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The new moon was slowly, very slowly disappearing in the black sky above the country of Hungary, as the very few visible stars were gradually extinguishing, one by one. The freezing night was almost coming to an end, which meant for the many Vampires of Ordoghaz that their nightly festivities were about to cease, like every other ordinary night.

A few residents of the Devil's House were walking through corridors, getting to their quarters, the atmosphere of the mansion being still gloomy and depressing, since when the tragedies happened a few nights before this one. The chitchat and thrilling rumours were obviously missing since then, and it seemed like the nobles had less to talk about. 

However, it was especially in the servants' quarters that the buzzing and thrilling conversations were being held. Some young Vampiress servants had retire for the morning, and were taking the most of their short break.

Among the few maids who were in the bedroom, was a peculiar Vampire giving her back to the others. It was Erika. Although her fellows' natters were filling up the room, she couldn't care less of what they were talking about. She had somehow managed to stay silence, lost in her daydream.

What was she daydreaming of? Of none other than Marcus himself, the very last Elder of the Vampires. She couldn't believe that he had actually spoken to her. Him, a total stranger whom she'd never seen, had never laid eyes on since her immortality had been granted to her; and her, an ordinary maid among hundreds.

He had spoken to her. Had complemented her. "Had called me 'Milady'", Erika thought more pleasantly than dreamily. She just couldn't picture that a noble - moreover an Elder - was fancying her, one of the youngest Vampires of Ordoghaz. 

Her daydream was abruptly interrupted by what one of her fellow maids had said. Erika had absolutely no clue where they were at in their conversation, but her attention was dragged away from her thoughts by the mention of only one word. One name, in fact. The name of Kraven.

Erika, who had been up to now giving her back to the other Vampires, turned her body slightly and pricked up her ear to try to listen to what they were saying. It was Amber, a hundred and eleven year old Vampiress with shoulder-length red hair, who had uttered the hated name.

"He hasn't returned for a few days now," she continued. "Who knows what happened to him?"

Another maid with blonde hair brought up into a chignon, Nathalia, replied to her, "He'll be back, do not worry. And with the death of Lord Viktor, there might be a lot of chances for him to become one of the next Elders with Lord Marcus."

Amber was about to reply, but Monika, the eldest of the maids present in the room, spoke before her. "I wouldn't be so sure," she said scornfully, shooting her long dark braid of hair over her shoulders. "Haven't you heard the latest gossips? Referring to a rumour, Lord Kraven might have betrayed our kind." Her comment was ensued by a few outraged gasps coming from the two other maids. 

With the exception of Erika, of course. As far as she was concerned, the simple thought of Kraven made her shudder, and thinking that she had wanted to help him flee the mansion only made her feel worse about it.

Quickly, Erika's attention was brought back to what the others were buzzing about. "Do you think he got killed? Maybe Lord Viktor killed him before himself getting killed," Amber said.

"Or he could've been slain by the Lady Selene, the shifty Death Dealer," Nathalia added. "Oh my God… could there be a possibility for Lady Selene to have teamed up with Lord Kraven against the other Death Dealers and Lord Viktor?" she asked with another gasp.

It was then inevitable for Erika to concentrate her attention on these atrocities and she turned her body back to what she's been doing before.

Monika shrugged and smirked viciously. "There could be. Which would of course be a shame for Miss who's standing over there," she said, eying Erika.

The latter abruptly turned around to face them, fire burning in her eyes. How dare they spoke of her like that? Didn't they know that she had given up on Kraven? Didn't they know that there was someone else she fancied, now? No, they didn't know.

Nathalia giggled as a response to Monika's statement as Amber said, "Oh, yes. We're all perfectly aware of Erika's incurable infatuation for Lord Kraven."

"Oh, dear," Nathalia began in the direction of the blonde Vampiress, "has he ever even realized you existed?"

Thinking about her affair with Kraven, Erika was about to answer back at her, but she figured this could do nothing but to worsen her situation.

"Save these silly fallacies for yourself," she snapped instead. "I'm over him, now."

"That's what they all say," Monika answered back. "And what could've forced you to give up on the most desired noble of the mansion? An new craze for someone higher-ranked than him, perhaps?" she laughed with the others.

