“I need to go out on an urgent work and won’t be back until the day after tomorrow morning. I heard that you wanted to go shopping,” said Warren making her wonder when she had said that. Warren then continued, “But unfortunately due to work, I won’t be here. I could ask Lord Nicholas to lend his butler for that duration if you don’t mind, after all you are new to this land.”

“I think so?” she said going along with what he said.

“That’s wonderful,” Warren smiled, “And I was wondering, if it would be alright I would like to have dinner with you,” Weren’t they having dinner together all this time? “I mean just you and I, at one of the patios in the mansion,” it took her a while to understand that he was waiting for her reply.

“Ah-yes. I would like that,” she answered.

“I’m glad to hear that,” he said before his smile faltered and he looked behind her and then her, “Please see that it doesn’t get infected. Have a good time in the town.”

“Have a good journey,” said Heidi and seeing him leave. Bringing up her finger she saw the drop of blood drying on her finger.

Warren didn’t seem like a bad man instead he was decent when it came to displaying manners with a lady especially if one compared him with his cousin who was a lord. Warren had been thoughtful enough to come up till her room to see that she was safe when she would go out in the town. By looks the man was handsome. She smiled to herself at the kind thought the man had shown.

Heidi was the child who had received no attention and little amount of love as she grew up. She had no friends, and even the siblings she had were never been kind to her. Her father showed no interest or encouragement due to which her mother was the only source of love. In her eyes even the little kindness people showed was appreciated in great deal.

Going back to her room she finished stitching the string and placed it on the table. The clouds had cleared away from the sky but the time of dusk was not too far. Not knowing what else to do, she sat on her bed listening to the birds chirp next to her window along with the occasional cawing of crows. It was peaceful listening to them. Stepping down on the floor, her feet padded towards the window and she opened the closed glass to hear and see the birds. She leaned over, to see the birds more clearly from where she stood that had perched itself on the tree. Back in Woville she had never found the opportunity to spend her time leisurely and now that she did, she didn’t know what to do with so much of time. Is this how vampires felt? To not know what to do with the gift of infinite time.

She knew the bird was there but unable to see it clearly, she leaned a little more, stretching her neck and carefully moving the leaves to see the small plump bird perched on the wood while singing its evening song.

Around same time Lord Nicholas was out in the garden with the butler behind as he checked the gun which was loaded with a single bullet which had arrived at the mansion during his absence.

“Is this the one you were looking for master?” the butler asked holding the gun case in both his hands.

“Sadly it isn’t. The silver bullets are manufactured in the West empire but there are a range of silver bullets. The one I am searching is really unique. It is said that the bullet can paralyze a pure blooded vampire for hours or weeks. Word is that its currently circulating in the black market,” the Lord explained cleaning the sides of the gun with the cloth which was presented inside the gun case.

“Shouldn’t that be easy to retrieve?” Stan asked tilting his head in question.

“The council has been keeping a close eye on the movements taking place in the black market. If they find us whiff it will be quiet a problem but I have made sure to keep eyes and ears of whats going on so we will only have to wait until the item is mentioned,” the Lord turned to give his butler a smile that brought the dimple on his cheek, “By the way, I heard something about shopping for clothes in the corridor when I was walking by.”

“Ms. Curtis hadn’t brought her clothes and it seemed like a good idea to take her out shopping,” the poor lady was hardly able to breathe, thought Stan to himself.

“It was good that you suggested Warren about the dinner. He is too into getting the grace of he head council therefore I doubt it would ever cross his mind,” Lord Nicholas spoke in a matter of fact tone, handing the soft cloth to the butler he tried aiming the gun, “Hm?” he found Heidi leaning over her window to see the small bird on the branch of the tree.

Seeing his mater aim something on the tree was not something the butler was worried about but it was that Ms. Curtis was right there looking at the bird. His Lord always maintained a good reputation and aiming at the bird right now didn’t look right to him. To the world outside, he was a kind man, adorning the smile of an angel to cover his actual true nature which only the members of the mansion knew about.

“Um, master. Ms. Curtis…” the butler’s eyes darted front and back, from his Lord to the lady at the window.

“Let’s give the lady a better view before she falls down from the window now shall we,” Lord Nicholas gave him a smile.

Heidi who had been looking at the bird sing suddenly heard the sound of a gunshot making her flinch away from the window. Opening her eyes, she looked around to see Lord Nicholas standing with his butler holding a small gun. Furrowing her brows she looked at the branch which had a hint of dark liquid on its brown surface and her confused expression turned to horror seeing the dead bird lying on the ground.

She felt her hands clutch into a fist as she stared at the Lord for what he had done. It had been singing on its own without bothering anyone and he had killed the bird for no reason! Breaking the eye contact she turned around to close the window shut.

She didn’t have the heart to go to dinner but she did anyways as it would be rude and she didn’t want causing troubles especially when Warren wasn’t around. At the dining table, neither did the Lord or Heidi speak. Stan, the butler was the only one who spoke when it came to serving the food and drink. Detecting the silence he had tried making casual conversation with the lady if she had any recommendation on what she would like to eat tomorrow. Stan didn’t understand why his Lord had gone for a direct kill as it was evident that the lady was upset with what happened. He noticed how she avoided the meat like plague and he had the high need to tell her that they hadn’t used the bird for dinner though it was the wild dogs dinner which were kept underground.

Ms. Curtis was really something, thought the butler to himself. Usually women would try to be in good graces with the Lord but the lady here hadn’t looked up once in the direction of his Lord and had instead tried finishing her food as quick as she could. Lord Nicholas was enjoying his food, a smile on his face which he didn’t understand what it was for. And as bad it was, he found the situation to be somewhat comical.

In the morning, Heidi stepped down her room to wait at the entrance for the butler as they had planned to visit the town together to buy her a set of clothes she would need. When the carriage came to stand still in front of the entrance she heard the confident sound of shoes clacking on the floor and she turned around to see the Lord walk past her and open the carriage whilst he waited looking at her.

Was he coming with them? Soon she saw the butler carrying few boxes in his hand and to place it behind the carriage stand.

“I have a few errands to run myself in the town and looking after my cousin’s fiancee is a priority,” she heard Lord Nicholas speak to her, his red eyes looking straight at her with a charming smile on his lips.

She shouldn’t have been surprised with what had happened. Hunting animals for food and fun was common not only to the vampires but also the humans of the elite class. She only wished he hadn’t done it in front of her but then this was his mansion. He was allowed to do what he pleased. She was the guest and throwing rude attitude towards him would get her nowhere. Moreover, he did help her when she was suffocating in the dress even though his approach was odd.

“After you milady,” he gave his hand to her. She pursed her lips, walking forward to place her hand on his to step inside the carriage.

Why did it feel that this was going to be a long day? She thought to herself as the butler closed the door after the Lord took his seat inside the carriage she sat in.