eve said softly, before they stepped inside the cemetery building. Her eyes fell on one of the open tombs, and when her gaze moved to the one next to it, she noticed Timotei sitting with his head close to the skeleton's head.
It was Kismet Gauntlet's skeleton, whose bony hands were wrapped around a small skeleton that belonged to a cat. Timotei held a sad look on his face, with his eyes closed. When Eve got near the second tomb, Timotei said,
"She was always kind to me. She always made sure that I was well fed, and loved. Protecting me when I had no one… She's the one who found me."
"You were her pet then?" Eve asked the black cat, who looked like it was depressed from finally recollecting some things it had forgotten.
"People find us, but that doesn't mean they are meant to stay with us. Kismet found me on the streets when I was young. She was young too, which is why when she brought me here, I was rejected immediately and it was Acheron who finally took me as his pet," and as the black cat said this, he turned to look at Vincent. "We didn't really get along in the beginning, but with time, things turned good... Eve, can you see how I died?" Timotei asked her as he pulled his body away from the skeleton.
Eve gave a nod, and her hand reached towards the cat's skeleton in the tomb. When her fingertips did touch the skeleton, she felt a chill run down her body, and her eyes tried to create gold flecks in them.
Noticing the change in her heartbeat, Vincent asked her, "Are you alright, Eve?" And Eve quickly pulled her hand away from the skeleton's body. When she turned to meet his eyes, a slight frown appeared on his face, "Your siren side is trying to push through. Let us take a break."
Eve shook her head, knowing they didn't have all the time to spend here, and she said, "I will try to hold her back…" her siren side that belonged to Nerissa. When she went back to touch the cat's skeleton, she said, "His body is cold… It must be because of the times Timotei was reborn, leaving his previous bodies behind like a shadow."
She then raised her hand in front of her before moving it upward, and the next moment, she created a dome around her. The dome held fragments of blue and green particles that floated inside it. Timotei coughed before getting away from the dome and said, "I couldn't breathe!" While Vincent stood in the dome that Eve created.
"She's using the moisture in the atmosphere to create the dome as there's no other source of water," Vincent stated, noticing how the air felt dry from where he stood. As he was a pureblooded vampire, the composition of the air didn't bother him, but for a person who depended on air, it would make things hard.
Eve's eyes appeared to be in a trance state, and the next moment, she touched the cat's skeleton, it wasn't just her, but also Vincent, who had travelled back in time that belonged to the past.
Timotei, who had taken a step away from the dome, noticed how Eve and Vincent had disappeared from his sight, and it turned his eyes wide.
"Eve? Vincent?" Timotei called their names, while taking a quick round in the small cemetery building. He questioned, "W—where the hell did they go leaving me alone?!"
Eve and Vincent were pulled back in time, and they fell flat on the hard ground, making Eve wince.
"Looks like your powers are expanding."
Eve turned around, not expecting Vincent to join her visiting the past. She said, "I didn't know I could take a companion with me."
"We learn something everyday, don't we?" Vincent replied with a crooked smile, and once he stood up, he offered his hand to help her to stand up. He said, "Seems like a lot of things have changed after the end of the Gauntlet's family. I am guessing your experience with Acheron's memory lane was different than this?"
Eve nodded, "It was. It was very specific with him, but with Timotei's skeleton… It feels different. I don't see Timotei anywhere."
Eve was right, Vincent thought to himself because his eyes moved around where they stood in the garden and he couldn't find the black cat. He said, "Maybe it is not Timotei who we are looking for."
"What do you mean?" Eve asked.
"Think about it. Timotei is not an ordinary cat, but one who talks and has actually lived through his eight lives and now on the ninth one. In a pack of cards, you often have a joker card that is a key card, and Timotei is nothing less to it," Vincent explained to her, and they heard an uproar inside the castle. "I am unable to smell or hear things more than what we are intended to, so I doubt there's anyone who can see us. Let us get inside."
