Music Recommendation: Milk- Thomas Newman
James and Noah walked through the corridors of Sullivan's mansion. They had only arrived at the mansion from Darthmore, where Noah looked slightly miffed for something that had happened in the town that they had visited.
"Noah," James called Noah when the Duke walked further ahead of him. The older man said, "It would be best for you to stop visiting Sylvester. The more you make your presence around him in the dungeon, things will take a turn for the worse. Sylvester doesn't want to be saved. It would be best to let go."
Noah stopped walking and turned to look into his uncle's eyes, "He might just be another person who works for you, but for me, he was my mentor, someone with whom I grew up around. I cannot see him being executed without a proper reason for why he had to kill Fowler."
James stared at the young werewolf, who looked calm, but at the same time, his eyes held a spark of fire that was trying to spill out from there. The spark was a fire that was trying to push through the ceilings and the glass of the house's window to set ablaze everything. He took two steps towards Noah and then placed his hand on Noah's shoulder,
"Sylvester did it for his own reasons. Why he did it, and what is going to happen, he knew the consequences if he were caught, so it would be best for you to look forward to building your and our future, rather than wasting your time on matters you have no control over."
Noah offered a small smile, "I have already decided the future I want to lead, you should make sure your future is safe too, unless something comes around the corner and disrupts it."
Saying these words, Noah's eyes shifted to look at the end of the corridor, and Vincent came into view with a wide smile on his lips.
James, who took a second to realise that his nephew was looking at something behind him, turned around and caught sight of the pureblooded vampire in the place.
"Mr. Moriarty," James addressed Vincent with surprise and cautiously asked him, "What are you doing here?"
Vincent's lips curled, and he responded, "I was waiting to hear you mentioning that you have something to do with Fowler's death. But alas! It seems like Duke Noah caught me before I could get more information."
The slight smile on James's lips didn't falter, and Noah stared at Vincent.
"Is that an accusation that I hear that you want to place on me, Mr. Moriarty?" James hummed as if he wasn't bothered about what Vincent just stated. "You seem to have quite some free time on your hand. And here I thought Clayton was having you solve the entire cases of the Council."
"If I did all the work, what would be the use of having you and the others in the Council. But I do have free time," Vincent nodded and said with a bright smile, "It is why I decided to get married. You know, family planning."
"A marriage to you? Who is that fortunate woman?" James questioned with a hint of sarcasm.
Noah stared at Vincent, slightly unsure if Vincent was talking rubbish or if he was serious.
Vincent replied with a dead tone, "With your daughter."
James's face fell, and his eyes narrowed, "I didn't know you were familiar with my daughter. I hope you aren't here for her hand in marriage."
"Trust me, being related to your family in any way is the last thing I want, but fate seems to have different plans. Do you believe in fate, James?" Vincent questioned the older man, while Noah turned around and took a whiff of the air around them, and it smelt familiar.
A scent that belonged to Genevieve Barlow, and his back turned stiff.
"I think it is a useless wish of a dreamer, to put hopes and responsibility on something that doesn't exist," James replied to Vincent.
Vincent stretched his hand forward towards the older werewolf as if wanting to shake hands with the man. There was a calm, unnerving smile underneath the pureblooded vampire's features, and his coppery-red eyes lazily stared into the old werewolf's eyes. He noticed how one eye of the man was positioned slightly differently than the other eye, as if the eyeball had been moved.
Noah excused himself from the place because he hadn't expected Eve to be here now. Not when his uncle was present under the same roof. When James didn't take Vincent's hand to shake it, the pureblooded vampire remarked,
"What is it, Mr. Sullivan? Seems like you aren't fond of me."
James returned it with his experienced smile, and he finally took Vincent's hand, shaking it, "When did I ever say that?"
"I thought you would be angry. Considering how I put Sylvester behind the bars, but it seems like more than you, your nephew is more worried about the vampire going to be dead. Never thought you would mix with vampires, less a pureblooded one."
"I cannot help but think you have something to say, but you expect me to know about it. How about you give me a hint?" James asked in his calm voice while they stood in the corridor with no one else around them.
Vincent took another step closer to James and said in a low voice, "Hint. There are lots of hints that I can give you, but the question is if you will be able to grasp it, Mr. Sullivan." A sly smile appeared on his sinful lips, and he let off of the werewolf's hand. "By the way, I forgot to mention this. Your men were pretty useless."
This time James frowned, his eyebrows drawing in deeper, "My men?"
"Mhm," Vincent hummed before giving a nod. "Yes, your men. The ones you sent up to the North to follow and try to kill or frame me. Your selection in choosing men is the worst, you must be paying them less that they aren't able to afford decent food to strengthen themselves," a chuckle escaped from his lips.
