Della sat quietly in her room, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular. Her thoughts wandered aimlessly, and she barely noticed how much time had passed until a knock at her door pulled her out of her reverie.
She turned towards the sound, hesitated briefly, then rose to answer it.
A young maid stood outside, her head bowed respectfully.
"The lord has sent for you, my lady," she announced.
Della nodded and followed her out without asking questions.
Her curiosity about Lord Lucas's earlier behaviour had not subsided. If anything, it had only grown stronger. She could not understand why he had acted the way he did, and now she wondered what he wanted with her.
The maid led her towards the dining room, but before they reached the entrance, she paused and leaned closer to Della.
"There are guests, my lady," she whispered.
Della's eyes widened slightly.
Guests?
She followed the maid inside, her curiosity getting the better of her.
At the dining table sat two vampiresses. One was an older woman whose appearance carried an air of authority, while the other was younger, seemingly around Della's age.
The older vampiress lifted her head. Her gaze travelled over Della, lingering on her blonde hair before settling on her face.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
Della straightened a little beneath the woman's scrutinising stare.
"Della," she answered.
Her voice was steady enough, though she could not entirely conceal her uneasiness. There was something intimidating about the woman's sharp features and the manner in which she examined her, as though Della's very presence offended her.
Before the woman could question her further, footsteps sounded behind them.
Lord Lucas entered the room.
Della instinctively turned towards him, but he paid her little attention as he walked past and took his seat at the table.
She remained standing for a moment, uncertain of what to do.
"Why are you standing?"
His question startled her.
Della hurried towards an empty chair, only for Lucas to shift the chair beside him, silently indicating where she was to sit.
She obeyed, lowering herself into the seat with a growing sense of embarrassment.
She could already feel the older vampiress's disapproval, and the younger woman's expression was hardly any more welcoming.
"Who is this, my lord?" Lady Virella asked, her gaze fixed on Della.
"My adopted daughter," Lucas replied indifferently.
He turned his attention to his meal as the maids began placing dishes before them.
For a moment, silence settled over the table.
Both Eliana and Lady Virella stared at him in disbelief.
"You adopted a human?" Lady Virella asked, her displeasure unmistakable.
She had never been fond of humans, and the thought of one being welcomed into Lord Lucas's household was enough to put her in a foul mood.
Besides, she knew Lucas well enough to understand that he was not a man who made decisions without reason. He would hardly adopt someone without a purpose, much less a human.
"Yes, Aunt. Do you have a problem with that?" Lucas asked sharply.
He dipped a piece of meat into his sauce, appearing far more interested in his meal than in entertaining her questions.
Lady Virella immediately restrained herself.
"No, I don't," she replied.
However, the glare she directed at Della betrayed her true feelings.
Eliana was no more pleased. Her lips pressed into a pout as she looked at the girl seated beside Lucas.
She already felt threatened by Della's presence, and the revelation that the human was now his adopted daughter only made matters worse.
Della, meanwhile, wished the ground would open beneath her and swallow her whole.
Why had he told them?
She had been perfectly content to remain unnoticed, but now she had two vampiresses staring at her as though she had committed some terrible offence merely by existing.
And as if the situation were not uncomfortable enough, Lucas suddenly reached for a dish and placed some food on her plate.
Della turned to him, startled.
"Eat up, Della dear," he said.
Her head snapped towards him.
Dear?
She stared at him in disbelief.
In all the time she had known him, he had never called her that. He was always Lord Lucas to her, a title that seemed to emphasise the distance between them.
Yet here he was, addressing her so affectionately in front of his guests.
What was he trying to do?
She shot him a warning glance, but he appeared entirely unbothered.
With a frustrated sigh, Della returned her attention to her plate, refusing to meet the eyes of either vampiress.
Their disdain was impossible to miss.
Thankfully, the meal did not last much longer. Once she had finished eating, Della excused herself, and Lucas allowed her to leave.
She could not have been more relieved.
⸻
Back in her room, Della sat staring at the ceiling, hoping to enjoy a little peace after the uncomfortable dinner.
She had barely settled into her thoughts when another knock sounded at the door.
Her brows drew together.
She had no desire to spend any more time with Lord Lucas or his unwelcome guests.
Nevertheless, she rose and opened the door.
Oliver stood outside.
Unlike earlier, he was dressed finely, looking rather different from the man she had seen before.
