"My lord?" Soren's voice trembled as Idrus forcefully swung the door open, causing everyone at the table to jump in surprise. Viktor, Lucien, and Theron were engrossed in their card game, but the sight of Idrus made them freeze.
"What?" Idrus growled, his eyes blazing red and terrifying. Soren couldn't help but gasp at the monstrous appearance of their lord. Idrus glanced at each of them before focusing on the cards in the middle of the table.
"What were you all doing?" Idrus slowly approached them, and they instinctively moved back, fear creeping into their hearts. This was a side of their lord they had never witnessed before, and they were clueless about its cause.
"A game of cards, my lord," Lucien whispered, his voice barely audible. Idrus turned his savage red eyes towards him, and the room fell into an eerie silence. It was as if even the slightest sound would shatter the tension. Soren suddenly realized what was truly wrong with their lord.
"My lord, may..." Soren began to speak, but before he could finish, Idrus moved with lightning speed. In a blink of an eye, Soren found himself lying outside on the floor, the impact of being thrown through the thick living room wall still reverberating through his body. Idrus stood there, his claws out and fangs protruding, a terrifying sight that sent shivers down their spines.
"Gabrielle, Manuel, things are spiraling out of control with the lord. We fear Soren might be dead soon," Viktor mentally communicated with Gabrielle and Manuel, but there was only silence in response. Cold, unsettling silence.
"Fetch me a human, one with a tantalizing scent. Not some wretched filth," Idrus commanded, causing their eyes to widen in disbelief. Theron contemplated questioning their lord, thinking that maybe he misheard, but the intensity in Idrus' eyes made him think otherwise.
Thoren's voice trembled as he spoke, "My lord, what do you mean by go get a human?" Idrus turned his gaze away from the wreckage caused by Soren's body and locked eyes with Thoren.
Idrus's voice was cold and commanding, "If you value your life, you will never question my orders, or else your head will meet the wall in pieces." Thoren swallowed hard and nodded hastily, fear evident in his eyes.
Suddenly, Gabrielle's voice broke the tension from behind Idrus, "My lord, please consider this. You once said that no one is allowed to consume human blood." The other vampires let out a collective sigh of relief as they saw Gabrielle, dressed in black with disheveled hair and one hand hidden behind his back.
Idrus's gaze shifted to Gabrielle, while Gabrielle contemplated his words carefully. "The repulsive animal blood is a temporary substitute for now. The humans in this area have tainted blood due to their drug consumption. We don't want that, my lord," Gabrielle explained with a smile, offering a bottle filled with blood to Idrus.
Idrus snatched the bottle from Gabrielle's hand so swiftly that his claws accidentally scratched him. However, Gabrielle paid no attention to the minor injury. The others watched in anticipation as Idrus consumed the blood, some of it dripping down his chin and staining his white shirt. After finishing, he licked the rim of the bottle and handed it back to Gabrielle, who covered it.
Idrus licked his lips, his eyes slowly returning to their usual black color. "What kind of animal blood was that? It didn't taste as bad as I expected. It even had a hint of sweetness," Idrus remarked, walking towards the couch. The other vampires instinctively moved away, causing Idrus to raise an eyebrow in confusion. Gabrielle chuckled and took a seat beside Idrus.
Suddenly, they heard a groan and turned to see Soren rising from the floor, his hand on his forehead. He narrowly entered the big hole his body had caused crashing into the wall.
"I apologize, Soren. I wasn't in the right state of mind," Idrus expressed, while Soren stood alongside the others, observing Idrus. Soren nodded, understanding the situation, but his face still displayed a grimace, and the rest of the group remained fearful.
"Please, everyone, take a seat and stop staring at me as if I'm about to lose control," Idrus remarked, rolling his eyes and running his hand across his face. Reluctantly, Thoren, Lucien, Soren, and Viktor took their seats.
