Chapter Two

A n Original in the eyes of Society was one that pushed the boundaries without being disgracefully crass and unenchantingly self-righteous. And for the past three years, Lady Eleanor Tilney had worked exceptionally hard to ensure that her beloved school remain an Original type of establishment.

In the past, Legacy pets were the only type of pet considered acceptable by the oldest and most prominent vampire families. First Made pets were either ignored outright or viewed with genteel distaste. All that had changed, however, when Eleanor - a former First Made pet herself and now wife to the Viscount of Luncia - had bought a ten-acred property in Amstel Square and converted the Baroque-styled estate into what was now known as The Progressive Academy of Chalys.

Through means both fair and foul, she had succeeded in reversing Society's opinion of her students, and the graduates of her school were now sought after by the kingdom's wealthiest vampires. All of this was set to change, however, if word was to spread about one of their employees being murdered...in their very own backyard!

A knock sounded on the door, and Eleanor quickly pasted a smile on her face and clasped her hands over her skirts. A moment later, the footman allowed in the visitor she had been both expecting and dreading.

The Marquis of Sangre strode inside her office, and though the viscountess had already known what to expect, he still appeared much, much larger than life, and his handsome looks even more mesmerizing than one could even imagine. But what truly took her breath away was how the marquis - despite looking at least a decade younger than her forty years - was actually almost a thousand years old.

Eleanor tried her hardest not to shiver as the marquis' hooded gaze settled on her. While it was not her first time to be in the presence of one with demon blood, Lord Mihail was, simply put, in a vastly different league. Not only was he the ruler of the entire vampire race, but he was also one of the legendary Galeré and thus a trusted vassal to the Duke of Brimstone himself.

His arrival at her school would be the most undeniably glorious coup, and it was one she would have wasted no time spreading the word about...if not for the dead body that the marquis himself had come across.

The thought had Eleanor wishing her smelling salts were within reach, and she nearly had an apoplexy when the marquis' hooded gaze finally settled on her. Even if her own husband was a vampire himself, this man was simply a thousand times more terrifying.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me, milady."

"Tis our greatest pleasure to receive you, milord," Eleanor said with a gulp. It was true then , she thought anxiously. The softness of the marquis' voice was indeed akin to the calm before the storm.

Flames swirled and chipped wood crackled in the fireplace under the stone mantel as the marquis took his seat. " You have the report I requested, milady?"

Although the words were couched in a polite request, there was no denying the command underlying it, and Eleanor's fingers trembled as she handed the document she held in her possession. She wondered hysterically if the marquis would soon have her school closed. It was possible, wasn't it? If the marquis were to think her school dangerous to her students, it would be all over...

Indifferent to the viscountess' increasingly palpable nervousness, Mihail made a swift scan of the pertinent facts provided by the school's guards.

Mr. Rodney Walker, 25 years of age, was a clerk that has been in the school's employ for over seven months. His listed address was one of the rooms within the school party, and he was last seen alive the night prior.

Mihail turned his attention back to the viscountess. "May I keep this, milady?"

"Of course, milord." And unable to help it, Eleanor heard herself add in a rush, "We've never had such a horrible thing happen before."

"I wouldn't think so," the marquis murmured noncommittally. "Has the victim any known enemies in school or in his personal life?"

Eleanor shook her head. "Mr. Walker is - was - an extremely shy person. One has to make enough of an impression to earn friends or enemies, and he never spent enough time in other people's companies to do either."

A contemplative look flashed over the marquis' handsome features, and Eleanor started wringing her hands. Oh, how frustratingly difficult it was to read the marquis, and it was near driving her mad, wondering what was to be the school's fate.

"Very well then." The marquis slid to his feet in a lithe move. "For now, milady, shall we agree to keep this matter private?"

Eleanor couldn't quite believe her luck. The marquis was willing to overlook this matter? Her school wouldn't be in ruin then?

The marquis raised a brow. "Does your silence mean you are not in favor—-"

Horrified at the prospect of having the marquis change his mind, the viscountess practically jumped to her feet as her words tumbled out after each other. "No, oh no, I am simply speechless with gratitude, milord. Just so speechless, but do know I am definitely most agreeable..." Eleanor even found herself curtsying in her utter relief. "I cannot simply thank you enough, milord."

"It is no trouble." And indeed, it wasn't. With the case now solely his responsibility, there were fewer chances someone would be tempted to do any kind of digging and accidentally find out Rhapsody's involvement in the matter.

His pet had already been accused of murder once, and as far as the marquis was concerned, that would be the last time as well.

"If there is anything we could do to be of service, milord—-" Eleanor stopped speaking when she saw the glint in the marquis' eyes.

"Actually, milady...it is the opposite."

It was?

"With all that has happened, it has slipped my mind to inform you of my reason for coming."

Eleanor's eyes widened. Indeed, it was so!

"I believe you wrote to my office requesting for a guest lecturer for your newest course?"

"Yes, I did, milord, and—-" The viscountess' voice trailed off as understanding dawned, and for one moment all she could do was stare at the marquis in shock.

Did this mean...

"You have no objections to my qualifications to teach this, I hope?"

"Not at all, milord." Eleanor's voice was dazed, and she could barely remember what she said or did as she saw the marquis out of her office. Turning around, she stared blindly at the crackling fire, unable to believe her good fortune...or was it misfortune?

The Marquis of Sangre...a professor in her school?

While the viscountess was still mentally reeling at the prospect of having a powerful vampire join her school's faculty, the subject of her thoughts also had his own affairs to put into order. And the marquis' first stop: the south tower in the school's property, which would now serve as his temporary residence. He had never been the type to fuss about his living arrangements, but his pet had vehemently insisted on having the authority to oversee its preparations.

He knocked on the door, and almost at once Rhapsody herself appeared to welcome him, a vision in blue silk and with her dark hair twisted up in an elegant chignon.

"The matter has been taken care of," he said quietly. "You need not trouble yourself over it."

"I was never troubled," his pet said placidly. "You said you would take care of it, and you always keep your word, milord." She then stepped back and opened the door wide. Dark eyes looked up to him as her voice, prim and alluring all at the same time, played ever so softly into the air.

"Please come in now, Master."

Says a young, nubile Eve to her blood-drinking Adam, Mihail found himself thinking, and was all at once wary, discomfited, and extremely aroused.