Eve agreed and they stepped inside the castle, noticing blood on the floor and walls, which were fresh. There were a few bodies lying on the ground as they made their way inside. On noticing the mermaid, she pointed her finger,
"There's Marina!"
"Spitting image," Vincent murmured, and they followed her. The young woman, who looked like Eve, led them through the corridor, she walked in haste and disappeared behind two doors. When they finally got there, the woman was in the arms of a man. The pureblooded vampire remarked, "Looks like this isn't Marina, but Nerissa."
It was because the man held yellow eyes and resembled the werewolf Sullivan family. In silence, they watched the couple in each other's embrace.
"I have been looking for you all around the place, Nerissa," Erasmus rubbed the siren's back with a gentleness that the young woman had craved.
"Is it true that Acheron killed your siblings? There's blood everywhere and there's barely anyone alive," Nerissa said to the werewolf, who pulled back and caressed her face. "I didn't know he was capable of it."
"I told you he wasn't a good man, Nerissa," Erasmus said to the siren, "He is waiting to kill you along with your sister."
Nerissa shook her head, "Marina will never stand next to a man as vile as him."
"I know my vampire brother well, and he will do anything for the crown. But you don't have to worry about it, as I will protect both of you. You are the person whom I love," Erasmus promised the siren, his eyes appearing to look as if he adored the woman. But it wasn't adoration that was in there, but obsession, and obsession that was soon going to appear and he said, "I worry he will take you away from me, and I know a way to keep us together for life."
Though siren by nature, Nerissa was a woman by heart, who wanted to be accepted and loved. Though Acheron was spoken for, she had found Erasmus to be no less of a man, who would keep her happy and was in love with her. She said in haste,
"I am willing to do anything to stay next to you!"
Erasmus looked more than pleased and said, "In this loveless world that we have been born in, we were meant to be with each other, Nerissa. Do you understand that? We are fated," he picked up her hand and brought it to his lips.
Eve's eyes widened, as it seemed both the sisters had created a bond each with the two sons of King Gauntlet.
What dawned in Eve's mind, also dawned in Vincent's mind and he said, "It isn't because Marina died, that the mark on your hand isn't complete." They watched the werewolf create a bond with the siren. "It is because both of them marked you, creating a conflict. A siren belongs to the water more than a mermaid does because of their nature and incompatibility on the land. Which is why your mark disappears when under water."
"Where does that leave me…?" Eve whispered, not knowing who she was.
Vincent slipped his hand in hers and squeezed it, "You are a remarkable governess, whom I fell in love with. And as the mark turns half in the water only, it shows that your body is more suited to be a mermaid. You were destined to be with me."
Nerissa stared at the mark the werewolf gifted her, and a content smile appeared on her lips. She told him, "I will go find Marina and tell her the truth!"
"Be careful, Nerissa," Erasmus shouted a word of caution as if the castle was no longer safe for anyone.
The siren quickly ran out of the room, while Erasmus chuckled at the dumb siren, who was easy to fool. With the doors closing and him being alone, he murmured with a sneer,
"Make sure you bring Marina to our side, Nerissa. It is only time for Acheron to fall into his grave for the way I have paved for him. And then I will be the King with the powers of the siren and the mermaid."
Eve's eyebrows furrowed, and she said to Vincent, "I will follow Nerissa," She ran out of the room to catch up to the siren, leaving Vincent behind in the room, who stared at the werewolf prince.
Eve ran through the corridors, looking for the siren, who a minute ago had disappeared from her sight. She tried to remember the inside of the castle she had walked around this noon after lunch, while trying to remember where she had seen the mermaid dying earlier in Acheron's arms.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 487 To Be Her Shadow
Following her memory, Eve finally reached the lonely side of the castle, where the two sisters of the sea, who were the daughters of Nerhys were in the room. She heard the woman's voice inside the room,
"What have you done, Nerissa...?"
Getting inside the room, Eve noticed horror written on Marina's face, "What have you done, sister?" She asked in disbelief.
