21. Brothers of the Deadly Seven.

**BEA**

"Well," Lillith drawled, a wide smile spreading across her lips as she showed off her elongated fangs. "It looks like we have some rather unexpected company, my Moonflower. Please excuse me; I will call out if you are needed, or you are welcome to join us whenever you are ready." The Vampiresses demeanor was daring yet cold, the words alone sending a cold shiver down Bea's spine. The Princess immediately forgot about their conversation and focused on who could anger her grandmother enough for Lillith to bare her fangs. So far, Lillith had only done that when she had fed, and none of the surrounding creatures put her in the state she was in now.

Although Bea was sure she had done excellent research on vampires and their history, she had never read of such situations. Vampires were elite supernatural beings, noble and well-mannered, but her grandmother reminded her of a wild animal, ready to pounce, not the high-society lady she was supposed to be. Maybe the books were nothing more than a jumbled pile of letters lumped together to fuel a few rumors. On the other hand, Bea had no idea who had done the initial research and written these books-none of them had an author's name or any indication of the author. Even if the information was made-up lies, the Princess was still experiencing a moment she didn't want to see. She knew her parents, siblings, and Wrath could be quite dangerous in heated moments, but none of them brought out as much emotion as Lillith. After all, Bea trusted her family more, none of them would hurt her or try to hurt her, and yet the newly discovered grandmother was as unpredictable as it got. Shaking off the fear and doubt, Bea slowly approached the door and placed a hand on the handle. She didn't dare leave the room yet, thinking about the possible consequences. Her mind raced at miles per hour, unable to stop - the images of her death scenarios overwhelming every other thought in the back of her mind. *"Come on, Bea, you can do this. She's your relative; she wouldn't hurt you. Would she? No, I don't think she would. Besides, she's angry at her said guest, not me, right?"* The pep talk she tried to give herself didn't work until Bea heard the shouting from downstairs. It felt to her as if said guest's voice was something close and familiar, even something safe, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't remember the owner of that voice. The more Bea thought, the louder the voices of Lillith and the stranger became. As if on cue, the Princess pushed down the door handle and finally left the bedroom. Her action may have drawn attention to her, for the shouting died down right away.

Glancing down the hall, Bea finally caught part of the conversation, but Lillith and her guest chose to whisper-yell to each other. "Listen, you overworked corpse - for her I have walked through fire and ice. For her, I have killed and will continue to do so whenever I see fit. Don't think you're safe just because you're trying to tell me she's not here. You were the last clue to her disappearance; for your own safety, I would tell nothing but the truth." A man's familiar voice spoke. Bea could feel the anger he felt just from his words. Despite feeling familiar, the voice now sounded distant and foreign again. Bea tried to think of all the men she knew-there was her father, her brother, her sister's mate, the guards, and a few servants at the castle. She had never left the castle or their territory to explore more of the outside world, so where had she heard the voice? Before the Princess could think of anyone but the men she knew, the stranger spoke up again, this time hinting at her presence. "So you're telling me she's not here, are you? Then who is upstairs eavesdropping on our friendly conversation?" He growled with such force that the windows of the mansion trembled. Although Bea tried to be brave and hold her head high, the stranger's action frightened her so much that she jumped.

If there was one thing Bea admired about the Vampiress, it was her ability to remain calm at all times. "That would be my granddaughter; she's still young," Lillith explained sternly. "No matter how much hatred we have for each other, you should lower your voice. She has nothing to do with this; keep her out of it!" Her calm demeanour vanished, and words, dripping venom, flew across her lips. "You can kill me for all I care, but pick a moment when she isn't here; I don't want to cause my granddaughter such grief. Believe me, you wouldn't want to do such a thing either-no living creature should watch over the death of one of the last of its kin. You claim to be understanding, so for once, live up to the person you're trying to be." Bea had a feeling a fight might break out between the two that would bring nothing but chaos and destruction, so the Princess silently begged the Moon Goddess, to stop them. As an ancient vampire, Lillith had to be powerful, but she knew nothing about the mysterious guest. Since the Vampiress mentioned that this person could kill her, Bea was sure that whoever was standing in front of her grandmother had to be Godlike.

