Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 44: Caught Eavesdropping

Chapter 44: Caught Eavesdropping

When the Vampire Lord’s lips moved silently, Samantha could guess he was cursing detestably at something, but despite his effort, that wasn’t enough to hide the pain that reflected briefly on his handsome face, but before she could get a word out, and ask what the problem was, he suddenly stopped. Closing his eyes for a few seconds, he exhaled softly before standing straight and regaining his earlier composure, as if ending a silent battle.

Opening his eyes, his gaze lowered to the young woman who was still staring with her mouth agape, and she blinked spontaneously. She hadn’t been dreaming, had she? She could swear he looked like someone who was in great pain a few minutes ago, but now, he was fine??

"Are you..."

"Don’t speak." He shut her up, returning his fixed gaze to the scenery ahead. "My guardsman will hear you if you continue to speak so feminine. Don’t forget, you’re a man amongst men."

Alerting Samantha of their incoming company, the young human immediately composed herself when she heard approaching footsteps falling behind them.

Herbert, who had succeeded in locating Lord Ivan, politely bowed his head and said. "My Lord, Prince Tobias and Prince Nichole made a great success in the hunting challenge." He informed Ivan who quietly acknowledged the report. He wasn’t surprised, neither was he unimpressed.

"Sounds fair. It’ll be more deplorable to hear Tobias failed the hunt, his hands are more gifted when it comes to handling weapons." Ivan already knew his older cousins were destined for greatness. They were foolish, but when it came to duties and challenges, they threw caution to the wind like they were born to win, and that, he secretly admired.

Samantha on the other hand, was a bit disappointed at the news and pouted her lips. She also wanted to eat some meat at the feast tonight, but if Lord Ivan doesn’t find a deer before Nichole calls an end to the competition, she might not get the privilege to eat at all. If she had known Ivan would keep a low profile during the hunt, she would have asked Lucy to help her steal some meal from the kitchen.

Glancing around the forest with keen emerald eyes, hoping to spot a miracle, and like an answer to her call, Samantha’s eyes snapped wide when she spotted a whitetail deer behind the bark of a tree. Refusing to let this opportunity slip her by, she quickly tapped Ivan’s shoulder, pointing at the whitetail deer in front, whilst drawing Ivan’s attention to it.

Afraid she might slip her tongue and reveal what she shouldn’t, she looked at Herbert so he could see the deer too.

"My Lord, there’s a chance you could win. If you can catch the biggest whitetail deer, it would hold lots of benefits to you and those who serve you."

Hearing this, Samantha’s ears perked up, and she secretly glanced at Ivan who noticed her pleading gaze. She didn’t think she would be able to last in this forest without eating anything, and her only option for getting food was to convince this man to join the hunt.

"The rules of the hunting ground have always been inviting." Ivan practically said and turned away from her gaze. "But I am in no mood for hunting, unfortunately." And that was the response that shattered Samantha’s little burning hope for getting a meal tonight.

How can he....? This heartless man!

Saddened by the thought of having to go hungry all through the day, she was about to walk away and watch others hunt instead, but then, the swooshing sound of an arrow being shot straight at the whitetail deer made the sulking Samantha halt in her steps.

Bewildered, her eyes widened to see Ivan lowering his crossbow, and she looked at the whitetail deer that took to its heels the minute it got hit with the arrow.

"The arrow is poisoned." Ivan said after he noticed Samantha was about to go after the deer. "Give it some seconds."

Reluctantly retracing her steps back to Ivan’s side, Samantha’s gaze followed the running deer until it began to slow down, and with time, it stopped running and dropped to the ground, unmoving.

"Catching the biggest deer was signaled as goodluck." Herbert added as he moved past the two of them. He made it past the stream, stepping on the stones that made it easier for him to pass through without getting wet. Reaching the other side of the forest, he went to pick the whitetail deer and brought it back to Ivan’s side.

