Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire Chapter 569: If I say you can’t, then you can’t

...

Standing at a window at the Aristide Manor Main building, Julian Du Aristide II gripped the windowsill to keep himself from falling when the tremor rocked the Manor.

Julian had watched everything that happened. He had seen the intrusive carriage drive into the grounds and watched the ensuing conversation, which ended with the entry of the four ladies.

He still held hope for a favorable end—for him—to the whole ordeal so no matter what happened, he watched.

During the explosion, even as he tried to keep his footing, he had a wide grin. Surely, an explosion that great that caused the entire Manor to tremble and struck worry into his own heart would have obliterated that upstart of a nephew of his.

But then Victoire went in, and she returned, supporting five children, one of them unmistakably Aurelius.

"There’s still hope," Julian said with gritted teeth, "He could be dead."

Even as he said it, Julian wasn’t hopeful; If Aurelius had come out of such an explosion, only sporting minor-looking injuries overall, it seemed like wishful thinking to assume he was dead.

Wheeling around, Julian turned away from the window; His estate was in chaos and whether dead or alive, his nephew owed him an explanation.

-

-

-

...

Aylin let out a groan as she woke up. She raised her hand and grabbed her head as a feeling of weariness almost overwhelmed her.

She realised she was lying in a bed, a very comfortable one, and tried to sit up only for her eyes to blur. She closed her eyes, took a breath and when she raised her eyelids, her vision had unblurred.

Aylin was staring at the ground and saw a pair of high-heeled shoes that were a deep black color and speckled with silver stars. Aylin already had a guess for whose shoes those were and so when her eyes began to move up, taking even more of the lady’s figure, her guess was confirmed.

Arlette Louvene was dressed in a black (her favorite and most often chosen color) gown that clung tightly to her shapely body. The gown had a parting on one side to allow one of her long, smooth, and creamy legs to strike out an annoyed pose. Her cleavage was enticingly visible and past that, her neck was proud, her black hair was sleek and shiny as it fell down her back, and her feline grey eyes were troubled.

"What were you thinking?" Arlette asked with pursed lips.

"We had no choice," Aylin groaned.

"You could have died," Arlette said, "All of you."

Arlette’s eyes swept the room and Aylin looked around, noticing for the first time—because Arlette had monopolized her attention—that there were other beds in the room. Occupying the beds were Kaya, Delia, Eloise, and Aurelius. All still unconscious.

"How long have you been here?" Aylin asked Arlette.

Arlette looked upset with herself now.

"I came as soon as I saw your message. I hadn’t been paying attention to my Loqui-Link. There were pressing matters I was dealing with..." she trailed off a bit and then continued,

"I was just approaching the gates, hoping to Nyx, that I wasn’t too late, when the explosion happened.

I’m sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Aylin asked, confused.

"I am responsible for you while you remain at the Capital. And for you to have been in such danger... it’s all my fault."

"Not really, no. We chose to be here," Aylin said.

"Oh, I’m not taking all the blame. No, no," Arlette folded her arms beneath her breasts,

"Even if I was lax in my care, you should have known not to do anything that could lose you your lives."

"We had to!" Aylin insisted, "If we hadn’t, Aurelius would have died.

Arlette, what we fought... Believe me, he couldn’t have defeated it on his own. We barely made it together!"

Arlette’s expression was knowing. She was well aware of Aurelius’ mission and how involved Caius was determined to be with it. After the incident at the Mid-Semester Tests, there was no way she would allow Caius to keep it to himself.

But also, Arlette knew how the matter was not for all ears.

"We’ll discuss it when we’ve left here," she said.

Aylin had just nodded in understanding when sounds of footsteps sounded as Lady Victoire swept in, followed by Lincoln who looked as haughty and self-important as ever.

"No, I think it should be discussed right now," Lady Victoire said in a gentle but firm voice.

There were groans then as the others stirred. Either Lady Victoire and Lincoln’s arrival woke them or it was simply a coincidence. Either way, they reacted similarly to how Aylin had when she first woke up, holding their heads and blinking their vision back into focus.

"Mother," Aurelius called.

