The Melbourne Noble Vampires.

One of the two oldest households and renowned pillars in the Northern Vampire Country. The members descended from an Ancient Ekaterina Preoteassa and continued living with an unwavering loyalty and faith towards her. The Melbournes were rumored to possess elemental abilities at the same wavelength as their ancestor and their beliefs opposed strongly with the Feather Household.

For decades, the Melbournes and Feathers had been stuck in a tense rivalry due to serving two different Ancients and lifestyles. Being the strongest nobles in the North, their influence was huge tsunamis that could make a huge change.

"It's obvious they are nobles but to be related to a powerful figure?!" Alanis was having the time of her life obscured by the stack of books she surrounded herself with in the far corner of the library, it filled the short-haired woman with a tinge of envy upon finding it because it was larger and had titles she never had back home. The expansive library had a high grand ceiling–intricate details resembling an abstract painting of dark blue skies with stars, and a moon surrounded by trails of white flames.

Flipping through the next page, she remained engrossed in the book's content and wanted to get as much information as she could. Nothing was more exciting than reading something new. Her eyebrows furrowed at a question that sprouted in her mind, "How come we never heard of them?"

"Yes I wondered the same thing too when we got acquainted recently, we are common knowledge here, Diamond, but maybe we are not that much of a celebrity to some," A playful snicker from behind was heard, the voice was close to Alanis' nape.

That voice–She sprang up the floor unceremoniously and swung around purposely hitting him with the hardbound book in her hands but he managed to avoid it and encased her wrists in his hold.

A wide smile of mischief spread on Kurtis' face, "Calm down, it's just me"

"Yeah just you, your presence alone is enough to make all warning bells toll!"

"Hey I am not a walking red flag, Diamond"

"No, you're a giant crimson banner!"

Kurtis pushed the brunette onto the floor when she attempted to pull away and escape, the books stacked nearby spilled, scattering around them. He held her wrists down beside her head while hovering above Alanis. "You should feel the relief it is me, if it were Wisdom or Clock who found you here instead, you'd hear literal warning bells ringing everywhere"

This man...no, Kurtis was beyond of standard male attributes but instead igniting fright Alanis was curious–an impulsive thrill which only felt when she was surrounded by books. Bothersome but yet those glinting molten ambers staring at hers were too shiny to look away from.

"I wasn't stealing if that is what you have in mind" Alanis schooled her features well, successfully cloaking the spike of being captivated by this vampire. She struggled to get her wrists released, "This is improper, you must unhand me!"

The towering figure only leaned closer, mischief evident on Kurtis' features. "Imagine how scandalous it'll be if they find us, yes?" He was focused in those gray eyes, "It is hard to believe you are siblings with your eyes differing in color, but I am not complaining, for me you are an interesting mix. So my pet, do you have any questions for me?"

"Huh?" The whole thing about being called a pet should have sounded insulting but Alanis mentally hit her forehead against a wall because she didn't feel that way. "I don't have questions for you, I want to be let go"

Kurtis touched the short-haired woman's face with one hand in a curious manner as if trying to memorize. "You were reading books about my family, if you want to know something why not go directly to the source? Instead of escaping your job at the hotel, you could have come to me."

That was right, Alanis left the hotel to find the library, she sneaked away when it wasn't obvious and as it was instructed by big sister, she would never refuse her. "Our parents believe continuous learning is futile, even if we were finished with studies years ago, they did not stop bringing scholars and instructors to teach us."

"Wow, you put it that way, you must be rich, no wonder your baby sister acts the way she is" Kurtis tilted his head in astonishment, and finally to Alanis' relief he pulled away and sat on the floor–his seeping warmth was gone off her.

Alanis followed and sat properly, "I don't disagree and Evie always gets many dresses, accessories, and shoes so long as she remains obedient. Back to what I was saying, being homeschooled we mainly knew whatever we were taught"

"You were taught vampires are damned and vile creatures?"