"I have loved, Marina. Erasmus loves me dearly and he will take care of you along with me. It is time you come with me," Nerissa said, while Marina stared at the mark the werewolf had left on her siren sister. "Acheron is not the man you think he is. He has killed most of his brothers, sisters. Some of them had fled in fear, to protect their remaining kin."
Marina looked pale, not because of what Nerissa said, about how her sister had a misconception of the things here. She said, "Nerissa, we need to take our mother and go back to the sea. Nothing good has come since we have stepped foot on these lands. And Acheron didn't kill all of them. Erasmus has done far more damage, wanting to gain power as there's no King sitting on the throne. Please listen to me," she stepped closer and took Nerissa's hands. "Our mother died because of the King, and this curse... this curse will touch us too."
"Love has brought no harm," Nerissa argued with her sister, "What is wrong with me seeking love from someone. You found the one for you, and I have tried to be happy even though it was my eyes that first fell on Acheron. Why can't you be happy for me now?"
Marina pursed her lips when Nerissa pulled her hands away from her hold. The mermaid said,
"I have heard things about Erasmus, and you wouldn't like it when you hear what I know. I will give up my love for you, all I ask is for you to return with me. Back to where we came from..."
"No!" Nerissa turned angry, with her eyes glowing gold, and she said, "I have bonded myself to Erasmus. I don't want to fight you, Marina. Not against each other when we have lived our lives with so much love and care."
"Then don't," Marina pleaded. When she took a step forward, Nerissa took a step backwards.
"I will leave it to you. You have the choice to stay with me, the right side or..." the siren's voice trailed, leaving the next words to her sister's imagination. She turned around and walked towards the door. But before stepping out, she turned around and said, "Erasmus is stronger and wiser. He promised to keep us happy. I will be giving him the dagger that mother gave us." She stepped out of there.
When the doors closed, tears slipped from the mermaid's eyes, and it fell on the ground as pearls that rolled to different places.
Eve turned and followed the siren right on her heel to avoid missing anything. She didn't know how long this place was going to keep them before it would throw her and Vincent out of the memory and back to the present.
On the way, Nerissa met men who attacked her. One of the men said,
"Capture her!"
But the siren used her jagged teeth and sharp claws to claw their faces and tear them to pieces. But it was only one siren against many men.
"I am the prince's partner, and I won't let Acheron win!" Nerissa said, determined.
Eve felt one person thrown right through her, which startled her. Though Nerissa defended herself, she was left with injuries. Leaving the attackers behind, she continued to look for Erasmus.
On finding him, she took a step forward and was about to call him, when she heard him say to the priest standing in front of him,
"Prepare the ground to conduct the rituals tonight. The moon is going to reach its peak and I shall finally tap into the powers that my father tried, but failed."
"My lord, we'll need to have both the mermaid and the siren brought together for the sacrifice," the priest said to Erasmus.
"My men are already going to capture the siren, and will go after the mermaid too. Once I drink their blood, and have their hearts sacrificed, there's no one who will stop me. Acheron will die," Erasmus laughed before he turned serious.
While the werewolf and the priest didn't notice Nerissa standing there, she returned to find her sister. On the way, Eve noticed the look of anguish and shock present in her eyes. But on the way, another man who worked for Erasmus came to capture her. She dodged it and finished him. But suddenly, something passed through her body from the back, as if someone else had attacked her. She killed them all and staggered, walking to her sister.
But on reaching the place, her heart slipped from her chest, noticing Acheron pull the dagger from Marina's chest.
The next moment, Eve found herself standing in a dark corridor. But she wasn't alone but with Nerissa who appeared to be in pain.
Nerissa whispered, "Forgive me, sister. We should have left the land quickly..."
"Meow."
Eve's eyes turned to look in the dark, noticing a black cat, who was none other than Timotei in his first life, who walked near the siren. The black cat looked at the siren with a curious expression.
