Citadel of Desire - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Into the Beast’s Lair (2)

Just as the heartless old man was about to shut the door, Rei hurriedly took out a damp letter from her bosom.

“Please send this to your lord.”

“…”

“You can at least do this much, right?” God only knew how much courage she had to muster to face that threatening aura.

But…

Instead of accepting the letter, the old man merely stared at Rei. He kept at it for a long time, amplifying the hostility and discomfiture.

The object of ‘interest’ was mortified under the grumpy old man’s scrutiny. And the fact that he had left her hand hanging in the air, only added to it. He stared at her for a bit more and then spoke.

“Come inside,” said he finally.

“Ah, thank you!”

“You should’ve invited us inside earlier…” A fellow grouch’s voice sounded.

Rei tried to communicate with Heish through her eyes, telling him not to act that way. But this man was sans all sense of propriety and modesty. Once inside, he even plopped down on the couch without permission and demanded extra clothes and a bath in a loud voice.

Rei flushed with embarrassment.

“And you, lady?”

“Yes?” The sudden question had her confused.

“Do you need a bath or new clothes?” His tone had… softened.

The current old man was a far cry from his usually unsociable self. The man who didn’t bother to even accidentally glance at people, was intently gazing at the visitor’s face.

It was strange, and Rei felt uneasy from his unexpected attention. Just then this uncaring man was eagerly slamming the door on their face, refusing to even listen, and now he was studying her as if she was a thing of intrigue. This sudden change in attitude was making angsty.

“Can we see the lord first?” she asked.

“In that state?” He looked at her, amused.

“Then, can you give him this letter…?”

Right now, her appearance was the last thing on her mind. It was imperative to see the master of this house, and the sooner they were done with it the sooner they could rest easy.

Just then, the sound of glasses clinking, and a tantalizing aroma reached Rei. Her mouth reflexively watered. As if on cue, her stomach rumbled, her eyes glanced upstairs.

A puddle formed around her feet as the droplets fell from her wet hair, trickling down her bosom, making their way to the ground by way of her clothes. In that instance, she felt a gaze upon her. Her eyes instinctively turned towards the carefully prepared meal set out and then to the figure that was leaning against the banister.

“Master.”

The man’s lips rested on the tip of the glass in his hand. His gaze ran down her figure, from the damp blond hair to her feet trembling from the cold. He didn’t bother trying to hide his gaze. As their eyes met, the man softly licked his lips.

“Master, this is Heish from the Lisburn family and…”

The old man let his words hang as he turned around to look at Rei, asking for her name.

“Rei Lisburn.”

“They brought this letter.”

The old man carefully handed over the letter to his master. The man didn’t come down, so the siblings stood still, gazing up at his form.

“Eliot Wester.”

Those were the first words he spoke after looking at the letter.

“That’s the name of my maternal grandfather. He passed away last year. He’s said to have helped your family in the past.”

Heish triumphantly continued rambling after wiping himself down with a towel.

“Our family has experienced some troubles recently, and my sister and I are looking for a place to stay temporarily. I know this is sudden, but could you allow us to stay here for a short while? I will never forget your kindness. For generations, the Lisburns-”

“But,” the man twisted his neck, as if uncomfortable.

“Your sister is beautiful.”

“Yes?” Heish was taken aback by the sudden words.

“Is she engaged?”

As the stunned Heish stuttered, the man slowly descended the stairs. Earlier, his true nature was hidden by the shadows. But as he walked into the light, his full form came into view.

The man was astonishingly tall, a ring of yellow encircled his sharp pupils. Those eyes… Instead of a human, they belonged to a beast. Even the usually arrogant Heish stood speechless upon seeing him.

“Well, are you?”

He looked right at her. As his long, slender fingers ran through his ink black hair, his gaze drifted down her face and remained fixed on Rei’s lips.

“No.”

“You are not?”

“I am not.”

A small smile graced his face, so subtle that even Rei, who stood close to him, could barely notice it.

“Stay.”

“…”

“For as long as you want.”

Heish was even more surprised than Rei. He’d thought that the man wouldn’t let them stay for more than a week, but here he was, allowing them to stay for as long as they liked.

“Tha-thank you. Your name is…?”

The man didn’t spare a single glance towards Heish and answered with his gaze still fixed on Rei.

“Clodan Kashilier.”

His greeting was light-hearted, but Rei clenched her skirt, forcing more water onto the floor.

It was strange. As soon as the man came closer, she felt her hair stood on end. Rei bit down on the inside of her cheek, pushing down the gnawing anxiety building inside her. Why did it feel like coming to this place was a mistake? She shook her head and raised her gaze.

The man was still looking at her.