“Here it is. My home,” Toreh said as she leapt from the horse, landing gracefully on her feet.
“It’s small,” Eloive said as he stood beside her.
“Oh, sorry, not all of us have three palaces at our disposal.”
“I’m sorry if I have hurt your feelings.”
“Let’s just go in.”
Toreh rapped at the door with her knuckles. Amar opened the door, scowling. “The runaway returns home.”
“Don’t be such a bitch on Christmas eve, Amar. It’s unladylike.”
“Look who’s talking. Are you coming in or not, because I have no problem with leaving you to the cold.”
“What kind of elder sister would you be if you do that, huh?”
“The mourning kind.”
Toreh’s face fell. “Amar, I am so sorry.”
“Don’t. I don’t want to hear it. So who’s your guest?”
“Guess.”
“I don’t guess, Toreh. Who is it?”
“The Crown Prince’s son, Eloive Lancaster.”
“The Crown Prince’s son? What the…,” Amar pushed Toreh out of the way before delivering a right upper hook to the prince’s jaw. Not expecting it, he fell to the ground, massaging his jaw.
“Amar, that was rude of you!”
“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet. Don’t bring him in. If you do, I’ll kill him,” Amar warned before going inside. Toreh rushed to Eloive. “Are you okay?”
“”I’ll live,” he coughed out. “Your sister throws a mean hook.”
“I did tell you that this wouldn’t end well.”
“Yes, you did. Urgh. Help me up, will ya?”
“Of course.”
She helped him to his feet, pulling him into the house.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Eloive asked as Toreh shut the door. “You’re not scared of my sister, are you?”
He laughed nervously. “No, of course not.”
“Good. Come on.”
Toreh pulled him further inside, and Eloive looked around, taking note of the peeling walls and battered furniture.
“Sorry our home isn’t anything to look at.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Amar was in the living room when they entered. The Christmas tree they had set up took up most of the space. The decorations weren’t much but they were there.
“Go help mother in the kitchen, Toreh.”
“And leave Eloive here so that you can kill him?”, Toreh asked.
“I’m not going to kill him. Just wanna ask him some questions. You know, get to know my boyfriend’s murderer.”
Toreh sighed. “He’s not the one who killed your boyfriend, Amar.”
“Just shut your mouth and go help mother in the kitchen.”
“Amar…”
“I’ll be fine, cupcake,” Eloive said then squeezed her hand. He didn’t want her fighting her sister over him.
“Say my name if you need anything,” Toreh said before leaving.
Amar got up. Eloive stretched out his hand. “Um…I’m Eloive.”
“What are you doing?”
“Starting over. We didn’t exactly get off on the right start.”
“I don’t care.”
“You don’t like me, I get it, but can we just tolerate ourselves? I mean, it’s Christmas eve.”
Amar snorted. “Like that would mean anything to you.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re excused,” she spat, sidestepping him.
“I’m sorry. Toreh told me what happened to your um boyfriend. I’m here to offer my condolences.”
“What are you playing at, huh?”
“Nothing. I just want you to know that I’m sorry for his death.”
“Eloive, or whatever you’re called, your apology won’t get you my approval.”
He frowned. “Approval?”
“Isn’t it what this is? You acting nice so that I can say, ‘Don’t worry, you can totally marry Toreh, I don’t mind.’ Well, sorry to burst your bubble, prince, but you’ll never get my approval. She’s not yours. Whatever little thing you two have, end it or I will.”
Amar walked past him, and Toreh stepped out, heaving a sigh.
“You’re alive. Thank God.”
“Your sister doesn’t like me.”
Toreh laughed. “Amar doesn’t like anyone.”
“Nah, this was different. She hates me.”
“She’ll come around. Now come on. My mother wants to meet you.”
In the dining room…
“Toreh, who’s your guest?”
Amar rolled her eyes. “Mum, I already told you who he is. You can as well believe me.”
“Set the table, Amar. Talk to me, Toreh.”
“Mum, meet Eloive Lancaster. Eloive, meet my mum.”
Her face fell. “Toreh, you dare bring a Lancaster into our home?”
“Mother…”
“Toreh, your sister is still mourning. You could have at least respected her by keeping him away.”
“It’s not Eloive’s fault Aspen’s dead, mother.”
“He’s a Lancaster. He is at fault,” her mother snarled, turning to Eloive. “What do you want from my daughter? Why won’t you leave her alone?”
“He likes me, mother.”
Amar snorted.
“I believe the boy has a mouth.”
“I want nothing from your daughter, ma. It’s only that my grandmother, the queen, has hired her to be my tutor.”
Toreh’s mum frowned. “And why wasn’t I aware of this?”
“I was going to tell you,” Toreh cried out.
“I’ve set the table, mother,” Amar said dryly.
“A tutor, huh? So the rumours are true,” Toreh’s mum mumbled. “Tell me more about this newfound job of yours, Toreh. How much is your pay?”
“I’m yet to know, mother,” Toreh said. “If you’re that curious, you can just come with me to see the queen.”
“I’d rather not. I can tolerate one Lancaster. Another one might make me mad. Join us for dinner, Eloive. I won’t apologize if the food is not up to your liking.”
“I didn’t expect any less,” he said, as he took his seat opposite Toreh’s mum. Amar and Toreh sat opposite each other.
“Eloive, say the grace,” Amar demanded plainly.
