The Vampire King's Possession
Chapter 97. Closure

Chapter 97: 97. Closure

Jael tried not to glare as he stared down at the dining table. Three more Lords had arrived before the first meal, he understood that they were eager but this was a little too much.

"Lady Francine, it is good to see you," Marceline said to the vampire that sat next to her.

"When was the last time we saw each other?" Lady Francine paused mid-meal. She stared blankly at nowhere in particular.

"The funeral," Lady Marceline said.

Lady Francine gasped, "That’s a while. Over a decade."

"Yes," Lady Marceline said, nodding slowly.

"You never leave your house," Lady Francine scolded.

"I do, I just try to avoid doing so. Alaric doesn’t like to be outside. It is still very difficult for him ever since the incident." She looked towards her mate and squeezed his thigh.

"Sounds like an excuse to me," Jael said before he could stop himself.

He had not even realized he was listening to the conversation until he spoke. He swore under his breath. What a lovely first meal!

Everybody froze and Lady Marceline jerked her head in his direction. "It is not!" She said sternly.

Jael shrugged, "I am glad you could leave your house for this important occasion. It must have been pretty hard for you."

Jael didn’t bother to hide the sarcasm in his voice nor did he hide the glare in his eyes. Lady Marceline faltered at his words and her shoulders fell.

"It’s our honor. We wouldn’t have missed it," she mumbled.

She returned her attention to her plate as she resumed eating. The conversation picked up as the Lords discussed other Lords and who would most likely show up next.

Jael shut out the rest of the conversation as he ate quickly. He really wished he did not have to deal with any of them until the party but he was duty-bound to appear at every meal. He was the host after all.

Jael dropped his cutlery, "I hope you are comfortable with your rooms. If you are not, don’t hesitate to tell the servant and they will attend to you. If you need anything, let them know. Thank you for making the journey here and treating this occasion as one of utmost importance. I’m sure the journey here wasn’t all that easy."

"It’s our honor."

"We wouldn’t dare miss this."

He smiled stiffly and stood to his feet. He walked away from the table to the door and the guards held it open for him. He stepped out without a backward glance and headed straight upstairs.

He went past her room but just before glancing at the door. However, there was no point seeing her and he wanted to be alone. He walked past her bedroom door and didn’t stop walking until he got in front of his study.

He didn’t have to be here but he wanted to finish up on a few things. They weren’t important and he could definitely put them off but he could use the distraction right now.

Jael barely sat down and got comfortable when he sensed her on his floor. He was certain her room was on the next floor. However, that wasn’t the only problem, she was alone.

He waited hoping she would go up to her room. She didn’t. She completely stopped walking and after a few seconds walked further in.

Jael frowned and stood up. Was she going to see Mauve again even when he explicitly told her not to? She didn’t stop in front of Mauve’s door.

Jael sat back down and his frown turned to a sneer, she was after him. He did not appreciate the interruption. He knew he would not be interested in whatever she had to say.

She stopped in front of his door and knocked. Jael didn’t respond. Hopefully, she would take the hint and go away. She didn’t, she turned the handle.

Jael swore. "You better have a good reason for coming here." He said with his gaze on his desk. "I am busy."

"I am sure you are not." She said and walked closer. She plopped on one of the chairs and crossed her legs.

"I am."

Jael raised his head as he waited to hear whatever this was all about but she didn’t say a word. Instead, her eyes scanned the study. He could see the judgment in her gaze.

"This looks drearier than I remember." She looked at the couch and pressed the armrest with a finger. "You should change these things, it feels like sitting on a log of wood."

"Lady Marceline, I am sure you are not here to talk about the sofa. If you will get on with it, I would like to return to my task. Unlike you, I don’t have the time to gallivant, giving unsolicited decor advice."

"So formal. You used to talk to me so casually before. Go on with your time, I am just here to spend some time with my nephew."

Jael’s eyes turned to slits. "Cut it out! I don’t have the patience for this."

Lady Marceline sighed, "I apologized. What more do you want from me?"

Jael’s face relaxed. "That’s my line. You offered an apology even though there was no need to. It should have eased your conscience. So why are you here?"

"If I didn’t make her come to see me, she would still be alive. I beat myself up every day but I feel a hundred times worse when you attack me like that."

"Attack you? I don’t recall doing that."

"Jael!" She called her furrowing. "You are not listening to me." She sighed. "It has been a decade, I just thought things would have changed."

"If it’s my forgiveness you want. There is nothing to forgive you for. Paler attacks were pretty rampant at the time. If they didn’t get attacked while coming back from your house, they could have been attacked another time. Still, it doesn’t completely take the blame away from you but know that I do not hold it against you." Jael paused.

"We weren’t close before my mother died. This is the longest conversation we have had in over half a century. I know you are looking for closure but you won’t find that through me."

Lady Marceline threw her head forward and laughed. "Blunt as ever and uncaring about others’ feelings. I wonder how you treat the human? I don’t think it’s good. You probably think she’s a pretty pet right?"

"Are you done here?"

"I miss you though but I miss your mother more and you’re right I was hoping for some closure. Ten years isn’t a long time. It still feels as fresh as the day it happened and I know it was selfish of me to request that at such a time and I do hope she can forgive me."

"I don’t care, really," Jael said unblinkingly.

"I know, I just wanted you to know. I hope the party goes off without a hitch. We will leave as soon as this is over, until then try to condone my presence." She smiled.

"Are you done?" He repeated.

"Pretty much, unless you want more company." She uncrossed her legs and stood to her feet. "I highly doubt that."

"Kieran is coming right? What about him? It’s been forty years since I last saw him. He isn’t back in the vampire regions, is he?"

"It is not your business, Marceline." His forehead furrowed and Jael felt a tic in his neck.

"Marceline, that’s a start." She chuckled and walked out the door. "See you during the second meal."

He had completely forgotten why he couldn’t stand her. She always took jabs at him, he didn’t need to remember this and since she knew him long enough, she knew where it would hurt.

He slammed the book and placed his head on the table. This was annoying. He wanted to break something. His parents’ death was still something he didn’t want to talk about.

A subject he avoided but even worse was his only childhood friend leaving on a wild goose chase. It has been forty years, and he has neither gotten a letter nor anything of that sort from him.

He knew he was alive though, the bastard wouldn’t die that easily. Not even palers could put a dent on him.

She knew this and she had used it to jab at him simply because she could. This was becoming exhausting for him.

Jael raised his head as he suppressed his thoughts. He had work to do, now was not the time to be let down by inconsequential things.

Jael stayed by his desk for a full hour before he decided to leave the study. He set out as he headed for his favorite place, just to listen to the running water. He needed the solace.

He would have to sit for the second meal, he needed time to brace himself before then. Else, he might make a mess of the meal himself, and considering they were likely to have more guests, it would be best if he didn’t lose it.