"My lady," he greeted politely.
"Good evening, Sir Oliver," Della replied.
"I was wondering..." He paused briefly before continuing. "Would you care to accompany me to the village fair?"
Della's expression brightened with interest, but the excitement was quickly replaced by hesitation.
She bit the inside of her cheek.
"Would he allow it?" she asked, referring to Lord Lucas.
Oliver chuckled.
"That is, of course, if we return before he does," he whispered.
A relieved sigh escaped her.
With Lucas away, she finally had an opportunity to leave the mansion and enjoy herself as she used to.
"Let me get dressed," she said with a smile.
She hurried to prepare herself, slipping on her gloves before joining Oliver again.
Soon, they left the mansion on horseback rather than by carriage.
As they rode away, several maids watched them depart, their gazes following Della and Oliver until they were out of sight.
Della paid them little attention. For once, she was simply glad to be outside.
The fresh air brushed against her face, and the wind tugged at the strands of her tied-back hair, gradually loosening them.
Beside her, Oliver stole a glance at her.
A faint smile touched his lips.
He knew she was forbidden, yet he could not help the fondness he felt growing within him.
Before long, they arrived at the village, where crowds had gathered for the fair.
Della looked around in wonder.
The lively atmosphere, the gathering of villagers, and the many sights before her held her attention as she and Oliver wandered through the fair.
For a while, she was able to forget the mansion and the uncomfortable dinner she had endured.
Then something caught her eye.
She stopped in front of a small shop displaying an assortment of artefacts.
Among them lay a ruby, its brilliant red surface catching the light.
Della stepped closer, captivated by its beauty.
"You have a good eye, my lady," the shopkeeper remarked.
He was a short, bald-headed man who smiled at her, revealing a half-toothed grin.
"How much is this, sire?" Della asked, her gaze still fixed on the ruby.
"Two gold coins," he answered.
Before she could reach for her purse, Oliver produced the coins and handed them to the shopkeeper.
In exchange, he received the stone and passed it to her.
"Thank you, Sir Oliver!" Della exclaimed happily.
She accepted the ruby, her face brightening as she admired it once more.
They continued on their way, leaving the little shop behind.
"How about you call me Oliver?" he suggested.
Della stopped walking and looked at him.
For a moment, she considered his request before nodding.
It might take some getting used to, but Oliver seemed to be the only vampire in the mansion with whom she could speak without feeling constantly on edge.
The thought of building a friendship with him pleased her.
Just then, her stomach growled.
Della froze, her eyes settling on a nearby meat shop.
Oliver noticed immediately and urged them towards it.
Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment, but she followed him without protest.
They spent the remainder of the evening enjoying the fair and all it had to offer.
For those precious hours, Della allowed herself to forget her troubles and enjoy the freedom she had missed.
Unfortunately, their evening was drawing to a close.
Neither of them knew that Lord Lucas had already returned to the mansion.
⸻
Della entered her room and switched on the light.
The sight before her made her start.
A figure stood beside the window, dressed in a long black mantle.
He turned towards her.
Cold red eyes met hers, and Della felt her brief happiness disappear.
"Where were you?"
The low, demanding voice belonged to Lord Lucas.
He did not look pleased.
His expression was hard, his face betraying the annoyance he was struggling to contain.
"I... I went out," Della stammered.
She had never seen him like this before. The sternness in his voice and the coldness in his gaze unsettled her, leaving her uncertain of what to say next.
"With whom?" he demanded, his voice rising slightly.
"Sir Oliver," she blurted out.
She knew she ought not to have gone out without permission, but the commanding edge in Lucas's voice made it difficult for her to do anything other than answer honestly.
For a moment, Lucas's expression changed.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile as he looked at her.
"Do not ever leave without my permission," he ordered.
There was no mistaking the authority in his voice.
Della stared at him, unable to find a suitable response.
He did not wait for one.
Turning away, Lord Lucas walked out of her room, leaving her alone in the sudden silence.
Only then did Della realise she had been holding her breath.
She released it slowly, her shoulders relaxing as the tension began to leave her body.
Lord Lucas was certainly a frightening man.
She lowered her gaze, thinking about the life she now found herself living.
A troubled sigh escaped her.
Would she ever be free from Lord Lucas?
Or would she remain his captive for the rest of her life?