Walking with the Vampire |COMPLETE|

13. The uncompellable man and the witch who knew

Nicholae hadn't been able to sleep even if he'd wanted to.
That morning the events of the previous dawn had deeply disturbed him. He swore he experienced it all and nothing was a figment of his imagination.

All through the day, he looked at it from all angles. Even during Niko's training with the Shepherd Creek wolves. Cayden and Nicholae has observed the workout while Liza and Lupé did the actual job.
He'd sent Niko on home with Fauna and the others who were still at the camp when Nicholae reached there. He made sure they kept their mouths shut. But before they set off on their journey in the G wagon, Nicholae pulled Fauna aside.

'While you were down there yesterday, did anything feel weird to you? Did the body act... uh different?'

She slowly shook her head as she combed through her brain for anything.

'Sorry my lord. She was in her usual state.'
The answer was deeply unsatisfying but he waved them away and took a different route to see a mutual friend of his and Valentina.
Her hideout was very cliche. In the middle of an unhabitable part of Dolton. Even the bloodthirsty beasts didn't even venture there.
Wards and traps were effectively set to keep them all at bay. The wards were also used to prevent all nobles. And for the right reasons.

Nicholae tightly grabbed the locket that guaranteed his security.
He also hoped that Tiana remembered him after all his years of absence.
He knocked using the metallic knocker placed in the middle of the wooden door.

The peep hole slid opened and a pair of red rimmed eyes stared widely at the visitor.

'Cole. I wasn't expecting you.'
He heard a series of locks sliding in and out of place, a couple of clicks and finally a whisper of a spell.

'How many years has it been? I wouldn't be expecting me too.'

The locket allowed him to step further into the house without so much as a tickle.
Usually if anyone was powerful enough to make it this far, Tiana's last line of defense would blow them into smithereens.
Her warding magic was taken from the rib of a powerful warlock who once served the dragons. Nicholae has given it to her as a gift to protect herself and his wife.
Seeing as he was a widower now, it was safe to say, Darius wasn't as powerful as they legends foretold much to Nicholae's regret.

'I'm happy you're here, but I have to ask why? After all these years?'

Nicholae barely gave his attention to the modestly decorated room he was ushered in.
The purple carpenter floors were not to his fancy nor was the slow moving fan made of some aesthetic crystals.
What he drew him in was the small framed picture on the wooden stand by his cushioned seat.
He took it and couldn't help but smile at the cheerful faces in the picture.

'She's the reason you came here again, isn't she?'
Tiana knelt beside him following his gaze to the beautiful curly haired girl in the black and white photo with her.

'When I came here after Valentina's death. I wasn't myself. Truthfully the entire day is a blur to me.'
Nicholae set the picture back in its place.

'I can barely remember what you told me about her death. Tell me, please help me.'

Tiana stood up and turned away from him. No doubt she too was in pain. Valentina had been a good friend. They had both served under the Lynch household.
Tiana had always supported Valentina in whatever she did. That also put her in huge trouble with the Lynch clan. That's why she was hiding.
Nicholae knew he was asking too much of her by telling her to relive the loss of her friend.

' I gave you the rib. To protect her. I asked you to cast a protective spell over her.'

Tiana took two deadly steps towards him.