Elijah exhaled deeply and walked over to Lucien, his father, with an uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Father, I have something I want to tell you," he said, his voice firm.
The room fell silent, every pair of eyes locking onto Elijah. For him to take the initiative to speak with Lucien was a rarity. Lucien raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and gestured for his son to continue.
Before Lucien could process the situation, Elijah's fist collided with his chest, sending him hurtling through the window. Glass shattered as Lucien landed on the poolside in the backyard. The room erupted into gasps of shock, particularly from Astrid and Selena, who hadn't anticipated this turn of events.
Lucien lay there for a moment, a wry smile creeping across his face. "I missed you, son," he muttered as he rose to his feet, dusting himself off. "If you wanted to test your strength, you should have just asked."
Meanwhile, Elijah had already stepped outside, ignoring Mireille's withering glare. "You two," she snapped, pointing at Lloyd and Dorian, "keep an eye on them."
The two men exchanged glances before reluctantly following Elijah outside.
As the door closed, Mireille sighed. "Honestly, those muscle-headed drunkards can fight until they kill each other. Let's do something more productive."
Elara perked up, clapping her hands together. "Now that's a plan. Let's go have some fun!" She paused, noticing Astrid and Selena still frozen in place. "What are you two waiting for? You're family now. Come along—we have plenty to discuss."
Selena and Astrid hesitated but quickly followed, knowing better than to defy a Velmont's enthusiasm.
Outside, Lucien cracked his knuckles, advancing on Elijah. "Have you gotten weaker, old man?" Elijah taunted.
Lucien smirked. "No, you've just gotten easier to trick."
Before Elijah could react, a lawn chair fell from above, hitting him square on the head. He staggered, glaring at his father, who burst into laughter.
"You're still as reckless as ever," Lucien chuckled.
Without missing a beat, Elijah countered with an uppercut, launching Lucien into the air. Lucien landed on his feet and retaliated with a swift kick—only for it to be caught mid-air by Lloyd.
"Im his right-hand man, that also includes helping him take you down," Lloyd said with a grin.
Elijah smiled, throwing another punch at his father. This time, the attack was intercepted by Dorian, who appeared out of nowhere.
"Well," Dorian said, cracking his neck, "he's still my son. Looks like it's two against two now—old generation versus new."
Elijah's grin widened. "Fine by me."
The battle began in earnest. Though Elijah and Lloyd's teamwork was impeccable, honed through years of training, Lucien and Dorian's raw strength and centuries of experience made them formidable opponents.
Meanwhile, the women had retreated to a luxurious hot spring. Mireille lounged gracefully, addressing Astrid.
"So, you're her mother, and Elijah has made you a maid," she said, amusement flickering in her eyes looking at Selena. "It seems my son has taken quite a liking to you."
Astrid blushed furiously, feeling uncomfortably exposed—not just physically, but emotionally. Selene sitting nearby also felt her face heat up who knew one of the most powerful families in the world would be this…kind.
"If you're interested, I could have Thomas teach you the ropes," Mireille continued. "Of course, that's only if Elijah decides to move back in."
Cassandra, reclining in the water, suddenly chimed in. "Mother, there's something you should know—Elijah doesn't just have one wife. He has three."
The revelation sent shockwaves through the group. Astrid nearly fainted, while Layla and Elara perked up, their gossiping instincts fully activated.
"Three?" Layla echoed. "Clearly, Selene is one of the other ones. She's loved him forever. But who's the third?"
Cassandra smirked, flicking Layla's forehead. "That would be me," she said nonchalantly.
Amara burst out laughing. "Your oldest son is a troublemaker, Mireille. A womanizer through and through."
Mireille sighed but couldn't hide her amusement. "Good thing vampire DNA is negligible, or else my grandchildren would all look the same."
Elara leaned forward. "I'm surprised Selene's willing to share. I wouldn't let that slide."
Selene looked away, her cheeks burning. "I didn't let it happen," she muttered. "But you know Elijah—he's uncontrollable. I even stabbed him in the heart repeatedly, but he endured it."
Everyone stared at her, wide-eyed.
Selene continued, flustered. "But he's more than capable of handling it. He promised to love us equally, and I trust him to keep his word."
