Clayton had a scratch mark on the back of his hand, which was left by none other than Timotei when the Head Council had tried to pat the black cat's head. He wasn't particularly interested in cats and had only tagged along because the girl looked sad. But instead of talking to the other members of the Council, he had spent time babysitting the girl the entire time.
"Go to your room and rest," Clayton said sternly, but that had little to no effect on the small vampiress, who continued to follow him. As if he would get lost if she didn't see him climb inside the carriage.
"Head Council Clayton," Noah greeted the small-looking vampire boy, and Clayton gave a nod.
"Duke Noah."
On the side, Allie scolded the black cat, "You are a bad kitty, Timi. I will need to tell about this to brother so I know how to get you to be friends with others."
Hearing this, Timotei's head very slowly turned to look at the little girl. Forget about turning back into his pureblooded vampire self. This mansion was filled with people who wanted to finish his ninth life as a cat and send him to hell!
He quickly struggled to get out of the little girl's death grip, and when he finally escaped, he jumped onto the ground. He took a deep breath, ready to exhale when he picked up on a foul odour from somewhere very near. As a cat, he had smelled many things in the past, but this beat everything else.
What was that awful smell?!!
Timotei fell on the ground as if fainting over the smell.
"Timi!!!" Okay Allie panicked and picked up the black cat in her arms.
Clayton remarked, "What an odd cat. Take it to your room."
This time Allie nodded, and she quickly carried Timotei in her arms, leaving the hallways.
"We should get going now," Noah informed, while an unwilling Marceline stood watching the Duke and the she-wolf step out of the mansion.
Noah and Anaya's carriage came forward, and Noah's coachman opened the door for them. During the entire time, Anaya could feel the vampiress burning a hole in the back of her head. She casually turned and noticed Marceline staring at her. She offered a polite smile and turned back.
"After you," Noah said to Anaya. The she-wolf rubbed her hands against her arms as if the cold had begun to bother her as they were no more inside the mansion but outside. "It is going to start snowing again and it is going to be cold. It will be better for you to wear the coat," and he took out his coat.
"But you will be cold without the coat," Anaya pointed out to Noah, who offered her a smile.
"You don't have to worry about me. The woman should always be put first and be well," Noah draped his coat around her shoulders.
Marceline, who continued to stand at the front of the mansion's entrance, watched this entire exchange and grit her teeth. The she-wolf was provoking her. She had her eyes on Noah before that she-wolf had come along, and she didn't like the spot that belonged to her was taken by someone else. The worst part was that she couldn't do anything about it.
Anaya stepped inside the carriage, and soon Noah followed her before their carriage door was closed, and they left through the Moriarty mansion's gates.
Marceline turned around and headed to her room. This time keeping her eyes on the ground as the last time, it had cost her to fall on the stairs, and she could still sense people's gaze on her and the hem of her gown.
Once she reached her room, Marceline locked her room door, and went to sit on the chair. When she removed her right shoe, she was suddenly hit by the pungent smell that she couldn't bear. But worse than the smell was the sight of her rotting foot.
When Marceline removed the last bandage, the end was stuck to the side of her calf muscle. She gritted her teeth when she pulled it in one movement,
"AHHHHHH!! AHHH!" She bit her lip to stop herself from screaming.
This was because more than her skin had attached itself to the bandage, and the medicine the physician gave did nothing to ease or heal her right leg's pain. She saw blood drip on the floor, and she tried to stop it, but the blood mingled with the pus-like skin next to it.
Getting up from the chair, she dragged herself to the window, where she noticed most of the guest's carriages had left.
"I need to find another witch who can fix this," Marceline said, slightly wheezing at the pain.
In Vincent's room, Eve stood in front of the desk, holding the old bear that belonged to him. She didn't forget how he had attached fangs to it.
Vincent had taken a seat on the long couch, where his right ankle rested cross on his left thigh. He held a glass of wine in his hand, stretched across the couch's back and stared at Eve. One side of her body was illuminated by the light in the room, while the other held a sultry shadow.
As if sensing his gaze, Eve turned to look over her shoulder and met Vincent's dark eyes.
"What are you doing, standing so far," Vincent asked her and brought the wine glass to his lips, taking a sip from it.
"I was looking at your bear. It is sweet that you still have it," Eve waved the bear, and she then turned around. She saw him place the empty glass on the side table and stand up before walking to where she was instead of waiting for her to come to him.
Eve felt her subconsciously draw one of her feet backwards, and she said, "Aunt Aubrey's letter came by. She's on her way from Berkshire."
"That's good. She will be here before the wedding day," Vincent replied, staring into her pretty blue eyes. "I will have a room arranged for her so that she can be at ease as your home is still being rebuilt and fixed."
"Thank you for accommodating her," Eve thanked him.
"Anything for my wife to be," Vincent responded, a crooked smile appearing on his lips. "How do you feel? The thought of you being married by next week?"
With everything going on where she was being cautious, Eve hadn't thought about it. Next week... she would be his wife, and he, her husband. The thought brought butterflies in her stomach.
"A little nervous. How about you?" Eve returned the same question to him. Vincent replied to her,
"I would say that I am eager to share my life with you, but I am already doing that. You are already mine, who cares about the society who are yet to attend the wedding. The only thing left is for us to move your things here in my room."
Next week, Eve thought in her head, while thoughts started to fill her mind, and she cleared her throat. She said, "It is getting late. I should get back to my room."
Vincent opened his arms for her as if ready to wish her goodnight, and she stepped into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. She felt his arms curl around her waist and back, hugging her back.
"I don't want to let go of you yet. I need more time with you," Vincent's breath fell on her neck, and he asked her, "Why don't you sleep here tonight with me?"