Nerissa stretched her hand towards the cat, petting its head, she said, "I cannot rely on the vampires, or werewolves, nor the humans with less time in my hand. But you... you are a cat with nine lives and I hope when the time comes, you will give the answers. The truth about what happened."
A golden hue appeared around them as the little golden particles approached the cat. She said, "From now on, you will have the gift of speech. I hope you will survive, because I know we will return. And when we do, I will be my sister's shadow and protect her. And together, we will make things right."
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 488 Possessor Of The Vial
Music Recommendation: The Accident at Fox Hill- Hong Dae Sung
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Soon after Nerissa bestowed the gift of speech to the black cat, the cat fell unconscious on the cold floor, while the siren stared at the hard wall in front of her, letting her know there was no other way to do this.
After a couple of minutes, two men working for the werewolf's prince, found Nerissa's body on the floor, where her heart had stopped beating and had gone still. They took the body to Erasmus. Carrying the siren in their arms.
"What happened to her?" Erasmus asked the men, quickly coming to Nerissa's side, placing his hand on her neck, and feeling the absence of her pulse. His eyes narrowed like a snake, and he glared at the men with a temper, "I told you to capture her alive, not kill her!" Anger burst through his eyes.
The two men cowered in fear, still carrying the siren's body and one of them spoke with a stutter, "S--sire, she was already dead when we found her..."
"Place her on the ground," Erasmus commanded the two men.
Erasmus then checked to see what happened to the siren, if it was possible to fix her. He ordered, "There's a black box in my room, bring it to me immediately!"
One of the guards quickly bowed and ran out of the place, prince Erasmus to look at Nerissa's body before he found a deep wound on her stomach. Noticing her bloodied fingers, his face hardened. He had taken all the necessary precautions and had also gone as far as to bind himself to this hideous creature of a siren, just so that she would comply. Yet, it had triggered this volatile siren to kill herself? It was because when he picked up her hand, he noticed blood in her nails, and it belonged to her.
The priest with whom Erasmus had earlier spoken arrived at the scene, and he looked taken aback by the siren on the ground. He said in a hurry, "My Lord, what happened to the siren? We need her and the mermaid for the sacrificial ritual."
"You think I don't know that?" Erasmus glared at the priest.
The werewolf prince gritted his teeth because the sea creatures were the one who would lead to his success and the ultimate throne where he would rule through every creature and kind.
"But I have another way to rectify the situation. A gift that the sea goddess had given to my father," Erasmus said, and at the same time, the guard who had earlier left returned in a hurry with a box in his hand. The servant handed it to the werewolf prince with a deep bow.
"What is that?" The priest asked, looking at Erasmus open the box and pull out a colourless vial from it.
"Even though I thought my father preferred me, he chose Acheron to be married to the mermaid. He gave this vial to me. Not because he loved me more and he wanted to compensate for the loss of my marriage to the mermaid, but because the possessor cannot use this liquid for his own benefit. The possessor can use it on someone else, but not for himself," a slow cunning smile appeared on his lips as he remembered his father's last moments.
King Gauntlet had hoped for Erasmus to use the vial on him to save his life and undo the curse that the sea goddess had placed on their lives. But Erasmus was power-hungry and thirsty to take reign of this place and the people all by himself.
But just as Erasmus pulled out the vial and was about to open the lid of it, a sharp dagger flew through the air aimed at the werewolf's hand. This led to the vial being dropped on the ground, that rolled to one side, while the werewolf scowled as he turned his eyes at his half-brother, who stood not far from him.
"You are going to pay for your sinful deeds, Erasmus," Acheron stated, his eyes darker than the shadows cast in the castle. "You killed all of our families, turning them against each other."
"You sully my character and reputation for no reason, brother," Erasmus stated, standing up from where he had been earlier crouching. "You seem to forget that it was Nerhys who brought the curse upon ourselves. In fact, the blame goes to father for his greed. I just happened to take it after him."
