Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 104: Just one night off

Every fiber in her being had crystalized, locking her muscles in a state of rigor as dead weight after dead weight were cuffed to her ankles.

First, Arabella was casually told that the vampire she served fancied her then, another dose of pungency was thrown in her face after learning that her father was heading her way in less than two days, no less.

Right to her side, Lady Persephone sipped her tea merrily as if she hadn’t just unloaded two bombshells on her back-to-back.

What was there left to be said or done after that if not stare blankly at the perfect marble floor tiles.

For a woman that believed there was distance between her son and herself, she sure shared many traits with him.

That unnerving attitude that borderlined on obliviousness yet couldn’t possibly be that due to their elevated senses that would allow them to spot a needle in a haystack with such ease, it’d turn the Gods jealous of their prowess.

Arabella was certain that the drumming of her heart reached Persephone’s ears loud and clear. She was positive that the vibrations from her own incessant trembling tickled her senses and yet again insisted on acting both blind and deaf to it before her.

"I understand you are upset to hear it, but as I have already explained it to Silas; the fact that he so easily obtained approval from the syndicate as well as a dedicated escort, might I add, is quite... Special. I cannot simply turn him away even though I wish nothing but to do just that," the vampire placed her teacup back onto its saucer.

"You do as you see fit, my Lady," Arabella found her words.

Whether the Lady spoke the truth or whether it was to punish Arabella for leading her son down a path she did not approve of mattered very little.

Indeed, calling the young woman a guest under the Eleazar’s roof was an over embellishment of the proper term.

"If you do choose not to see him then simply let me know," Persephone’s eyes remained on Arabella throughout the entire time she spoke, "Even though in his letter, he claims to have a business proposal for me, I frankly doubt the man is coming all this way for that sole purpose in mind. Especially considering the past between our families. I also suspect he hasn’t been operating alone. He must’ve gotten a great deal of help from the royal family,"

"I am sure he did," Arabella muttered more to herself.

"So?"

"Yes?" lips apart, the young woman stared back at the Lady with widened eyes.

"What will it be? Will you see him or not?" Persephone pressed on.

"I will see him," she nodded.

"Predictable,"

The whisper from the Lady earned Arabella a new air of surprise, and although she said nothing of it, Persephone took it upon herself to elaborate.

"Try not to take this the wrong way, girl, but your behavior is quite easily foreseeable," she paused before quickly adding, "That is not necessarily a flaw,"

"Right,"

"Well then, that’ll be all. I am conscious that any further attempts I make at maintaining a distance between you and my son will turn out futile. It is completely out of my hands; therefore I see no reason to keep you any longer. You are free to go,"

And with that, the Lady picked her summoning bell and rang it once. When Katherine appeared, she immediately curtsied and waited for her instructions.

"Katherine will you please accompany Arabella back to her room and of course, do make sure she stays safe,"

"Yes, my Lady,"

Out in the hallways, not much was said at first after the two had exited the lounge room, but once at the foot of the stairs, Arabella stopped in her tracks.

"I am really sorry, Katherine. To you and Ada as well," she stared at the red carpet covering the steps.

A little taken aback, Katherine too halted, "What are you talking about?"

"Your load is heavy enough to carry without my weight on top of it all," the young woman faced the portrait of Emeric without ever daring to raise her gaze, "You’re stuck watching over me with no say in the matter,"

Katherine walked back and stopped in front of Arabella before flicking her finger against her nose, snatching a little yelp out of the young woman who hastily wrapped her hands around her reddening nose.

"You’re lucky I held back!" the vampire had a stern yet warm expression on, "Never speak such things in front of me again. Understood?"

In reply, Arabella merely nodded profusely while rubbing the tip of her nose.

"Whatever you may think of yourself, know that you are not and will never be a burden on me," the firm outlook on her remained but had gotten somehow softer, "Seriously...," she sighed before spinning around and ascending the stairs in a huff.

Arabella followed, then once in her room, she threw her behind on the bed to inspect her feet and legs only to note that, just as expected, they were all healed...

studies showed the brain on its own didn’t have the ability to ache, but the young woman could’ve sworn hers stung, soon promising to release steam out her ears.

Where to even start unpacking everything? She wondered.

But as the question trotted her mind, the poem anthology that still lay on the table beckoned her to take it, making promises of its own.

She relented eventually, hoping the depth of those lines would help drown out the noises. The many voices that screamed loud just so they would be heard even though they all rose at once. Surely, they could wait, couldn’t they? The sun would rise for a new day regardless of whether she didn’t sort through her thoughts that evening in place of another, wouldn’t it?

Just one night off was all she wished for. No Silas, No Reubon, no Persephone or prince or whoever took space in her head.