BLOOD AND Lightening

Chapter 25

As CARA finally collected herself to speak so were they disrupted by the loud Voice of sir EREBOS NEPHUS. Haldir’s stepfather,

“Since we have seen with our eyes and confirmed that surely Haldir is back and hearty, the people have concluded that you resume office immediately,” he said raising his cup, the quiet room filled with cheers mainly with people going in accordance to what he said, Haldir rolled his eyes after the whole thing.

It was this same man that couldn't accept that the duke position was passed to his stepson and wanted it for PAXTON his flesh and blood,

Haldir's eyes scanned the room and just as he had expected PAXTON was staring at him as their eyes met he began to approach him with a smile that was definitely forced.

“Brother,” PAXTON said with a smile as He finally noticed CARA, and as he placed a kiss on the back of her palm he noticed a beautiful damsel curling herself by the side of Haldir, she was new, and he is interested.

As he attempted to take her hand for a kiss, Haldir stopped his hand from touching Nimai and drew her closer to him as she giggled and playfully hit his chest.

“Protective of this one huh?” Paxton asked looking keenly at Nimai, she was just his type, for some reason he always wanted whatever Haldir has, his hair, his strength, his position, and of course this woman whom he appears to be protecting. CARA hated what she was seeing, he just returned and there is already another woman taking the attention she should be getting.

“What household is she from, I have never seen her before,” CARA asked with a forced smile trying to look her in the eyes, she couldn't read her mind which verified she wasn't human, and there were no physical features that showed she was a fairy, ‘Is she our kind?’ CARA's thoughts running wild.

“Where she is from is no one's business, she is my guest,” Haldir said as he lifted wobbly Nimai off her feet and carried her out with Zephyr closely following behind as half of the crowd cheered while the rest grasped in disbelief. Eros and Thanatos had to pause to understand what was happening.

Zephyr followed behind trying to take her from Haldir, “Go back to your family, I can handle her” Haldir assured Zephyr as he continued on his way to her room. She wasn't sleeping nor does she look sleepy, but rather more energetic as she wiggled her feet in the air and played with Haldir's hair, he couldn't understand why he was doing any of these, but he knows for sure he wouldn't want anybody to find out she is a witch,

“Your hair is shiny,” she said with a smile as he laid her in bed.

“Yes, it is,” he said trying to get her hands off his hair.

“You need to sleep, the Alcohol here is nothing like the ones you probably had before,” he said already having a headache from the forsaken party, she wasn't letting go of his hair, and he came closer fearing she might rip his hair off, she finally let go and went from giggling to crying, he got confused as to what to do, should he just leave her, what if she injures herself and have a swamp of vampires rushing to have a taste of her blood. He finally sat down watching her cry, her eyes haven't changed back to brown, was the bound the reason for the eye color he is yet to know why her eyes changed color. She began hitting him, this time not playfully but with her strength as she cried.

“You know the devil?” she asked, he was the devil to her, he looked at her and nodded

“He killed my mother, he killed her, he could have just killed father and left mother, she has done nothing but suffer her whole life, she died saving me from the devil” Nimai rambled as she cried bitterly holding on to her chest area, Haldir was left speechless as he watched her, he was moved to comfort her but he was the supposed devil she was talking about, she had killed her guardian and caused her pain.

“The devil is sheltering me, am supposed to loathe him, why is he being nice to me, he tripled my problems, right?” she asked him, and he nodded in accordance, she couldn't even recognize he was the problem as she poured her heart to him, as he listened realizing how bad he was, and how he still came for her because of his selfish reasons, he sure was tired of life but he doesn't plan on dying yet. He lied to her to bind each other since she possessed the power to kill him.

“What do you want me to do to the devil? Should I kill him?” Haldir asked her, as her cry turned into a giggle

“Will you do that for me?” she asked with a sweet smile tucking her hand into his

“Yes, I promised to do anything for you remember?” he asked and her face bloomed, she was behaving in ways Haldir wouldn't have ever imagined, she was in complete trust of him, throwing herself at him, he began wondering if she is like this to every other person when drunk.

