Chapter 135: 135 Toxic or no

Taking her out of the bath first, Leonard covered her in the white towel which he had picked from the stand, wrapping it around her, he picked her up in his arms. Once they reached near to the bed, he let her down slow and carefully.

All that time Vivian couldn't stop staring at him, her heart thrumming, her cheeks feeling filled with a smile that she tried not to bring on her lips. The kiss he gave her in the bath was different than any other she had received until now. It was as if he had kissed her to reassure his feelings for her. When she had mentioned about Eleanor's feelings for him, she wondered if he had sensed her insecurity which she herself didn't notice. The kiss was so sweet that if she were standing her legs would have given up on her.

Taking another towel from one of the cupboards, he wiped her wet hair which dripped out water continuously. Taking both the ends he rubbed it, using his hands as he moved it round and round until he came to the ends, rubbing it together with both his hands.

Leonard was a straight man, at least when compared to the whole lot population of the pureblooded vampires. In his eyes, there was no one but Vivian and to think that, her heart felt full. When he placed her naked self on the soft bed, she had come to see the bandage which he removed to see the gash of wound that had taken place on the side of her calf muscles. It wasn't just the gash that took her attention from the man who stood near her but the way the wound was stitched. To think that he was the one who had done it, Vivian was in awe at his handwork where the torn skin must have been intricately sewed together.

If she weren't here for whatever reason that had turned her from a pureblooded vampire to a human then she wouldn't be here with him. Though they might have crossed each other's path it wouldn't have been the same.

And who knows, thought Vivian to herself, she might have harbored feelings like Lady Eleanor but the kind that wouldn't have been harmful. For a stranger outside, Leonard would be seen as an aloof man, a man who showed no emotions and was a dull handsome with his keen sharp red eyes. He wasn't like that with everyone, no with the people who he was closed to who could see his warm nature. A man who valued his family more than anything, a man of his own beliefs. And Eleanor had come to taste that kindness and care when she was young, depending on it that now she failed to see that they had grown and so did his feelings which weren't for her.

Instead of being lenient, he pushed her leg further away and she had to turn her head, not meeting his eyes as his hand moved down from the back of her leg which started from her ankle to the bottom where she almost leaned back on the bed. Her breath hitched in her throat when his hand moved close to her core but he did nothing but dab it.

Vivian felt embarrassed, not because of what he was doing but for what she felt. Now that he had touched her she couldn't stop thinking the pleasure that her body felt and tingled at his touch. When her body began to shudder, her breath getting deeper and shallower, Leonard came to wipe her breasts, the tips of it looked dark and alluring, seeking his attention and he gave them a gentle squeeze to hear the sudden intake of her breath.

"How naughty," he whispered next to her ear and her eyes snapped opened to look at him where his pupil had dilated, his voice huskier than ever before, "I am helping you and here you are thinking naughty things," he bit her ear lobe which enhanced her sensitivity.

"I am not!" she protested to see a small grin that made way to his lips, it was a smile between grin and smirk which made her heart skip a beat.

"No?" he asked her as if he were clueless now, "Shall we see how naughty you are?" she gulped hearing this.

His hand slid between her thighs, his finger brushing against the wet lips which she jerked behind.

"Don't," she whispered. He raised his brow at her.

"Why not? Don't you remember how good you felt last time?" it wasn't that she didn't remember how she felt, her body along with her soul had soared out of the bed but she hadn't forgotten how adamant he had been in his 'punishment'. She doubted she had that energy right now, "Okay," he said to her relief. Placing a kiss on her cheek he wiped it clean with the towel before helping her into the dress which he decided to pick himself from the cupboard without going to the bathroom to get what she had previously decided to wear.

Not bothering with setting up the table, Leonard fed her on the bed. The housekeeper who had gotten used to the lovers of the mansion, stood behind Leonard as she was fed.

After the meal, Leonard helped her back in the bed where he leaned against the headboard. Seeing that she was well fed and in peace, he decided to ask her, "What did you see in the memories?"