"And look where that left him. In his grave," Acheron responded, and the men's nails grew sharp and long, ready to tear each other until one died.
"What did you tell Nerissa that she decided to kill herself? I guess I will just have to kill you and then kill that mermaid of yours. Surely dead can be sacrificed!"
"Eve!"
Hearing her name, Eve looked around the place, wondering where the distorted voice came from. Wait, where was Vincent? She had been following the past story and hadn't realised that she had been away from Vincent for long now.
"Vincent?!" Eve called him, and she tried to follow the voice.
Feeling wetness below her nose, Eve's finger touched the skin, and she noticed that she was bleeding. Her head started to ache. She ran out of the place, where the vampire and the werewolf prince had started to fight each other. As she ran through the corridor, she noticed how it started to turn dark with every step and before she knew it, with one step forward, her foot sank into the floor as if it were sand, and she screamed in the darkness.
Eve's eyes opened to a brightness with a big gasp and her heart beating loudly that she could hear it in her ears.
When her eyes adjusted to the light, she finally saw Vincent sitting next to her with a look of worry in her eyes. They were no more in the cemetery building, but back in the room where the sun had risen in the sky.
"You are still bleeding," Vincent murmured before bringing the handkerchief to her nose and saying, "Lay down for a little while more."
Eve stared at Vincent, who gently caressed her head and said, "I haven't been able to wake you up since last night as you appeared to be in deep sleep. Timotei said your body isn't strong enough to handle such a lengthy time travel to the past. Because your mermaid and siren sides of the soul haven't intertwined, as if keeping a resistance. Let us not travel anymore for now, not when it can cause you harm more than help," he said with a frown.
Eve nodded, and once she felt her nose stop bleeding, she said,
"It felt like barely an hour passed in the travel time, while many hours passed in the present. I thought it was always the opposite."
"It probably is because this isn't a dream but a time travel of memories," Vincent said to her before adding, "At least now we are more well-versed with the history of what happened in the past."
Eve nodded, and she said, "Erasmus had the vial. The vial that your grandmother gifted me, came from the sea goddess. It got lost during the two prince's fight."
"Seems like what originally belonged to your family returned to you," Vincent responded to her, and he said, "You must be hungry. Let me order the servants to bring your meal in the room."
When Vincent stood up from the chair sitting next to the bed, Eve placed her hand on his hand, bringing his attention back to her, and a crooked smile appeared on his lips, "I will be back in a minute. I am not leaving you alone. Cannot break those words that you, as Marina said before you died in my arms."
Eve's eyes widened slightly, and she asked him, "Do you remember everything... from your past?"
Vincent stared into her blue eyes and replied, "I do now. It was probably because I visited the past with you, and it brought in memories... things that my soul had forgotten. I also think we should return to Skellington because there's something we need to talk about. To someone."
She pursed her lips before asking, "Noah?"
Noah Sullivan... or Erasmus Gauntlet. Eve didn't know why, but she couldn't put her finger to connect them both to be one person. It was probably because Noah had always been so gentle and calm, rather than being a crude and wicked person.
"Do you think he is capable of bringing harm to people?" Eve asked Vincent, with a hint of worry in her eyes.
"Anyone has the ability to cause harm, darling. The question is, if they are willing to do it or not," Vincent remarked.
That didn't answer Eve's question, and she wondered if Erasmus's soul was dormant in Noah, which needed to be awakened like Acheron's memories were awakened in Vincent. Their past lives and memories turned into a whole circle that would lead to either peace or destruction.
Eve said in a hurried tone, "What if it was never meant to be Noah? What if it was another male in the family?"
"It could be the father or the uncle," Vincent proposed, then frowned. "It is supposed to be the last descendant though. The soul cannot stay back. It needs to be carried. Noah has been your friend, Eve. For as long as you remember. But he has been hiding something. As if he knows something. We will know for sure only when we meet."
