The driver of the royal vampires drove them out of the mansion with some other guards in convoy and headed themselves to the villa. The ride was quiet but not suffocating; rather, it was peaceful to even call it dead silence.
The two personal secretaries silently proceeded with their work and checked some schedules for the Emperor and the Grand Duke. As for the Adonis Brothers, they remained silent while looking at the scenery by the window. Lastly, the Adonis Siblings, Prince Nikolai continued playing with his phone while Prince Alexander watched him defeat the final boss and Prince William listened to his favorite band while scrolling down some of his music list.
But the peaceful silence ended when the emperor made a statement, "Did something good happen, brother?"
Grand Duke Arthur leaned his side chin on his dorsal palm and took a quick glance before looking back at the window.
"Maybe or maybe not."
"Hmm... Maybe, huh?" Emperor Charles said to himself.
Prince Alexander, who is the gossip king, curiously asked his uncle, "Hey, Uncle. What is this good thing that happened?"
Grand Duke Arthur gave him a vague answer, "I said, maybe or maybe not."
Prince Alexander tilted his head, "Then if maybe, why? If not, why?"
"Are you trying to outsmart me, young one?" the Grand Duke turned his head to face him as he playfully arched his eyebrow and smirked.
Prince Alexander shook his head and shrugged, "Just asking. So, don't change the subject."
The Grand Duke didn't feel the need to reply to his nephew's question but did so to stop his nephew from annoying him. He crossed his other leg over the other as he pretended to think about it.
"Oh, come on, Uncle. Just tell us, already." Prince Alexander pleaded.
He faced his nephew and realized that everyone around him was curious as well. Although the P.S didn't bother to look, they were surely as curious as the royals. He sighed in defeat and replied to his nephew.
"Alex, it's not that important. I just found an interesting yet stubborn lad, that's all."
Prince Nikolai suddenly got curious, "Who's that lad, Uncle?"
Prince William took the opportunity to guess while placing a gentle smile on his face after he removed the ear pods from his ears.
"It's Hans, isn't it, Uncle?"
Prince Nikolai seemed to be at a loss of words when he heard Hans being stubborn. Although, he himself didn't quite understand the situation but he still defended him with all his might.
"He is indeed interesting. However, he is definitely not stubborn. He's just shy, you know."
The little prince pouted by how offended he was with their remarks towards Hans. Prince Alexander burst into laughter whereas Prince William and Emperor Charles both held their stomach while covering their mouths to prevent themselves from laughing.
As to be expected, the two secretaries were having a hard time holding their laughter as they could hear their small titter trying to escape from their lips. Grand Duke Arthur didn't bother to hold himself as he giggled with the other and a sigh of relief ended his laugh as he stared at the window.
"Shy, you say? I guess he is." he muttered with an interesting smile portraying his handsome pale face.
The noon day remained at peace in the hunter's den yet some still can't get rid of the scene between the three clans being in one place in their minds. Some may find it uncomfortable, some were thrilled, and some shivered in fear but no one dared to speak about it.
Dir. Melvis was busy sorting out his paper works and reviewing some day-to-day reports, especially regarding the Forbidden Venom. A knock seemed to awaken his high-spirited personality as he welcomed him while pretending to be serious with his work.
"Come in."
He didn't bother looking at the person marching his way towards him until that person handed him a black folder. Hans blankly stared at his master who had a childlike smile on his face as he gladly received the black folder. Dir. Melvis immediately started the topic.
"I knew it was my apprentice."
"What do you mean, Master?"
"You knock like a girl." Dir. Melvis imitated his girly knock.
"Please, don't say that. Especially to a man." Hans couldn't help but sigh at his master's remark.
"Ashley called me, Master."- he added.
"And?"- Dir. Melvis
"He found an abandoned laboratory filled with experiments about the Forbidden Venom."
"That's good."
"But the laboratory wasn't just a simple lab. It was filled with dead bodies as what the other clan had said regarding their missing clan members."
"So, they're testing it on vampires and Lycans now?"
"Not just vampires and Lycans, there were humans as well. And Ashley thinks that our clan is in danger, too. I'll be going there to check it."
"Good. Bring the medical team as well."
Hans didn't respond to his master. And Dir. Melvis noticed that his apprentice was hesitant to say whatever was on his mind.
"Do you need something, Hans?"
"Ah- No, Master. It's just... you seem calm. Why didn't you go through with our plan though, Master?"
"If I panic, everybody will. And I would follow through with it, if it was something serious. Now it's my turn to ask."
