The Vampire Queen and the Mortal Pauper

Chapter Thirty-seven

The Brazen Queen's Simplicity 

There was an old shipyard located not far from the Highwind Harbor. It looked abandoned from the worn and rusty boats, machinery and freight containers dumped everywhere. A junkyard would best describe it.

Within one of those containers someone could be heard hissing in pain. Thick scent of medicinal herbs and blood permeated the enclosed space that was dimly lit by a candle. The lighting easily revealing the person to be Mr. Havilundi.

"... I curse you, Veles...!" he hissed in anger and agony while gingerly removing the bandages wrapped around his chest area.

The bald witch was so fortunate to have survived the fatal gunshots. However, it left him looking dreadfully pale from the excessive blood loss. Fortunately, he was able to use magic to prevent any further damage and successfully dislodged the bullets. Sadly, as well, it left him totally drained and unable to heal himself using the mystic crafts, hence resorted to only applying the medicinal herbs he could find.

The wounds would heal in no time, except it was too long for the frustrated and wrathful Mr. Havilundi. Everything was ruined. His plan spoiled and the prey escaped.

Even though Mr. Havilundi was resourceful, it was not an easy task gathering such confidential intel on Veles. He had to rely on the mystic forces to uncover some truths. Although not everything, but it was enough to know the deadly mercenary's weaknesses.

Veles's outstanding achievements made him arrogant, and Mr. Havilundi was planning to use that against him. Abducting his worthless fiancée would surely provoke him to act, and his pride wouldn't allow him to involve the police and come alone. That would be his undoing. However, who would have thought the damned mercenary would bring along help.

"Coward!" Mr. Havilundi hissed once more.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Abrupt beeping sounds interrupted his thoughts to his pockets. He fished out a pager that seemed to be still functional and directly became annoyed. The sender was Prince Malfoy pestering about the progress of the failed task. That vampire's impatience was so infuriating and not something he wanted to deal with at the moment. So, he ignored the message as usual. But when another subsequent message followed, he angrily tossed away the gadget.

"Now, now, Johannes. This reaction is not what we desire from you..." a foreign voice with a peculiar accent sounded all of a sudden.

Mr. Havilundi was greatly alarmed and shot a glare into the darkness. "Who the fuck is there?" he demanded.

"Mind your tone, fledgling!" the voice growled back.

The shadows warped strangely to reveal a person concealed within an old dark hooded cloak. Mr. Havilundi's silver eyes bulged wide in fret.

"You...? Why are you here?" he demanded with a slight stammer.

"Insolent fool! Is this thy proper way of paying respect...?" The veiled stranger harshly rebuked, but then stopped momentarily when the bald witch shrunk back in fear. "You are injured?" he probed afterward.

Mr. Havilundi instinctively guarded his wounded chest and answered hastily, "It is nothing..."

The veiled stranger silently assessed the bald witch then said, "Oh, I see... You have been quite busy that we can't help but be concerned."

"Concerned?" Mr. Havilundi became extremely tense. The intruder's show of concern was not because of his injury, but something else entirely. "Why would you be? My trivial trades aren't worthy for your eyes," Mr. Havilundi replied dismissively.