Frankly, he wasn't interested in it. He didn't care if his second cousin held any sort of feelings for him or not. The only woman he wanted to gain affections from was in the room right now and he cared less of other people.

"You said you would dance with her in Winter's ball."

"Did I?" he frowned trying to remember the incident which he couldn't remember. People remembered only the things that were important to them, not the ones that weren't important and clearly Eleanor wasn't important to him.

"I think it was before you met me so it was a long time ago. Then it shifted to the day you were sent away from her."

"What was it about?" he asked.

Vivian weighed on what and how exactly to tell him what she saw and understood. Taking a deep breath she told him what she saw without leaving a single detail out. She tried to make sure she didn't turn it bias and make Eleanor seem like a villain but it portrayed her just as she was in reality.

Leonard didn't comment on it the entire time and instead sat quietly listening to what Vivian had to say to him.
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"Sometimes I wonder, wondering if Billy wasn't brought home maybe you would have stayed as there would nothing to leverage on. Nothing to kill or lose," even after years passed by the guilt was something Vivian couldn't let go of, to think if it weren't for her tears Leonard would never have gone at Christopher.

"If Eleanor didn't instigate Christopher a lot of things could have been solved. I wouldn't have had to leave this mansion nor you here," he consoled her not wanting her to take up the blame as there was nothing she could have done, "If she didn't exist, maybe the course of life would have taken another turn. What else did you see, Vivi?"

"That was all," she answered. There was a part of her who didn't understand if she was sad or if she was glad to not have a look further into her memories. As if remembering something, she suddenly said, "The man I met in the council who I looked into, he is an acquaintance of Eleanor."

"What's his name?"

"Jamien Long."

Leonard then said, "Get some rest, Vivi. You don't have to worry about anything," he kissed her forehead.

Unsure if he was going to go back to his room, she asked him, "Will you stay here?" He lifted the covers and got inside it with her, lying on the bed with her. Leonard waited for her to fall asleep where she fell asleep instantly after fifteen minutes of him getting into the bed with her. Moving his hand away, he got out of the bed, tucking Vivian before adding two logs of wood in the fireplace to keep the girl warm who slept on the bed.

Shutting the door close behind him, he stepped down the stairs to meet the housekeeper who as if knowing the arrival of his master had taken a stand near the end of the stairs.

"Did the coachman see her home?"

"Yes, master. Just as you ordered," Jan, the housekeeper replied bowing his head who had done his job meticulously.

On Leonard's order, he had sent one of the mansion guards to make sure that Lady Eleanor reached home, though she had her own coachman and guard. The housekeeper wasn't a blind man not to know what was happening in and around the mansion.

Since he had met the second cousin of Duke Carmichael, he knew she was trouble but he was only a servant here whose opinions were to be kept to himself unless asked for.

Working for the council in the criminal information department for a few months, he had learnt to pick the behaviours of men and women and the lady who had only left the mansion didn't appear one with good intentions.

He had never met the lady before but he had been reluctant in sending the human girl not once but twice with the vampiress. There was something about the way she spoke that made him wary about Lady Henz. When his master had arrived back home to only go and come back with the human girl, he hadn't expected to see blood on her and on his shirt which wasn't there when he left the mansion. Without a question, he had followed the Duke's orders in getting the first aid that was required to clean the wound.

Jan being aware of Leonard's anger which he had previously seen and heard before working for him as he used to work at the Rune's mansion, he knew not to ask a question or stay around when the lady was being aided. The reason the guard was sent along with Lady Eleanor wasn't that he was concerned about her well being as the lady might have taken it to be but it was so that she didn't hover over the mansion.

"Good," the Duke answered and asking him, "Get me a glass of the Willow with the rabbit blood."

Leonard hadn't shown it in front of Vivian but internally he was furious. Furious over Eleanor's action to what she had done. He had not once shown his interest in her, not when they were young and not now either.