“Amar! That’s rude,” Toreh cautioned.
“We’re Catholics. Does he know that, Toreh?”, their mother asked.
“He does now.”
“Are you familiar with the Catholic grace before a meal, Eloive? I won’t be surprised if you don’t, given the Lancaster’s way of worship,” Amar said.
“Amar, enough! I’ll just say the grace. Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty through the same Christ our Lord, Amen.”
Eloive shoved a forkful of ramen into his mouth. It was nothing like the one he usually had with Sia, but he would manage. Anything for Toreh.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it,” Toreh whispered.
“It’s fine,” Eloive whispered. It wasn’t. The food was awful. Now he knew why she didn’t have much weight. This wasn’t actually nutritious.
The doorbell rang, and the three women looked at each other.
“Did you invite anyone, mother?”, Toreh asked her mother.
“I’d rather die. Amar?”
“Fine. I invited Colin and his brother,” Amar confessed.
“Because you’re crushing on him?”, Toreh asked.
“I’m not going to answer that,” Amar replied.
“You can at least go get the door,” Toreh’s mum sneered.
“I’m going, I’m going,” she said, rising. Amar opened the door and met face to face with the vampire prince. She eyed him, frowning.
“You’re not Colin.”
“I’m not.”
“Then who the hell are you?”
“I’ll tell you, but first you have to invite me in,” Wilhelm said cheekily.
“Leave before I stake you,” Amar sneered.
“So you’ve caught on. I mean you no harm, woman. I’m just here to get my cousin.”
“So you’re related to the Lancaster. I’m assuming you are….”
“Wilhelm? Hanos’s son. But you already know that, don’t you?”
Breathing hard, Amar broke the leg of a nearby stool and held it before her. “I’m not afraid to use this.”
“I didn’t say you are. But you should be afraid of the consequences if you were to stake a vampire prince. Especially one who’s hungry. So be nice and drop the stake.”
“No name of mine bears the same letters as nice. Now get out of my house.”
“I was never in, remember?”
“You’re just like your father,” she spat out.
“Hey, what do you know about my father?”
“Enough to know that you aren’t any better.”
“You don’t know shit. Let me in, woman.”
“No.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
She snorted. “As if you can do that while barred from entering.”
“It doesn’t have to be now.”
“Come at me, and I will stake you.”
“I look forward to it. Call my cousin for me, woman.”
“No. What? The Lancaster is not leaving here alive. My mother spiked the food. He’d go limp in a few seconds, and we’ll kill him.”
Wilhelm’s eyes widened. “You’re lying.”
“I have no reason to.”
“You leave me no choice then.”
Concentrating hard, he lifted the bar, just like his father had taught him to. Wilhelm walked in, and Amar raised the stake. He disarmed her in seconds, before wrapping his arm around her neck.
“I’m lying. I was…,” Amar said as she coughed out.
“This could have turned out differently, woman.”
“Let me go.”
“Where is Eloive?”
“He…he should be in the kitchen.”
Wilhelm released her, but held her in place. “What’s your name, woman?”
“Amar,” she whispered. “Please don’t kill me.”
“That’s not up to you to decide,” he murmured, fangs dropping. Her scent was driving him crazy. Making him hungry. And he was rarely ever hungry.
“What do you want? If it’s Eloive, he’s in the kitchen. And if it’s money, I don’t have any.”
“I could care less about your money. I’ve got plenty of it to keep me going. What I want is to break the skin on your neck.”
She heaved, scared. Had he been ordinary, she would have called him bluff. But he was a vampire, a royal vampire to be exact. She had every right to be scared.
“You can’t have a taste. I won’t let you.”
“How? By staking me? We already know how that turned out.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“So I’ve been told. It won’t take long, Amar. Just a quick taste.”
She eyed him. “I’m not entirely sweet.”
He laughed. “I will be the judge of that, Amar. Now be a good girl, and bare your neck for me.”
“Come and make me,” she hissed.
He seized her neck.
“William, let go of my sister, would you?”
He released her, turning to Toreh. “It’s Wilhelm, you Torch. Where the hell is my brother?”
She turned to Amar. “Did you invite him in?”
“No. He just sort of came in.”
Toreh turned to Wilhelm. “Go back out. Until you’ve been invited in, you won’t have my brother.”
He scoffed. “Like I’m going to listen to you.”
“If you don’t want your cousin dead, I suppose you do as I say. Out now!”
“You’re a bitch, you know that? And one day, he’s going to see you for who you truly are. A bitch.”
“Out!”, Toreh yelled.
Wilhelm cast her a look before walking out. “Good. Amar, would you like to do the honors?”
“Me? No way in hell. He fucking tried to eat me.”
“I can’t invite him in, not when your mum’s next of kin.”
“I am?”, Amar asked surprised.
“Ugh! That’s not important right now. Invite him in.”
Amar pouted. “Do I really have to?”
“Yes, woman!”, Wilhelm snarled. “I’m freezing out here.”
Amar eyed him. “I thought vampires can’t get cold.”
“We can’t. That was just my way of saying you should hurry up with your invitation.”
“You’re really mean,” she said.
“Amar…”
“Fine. Come in, Wilhelm.”
He raised a brow. “Is that…”
“Yes, I’m inviting you in. The thing is,” she paused, grinning. “Will you accept my invitation?”