The atmosphere in the underground prison was heavy, suffocating, filled with the scent of dampness and rusted metal.
"Vampire?" Aleksi stood beside her, watching for any suspicious move from Simon, ready to strike.
"Yeah, well... um, he came as a bonus with the seal."
Eris felt her throat dry, overwhelmed by the situation. Her answer had been pathetic, but she didn't want to explain herself now. Besides, Simon, with his unreadable face and eyes as cold and deep as snow, was waiting for a word from her.
Eris couldn't afford to show weakness in front of either of them, even though her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Simon," she said, her voice full of authority, though her pulse betrayed her nervousness. She raised the seal. "I order you to swear loyalty to me. I'm the one holding the seal now."
The vampire, pale-faced with crimson eyes, stared at her in silence for several long seconds. His expression didn't change, but the darkness around him seemed to intensify. Finally, he spoke, his voice deep and resonant.
"Loyalty..." he repeated, as if the word carried a particular weight for him. "You know, as long as you hold the seal, you automatically become my master."
Eris didn't hesitate.
"No. I want you to swear loyalty to me, and you know what that means. No tricks that put me or my plans in danger."
The atmosphere grew even tenser, if that was possible. Simon watched her without blinking, as though weighing each word.
Eris waited, she couldn't proceed without Simon's total commitment. Her gaze stayed firm on him, even though her hands were still shaking slightly.
Finally, the butler tilted his head slightly, a gesture Eris interpreted as agreement.
"I am loyal to the hierarchy, as all vampires are. But I grant you what you ask. My loyalty will be with you, Eris."
"Good. I need you to manage the house. This place has to keep running as it always has, but with me at the center, do you understand?"
Simon didn't respond immediately. His gaze shifted to Aleksi, who was observing the exchange with dangerous calm. The wolf didn't say anything, but his presence was a constant pressure, a reminder of what it meant to challenge him.
"I understand," Simon finally said, his voice as grave as ever. "My loyalty is with you. But remember, the one who holds the seal is my true master. The hierarchy must be respected, even if my new master killed the previous one."
Eris nodded, she knew a little about how the hierarchy worked in this house, but she had no intention of killing her brother. Simon had given his word, and that was what mattered.
"I know," she replied, her voice lower. "I just want you to understand that, for now, you and I are on the same side. The rest, I'll sort out later."
The butler nodded, his face impassive. "As you wish."
With a sigh of relief, Eris turned to Aleksi, who had been silently watching the scene. Just imagining how many questions he must have for her already made her head ache.
Eris took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline rush through her body. She had a clear goal, but she knew the consequences of her decisions could be dire.
"Simon. I don't want you to release the other servants. Not yet."
Simon raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion crossing his face. In the end, after some internal deliberation, he asked,
"I understand. But I'm surprised you don't want to. I thought that would be your intention."
Eris stared at him, maintaining her composure, though inside, she felt the weight of her words.
"Releasing them right now would be a mistake. I need to know everything my brother was doing, to maintain control of the mansion. The servants can't be trusted, even if we order them not to talk about what happened here, others might suspect or find a way to learn the truth through them. My priority right now is to ensure everything here is under my control."
Simon didn't protest. "As you wish."
Eris turned to Aleksi, whose gaze was so intense it felt like she was being evaluated, measured, and judged. Despite everything she had achieved, all her plans, she knew he was the one who had the true control and a single word from him could bring down her house of cards. That was the advantage of real power.
She cleared her throat, knowing he didn't trust her, but she had no choice but to continue.
"So, well, would you like to get married now or later?" she asked, hesitating and avoiding his gaze. She could feel Simon's intense stare on her, and Aleksi's as well.
"I want us to celebrate our engagement as soon as possible, if we've decided to do this. I need a solid foundation for what's to come. Even if I have the seal, I don't have real power, and it would be a disadvantage if we decide to take my brother's position."
As it didn't sound convincing even to her own ears, she added,
"Besides, I want to avoid third parties preventing our wedding."
Aleksi didn't respond immediately. The idea of a ceremony, of a commitment sealed by the rules of the mandate, seemed absurd to him, too rushed amidst all this chaos. But he also knew Eris saw it differently. She needed that security. She needed to be protected under his name and all the power it carried. The guarantee of a bond that, though temporary, could give them their dream freedom.
But… he still doubted.
"We don't have time for ceremonies, Eris," Aleksi said coldly, his voice like a sharp sword. "We need proof. We need to gather information about what's really happening."
Aleksi watched her, knowing his eyes were cold and calculating, but he couldn't show doubt in front of Eris.
She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. The purple hue of her gaze, tender, vulnerable, and determined, enveloped him, and Aleksi knew he had lost the battle. His heart was still pounding, wanting to give her the entire world.
