Chapter 560: You Brought My Enemies To My Doorstep

But even with the dagger pressed tight to his neck, Cassius didn’t flinch. He tilted his head slightly and gave Carmela a wry, almost amused smile.

"You know." He began lightly, his tone half-playful, half-tired. "I really don’t think I’ve been that terrible of a host, have I?"

Carmela’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t reply. The dagger stayed where it was, cold and unmoving.

Cassius sighed dramatically, leaning back a little in his chair, though the blade’s edge traced a thin line against his throat.

"I mean, honestly." He continued. "Not only did I give you a completely separate guesthouse, one far away from the mansion so you could have all the privacy you wanted. But I even made sure none of the maids or guards ever went near your side."

"You wanted seclusion and I made sure you got it. I even kept my wives away and god, that was a struggle in itself."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking exhausted just recalling it.

"The moment they heard there was a mysterious guest, every single one of them wanted to meet you. Took me an entire hour just to convince them to stay out of your way. Believe me, trying to stop a girl like Vivi when she’s curious is practically a military campaign."

Carmela’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.

"And that’s not even all." Cassius smiled thinly and gestured toward her with his fingers. "I made sure you were well fed and comfortable. Sent you sweets, fresh fruits, books—oh, and some fine little trinkets, things to keep you entertained so you wouldn’t get bored."

He raised one finger in lecture.

"But the best part—oh, the best part was what I learned in the library. I spent the better half of an evening researching what exactly vampires enjoy."

"Turns out, you people are just like us when it comes to food. Humans love their meat; you love your blood. Fair enough."

He leaned forward conspiratorially.

"So, I had a few animals slaughtered—a lamb, a pig, two chickens, a sheep and had their blood drained properly. You know, kept fresh, cooled, sealed in crystal jars."

"I wasn’t sure which you preferred, so I sent all of it. I even made sure to get top breeds of each animal just for you."

"But even after all that effort, after all that hospitality..." He slowly turned his head toward her with a pitiful look like he was asking if this was fair. "...you’re standing here threatening to cut my head off."

"Tell me, Carmela. Have I truly been such a bad host?"

For a tense moment, Carmela simply stared down at him, her expression frosty. Then she finally spoke.

"You haven’t been a bad host." She said quietly. "In fact, you’ve been the best host I’ve ever had."

Cassius blinked, taken aback. "Really?"

She gave the faintest nod. "No one’s ever treated me this kindly. Not in years."

He was about to smile, to make a smug remark, but her voice cut through him again like a knife.

"But." She said, eyes narrowing further. "Even the best host can make grave mistakes."

"Mistakes?" Cassius frowned slightly. "I don’t recall poisoning your food or burning your bed."

She ignored the comment and said, "You still haven’t managed to maintain order in your house."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"The snake girl. And the frail one. They’ve been pretending to stroll near my guesthouse for days now." She said like she was leaving complain on the hotel she was staying in.

"Always at the same hour. Always stopping just long enough to ’admire the scenery.’"

Cassius winced internally.

"They think I don’t notice." She continued coolly. "But it’s obvious they’re spying on me. Peeking through the hedges, pretending to deliver things they never do. Curious little creatures. They think I’m too injured to sense them."

Her gaze sharpened.

"They’re wrong."

"Ah. I see. Yes, that...does sound like them."

Cassius shook his head awkwardly. But her gaze still didn’t soften as she went on to say,

"And your wife, the one called Diana. The doctor who checked up on me first. She keeps asking through the door if I need any further help or medicine. And even wants to send a few nurses to take care of me."

Cassius groaned softly, dragging his hand down his face. "Oh, gods..."

"Then there’s the blonde one, the curvy loyal maid." Carmela went on. "She keeps asking me if I want to season the blood you send me."

Cassius blinked. "Season it?"

"Yes. Season it." Carmela said like she herself has never heard such a comment. "She asks if I’d like it salted. Spiced. Diluted. She said she could make it taste like ’fine wine’ if I’d just tell her what I prefer."

"Of course she did..."

"And the black-haired one with glasses." Carmela added. "She’s constantly hovering near my door, asking if I require anything else, if I need more books, more blankets, more candles..."

Cassius leaned back with a groan, covering his face. "Dammit, they really are so nosey."

"So you’re aware."

"Yes, yes, I told them to stay away." He said in exasperation. "But they can’t help themselves. They just wanted to help. They meant no harm, I swear. They’re all curious, kindhearted girls."

Carmela tilted her head slightly, her gaze turning a little tender.

"I know." She said after a pause. "They mean no harm. They are...good people."

That caught him off guard. "Wait—you think that?"

She nodded once. "Yes. I’ve seen enough."

