25

Dedicated to all my wonderful readers. Mandee, storygirl and Jennifer_Goliah thanks for your support💜

***

The cat ran into the room, not bothering to wait for her.

She put the issue out of her mind thinking that perhaps she had left the door open the night before.

She went to the door quietly to see Dante on the floor with the cat.

The boy looked the same as before. Eyes red and teary, his hair was strewn all over. His face was still red but the anger had left his face.

" How did you get in here? " he asked the cat. " You need to go. If she sees you, she might have you killed. I'm sorry I can't take care of you. "

She rolled her eyes.

The cat turned its head looking at him like he was being foolish. It turned its head towards her and Dante looked up to see her standing there.

He was about to defend himself when she spoke up.

" I've decided to let you keep him. Not because I think you need a pet or deserve it, especially not after that awful display you showed here today. But because I think you need to understand what it means to be responsible. You will take care of the cat yourself. Ensure it takes its bath and ensure it does not annoy me or else this time I will have it killed. " she said clearly.

Then she narrowed her eyes on him. " And pick yourself up from the floor, that is no way for a gentleman to act. Also, clean your tears. It makes you look more ugly than you normally do. "

The cat smiled as did Dante.

Clarissa thought something was wrong with the cat. What cat smiled?

She rolled her eyes at them and walked out of the room locking the door behind her. When she turned she was shocked. She saw Leonard standing in her room with a smile on his face.

" So you let him keep the cat? " he asked cheekily.

She tried to school her expression. " he needs to learn to be responsible. "

" I see," he said, not believing her.

Something told him the ice in her heart was thawing.

" Now you came here for a reason not to chit chat. You never seem to have time for that nowadays," she said, taking a seat at the piano which sat at the far corner of her room.

" I forgot to ask you earlier how the meeting went. "

Clarissa, who had been playing some complicated chords that sounded quite beautiful and sophisticated suddenly stopped hitting a note too high. The pitch was off and disrupted the flow of music.

She remembered what had occurred just that morning. Every other thing that had taken place had put it out of her mind.

" Oh that, " she said and resumed playing but this time the notes sounded angry and the song had changed. " I have decided not to marry the vampire Lord. He is nothing but an egotistical fool who thinks he can bend me to his will. "

She heard the purring of a cat and turned towards the door. She found both the cat and Dante staring at her from the doorway. This time she was confused. She was quite sure she locked the door.

" Dante, did you open the door? " she asked him.

He shook his head. " It was already open and I followed the cat. I love your music. Please play it again. "

This was very confusing, she put the thought about the door out of her mind once again.

Perhaps she should teach him to play the piano, she thought.

She motioned him to her side and the cat followed as well, sitting next to his leg. Dante sat happily next to her and waited for instructions.

As she taught the boy, he picked up quickly and focused on playing the keys he was taught.

" What did he ask you to do? " Leonard asked, his eyes narrowed in anger since he first heard her earlier reply.

" The fool wants me to come to him and be humble. How dare he bypass our tradition and ask that I come to him? It's obvious he does not want to help us. " she said, standing to her feet and leaving Dante to his own devices on the piano.

She sat on the bed and wished she had inherited her mother's powers. Then she would have cast a spell on him. One that would cause him a lot of pain for a very long time.

She turned to check in the boy's progress and the child was playing better. He was a prodigy. But her eyes caught sight of the cat who had its eyes narrowed at her in concentration.

She ignored it, used to its weird attitude and focused her attention on the discussion between herself and Leonard.

" I know you have something on your mind," she said to him.

" He might be a fool and is judging you based on what he might have heard. We still have a chance to change his mind. Let's not give him a chance to have a reason not to help us. I suggest you agree to his demands. We do not have much time left. I don't want anything to happen to you. " he said, sounding concerned. " You deserve a better man than the king of Shadow's Kiss. But I can't always protect you and I promised your mother I would. This is the next best thing. So give him a chance. "

Clarissa understood what he was trying to say but she couldn't see past her anger. " Even if I have to learn how to fight better within the few days I have left, I will. Nothing will make me humble myself before a man with such an ego. There's nothing special about him. He is nothing but a small-minded fool and his likes should not even think of gracing my presence. "

The two windows in her room opened at the same time. Letting in a sudden harsh breeze that took them by surprise. Clarissa was quite sure she had the maids lock the windows. She went to one of the windows to lock them. Outside the night had turned dark but slightly chilly. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. What could have caused such a powerful wind to blow into her room?

Even Dante had stopped playing and looked at the window confused.

Clarissa wondered if perhaps she was starting to go crazy. She locked the window and Leonard locked the other.

" I think it's time I go to sleep," she said feeling disturbed.

Something was wrong but she couldn't put her hand on it.

She chased everyone out of her room, locked the doors and made sure the windows were locked as well.

She went to sleep fitfully but soon fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.

The door to Dante's room opened again but this time, the child was asleep. It was the cat who sat on its haunches staring at her. Then the doors to her room opened and it walked out past the sleeping guards. The doors closed back and no one heard a thing or roused from their sleep. The cat went in search of food to eat.

Author's note

Thank you so much for reading. Don't forget to vote, comment, share, rate/review, add to your libraries and reading lists. Don't forget that you can gift the book now. Thanks again💜