Journeying to Censrouls

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

Seraphine stilled, hearing the cold voice of Xavier. His hand gripped hers and wrenched it from the knob.

With his arms crossed, standing with his feet apart on a wide stance, his brows furrowed as he shot deadly glares at her.

Humiliated to be caught where she wasn't supposed to be, she was unable to form words.

"Answer me" Xavier narrowed his cold gaze at her. Her hand shook, she looked up at him to see his clenched jaw, the vein popping from his forehead due to his anger scared her even more.

Stuttering, she wiped the sweat on her neck nervously, "I was waiting for you_"

Xavier didn't allow her to finish before cutting her off, "in my room?" Snorting as he pulled her out of his bedchamber.

"No, in your study but I got tired of waiting. I was looking around the house to pass the time_"

"By snooping into my room?"

Seraphine knew she was at fault, she understood his anger, which was why she tried to rein in her anger, she wanted to yell at him for cutting her off and not allow her finish her explanation but she wasn't in the position to do that.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she continued, "to be honest, I didn't plan on entering your room or anyone else's. I only missed my way and when I opened the door which I thought was the study, only to find out it was your room"

"And you didn't think of coming out right after you realised you were in the wrong room, instead you wanted to continue your exploration, isn't it"

The sound of footsteps made Seraphine even more anxious, it would be more humiliating if another pair of ears heard about her impolite behaviour, quickly, she turned around, looking for a place to hide.

As if he read her mind, Xavier sighed and pulled her behind her, "Herbert, wait for me at the drawing room" he called before the butler would turn round the corner and see them.

Xavier observed the girl for some seconds, her trembling lips and shaky hands meant she was feeling sorry. He understood that she could've mistaken his room for his study because of their replication of doors but she ought to have left the moment she realised that was not a study but a room.

If not that he was quick to notice her heartbeat around that part of the house, she would have discovered the secret room.

He sighed, "why are you here so late by the way?" His anger had dissipated a little, he turned to her, waiting for an explanation.

Seraphine was too embarrassed to ask for the favour which brought her there, wanting to be out of there as quickly as possible, she strode down the passageway which led to the door.

Xavier stopped her movement, blocking her from leaving. Seraphine knew there was no way she would ask him to accompany her. She would be too embarrassed to journey with him after the humiliating incident. She didn't want to be reminded of it by asking him to join her.

Knowing the stubborn vampire wouldn't allow her leave until she explained her visit, "I wanted to know if you've learnt more about the Lancasters" faking a dismissive smile, "but it can wait till tomorrow"

The vampire didn't believe her for one second, he knew she wouldn't have come because of that, there was more she wasn't saying but he decided to let go.

"All right"

The two words had barely left his mouth when Seraphine dashed out of the house.

When she realised that there would be no carriage to take her home, she remanded herself mentally for poking into someone else's business, now she had to courage to go back and ask for a ride as she had earlier planned. The paths home had blended in with the dark night, taking off her spectacle to see better, she wished there was a way to get a carriage this late when everywhere had become dark and quiet.

While contemplating on going back to the Orsini Manor to beg for a ride home, she heard the clumpimg sound of a carriage as it galloped in her direction.

It stopped right in front of her and a familiar face stepped down, "Master Xavier told me to give you a ride home" Herbert helped her in.

Her heart warmed at the thoughtful vampire, despite his anger he thought of providing her a ride.

"Thank you"

************

Daniel Manchester sipped his glass of blood, swirling the content round his tongue to savour the taste and the ecstasy that overwhelmed his body. Just what he needed to lift his spirits.

Daniel stared at the half empty glass while waiting for his friends, the light tap on his shoulder made him look sideways to see Francis and Xavier entered The Pub.

"Who let in a werewolf to a vampire space?" He scoffed.

"Two more glass, please" Francis ordered.

The pub is an exclusive club for vampires, the blood at the pub is quite different from the natural blood. It's mixed with some substances which makes it equivalent to the human alcohol, fit to knock out a vampire, something a normal alcohol can't do.

"Women trouble?" Francis teased his friend, "don't answer that, it is women trouble" he emphasized.

"Why are you here? Why did you even ordered two glasses of blood? Want to feel how it taste like?"

Grinning, Francis moved one towards Xavier and the other to Daniel, "to offer you, of course. You seem to be brooding, is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I'm just feeling unsettled"

"About what?" Xavier asked, after taking a sip.

"Don't know" downing the entire content of the glass.

"I heard you went to visit a sick family friend?

Nodding, "yeah, she fell off her horse. We're glad she didn't break her neck but she sustained a massive injury"

"Hey boys, here you are" Diane singsong voice rang out. Sitting on the chair close to Francis, she looked at Xavier, "how come you're here?"

"Is there a reason why I can't be here?"

"I thought you were with Seraphine. I was just coming from The Pawn, I was told she travelled somewhere with you"

"Where?" Xavier shifted his attention fully on her, "do you know why she travelled?"

"Mr. Pawn didn't say"

"I'll be right back" he strode out.

As his carriage headed to the pawn shop, he thought of why she would need to travel. Perhaps it had something to do with why she visited him the night before.

"Where did she go?"

Xavier didn't bother to exchange pleasantries nor apologise for cutting the line as he demanded answer from the old man.

"I thought you went together. Did that foolish girl go alone?" Scoffing in annoyance.

He beckoned Xavier to the kitchenette for privacy sake, "she went to meet someone who claimed to know something about her father's death"

"Where?"

"At the city of the six souls"

"Censrouls?" Xavier's eyes widened, pissed that she had gone without a company, "alone?"

"It seems so"

Striding out of the shop, Xavier instructed his coachman, "to Censrouls"