Chapter 121: Painted memories- Part 1

Heidi who stood in the street of Isle Valley smiled seeing Lettice walk with her husband, Rhys, beside her.

“Do you need money?” Warren asked her.

Heidi shook her head, “Oh no. I won’t be shopping anything. I have everything I need for,” she saw him nod his head, his platinum hair looking more vibrant under the sunlight that beamed at them generously.

“Okay…But if you need something, just mention my name there,” he wiped his shoe with the back of his leg before standing straight again, “Nicholas’ guard will stay close by to make sure you’re safe.”

Like the dutiful fiance’ part he had to play, Warren did it without any mistake. Carrying forward the word he exchanged with his cousin brother. Even though both Nicholas and Warren were direct, first cousins, there was a leap of gap between their age and strength. Venetia hadn’t given birth to a child from her first marriage. There were times when pure blooded vampires detracked from their usual upbringing in picking partners for either pleasure or for long term reasons. After her parents died, she fell for a man of a high scholar who was nothing but a mere human apart from the high status he carried, even to his grave. While Warren was a half vampire, Nicholas was a full fledged pure blooded vampire and maybe more because of the way he was conceived. Nicholas was older, smarted and cunning compared to Warren who had been brought up with strict family values to follow his mother’s word. It was only recently that the younger one had a change of heart and mind, a little rebellion in his heart which had no impact on anything.

“Thank you, Warren,” Heidi thanked looking at him. She was glad that he didn’t hold any hard feelings against her after his confession which took place two days ago. Turning behind, she saw the guardsman stand stoically near a store which wasn’t far from where they stood.

“Good evening, Warren. Good evening, Heidi,” Rhys shook hands with Warren and bowed at Heidi which she returned back with a small bow of her head.

“Evening, Mr. Meyers,” Heidi greeted to see him smile.

“Please call me Rhys. You are part of our close circle now. Not to forget my wife’s friend,” he spoke. Just as he finished his words, Heidi caught sight of something on her neck and it didn’t take Heidi much time to realize that the marking Nicholas had placed around her neck had made its appearance again, “I would have never guessed,” he murmured.

Heidi, very quickly pulled the scarf which was in the little hand bag to put it around her neck. Everyone had gone quiet. Warren who hadn’t seen it before saw it now with a little taken aback expression on his face before he cleared his throat.

“We should get going, Rhys. We don’t know how long Tobias is going to be there in town here,” said Warren looking at Rhys.

“Yes, you are right. We should get going now. Do be careful ladies,” Rhys spared a glance at Heidi before he moved it to look at his beautiful wife, “I will have Robert pick you up in an hour’s time,” and with those words the men went on their way.

Lettice pulled Heidi to the side and wrapped the scarf around her friends neck, “I am sorry,” she apologized to receive a confused expression from Heidi who didn’t understand what she was apologizing for, “I think it’s my presence that’s bringing out the mark which is supposed to be hidden.”

“I don’t understand,” Heidi looked at Lettice, her brows furrowed as she saw Lettice’s eyes dart around the streets next to them, “What’s the matter, Lettice?”

“I…”

“Let’s go somewhere quiet,” suggested Heidi. Both the women, walked away from the streets and the town with the guardsmen following close behind them. Crossing the cemetery which was built magnificently next to a meadow, they stopped walking and Heidi questioned Lettice again, “Why did you say the appearance of the mark had something to do with you?”

“The truth is Heidi,” Lettice took a deep breath, “Like you and everyone, I have secrets which cannot be told,” she turned away, both her hands holding each other tightly in worry.

“You don’t have to tell it if you don’t want to,” Heidi responded softly seeing that Lettice was having difficulty in talking about it.

“No, I want to.”

“Alright.”

Carts and carriages passed by them as seconds turned to minutes. Heidi didn’t push the girl to speak and instead let her take her time. Hearing her sigh, she saw Lettice turn around ready to speak.

“The vampires sure think about themselves as high and mighty who think people like us are lower than them but there’s more than one reason why I don’t talk to people. My parents are black witches, Heidi,” she confessed not meeting Heidi’s gaze.

“But you’re not a black witch,” Heidi responded as she wrapped her head around what Lettice said. The girl had never shown any signs of a black witch and if she really were one, she wouldn’t be able to enter the church nor live harmoniously in a town married to a pure blooded vampire because with the education the head butler of the Rune mansion had passed on to her, black witches needed to turn to their original form a few times in a week.

“I’m a dormant black witch,” Lettice replied making an eye contact with Heidi, “I think something went wrong or maybe right genetically due to which I turned out to be more on a human side than to show features and characteristics of a black witch. But I think the essence of me being a black witch still lurks that brings out the marking everytime we meet. Please don’t hate me for it.”

“I don’t think that credits to anything for which I will have to hate you for,” Lettice’s eyes filled with tears and when she closed her eyes they fell on her pale cheeks in trails.