Chapter 7: CHAPTER SEVEN

Alexavian was done eating, then he took a white handkerchief from the table and wiped the corners of his mouth elegantly. His obsidian orbs glinted wickedly as he looked at Duke Wilston.

“It was satisfying playing ‘watch me eat’ with you. You can take a seat now”. Alexavian smiled broadly as he looked at their expressions closely. He looked like a kid that was given candy.

Duke Wilston smiled weakly and pulled out a chair to seat. The other followed his actions and sat down too.

“Help yourself, Duke, I know you must have been famished”. Alexavian ushered them with enthusiasm.

“No thank you. I wasn’t here for the food anyway”. Duke Wilston waved him away. He wasn’t in the mood to eat after everything.

The other nobles nodded and left the food untouched, except for a certain someone.

Edric has already started digging in immediately after Alexavian asked them to eat. How does it concern him if Duke Winston was hungry? The food in the castle was very enticing.

Duke Wilston shot a glance at Edric only to see him eating with delight. He frowned, Edric was a count who held some significant amount of influence. He decided to ignore him for now and berate him after they leave the castle.

“Count Edric, I seem to have seen you somewhere. I just can’t recall” Alexavian looked at the only noble who was eating and recalled that he was a count. He felt like he has seen his face recently.

Edric paused and looked at Alexavian “I have a popular face, my lord, I think you are mistaken”. Edric said slowly as he saw Alexavian’s eyes trailing on him.

“Is that so?” Alexavian nodded. He dropped it and decided to check it out later. He will find out anyway if his hunch is correct.

Edric nodded and continued eating. Andreus looked at the carefree Edric who was immersed in his world and secretly gave him a thumbs up. It was not easy to eat so freely when the table felt like a battlefield.

Alexavian smiled and turned to look at Duke Wilston with cold eyes. “Now what brought you to the castle that was so serious that even I had to wait for you?”.

Andreus almost choked on his food after hearing his brother twisting facts shamelessly. The nobles waited for him first, though it was his fault that they waited so long.

Duke Wilston’s features darkened “My lord we waited for you earlier in the throne room for some time before you invited us to the dining hall”.

“So you decided to keep me waiting here for revenge. Is that it?” Alexavian asked leisurely. He was not planning to back down.

Andreu's eyes shifted from Alexavian to Duke Wilston, he was so invested that he regretted not bringing popcorn.

“We rushed down to the dining hall immediately after we were notified of your invite”. Duke Wilson was astonished at Alexavian ability to distort facts without blinking. He was so sure that Alexavian came very early to the dining hall on purpose.

“But I waited for a long time too Duke Wilston. Or do you think I am making things up?” Alexavian smiled humorlessly. The nobles intended to make things hard for him by coming to the castle today, he was just returning the favor by striking first. He enjoyed looking at the uncomfortable look on the Duke’s old face.

My lord…“ Duke Wilson was about to retort when a loud ringing sound reverberated through the quiet hall.

All eyes trailed down to where the sound came from and it landed on Edric.

Edric quickly swiped across the screen and ended the incoming call. He raised his head and discovered everyone staring intently at him. His lips twitched slightly, it was just a cell phone why was everyone looking as if they saw something alien?

He coughed awkwardly and said slowly “ I’m sorry for the interruption, please continue”.

Continue what? Alexavian was becoming more unreasonable with every word he spits out. Duke Wilston was grateful for the interruption because anymore word from Alexavian and he would have flipped the table in anger.

“That’s okay, no one is blaming you”. Duke Wilston said awkwardly. He was very grateful for the interruption, or else they would have left the castle without achieving what they came for.

Alexavian looked at the Duke who was secretly happy about the situation. He still had time to tackle the old man regardless.

He looked at Andreus who was sitting on his right side and he thought Andreus was staring at Edric with bright eyes.

Andreus was surprised to find out that he was not the only high-ranked vampire who was interested in things from the human world. In Viserryan most of the nobles and royals disdained it.

He is quite surprised to see Edric with a phone. He planned to have a long conversation with Edric after the meal. Andreus felt like he finally found a companion.

Edric looked at Andreus, he looked like someone who finally found a wife. He scrunched up his face in disgust and he ignored him.

Andreus was stunned and realized something. ‘Was he just despised?’.

“Now what brought you to the castle?” Alexavian decided to relent and listen to what they had to say.

“We are here to talk about the death of the vampires in town that happened last night”. Countess Elle said. She was already tired and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“What happened to the vampires pray tell?” Alexavian asked with his dark eyes twinkling with amusement.

“A total of five vampires are currently dead My lord. Four were killed by a werewolf and one was killed by you” Duke Wilston said smugly. They were not letting this incident pass by easily.

“A lone werewolf has never entered Viserryan and left alive my lord, this has only happened in your reign”. Countess Elle interjected.