Vivian might have thought about it as a mishap but he doubted it was. If she had been cunning enough to the point to use her own brother to do her work out of mere jealousy when she was young, Leo doubted the little girl had changed. It was only a matter of time before she would try something more as she already doubted Vivian's closeness to Leonard. Surely, she didn't remember that Vivian was the same person as in Eleanor's memories, the girl was a maid and not someone who came from a high-end family.

It was only a matter of a few days before Vivian's relationship with him would be out in the open, for him to claim in front of everyone. A few days more before the second exam took place but what Leo didn't know was that life didn't go how one expected it to go in.

The woman he loved wasn't the kind to hold things in her heart. She had always been open for him to read, wanting to be read by him as she went on to tell what she did when she was young. And though she didn't say it, he had seen the uncertainty and worry that had lingered in her in the depths of her eyes at the thought of Eleanor loving him. No matter how good a person's heart was jealousy was an emotion which couldn't be evaded. A simple kiss of reassurance had faded away all the darkness away from her.

When the housekeeper returned back with the glass of wine which looked thick as it had been mixed with the rabbit's blood which was killed five minutes ago after Leo's request, Leonard asked casually with his back rested in the chair of his study room, "Have you ever loved anyone, Jan?"

The housekeeper who stood a little behind him with both his hands holding together in the front looked surprised at his master's question, "Me, master?"

"I don't see anyone else here," Leo took a sip, his tongue feeling the fine liquid in his mouth, "You have lived for a fair amount of years.

"No, master. I didn't get to experience that kind of emotion yet. I have heard it is painful," a chuckle escaped from Leo's lips hearing what his housekeeper had to say about it.

"Surely it is a bittersweet feeling," he commented, completing the entire drink in one go that caught the housekeeper's attention, "Sweet and addicting, yet so toxic at the same time which will corrode to the depths of your heart."

"Are you speaking about Lady Eleanor? Pardon me," the housekeeper bowed his head in apology for asking something he shouldn't have.

"I wonder if I am," answered Leo, reminiscing the after taste of the blood wine he had taken in. Love took different forms, converting itself in time from good to bad or bad to good, he thought to himself while staring into nothingness.

If Eleanor loved him, it was time he confronted about it to clear the matter so that he could still keep the relationship they had of second cousins. That was if she would make the decision to step back and not interfere with what Vivian and he shared.

Leonard was a kind man but one's kindness could only be stretched so far before he would hand over the invitation of death if she did something to Vivian.

That was the kind of love and affection he had for Vivian. Though Vivian had been late in catching up with her feelings, he had spent years before in holding on and hiding his love for her watching her grow up in his eyes.

Leonard loved Vivian to his heart's content, his love full that it overflowed at times. With important members of the family gone, she was the only one who mattered to him that his focus was solely on her. Like today's incident that took place, he expected her to be home to have her around but the thought of her not where he was tickled his mind. Enough that got him starting the carriage to head to Lady Shirley's home.

He wouldn't voice it out loud but he didn't like men being anywhere close to her physically or mentally. He showered her with love, taking care of her subtly without her knowledge so that if one day if it ever arrived that she decided to leave his side, it would be unbearable to live without him. He monopolized her time and feelings; somewhere in his mind he knew it was wrong yet he told himself with the reason of him not doing it as he had allowed her to take part in the council which would be with him.

Love was toxic, but if taken right, the toxicity would never be known not felt making the other drown in it for to never come back again.

Leonard stood up from his seat, taking the coat which hung on the nearby stand, "I will be going out for some time. Look after her until I return," with that he left the mansion.

Instead of using the carriage, Leonard had taken his white horse Rosie along with him. Riding it in the cold wind of Bonelake, galloping of the hooves which touched the ground under the starless night. Coming upon the dark rusted gates where one of the gates was open wide, he pulled the reins of the horse and got down from it to tie it to the open side of the gate.

He stood looking at the hundreds of gravestones as he stood in front of the cemetery. Walking inside towards his parents grave with only crickets being his companions as they chirped in and around the graveyard. His footsteps were light on the ground, leaves that had dried and pushed by the wind crumpled and crunched under his shoes as he made way to his parent's gravestones.

