The Demon’s Bride

Elise appeared in the sitting room after the door was opened by the maids, she entered to see the three Church members sitting across the couch where Ian had taken a seat. With one glance, she could tell who was who as she had seen and known them before. The oldest man was Kyle, followed by the one who sat in the middle Oliver, and the last was the person who had come to the conversation she shared with Ian before in the dining room, Dalton Lone. 

To this day, Elise still could y shake the feeling inside her that tell her she had heard Dalton Lone's name before but can't get a clear picture of when and where she had heard the name.

Ian raised his hand and Elise, who made way to sit toward him instinctively reached out her hand and placed it on his. They took seat with hands holding each other. Cynthia came after and Elise was surprised as she didn't know Cynthia was in the house. The woman return her smile cheerfully when she smiled at her. 

"Now that we have seen you together, apologies for our late congratulations, Lord Ian and Lady Elise," the person who spoke was Dalton Lone, the church member who was polite when he greeted them.

"Congratulations from our side too, Lord Ian," Kyle spoke, and Elise recalled the man's face well as he was the one who had sent her away from the mansion. The man smiled, "Lady Elise, I am glad to see that you are perfect in health."

Elise gave a tight smile, Kyle was a good person, but in the back of her mind, she can't help but feel uncomfortable with the man as he had been the one to bring her away from White Mansion when she was young. She cried and asked him not to, but the man had his work to bring her away. "Likewise," Elise responded and noticed how the man stared longer at her.

"We should get back to the case we have been talking earlier," Oliver said, interjecting their greeting as he needed no warm greeting when he was in a hurry to get Ian back to the place he belong, not in the human's side. If it was possible, Oliver would also kill Ian but he could sense that the man was a high Demon. Killing a high Demon could never be compared to killing a human, they are strong and he doubt merely stabbing or crushing Ian's heart would be his endgame. 

"Of course," Ian let the man continue with a smile, the smile he showed could get one on their edge but Oliver was fueled by his goal he couldn't be bothered the be scared by the gesture the Demon showed. 

Elise wondered what case they had been talking about that they needed to come to the castle very early in the morning. She heard Ian from her left side spoke, "It is about the body of the maid that once worked with me who was killed two weeks ago, is it? I believed the case had been concluded there at that time, I was there so I know what you guys chose to close the case with."

Elise didn't speak but her eyes stiffened, she looked at Ian. Did the maid they talked about was Vella?

"Correct, it helped us that you remembered Lord Ian," Oliver smiled but Elise could sense the intention lurking beneath the man's smile where it seemed like he would use any method in order to put blame on Ian. "We found that there could be a link to the reason why the maid was killed and the White Mansion."

Ian chuckled at this and the three Church Members immediately looked at him with a slight alerted look. Ian raised his hand, "No need to beat around the bush, I know you mean that you are suspecting me to be the killer. On what base are you saying this? Accusations?"

Kyle knew that if Oliver speak another word, there would be more strain to the situation than it already was. Not wanting to have Ian in a sour mood and took Oliver's life he spoke, "My apologies, my lord. We are here to investigate, it is far fetched from accusations. Might we ask the reason for the maid to be dismissed from her position?"

"Maroon," Ian raised his hand, it was not often for the head of the house to take care of the servants in the house and most times the butler or housekeeper would be assigned to take care of this matter.

Maroon took a stance and bowed, "The maid gave her resignation to me. She needed to go back to her family, I suppose there was a letter sent to her about the money problem her family was facing and she needed to go there."

"Which is false," Oliver said, and Elise felt her heart hitch, fortunately there was no vampires amongst them that could sense her heartbeat as the three Church Members are humans. "I have met her family, sadly to say they do not care of her death. I don't see why she would go back to a place where her family do not accept her. More reason for me to doubt this was a robbery case is for how gruesome she had died— staked on a tree as though it was for a reminder to people never to disobey them. By them I mean the killer, a characteristic that fits to explain you, don't you agree, milord?"

Oliver was bold but Ian took his words with a laugh rather than a glare. "Funny if you say that because the Church would not be able to come to my castle or land if that is the case. Not many people would go back to a house where they are not accepted, but I heard from my bride that the maid took her family like a treasure, she would have gone back even if she was hated if it was to see them."

Oliver raised his brows at this, "Bride?" and his eyes fell at Elise who felt very uncomfortable with the man's gaze. Somewhere in her deepest part of memories she had seen eyes that were similar to Oliver's and a face structure that brought someone to her memories. Strangely she can't remember who it was and she could tell this was due to the possible Angel or Demon who had erased a part of her childhood memories.

"Do you know this maid, Lady Elise?" Oliver asked, peering with his deep pitch-black eyes that doesn't allow any light to come through. It was a color of black that even light didn't make it turn brown like how most people's eyes would.

"She is my friend," Elise replied honestly. She knew there was little to few things she could say so it won't be strange to the ears and cause suspicions. "Vella was a close friend of mine."

"Close friend?" Oliver's eyes than looked eagerly toward Ian. "Strange for her close friend to suddenly died out of nowhere, is it?"

Ian spared a glance to Kyle whose expression slightly shifted when hearing the words Oliver said, because the man knew about the curse a Sweet Child had to suffer unliked Oliver. "I believe my bride is haunted by misfortune. They do say the more gorgeous a lady is the more misfortune always follows them. But that shouldn't be any more worries as I have quite a mountain of luck to share with her."

Kyle didn't want the conversation to spin around this topic, seeing Elise he reminded of her when she was a child, crying as she begged him not to bring her away from the White Mansion. At that time, Kyle thought what he did and the action he took was correct. A human girl shouldn't be attached to the Lord who clearly was a being opposite to human. But faith had done their trick, bringing them together even closer than before which prove further to Oliver that humans could never put their hands to the whimsical's action the Heaven brings.

"We won't take long, could we interrogate each maids alone, milord? This is to avoid any more suspicions under you and to clear your name," suggested Kyle, giving a look to see Oliver who was beamed with proudness as he would dig dirts which he was sure the Demon would leave.

"Do as you like," Ian offered them a smile. "I will leave this room for you and you can take care of your business here. I know with me being here it would only make the servants pressured to tell you the 'truth'. Maroon, help this gentlemen."

Maroon bowed, immediately moved to lead the Church member before getting the servants to come. 

Elise left the room with Ian, standing near the corridor, she looked at him who wasn't bothered the least, "Is it okay to leave the maids?"

"It's fine," Ian assured with a dark smile, "They would not say anything stupid that would get their neck on the line. Maroon have trained them enough to know what word to put to their tongue. You brought back the chick?"

"He is here," and the moment Elise said that, Hallow peeked out his head from her pocket, looking at Ian before diving down to the pocket.

"Silence doesn't suit him," Ian chimed but his smile only grew more mischievous, "This is great, you can use him for sacrifice when time needs it. For example, you could use him to distract your enemies, throw him as a weapon, or even use him as a decoy. As you like."

"I won't do that," Elise smiled at Ian's words with a shake of her head. She then leaned forward, "I heard something about Mr. Beel from Hallow." and Ian raised his brows, getting close to know what she was going to say as her expression turn more solemn.