The group fell into stunned silence, only broken by Cassandra's amused chuckle.
The fight between the men raged on, their grins growing wider with every exchange.
"Your children are much stronger than I thought, much stronger than you were at their age—and they're only 18," Dorian remarked, parrying a blow from Elijah.
Lucien laughed, not at all bothered. "I know, right? And this is Elijah and Lloyd after only nine years of training together. The best training, sure, but Elijah's been off doing who knows what, and Lloyd refused my training because Elijah wasn't home, opting to train at the academy instead." He grinned, clearly proud of his sons' progress, before throwing a punch at Lloyd.
Elijah, blocking his father's strike, smiled. "Father, I hate to say it, but fighting you is something I do miss. Tell you what—I'll move back home and maybe even consider becoming the heir. But only on three conditions."
Both Lloyd and Lucien froze for a moment, surprised by Elijah's words, but their shock didn't slow down their blows.
Lucien grunted, blocking a kick. "I'm listening."
Elijah blitzed him with several quick attacks, keeping Lucien on the defensive as he spoke. "One: You let me keep my freedom until I'm truly ready. Two: I don't have to kill you, and three: You apologize."
Lucien's grin widened. It had been so long since he had a real challenge. "Fine. I'll apologize."
He paused, looking Elijah in the eyes. "Elijah Velmont of the Velmont family, you are not talentless, and you are worthy of being my son."
Elijah smiled, throwing a swift kick at his father, which Lucien blocked. "I accept…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Lucien launched him back with a powerful counter.
Elijah rolled with the impact, recovering quickly. "You old bastard."
They both laughed as they continued their fierce but playful fight. Lloyd, watching from the sidelines, smiled. His brother was coming back—and considering being the heir… eventually.
Inside, the women were growing more comfortable with one another as they drank blood from wine glasses, the taste richer and more decadent than Astrid had ever imagined.
Seeing the look of surprise on her face, Amara smiled knowingly. "Well, if you're going to be with us for a while, you might as well get comfortable. That's not even the best blood there is to be had. Wait until you find a mate."
Astrid blushed, still mourning the death of her husband. She didn't know if she could find love again so soon.
Cassandra, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. "Grandma, her husband just died. Let her ease back into romance first."
Amara, always kind-hearted, immediately softened. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—who killed him?"
Astrid's face reddened, a little embarrassed by the question. But before she could answer, Selena spoke up, her tone hard. "Hmph. I did. He deserved it."
The room fell silent in shock. Everyone, except Cassandra and Selene, exchanged surprised glances.
Selena, feeling more at ease now, began to explain the situation. As the women shared stories and laughter, they began to form a bond, the tension easing as they got to know one another better.
The men had finally stopped fighting, now sitting around a table, laughing as they enjoyed a meal prepared by Thomas. Plates of expertly cooked steak and other delicacies were paired with aged cognac, their drink of choice. The wine they sipped earlier was just to hold them over; the real alcohol, they agreed, was best enjoyed without the women around, who would be furious if they caught them indulging.
Even Lloyd, who rarely drank, was partaking tonight. Normally, he only drank alone to avoid anyone bothering him. Lucien leaned back in his chair, swirling his glass. "So, Elijah, what have you been doing for the past nine years? I'm quite curious."
Elijah beamed, leaning forward with a playful grin. "Well, if you must know, nothing spectacular. Mostly boredom, with the occasional torture session courtesy of Selene. She called it punishment." He chuckled. "Oh, and there was the matter of her killing quite a few of my one-night partners."
Lloyd looked shocked. "She let you sleep with other people?"
Elijah laughed harder. "Well, yes. But like I said, most of them died shortly afterward. Except for Selena." He sighed dramatically. "But even with her, I haven't made it to first base yet."
Lloyd blinked in astonishment. "Elara doesn't even leave me alone! She's there watching me in class. The only time I get a break is when we're dealing with Layla's terrible taste in men—or when I'm fighting you."
Elijah smirked. "She's still mad about yesterday. If only she knew what he said…"
Lloyd frowned. "I told her you'd tell her. I don't want to break her heart."
"Well, neither do I. So you tell her."