"But how?" He asked, leaning forward slightly. "You’ve been confined to the guesthouse this whole time, haven’t you?"

Her expression darkened a little. "Only during the day."

Cassius smirked. "...You mean you’ve been wandering around the estate at night?"

Carmela’s lips curled faintly, not quite a smile as she said, "All I can say is that I’ve seen enough to know that everyone here is decent. Loyal. Compassionate."

Cassius exhaled, a bit of tension leaving his shoulders.

"Well, that’s a relief. For a moment there I thought—"

But before he could finish, the dagger pressed harder against his neck. A chill ran through him as he felt a single bead of blood trace down his skin.

Carmela’s eyes flared faintly in the dim light.

"But you." She said quietly. "You’re not like them."

Cassius froze, his smile fading. "...Pardon?"

"You." She continued, voice low and sharp as glass. "Are exactly like every other noble I’ve met. Arrogant. Dangerous. Pretending to be kind while playing a game only you can win."

Her eyes narrowed further.

"There’s no difference."

Cassius blinked, taken aback.

"Wait—what did I do? I mean, honestly, I’ve had so many thoughts about flirting with you, but for your sake, I held myself back! I’ve been nothing but polite!"

"You were." Carmela admitted evenly. "You didn’t bother me. You let me rest. You were a perfect host."

"Then what—"

"But that was until today." She interrupted coldly. "When I woke from my sleep this evening and went to scout the area as I always do. And do you know what I saw?"

Cassius hesitated, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"...What did you see?"

Carmela leaned closer, her glowing eyes burning inches from his.

"Sisters." She whispered. "From the Church."

Cassius blinked. "Ah. That’s—"

"Not just any sisters." She cut in. "The ones from the church’s death squad. The Saintess’s personal entourage. They carry no books. No prayers. Only weapons—blessed by the Goddess herself."

Her voice turned colder still.

"And among them...the Saintess of Judgment herself."

Cassius’s expression stiffened.

"She’s here." Carmela said darkly. "The most dangerous woman in the Church, the one chosen by the Goddess herself."

Her grip tightened on the dagger. "You brought her to my doorstep, Cassius."

She leaned closer, her tone trembling with restrained fury.

"You brought my most powerful enemy right to my door."

Before Cassius could even open his mouth to defend himself, Carmela interrupted him.

"Don’t even try to say it." She hissed, cutting him off before he could utter a word. "Don’t say you didn’t know. Don’t say it was a coincidence. Don’t tell me you didn’t realize who my mortal enemies are."

Her eyes gleamed, bright red in the lamplight, and Cassius could feel the faint heat from her breath against his neck.

"If you had the time to read about what food vampires like, to figure out which kind of blood we prefer." She said slowly, her tone like a razor. "Then you should’ve read just a little bit further."

"...far enough to know how many of my kind were killed by the Church."

Cassius’s faint smile faltered.

"No." She went on, shaking her head, her voice growing colder. "Not killed. Massacred. Purged."

She leaned closer, her dagger pressing just a little harder. "Do you have any idea how many bodies there were? How many of my kind they burned alive, staked, torn apart in the name of us being mind-controlling demons?"

Her eyes blazed. "If you piled the corpses of every vampire the Church destroyed, you could make a wall around this entire estate."

"An unbroken line of ash and bone. That’s how thorough their ’purification’ was."

Cassius’s gaze hollowed slightly, but he said nothing yet.

"The Church didn’t stop until they nearly wiped us from the world entirely." Carmela continued, her voice trembling, not from fear, but from fury barely contained. "And my kind. My coven. All gone. All because their holy order decided we were unclean."

"And you brought them here." She whispered. "Those same murderers. The ones who bathe their blades in my people’s blood."

She tilted her head, the faintest hint of betrayal flickering in her eyes.

"What exactly is this? Some kind of master plan? Did you intend to lure me in with all your false kindness—feed me sweets, give me books, make me feel comfortable—while secretly calling the Church to come finish what they started?"

Her voice trembled, but her gaze stayed deadly still.

"If that’s the case." She said quietly. "Then I must say—you’ve done a remarkable job. You really had me fooled."

"I let myself get comfortable around you, which I don’t normally do." She drew in a slow, shaky breath, her expression tightening. "I let my guard down."

"So, if those sisters are here to finish me, then so be it. It’s my own fault for being careless."

Cassius tried to speak, but the dagger pressed closer.

Carmela leaned down until her face was only inches from his, her crimson eyes reflecting in his crimson ones.

"But before I go to the next life." She murmured, her tone icy. "I’ll make sure you come with me."

Her words were like steel, her grip unyielding.

"Now..." She said darkly. "What do you have to say about that?"