The Vampire King's Toxic Consort (bxb)

Chapter 14 Homecoming

Lucius remembered vividly the overwhelming anxiety he felt two years ago when he was about to walk into his wedding among hundreds of vampires. It felt like a piece of hot coal burning in his chest, and his heart thumped so fast that he felt lightheaded and hard to breathe.

And now, as he was about to come home, he felt exactly the same kind of anxiety.

After their flight landed in Tranta, a car was waiting for Lucius, along with some government agents. Lucius hesitated when he saw those men in black suits, faintly worrying that he would be taken to some secret state prison for interrogation.

Florian put a firm hand on his shoulder and said quietly, "Don't worry. I'm coming with you."

That slightly eased Lucius's misgiving. He got in the car with Florian, telling himself there was no point in being so skittish. He was in Anthor now. Now one would suddenly decide to bite, kill, or hurt him just because he was prey.

"Where are we going?" Lucius asked the agents who rode with them.

"Rosenfield Manor." One of the agents replied flatly.

"Do my parents know I'm coming home?"

"They have been informed."

The thought of seeing his parents again didn't relax Lucius. In fact, quite the contrary. He pulled the collar of his shirt higher, hoping it hid the branding mark well.

Florian leaned toward him and said hushly, "Your parents will be thrilled to see you again. Your sister is also waiting with them. Julian also wanted to come, but some duties held him up."

Lucius was slightly disappointed Julian wouldn't be there, but it was expected. No way would the Archpriests let the holiest man in the country come to receive his vampire whore brother publicly.

The city didn't change much compared to two years ago. Jagged tall buildings were filled with cramped, dingy apartments like rows of bee hives. The narrow streets were crowded with shops and restaurants. The main road was always congested with countless angry drivers, honking frantically for trivial annoyances. The sidewalks were fraught with crowds rushing to their destinations, and everyone was in a hurry. Some policemen were chasing away homeless people with uncharitable batons simply because their existence "damaged the Capital City's image and dignity."

Many people said vampires were creatures of the most rigid social hierarchy system, but Lucius now realized that humanity was not much different. They had the most grandeur churches with golden statues and colorful murals, and the priests and nobility washed their feet with milk and threw their steaks and wine into the gutters, while some people worked twelve hours a day yet couldn't even afford a roof over their heads.

Lucius was also born into a privileged life, and he had never paid attention to the different sides of the world before until circumstances tossed him into it. And now, he couldn't unsee it anymore.

As the car drove into the suburb, the scenery transitioned into a more open and idyllic hilly landscape. Miles of vast pasture and farmlands undulated under the azure firmament, fringed by lines of trees and patches of forests. Flocks of sheep sauntered on the versants like moving clouds. Lazy cows sleeping under the warm sunlight. Most of these beautiful and rich lands belonged to either aristocratic families or the Churches, and except for family members and servants, hired farmhands, and other upper-class members, no regular civilians were allowed to enter these lands.

The cars turned to a branching road guarded by two lines of lush, stately, moss-covered oak trees. Lucius was very familiar with these trees. He used to love walking through the enormous green tunnel and watching the sunlight trickling through layers of leaves like myriads of cascades. It pacified him whenever he had a bad day.