"This is only a one-time thing. The next time we meet, I'll have you on your knees begging for mercy. I still don't believe you - you've always been nothing but a filthy vampire whore. Prove to me that you don't have what I'm looking for!" The stranger growled again.

Powerful or not, Bea could hide no longer - this man was an uninvited guest; he had no right to treat her grandmother this way. The Princess felt anger boiling up inside her as she stomped down the stairs and walked towards the two troublemakers. First her eyes fell upon the stranger, who nearly took her breath away. Though the man was covered in dirt and blood, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. His bright, passionately burning eyes almost bored into her soul, and his light hair only made his appearance more angelic. His body, however, was that of a giant. She had never met anyone as tall as the stranger-even her father seemed a good foot shorter than this man. Physically, he looked like someone who could bend a welded metal tree with his bare hands. Bea had to shake off the shock and stand next to her grandmother. Before Lillith could try to be the polite hostess and introduce them to each other, Bea pointed a finger at the stranger and went on the attack before she lost the fire that burned inside her, "You! Apologize to my grandmother right now! You don't have the right to come here and call her disgusting names, no one has that right, don't act like you're a God you're not! Invited or not, you are a guest in this house, you better act like one before she kicks your butt, ungrateful brat!" She spat out in disgust, not holding back from getting herself in trouble. Bea was a Princess, she needed to understand the power she held and embrace it.

"Oh, the attitude. Feisty, I love it. You know what? Maybe I'll keep this one until you give me what you stole from me. You took someone precious from under my nose, and I may return the favor with the same." The stranger stepped up to Bea, cupping her cheek as his eyes kept searching something in hers. Strangely, his touch, like his voice, felt like home-something safe. Bea hated herself for not hating his touch.

Lillith hissed, grabbing Bea by the shoulders and hid the Princess behind her back. "Come any closer and I will not take responsibility for my actions. For her, I will tear you to pieces! Leave her out of your show! Keep your shameful immorality away from her! You invaded my home looking for someone who isn't here, so leave before it's too late. Who knows, you might miss some important clues while you're wasting your time here with me. How long has it been in the outside world? Three, four years? Why should I waste my time with someone you care about when I have someone here by my side? Leave." Whoever the man was looking for, the person seemed familiar for both sides. Bea could stand by her grandmother's words, for she had been there the entire time and had not seen anyone visit or be dragged in by the Vampiress. Lillith was no social butterfly, inviting people to enter her home.

"If I find out that she has been here, I will kill you. I won't miss the dead muscle this time; that's a promise." The man turned to Lillith, but his eyes continued to linger on Bea's face. She almost ran up to him and threw her arms around his waist as a form of comfort - disrespectful asshole or not; Bea had never seen anyone with so much emotion in their eyes. She sensed his desperation, fear, sadness, and intense longing. Whenever he leaves, the Princess will question her grandmother about his identity. It is as clear as day that the missing person means so much to him. "She reminds me of her; that's why she's safe." The man turned his back on the two women and stomped in the direction of the front door. Just when they thought he was going to leave, he did the unthinkable. His hand rested on the handle as he glanced over his shoulder and glared at Lillith. "Listen, kid," of course he wasn't talking to the Vampiress again. Who did he think he was - looking at someone while talking to someone else. The disrespect flew across the roof. "If I were you, I'd get out of this house, this coven, and especially leave this bloodsucker as soon as possible. This place is cursed, and if you stay around her long enough, you will be too. She didn't drag you here with good intentions - she's trying to avoid the curse she brought on herself. You're dying; she has a few centuries to continue thriving. Think about it, is your life worth her victory? Remember, she has lived at least a hundred, if not more lifetimes as yours, and unlike her- you have only one. Think about it." The man finally looked at Bea and bowed to her before yanking open the door and leaving before Lillith attacked him.

"Who was that?" Bea whispered, staring at the front door as if expecting it to fly open again.

"A nobody, Moonflower. Let's just say your grandmother has a rather complicated relationship with the brothers of the Deadly Seven." Lillith shrugged and left Bea's side, leaving the Princess behind.