Ladies at the tea party

Surprise stares and gasps resonated in the spacious drawing room. Small whispers and murmurs filled the air as Aurelia stood there transfixed.

The awkward moment was suddenly broken by the holder of the tea party in honor of his wife who has her birthday today.

" Grand Duke Elathan, it's wonderful to have you here in my mansion," the man with beard said genuinely and approached them.

" As always Liam, you're a good friend of mine. Where's Mistress cornwell?" Louis asked about his wife.

By this time, everyone has returned to their normal talks and chit chat but Aurelia could still have some burning gaze on her.

" Ahh…she's having fun with her peers, come…" Liam Cornwell ushered the two into the group of people.

" Is she Mrs Elathan? I have never seen you hold a woman so endearingly," Liam asked.

The jealous bevy of ladies immediately kept quiet so as to hear Louis next word. They really wanted to know who was the lady that Louis held with such endearment.

Louis grinned and brought Aurelia to his front, he placed the hairpin that was about to fall off into her hair tighter this time.

" You can say that Liam, I don't mind. My cousin is tired of me being single."

Hearing such a statement from the Duke himself, they felt like killing the lady beside him. In fact, they could call her Mrs Elathan!

Aurelia remained quiet as she felt the burning tension in the air. Louis was just trying to make her life difficult by spouting such things.

" Why did you say that? I'm not a vampire like these ladies, they might hunt me with their hungry stares."

" Are you afraid?" He asked, looking straight into her eyes. " Don't be because I'm here to protect you."

Her heartbeat accelerated on hearing what he had said. She is afraid of these bloodsuckers but his words were enough to calm her down. " I'm not Mrs Elathan," she fumbled with her shawl.

" Who said you were?" He asked with a wicked glint in his eyes as he gazed at her ardently.

Aurelia opened her mouth to retort but she didn't know what to say. He said so to the noble man a few minutes ago, did he just deny it? She rolled her eyes, " nevermind."

" Go and have fun, I have people to meet." He then removed his hand from her waist. Staring at her full lips, he felt having them in his.

Louis shut his eyes and inhaled sharply, was that bunny having effects on him? He thought inwardly after Aurelia had left towards the wine cellar.

Eva, who had sneaked into the space to join her friends, grinned as she glared at Aurelia in hatred. Now, Louis won't be there to protect her.

" Can I have something to drink, not blood, nor alcohol," she asked the man who was having his back to her.

" I'm not sure. The juice that was newly brewed has been ordered by the elites." He replied and faced the person before him. His eyes brighten upon seeing the lady. Human and stunning.

" Ahh…hehe," the young man with red hair laughed before scratching the back of his neck.

" Human, right? I see, has anyone told you, you look graceful?" The young man said with infatuation burning in his eyes.

" I don't think so. I only see a pauper trying to be a phoenix by clutching onto the sleeves of wealthy men. I wonder what she offers in return." A lady who seems older than Aurelia sighs while mixing the blood tea in her hand with a teaspoon.

Aurelia was quite upset and looked to her side to see a lady. Putting on a white handless dress which hugged her body perfectly as her plump breast pushed out from the top, showing how tight the corset was.

A smug on her lips, her brown hair was neatly packed into a loose bun with many fringes on it. Her make-up dolled her face heavily and she smelled of sweet strong perfume.

" Mind brewing a little for me?" Aurelia ignored the lady and asked the boy who was eager to do it for her.

" Of course! In a sec," he said and hurried through another door in the cellar while Aurelia placed her hands on the black wooden island, waiting for the young man to arrive.

The lady took a quick glance at Aurelia, examining the girl closely. A human who seems eighteen, she thought.

According to what she heard, this human doesn't look like a servant or slave. Her skin was without blemishes, her fingernails were well groomed and trimmed without any broken ones. Her standing with confidence differentiates her from a servant.

" Are you deaf? I'm talking to you," she asked to receive silence as an answer, hurting her ego.

Aurelia then looked at the lady who was now fuming in anger. Her annoyance means nothing to Aurelia because she hasn't said a word.

" I'm sorry, were you talking to me?" She asked to infuriate the lady further.

The lady then dropped her glass of blood tea on the island before narrowing her eyes into a thin line. " Who are you and why were you with the Duke?"

" I'm in no position to answer that." Aurelia replied.

The lady was taken aback, she had expected Aurelia to cower or answer her questions but the lady was simply a hard nutshell.

" You mustn't have heard of me I suppose, I'm Eleanor Cunningham," she then outstretched her hands.

Giving her a false smile, Aurelia shook hands with her, " Aurelia."

" No last name?" Eleanor asked. The girl was definitely a stranger because all nobles in pearl town knew of the famous Cunningham daughter.

" That would be all for now." Aurelia added before turning on her heels when she sighted the young man rushing towards her with the newly brewed juice inside a jar.

" You don't mind sharing a toast with me?" The lady probed further again. It seems she was interested in knowing Aurelia and her standard of class.

In the way Aurelia was carrying herself, she might be mistaken for a high-class lady. Though she was a princess, far higher than high-class vampire society.

" I won't. I'm a human, I prefer juice." She answered for Eleanor to smile in return.

" Thank you."