"No way. You know how hard she's going to cry. Honestly, she should just give up on men at this point."
Elijah groaned, glaring at his father. "Fine. You tell her. She's your daughter."
Lucien shrugged. "What are you mad at me for? I don't even know what he said."
Dorian, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "Hmph. You three need to man up. I'll tell her. Now, what did he say?"
Elijah and Lloyd glanced at each other before recounting the man's cruel words. As they spoke, Dorian and Lucien's faces darkened with anger.
But Dorian, after a moment of thought, sighed and said, "Well, maybe she's better off not knowing. Velmont women have a tendency to hold grudges anyway, so what does it matter if she's mad for a few years?"
They all laughed, the tension lifting.
Dorian leaned back, turning to Elijah. "So, how did you meet Selena in the first place?"
Elijah cut a piece of steak with his knife, his tone casual. "She was being brutally beaten in an alleyway. Naturally, I killed her attackers—not out of heroism, mind you, but because their words reminded me of something you said to me before I was exiled." He glanced at Lucien.
Lucien's face fell, guilt flashing in his eyes.
Elijah continued, chewing his steak. "They called her useless and talentless. After I killed them, I talked to her while she was bleeding out. I told her the truth: she was useless and talentless. She tried to hit me, called me a bastard, and that's what drew me to her." He smirked. "Her will was unlike mine when I was exiled. She wanted to fight. So I told her she wasn't strong enough. Then I bit her and told her she could have the strength she craved—but only if she got strong enough to earn it."
Dorian sighed. "Maybe we have a problem or something. After all, we all love strong women."
Elijah smirked. "Well, at least you three only have one strong wife."
Lucien looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"
Elijah frowned, taking another bite of steak. "I have three. And two of them are already powerful witches. One of those two is completely insane, and the third—the newest one—already has the defiance of a demon."
Lloyd stared at him. "Three? Are you some kind of masochist or something?"
Elijah sighed dramatically. "Maybe. But it was the only way to keep them from killing Selena. Besides, the more women, the better." He smirked, leaning back in his chair.
Lucien's brow furrowed. "Who are the other two?"
"Well, I'm sure you can guess," Elijah replied. "Selene is one, and Cassandra is the other."
Lucien froze, his expression darkening. "Cassandra? My eldest? Maybe I should start looking for another heir."
They all laughed, the tension dissolving into shared amusement as they continued their meal.
As the men chatted, the women decided to dine out, settling at an elegant restaurant to relax and enjoy a meal. Over dessert, Mireille turned to her daughters, her gaze lingering on the rings they wore. "We'll need to have your and Elijah's rings remade," she said matter-of-factly. "If the three of you plan to be bonded for eternity, they'll have to be connected."
The sisters nodded in agreement, understanding the significance of the task.
Meanwhile, Amara, who had taken quite a liking to Astrid, engaged her in a warm conversation. Though her granddaughters were far older in years, they matured at a much slower pace, leaving Astrid and Mireille the only ones close to her mental age.
"Astrid," Amara began with a kind smile, "if you ever get tired of being a maid, you can always retire and just be my friend."
Astrid flushed at the unexpected offer. "I haven't even started yet," she replied, smiling softly, "but we can still be friends."
"Of course," Amara said, patting her hand. "But I'm just letting you know. Have you ever been to Hawaii? It's beautiful this time of year."
While the adults—Amara, Mireille, and Astrid—continued their conversation, Elara decided to stir up some mischief at the other end of the table.
"Let's make a bet," she announced, her eyes gleaming. "I want to bet that Elijah will come back home."
Selene crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Hmph. I doubt it. He said this morning he had no intentions of returning."
Cassandra nodded in agreement.
Bella, ever the logical one, chimed in. "I don't know. Grandpa and Lloyd are there to keep them in check. Elijah coming back home is highly probable."
Elara grinned. "That's one for my side. Layla, what about you?"
Layla hesitated, her expression conflicted. "I don't want to answer. I don't want to get my hopes up. Besides, I'm still mad at him."
Elara groaned dramatically. "Ugh, fine. Selena, what about you?"
Selena, startled to be addressed, blushed faintly. "W-Well, this morning Elijah did say he wasn't planning to come back home, so… I guess I'll believe him."
