Vampire Nightlife

Heloise Carmilla was now more or less clothed and had even removed herself from bed to approach the two young Vampires. She cast a curious look at Theodore's way, but then finally laid her eyes on the Vardokens.

There was a certain atmosphere for the two that she recognized, a connection between noble bloodlines but that didn't necessarily mean that they were from the Vardoken House.

"Look up." the Matriarch spoke, and her voice was powerful.

Stacy and Alexei both straightened up and looked at her, even if the two might have preferred not looking at her in the eyes.

Heloise hummed and then held a finger underneath Alexei's chin.

"Mmm… you do have a handsome face, that even if this was a lie, I wouldn't mind letting the two of you roam free as long as you spend a night with me." Heloise smiled sultrily.

Alexei coughed. "No thanks, lady."

Theodore wanted to smack the guy, because that was actually a reasonable way to escape this situation unscathed but instead Alexei said something scathing.

"Hahaha, scared of me? I haven't even bitten you yet," Heloise said before turning to glance at Stacy.

Stacy had a blank expression on her face, something that she chose to maintain even with the nervousness that filled her chest.

It was that look that made Heloise consider the situation more.

"I am aware that there are greater shapeshifters, people who could change their looks in order to deceive me." Heloise said and smiled tiredly. "That fact makes it near impossible for me to simply judge based on looks alone, but that expression truly reminds me of Anastasius."

Stacy blinked and looked warily at the woman, but didn't say anything.

"... The people from Lux have said that the Vardokens have all died during the war, and that has always made me distrustful. Even though Anastasius rejected all of my advances doesn't mean that he didn't care about making descendants. And now two of them stand with me here today."

Rowena, Genevieve and Catherine all looked at the two Vardokens in shock and awe.

It meant that they hadn't been lying at all.

Before they could react properly, the Carmilla House Matriarch's eyes flashed and turned to Theodore. "What is the explanation for this?"

And that was enough to make Theodore stumble, a certain pressure that would have knocked him back completely if he hadn't been waiting for it all this time.

"If you would allow me to explain, Matriarch–" Theodore started.

"None of this." Heloise surprised everyone by waving a hand and turning to the two Vardokens. "I have come to know that my dear friend's descendants are still alive and I turn to wrath immediately? Nonsense! It's time for a celebration, a banquet and a feast!"

Theodore stared at the older lady in aghast, but Alexei couldn't help but grin at her words.

"I've been hungry this entire time!" Alexei exclaimed.

"And what about you, dear?" Heloise glanced at Stacy with a much kinder smile. "You must have come far for this journey. Will you celebrate with us tonight? I finally have a reason to share what I've known about my beloved friend."

Stacy's gaze flickered to Theodore and knew that he was about to share the reason why the Vardokens were proclaimed to be extinct, and for a moment, she wavered in her resolve.

"... that does sound pleasant." Stacy said.

Theodore's gaze narrowed at the two Vardokens, but he didn't insist on speaking any longer.

First was the fact that the Carmilla Matriarch wouldn't pay much attention to him and second was the fact that he had been in their position before.

A moment in time when he found himself receiving acceptance and that was an intoxicating thing to experience for people who have been ostracized.

"Then it is decided! A night of remembrance and celebration!" Heloise clapped her hands and turned to the three daughters of the House. "Since the three of you have brought them here… then it's also fair that you organize everything too!"

Rowena was already in the process of curtsying and thanking her great-grandmother for the opportunity. Not so much for her two sisters who were less than pleased and actually expected a reward.

There was a weight that removed itself from Stacy's chest as she stared at the lively older woman cajoling the people in her House to take care of the celebrations.

Was this how it felt like to be accepted? To be actually seen and heard?

Stacy and Alexei had lived most of their entire life trying to hide who they were, but now things were different.

And yet there was a thought that crossed Stacy's mind that made her smile a little bitterly.

Anastasia 'Stacy' dis Vardoken wished that Lukas was actually here to witness and celebrate the moment with her–she would have been thrilled.

But he was not around.

"Oh wait, what about Lukas and Chaerin?" Stacy turned to Theodore. "They don't know that we're here. Shouldn't we contact them and let them know where we are?"

"Yeah, if there's a party then they've got to celebrate too." Alexei added with a grin.

Theodore didn't think that he'd find himself getting suggestions, which might as well have been orders, from the Vardokens in front of him.

The assassin wanted to find offense in it, he wasn't happy about this moment at all. But knew that there was at least some sense in their concern.

"Very well, I shall see what I can do." Theodore said. He didn't know where the two lovers were and he realized that he hadn't actually gotten their contact information in the past either.

The assassin wasn't looking forward to the effort that he'd need to exert in finding them in a city as big as Nyx.

"Are the two of you looking for your friends?" Heloise turned to them. "The Carmilla House has people about everywhere in the city, just say the word and we'll have them searched for now."

It truly was a change.