Curiously, Idrus inquired once more, "What kind of blood was that?" He gazed up at the ceiling, as if searching for something extraordinary.
"It was rabbit blood," Gabrielle responded, surprising Idrus. He had never consumed that type of blood before, and it caught him off guard.
"Hmmmm... alright," Idrus replied, rising from his seat and making his way towards the stairs leading upstairs.
"My lord, where are you going?" Gabrielle asked, causing Idrus to pause and face him.
"I am heading to my chambers, Gabrielle," Idrus answered slowly, as if speaking to a naive child. Gabrielle sighed, realizing he had something important to discuss with Idrus, but he decided to postpone it until tomorrow. He noticed the dark aura surrounding their sire and didn't want to worsen the situation.
"Do you need anything, Gabrielle?" Idrus inquired, already ascending the stairs. It was evident that whatever Gabrielle had to say would have to wait. Gabrielle simply smiled, refraining from responding, and walked away. As he departed, Idrus turned and watched his retreating figure, feeling an urge to call him back and discuss whatever matter he had to address. Perhaps something was amiss in the kingdom, but Idrus couldn't bring himself to summon his second-in-command. He averted his gaze and continued his ascent upstairs.
Idrus entered the room, removing his shirt and placing it on the bed. He ran his hand over his head, letting out a sigh. The image of those sad brown eyes lingered in his mind, and he couldn't understand why he felt such a strong connection to her. He had made the decision to win her over and gain her trust in order to obtain the ring, but he knew deep down that it was wrong. He had no intention of making her his mate, as the loss of his previous mate still haunted him despite Indriana's passing centuries ago. Idrus couldn't comprehend why Iridessa's smile made him feel possessive, as if he wanted to keep it all to himself. Her sadness stirred a desire within him to release his frustrations, even if it meant directing it towards himself. It wasn't just the fact that she was sad because of his sudden departure, but he could see a profound sadness hidden behind her smiles. She tried to mask it, but he could see through her facade. He tried to convince himself that his feelings were merely a result of her resemblance to his past mate but he knew that was a lie.
"Damn it," Idrus muttered, making his way towards the bathroom. He entered and stared at his reflection in the mirror, his dark eyes reflecting a sense of weariness. His gaze then shifted to the tattoo on his neck, the one he had gotten to conceal...
Idrus let out a frustrated sigh and turned his gaze away from the mirror. He slowly removed his pants and made his way into the shower, seeking solace in the cascading water. As he tilted his head back, allowing the water to wash over his face, memories flooded his mind. He couldn't help but reminisce about the day he first encountered Indriana, a street thief who had stolen from him. Initially, he had mistaken her for a young boy due to her petite frame and the baggy clothes she had wore and her cloak, and he had almost let her escape. However, she had turned and taunted him by blowing him a raspberry before fleeing, igniting a curiosity within him that he couldn't resist. After catching up to her and restraining her, he was taken aback by her beauty. Despite her dirt-covered face and neck, her features were angelic, with stunning white hair, a small upturned nose, and chapped pink lips. However, their encounter took a sudden turn when she kicked him and accused him of being a pervert. Idrus couldn't help but smile as he reminisced about that day, which seemed like centuries ago. But then, his thoughts shifted to a tragic image of Indriana, her once beautiful white hair now stained with blood, her entire body covered in crimson. The sight haunted him, especially her swollen stomach, a heartbreaking reminder of the horrors she had endured.
Idrus shook his head vigorously to dispel the thoughts, his eyes snapping open as he forcefully pressed his hand against the wall. The cascading water on his face seemed to carry more than just water from the shower; it held the weight of his emotions. With a surge of frustration, he raised his right hand and unleashed a torrent of punches onto the wall, shattering it like his shattered heart. Exhausted, he let out a heavy sigh and turned off the shower before stepping out, paying no mind to wrapping a towel around his waist. As he emerged from the bathroom, the scene that greeted him was far from what he had expected.