Eve nodded and watched Vincent lean forward and peck her lips. He then said, "I will be back in a bit."
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 489 Secret Of The Sullivan Lady
Music Recommendation: Poetry of Madness- Secession Studios
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In the town of Woodlock and in the mansion that belonged to the Sullivans family, Lady Hilda sat on the chain of the balcony of a room. She held a teacup in her hand but stared at the street next to their family mansion without taking a sip of tea.
"Milady," came a voice that brought her attention back to where she was sitting.
Lady Hilda turned to look at the man, who didn't work in the mansion, but he worked for her. She asked him, "What news do you have, Falcon?"
The werewolf's eyes were slanted and he offered a deep bow before standing straight. He responded, "The couple are in the North. Visiting the royal family."
"Did you find out what they were doing there?" Lady Hilda asked the person named Falcon.
"They took a tour to the tombs of the Gauntlet family and didn't go anywhere else," Falcon informed the lady, who didn't look thrilled by the news, and her lips set themselves in a thin line.
Lady Hilda stared into space before she said, "Keep a close eye on Vincent Moriarty. He has been up to something, and I can tell it because of his visit. You can leave now and let me know if you find anything suspicious. I doubt he went with his bride to just visit the family," she dismissed the man from there.
At the same time, Jeffry Sullivan, her husband, entered the room, crossing paths with Lady Hilda's man, who offered him a bow. Jeffry reached where Lady Hilda was sitting and kissed her cheek, which she accepted with a smile.
"What have you put Falcon up to?" Jeffry asked his wife.
"I sent a gift to the Chamber's family and he was here to let me know that it was received. I want to make sure that there is still an opportunity between Anaya and Noah, then they look for another suitor for the young lady. What do you think?" Lady Hilda asked with a calm and polite tone that barely changed.
"That was a wise thing to do," Jeffry agreed and said, "Did you speak to Noah on why he refused to marry her? I was sure that you would convince him for the marriage."
Lady Hilda replied, "He seems to have changed... to want to do things his own way. He mentioned that his heart was occupied, and it makes me wonder..."
"Do you know who this woman is? If she is from a high social standing werewolf family, it should be perfectly fine," Jeffry responded to his wife before waving his hand, and one of the maids quickly stepped to the balcony to pour tea into the teacup for him to take. "Who is it?"
"I am not sure, and it seemed like he didn't care much about it. He will come around," Lady Hilda responded. Like every other time, she believed Noah would listen to them because her son knew what was good for their family. Her family.
Her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought that it could be the woman her son had walked down the aisle a few days ago. But that lowly woman was Anaya's friend. Not Noah's friend. After a while, footsteps were heard approaching the balcony, and within seconds James Sullivan appeared.
"Join us for some tea, James," Jeffry invited his brother, but James only smiled.
"I have to go visit Darthmore. Visit the Council so that I can know if there's any progress regarding the search of our missing butler. Noah said it will take time even though he has put his word as the Council has been buried with more cases recently, but I thought I would go take a look with Noah not in town," James answered.
Jeffry nodded, while Lady Hilda stared at James. The previous Duke of Woodlock said, "Noah has been conducting the duty of being a Duke better than anyone and I cannot tell how proud he makes me as his father."
"Anyone would be proud to have him as a son, Jeffry," James agreed with a bright smile and turned to Lady Hilda, "It makes me envious that I don't have a son like him."
"You should marry someone James and it isn't too late. There are plenty of she-wolves, who would be willing to marry you," Jeffry said to his brother before continuing, "Just a moment ago, Hilda was telling me how Noah isn't showing interest to marry anyone, and I hope he doesn't take after his uncle now," he laughed. Though James laughed along, Lady Hilda continued to hold a passive expression.
James said, "I would have but it seemed like I have run out of luck or have something better waiting at the end of the road. It has been hard, especially after I lost one of my eyes." He brought his hand up to his eye and touched it, and once he dropped his hand to his side, that eye turned pitch black.
