Scarlet Rose

Chapter 14 - The Arrival

When lord Liam Edwards had said goodbye to Katherine and left her in the living room with Margareth, she stood thoughtful, eyes still focused on the corridor he had stepped onto. Katherine was very confused by this sudden visit and conversation. She liked lord Edwards, he seemed a nice man, was not too old, handsome, but most of all he was clearly enchanted by her. Katherine felt that if became his wife, not only would get everything she wants, but would also be surrounded by an enormous amount of love. Any other young lady in her place would be in seventh heaven at the mere thought, after all, what more could you want? It could always be worse, but fortunately Katherine's father cared for her a lot and was not going to marry her off to just anyone, with as much wealth as possible. It was evident that in choosing her fiance father had taken into account not only his opinion but also Katherine's taste. And she really should be happy now, thank her father for everything... So why didn't her heart beat faster?

Yes, she liked lord Edwards, but felt little joy at the thought of spending the rest of her life with him. Katherine's thoughts circled stubbornly around count Akira, and only at the thought of him did her heart come to life. She worried about his stony expression as he left her and lord Edwards in the living room, walking away with his cousin. Katherine wondered how he felt knowing that fiance visited her and they were talking in private. She felt strangely guilty for talking to a man other than count Akira. It was really strange, after all, this man was her fiance, the one to whom she had been promised before coming here. Katherine suddenly realized that she should feel guilty rather towards lord Edwards, as being engaged to him, she was thinking about another man all the time.

Besides, did she and Shiro had any future? He was a pure-blood vampire, she was a human. Katherine had read the history of vampires, so knew how such relationships end. For sure she'll have a happier life marrying lord Edwards. However, Katherine's heart tightened at the thought of spending her life with someone other than Shiro. The very image created a feeling of longing so great that it seemed almost impossible for anyone to feel something like that, even being very much in love with someone. But Katherine had no way of explaining why she felt this way, so decided to try to suppress this feeling. After all, she accepted the ring, right? And expressed no further objection to the plans to marry lord Edwards. Now, as befits a lady from a good home, she should honor her father's decision and, above all, fulfill the promise made to lord Edwards. Katherine may have agreed wordlessly, but it counted as much as a clear declaration.

- Lady O'Sullivan?- Margareth's voice snapped her out of this thoughts.

- Yes, dr Stone?- Katherine asked, her eyes blinking slightly as she turned to face the woman.

- Is everything all right? You don't look like a typical young lady who enjoys her fiance's visit.- Margareth remarked, watching her closely.

- Ah, just too much has happened in such a short time. My head is confused.- Katherine explained, which was largely true, but also quite an understatement.

- Well, it's true. I almost forgot that father and brother, my lady, recently visited you.- Margareth sighed, lowering her head a little.

- My ladies.- they both heard Wayne's voice, as always cheerful. He entered the living room, then bowed elegantly.

- Count Williams.- Margareth bowed slightly as well and beamed a little at the sight of him. No wonder, Wayne was able to put everyone in a better mood with his presence alone. Even Katherine cheered up a little.

- Maggie, what do I have to do to make you finally abandon these formalities?- Wayne asked, visibly disappointed.

- You know, count Williams... I don't think I would ever be able to call you by name, my lord.- Margareth replied with a slight smile.

- What a pity...- Wayne concluded, then turned his gaze to Katherine.- Lady O'Sullivan, how are you feeling after your fiance's visit? To my trained eye, I dare to say that lord Edwards is a very charming gentleman and you would make a lovely couple.- he said with a smile.

- Yes, lord Edwards is a very nice, handsome man... In general, he suits me in every way.- Katherine replied timidly, because she was worried that her words might sound insincere.- I'm glad that my father has found a suitable candidate, and it will be wonderful to be lord Edwards' wife... But too much has happened lately, and I'm a little confused. I can't concentrate on feeling the joy.- she explained.

- It's understandable.- Wayne nodded slightly.- You have to arrange it all in your mind, lady Katherine, and then you would be able to concentrate on your joy.- he added with a smile.

Then a maid entered the living room announcing that supper is ready to be served.

- My ladies, go to the dining room first. I'll take my cousin out of the office and follow.- Wayne turned to them both.

Margareth and Katherine nodded in agreement as they headed toward the dining room.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the following days Michael and Patrick, along with other hunters, began preparing to search the Wales area to find Antoine and get rid of him for good. Lord Liam Edwards sent letters to the clans of pure-blooded vampires, asking for help, according to the pact signed with the hunters. However, Michael asked him to not sent one to count Williams and count Akira, because he wanted them to focus on taking care of Katherine instead.

- Katherine is still in Wales area, and it is uncertain whether turned vampires will attack Williams' clan mansion, especially since count Williams and count Akira lead in the ranks of pure-blood vampires, in terms of the number of turned vampires they killed. And if it's true that Antoine was among the vampires who attacked Katherine's carriage, then if he finds out that his would-be victim is alive and where she is, he might want to attack the mansion.- Michael concluded.

- You are actually right. They'd better be focused on protecting Katherine.- Liam agreed.- Besides, we don't need that many people. More and more hunters from all over the world are applying, so even if only a few pure blooded vampires decide to move from their mansions, we will still have enough people to fight.- he added after a moment.

- It is true. Now, the most important thing is to find Antoine, after that the rest of the task will be much easier.- Michael pointed out.

