The Demon’s Bride

Elise had a curious gaze which brightened the blue color of her eyes which was staring at Ian's broad back. She still couldn't understand how his wings works as it left no physical evidence after the wing appeared. It was as if it is a hallucination but she knew it wasn't.

Only Angels had been associated with wings which was in color of white but Elise doubt that Angels could retract their wings like he did. Not to forget, Ian's wings had pitch black feathers.

"I told you before. I just tell it to appear and it did," Ian said the reasonable reply that at the same time didn't give Elise an answer.

"Because that is how it works?" asked Elise. Ian didn't reply and he only smiled in exchange. "I wonder how your wings appeared as it doesn't torn your clothes, Master Ian. It's almost like magic," and maybe if it was magic it makes more sense as the wings could disappear without leaving trace, thought Elise.

"It's not magic I just happen to have them but do you really want to see my clothes torn that much Elise?" asked Ian with a teasing tone and his smile widened at Elise whose face turned bright red. Her eyes were fixed at Ian who broke to chuckles at her expression. "You scandalous girl."

"That wasn't what I was thinking," Elise quickly retorted, turning her face that blushed red. She didn't dare to imagine Ian's body without clothes. Yet when the thought came, her imagination run loose in her mind and she gulped.

"Is that so?" Ian sang his response seeing how Elise didn't budge from her reply despite seeming to have imagine him without clothes earlier, "Well it's a turn down that my poor wings aren't enough to attract your attention. If you had said yes, I would have invite you to my room; in case you are piqued with interest," Ian hummed.

"I like my room," Elise whispered.

"I've heard it over for twice how you praised the room heartily that I'm starting to dislike your room," when Elise's eyes met his, Ian broke to chuckled, "I'm joking, dearie. We should go before Dalton arrive. The manor is just around the corner of that tree." Ian said and he walked before her, leading Elise who didn't know the way to the manor.

It took Elise a good two second to follow him when she noticed something near her feet and bent down to see it was a black feather.

It was Ian's wings, thought Elise. The splendid color of black which was of the same hue as his hair. Holding the feather on her hand, Elise placed the feather inside her pocket with a smile before following Ian.

When they arrived at the manor, the guards opened the large gate and the servants ushered the Lord inside. Many people couldn't keep their eyes off Ian which was not rare. Even without his posh clothes, Master Ian stood out, thought Elise to herself. Ian only had to stand for people to gather near him; it was one of his quality to attract attention and he never shied from it which made him stood out even more.

As they went closer to the garden, voices could be hear that become clearer when the two come nearer.

"What do you mean by you don't know?" sighed the man who stood near the garden where Elise and Ian had come to see John's body. "There should be someone at that hour, how could no one sees the killer! Tch!"

"Rowdy aren't you, Lipton," was Ian's voice from behind that surprised the man. The man frowned, never was anyone dared to call him by his name in his own manor nor interjected him who was talking. He turned his face only to meet the bright pair of red eyes to see the Lord and the man's eyes widened.

Lipton took as many steps backward he could before he bowed with the ten steps distance from Ian. Likewise, all servant did the same belatedly, as they didn't know who had come. People from the lower class could rarely see Ian's face which was no wonder they didn't know who he was. They had bowed only because they saw Lipton had bowed.

Some who couldn't help their curiosity climbed their eyes to see Ian's face. One man who had been scolded by Lipton earlier, was curious and sneak a look only when his eyes met Ian's red ones.

"A nice day isn't it today?" asked Ian whose eyes looking up to see the sky that had slowly turned darker. The maids who worked brought lanterns to light the place, giving the garden a better light.

Lipton didn't know if darkness was a good weather. Regardless he agreed without a thought or seeing the sky. "Yes, milord."

"A perfect day for burial too," added Ian for the man to turn smaller on his spot like a thief caught red handed. "Do you know why I come here today for?"

When Lipton heard a body was found on his garden, he was in panicked but it didn't mattered much to him as the dead person came from a family no one knows. His relief was only short until the Church member told him that the dead body belong to the gardener who work for the Lord.

Even if it was the gardener, for a servant of the Lord to be disposed on his garden was a pressing matter. This was a threat to Lipton. He thought to push the blame and search for a scapegoat before the Lord appeared but the man came less than fifteen hours since the body was found! It made the man question if the Lord had wings to fly like a bird.

He didn't know who the gardener was and which idiot who had buried the person's body under the soil as if to blame him.

"I do, milord. But please approve me to defend myself," said Lipton and Ian gave him a meaningful look before nodding. "A body was found in my garden this morning but no one knows about this body of the person in the soil. I can promise you that the killer wasn't anyone from my manor or my family." Elise heard the man's voice which sounded desperate. He was afraid he would be judged as the killer and wish to prove his innocent.

"Let's say I believe you. How could I believe this?" asked Ian his tone questioning with a smile. When one smile, it should put the other in ease but it was the opposite for Ian. The more he smile turned the grave situation for the worse. "The body is found here which point everyone who live in this mansion to be the possible culprit."

Lipton sighed and Ian didn't miss the man had sighed right in front of his face. "Are you sighing in front of me, Lipton? I see that you are tired of living."

"No! Milord, I was sighing out of confusion," Lipton quickly fixed his mistake. "We don't have a lead at the moment, milord but if you could give me just a little more time, I will definitely find the bastard who had killed your gardener," said Lipton who seemed to be prepared to find the 'bastard' who was in reality standing before him now.

Elise found that the man could be not involved to the death of Mister John. If he was, he wouldn't be desperate to find the killer and it seemed that the man was weary to hurt people who work in the White Mansion. Knowing the consequence Mister John would be the last person he would kill.

Elise's eyes move over to the servants, wondering if one of them could be the killer.

"Will you find this bastard?" Ian repeated and he watched how the human man desperately bring his head up and down.

"I will use whatever I have in disposal to find the killer," Lipton bowed to Ian who made an impressed expression.

"Come to me when you have evidence or perhaps even better the culprit who had killed my gardener. No one should leave unpunished after hurting who work under me," Ian said, seeking justice for the person who he had killed and it impressed the girl beside him who he noticed to be searching for the killer using her own means.

"Show me where my poor gardener is now," Ian demanded and Lipton quickly showed the way.

Elise who followed Ian, traveled her gaze around, seeing the servants but reading expression had it limitation and Elise learned that unless she found evidence, she would not be able to pick the killer.

Elise continued to walk and when they stopped, she felt her heart heavy to see Mister John's body. It was when Lipton blabbered about how the body was found when Elise noticed someone walked behind her.

Elise turned her face and to her surprise, she found Mister John who was supposed to be dead, curled up in one corner of the garden, bellow a tree.

It was Mister John's ghost!