Chapter 9 A taste of the past

Carl trimmed the young growing rose plant with utmost care. He has been doing it for the past few days because he had no one to talk to. Lilac was signed into a dance class which most high class vampire families do in Devontae.

Adolphus wasn't around the mansion except Xander who was a boring soul. Grandma and grandpa Vincent were away to another town to visit a close relative.

After watering the plants, he walked into the mansion with his muddy foot which left some prints on the floor. His stomach growled mercilessly due to the impending hunger as he rushed to the kitchen.

Xander, who has been in his room since the morning doing what only god knows, suddenly walked down the flight of stairs. Three marks appeared on his forehead on sighting the little footprints on the floor.

Tracing the prints, it led him to the kitchen where he saw Carl lifting a plate from the cupboard without much effort.

Xander at least suspected this boy wasn't a child but he wasn't able to prove it. " You aren't a mere human child, isn't it?" He asked.

Carl jolted in shock and surprise. Xander always sneaks up on him every time and Carl dislikes him for that.

" If no one serves me, I'll have to do it myself because I'm hungry." Carl intentionally skipped his question.

"You heard me well Carl. You can fool my family but not me. Oh! What about that girl, what's her name? Do you know if she's alive or dead?" Xander deliberately said.

" I'll find her. I believe she's not dead. What do you want?" Carl angrily replied. Xander had hit him on the right spot by asking about Aurelia but that wouldn't stop him from searching for her when the time comes.

Xander chuckled softly and stepped into the kitchen, towering over Carl who was standing on a stool with the plate in his hand. "Carl, you are not a human. There," Xander said gesturing with his fingers in front of Carl's eyes, "what are those hidden traces of red in your eyes."

" Excuse me." Carl said with a not so childlike voice and climbed down from the stool.

" You'll make a fine man in a few years and perhaps, you're older than this body." Xander commented and left.

Carl dropped the plate on the marble island with a deep frown on his face. He must be extremely careful especially now Xander has found out his real personality. Xander would keep it a secret but won't fail to open up when the need arises.

Reluctantly, he served himself some food and poured a red liquid into his cup.

***

The lady watched as Aurelia tossed on the bed several times. A sneer hung on her lips as she stared at the girl with resentment. She is the Duke's personal physician.

Stanley had sent for her in order from his master, the Duke. At first, she was so excited because it has been awhile since Louis last sent for her. On reaching the mansion, she was welcomed by the housekeeper who led her to a fiery looking Louis who immediately left the moment he saw her.

Shirley wasn't pleased by this act which had never happened until when Stanley took her to a shabby looking room. The girl who was lying unconsciously on the bed and the bite mark said it all.

Her heart was instantly pricked by jealousy. She was supposed to be the one feeding the Duke her blood, not a tattered looking girl.

Aurelia lifted her eyelids slowly. She could still feel the dizziness weighing on her. The small pain on her neck was still there but there was a presence in the room. She rolled to her side and was met with a hostile glare.

Shirley could tell the Duke cares for the girl and she looks like a slave. " Sit up, you're fine now." She uttered bluntly.

Sitting up on the bed, Aurelia failed to hear the hidden resentment in the lady's voice. She was more confused than anyone in the mansion. What happened to her, why was she back in her room instead of being in the carriage, why was it morning? A lot of questions rushed into her head.

" Who are you and what happened to your neck?" Asked Shirley, deliberately. She didn't feel at ease with this girl being around the Duke and why has no one heard about a slave in the Duke's mansion.

" I'm...," She paused and took a look at the lady who was standing before her.

Shirley quickly put on a smile full of pretense in order to encourage Aurelia to speak. " Go on dear, I'm a physician and I deserve to know the nature of the mark on your neck."

Aurelia bit her full lips severely and she could tell it would get swollen. Was she supposed to disclose what happened between her and the Duke? In fact, how would she explain it because she fell unconscious in between the bites.

" I can't remember...I only felt a pain in my neck before passing out." She narrated half-truth.

A deep frown found its way to Shirley's face which shows she wasn't satisfied with the answer. Then she lowered her voice, " who bit you? Was it the Duke?" She asked with a fake smile on her heavily painted lips.

" I thi..." Aurelia was suddenly interrupted by the opening of the door.

Quickly, Shirley stood straight as if nothing had transpired between them. Louis' always stoic expression was a mask he puts on each time he has a visitor was enough to scare the wit out of Shirley. As an average vampire, she could tell the pure blooded vampires are very sensitive to their surroundings and their ability superceded a normal vampire's.