"I never took you to be someone who is clumsy, James. Losing your eye because of the arrow during the hunt, I can only wish that I was there to prevent it that time," Jeffry replied to his brother, and then said, "But that's fine as I am still with you. I will always take care of you, and we are family. Families can always depend on each other. And if not me, you have Noah and Hilda to rely upon."
"That I do, brother," James smiled and then said, "I should get going now. I will see you at supper," and he walked away from there.
After a minute, Lady Hilda said, "I forgot something in the drawing room that Mrs. Bakers brought it this morning."
"We can have the maid fetch it," Jeffry said to his wife, but Lady Hilda had already stood up and smiled.
"It is a delicate object, and I don't trust the maids to handle it well. I will be back soon," she leaned and kissed her husband's lips before leaving the little table on the balcony.
Lady Hilda walked in the direction that led towards the entrance, but then she noticed James in the other corridor that led to his room. With her face stiff, her feet quickly made their way towards him. She called him when the servants weren't around,
"James."
James turned around, and his eyebrows rose as if surprised, "Yes?"
"What do you think you were doing back in there?" Lady Hilda demanded with her eyes narrowed.
"Did it ruffle your calm feathers?" James softly chuckled with a hint of cunningness and said, "I was merely speaking the truth."
He pulled her inside his room by grabbing her hand and pushing her against the wall, while he pressed himself against her.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Lady Hilda demanded in panic, and she tried to push him away. "Get away before someone notices us!"
But James's hand had already made its way between the woman's legs to quieten her through her desire. She breathed sharply. He said,
"Are you sure that is what you want me to do?" James asked her in a whisper, while he leaned closer towards her. When she stifled her moan, he said, "I know what you want. I have known it better than anyone. After all, it is I, who had eyes on you before my brother did. I wonder how Jeffry would react if he were to know that you were the reason why I didn't marry. Look what you did, Hilda."
"Don't blame me for your cowardly thoughts--ugh!" Lady Hilda tried to lower her voice when James moved his finger in her. "If you didn't wait so long, you would be married to me and not me married to Jeffry."
"Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad for me to kill him then," James murmured nonchalantly, which had Hilda glare at him. "How does it feel to be doted on by two men?"
"I never asked you to stay unmarried and stay here with us," Lady Hilda's arms had turned weak, making it difficult for her to push the man away from her. The man with whom she had been having an affair was the same person who was her husband's brother. "Stop this--"
James clicked his teeth and said, "How could I ever do that to you and Noah. You might not be my wife, but you are the woman who birthed my son."
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 490 Report Never Made
Music Recommendation: Aftermath- Nathan Barr
—
James Sullivan arrived at Darthmore's Council in his carriage. The presence of his carriage didn't go unnoticed by the fellow council members, who waited for the werewolf to step out of his carriage and when he did, they were more than eager to greet him.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Sullivan."
"Good afternoon," James politely returned the greetings as if he had been trained to do so, while his eyes were already looking ahead of him. He made his way to where the Council held reports and when he reached the place, the clerk offered him a bow, but didn't bother to stand up.
"Mr. Sullivan, what brings you to the Council? How can I help you?" The clerk who sat behind the desk inquired, giving all his attention to the werewolf.
"I am here to inquire about the proceedings regarding my family's missing butler. It has been nearly a week and we haven't heard anything about the matter. Has the Council slowed down their work?" James stepped forward, and this action intimidated the clerk. "It is easy to replace other servants, but not a good and efficient butler who is willing to dedicate his life to the family he has been serving for years. And this one was a treasure."
"Let me take a look if the case has been moved or if there has been any progress," the clerk replied before standing up and finding the case file.
When another worker at the clerk's room arrived, the clerk asked him, "Mamon, where is the file that concerns Sullivan's missing butler?"
The assistant stared at the clerk for three seconds before he replied in confusion , "I don't think it was submitted, sire."