“You did? You can't kill the devil can you?” she asked still giggling as if there are voices in her head cracking unbelievable jokes

“Do you think I can't?” Haldir asked as his face suddenly cracked a smile while looking at her.

“The devil is unbelievably strong” she emphasized with hand gestures, “Come close,” she said motioning him to come closer, he leaned in to hear what she had to say, he covered her mouth as she went ahead to whisper into his ears.

“He is a vampire!! A bloodsucker!” she shouted after acting like she was about to whisper...

Nimai finally got tired of talking and talking, both relevant and irrelevant, and fell asleep holding on to Haldir's arm and leaning on his shoulders, he quietly laid her down and left her room to come face to face with Thanatos and Star standing by the door, Star stood with a smile almost giggling while Thanatos's face was stoned.

“Hope everybody is gone?” Haldir asked

“Almost, there are some who refused to go until they see you privately” Thanatos reported while following Haldir behind as Star went into Nimai's room.

“I suppose CARA is one of them,” Haldir said entering the throne room, his family was still waiting, a few officials and CARA and her household.

“Haldir” CARA called out immediately on seeing him, he looked at her and faked a smile before going over to his family.

“Son” Aphrodite, Erebos's wife called out, she was named after the goddess for her beauty, Haldir embraced her kissing her both cheeks

“Didn't know you came, mother” he said with a smile, she is like a mother to him, Haldir knows nothing about his existence but only that he has the same last name as the household of Nephus, the royals.

“You Don't Know how much I missed you,” she said returning the kisses with tears in her eyes,

“Did you grow more handsome?” she said embracing him again. Haldir finally turned to the man he once called father.

“Greetings,” he only said with a neutral face, while the older nodded, “you will begin office immediately, the struggle for the hierarchy is growing out of hand, only an ordained ruler can pass out the law and people will listen, the council has decided” Erebos went straight to the point, Haldir swallowed his resentment for him and only nodded his head hoping that everybody finally leaves so he can have his peace.

“Have you seen CARA, she is still unmarried” Aphrodite asked with a smile

“Good for her right?” Haldir asked trying to avoid whatever his mother was trying to say while Paxton chuckled at his answer, CARA came over and greeted the family, her family also came over, and they exchanged pleasantries. Haldir stood by his mother's side with a bored expression watching them while Paxton enjoyed every bit of it, the annoyed look on his half-brother's face somehow gladens his heart, he noticed the hard glare from his father and averted his gaze, Paxton has always been the unserious one who would laugh at official matters which doesn't sit right with the previous duke, his father Erebos Nephus, who wants him to be more like Haldir.

Immediately Haldir's mother shifted from him, he was draggedto the side by CARA who really want to have a conversation with him, she hated his cold demeanor and short answers, with his obvious bored expressions.

“Why are you avoiding me?” she asked getting straight to the point

“Am not specifically ignoring you, am ignoring everybody” he answered honestly

“Even if you can’t stand others, you shouldn’t do that to me” she said

“Why? We were never close, why do I have to treat you different” he asked on purpose, so she can finally say her mind

“We are engaged remember?” she let out in frustration

“That was ages ago CARA, and you wanted it canceled, you were on the verge of engagement cancellation before I fell into slumber,” Haldir said, CARA signed inwardly

“But I didn't go through with it,” she said

“Yes I wonder why, so you use me as an excuse so you Don't get engaged to another right,” Haldir asked and answered, he knew exactly why

“I will appreciate it if you continue being you and cancel the engagement, it's worthless anyway,” he said before walking away

“It's because of her right?” she asked out of anger making Haldir stop on his track, “you didn't care about the engagement before now you also want it canceled because of her” she continued. Haldir chuckled at the level of her audacity but decided to let her wallow in her thought as he went over to escort his mother out, while CARA's family came for her.

“My home is open to you anytime mother,” he said embracing her for the last time knowing full well Erebos would hardly allow his wife to come to visit him.