Not what it seems

"Damn it"

Melinda swore loudly as she failed once again. Every time she tried to form her Cosmic Armament, something seemed intent on stopping her progress. It was one of the reasons she had decided to 'take a walk' earlier and it had been heaven sent that Gregory was there for her to relieve some of her frustration.

Her eyes were shut tightly in a bid for absolute concentration and a refusal to be put down. She would form her armament.

She began the process once again.

Absorbed Cosmic Energy for the steady strengthening of her Cosmic Pearl while also diverting the right amount for the creation of her armament.

Things were going fairly well until it once again began to feel unstable and just like always, the Armament imploded. Gritting her teeth in frustration, Melinda began the process again before her eyes brightened as an idea formed in her mind.

She began the process once again but when it again showed signs of becoming unstable, she stopped diverting her attention and the Cosmic Energy she was absorbing and instead focused all of it into her armament.

Just as she had hoped, the creation became stable. Melinda however still frowned slightly. The fact that she had to do things differently either meant her cultivation Technique was incorrect or something or more accurately someone was screwing with her...

In her minds eye, she was no longer in the room, she was in a large courtyard instead.

She was not alone, there were three others there. One of them was a middle aged man with dark hair and light golden eyes. His face was kind and his smile was mild as he addressed the two children before him and yet Melinda clenched her fist tightly and her eyes flashed.

One of the children the man was addressing was a boy of about Twelve years with brown hair and light gold eyes, and once again Melinda's eyes flashed, the boy was her cousin, who still looked cute and innocent but would grow up and attempt to have his way with her.

Moving on, Melinda looked at the only one on the scene that made her smile, A young girl of about Eight years with the man's same shade of Dark hair, she also had the light gold eyes that were common among those with the Dane Bloodline, the girl's hair touched her hips and her eyes were large and limpid with child like curiosity. She was a young Melinda.

"Now Melinda, what do you say to to him?" The man asked with a smile and a head gesture towards the boy

Young melinda smiled widely "Thank you Cirk"

"Don't mention it" Cirk smiled before dashing away with Melinda running after him and both laughed in the joy of their innocence.

Melinda smiled in the memory of the good old days, but the fact that she was here, experiencing her memory in this fashion only made her more confident that someone was screwing with her and she was far from happy about it.

The man watched the two run around the courtyard and play before he turned towards the adult Melinda with a smile.

"I should have known it was you, what the hell are you doing in my head?" Melinda frowned

The man raised her brows "Is that anyway to speak to your father"

"Screw you!Have you been watching the whole time, You pervert" Melinda spat

"I am offended. I only just formed, so I have no idea of whatever activities that could make me a pervert"

"I don't believe you" Melinda snorted

"Melinda, I am only an imprint of your father placed in your mind to form should the suppression on your bloodline begin to lessen"

"So you decided to hide inside my memories"

"It was the safest spot. Also, I like your memories from when you were young and so full of life" the imprint pointed towards young melinda "She would never destroy her cousin's family jewels"

"Let me guess, you are going to reinforce the suppression" Melinda said with a slight smile

"Clever girl" The imprint said with a smile that was so like that of her father (Emotion and all) that she just had to do something

"Umm 'Daddy'?"

"Yes dearest" The imprint smiled widely

Bam!

"Get out of my head!" Melinda said as she landed a solid punch right into the imprint's face

"Ahhhrgg" the imprint doubled over but when it straightened up, it was stretching his seemingly aching muscles with a light smile

"Nice try sweetie, but Don't bother, you can't destroy an imprint with brute strength"

Melinda narrowed her eyes before her lips curved into a wide smile

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

...

'Hal, if you lift the suppression, you will die'

For a short while Hal did not know how to respond and then...

'Like...just die'

'Well it's more of a result of a backlash but yes, in essence you will...just die'

'Care to explain better?'

'Well, from what I can sense, her bloodline repels you, almost as though you are both exact opposite, which does not make sense because for one, your bloodline is divine while hers is unique. the difference in status should protect you but I can still sense that any attempt to be directly involved in lifting the suppression will cause a backlash that will cause your death' Grimiore said in a slow calming tone of voice

Another brief silence...

'What happens to Melinda if there is a backlash?' Hal asked

'She might suffer the same. The most I can gather from all this is that her bloodline is not exactly what is seems.

'You don't have to worry though, even without your help, the suppression is lessening and at some point she will be able to free it herself'

Did that make Hal feel better? A little. Since he came to this world, he had felt guilt only once and it was because of his unintentional pheromone attack.

In fact, he felt that the reason he had a hard time with it was because it had not been his decision. His bloodline had taken the choice out of his hands.

Hal sighed and stood up, he then turned {Invisible} and left the mansion. The invisibility was not for the residents but for those Hal was very sure were watching him from the shadows.

He had made that mistake when he went to pleasure inn. He only turned {Invisible} when he was inside the inn and then snuck up on The masked lady, he was sure that was how Gregory had been able to find him, not that Hal was complaining, The little slip up had earned him a much needed way into the Edgar family.

Hal made his way steadily towards the mansion that had become the hideout of his marked and Contracted men. He was in no hurry whatsover and only undid his invisibility.

"Master" They all bowed as soon as he became visible, there was no question as to how he could appear suddenly right into the center of the hall they were all presently congregated, they expected such impossible things from him.

"Rise" Hal said as he walked past them towards an inner hall. Those that were gathered in that hall were the men and women who had worked in the Holger estate, those who Hal had marked.

They still kept up slowly spreading a rumor of a coup. A 'rumor' Hal now knew to be fact.

Anyway, Hal went deeper to the forty he had contracted and turned into semi-fiends. Contrary to the marked men, Hal had tasked the forty of them with cultivation and they had been doing just that in the last three days.

Of course, the absence of a time warping array did not allow a spontaneous burst in cultivation (Hal did not see reason in installing a time warping array into a mansion he only planned to make a temporary residence), but at least they had now built a foundation.

Hal had redeemed unranked battle type cultivation techniques (aimed at strengthening through battle) for all forty of them and he had even dubbed them a name as a group. All this were born of Hal's vision for the future.

Once he arrived in the room they all stopped cultivating to bow to him and he told them to rise.

"Master, do we finally get to do something" one of the females asked with eyes filled with a quiet bloodlust

"Karmen, you say that as though I've neglected you for months" Hal said with a smile

"Master, it's been three days, I've been dying to get some action, we all have" Karmen said with a perfect balance of respect and impatience

"Okay then, I have something for you to do" Hal announced and they all moved closer.

"You will divide yourselves into two groups and then infiltrate the Payne and Krast Estates. You can go in as servants or guards but not as sex slaves. In respect to that, I would prefer no female infiltrates the Krast Estate"

Hal looked at them closely "Disappointed?" He asked with narrowed eyes

"Absolutely not" There was newfound purpose in their eyes

"Master, May I infiltrate the Krast Estate?" Karmen asked quietly

Hal turned to look at her, his piercing blue eyes looked like they were staring into her soul which, now that she thought about it, he might actually be doing.

"Okay, go ahead" Hal told her

Having access to her mind, he knew why she wanted to infiltrate the Krast Estate and he had confidence that as a semi-fiend she would be fine and if there was any issue out of her control he could still help her.

Karmen's eyes brightened. Finally, she would get to prove her worth

"Well ladies and gentleman, I want regular updates on the going ons at your stations and from this moment on you are my Blood Knights"