James looked at the worker with an expressionless face and said, "Noah Sullivan, the Duke of Woodlock himself came in here and reported the file. Check all the racks in here."
But the assistant shook his head, "Duke Noah did make a visit here, but it had nothing to do with any missing person. It was about speeding the transaction regarding the transfer of ownership of some land in Brokengroves."
James's eyes narrowed slightly, because he didn't know what that was about, and he said, "I would like to take a look at that file. This property of land in Brokengroves."
The main clerk jumped back into the conversation by saying, "Unfortunately, the details of the files cannot be shared with another person except for the owner, Mr. Sullivan."
"I am his uncle. His family."
"Even if that is so, as you know the Council's rules here. We are prohibited from sharing the files that don't belong to others," answered the main clerk.
All this while, Noah had always shared everything he did with James, which was why the older werewolf now had difficulty guessing what Noah was up to. It was very unlike Noah to hide anything from him or his family. And this, in turn, made him question what else was being hidden.
James said, "I would like you to check the files again. If the report hasn't been made… then do it now."
How strange, James thought in his mind. It was because he remembered Noah telling him clearly that he had made the report. And that it was taking time, but he found that Noah had never reported here. What was the boy hiding?
"Of course, sire. Let me take in the details," the main clerk replied, and he began to write, while James gave the description of their family butler.
Once the report was made, James stepped out of the room and walked down the corridor. Making his way to the other room, which collected records and files. If he wasn't able to get his hand on the file, he would get the contents of it in another way.
His footsteps were sharp, and he continued to walk towards the room. On finding a councilman carrying a stack of documents in his arms, who struggled to open the door now. He was more than happy to offer his help, and he said,
"Looks like the newly recruited councilmen are working hard. Let me help you," he said, being benevolent and helpful.
The councilman was indeed new, and he quickly offered a bow to James, "I wouldn't want to impose you with such a work, Mr. Sullivan!"
"Ah, do we know each other?" James asked with a smile and picked the upper half of the documents in his arms.
The newly recruited councilman shook his head, and when James looked at the door, he quickly said, "Let me open it." He quickly pulled out a key, and while opening the door, he said, "I have heard about you, Mr. Sullivan. You are Duke Noah's uncle, you have contributed remarkable work for the Council and the society."
"You exaggerate, I was only doing something any other common man would," James smiled when the door opened, and the councilman stepped inside first and followed James. "You should ask someone to help you carry it next time."
"Yes, sire!" The new councilman replied with eagerness. The two men placed the two stacks of documents into the rack there, and before the councilman could turn, James pulled out his shoelace.
James said, "Looks like the lace loosened itself. Why don't you go ahead, I am sure you have plenty of work, while I fix my lace and make sure to close the door on my way out?"
The newly appointed councilman didn't see any harm in leaving the reputed man in the room. He bowed before leaving the room with the door shutting behind him, as a person inside the room could open the door without a key while a person outside the room would need a key. And this was something James Sullivan was already aware of.
He made it look like he was tying his shoelace, taking his own sweet time, before finally standing up alone in the room.
James quickly walked through the rows of racks in the room before he came to the reports for this current month. He went through every file until he finally came across Noah's file. Picking it up, he opened it to have a single parchment. The parchment didn't hold details, but it mentioned—
Duke Noah Sullivan hereby transfers the property he possesses from Brokengroves to Vincent Moriarty. The land measures from the tower bell to the edge of the town where the local carriage stop pole exists. All the assets will be processed as his statement…
James read the rest of what was written, and his eyebrows furrowed. When did Noah buy the lands in Brokengroves, and why give it to Vincent? Was it to taunt him because Brokengroves held the least value compared to the other lands? Below the parchment was the Council's seal, which meant the transaction had already been made.
Checking the date when it was processed, he noticed it was done recently. He had let Noah know about the Sullivans and the Moriarty family dynamics. Yet, Noah was doing something behind his back.
As minutes passed, James continued to stand there with a blank expression before he placed the file back and left the Council.
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