*

Eva is disgruntled in pure jealousy as she watches the Cunningham daughter, Eleanor chatting with Aurelia. Even her as a noble couldn't par with Eleanor not to talk of a damn human servant.

Realizing Eleanor was trying to make friends with the human because she had seen her with the Duke, Eva felt blood on her brain. If Aurelia hadn't come with them, she would have been the one talking with Eleanor.

" Louis, I'm quite surprised you didn't introduce the lady by your side to us," a man around Louis' age asked. His dark red eyes gazed at Aurelia from a far distance.

There were about seven to ten men in Louis circle, men of nobility and power.

" Our soon to be Duchess," another man with an intimidating aura said as he paused.

" Davian, I hope that statement doesn't reach the King's ear." He wouldn't have a rest of mind if Cassius caught wind of him bringing a lady to a tea party. Not like he hasn't before but this case was different. Everyone saw how he had held onto Aurelia in a possessive manner which had never happened before.

" I see." Davian replied with a smirk and drank the blood in his glass in one go.

.

After drinking with Aurelia, Eleanor was interested in showing her around. " Come, let me introduce you to my friends. They might be interested in meeting you." She smiled and hooked her arms with Aurelia's.

Spending a few minutes with her, Aurelia felt comfortable despite the lady being a vampire. " I don't have a problem with that."

Eva felt the need to rush towards them and scream to everyone's ear that Aurelia is a servant but doing that won't only tarnish Aurelia's image but also hers.

Eleanor might be upset a little but she would incur a big shame on herself.

" How did you meet the Duke? Louis is not friendly, everyone knows that." Eleanor asked as they strolled towards the others in the crowd.

Aurelia blushed, letting Eleanor see through her. " One of his visits to my town," she framed a lie.

Right now, she needs to rely on herself, no one here knew she was a slave except Eva who thought she's a servant. Since Louis made up his mind on bringing her here, she must dance to his time.

" Lady Anna, this is my friend, Aurelia," Eleanor introduced her to a richly dressed lady with light red eyes.

" She's the one with Louis, incredible. How did you two become friends without me knowing," she blinked and touched Aurelia's face.

" Light make-up? You must be a noble right?" She asked and hooked her hand around Aurelia's while Eleanor was holding the other.

Lady Anna is a cosmetics expert, feeling Aurelia's smooth skin under her finger with light make-up, she suggested that she was noble.

Poor people won't have such smooth and supple skin, unblemished. No scar or burn.

Sensing Aurelia's nervousness, Eleanor came to her aid. " She's from the middle-class," she said and the ladies raised their eyebrows in surprise.

" Louis made such an idea? He's quite observant to pick you. Here, I thought he would hold the hand of a noble to the party." Anna scoffed.

" Lady Eva sneaked into the party after Louis. She would brag unendingly of her staying in the Duke's mansion. My ears hurt that day I went with my dad to the crest mansion." Another lady complained as they laughed in disdain.

Louis watched from where he was sitting as Aurelia blended into the crowd. She must have said something meaningful for Lady Eleanor to introduce her to the others.

While the ladies were talking about each other, a least expected person suddenly joined the conversation. It was the mistress Cornwell.

" Lady Cornwell," they bowed while Aurelia followed suit. The only person not bowing to the lady was Eleanor. A stern frown was visible on her face as she did not welcome the lady into their group.

" May I have some time with this lady? I would be quick." She said while staring at Aurelia with a smile on her red lips.

Eleanor steps forward with an expressionless face. " No." She retorted harshly.

Aurelia didn't know why but she felt the lady was quite familiar.

" Aurelia…" Louis' voice called.

The ladies fret and Mrs Cornwell narrowed her eyes in anger. Eleanor had purposely stopped her from getting Aurelia.

" Let's go back to the mansion, we're leaving Pearl Town at first light tomorrow. It's good you have a long sleep," he said and pulled her towards him.

Aurelia pouts her full lips and nods. She then took a look at the other ladies who were surprised. Did Louis just say leaving? A long sleep?

" You stay in the mansion with the Duke?" Anna asked.

" Anything wrong with that lady Anna?" He asked to see her wave her hands.

" No no,I didn't mean that. Good luck." She said and winked at Aurelia who was already flushed.

" Just give me a minute, please," Aurelia pleaded but Louis was headstrong. "We are leaving right now, Stanley told me you sleep longer in the morning so I'm not making that mistake of letting you sleep late in the night," he added and hooked his hand with hers.

Eleanor grinned as she watched Louis reprimand Aurelia, to the people looking at the couple, it was a rare sight. As for Eva, she felt useless while watching them leave.

" Grand Duke Elathan, young Miss, farewell," Liam Cornwell wished both of them.

" Mhmm." Louis responded while Aurelia waved her small hands at him.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the birthday celebrant Mistress Cornwell standing close to her husband, a displeased and angry glare towards her. One thing Aurelia saw for the shortest seconds was her purple eyes.

" Louis.. something is not right in this mansion, especially the mistress Cornwell," Aurelia notified him the moment they got into the carriage.

Louis tilted his head, " what is it?"

" I saw her eyes, they were colored." Aurelia stated as she had seen it.

" Are you sure?" Louis asked with dim eyes. He was on the verge of sleeping off.

" Very."

Louis made a mental note of what she had said.