The sisters continued their debate, their playful bickering filling the room until the meal came to an end.
When the bill was paid, Mireille rose gracefully from her seat, addressing the group. "The men should be done by now," she said, leading them out.
They walked to the parking lot, where two sleek cars awaited them. Initially, the seating arrangements had been random to accommodate Astrid and Selena, who were likely to want to ride together. This time, the cars were split more deliberately: the three adults—Amara, Mireille, and Astrid—along with Cassandra and Selene, took another, with Bella, Elara and Selena.
With everyone settled, the group headed back toward the mansion, their conversations trailing off into the hum of the journey home.
As the men were finishing their meal, they heard the sound of cars pulling up in the driveway. Alarmed, they quickly asked Thomas to clean up the alcohol while they tried to fix their appearances. Though a bit drunk, they moved with vampiric speed, rushing to the living room and turning on sports to appear as though they had been casually watching TV all evening.
The women entered the mansion, chatting amongst themselves. When they walked into the living room, they found the men seated in an almost too-perfectly arranged manner, eyes glued to the television.
Amara was the first to notice something was off. Her sharp gaze swept over the room. "Why are you all sitting so… normal and watching TV? You four are acting weird."
The men collectively held their breaths, their nervousness palpable.
Elara, always one to defuse tension with mischief, stepped in. "More importantly, we have a bet to settle. Elijah, are you staying home?"
Elijah, who was perhaps the most drunk of the group, squinted at her, his mind foggy. "Umm… say that again?"
Cassandra frowned, her arms crossed. "You have super hearing. How could you not have heard her? What were you four doing before we got here?"
Elijah panicked, attempting to cover up. "I was, uh… watching the game."
Selene tilted her head, suspicious. "Since when do you watch sports?"
Elijah's already pale face turned even paler. "Grandfather wanted to watch it," he said hastily, throwing Dorian under the proverbial bus.
Dorian glared at him but played along. "He's right. I wanted to see how good the players are these days," he said with a grumble.
Elara shrugged, seemingly satisfied. "Well, okay… Anyway, Elijah, are you coming back home or what?"
Elijah, his focus split between the TV and trying to appear sober, blurted out, "Yeah, home. I'm coming back."
His three wives stared at him in stunned silence.
Selene walked forward, her silver eyes glinting, and smacked him in the back of his head. Elijah winced, holding his head. He was drunk, but the punch left him feeling like he might be brain-dead.
Cassandra glared at him. "You were supposed to say you weren't! Now you've made all three of us look stupid. Hmph. I think he definitely deserves another round of punishment."
Elijah's face paled even further. "It's not my fault! Father is rather convincing, and he apologized!"
The room fell silent in surprise, and Lloyd confirmed, "It's true. Elijah hit him with an uppercut and made him apologize."
Lucien glared at his son. "Hmph. He didn't force me. I simply apologized because I'm too old to be petty."
Mireille's sharp gaze narrowed at her husband. "So what do you call the last nine years?"
Lucien crossed his arms and looked away. "A father-and-son bonding experience that can only grow through separation. I wouldn't expect women to understand."
He regretted his words immediately. Both Mireille and Amara raised their hands, and Lucien began to convulse in pain, their potent magic forcing him to his knees.
Elijah, Lloyd, and Dorian burst out laughing at the sight, but Bella interrupted the moment with a knowing smirk. "By any chance, are you four drunk? I smell alcohol"
Elijah glared at her. "Snitch…" he muttered under his breath.
Bella laughed, and before long, the other two men—except Lloyd—were also convulsing in pain. Elijah, more tolerant and experienced with such magical punishments, managed to mutter between convulsions, "Traitor…"
Turning to Elara, he added, "Elara… Lloyd… said… there's… this girl… he likes… at the academy."
Elara's cheerful expression dropped instantly into a frown.
Lloyd's eyes widened. "He's lying! Would you believe him that easily?"
But Elara wasn't buying it. Grabbing Lloyd by the ear, she dragged him out of the house, ignoring his protests.
The three men still writhing on the floor smirked despite their pain. They might have been suffering, but at least Lloyd was in trouble too.