When Vincent Moriarty's carriage stopped in front of Dawson's residence, Mr. Briggs got down from his seat and stood in front of the door, waiting for his Master's command to open it.
Inside the carriage, Eve turned to Vincent and said, "Master Vincent, there is something that has been on my mind and wanted to ask."
"I could tell with the way you were fidgeting the entire way here," came the calm words from Vincent, waiting for her to speak.
"If I may speak," said Eve while looking straight in his eyes. "Why did you tell me to stop looking for my mother's murderer when you killed your mother's killer? Don't you think it is--"
"Hypocritical?" Questioned Vincent and Eve gave him a nod.
"Yes."
"For one my opponent was a human and I am a vampire. While you are a mermaid, and don't know who you are going up against. What if it is a pureblooded vampire like me?" Vincent noticed the subtle frown on the young woman's forehead. He said, "I thought you decided to let go of it."
"I did..." Eve replied in a soft voice.
Vincent sighed, "I hope my story didn't inspire you, not all stories turn out great. They can turn into a disaster," he joked while one corner of his lips curled.
"It is just that, when I was in the dungeon, there was a prisoner next to my cell and he knew my mother. He mentioned Hart."
"Heart?"
Eve shook her head, "No. Not the one in the chest but the person from the Inner Circle. Mr. Hart who was present in the hearing which I attended."
Vincent whistled at the mention of Mr. Hart and said, "What a small world we live in. Your mother must have moved in a very high circle, because Mr. Hart isn't an average man. How sure are you that this is the same person you are looking for?"
"I don't think he is the person who killed my mother, but it is a good lead, right?" Eve held an anxious look in her eyes.
Vincent stared back at her and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this? Once you step into this side of the world, there's no way out."
Eve pursed her lips before replying, "I think my one foot has been there for a long time."
While Vincent and Eve sat inside the carriage talking, without realising the time that had passed since they had arrived in front of the house, Eugene peeked through the windows of the curtains.
"Is it Eve, Eugene?" Lady Aubrey inquired, walking into the hall. "And what are you doing behind the curtains instead of opening the door?" It was because, like Eugene, she had heard the carriage stop in from the house.
Eugene continued to stare at the carriage through the gaps in the curtains and said, "I don't think it is Ms. Hooke's carriage. Do you think it is an official's carriage?"
Lady Aubrey's eyebrows furrowed in question, and she came to where Eugene was standing. Pushing the curtains aside, she looked at the parked carriage right in front of the small gates of their house.
"By the looks of the coachman standing in front of the carriage door, I don't think it is any official. Not to mention, it is quite late in the night," Lady Aubrey hummed in wonderment.
Inside the carriage, Vincent unblinkingly said, "Your one foot might be in the darkness, but your other foot is still in the light. It is never too late to pull back from the darkness."
But every time Eve tried to do it, something pulled her back into it, not letting her mind be at peace. She asked Vincent,
"Why didn't you?" When Vincent tilted his head, she said, "You never thought of coming to the light?"
Mirth danced in the vampire's coppery-red eyes and leaned towards her, "I was elbow deep since the beginning, and some of us are better suited to be in the dark than light. It is where we find solace. There is something delightful and addictive to the side where I am."
Vincent raised his hand and knocked on the window. On cue, Mr. Briggs turned and opened the carriage door for the lady. When Eve stepped down, she noticed Aunt Aubrey and Eugene standing at the window, peeking through. But they weren't the only ones staring at the carriage and her.
Her neighbour, Mrs. Edwards and her daughter stood outside on the patio of her house, craning their necks now and then to see who the carriage belonged. Vincent didn't step out of the carriage. But he did bring himself to the window that he opened, placing his hand on the window sill and his head slightly peeking out.
Mrs. Edwards couldn't stop murmuring, and they gossiped.
"You seem to have some nosey neighbours," remarked Vincent.
Realising she was still wearing Vincent's coat, Eve quickly removed it and handed it to the coachman.
Eve said, "Thank you for the ride Mr. Briggs."
"You are welcome, milady," the coachman offered his deep bow, and he walked around to climb and sit on the driver's seat.
Eve then turned to look at Vincent, who watched her as if observing something about her. She offered the vampire a bow and said, "Have a goodnight, Master Vincent."
"Mm," responded Vincent, watching the bright blue eyes of the mermaid staring back at him. When she turned and walked towards the gate, opening the latch of it, he said to himself, "Sometimes when a person from light enters the darkness, the person doesn't turn dark, but their lights exhaust to never live on any side."
Eve opened the gate and pushed it open. But instead of stepping inside, she turned and her eyes met his, where he had not stopped watching her.
"Missing me already?" Vincent asked her with a wicked smile.
Eve's lips twitched, and she asked, "Why aren't you leaving?" Was he waiting for her to invite him into her house?
"I couldn't waste the opportunity of seeing you walk," for a moment, Eve didn't get what Vincent meant. Her cheeks turned red when she did.
Locking her hands behind her bottom, she quickly made her way towards the door where Eugene opened it, and seeing her fume brought a chuckle out of Vincent.