"Wouldn't they like to know," Erika thought with a dim smirk before turning back to her occupations. It's at this moment that a weak knock on the door was heard. Nathalia, who was the closest, opened the door to reveal another young maid, Jade.

"I have a confidential message for Erika," she began. To this statement, Erika slowly turned around, slightly surprised by what she's heard. Never had someone sent a confidential message to her in the past. Jade continued her avowal, "Lord Marcus would like to see you in his private quarters. Now."

Erika's blood froze inside her veins and she felt as if her heart had hit the pit of her stomach. The eyes of the three other maids who have been telling her off widened in shock. Another smirk appeared on Erika's pale face as she crossed the room. "You'll excuse me, ladies. I'm being asked for, right now," she said before leaving the room. The wooden door shut heavily behind her.

Erika followed Jade down the hall, heading to the Northern wing of the mansion, where Viktor's former lodgings - now Marcus's - were located. During all her way up to her destination, Erika couldn't help herself from wondering what Marcus wanted from her. She thought of the worst: what if Kraven was found and had denounced her as an ally? But of course, better thoughts were taking shape in her wicked mind. Maybe this random encounter of last night had been prolific to her?

Erika and the maid were now at the intersection of the Western and Northern hallways of the mansion. Suddenly, a heavy wooden door slammed open just in front of them. Both startled, although the Vampiress who has violently stepped across the doorway hadn't uttered an apologetic word to them and continued her walk.

Erika identified her as Anyanka, one of the most ruthless and highly ranked Death Dealer of the mansion, by reputation. Erika had never had any particular affiliation with her, for Anya was at least a hundred years older than Erika.

Anyanka, for all that Erika knew, was known to be the most faithful of Viktor's Death Dealers. And from what Erika had frequently heard, Viktor had always seemed to bear this special kind of affection for Anyanka, only God knew why. Some were saying that she somehow reminded him of his long-lost wife whom he'd loved very much, while some others believed that he simply had this thing for her… "Which wouldn't be surprising," Erika thought.

As far as she knew, Erika had witnessed many noble trying to woo her - including Kraven -, but Anyanka's heart had always remained centred on the War and dispatching the Lycans… only on this?

Whatever was the answer, Erika couldn't care less, but couldn't help herself from thinking that her and Anya could've gotten perfectly along, for both had this special hatred for Selene, only for two completely different reasons.

Anyways, it wasn't the moment to think of the others' problems. Erika smiled. She was about to meet an Elder, and this time, it wasn't a coincidence. Somehow, she knew that Marcus had a thing for her. He wasn't like Kraven, oh no. The way he had deeply looked into her eyes, they way he had spoken to her… the evidence was clear: maybe he did like her! Erika's smile widened. For only a second, she wished that Kraven was back, only to witness what was about to happen between her and Marcus. How jealous he would be. And how glad Erika would be.

A wicked chuckle accidentally escaped Erika's throat. Her and the maid who's been walking before her had made it to their destination. Erika's eyes widened when they stepped in front of the huge doors.

Jade turned around, "Here we are," she said. "Sleep well."

Erika suddenly felt a pang of anguish. What if the purpose of this invitation wasn't welcoming at all? Erika turned back around and violently grabbed Jade's arm. "Wait!" she snapped. "Tell me… you don't know the reason why Lord Marcus wants to see me, do you?"

Jade shrugged as taking away her arm from Erika's cold hand. "I've got absolutely no clue about it. You'll excuse me, the sun is about to rise, now." And she left.

Erika stood there, staring into emptiness as the light footsteps of the maid echoed throughout the dark and empty corridor, until no longer audible. She then turned her body face to the huge doors behind which were Viktor's former quarters. Never had she been in there before. Actually, yes, she had… once, a few nights ago… when Kraven was occupying the lodge. And now, she was there, standing behind these same doors of the same huge bedroom, and only a door was keeping her apart from her fate. Erika dryly swallowed and feebly knocked on the door.

A few seconds of silence passed by, which seemed more like hours to Erika. Then, a deep, but intriguing manly voice answered.

"Come in," it said. Erika flinched. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before laying a frail hand on the cold handle of the door. A dim grin appeared on her pale features.

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