Chapter 68: Terrifying Shade Of Red
"What do you want?" For soone who was brave enough to risk her life by going over the Palace walls, unbothered by the consequences it painfully warranted, Tobias couldn’t predict what her request might be, but once again, the peculiar maid had left him baffled by asking softly.
"Actually, my prince, I need the list of every male slave establishnt, including its location. I want them written on a piece of parchnt." She requested from the vampire brothers whose eyes held pure stupefaction. Alistair’s first prediction would be that she needed their help to escape from the Palace, it was her one desire afterall to get out of here and be free, but she was wasting such a good tip on a list of slave establishnts??
Where did Ivan pick this human again?
"Why do you need a list of every ’male’ slave establishnt?" Alistair’s eyes narrowed at the innocent maid, knowing there was an ulterior motive behind the list. He knew better than to trust anyone by their looks or appearance. She looked competently docile, it was unarguable, but he knew her mind worked like a ticking bomb.
"That offer is too.... simple, may I ask why?"
"I am trying to find soone." Samantha gathered the nerve to speak up after using the few seconds of silence to think it through. There was no use hiding it, and if she had decided to keep half of her intentions from them, they would figure it out themselves. They weren’t stupid, any slight hesitancy on her part could expose her, and that frightened her the most. Rather than place herself in between two heavy rocks, she was going to be earnest with her main purpose for even staying here.
"I have a younger brother that I need to find, all I need is the list." She assured them before proceeding to tell her well thought-out lie with a pitiable expression. "I am not permitted to leave the Palace building, but Lord Ivan already promised he’d find him for
if I get him the list of every slave establishnt. As a servant, it is impossible for the likes of
to gather such information, that is why I need your help. My brother and I got separated by slave traders five years ago. I promised him I was going to get him out of there so please have rcy on this hapless servant."
Folding her hands in front of them in a pleading gesture, her big round eyes darted at the two quiet vampires. "I’ll do anything you ask, I only need the list. I’m not asking for too much, am I?"
Alistair and Tobias shared a look, as if contemplating over if her request was as authentic as she tried to make it sound. The part where she had a brother had baffled the two Vampires, and she doesn’t give off the impression of soone who would lie about her family. In addition, she was doing them a favor here too, and if there was one thing vampires despise, it was owing debts.
Since all she needed was a list of Slave establishnts, it wasn’t a difficult task for the brothers to fulfill, and if she told Ivan or not about it, it wasn’t their major concern as long as she fulfilled the task assigned to her.
"Fine, we’ll get you the list tomorrow. Look for the colonnade that leads to the East Wing Tower and wait there once it’s noon." Tobias concluded the matter by accepting her request, and the surprised glint in her erald green orbs mirrored in his eyes, reflecting her dazed countenance.
"For real?" Samantha’s eyelids widened at Tobias’ approval. "Thank you so much, thank you! I’ll definitely be there at noon!" She bowed her head at the vampire brothers with a hopeful smile crossing her lips, and it felt like a heavyweight had been lifted off her shoulders. Once she’s able to appease Ivan’s rciless heart, he might overrule his decision by keeping her locked inside the room so she can et Tobias tomorrow.
When she gets the lists and knows where the location points at, she’ll find another way to leave the Palace and search for Maurice. The thought of seeing her brother again, she wondered what he must look like now, will she recognize him? Will he recognize her?? He will be angry at her for showing up late, but she will apologize and together they can leave EmptyHollow, start their lives afresh. All preparations for another escape would begin once she receives the parchnt from the vampire brothers, and this ti, she’ll be sure to make Lord Ivan clueless of her whereabouts.
"Earth to Sam, you can go now." Tobias’ voice snapped the scheming maid back to reality, and she had almost forgotten that she was still in the midst of two Vampire brothers. Did they make out her plans? She hoped her countenance wasn’t obvious.
"Have a good.. good night My Prince." Bowing her head as she bid them goodnight, she quickly turned to take her leave by exiting the kitchen, but then at the entrance, her feet ca to a halt at the sight of an imposing figure who was standing a few feets away from her, watching her, and his unannounced presence had her stumbling back in startlent since she almost ran into him.
"Lord ... .Lord Ivan? You...You’re...Here?" Her eyes widened upon realizing she wasn’t hallucinating his presence, and that phlegmatic look on his face, he looked so calm but his eyes, they looked like he wanted to break her in half. Did she do sothing? Did he listen to her conversation with the Princes?
Oh no!
Gulping nervously, Samantha took a step back when he began to approach her. Reaching her side, the vampire Lord grabbed her chin and tilted her head gently to the side, taking a good look at her neck. His crimson eyes narrowed intently, making sure there were no bite marks before taking a second look at the other side of her neck. When he saw no visible marks on his little lamb, his judgental gaze moved to Alistair and Tobias who could see the jealousy hidden beneath his exterior.
"Lord Ivan?" Samantha was still left in the dark concerning the little action he just pulled.
"Let’s go." Holding Samantha by her wrist, he took her out of the kitchen without uttering a word to his cousins. Alistair and Tobias gazed at the hand that protectively held the dainty wrist of the maid as Ivan took her away, and a slight reassurance glead in their eyes.
Taking Samantha into his room, Ivan closed the door and turned his attention to the young woman who was presently staring at anything but him, and his jaws clenched. He shouldn’t have bothered going out to look for her in the first place. He had felt uneasy when she didn’t return, and since she was taking so long to co back, which was unlike her, he had assud he made a terrible decision by letting her leave all by herself.
Tobias and Alistair were harmless to a point, but not all the ti. If she gets too close, they won’t hesitate to leave a mark on her, most especially Alistair who lacks self control once he perceives the scent of blood. He had his reasons for keeping her away from them but this little lamb...
"Do you enjoy being the center of attention?" His dark eyes narrowed as he questioned the maid who was now staring at him, and Samantha imdiately shook her head in denial, waving both her hands in front of her to emphasize sothing.
"I promise I only went to wash my hands, you can ask them if you don’t believe ."
"I believe you." He deadpanned, "I know you didn’t go to them but I don’t want to see you around them either. It will be better to distance yourself from Tobias and Alistair, they’re dangerous to humans, and you’re not safe around them."
He advised, putting his anger aside as he tried to explain the situation calmly to her. Before he could question her concerning what they were talking about in the kitchen, an excruciating somatic pain seared through his chest unpromptedly, and he paused when it struck him deep.
Samantha, who was already expecting loads of questions, was baffled when she saw Ivan stagger back, clutching his heart desperately as he tried to steady himself. His face was contorted into one of agony as he gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain, but it clearly wasn’t enough.
"Lord Ivan, are you...alright?" She had asked when it was obvious that sothing was wrong with him. It reminded her of the day she noticed the sa reaction on his face at the hunting ground, but this ti around....it was clear he could no longer hide it.
Unable to utter a word, he let out his hand for her, and Samantha imdiately took it as she led him to his bed. When she made him sit, she hurried to pour a glass of water, filling the crystal goblet and handing it to him.
"Here, drink this." She stretched it forward for him to take, and Ivan received it, drinking the content on the goblet before handing it to her.
"Are you alright?" Samantha’s gaze shifted from his chest to his face.
"It burns." He whispered, tapping the area in his chest where it burned, and Samantha quickly undid the first three buttons of his shirt so she could take a look at where it was hurting. There was no scar, no wound, no nothing.
"But there isn’t–"
Looking up to et his eyes, Samantha noticed sothing unsettling, and her green eyes widened in alarm when his already crimson orbs darkened imnsely, transforming into the most terrifying shade of bloody red.
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