Lady Victoire was already sweeping towards her son while Lincoln remained in place, his eyes assessing Arlette who ignored him and looked toward Lady Victoire alone.

"You’re well," Lady Victoire said and her voice trembled with affection for a second before she pulled herself together as she continued,

"I am glad.

And now that the ordeal has passed, I believe I am owed an explanation."

"As am I."

All eyes, except Lady Victoire’s, turned toward the doorway where a man was walking in, draped in noble apparel that showed off his status and carrying an air of dignity that at least paused any possible rushed assessment of him.

"My Lord," Lincoln bowed to the new arrival.

"Brother," Lady Victoire acknowledged him but didn’t take her eyes off Aurelius who indicated his respect for Julian II as best as he could while seated on a bed as he was.

"So," Julian II said expectantly, "Let’s hear it."

He looked from Aylin, to Kaya, to Delia, to Eloise and finally settled on Aurelius who just shrugged.

"Hear what?" Aurelius asked innocently.

"Nephew, you have destroyed Mason’s Haven..."

"That wasn’t me," Aurelius cut in instantly.

"Julian, are you about to level the life and well-being of my son with the destruction of some abandoned stone structures?" Lady Victoire asked. Her ethereally beautiful face was alight with growing annoyance.

"Mason’s Haven has an illustrious history. It is a testament to the effort it took to build this great Manor..." Julian started.

"It was useless and served no purpose. It being gone is not worth discussing," Lady Victoire cut in.

Julian frowned.

"Be that as it may, a great ordeal has occurred in my very backyard. I would like a detailed explanation to know what measures to take. The damages won’t fix themselves, will they? The brave men and women who have been left maimed by this incident..."

"Actually, there has been no record of lasting damage to anyone, My Lord," Lincoln said in a respectful tone,

"There were injuries, yes, but only the best we had were around the Cube when the explosion occurred and they have all been healed of whatever injury they incurred."

Julian’s eyes were so murderous that Lincoln flinched.

Arlette watched and listened to the exchange silently with her eyes narrowed shrewdly. Clearly there was some family stuff happening here she had no place in— and no interest in interfering with.

"I thank you for taking care of my wards but I believe it’s time we took our leave," she said then.

Aylin, Kaya, Eloise and Delia were already swinging their legs to the sides of their beds, ready to get up and leave. Like Arlette, they sensed they were intruding and since they had done what they came to do, they might as well leave.

"I still have questions!" Julian growled.

Arlette was unmoved by his show of anger. She looked him in the eye.

"We’ll send you appropriate compensation for all damages done but you cannot keep my wards here for questioning like common criminals," she said firmly.

"They intruded on my compound!" Julian flared.

"And what would be appropriate punishment for that? Kicking them out, right? Well, why would you want to keep them here much longer, then?" Arlette asked with a little smirk.

"Don’t you dare be cheeky!" Julian said through gritted teeth, "I decide what the appropriate punishment is."

"Oh, you decide?" Arlette laughed harshly, "You think you can impose any authority on us. You’re out of your depths and you don’t even know it."

"Ha! A Kragsten, a Khione, a Nightingale, and an Aeisling. Impressive names, no doubt, but their families are all off in their corners of the empire while these four are here in the Capital— The Capital where the name ’Aristide’ holds sway!

Don’t. Test. Me!"

Arlette laughed.

"Who said anything about their families getting involved?"

She asked,

"If I say you can’t keep them here, then you can’t."

Julian opened his mouth to say more but Lady Victoire cut in.

"Enough," she said and Julian turned red.

Arlette scoffed at him and then directed her words at Lady Victoire.

"Because of my wards, your son is alive. A worse disaster has been averted. They should be thanked, not threatened with punishment."

"They did save my life," Aurelius said.

"I am aware," Lady Victoire said calmly, directing her words to Arlette,

"I allowed the girls to remain at the Estate so they are not guilty of intrusion and are essentially my guests. I also charged them with saving my son which they did, for which I am grateful.

But I must know what happened today. I am not asking you as a jailer, but as a mother who feared the loss of her child.

You can accord me that much, can’t you?"