Evaline | L. Lioncourt ✔

[23] Subterfuge

Lestat was not aware how great of a mistake he had made by mentioning Eva's previous customers to Rob and implying that he was in fact responsible for all the terrors that had befallen them. In that way, Rob had gotten a chance to track down the mysterious murders and blame Lestat for it.

He knew it was a risky task but his ego had been hurt and Lestat had stolen away one of the main attractions to his tavern, the lovely Evaline, from right under his nose and rendering him helpless in front of him.

But as he had a slight opportunity to thwart Lestat, he could not let go of it and intended to do all in his power to somehow avenge all the troubles Lestat had caused him.

The mysterious French gentleman had become a source of never ending peril for him for the words he had spoken were softer than silk but the threat underlying cut sharper than a knife. And the sooner he could get rid of him, the better it would be for him.

For each night as he closed his eyes, those handsome yet lethal features swam in his vision and he could not sleep a wink due to the fear that he would be murdered in his sleep.

And his fear was just because not long after he had sent his men to search for all those who had recently taken Evaline for a night or misused her in any way had been found either dead or mysteriously vanished.

The news of the carriage that had fallen off the cliff with five gentlemen from the nearby district and their driver haunted him most. For nothing had remained of the mangled bodies except for the driver who had died later while being treated.

And even that driver hadn't been able to voice out what actually had passed that night.

Rob could not understand whether Lestat was a killer in human form or something otherworldly altogether.

Several of his men were keeping strict watch on him from a distance because Rob had warned hem not to get any closer lest he would suspect their presence. And all they had deduced about his habits was not only sinister but unnerving.

They had noticed that he stayed in his house for as long as the sun was up and only came out be evening, he supposedly had no means of income but was able to afford a house and other expenses rather well almost as if he had a backup reservoir of money. He seldom interacted with people but all those who had met him described him as beguilingly charming, elusive and yet having an unmistakably sharp aura that warned others to stay on their guard.

Lestat de Lioncourt.

A phantom of a man who was striking terror in him by every passing day. A man who was unnervingly similar in traits to the myth of vampires that had been the talk of the town decades ago.

But Rob too had vowed to make life terrible for him. And for that he only had to find out his weakness which was not a very difficult task for him since he already knew what it was.

Evaline.

Sweet and naive Evaline who had somehow captured his heart enough for him to trade a hefty amount in exchange for her freedom.

Evaline who was still believed to be cursed in the eyes of the tavern visitors.

And it was that very misconception regarding her that he was going to use to his advantage, as a ploy to cause Lestat's demise, whether he was a vampire or not.

For there was not much difference in being inflicted by a curse or being a damned creature itself. And the final sentence for both was being burnt alive at the stake.

***

The sun had risen but its rays did not filter in through the thick curtains that covered the windows. The room was still bathed in a comfortable darkness when Lestat peeled open his eyes.