" Duke Elathan, do you mind if I ask who had bitten this Miss?"

" You're dismissed," was Louis' short reply, which was enough for Stanley to send out the physician who didn't know her place in the Duke's mansion.

Aurelia felt embarrassed as the presence of the Duke filled her small shabby looking room. Stanley then went out before shutting the door behind him.

There was prolonged silence in the room to the extent that it was already eating Aurelia up. After what happened yesterday, Aurelia then knew her purpose of being his slave was to satisfy his appetite.

Louis kept quiet intentionally. It wasn't about speaking first, he did it to see her reaction but the former was as calm as the water at night.

" Never say anything to a person you just met, be it your savior or enemy." Was his curt sharp reply

" Yes, master."

" Good. Come down for breakfast. Your body needs to regain its lost nutrients." He added and slowly left the room without another word. Aurelia felt an abstract pain in her chest but it counts for nothing. He only came to reprimand her.

One ahead and the other behind, they went to the dining room. Maria smiled at the remarkable view before her while Stanley only chuckled to himself. He could feel the stiff air surrounding the two mysterious people he had met throughout his entire life. As for Aurelia, he has finally found what his master needs.

After sitting on the dining seat, Aurelia slowly ate her food, not caring about the person next to her. Louis remained quiet as he drank only a glass of blood wine. He wasn't a fan of big appetite, one of the manners he studied while attending the noble school for elite vampires.

" I'm leaving," he said and dropped the glass of wine on the table. Aurelia did the same but didn't stop eating.

" Why? Are you traveling to a far place? How long will you be back from the journey?" Aurelia sighed as Louis replied.

" The Advisor sent me a message regarding a strange creature lurking around the town. The people would need a savior there." He replied.

" Till then, never speak to a stranger." Reminded Louis. He didn't want anything happening to her on his behalf. He would rather remind her a thousand times.

***

Aurelia was putting on a dirty brown dress. As soon as she got into Louis' room for the first time, her eyes almost popped out from its socket and she lowered her head in embarrassment.

She wasn't living like slaves as she had been told or what she had read. Duke Elathan treats her well but she doesn't want anything from him except her upkeep in the mansion. When she becomes of age, she would think of another plan.

Her short legs stepped into the room and shut the door quickly. On the large king size bed was Louis, sitting quietly and deeply in thought. The room was decorated to the taste of a noble and sometimes, seeing all these decorations made Aurelia miss home.

" Come here," Louis said. Unlike when he was outside this room, his voice was absolutely calm, less aggressive and soothing. Aurelia couldn't describe the feeling after hearing him call her.

Louis was putting on a black pants with nothing upwards. Aurelia felt her face heat up when she saw him staring at her but she shook her head out of instinct.

Though he noticed her unusual actions, he remained unfazed despite her beauty being tempting. If it were other women, he would have devoured them long ago but Aurelia was different. She was the opposite of him and that is what would make it interesting.

" Do you know it's wrong for a slave to have any feelings for his or her masters or mistresses. If they're found out, it would be their head, had always been their head though." He chuckled wickedly.

Aurelia felt cold shivers run down her spine and back up to her brain. " Yes master. In Reeves, there was neither slavery nor slaves." She replied.

" Reeves is a powerless kingdom. Humans made it weak. Unlike other kingdoms, Reeves was full of protocols. How they operate and live, it wasn't the best especially when the humans were involved. Aurelius can't eat his cake and have it." Louis sighed and shook his head in pity.

Aurelia felt wind in her ears when she heard what the Duke said. She rushed towards him and asked, " what did King Aurelius do? While growing up, I knew Reeves was a peaceful kingdom and had no enmity with others."

Louis then stood up from his bed to get a new pair of clothes. " Aurelius stole something. Something that cost him his kingdom," he replied and gestured for her to come.

" How did you know all this?" Aurelia was surprised. She had never heard anything concerning what the Duke just said.

" Once upon a decade, I lived with the Reeves royal family and they had a daughter."Aurelia's heart palpitated heavily against her chest in awe and question." But something awful happened." Louis paused and walked towards the window as if recalling something which happened a long time ago. " She was murdered."

Aurelia's eyes widened in shock. She was murdered? She thought. Perhaps the Duke was making up a lie to scare her.

Louis smiled bitterly and buttoned his black sleeve. " She was murdered by a deranged pure blood vampire. A noble one at that. After she was buried, her body was stolen. Stolen by Aurelius, twin brother of Aurelius."

He concluded and left after dressing up. Leaving Aurelia in a web of shock and confusion.