Samantha couldn’t contain her glee. Ivan’s gaze continued to watch her fight the excitement that demanded release. Unknown to him, his lips had curved to the side, forming a slight smile.

When they joined the rest, Ivan’s deer turned out to be the biggest, and Alistair wasn’t technically surprised. "You’re getting good at this. For a second, you acted like you had no interest, but you got the biggest out of everyone."

"Is it just me or does the blood of these deers smell refreshing to taste?" Tobias, who was more interested in the blood, already had his hand stretched down, wanting to reach out for one of the deers they had caught.

"Herbert, get some blood for Tobias. His taste won’t ruin the feast for everyone." Came Ivan’s orders which led to Tobias pausing mid-way.

"Yes, My Lord." And Herbert quickly left to get the extra blood drinks Ivan had brought with him.

"Oh well, I can’t be judged for being what I am." His bored gaze now fixed itself on the new subordinate who had kept his head lowered all through without speaking to anyone.

"How’s your blood servant? Will she be fine staying all by herself in the Palace?" Tobias raised the question, and Samantha, upon hearing her matter had been brought up by the strangest prince amongst the two, gulped softly.

"How surprising to hear you’re concerned."

"Talking back at me." Tobias clicked his tongue at Ivan. "I knew a regretful day like this would come, but you’re not at fault, I spoiled you too much."

"That human at the soiree was your blood servant?" Nichole, whose interest had been piqued by the quick change of topic, only casted a frown upon the face of Ivan.

"There’s a feast tonight, I say we prepare for that instead." And just like that the topic was switched again. Some of the royal subordinates who had accompanied them showed up to pick the deers from where it was laid, and Abdiel appeared from behind one of the bushy paths.

"I say everyone gets settled in their tents for now. The hunts can continue afterwards." He announced reasonably to the Princes’, and when he left to carry on with his duties, one of the Princes’ brought out a bottle of liquor from his bag, surprising everyone.

"I think I’ll enjoy today’s hunting trip more than I usually do." Alistair happily remarked at the sight of the liquor, and not just him, but the rest of the Prince looked excited to have a taste as well.

"After the feast, show up in my tent if you’re up for more entertainment." The mischievous prince named Aldrich, swung the bottle of liquor lightly, and the smile on his lips only meant there would be more surprises than having just a taste of liquor.

The look strangely frightened Samantha. When she glanced at Ivan, he carried no interest in what they planned on doing, his expression bored, and when he began walking away, the Princes’ quickly gathered around him.

"You do know this plan of ours won’t be complete if you’re not in it." Another prince hinted, but got no reaction from Ivan.

"Not interested."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Already did."

"Ivan."

"I’m going to rest."

"We’ll join you."

And they kept disturbing his peace which he was forced to tolerate. If he had his way, he would tie each and every one of them to the trees he kept seeing. Samantha was the only one left behind as she watched them go, but before she could move a step and follow them, the corner of her eyes spotted something that made her stop in her steps.

A figure hiding behind one of the many trees caught her attention, and when she moved closer to her right to see who was standing there, it turned out to be one of the Courtiers present. The man was secretly handing a small sack of gold coins to one of the subordinates in charge of looking over the meals during the feast.

"You will get the full payment after you’ve done what I’ve asked of you." She heard the Courtier whisper sternly to the male subordinate who politely nodded his head, and he hid the small sack of gold coins in the pocket of his breeches.

"Full payment?" Her eyebrows creased dubiously whilst her gaze followed the sack of gold coins that was being hidden, and it wasn’t even silver! That was too much gold coins to be paying a low rank surbodinate, and she found it quite suspicious.

What payment is he talking about?

Just as they were about to leave, Samantha averted her gaze elsewhere with immediate effect, but before she could get a chance to flee from what she guessed she wasn’t supposed to have witnessed, she heard the Courtier call out to her.

"Stop there."

Her eyes widened in alarm as she subconsciously halted in her steps. Oh no! Why didn’t she flee when she had the chance???