The Crown's Obsession

"It was a misunderstanding," Madeline tried to intervene, and Vladimir raised his hand for her to stop defending her sister.

Beth pursed her lips. The way the Devil was looking at her right now, she was sure the death reaper would appear and drag her to Hell. She repented meeting Markus, believing his and Rosamund's words, and she wondered how long it would take until she would be forgiven for her actions.

Not knowing what else to do, Beth bowed her head, "I apologize for my mistakes. I would never do anything like that ever again. My loyalty lies with my sister and the King of Devon."

Vladimir didn't lift his gaze away from her but only stared at her.

Beth raised her head, while feeling the tension in the air.

"How strange," murmured Vladimir and everyone's eyes fell on the Devil. "I would have enjoyed seeing you poison him," an instant smile appeared on his face, without bothering to explain his first words. Hearing this, Calhoun's eyes narrowed again. It wasn't just one or two screws that were loose in this man's head, but a dozen of them. "I mean, I would have found out earlier Calhoun was my grandson. It would have been a quick process."

Beth wasn't sure if Vladimir was angry or happy, but she decided to keep her guard up for now.

"How are you feeling? Any feeling where you want to tear and rip people into pieces?" Vladimir hummed the question.

"I haven't turned to a werewolf for the last two days," answered Beth.

"And how do you find the transformation with a few werewolf abilities in hand now at your disposal?" the Devil asked with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

"I have been able to control it," Beth didn't know why, but it felt like Vladimir was trying to look deep into her soul as he was barely bothered with her answers. It made her uncomfortable, but she answered his questions.

When he took a step closer to Beth, Madeline's own body turned alert and tense. Whatever happened was in the past, and she had no idea what Vladimir was up to. She quickly glanced at Calhoun and saw he still had the same composure as before. Beth, in the meantime, noticed how dark the Devil's eyes were. It was like a dark abyss that didn't have a way out. And suddenly for a second, she noticed a corpse that stood in front of her, and her eyes widened in fear.

"Stop trying to scare her," Calhoun rolled his eyes at Vladimir.

Vladimir slowly smiled before retrieving back his steps from where Beth stood. Beth blinked her eyes, "W-what did you do?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Ole me didn't do anything. What had to happen has already been done," Vladimir looked left and right like he was enjoying the view around him.

Calhoun sensed the change in Vladimir's tone that held a tinge of aloofness in it. Beth's heart was beating loudly as if she had seen a ghost. He asked, "What did you do to her?"

When Vladimir didn't answer right away, Madeline's face marred itself in worry. The Devil then turned around, a coy smile on his lips.

The smile on Devil's face filled itself with mischief, making Madeline question what Vladimir had done to Beth. He had handed the antidote to them willingly after telling them he wanted to be part of their family.

Vladimir said, "How do you think the antidote has been made? It isn't easy to acquire something so delicate and precious which many men and women have tried to get their hands on. Let's keep the details out about how the antidote was made, but I must tell you, there was a pinch of venom that was dissolved in it. The venom belonged to the first turned werewolf, and during the making, the acquired venom was mixed with my blood."

Beth felt her blood drain from her face, turning pale as she stared at Vladimir.

"Venom of the first werewolf? Isn't it only going to make things worse?" questioned Madeline alarmed, glancing at her sister.

"Does it have any side effects?" inquired Calhoun.

"I am going to die," whispered Beth.

"One question at a time children," responded Vladimir, "My blood has stayed in Elizabeth's body for hours now, this means she has turned to one of my underlings. Of course, it isn't just blood, but also a word of a spell that was whispered during the making of the antidote. Spells of some goodness, and a bit of curse. I also had to sacrifice a couple of lives who were innocent," seeing the two horrified faces of the girls, Vladimir chuckled. "I am the Devil. You should not expect anything less from me."

Vladimir then continued to explain, "The first person who had turned into a werewolf, I was able to acquire the venom from him before he could turn to dust. It was told that the person who initiated the transformation of the human to a werewolf, had also prepared an antidote for his test subject. But it got wasted when the tower exploded in fire. No one knows if there was more than one antidote created by the man," the older vampire clicked his tongue.

"What do you mean by your underling?" asked Beth.

Vladimir offered her a bright smile, "It is simple. You shall be able to do my bidding in the living world. It is why you saw my true form and what a privilege it is. Though there is something that is bothering me," he looked down at Beth, his smile lowering down from his lips. "I can sense the guilt that you carry in your heart and in your mind, for the sins you have committed, but I am unable to see them. I wonder if it has anything to do with the antidote."

"You have no claim on her as your servant," commented Calhoun, barely bothered by what Vladimir just said. "For the Devil to be able to control a person from the living world, that person should accept you as his or her Master, until then, the soul is free."