He came to stand in front of the stones his parents, Giles and Renae Carmichael's names written on them. Unlike the first few days when they had been murdered, the number of times he visited had come down. The thought of them not existing which had come to sink in his mind.

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Once he had finished spending a good amount of time there, he moved on to his cousin's tombstone. Julliard Easton.

From a very young age, Julliard and Leonard had been inseparable. They had spent time a lot of time creating unknown mischief from the point of stealing alcohol bottles from the cellar to taking a walk in the villages in the middle of the night. Before Leonard had come to realize his feelings for Vivian, it was Julliard who had pointed out the obvious emotions of his.

It was when they were at the age of fourteen or was it fifteen? wondered Leonard to himself, during the one time when all the relatives had been called to the Carmichael's mansion and so was he. He had stayed for a good three days in his own home as a guest which had annoyed him, nonetheless, he had taken the opportunity to be around and spend a good time with his family. During those days, Vivian had been extremely busy due to the number of guests that needed to be looked after and made sure they were all well. It was another reason for his annoyance.

Leonard being the only child of the Carmichael's was used to the love and attention his family showed on him, not that he asked for it but he was used to it. So was Vivian's undivided attention to him since they were young. The first day he had let it go, the second day he had tried not to speak about it as every time he met her in the corridors the girl would run away with another work.

"Vivi," he remembered calling her for her to answer.

"Master Leo," she smiled at him, "What can I help you with?" but before he could say anything, Martha had called for her from another corridor.

"Vivian, did you get sheets from outside?" as if in realization her eyes went wide and she looked in the direction where Martha's voice had come from. Looking back at Leonard whose face was contracted with unshed irritation, she said, "Excuse me," bowing her head she ran away from there. It wasn't that it happened just once, but more than four times before he had gone and dented his wall in his room with his bare fist.

He remembered Julliard asking him why he was in such a bad mood but giving the reason of it being the silly maid wasn't something he would come out and say. Regardless of him not saying it, Julliard had guessed what was up with his cousin and had suggested playfully to do something to get her attention.

This had led to Leonard pushing the frame on his wall and pouring the drink he had in his hand immediately on the floor. The same day he had found out from Paul that how Vivian was given work to clean the floor and any other mishaps that took place. As expected, Vivian had arrived with a bucket of water and a cloth. Julliard seeing this couldn't help but chuckle as he left the room for the human girl and his cousin.

"I wish you were here," spoke Leonard looking down at the graveyard, "It's just as you said...I am sorry for not visiting you soon. I was ashamed, ashamed to think that I let you down by letting Charlotte die when I had promised to look after her in your absence," the guilt was there, lingering in his mind but he had learnt to tell himself on how it wasn't his fault.

No one anticipated death least not in such fashion. The betrayal of trust had been heavy when he found out about her death while solving what had happened. Though it would take time for Vivian to join the council, Leonard had already begun his search. Searching for the man named Rory but there was no evidence of trail that was left behind.

Most of the work they had been receiving had been going to dead ends which were frustrating to a lot of the council members. With the way it looked, Leonard doubted that each of them might be connected somehow yet it looked disconnected. There was only death taking place in the four lands of the empire, mass death occurring and worrying the people about it.

"I hope to see you soon," he whispered, his eyes still staring at the gravestone and he walked back to where he had tied his horse. Owls hooted in the trees, the wind blowing as it picked up the possible leaves which hadn't been stuck to the ground.

Knowing that Vivian was soundly sleeping he made way to the Rune mansion. At his horse' arrival, the butler opened the doors taking him to the Lord who hadn't slept yet though it was late in the midnight.

"You smell of death," Lord Nicholas smiled, his eyes staring at Leonard.

"I visited the cemetery on my way here," as if in understanding the man nodded his head but said, "I wasn't talking about it. You appear angry. Are things not well in paradise?" he teased playfully.

"It's more than well, Nick."

