Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 116: Over not over

She leapt back, wrapping both hands around the last memory of her mother she owned.

Meanwhile Reubon advanced towards her with an open hand. His features had twisted, mingled with the darkness that the night cast upon him, earned him an expression that would horrify even the mightiest of demons.

"You do not get to carry the memory of someone you do not honor!" his tone was akin to a growl, "I won’t allow you to sully her name!"

"No!" she cried, moving backwards to escape his hold.

Although, despite her attempts at putting distance between them, Reubon cut it shorter much quicker than she’d managed.

But right as he’d been about to lay a hand on her, something or... Someone held him in place mere inches away from his goal which was Arabella’s neck.

Silas had come seemingly out of nowhere and clasped his own hand around Reubon’s wrist, effectively pinning him right where he stood.

"This conversation is over," he announced dryly, eyes strictly on the man.

A look of terror flashed across Reubon’s face very briefly before he regained a calm yet cold demeanor. He tugged his arm back a few times, to no avail at first. The last time was only successful because Silas had released him.

"This is a conversation between a man and his daughter. I’d appreciate it if you refrained from interfering," Reubon stared through the vampire’s eyes, unyielding.

"I am afraid the rules you live by in Lustris do not hold here," Silas started, "Neither the blood you share with her, nor your status grants you any power over her in Umbraria. It became my duty to intervene on her behalf from the day my family took her in,"

"By the great gods!" Reubon let out the shallowest, most duplicitous of chuckles, "When they said the walls have ears in Umbraria, I must admit, this isn’t exactly what I imagined," when he finished that sentence, the grin he had on vanished at once, "Tell me, do you often listen in on people’s conversations?"

Arabella stood between them shaken, focusing her efforts on reeling her tears in while regulating her breathing. With every syllable Reubon uttered, the young woman would budge a tiny bit closer towards Silas, doing so ever so subtly even she didn’t understand whether it was purposeful or if it was her own body reacting instinctively out of self-preservation.

"Well, you do currently stand under our roof. My ears will travel beyond any walls I desire," Silas did not allow Reubon’s taunting to affect him.

Seeing the very little impact his words had on Silas, Reubon’s eyes flickered towards his daughter, "Are you proud of yourself? Is it what you wanted? To see me humiliated time and time again. Do you enjoy the sound of your own flesh and blood getting talked down to in these manners?"

Without a hint of hesitation, Silas stepped in front of Arabella, completely barring her father’s way.

"Lord Reubon, I understand that my mother has offered her hospitality, but my word holds as much weight as hers. If you persist down this lane, I’ll have no remorse in sending you on your way right this second,"

"You may keep your hospitality. I’ll see myself out of here," Reubon stormed off towards the balcony door, but right before stepping through it, he stopped, turned to Arabella and declared, "This is not over,"

Those were his last words to her, his glare was etched in her mind for the next weeks to come if not months after that.

She watched his figure grow distant until it completely disappeared behind a wall and even then, the young woman remained rooted in her spot, gravity tugging at her entrails.

Her heart was first in line to sink, then her stomach went second...The tears in her eyes begged to be third.

"Are you alright?"

His breath feathered her hair, snatching a shudder out of her. The warmth he’d enveloped her in became more and more apparent as it claimed the space around her.

"Y... No," she shook her head slowly. The words had latched onto her throat, making it painful for her to speak, "I...," then nothing. Utter silence.

For a good moment, the two of them stood, staring at each other as though waiting for something to happen, for someone to take action.

But no action was taken. Neither of them made a move.

"It is over," Silas said simply.

"It isn’t," she muttered, "Lord Reubon Sterling always finds another way whenever he reaches a dead end," the feeble smile she offered had none of the brilliance hers usually gave.

"My mother has declined his proposal. That is one less mean for him to reach you,"

"What did he offer her?" she quizzed, eyes on the shining moon above.

"One of the silver mines he has dominion over in exchange for some of her influence around these parts," he followed her gaze towards the radiant sphere.

"Offering silver to a vampire is such a bold move. It is clear he did his research on Lady Persephone," frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

"There is a reason he achieved the success he has,"

"Master," she started, very sheepish looking, "If that is all, I’d like to go back to my room. May I?" one of her hands refused to release her pendant.

"You may," Silas gave her one nod.

Similarly to her father’s action before leaving, she stopped in her tracks and turned towards Silas one last time, "Thank you for standing by me,"

Her eyebrows and chin trembled more violently with every second as the salty waters in her eyes only threatened harder to spill.

She never allowed him the time to respond. Arabella scampered off, still clenching her locket with one hand and lifting the skirt of her gown in the other in order to run with more ease.

The vampire followed the rippling of her long hair until a wall came in the way. Once again, to extinguish the fire that burned in him, he dug his nails deep into his own skin until his knuckles were clear of all blood in them.