Then they both got up from their chairs and left the office. Michael O'Sullivan returned to his preparations with the rest of the hunters, and Liam Edwards instructed his servant to send the letters he had written.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the next week, life at Williams' clan residence was fairly normal. Shiro spent his time mostly in his rooms or office, reading books in silence and looking for a way to free lady O'Sullivan and Margareth from the "blood curse". He avoided prolonged interactions with Katherine like fire, even holding back his glances. Wayne entertained both ladies, being the only one to stay with them from time to time.

Wayne was a bit worried about Shiro's behavior. Yes, his cousin often kept his distance, but recently, especially since Margareth and later lady Katherine showed up at the mansion, Shiro seemed to open up more and more, but now it looked as if he had moved backwards in this matter. He wondered what might be the reason for such behavior, but couldn't think of anything to consider. Wayne had a hard time reading even Shiro's aura, let alone anything else. His cousin hid his feelings not only under a stony expression on his face, but was also able to play with the structure of his aura so that nothing could be read in it. It irritated Wayne, but also made him very worried.

Katherine immediately felt the distance with which count Akira seemed to separate himself. It hurt her that he seemed to avoid not only talking, but being closer, and even looking at her. She cried at night while lying in bed, feeling that dull pain in her heart again. No matter how much Katherine wanted to force herself to think only of lord Edwards, enjoy being engaged to such a wonderful man, she couldn't. It was as if her own heart was heartlessly rejecting such an option. However, when she was with Margareth or count Williams, Katherine tried to hide her feelings under a mask of indifference, also a smile from time to time, showing that everything was fine and she was content to be engaged to lord Edwards.

Margareth watched both lady Katherine and count Akira very closely. They both behaved at least unusual, and this was of great concern to her. Something was going on, and Margareth's intuition was practically never wrong. But she wondered what exactly had happened between those two, that they seem to completely pass each other on purpose, even though they lived in the same house. Margareth thought also very hard how she could help them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Exactly after that strange week, the day before the guest's arrival, a letter was delivered to Williams' clan residence, announcing that pure-blood vampires' representatives will come to Wales, at the request of the hunters. As the Williams mansion was the only pure-blood vampire abode in the area, it was there that they decided to stay and leave their luggage, before going with the hunters to find Antoine.

From a Spanish clan, Rodriguez, arrived Esther, the leader, and some of her children: Ricardo, Juan, Maria and Rosario. From a French clan, Merieux, came the leader, Andre, and his sons: Jean, Paul and Vern, also Sophie and Eleonore, two daughters. Shiro wondered why, by some "strange" coincidence, all the single pure-blooded maidens from the clans had arrived, as he suspected that they were probably not brought in to chase the turned vampires and their leader. And he was right, because it later turned out that Maria, Rosario, Sophie and Eleonore will be staying in the Williams' clan mansion and "keep Shiro and Wayne company". Shiro was impressed with how Esther and Andre were able to use even such a serious situation to look for opportunities to marry their daughters off to him or his cousin. Of course, Vern Merieux was also a bachelor, however, as younger than Shiro and Wayne, he was not put under so much pressure to find a bride.

Wayne, on the other hand, was most interested in the fact that their cousins from Williams clan, Rosemary and India, the wives of the eldest Merieux sons, had also came to Wales. Rosemary even took her only 11-year-old son, Nicolas. He was her first and so far the only child, and in addition, she was so attached to him that could not leave Nicolas in Paris, even though he would be under the care of other members of the Merieux clan. And Wayne was really glad to see her and Nicolas, but was much more interested in the presence of India. She, married to Paul, the second son of the Merieux clan, had not yet become pregnant, which was fairly normal among female pure-blooded vampires - getting pregnant was difficult, and usually one female did not give birth to more than three children. However, it gave Wayne a naive hope that he might still be able to persuade India to leave her husband and bond with him, that's how hopelessly Wayne was in love with her. Yes, he remembered Shiro explaining to him to give up on India, after all she agreed to marry Paul Merieux, and divorce among pure-blooded vampires was almost as rare and unwelcome as relationships with humans.

His cousin, however, had no idea what Wayne was feeling, about his almost obsessive desire to be near India. When she was close, her every little gesture made his heart beat faster. Wayne dreamed of her, often thought for days, all the more when he had no other very absorbing activity. This happened even when she was in France, kilometres away from him. So now that she had come to Wales with other pure-blooded vampires, and was supposed to spend most of her time at the Williams' clan mansion, Wayne's feelings only intensified. He couldn't help but circle around India, always being nearby, like a satellite around a planet. Shiro, of course, was constantly scolding him because of this highly inappropriate behavior, but who could influence a pure-blooded vampire when he was around a loved one? Wayne felt that India was the one for him, a true mater that many pure-blooded vampires dreamed of. But then he wondered why India didn't feel the same? Or so it seemed so, because Wayne had never been able to get a specific answer to that question from her. If she didn't really feel the same connection, it would be against the principles he had heard about mates. On the other hand, if India felt the same, why pretended she wasn't? And how was she able to resist the urge to be with him? After all, if both of them were to declare to the clan elders that they are mates, no one would dare to force them to marry someone else. India, however, decided to marry Paul Merieux, breaking Wayne's heart.

The rest of the pure-blooded, mostly women and a few men to protect them, were staying in France and Spain to take care of family mansions or their children.