"I thought you had a brawl. I hear it is very common amongst couple to have fights over little matters. I was only stating the information I hear," Nicholas chuckled when he received an annoyed look from Leonard, "If I might add, it feels very much similar to the time you went to visit your home a few years ago. I haven't seen you irritated since then. Care for a meal?"

"I finished dinner. Why haven't you eaten yet?" enquired Leo to hear the man hum.

As if in deep concentration, Nicholas answered, "It is lonely to eat alone in the dining room. I have to say I was used to having my meals alone but to get used to having meals with the people and again ending up alone is not a very nice feeling."

"What about your butler? You can ask him to accompany you if you're that lonely."

"I would if my butler was a beautiful young girl like Vivian," Leo glared at him to which Nicholas raised his hands in surrender, "So much of contained anger. You need to fix it before the council finds out how you dispose of that unruly anger of yours."

"I don't dispose of my anger but merely do my job. That's what they expect me to do and stop bringing Vivian into your equation of desire, Nick."

"Why not? She's a lovely lady," Leo knew that Nicholas was only poking fun at him and decided not to bother with it, "When it comes to her, you go quiet. Did you know that?" Nicholas tilted his head.

"Did you get the report for what happened?"

The smile on Nicholas' lips faded out, "I did. The ghouls are informative but not as much as you. They can only tell what they see. What did you find out? And is it me or are there a lot of bodies being dug only around Mythweald and Bonelake?"

"I noticed it too," Leo confirmed Lord Nicholas' suspicion, "The black witches are on the move. Everything is interconnected. Mass bodies of death. The potion. The Witches but who don't fit are the switchers. There might be a possibility that they are helping the witches and in turn, getting their help. Or..." Nicholas waited for Leonard to finish, "They might be witches but the higher part of the witchers just like how we have vampires and pureblooded vampires. The potion which was sent over to the test out, they found it to be herbs which rarely grow in the ends of the mountain which passes by Valeria to go to Mythweald."

"How rare?" Nicholas asked with a keen expression. Seeing Leonard raise his four fingers, he asked, "four years?"

Leonard shook his head, "Four decades. But there's another herb which they are still trying to find out and the tests are still under process."

"I see," as if something dawned, Nicholas remarked, "So that's what was burnt in there. The witches who are involved must be in quite some mood to conduct the mass murderings in the rage of revolt."

"You didn't say what's gotten you in such foul mood."

"There's a man named Jamien Long. Vivian envisioned him killing women by slitting their throats."

With a frown, Lord Nicholas asked, "Do you think he's the one who killed the villagers?"

"No. If it were so she would have seen the man kill other men not just women. Apparently, the man appeared at the exam as a farmers boy for her to meet him again today as a member of high society."

"How suspicious. Where did she meet him today?"

"My second cousin, Eleanor invited her to a tea party at a woman's house named Lady Shirley."

Lord Nicholas nodded listening to him and as a few seconds passed by, he opened his mouth to speak, his brown hair setting hinge of red at the ends from the fireplace which reflected on him, "If I didn't know the ability of Vivian by hand I would have to set an interrogation with your cousin before asking the council to look at our examinee but let's skip that part," a sweet smile formed on Nicholas' lips to have Leonard narrow his eyes.

"I didn't tell you about it so that you kill him off, Nick."

"You didn't but a man like that will only cause problems in the future and it will add more to the council's plate. Though I wouldn't mind seeing the council struggle a little more before this white knight in shining armour comes to rescue," Leonard rolled his eyes.

"Your name has come up during rare occasions amongst the time of backdoors and most of them don't speak up front. There are some who are waiting to drag your name out and I don't think I have to know them," Leonard warned Nicholas over the matter in concern. As much as Nicholas was cunning there was a side of him which only Leo had seen during rare times. Lord Nicholas was the man who didn't show his true self to people around him.

A smile formed on the Lord's face at Leonard's concerning words, "Here I thought the day would never come to hear you confess so openly that you care. No matter how much the old councillors might try to dig the past, they cannot point out their fingers with no evidence of what happens or happened. The ghouls are not the kind to show themselves to anyone. Not unless I want to."

