Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 548: By surprise

The first thing that had greeted Lauden that night, aside from Silas’ hanging figure, was the pinte of blood left there in his honor.

After giving it a good sniff and a taste, the vampire concluded it was safe to ingest and so, down he gulped it to quench his thirst.

As the crimson line streamed through his inner tubes, he couldn’t help but imagine what Edna’ s blood would have tasted like.

Truly, everywhere his eyes fell on the matter, every way he came at it from, the only thing that was as clear as day was the fact that none of it stood fair.

Much like the previous night, the guard peered through the little opening etched into the metal door.

Although, the first thing the man’s eyes lay upon was neither of the vampires, but instead, the jug of blood that had been presented before Lauden’s awakening.

"What’s the matter?" the vampire’s brow rose, a smirk adorning his lips, "Checking if I ingested your poison," he half asked.

At those words, the guard’s features contorted as his face turned completely red, "How dare you? Doubting our intentions means doubting his highness himself! I will not have you-"

"Calm down," Lauden cut the boiling man off, "It was a mere joke," he chuckled, "Don’t people in Lustris know how to joke?"

In response, the guard spat on the ground before unlocking the iron door and turning around to leave.

However, contrary to the previous night, not many guards stood watch over the prisoners. Lauden eyed the few that glared him back on his path but that was essentially it. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Something in the air smelled odd though even stranger was the familiar scent clinging to the rest.

One he could never forget as for weeks on end, Lauden wished nothing but to get rid of it...

So, instead of heading for the exit of the dungeon, the vampire flashed away, ignoring the guards’ callings to track the smell towards one, specific cell.

As a vampire, Lauden had no trouble identifying the figures chained and curled up inside.

Three of them in total with the youngest being the least familiar. The oldest was recognizable enough but it was the one in the middle that caught his full attention.

"Reubon Sterling...," he practically whispered.

Hair disheveled, body bruised and battered, blood dry on the white rags they made him don, Reubon had nothing of the high distinction he once carried himself with.

"You," he half asked, his voice faltering through that single syllable, "Hell... I am not even surprised," in his condition, Reuben still managed to crack a smirk.

"I knew you were completely incompetent but by the will of the great Lord Ambrogio, what have you done to land yourself in such a position?" Lauden crouched down, his grin still alive and bright.

"Well, it seems I made a deal with the devil himself and didn’t even know it," the man spat some blood before continuing, "Your turn; why betray your own people?"

Those words got to Lauden more than he liked. His muscles tensed, locking his jaws in place, "Betrayal is such a harsh word, don’t you think?" he did his very best to push another smirk out, "I only made things right. I even managed to return your daughter to her rightful place which you struggled to do for months, so shouldn’t you be thanking me?"

Reubon paused, eyes narrowing and head tilting to the side. Although the response did not come from him but from the older man in the cell. Rubius cackled until his lungs begged for air again.

"What’s so funny, old man?" Lauden too titled his head.

But Rubius turned to his own son and gestured at Lauden with nothing but his head, "He still doesn’t know," he cackled some more.

That earned Reubon his smile back, "Well, well, well," a chuckle escaped him, "It seems you made a deal with the devil and didn’t know it either," after another giddy giggle, he added, "You’re not getting out of here alive and it serves you right, you filthy rat,"

"What don’t I know?" by then, Lauden dropped all appearances.

But his urgency only made the prisoners fold in two halves from laughter.

"You haven’t paid enough for your sins! I will be back for you. Mark my words!"

After hissing that threat, Lauden flashed away, out of the dungeons and onto the ground floor where his feet finally stopped moving.

As soon as he had made his appearance there, the servants that once walked that hallway in straight lines, swerved around him, as if an invisible force field made him repellent to all souls.

They barely glanced his way, some grumbling things that the vampire cared very little to grasp.

No, his hearing was better used differently. Seeking the prince for an explanation was a better course of action, it seemed.

However, and as he extended his ears for that familiar voice, another one, a feminine one captured his heed.

A voice that he’d never believed to ever catch under that roof.

Giving free reign to his feet once more, Lauden came face to face with none other than Allegra under her new form.

"You!" he hissed, his features twisting as his entire body fought to stop the tremors coursing it.

"You...," she hissed back, eyes widening.

Without a warning, he picked her by the collar and slammed her to the nearest wall.

The two maids that had been in her company screamed bloody murder and scattered around, shrieking for help.

But Lauden cared very little for that and only pressed harder against her throat to which she desperately clawed at to no avail.

Even in her poisoned state, she held more strength than that.

"How come? How did you get here?" he practically growled.

"You piece of excrement!" she hissed back as her face and eyes reddened.

But that wasn’t what got him by surprise...

What did was the blood that his own mouth expelled, forcing him to stumble backwards. Allegra did not hesitate and landed a kick right in his gut, dropping him to the ground.

The vampire did not attempt to stand back up as everything hit him at once... Rubius’ words... The jug of blood, the guards...

The presence of Allegra was completely eclipsed in that moment. The prince was never going to let him go back to Umbraria.

There was never any deal that stood between them... Cedric never had any intention of keeping his word, much like he didn’t keep it with Reubon.

Speaking of whom, the Sterlings had mentioned betraying his people. That was it, wasn’t it? They were going to attack Umbraria, weren’t they?

And he was nothing but a serviceable pawn.

As his insides twisted and writhed, as the air escaped his lungs little by little and as Allegra bent down to finish him, Lauden had the good sense of spilling some relevant words, knowing full well the true reasons of her presence in the castle.

"Southeast!" he breathed, "The southeastern side... Underground,"