Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 79: Why Isn’t She Waking Up?

Chapter 79: Why Isn’t She Waking Up?

When the sky continuously darkened as night approached, the grand doors of the Palace swung open with a haunting creak, revealing the imposing figure of the vampire Lord, Ivan. His stoic countenance remained unchanged as he stepped into the opulent entrance hall, the air, once heavy with an eerie silence, only to be broken by the soft echoes of his footsteps.

The servants in charge of the entrance hall stopped what they were doing to bow at Ivan who barely took notice of their presence as he made his way through the stairs and disappearing through the labyrinthine corridor. The servants, after confirming he was out of sight, couldn’t help but share a look of amazement at his sudden return.

"He is back so early." One of the male servants whispered to a female servant who had stopped dusting the ornate shelves. "Did he perhaps forget something that was important?"

"That is unlike him." The female servant shook her head in disapproval. When they saw Claire standing at the top of the stairs, watching them chit-chat while they were meant to be doing their duties, the fear that coursed through them at that moment was so automatic, they barely knew how they separated since they were back to cleaning.

"Fools." She muttered in disgust, but then her curious gaze moved in the direction where Ivan took, her brows creasing in puzzlement as she looked back at the main door to see everyone else walk in.

"Didn’t he leave with Uncle and Tobias? Why is he the only one who returned?" Claire asked herself, but when she couldn’t get the answer, she followed in the direction where her brother had taken.

Ivan on the other hand kept climbing through stairs and taking different corridors. He had gone to the slave establishment to see things for himself as he planned, but his main purpose for leaving so early was so he could handle the slave establishment and also make it on time to Lady V’s kingdom since her Father, the King was holding a moon ceremony that he needed to attend with them as a form of courtesy, but while he stayed there, he couldn’t shake off the subtle unease that gnawed at the edge of his consciousness.

It was a feeling he had never experienced before, a strange sense of concern that kept tugging at his otherwise impassive heart. He had spent his time interacting with Ivy and her Father, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his little lamb no matter how hard he tried, as if he could sense his little lamb was not doing fine by herself.

Alistair and Tobias had agreed to cover up for him while he left the ceremony a bit earlier than he originally planned. Now that he was back in the Palace, his unease only grew instead of deteriorating.

Reaching his private chamber, the young vampire pushed open the ornate double doors, revealing a sanctuary of darkness and decadence. The flickering candle lights danced upon the wall, and everything was just as it should be except, one thing was noticeably amiss.

His crimson gaze fell upon the empty space where his little lamb usually sat waiting for him. A flicker of confusion crossed his face, and it was quickly replaced by a rare display of concern.

"Little Lamb." He called out her name, his voice resonating with an uncharacteristic urgency. The echoes of his voice lingered in the room, but there was no response.

The silence only deepened his unease.

"Where is she?" Closing the door, Ivan proceeded to search other places when he ran into Albert who appeared to be looking for him as well.

"Albert, have you seen my maid?" His voice resonated with authority as he asked, but then he noticed the way Albert’s usually composed demeanor faltered for a moment, a hint of unease flickering in his eyes as he lowered his head to reveal the truth that may cost him his life.

"I regret to admit to you My Lord, but Samantha has been.... abducted by a group of hunters. Please forgive my carelessness." His eyes squeezed shut as if anticipating a deathly strike from Lord Ivan, but when nothing of that sort happened, he cautiously glanced at Ivan who seemed confused as though he didn’t hear the statement correctly.

"I’m lost, find me here. Who exactly abducted who?" He questioned again, and Albert gulped nervously before telling him everything that he knew.

"I told the head maid not to take her to the capital, but she didn’t listen. She had escorted Lucy and the head maid to the main capital when a group of hunters was said to have ambushed their carriage midway. They assassinated the royal guards and took the servants away, My Lord." He informed, and Ivan arched a brow as though he still didn’t get it till every word finally sunk into his brain.

"Hunters?" Ivan’s crimson eyes blazed with a mix of anger and concern, his normally stoic face was contorted with emotions upon realizing the gravity of the situation. "How did you know about this?"

Albert’s voice trembled slightly as he said, "when the head maid didn’t return, a search party was sent by Herbert and we found the carriage including the bodies of our guards. One of them was able to inform the search party about what had happened, but we couldn’t save him on time."

"That human has been kidnapped?" Claire, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation from a corner, couldn’t stop herself from smiling at the news. Finally that stupid servant will be out of their hairs for good!

"Oooh I hope she’s dead." Claire silently hoped.