“The werewolf not only came and left freely but also brought down four vampires. That is something is unbearable don’t you think so my lord?” Edmund who has been silent the whole time said pressingly.

“I find it unbearable too Edmund, especially when it happened close to the Duke’s region”. Alexavian said coldly.

Duke Wilston frowned after hearing what Alexavian said.

“I think you have become too senile with age Duke Wilston that you didn’t even notice when a werewolf howled close to your dukedom”. Alexavian continued slowly.

The region close to the outskirts of Viserryan where the fight took place the previous day was overseen by Duke Wilston, the fight happened while he was away and he heard about it this morning as soon as he came back and he quickly rushed to the castle without confirming where the fight took place.

Duke Wilston grimaced, he failed to calculate carefully, he was just excited about being able to throw a little blow at Alexavian.

“I failed to consider it my lord, I will get to the bottom of everything and give you an explanation”. He quickly conceded before it gets out of hand.

“I think you have held the duke’s title for far too long and you are now quite rusty. How about passing down the position to your son?” Alexavian smiled slyly, he had no intention of letting the old man off.

Duke Wilson’s heart dropped, he was not ready to pass the dukedom even if the successor is his son. “He is not ready, I am still preparing him for the task,” Duke Wilston said carefully.

“I see, he should be ready before the year runs out. I will personally oversee it”. Alexavian enjoyed seeing the anger that flickered through Duke Wilston’s eyes. He grabbed the glass filled with red liquid beside him and took a sip gracefully.

“Now before you bring up the vampire that I killed, I will give you a good reason.

Alexavian paused as if he was thinking carefully and he said “I killed him because he was too nosy. Is that enough to satisfy you?”.

Duke Wilston quickly nodded, he wanted to leave the castle as soon as possible.

“That’s good, I love interacting with intelligent people, it saves time". He watched as the nobles kept mute, unable to say a word.

"Run along now, my patience is wearing out” Alexavian smiled halfheartedly. He grinned as the nobles couldn’t say anything after he has deemed Duke Wilston incapable.

When dealing with such people, the head of their faction is the main target, the others are just useless lackeys.

The nobles got up hurriedly and teleported away in a minute.

Edric got picked up a white handkerchief and wiped his lips slowly as he got up and took a bow “Thank you for the wonderful meal my lord”.

“If you love the food so much, feel free to visit some other time. Don’t' you agree brother?”. Andreus said hurriedly. Afraid that Edric will turn him down, he quickly asked his brother.

Alexavian smiled and nodded his head in agreement. He knew what Andreus was aiming for, he is interested in another vampire who likes going to the human world.

Seeing that he had no way of turning Alexavian down, Edric smiled and said “I will be here some other time my lord. I will take my leave now”. He bowed and disappeared.

“Where are you heading to now?”. Andreus asked as he saw Alexavian getting up from his sit.

“To my chamber”. That was what he heard before Alexavian vanished from his sight.

He quickly grabbed a glass from the table and drank the blood inside the glass in one gulp and disappeared.

When he reappeared in Alexavian’s chamber, he saw Alexavian taking out a coat from his closet it looks like he was heading out.

“Have you finally been possessed? Why do you like going out these days?” Andreus asked in surprise. He could count how many times Alexavian has gone out of the castle in recent years with his two fingers, now he wants to go out twice in one day.

“If you don’t control your tongue, I will pull it out for you. How does that sound?” Alexavian threatened.

“I will keep my tongue thank you but I do find it strikingly unusual. Let’s go”. Andreus said as he made a move towards the balcony.

“Go where?”. Alexavian was confused, he had no plans of heading out with him.

“Out. I want to see what caught your interest”. Andreus responded. He had no plans in staying in the castle alone. Jules disappeared since he offered him a chance to go to the human world and Alexavian is going out of the castle. He will surely be bored to death.

Alexavian looked at his enthusiasm and smirked “Let’s see if you can keep up”.

Andreus felt like something was off and he asked “Where are we heading to?”.

“Wolfendon”. Alexavian raised his brows as he gloated.

“Hey, brother take me with you. Don’t leave me here”. Andreus pleaded. Now he knows why Alexavian looks smug, he really can’t keep up if Alexavian decides to go without him.

“Too late”. Alexavian grinned and disappeared before Andreus could even

respond.

“Dammit!” Andreus cursed as he felt frustrated, his brother was heartless. ‘what happened to elder brothers caring for their younger siblings?’. He could have simply carried him along when he disappeared.

Unlike the other vampires who can only teleport to anywhere they are personally familiar with, basically, anywhere they have been before. Alexavian on the other hand can teleport from and to anywhere at any given time.

Andreus cursed again and teleported to the border between Viserryan and Wolfendon, then he transform into a bat. He couldn’t risk flying into Wolfendon during the day.