Vampire Nightlife

Lukas could make the dagger vanish, but there was the fact that even without the presence of the dagger–Drusilla could hear the conversation. It was an uneasy thing, because even if he threw the dagger too, it also returned back to him.

It meant that there was a link not only in the weapon itself, but even in his own blood.

Either way, Stacy cleared her throat and curtsied awkwardly.

"Um, greetings to you, Lady Sanguise."

"Ah, at least fine manners coming from this one," Drusilla said.

Lukas could almost imagine the older Vampire scrunching her nose and looking at him peeved.

He had been respectful initially, but it was also hard to be completely that way when there were emergencies and life-threatening situations.

Or maybe that was just him.

"Anyhow, it almost seems like the two of you are having a clandestine meeting." Drusilla said with an almost purr in her voice. "I\'ve only come to report some things that had me preoccupied for quite some time until now."

"Oh, so you weren\'t actively listening." Lukas blinked. That was something useful.

"Do you honestly think that I have much interest in your worldly affairs?" Drusilla huffed. "Please, everything does not revolve around you and the sooner you realize it, the freer you\'ll become."

"Okay…" Lukas was not entirely convinced. If he was stuck in some kind of world and imprisoned there–it made more sense that he\'d be interested in the outside world and its happenings.

And Lukas was the method through that.

"Either way, do you remember…" Drusilla paused, almost as if remembering the fact that Stacy was around. "Well, I can say it at another time."

"You don\'t have to hold back, it seems like you were excited enough to interrupt us." Lukas said.

Stacy didn\'t quite bristle at those words, but she almost wanted to cough.

If someone else had heard it, they might have gotten an entirely different thing from it.

Context was important.

"... very well, do you remember that I\'ve shared my reluctance in controlling the Dryad prior when you inquired?" Drusilla spoke it, a bit of haught in her tone. Almost as if it wasn\'t her fault.

"Yeah, you said that the blood was different–"

"Ignore all of that." Drusilla brushed away his words. "I\'ve said to you time and time again that I do not like it that you rely entirely on me. That is the problem with some of my progeny–believing that if they have me in their hand, they\'ll be invincible."

Lukas really wanted to either roll his eyes or strangle the dagger, as if that could actually do anything.

He remembered Drusilla warning him against the Dryad.

It was hard to determine what was the truth or lie, considering that she was not always truthful, but it was safe to assume that during that time–she actually panicked.

"Alright, I think I understand what you\'ve said, and that you have some good news… but I\'ve already had some assumptions to what it is," Lukas said and then concentrated again.

"Wait–"

The dagger disappeared and the voice of Drusilla vanished.

However, Lukas had a feeling that she was fuming in her world.

Lukas bit back the urge to chuckle at that, while Stacy looked uneasy again.

"You did that last time before," Stacy said. "Are you sure that you won\'t earn the wrath of… them?"

Lukas smiled a little. It meant that she cared about his well-being and that was always nice to know, but he waved a hand.

"It\'s not a master-servant relationship, that I can assure you. There\'s a reason why she was imprisoned, so there\'s more reason for her to work with me…"

"If you say so, but please do be careful." Stacy said, until another thought passed through her head.

Chaerin didn\'t know of this, right? This was a little secret between them, as far as she could tell.

"Thank you for caring… but I guess we won\'t be doing dagger throws now, huh?" Lukas scratched his head. "My bad about it–you wanted to unwind too, right?"

"Well, I\'m doing much better now." Stacy had nearly forgotten everything that happened with her brother because of Lukas and Drusilla.

"That\'s good to hear then," Lukas said.

"What about you?" Stacy asked.

Lukas paused at those words and remembered Chaerin in the hut. His expression shifted slightly, unease creeping up to his face, which he tried to diminish instantly.

"I\'m good–"

"You don\'t have to lie about feeling better if you\'re not." Stacy frowned at him. "That\'s not going to help anyone, you know?"

Lukas scratched his cheek and wearily grinned. "Hey, if I say it more than enough times–who knows if it actually makes me feel alright?"

"Is that what you do?" Stacy\'s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Come now, don\'t act like you\'ve never done something like this before," Lukas rolled his eyes and looked seriously at her. "I\'m talking with someone who\'s worked as a clerk. You\'ve probably pretended that you\'re alright even if you\'re screaming at your customers in the back of your head."

"That\'s a little different–"

"Is it?"

"Don\'t challenge me now." Stacy jabbed a finger to his chest. "I\'m doing this for your own good."

"...What if I want to?" Lukas raised a brow. He tried to act calm, but he couldn\'t help but focus on the way that Stacy\'s fingers connected to him.

It was just a small touch, and yet somehow it was electrifying.

Stacy stared at his face, an unreadable expression on her own.

She didn\'t know what to say or do.

Stacy was used to jabbing her brother in the chest to serve a point, but never quite with Lukas.

It meant that she was comfortable with him to do this much.

"You\'re not making any sense at all." Stacy sighed and retracted her own finger. She looked straight at Lukas for a while and then pursed her lips. "But you\'re free to do what you wish."

Lukas reluctantly smiled at that.

And yet what if he opened up?