Meanwhile, Ivan ran his fingers through his hair and then asked. "Since when did this happen?"

"Before noon, My Lord." The butler responded, and it was the exact time the vampire Lord felt his unease.

"Those hunters..." Ivan’s voice dropped with a venomous rage as he smirked to himself. "Feigning a royalty post wasn’t enough for them. How dare they lay a hand on my little lamb!" The smirk on his lips vanished, and the murderous intent in his crimson eyes had the corridor weighing with a cold intensity as something in his eyes vehemently sparked.

It felt chilly.

"Inform the stableman to prepare my horse this instant."

"But My Lord.." Albert dared to speak out of concern, "it is not safe to leave the Palace without the guards. What if it’s a trap to lure you in?"

"Does it look like I care about their feeble attempts to challenge me?" Ivan questioned the butler who immediately apologized.

"Go, and do exactly what I’ve asked you to do."

"Of course, My Lord." The butler quickly left to do exactly what he had been told to do. Meanwhile, Ivan was more than ready to slaughter a few hunters, and what better picture could beat his spike-filled chain wrapping around their necks at once and ripping it off at the same time? He felt so inexplicably angry that he could hear his glass windows crack as though it would break if he didn’t stop.

He wanted to, but a part of him hoped his little lamb hadn’t been hurt by those people. If they touch a hair on her head he swears he’s going to murder all of them and send their heads to their families.

"Look at where your escape plan has landed you." He muttered, utterly frustrated as he grabbed his chain and stepped out of his room.

Within moments, Ivan found himself mounted against his powerful steed. Without glancing at the Palace, he urged his horse to move forward, his mind consumed with the thought of finding his little lamb as his horse galloped out of the Palace.

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Inside the tent where the three maidens were held captive, Samantha and Lucy stayed quiet as the strange hunter in a mask reclined against a chair and was silently watching them. His piercing brown eyes shifted between the two maidens, studying them with a mix of curiosity and caution. Suddenly, he leaned forward with his eyes crinkled.

"Don’t try anything foolish." Although gruff in his manner of speaking, the tone of his voice was laced with slight concern. "You won’t be harmed if you learn to behave yourself, we bring no harm to our kind unless you request for one." As he continued, the tone of his voice softened as if luring them to drop their guards, totally unfazed by the confusion in their eyes.

Samantha took a moment to assess her surroundings. She was in a dimly lit room, the air heavy with a mixture of dampness and the scent of burning woods.

"Who are you?" Samantha was the first to ask as she locked gaze with this unknown hunter. Her memories were still hazy, but she found it uncomfortable when he kept staring at her in a strange manner. "Why did you bring us here? What do you want from us?"

"Aren’t you a little too young to be kidnapping? I bet I’m older than you!" Lucy threw in her own question to avoid feeling left out, but when the young man’s brown eyes darkened momentarily, Lucy sealed her lips.

"We’re hunters." He introduced himself along with his crew. "But we don’t hunt animals. We hunt vampires, and we kill every vampire we lay hands on. Our main goal is getting rid of their race, one by one, but the both of you, you’re like the ends on a stick. You keep getting in my way, so I have to take you in since I can’t risk my identity being exposed."

"You’re..... vampire hunters?" Inquired Samantha, and when his brown eyes moved to meet her green ones, they held a strange familiarity within them. "Have I met you before?"

"There’s a chance, but I don’t mingle with workers of the Palace." Averting his gaze, he reached for his pocket, bringing out the parchment and showing it to her. "This! Why were you moving with a list of slave establishments with you? If I’m not mistaken, you had plans of eloping yourself, didn’t you?"

"How did–" Samantha’s pupils dilated when he guessed out her plan from just a simple parchment and the money she hid within herself.

"I have nothing to hold with humans, and I can let you leave if you want, but she stays." He pointed at the head maid who was yet to wake up from her unconscious state. A lot of time has passed by already yet she hasn’t woken up.

"Why... Why isn’t she waking up yet." Worried, Samantha asked the hunter who cocked his head at her.

"Did you really think I’d let her live?" His subtle question made Samantha and Lucy crease their eyebrows in confusion, but when they understood the dreadful meaning behind his question, a look of alarm graced their faces.

"What did you do to her?!!"

"She inhaled a different content." The hunter affirmed their suspicions. "And she should be dead in an hour or so!"

"No! Miss Colette!" Their worried gazes moved to the head maid who didn’t respond to their callings. They were unable to reach her since their hands and feet were still tied.