It was already past 6:30 in the evening when Graven's carriage arrived in the mansion.
Cooper exited the carriage followed by Laura.
"Father, we're home!" Cooper said cheerfully.
Sir Nicholas waited outside the front door of his mansion to welcome his children. "Welcome back, children!" he said, smiling broadly.
Graven, and Rebecca exited the second carriage.
"Let's get inside, it's dinner time. I instructed the cook to prepare a delicious dinner for us," Sir Nicholas said.
They all entered the house and proceed to the dining room to eat dinner together.
After dinner, the men retreated into the veranda while the women went upstairs to rest.
The women entered their respective rooms.
Laura put down her bag on the floor, unzip the bag and removed her stuff, and put them back in place, she dropped the dirty clothes into the laundry basket then entered the bathroom for a quick bath.
A few minutes later.
She was already sitting on the bed, brushing her hair with the comb.
She recalled Rebecca's offer to her, the option to go away and live her own life away from the two brothers to prevent them from fighting each other because of her is enticing.
But she also had an option to be with Luke just like her original intention and forget Graven.
But then... what if she will choose Graven?
Her heart wants to choose him!
Oh, God, she's going crazy!
Was it just yesterday that her heart was set in stone to wait for Luke?
Then how come her heart was screaming for Graven now?
Dang!
She groaned. This is total madness!
How could her heart change so fast?
She put the comb on the side table and lie in bed.
Argh! Her emotion is a total mess right now!
She needs to come out with a decision soon before Luke returned.
That night after brushing her teeth, she went back to bed, preparing to go to sleep.
She's been tossing and turning in the bed, she can't sleep!
It was already past 11:00 when her body finally succumbed to sleep.
At 1:00 am, a cloud of black smoke appeared inside Laura's room that formed into the body of a man. The mysterious man that looks like Graven looked at Laura then opened his palm, a red rose materialized in his hand. He went to the bed and placed the rose on the side table.
"We're going to see each other soon my love, wait for me," he whispered and planted a kiss on her forehead. A few minutes later, the mysterious guy turned into a cloud of smoke and disappeared from the room.
At 2:00 am, another mysterious being appeared in Laura's room, this time it's no other than Graven. He can't sleep in his room thinking about Laura, and now he's here...just to see a glimpse of her face.
Then he noticed the red rose on the side table!
D-did the spirit of his twin brother visited Laura again tonight?
Where is he?
He roamed his eyes around the room, he can't detect his spirit. Maybe he already left. Since Luke's body is still recuperating in the cave, his spirit can't stay longer outside, 'coz the more he stays outside, the more his resurrection will be delayed because he needs to conserve all his power and energy for his body to recuperate faster.
If he came a bit earlier they might have a chance to meet inside Laura's room.
He wore a grim look on his face. He felt guilty but he can't stop himself from seeking Laura
He breathed deeply. A turbulent emotion clouded his face.
He stayed in the room for a few minutes - getting drunk with Laura's image.
After getting his fill, he disappeared from the room in seconds.
~
The following day.
After breakfast, Laura and Rebecca spent their morning in the mini-park at the back of the mansion.
The women were enjoying the swing...
Rebecca noticed that Laura's gaze was fixed on Graven's house. "Are you waiting for Graven to exit the house?"
Laura sighed and nodded her head. "Yeah..."
"OMG! You're whipped!" Rebecca exclaimed. "You're now completely bewitched by Graven's charm!" she added.
Laura bit her lip.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you - but Graven and Horace left the mansion early," Rebecca said.
"Ah, okay. Thanks for informing me," Laura replied. Graven was already starting to distance himself away from her. Even though she already knew that it would come to this stage, still, her heart was hoping that she will see his face once in a while.
Maybe this is for the best... Graven's intention of avoiding her is better for the three of them.
She looked at Rebecca. "Please...tell me about the place that you intend to hide me. I want to know about it," she said.
"Don't worry. The place is safe and secure... Graven and Horace...even Luke hasn't set foot in that forest. I'm the only one who knows its location. It's situated outside the town. It's my friend's place," answered Rebecca.
"Ah, okay," she mumbled. "Are there many people living there?"
Rebecca shook her head. "Not really. My friend is the only one who lives there," Rebecca responded.
"Is your friend a male or female?" she asked.
"She's an old woman, a grandmother. Her name is Menedelia. Don't worry, she has a gentle soul. She will take care of you," Rebecca assured her.
"Ah, okay... nice to know that..." she said feeling relieved.
If she will hide from the two brothers, would they look after her? What she's going to do with the rest of her life? Live in that mountain with the old woman until she grows old? Or she will return to her house in Hallowpass and just wait for the vampire son to come for her? She can also migrate to another town and live a new life.
She has many choices...
'That is why no need to panic,' she told herself.
The two women stayed in the mini-park until 10:00 in the morning and went back to the house afterward.
~
Meanwhile...
One thousand miles away, something terrifying is occurring in a small village located outside South Pond Town.
Multitudes of blood-thirsty bats descended on the village and attacked everyone... man, woman, old, young... no one is spared.
The bats entered houses and drank their victim's blood until they die.
The bats have red eyes and sharp fangs, they're the size of a human palm, small but deadly.
Two hours later.
All the villagers died - no one survives - except for the birds, crows, and ravens gathering at the top of the branches of the three watching the whole carnage happening below them.
One of the black crows left the group and fly nonstop towards South Pond Town.
Hours went by.
The black crow finally reached its destination and landed on the table outside a wooden hut, located a few miles away from the South Pond Town.
The black crow produces a high-pitched sound.
Two men emerged from the door of the hut. They happened to be Graven and Horace.
The crow is a messenger bird sent to spy on different places outside the town, it flew and landed on Graven's shoulder.
Graven hold the crow in his left hand, and placed his right hand on the bird's head, the crow went still like a statue.
Graven closed his eyes and entered the bird's consciousness, accessing its eye view.
What he saw in the village startled him. A large number of bats descended the sleepy village and killed everyone... no one survives.
He opened his eyes abruptly and looked at Horace. "Gather everyone here at once. We have an emergency crisis at hand! I'll go to the Mayor's office and informed him to ring the bell, signaling that all the residents in the town need to hide in their basements and houses, no windows must be open because a horrifying invasion is coming to town at any given day. Tell our men to go to the nearest towns and villages nearby and informed their leaders of the invasion of the deadly vampire bats! This is a serious warning that needs to be spread to all neighboring areas at once! " he barked his order.
"Yes, My Lord!" Horace said and vanished into thin air.
Graven disappeared from the place as well.
He reappeared inside the Mayor's study room. "Mayor, good afternoon!" he greeted the leader of the town.
"Graven...why you suddenly come here? Is there an emergency?" he asked.
"Yes Mayor, we have an emergency! Watch this..." Graven said.
He waved his right hand at the wall. Slowly the terrifying scene in the village began to appear on the wall.
The Mayor's face registered shock and fear after watching the carnage...people were running everywhere in panic and fright, screaming for help, in the end, no one survives the unexpected tragedy. "What the hell is going on?" Fear was leaping from his eyes as concern for his family, relatives, and the whole town's safety hangs heavily on his shoulder.
"Mayor, what we saw right now is a large number of vampire bats attacking the whole village. We need to alert the people just in case the bats will head to our town any moment from now!" he said urgently.
The Mayor stood up. "Okay, I will instruct my men to ring the four big bells to alert everyone of the incoming danger," he said.
"Okay, Mayor. I'll take my leave now," Graven said.
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