Chapter Eight

"Please! Please! Don't kill me! Stay away!" the lady sobbed while trying to crawl away, a trail of blood smearing on the floor.

"What do you want from me?!" She screamed at the figure that was slowly closing up on her.

"It's nothing much really, I just want to take over your body." the figure said, playfully, but its voice came out eerie and hoarse, sending chills down the lady's body.

Tears streamed down her face as she ceased her desperate attempts to flee, her body weakened by the relentless loss of blood. Her gaze lifted to the eerie, hollow of the figure before her, and her heart raced with fear.

"Please! Plea-." Her begging was cut short as the figure swiftly twisted her neck to the back, ending her life.

"Finally."

The eerie figure disintegrated into a swirling black cloud, surging into the woman's form. After a few moments, her eyes snapped open, their once-familiar color replaced by an abyssal blackness. Slowly, she arched her head forward and rose to her feet. She turned to face the signboard at the town's border, which read "Welcome to Elysium Town," and a sly smile curled on her lips.

"My time has finally come"

***

The vampire was acting like he was the kindest and gracious benefactor, and Angel hoped that Summer's brother didn't buy his bullshit.

"Alpha, we've gotten intel from a credible source that Lucien has been hiding someone in his mansion for the past four years." Noah, his beta mind linked to him.

"Well, can you find out who his hidden guest is?" Angel's mind linked back to his beta.

"We've tried alpha, but his vampires are also clueless on who it is, Lucien is the only one that goes up to the room, and anyone that so much as steps a foot on the top floor is wasted," Noah explained, Angel smirked.

It was obvious whoever Lucien was hiding like Princess Fiona in his mansion was his trump card, since the vampire had started gaining power and wealth from four years ago.

"That's perfectly fine, Noah. You've done your part and thank you." Angel greeted me.

He felt Noah slipped away from the link, and Angel smirked. It was only left for Summer to break down the vampire's walls and make him trust her.

Lucien who was exhausted from pretending at the funeral said his final condolences to the brother of the woman he killed, alongside her son, and then he made his way to Angel.

He had been looking forward to meeting Bela, but he was trying to be respectful of the fact that he was at a funeral, and Bela wouldn't appreciate a brute who didn't know how to act respectfully.

Lucien hated being in the sight of the head alpha, but just because of his empress, he would suck it up and put on his best fakest act.

"Head Alpha, you're here. Did you also come to pay your respect to the brother of the unfortunate victims?" Lucien asked, feigning sadness.

"Of course, I heard of the tragic accident and it's so sad how two unfortunate souls just died, without any explanations," Angel replied, shaking his head pitifully.

If it was a game of lies, Lucien felt like playing… Well, Angel was also a prodigy at it.

Lucien sneered at the alpha in his mind. Of course, he won't leave any room for loopholes, if the alpha got wind that he was involved… Angel Salvino will ruin his life before he can even start reaping the harvest of his labor.

Lucien faked a smile. "Well, it was a case of gas leakage if you see the investigation by the police."

"Of course, it's just sad...that's all."

"Indeed. By the way, I think I saw the empress beside you, where did she go?" Lucien asked, curiously taking glances around the room.

"She just headed to the restroom, she'll be back in a jiffy."

"Ah! Is that so? Miss Hadrian is a very interesting woman and I wonder how you got acquainted with her."

"Well, that's a long story…"

Lucien grinned. "I have all the time to listen."

***

Summer had gone to the restroom and after finishing up her business, she heard crying outside her door. She wondered who that was and came outside to see Josie crying in front of the mirror in the restroom.

Summer cautiously walked up to her and stood beside the girl.

"Are you the girlfriend of the kid who died?" Summer asked in a nonchalant tone.

She was now Bela, Queen of Idris, and she had to act befitting to her new identity.

Josie sniffed and nodded. "I can't believe he's gone, my Damien…"

Well, Summer was also having difficulty believing that her baby boy was gone, but she was slowly coming to terms that Damien was not coming again.

This wasn't like those times that he had gone for excursions or road trips with his friends, death had taken him from the world and Damien would only be remembered in her memories. It hurt a lot to think that her son had not lived a full life and spent his last moment in pain.

"I understand how you feel, I also lost someone very close to me and I can't still come to terms with that they are no longer in my life, it's really hard to live without that person but I'm trying to do so because I have to make sure that person's death isn't in vain."

Josie sniffed and looked up at the lady, there was just something about her that was very familiar and Josie was certain she knew her, she couldn't just put a finger on it.

"All I can tell you is that a good soul will make it to the Elysian Fields, and he will be among magical creatures and beings, forgetting that pain ever existed." Summer smiled at Josie and then left the restroom.

She didn't know where all that came from, but she hoped it could comfort Josie even a little. Summer cleared her throat, composed herself, faked a smile, and walked towards the lounge to meet up with Angel.

To her surprise, Angel and Lucien were having a conversation, and she thought it was finally time to take their fake relationship one step further. Summer walked up to them and joined their discussion.

"What are you men talking about?" She asked, smiling seductively. Lucien's eyes lightened up, and he looked at her.

"Nothing much, the mayor just wanted to know how we got to be friends." Angel pointed out.

They had already gone over a fake story if asked how the two had gotten to know each other, and Summer had crammed every detail.

"Ah! Hope you didn't tell him about our escapades?" Summer asked, playfully, meanwhile, Angel chuckled. Lucien looked at them confused.

"What do you mean? Did you both…"

"Goodness gracious, No!" Angel laughed. "We only got into trouble a bunch of times with the yakuza and underground mafias."

Lucien's eyes widened. "Oh, that's-"

Before he could finish, Tristan and his girlfriend walked up to them.

"Thank you all so much for being here and helping with everything. I would appreciate it if you all could come to have dinner with us."

Summer glared at her brother, what the hell was he up to right now? Summer was about to decline, but Lucien beat her in speaking.

Lucien smiled at Tristan. "Of course, I would love to come. I'm a little famished after everything."

Summer gritted her teeth, she wanted Lucien far away from her brother, but it seemed the universe was playing with her. She took in a deep breath and out, then smiled at Tristan.

"Of course, we would love to have dinner. Won't we, Angel?"

"Whatever you want, empress."