The butler who was standing at the side witnessed the gruesome murder that just took place inside the Everston mansion. It wasn’t the first time that Oswin saw his master kill someone brutally, but he still could not get used to it.
Hearing the lord mention his wife after killing the vampiress’ manservant, the butler realized how wrong he was to think that his master didn’t care about his wife. Now he should warn the other servants so they would be careful when it came to dealing with the matters concerning the princess.
"But I didn’t kill her! All I did was ask for a glass of blood! You are being unreasonable for killing Emmanuel, Alec!"
"Of course I know you didn’t kill her, you silly. It wouldn’t have been your servant’s blood splattered on the table right now but yours," said Alec and continued eating his steak like there was no corpse on the table.
Samantha’s jaw dropped at what he said, couldn’t believe what her cousin had done just because of a lowly woman.
"Think of this as a lesson, my cousin. What is mine is not to be touched by anyone. Lauren is not a servant I hired but the woman I married. You are just a guest, how shameless of you to ask the lady of the mansion to serve you." Alec shook his head in dismay, "How unladylike."
"This is stupid! I will make sure father hears about this! You can’t just treat me like this because of that woman, Alec!"
"Do what you want." Alec raised his two fingers in the air and the butler was quick to act by his master’s order.
"Clean this mess," after giving his order, Alec walked away and left the fuming Samantha who still could not get over her manservant’s death.
By the time Lauren returned to the mansion, it was already nighttime. She expected an infuriated Samantha to welcome her arrival but the mansion was silent. From what she knew, Alec’s relatives would stay with them for two days because Mr. Hendricks had business to do here in Evardin and it was convenient for them to stay in the mansion instead of renting rooms in the town.
"Is your master upstairs?" Lauren asked the butler.
Oswin bowed. "He is in the study, Your Highness."
"How about Mr. Hendricks and Lady Samantha?"
"Both of them have yet to return. Have you eaten dinner, Your Highness? I will ask the kitchen maids to cook something."
"No need," Lauren was quick to refuse before going upstairs.
Though instead of going to the bedroom, she went to the study room. Just like the first time she went there, Alec was on his desk and reading some papers. Only a few candles were lit but she was sure the vampire lord could perfectly read every single word in the papers he was busy with.
"You were out the whole day. Busy with something important?" he asked without raising his head.
"Lady Aubrey invited us to a soiree tomorrow night. You will come with me."
Alec paused to look at her. "You will come with me. That doesn’t sound like a question."
"Because it is not."
"Now you are being demanding. Marriage doesn’t work that way, princess. You need to ask me first before deciding on matters like that. You see, I am reading a lot of criminal cases. Your husband is a busy man. Shouldn’t you be a little considerate."
Lauren frowned in disapproval. "If I come and you won’t, how am I supposed to answer the people who will ask about you? We are supposed to act as newlyweds, milord. We should go together."
Alec didn’t answer and went back to reading.
"Think about it. I will rest now. Good night," she said before leaving the room.
After changing into her night clothes in the bedroom, while laying on the bed, Lauren found it hard to sleep. She wondered if Alec would stay up all night again. The bed was big enough for two people to sleep on without touching each other, but even though she had accepted that she willingly gave Alec a right to her and she shouldn’t mind them sleeping on the same bed, the thought of it made her uncomfortable.
Waking up the next morning, Lauren noticed the other side of the bed remained kempt like how it was last night, letting her know that Alec didn’t come to sleep again. Perhaps he didn’t like resting at night. After all, sleep was not a mundane need for vampires like how it was for humans and mages. That assumption was more realistic than him being so chivalrous to leave the bed to her.
"Is it true, Alec? You murdered Samantha’s manservant just because she drank the blood your wife willingly gave?" It was the question that caught Lauren’s ears early in the morning while walking down the stairs.
"Did you even know how that woman tried to poison your cousin? Samantha had turned into a laughingstock after what happened to her in the town yesterday. That woman of yours needs some discipline."
Samantha must have tittle-tattle to her father about yesterday’s little play, Lauren thought. She wasn’t aware of Alec killing the vampiress’ manservant though.
"Here she is, father," Samantha pointed at Lauren who just got off the stairs. "Who knows what sorcery she did to make me suffer like that!"
"Careful with your words, Samantha. Sorcery is not something to be taken lightly. The Supreme House had long forbidden all the lands to use sorcery," said Alec in a calm manner.
"Good morning, everyone. Isn’t the weather nice today?" Lauren walked towards the three and stopped beside Alec, earning a sour look from the vampiress.
"Indeed, Princess Lauren. But I don’t think what you did to my daughter is something I can call nice," said Mr. Hendricks, eyeing her sharply.
"Did I do something?" Lauren asked innocently. "Lady Samantha, you were there when I cut my wrist and poured my blood on the glass. Only powerful mages can cast spells without uttering incantations or making use of spellbound objects. The servants who witnessed it, shall we ask them if they saw me move my mouth the whole time I was waiting for my blood to fill the glass?"