"Yes, regardless of appearance, vampires are not humans but..." Alanis looked in the distance, she trailed her words, halting in saying more and quickly swerving the course of the statement. "...So you are nobles"

Kurtis blinked, he caught on to what was unspoken and figured there was something she was holding back. "Yes we are, it's understandable if you don't know about us if all your teachers were focused on making you feel that we are threats, I'm not saying there's no truth in it though but my family is not like those vampires living in the rougher sides of North"

"Some truths are better left not known because once you got exposed to it, the horror of its reality falls on your well-being like a hot melted wax, sticking to your skin," Alanis muttered more to herself as she looked afar, a couple of seconds later she glanced back at the vampire next to her on the floor. "I'll fix the mess I did here"

There was more she wasn't saying, Kurtis did not have to ask because those gray eyes held a storm carefully kept under check. "I am not telling Wisdom about your escapade here, don't think so little of me, my pet" He straightened up, helping Alanis up to her feet.

-*-

"WELCOME BACK, MASTER!"

Wisdom froze after closing the door behind him and turning on the lights in his chamber. His crystal gold eyes were unblinking staring at the reason for being startled–he was taken aback despite the smooth visage of aloofness on his face. There was a subtle twitch from his eyebrow as he finally spoke, "What is the meaning of this?"

Standing in the middle of his room shining with confidence and exaggerated enthusiasm was Holly, naked from head to toe–her waist-length wavy black hair looked slightly wet, fresh from a bath. "I want to greet you after coming home late! You did not join us for dinner, where were you?!" She puffed her cheeks, unbothered by her nudity. The rain and coldness from the open windows could be felt inside the room.

"Put your clothes on"

Instead of complying, Holly hurried over to the first-born brother, latching her arms around his neck, and pressed herself closer to his side. "Why are you acting so nonchalant, Wisdom? You should look alive with color when you see your pet! And besides, I'm looking forward to being marked!"

She was shrugged off, ignored, and was not even looked at. Wisdom pushed Holly off his arm without hesitation. "You need to get two important things through your head–first, do not refer to me as Master, it's disgusting. Second, I will not mark you"

His second statement visibly left Holly staggered. "What? But you said it yourself–"

"I am not marking a liar and deceitful human like you." Wisdom's blunt words cut Holly's off. "Now put clothes on, you will stay in the separate room I prepared there" He pointed at another door across them. "We are not sleeping together, I don't want to tangle with a pretentious poison, the only reason you're here is so I can keep an eye on you and you won't endanger my brothers' lives, until then...you are staying in that room"

"...Why are you being so cold to me?"

"Do not tell me you do not know, Holly. Between the two of us, you are the danger"

-*-

Her feet were covered in thick soil and dirt. It unexpectedly rained from early afternoon until the evening, such an ambiance that brought Arabella's body down, wanting to get full rest after working her first day at the hotel. Honestly, she did not expect to be assigned such tasks as she was under the impression they would be doing suspicious things or acting like slaves. Gosh, the stuff they read back home was affecting her thinking.

"W-Where am I?!" After dinner, she went back inside Clock's chamber due to exhaustion and slept as soon as her body made contact with the water bed. But now, she was standing upright with dirty night clothes and barefooted!

Her lips quivered and her body shook like a leaf as the damp cold clawed against her–reaching and grazing its unseen talons. Arabella held no recognition of this chapel bygone of the present, left to be eternally frozen in the past.

Arabella sobbed loudly, covering her lips with a hand. "Big sister, help me..."

That confused and shaken gaze lowered to the floor where she stood, seeing crimson drip continuously, already forming medium to large splotches. It was coming from the wound she obtained on her forearm. The bandage around it was shredded, and the gashes became worse and swollen.

"Arabella...I am only looking at you yet I can tell how fresh and succulent you are going to be" The foreboding voice was honey-smooth with a jeering undertone.

Bringing her arms around herself, Arabella's limbs shook under the long skirt hem, despite not seeing the speaker, she could picture the voice with a hedonistic smile and wrapping stickily around her in a salacious way.

"Come to me, Arabella, let yourself be the first offering on the platter"

No, she wouldn't allow it! Arabella fought hard to focus and blocked the taunting voice, at the same time there was a painful nudging in her mind wanting to gain control of something in her.

"Clock, help me"

-*-

His sage green eyes flicked open, and the sleepiness spiraled out of Clock's system and was replaced by frantic awareness. He had no idea where the wariness stemmed from. Strange, it felt eerily and suspiciously silent. Clock got up from bed to stand in the middle of his chamber to regard the surroundings, having no problems due to his heightened senses.