"They appeared in front of Vivian," pointed out the blonde man.

"That was out of chance here. Your woman can be nosy, touching everything and anything that she comes across. It is good that you got her the gloves. Once she enters the council it would be hard on her if she finds a murderer in every member of the council. Though it is intriguing that she hasn't read anything from you yet. Doesn't it worry you?" asked Nicholas, his eyes holding high interest in that matter. Being one of Leo's mentor and having taken part in the job given by the council, Leonard had his fair share of kill and deaths that had taken place in his hands.

"Do you think it is because she loves and adores you to the point that her sight has turned blind to see the possible actions of yours as errors?" Lord Nicholas said in wonderment.

It wasn't that he didn't think about it before but Leo had prepared himself if that time were ever to come in the future.

"I am not talking about the time in the mansion but the day she went to apply for the council exam. One of your ghouls was there when she finished applying for the exam."

Nicholas' eyebrows scrunched together, "Hmm? I don't remember sending them over anytime around that time. The ghouls usually roam on the lands unless I have something for them to do."

"Do they have emotions?" Leonard asked him straightforwardly.

"None that I can remember of. Don't tell me one of them likes Vivian," Nicholas gave a hearty laugh, his head rolling back as he laughed but Leonard wasn't unamused by it.

"The ghoul gave a piece of its robe to her to tie the wound that formed on her hand because of the registration. Not that I mind the ghouls but it's rather strange behaviour," Leonard commented, turning over his shoulder to see the clouds that had turned heavily dark turning the sky black and inky hue when the flashes of lightning moved inside them.

"Looks like she's more special than what we concluded her to be. My own ghouls didn't offer their robe like a cloth when I was nearly stabbed to death," Nicholas' voice turned dull as if he were bummed to hear that his ghouls cared less of him and more about the human girl, "Have you taken her to Sister Isabelle yet?"

"I will be taking her in two or three days. She's hurt her leg and needs to heal," receiving a questionable look from Nicholas he explained, "She fell down from Lady Shirley' new built bridge."

"How unfortunate. I hope she recovers soon. The dainty creature is an interesting one, you need to learn to guard your treasures well Leo. Apart from stealing, there are many who might want to harm or sabotage one's possession," as if sensing something, Lord Nicholas poked question at Leo, "Have they already? My! To think you would be this popular."

Leonard didn't bother to humour the Lord of Bonelake, taking his pocket watch from the coat he wore he saw it be late, "I will take my leave before it starts pouring."

"Yes, that would be wise. Do you want to take the carriage?" Lord Nicholas asked to which Leonard refused.

"I have Rosie. Good night, Nick," he wished the man, turning around and leaving when Lord Nicholas was only wishing him a night.

"Always in a hurry to get back home to her. Precious darling of his," he smiled, walking towards the window, Lord Nicholas stared outside. Seeing Leo gallop out of the mansion like a shooting star in the dark night, he wondered himself why his ghoul would react to her in such manner. The ghouls were beings who were created out of him, from him, therefore, one of them reacting to another person with care was something to ponder on.

As if on cue, the ghouls that were lurking in the shadows appeared behind him. Sensing their presence he turned around to face them,

"Doing things on your own record, do you want me to feed you to the wolves?" he asked to hear the garbled voice coming out of one of the ghouls that stood in the right, "You...you seem to like her presence that you have been following her," more garbled voice came from the ghoul to which Nicholas stood in silence. The ghouls were created in the midst of blood and death, pain and sorrow that it lacked any kind of emotion. They only knew how to behave on his orders- to get information and kill people when needed without getting his hands dirty. That was how he had killed many people who had crossed him that people who once supported his father in the past tried to find his dirty tracks which couldn't be pointed.

"The girl seems to be prone to getting hurt. Keep a close eye on her," he instructed. The Ghoul responded with its garbled voice again, "Try not to be too attached to her, Everest," he said using the ghoul's name, "Leonard doesn't like anyone hovering over her. Also..." he trailed, "There's a man you need to find information on. Jamien Long. Find him."

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