And marrying her? Hell, of course, he wanted to do it. He wanted to show the world that she belonged to him, that she was his, and that no one could touch her, harm her, or try to seduce her. He was going crazy thinking that disgusting vampire had touched her and almost harmed her. If it hadn't been for her, he would have torn him apart already.
"Please, Aleksi."
Eris wasn't able to say more. She feared him and admired him in equal measure. She knew that being by his side came with responsibility and danger, but she had already come to terms with being his wife for seven years, breaking bad endings, and becoming free, rich, and independent from everyone and everything.
"I don't agree," he said finally, his tone more serious than usual. "But I'll do it, just this once, Eris. I'll do it because I know you need this and how important it would be. But let it be clear: once we're engaged, there's no going back. This is going to be a real marriage."
Eris nodded, the pressure in her chest easing for a moment. For some strange reason, the idea of being his wife didn't bother her as much.
"I know, and thank you. In the meantime, Simon, you'll take care of everything that happens here. No one must know what we're really doing. No one can suspect."
"I understand," he said with his deep, melancholic voice, masking his astonishment at the younger sister's cleverness. She had successfully captured a wolf of such dangerous authority as Aleksi. No wonder her former master had lost the battle.
Finally, Eris was able to let out a sigh of relief. A lot had happened, but at last, she saw a real hope ahead.
"Alright, then what's next..."
"Wait," Aleksi interrupted her. "I want to see the lab."
Eris frowned, her body tensing at the proposal, cursing inwardly at the wolf's stubbornness and distrust.
"I don't think it's a good idea, Mr. Wolf... It's dangerous. The lab is full of... things you shouldn't see. Right now, the situation is out of control. We can't afford to risk it."
"I have a right to know what's going on here, butterfly. What are they hiding in those experiments? What the hell is going on in this mansion?"
"Listen," Eris insisted, her tone more urgent. "Whatever you find in there will only put you in danger. I'll tell you everything I know, and we can look for more evidence later. The lab isn't a safe place and definitely not something you should see right now."
However, Aleksi remained firm in his position.
"I'll go with you, or without you."
With a heavy exhale, Eris reluctantly followed him, knowing nothing would change his mind. Meanwhile, Simon went off to organize the paperwork to give them a summary of her brother's transactions, businesses, and other sensitive information.
They walked down the dark hallways of the mansion until they reached the lab. She went through the process of entering, under Aleksi's watchful gaze.
"What's the perfume for?"
"Several things. It diminishes our presence, makes us more tolerant of other scents… things like that."
Eris tried to give vague and convincing answers again, without sounding too obvious. And Aleksi pretended not to notice, again.
Afterward, both of them headed toward the bathroom door. She still had the key, so she could skip the closet step.
"It has a very sophisticated illusion and manipulation rune effect," Aleksi announced, observing the bathroom.
"What?"
He looked at her with a strange gleam in his eyes before explaining.
"If you're not careful and enter, you'll think you went to the bathroom or saw it when you really never did."
"And who can do that?"
"Any scribe. Want to learn how to make runes?"
Eris looked at him, and for a moment, he didn't seem so fierce, nor so terrifying, nor so imposing. He just seemed like an attentive and kind man.
Gods, had the perfume lost its effectiveness due to constant use? Had she lost her mind? Attentive and kind? The terrifying tyrant Aleksi? The ruthless, bloodthirsty alpha?
"Uh, thanks, maybe later."
Eris hurried to open the door, but her skin crawled, and a chill ran down her spine. A heavy scent of blood filtered through the crack of the semi-open door, and something dangerous was floating in the air. It was as if something was about to happen. At that exact moment, Aleksi stepped forward. The sound of the door slammed with a dry, forceful thud.
"What's going on here?" Aleksi asked quietly, his eyes sharp.
Eris felt a chill crawl up her back, and a loud bang echoed from the other side of the door. Aleksi moved her away and locked the door again.
"The experiments have escaped," she murmured, her voice low. "And they're loose."
The growls and scratches began to reverberate through the walls, like a distant echo, and Eris felt her pulse quicken. She couldn't believe it.
"Stay away from here, it's dangerous."
If she had opened the door... that beast would be with them right now... she remembered what she had heard when she first entered just a few hours ago... they had been trying to open the doors... but that should have been impossible...
"They shouldn't be out!" she said, almost breathless, as she pushed Aleksi out of the room. "We have to go."
Growls and scratches began to echo in the walls, distant sounds that made Eris' pulse race. She couldn't believe it.
"Get away from here, it's dangerous."
If she had opened the door… that beast would be with them right now… She remembered what she heard when she first entered just a few hours ago... they had been trying to open the doors… but it should be impossible...
"They shouldn't be out!" she said, barely out of breath, pushing Aleksi out of the room.
"We need to leave."