Chapter 71; Nobody Says 'No' to Jum!

Once Kulan left the room, Kurt brought out his phone.

Since lines could only connect when they were in the same realm, finding out if his father was involved was very simple. Kurt turned on the phone and torrents of messages started dropping. And all of them were from his father. The only reason this would happen was because his father was also in Baril, just as Kulan suspected.

Why? Kurt's eyes darkened.

Mulan hardly left Silver Crest in the past 50 years. Why now? Could KuLaa's suspicions be right? If Mulan was really in cohort with the house of Zote, then does that mean he was also just a lab rat for their experiments?

He remembered all the failed experiments Adolph carried out on him. From trying to hitch magic into his bones, to having his beating heart separated from his body and kept in refined heart bloods gotten from other witches and wizards.

He has lost count of how many times one organ or the other was removed or had half of a foreign organ grafted to them.

He had borne it all because he believed it was his father's effort to make him stronger. And he had become strong despite all the failures and pains.

Was I just a genuine pig?

Rage surged inside Kurt. He couldn't bear the idea of being a lab rat. He didn't believe his father would do that to him. The urge to see his father and ask for explanations increased tremendously.

Kurt instantly sent a message to Mulan.

[Why are you in Baril?]

No greetings. No other words. Just the question.

Within minutes, Kurt's phone rang and he picked the call up.

"You son of a bitch!" His father's disgruntled voice roared into his ear.

"Dad!"

"So you finally decided to come back after so many months. Do you have an idea what you have caused? What happened to Adolph?"

"I killed him. That's what happened."

"What?! So, it's true! By the Moon goddess, you are a bastard!"

"Why are you in Baril Dad, and who told you about Adolph's death? " Kurt asked again, intentionally ignoring his father's outbursts.

"What I am doing in Baril is none of your business. If you know what is good for you and that bitch, you will hand Ryan over and leave quietly." Mulan yelled in anger.

On hearing this, Kurt's hand tightened over the phone.

Kulan was right. His father was involved.

"What do you mean Dad? Did you kidnap Oliver?"

"I wish I did. At least I would be able to redeem myself and our family after what you did."

"So, you know Adolph was from the house of Zote. He wasn't an orphan you picked up from the human realm?"

On hearing his son's words, Mulan paused. The house of Zote was a top secret. Kurt wasn't supposed to know about it for now.

"Dad! Answer me. Are you working for the house of Zote?!" Kurt yelled into the phone.

"Since you now know of them, it will be best if we meet and have a nice talk. Me, your woman, and you." Mulan said with a calm voice, putting Kurt on guard.

When human isn't shouting like a brawny man, then he is up to no good.

Thinking about how he had thought talking to his father would be easy, Kurt suddenly found everything funny and started laughing.

"Kurt, this is serious!"

"Dad, why did they take Oliver? Why are they targeting Ryan?" Kurt ignored the invitation, exasperating MuLan.

"You will know when we see. And for your own good, you better come see me as soon as possible." Mulan snapped.

"Oh, I will come see you, Dad. There is a lot to talk about. But don't expect KuLaa. The next time she appears in front of you, you might not be able to keep your life." Kurt snarled in anger.

"You bastard." Mulan was nearly running mad where he was. "Do you have an idea what your actions have cost the family? I have been on the run since you killed Adolph. After everything I have done for you, are you really going to leave me high and dry?" Mulan started screaming like a madman.

Kurt had to move the phone away from his ear as the voice was simply too loud and irritating. But he was happy that his words could still upset his father. A calm human scares Kurt.

Just then, the door opened and Kulan stepped back in. She swiftly moved and collected the phone from Kurt.

"Father-in-law set the time and place, it's about time that I buy you a meal." She said with a sweet, mellow voice.

"KuLaa!" Kurt and Mulan chorused.

Kurt couldn't believe his eyes and Mulan couldn't believe his ears. He had to check out his phone as if scrutinizing it would confirm that the voice was really KuLaa's voice.

"Father-in-law, it is indeed me," Kulan said into the phone in the same mellow voice.

"Since you agreed, I will arrange the place and send the details to Kurt later." Mulan finally found his voice.

"See you soon then."

Kulan ended the call and tossed the phone on a nearby cushion.

"What was that for, KuLaa?"

"What do you mean?" She feigned ignorance.

"It's a trap."

"Since he is connected to the Zotes, he is our only chance."

"I should go alone."

"No!"

"KuLaa!"

"We go together or we don't go at all."

Kulan said with finality. She then flipped her flowing gown before strutting out of the room again.

The next morning, Kurt received the address. It was at a resort on an artificial island named 'Thinkar.'

By 8 p.m., Kurt and Kulan with their crew had gotten into position.

Mulan on his part had rented a private room in the resort's restaurant and was waiting.

The couple walked hand in hand and were soon directed to the private room.

"Dad!" Kurt bowed slightly to his father.

Standing up, Mulan looked the couple over with disdain.

