"Dad! Grand Elder! Dad! Hurry up! It's about Milla- I mean, Empress!!! Where are-" Steve shouts on top of his lungs while he walks around in his bedroom, seemingly worried about something. The vampire king and Frederick dashes to where he is upon hearing him mention Milla.
Samuel almost breaks his son's door except for one small thing, "What is it? What did you hear about her?"
"Dad- did you just break my doorknob?" He widens his eyes to his father and darts a glance at the door.
The vampire king looks slightly grumpy until he notices a hole on the door, "Since when? You don't have a doorknob? Did… you remove it, why?"
"It's in your hand…"
"In my hand? Wha- oh. Ohhh. Sorry about that. You can stay in the other rooms while your door's being fixed."
The prince feels like putting a palm on his face because of his father and now he might need to change rooms, 'Wait, this is for the best. I'll choose a room far away from the brat and closer to- no! Nope, no-no. I just want to stay away from my sister then never come back to this room. Yup, that's all there is.'
The door opens revealing the Grand Elder in a position close to the door like he's holding the doorknob since there's none, his hand ends up getting in contact with it thus pushing it in the process. "Did something happen to Milla?"
"Oh, articles are mentioning her, and I watched the news clips about her. It was unbelievable, a missile was sent to kill her!"
"What?! Is she…?" Based on his voice, Frederick is unmistakably furious and sad.
"I think…wait, what happened was… let me find it real quick, where is it? There!" He plays the video of the news from the internet, the same as the news that Milla and Everett heard.
No one talks for a while after watching, both of the elders' eyes don't leave the paused hologram. While Steve keeps looking at their reactions until he cannot hold it any longer, "She... has powers?! Do vampires have one? Do you have one? Do I have one?"
Then he starts motioning his hands in front of him, his right hand first, next is his left hand. Closing his eyes and putting both hands backward on one side, then pushing it forward together- palms facing front while maintaining the distance between his feet. "Did something happen?"
He opens his eyes and glances at the elders, "Why are you looking at me like that?" Frederick diverts his attention, shaking his head in the process. Samuel's eyes are fixed on his son with his slightly opened lips and raised cheeks, the latter is caused by the thinning of his eyes.
Then Steve slowly peeks at his hands and everywhere. Discovering absolutely nothing, he quickly stands straight while leaving his hands on his sides, uncomfortably.
"I suppose I don't have one," he lets out a dry chuckle, another thing to add to the list of the things he wishes undone.
"You only realize it now, son? We don't have powers, we never had. Or any of the vampires. This is the first time we've heard of it."
'Wait a minute, he's wrong. Lionel and his butler have powers too! But I can't tell them that.'
Interrupting the father and son duo, the Grand Elder addresses the topic they should be discussing, "Before thinking about powers, we must catch the people responsible for the attempted attack on Milla. She's the Vampire Empress. She represents the vampire race and it makes every vampire the target."
"Of course, Grand Elder. We'll certainly get to the bottom of this. Did Rhine come back, Steve?"
"As far as I know, not yet. Why? Want me to get Dio?" His father's grim expression does not get unnoticed to him.
"It's better for you to know less and don't leave the island, for now. Understood? And yes, tell Dionne to meet us at the study."
He's not dumb not to perceive how serious the situation is, "I understand, Dad. I'll be here if you need me."
Samuel taps his son's back before they leave his room, "I know and I appreciate it. Now, go choose your new room."
Steve shows a goofy smile in return, "You don't have to tell me twice."
In the study, the vampire king sits behind his table while Dionne, the recent captain of the elite vampire guards, stands in front of it. The Grand Elder sits on the long couch near the fireplace. Samuel begins by asking him a question, "Are you close with the former captain?"
'Former captain? So I'm legit the captain now? But why? It's not like he ain't coming back or is he?' He shakes his head in an attempt to stop thinking.
"No? You two are not close?"
"No, I mean- yes. We're not close, vampire king." He doesn't know why he is seeing the rumored other side of the vampire king instead of what he often sees him as, a father to his childhood friends. Rumor is, you better start running if you meet this other side.
"Let me ask you, to whom are you loyal? Are you loyal to your former captain? Are you loyal to the Vampire Royalties?" The vampire king sounds calm now so he thinks he's all safe. He takes a moment to regain himself before thinking of an answer.
"I am-" He stays still and quiet after he feels a blade on his neck.
It's none other than the dead serious vampire king, "Don't think about it! Who are you loyal to? Answer!"
The tip of the blade is about to cut him, making him panic and blurt out what his real answer is, "I'm loyal to the Empress!" His eyes widen upon realization.
"..."
"But, but, I'm also loyal to the Vampire Royalties." The vampire king returns to his seat, sitting sideways as if nothing happened.
"Take a seat. I have to ask you a few more questions." He can only nod and obey in this kind of a situation.
"Did any of you know there was a private meeting last 8th of August?"
He tries to recall a private meeting last August and there he goes, "Somewhere at the beginning of August, I can think of a private meeting that your son told me and advised me to tell the rest of the guards to stay clear of the area."
"So all the elite guards knew?" This time, he swivels with the chair to face him instead of looking sideways.
"I'm not a hundred percent sure, sir. But, I informed the captain, former captain, about it for him to announce it to the others."
Samuel puts his elbows on the desk with hands clasped in front of him, "Did you notice anything unusual from Rhine? Anything?"
He learns his lesson and answers without delay, "Not that I remember, sir."
"Did he ever mention the Empress? Did he talk to you about her?"
He mumbles to himself then speaks up when he remembers something, "About the Empress..? Oh, it was the same day as the private meeting, he ordered us to report everything to him. Then the next day, I heard from your son that the Empress plans to travel alone so I went to report it.
Now that I'm thinking about it, he was unusual that day, yes. When I told him it has something to do with the Empress, he became interested all of a sudden? That's all, vampire king."
"Don't speak of these to anyone, even to your family, can you do that? If you ever see Rhine, inform me right away and don't tell him. You may go."
"I will do that, vampire king. Thank you." He bows to both of them and realizes the Grand Elder is with them, he forgets about him after having the dagger on his neck.
After he's gone, Frederick finally glances in Samuel's direction, "Do you think that Rhine has a hand in the attempted attack on Milla?"
"I have my suspicions, but we have to investigate and gather evidence first." He's occupied with the policy-making before that he keeps postponing the investigation. This is the time to make a move, he has his regrets but it's in the past. For now, he'll do everything to get to the bottom of this.
"I agree." They share a few minutes of silence, thinking over what should be done.
Meanwhile, in Prospect Creek. Josh hurried steps can be heard by the Shadows despite it being faint. Maybe it's the swishing sound in the air or maybe they're too focused on what's about to unfold inside the mansion today. Specifically, waiting for 'his' reaction and the aftermath. Will he care or not?