"You," Clock's gaze last found Duckie also standing across from him, its dotted eyes staring up at him without sign of fear. "A mundane's pet, why are you lurking in my space when I graciously had a room connected to mine meant for you and–" He stopped mid-sentence with a stupefied look and hurried to the room he assigned to Arabella.

Bed empty with the mattress wrinkled on the floor, the windows were wide opened and made the curtains dance.

Duckie was following closely behind and quacked loudly then pecked its beak on Clock's left leg repetitively.

"Stop that I am aware of the dire situation!" Clock picked up the duck from the floor and it struggled in his hold, continuously pecking to rile him more. "Ugh, what a ferocious animal you are!" Duckie was not just an ordinary duck, the vampire hated to admit it was smart and cared about Arabella a lot.

He heard a voice, a soft pleading scared whisper, the reason for his wake. Was it Arabella? If so, how did he hear her? How was it possible? Clock put Duckie down again and left his chamber–

Oh god.

His senses were filled with a coppery fragrance scent. It was slowly making his breathing heavy and intense. Clock leaned onto the wall to maintain balance. "Whose blood was spilled?" And so close by!

Arabella. It was her, there was no doubt. Her blood, it was just like last time at the auction...luscious and strange in a good way.

"So you smelled it too? Wow" Kurtis came into the hall, inhaling the scent floating in the air.

Clock glared daggers at his brother, "Do not dare, Kurtis, I'm warning you!" He lunged at him, pulling the second-born by the collar.

The lights lit open and all the vampire residents occupying the mansion came out of their rooms, mutually sharing looks of being perplexed and also captivated by the scent.

Klaus narrowed his gaze seeing the two in a tense position, "Hey Clock, stop, it's late night and not the best time to beat the crap out of Kurtis" Their fourth-born brother was not always angry but when he do, it would only mean something serious. He pulled them away from each other.

"No way! I am not even complaining!" Kurtis didn't look fazed and was slightly not pleased that Klaus intervened.

Zidane also showed up, "What is happening? I smelled blood–"

"Arabella is gone, the windows of her room are opened, she's gone! I need to find her!" Clock exclaimed frantically, ready to move.

"Gone? Please enlighten me on what that means, Clock" Holly rushed to him, standing in his way and her face was pure curiosity but there was a subtle hint of puff in her Fuschia pink eyes.

Wisdom took notice of this and scowled. He walked forward, pulling Holly away. "Be wise not to ask stupid questions, Clock is already upset"

"There is nothing wrong with big sister's question when you all disturbed the night with this squabble and you would say Arabella is gone without any reason?!" Alanis spoke harshly, being flooded with concern and What Ifs.

Evangeline covered her mouth with both hands, suppressing a cry of whimper. She refused to assume the worst scenarios Arabella could be in right now, no!

"I am going to look for her," Clock declared with finality and went off.

At this hour of night, they weren't the only ones who got stirred to wake. The thick surrounding forest was not tame and never ran out of danger, only certain areas were marked safe after the purification done by Ancient Ekaterina. Zidane hurried to the entrance doors, pulling them open.

Klaus was right behind him, face looking grave. "We need to accompany Clock, the night turned ripe"

"What do you mean by ripe?!" The question brought irritation to Klaus, he had no time for this human woman's stubbornness right now but Ariadne refused to be purposely ignored and she knew the temperamental vampire was close to losing his patience with her. "Klaus, answer me! Zidane!" She glanced at the dhampir.

Zidane was raising his head, sensing the air. "Do not provoke us right now, Ariadne, now is not the good time to become bull-headed" He tch-ed, "Klaus, we cannot take them all by ourselves"

From the window in the living room, Alanis saw the changes taking place beyond the mansion; her stormy gray eyes gleamed with concern and fear. "I am not understanding anything..."

"Not all answers and everything are in books, Diamond, unfortunately," Kurtis spoke near her, he casually pulled the short-haired woman away from the window. "It would have been better if it was though"

The dark sky outside was clouded with a hazy thick crimson, mixing with it and turning into an ominous shade. Growls, scratching, and tearing were suddenly heard, it was so loud it even penetrated the walls of the mansion.

Klaus' cobalt blue eyes whirled around to Wisdom, "Zidane and I are going"

"Do not engage in any fights you won't win from, getting them back is an utmost priority" Wisdom nodded curtly without any change in his reaction.