"I still find it hard to believe that you would sacrifice your family for a vampire."

"Mulan Lowell, your name precedes you. Arrogant, obstinate, and insolent. Tell me, how did the house of Zotes manage to turn you into a dog?"

Kulan removed her hand from Kurt's hand and walked to a chair. She sat down and picked up the menu as if human wasn't worth even eye contact.

Kurt grimaced at the blatant disrespect that Kulan displayed. He expected it and prepared for it but when it happened, he still found it hard to swallow. That was his father!

"KuLaa." He groaned.

"Yes?"

She looked up and gave him a stare that dared him to try her patience.

Seeing that look, He swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue as he reluctantly sat down beside his wife.

"Mulan, who has Oliver?" Kulan asked straight away.

MuLan, all this while, was focused on Kurt. He noticed that his aura and temperament had changed. He instantly realized that this was because Kurt's heart demon was cured. He was happy about this but he wasn't satisfied with the result. He wished his son had retained the darkness and edge that came with the heart demon.

Signing, Mulan felt like he had lost everything to KuLaa. He sat down and started hitting his index finger on the round table absentmindedly.

All he needed was for things to go smoothly tonight.

"Dad, answer KuLaa's question," Kurt said to his father with an angry gaze.

"Mm!" Mulan scoffed. "You already know who has him, why ask me again?"

"What do they need Ryan for?" Kurt started asking the questions. He signaled to Kulan to take a step back and she obliged him.

"We recently discovered that Ryan is the closest to an original Turakie. It was said that he has the blood essence of all the three creatures of the continent."

"Who told you this?" Kulan sat forward and leaned towards human in curiosity. It seemed that human didn't know her relationship with Ryan.

"Didn't someone steal his daughter's blood some months ago? The house of Zotes already knows that Ryan's twins are Turakies and after investigating Ryan himself, they discovered that his birth couldn't be explained."

"Since they know that Ryan's twins are Turakies, why target Ryan? Why not the kids?" Kulan asked.

"The House of Zotes is not trying to harm either the kids or Ryan. They want to recruit them. They believe that once they get Ryan, the twins and their mother will follow sooner or later." Mulan explained.

"I see." Kulan relaxed and smiled.

"So where did you come in, Dad? Why are you in Baril? What do you do for the house of Zotes?" Kurt rushed his father with a torrent of questions.

"I am in Baril because I am on the run. After you killed Adolph, the house of Zotes came after me. The only place to hide is Baril. But now, this problem can be solved. If the two of you hand Ryan over to me, I can use him to redeem our family but you must not let them catch you. You crossed the line this time by killing Adolph. There is nothing I can say that can save you."

Kulan chuckled then started clapping. "You didn't tell me your father is an actor. He is really good at it." She sniggered at human while addressing Kurt.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked suspiciously.

Kulan gave Kurt a stern gaze. "We are surrounded and all our shadows are dead." Kulan then turned to Mulan. "Who is coming?"

"Dad!"

Kurt stood up in shock.

Even though he knew this was a trap, he had still made his father swear on their bond that it wouldn't be a trap. This was the last chance he wanted to give to Mulan. As long as he and Kulan could return home from this dinner without incident, Kurt was bound to not desert the man completely.

But it turned out that Kulan was right. With his father, there was no middle ground. It's either things go the MuLan's way or they go wrong for everyone.

In the past, he didn't see his father like this because their aims were the same.

"What do we do now?" Kurt asked Kulan as a war of attrition was going on in his head. He found his love for Kulan and the need for safety for his family, wearing down his worry for his father. He knew he had to make a decision he wasn't ready to make.

"I should be asking you that, Kurt. What do we do with your father?"

Not expecting her to put him on the spot like that, Kurt went pale.

"KuLaa." He whispered her name in trepidation.

"If the Zotes know about Ryan and the Kids, then they know that Ryan is my son. Yet, your father is asking me to hand over my son to him in exchange for his father-in-law. You can't possibly think I will let him walk out of here after that, right?"

Kurt became frantic as he turned to his Dad.

"You can't do that Dad, Ryan is your grandson. Please take your words back."

"So what? It is either we hand him over or die. Don't you understand?"

Kulan sniggered and channeled magic energy into her hand. She threw the energy at human but another energy suddenly entered the private room and crashed against KuLaa's energy.

Everyone was shocked and frozen as they watched the two energies struggle against each other until they canceled each other out.

KuLaa's head darted towards the door. Whoever that was, they were even!

It was one thing to hear that there were witches stronger than her, it was another thing to actually meet one that was even with her.

Just as she turned to the door, A young, tall, and slim man with effeminate features, strutted and stopped just by the door with two other bulky-looking guys.

They were Jum, Lao, and Peruh. The men who were trailing KuLaa's car on the day she arrived in Baril.

Jum was the wizard while Lao and Peruh were werewolves.

"Not so fast, Lord KuLaa. Killing someone from the house of Zotes is a crime punishable by death." Jum's voice was like the echoes of soothing music.