Nicholas strode down the long hallways of the council building, his steps sharp and precise as he followed the clergyman who led him to the head councils chambers.

When the doors opened, one could see the Reuben, the head council writing something on the parchment at his desk. Reuben looked at his clergyman before his eyes fell on Lord Nicholas. It was an untimely hour of the day where there were still few hours before the sun arrived for the Lord to makes his presence this early of the day.

"Good morning, Lord Nicholas. You"re quite early for the council meeting," the head council saw Nicholas take a seat in front of him.

"I didn"t come for it. How are things at Mythweald?" the Lord of Bonelake asked casually, leaning his back against the chair.

"I looked into what you suggested last time," Reuben put the parchment aside and holding both his hands on top of the desk where the parchment laid previously, "Your suspicion was right on Norman"s wife."

"Is that so," Nicholas smiled knowing what Reuben had just found out.

"I had sent two of my men on a patrol over the edges of the towns of Mythweald. One returned half alive and another died there according to what the other person reported. They were attacked by witches before they could go any further. I found this," the head council took a paper from the pile of papers that rested on his right side to hand it over to Nicholas, "Word is, Norman doesn"t allow anyone to write anything on her in the news letters except for the irrelevant surficial things. There are no records of her origin nor pictures. This is the recent one which was acquired."

"Isn"t Silas Norman her son?For a mother of a twenty year old, she looks rather too young," Nicholas commented, handing back the sketch to the man sitting in front of him.

"True. Lord Alexander is already working on the case and in time we would need your support Lord Nicholas."

"Of course. I would be happy to comply at any time," Nicholas replied back with his business smile.

It was possible that Norman had already aligned himself with the witches. It would not only cause problem to Lord Alexander but also to him if he let the man do whatever he wanted and Nicholas didn"t want that. He believed it was best to remove the problem from the root before it could spread everywhere else. He wasn"t fond of the lord of Mythweald.

Lord Gyles Wastell, the lord of Woville was good as a non-existent man who did his work and kept to himself without bothering anyone else in the other empires. He was a man who was loyal to Lord Alexander Delcrov as he was the one who got him the position. Few years ago when the previous Lord of Woville had stepped down, conflicts of disinterests and interests had rose on who would take the place. Lord Alexander without much sweat had got the position to a human who was none other than Lord Gyles to balance the leaders of the empire. Actually he wasn"t fond of any of them except for the Lord of West because he was a strong, pure blooded vampire like himself.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Reuben asked, removing his gla.s.s that rested on his nose all this while. The smile on Nicholas" face diminished until a serious and a calm expression took over his handsome face, "About that..."

It was the time of evening when Heidi gained conscious after returning back from the Grand Ball that took place in the abandoned mansion.

At first she didn"t realize it was the time of evening and she believed it was only morning until the sky which she saw from her windows turned ink blue from red and purple. The sun was setting down along with the chirping of birds to be replaced with the crickets. Moving the covers from her body she found herself to be in the same dress and a sigh of relief pa.s.sed through her delicate lips. Even with the hours of sleep she had, her body felt exhausted and tired. But she got out of the bed anyways, dragging her feet towards the bathroom and running the water. While waiting for the water to fill and going back to the room to fetch her clothes Heidi wondered when she had returned back to the Rune"s mansion as she didn"t recollect travelling back. The last thing she could remember was the searing pain she felt in her neck before falling unconscious.

She wondered if Nicholas had brought her home. Going to stand in front of the mirror and lean forward so she could look at her neck, she found nothing there, her unblemished skin was smooth with not a hint of fangs that had pierced through her skin las night. She pressed her fingers over her skin, looking at the area again where Nicholas had bit her.

"You won"t find anything there," Heidi spun around to see Nicholas standing at her door, "May I?" he asked permission to get in and seeing her nod, his long legs marched across the room to where she was.

"Good evening," she greeted him.

Nicholas leaned forward to her side to leave a simple kiss on her cheek, to say, "A very good evening to you. You slept longer than I expected. Are you feeling alright?" he asked, making her heart flip in her little chest.

The smile he carried with him was radiant. He looked fresh as a morning sun that she had missed to see today. His attire casual and his eyes lazily looking at her. His eyes looked darker than usual, his maroon eyes almost black even in the presence of the light that pa.s.sed through the windows.

"I-yes," she answered. She herself didn"t remember when was the last time she had slept this long, expect for the days she fell ill in health. Thinking about last night she asked, "Did you bring me back home?"

"I did. The pain must have been too much for you to handle," he replied, taking a seat at the side of her bed.

"You told it would hurt a little," Nicholas gave her an apologetic look.

"My bad. I have heard how soulbonds are the most painful ones because of the links that take place. You look shocked," he commented, seeing her eyes wide and shocked.

She opened her mouth and then closed it, unsure of what to say.