"I don't know which ones you are talking about," James responded, tilting his head, "You must be mixing me up with someone."
"Hm? It wasn't you?" Vincent and his conversation were calm, with barely any disruptive expression. "I know you are better than that. After all, only a coward would attack in the back, instead of sending his lackeys to fight," the smile on his lips widened, and his fangs came into view.
On the first floor, Eve sat with Lady Anaya, talking about the designs and fabric to be used, when Noah appeared at the front of the balcony. Lady Anaya, who heard Noah's footsteps stop, turned, and so did Eve in his direction.
"Duke Noah," Lady Anaya greeted, standing up from her seat, and so did Eve.
Noah walked towards where the two women stood, and he gave a nod to Anaya before his eyes fell on the woman he was in love with. Eve offered him a friendly bow.
Noah was slightly tense, and he managed a quick smile before he asked her, "Genevieve, I didn't know you were visiting."
Eve smiled, "I came here with Vincent for a wedding gown."
"Wedding gown?" Noah asked, and Lady Anaya wondered how he would react, and the news wasn't too far from now.
"Yes, my wedding gown. I am getting married," Eve softly laughed with a hint of blush on her face.
The smile on Noah's lips threatened to disappear, and he finally nodded, "I see..." And there was a gap of silence, which was short, but it weighed heavily in the air. "I am guessing the man you are marrying is Vincent Moriarty?"
"Yes, that's him," Eve noticed the sudden hint of dullness in Noah's eyes even though the smile on his lips or the look of kindness in his eyes barely left.
Noah stared at Eve, while Lady Anaya stared at Noah, where the eyes fell on the unrequited love except for Eve.
He knew this day would come. It wasn't that he hadn't foreseen it, but he hadn't expected it to be right now. He knew something to be brewing between the pureblooded vampire and her. The smile he put on his lips, he did it by keeping a heavy rock on his chest.
And now that the day had finally come, Noah found rigidity in his feet to move away. Lady Anaya placed her hand on Noah's arm and said in a cheerful voice, "It is lovely that Eve has found someone to fall in love with," breaking his continuous gaze on Eve. The she-wolf then said to Eve with a smile, "Not everyone is fortunate to find someone they love. We are very happy for you, and I will make the best wedding gown for you."
"That is very kind of you, Anaya. If you need any help while preparing it, I will be more than happy to assist you with it. I can come here after finishing my work," Eve offered, but Anaya shook her head.
"You do not have to trouble yourself with that. You can come by here during the weekends, or better, I can come to your place? You haven't invited me to your place, even though it has been a while since we have known each other," Lady Anaya tried to change the conversation after seeing the sadness appear in Noah's eyes. She added, "The Duke has been busy himself to show me your place."
Eve apologetically looked at the she-wolf and said, "Forgive me. I think you will be able to visit my home today or tomorrow, because my family will be moving to Skellington soon."
"Oh? That's perfectly fine. Isn't that right, Noah?" Lady Anaya questioned the Duke, who offered her a smile.
"Yes, I will be happy to take you to her," Noah answered and then asked Eve, "Are you all moving to the Moriarty's mansion?"
"Ah, yes," Eve nodded, and Noah only smiled.
"It is good, you will be able to start learning things that you need and it is also better to be in a place where you will be taken care of," Noah stated. He knew Vincent's reputation, but also seeing how the pureblooded vampire was always with Eve, he knew he would one day be able to finally let go. No matter how painful the feeling was, "If you are happy, we are all happy about it. Just stay well."
"I will," Eve nodded with a smile, "Thank you."
Noah heard the sound of footsteps approaching from inside the mansion's corridor, and he heard the voices of Vincent and Uncle James. Lady Anaya noticed the tense expression and turned to Eve and said, "Eve, why don't you finalise the fabrics and we can then move to the next ones."
When Eve's attention was on the book of different fabrics attached to it, Anaya softly asked Noah, "Are you regretting your decision of not confessing to her?"
On hearing the voices get closer, Noah quickly said to Anaya, "Take Eve from here. It won't go well if Uncle James sees her." Not would it go well if Eve recognized him.
"What?" Lady Anaya turned confused.
But it was too late, as Vincent and James Sullivan had already stepped in front of the open balcony, where Eve, Noah and Lady Anaya were. Noah's face turned ghost-like, where the smile on his lips had evaporated when he noticed Uncle James step into the balcony.
Noah couldn't let Uncle James know who Eve was. He couldn't know about her existence, because he knew that the man was still searching for her.
At the same time, Vincent, who stepped out where they were, noticed Noah's tense face. For a moment, he wondered if it was the news about him and Eve getting married that had drained the blood from Noah's face. But then he noticed, the Duke wasn't looking at him, but at his uncle, and the pureblooded vampire couldn't help but narrow his eyes in wonderment.