Dir. Melvis gently placed the folder on top of his table and faced Hans as he held his hands together and leaned his chin above it.
"Why did you go back to the vampire's territory without my knowledge?"
Hans sighed and replied, "I was searching for clues about the Forbidden Venom."
The director smiled mischievously, "Liar."
"I will take my leave now, Master."
"Alright. Bye-bye~"
The director playfully waved at him and smiled. But before he could fully leave the room, Dir. Melvis added, "Hans... Don't let it get into you. I'm doing this for your own good."
Hans nodded without a second thought and went to fetch the medical team with Head Kelly and Jasper. When Jasper and Head Kelly saw Hans, they eagerly ran toward him as they welcomed him in their arms while screaming his name. Fortunately, Hans was able to avoid the catastrophe that made the two fall off the ground.
The rest of the medical team were embarrassed by their leaders' behavior while some immediately apologized to Hans. At the same time, Head Kelly and Jasper grieved by the coldness Hans was giving to them. Hans quickly took this opportunity to explain the situation. Everyone seemed to quickly catch up with him and immediately assessed the necessities needed for the investigation. After everything was set, Hans guided them to the location that Ashley informed him.
The minute they arrive at the destination in a semi-rural town, they only saw an ordinary house that is usually lived by couple's alone which made them wonder if Ashley gave the wrong address. However, they knew that she was not someone to commit such a mistake.
"We're not lost, are we?" Jasper asked in confusion.
It soon subsided when Ashley called and waved to them.
"Hey! You're here already?"
"Ah! Greetings, Head Kelly and Young Master." She added as she bowed at them with respect.
"Come on, drop the formality. You know we don't like that." Head Kelly reminded her while Jasper hastily nodded.
Ashley smiled and straightened herself. She immediately assed them about the situation.
"Actually... When me and my team were in search of clues about the whereabouts of the Forbidden Venom, we happened to stumble upon this town to stay for the night. But when we went to eat out, we somehow heard gossip that there had been some kidnappings happening in the town. It is said that they usually went missing during the night."
She took a quick pause and continued, "Any age, may it be men or women. All of them disappear in a blink of an eye. Also, they seem to believe that it was some sort of wild beast that is creating this mishap. But no wild beast has its own mind to think like human's do. Luckily, I seem to have a clue who did it after I converse with them."
"What do you mean?" Head Kelly asked.
Ashley didn't miss any second and immediately explained, "They said, "Ever since the couple came, all these misfortunes have happened to them." Those were the exact words that came out from their mouths. The new couple seem to be keeping a wild beast as their pet. And they kidnap people to feed them to this wild beast, which is odd."
"We went to their place to check but they were nowhere to be found. They escaped and abandoned this place. And no one knew their whereabouts." she added.
"Ashley, find out more about them. Their names, their personal data and bio, and the places they first went to before arriving in this town and the last houses they went to before their disappearance." Hans instructed while Asley nodded in obedience.
"Attention! Spy team! We'll-"
Hans patted her shoulder and whispered to her, "Only send a few, too many will make things complicated for us. Two spy agents will do. Someones' watching us."
"What?!"
Ashley was about to search the enemy spying on them but luckily, Hans managed to restrain her.
"Don't! Let them be. We're only here to investigate, anyway. Don't let anyone know." Hans sternly warned her.
"A-alright."
Hans quickly picked up his pace and told Head Kelly to divide the team into two. On the other hand, Ashley assembled her team and separated them into two groups to help and guard the medical team while she chose two special agents to investigate more about the missing couple.
As for Hans, he immediately called his master to send an ambulance to their location. His master didn't hesitate and abided by his needs. After the call ended, Hans silently glanced at the forest side to where the enemies were hiding. He definitely knew that it wasn't the couple since there are at least five of them.
He ignored the suspicious enemy and went to check on the teams formed for the investigation. Jasper was decided to lead the other medical team specifically for the Forbidden Venom.
"Hey! Hey! Look! We made a name for our team." Jasper cheerfully exclaimed.
"One, two, three! Welcome to the FV medical team!"
He cheered in unison with his dumb team while they made different poses. Hans and the rest gave them a dumbfounded yet blank look. They all droop by the unimpressive expressions given to them.
Hans sighed in disappointment then Head Kelly announced with glee, "Okay, teams! Let's go!"
"Yeah!" Everyone except Hans, responded in unison.
And so, they all proceeded to the mediocre house full of determination set in their eyes in their first step closer to the source of the Forbidden Venom.
...