Even though the man in front of them tried to scare them, Lucas was least bit worried about it. Death was something that could not touch him when he was the manifestation of death. And when it came to Belle, he would always protect her and make sure no harm be brought upon her.

Lucas said, "You don't have to worry about us, kind Sir. We have been cautious about things. Instead, you should worry about yourself. Who knows what will happen in this land. I have been hearing news about witches killing people, and humans who hate vampires." He smiled back at the magistrate to see how the smile on the man's face faltered at Lucas' words.

"I have cleared your doubts about the councilman. You should go get some rest. There's going to be a blizzard soon," the magistrate conveyed the message to them. Lucas and Belle stood up from their chairs, thanking the man, they left the office.

Once they were out, Portia asked, "What do you think? Is he involved in the death of George?"

Before George had died, he had told Belle his last memory recollection when he was going to meet the magistrate before he lost consciousness. Lucas turned his head to look at the building of the magistrate's office, "Someone seemed to have come here and told him that we are searching for the story. By what it appears, the council people here tried to cover the death that took place in here to blame it on George. When the murder takes place in the house and killing the family members. It doesn't leave much space for discussion thanks to the corruption that has the case closed quickly ."

"What are we going to do then?" asked Portia in an innocent voice as if she were suddenly worried.

"We find other sources to get an answer from. Let's go back to the house that they had painted. If it is true, then you must be able to find an answer," answered Lucas, and they headed back to George's house to take a look again. Hoping they would find something they had missed.

Reaching the house that was deserted with no one in there right now. Both of them started to look at every single room, the doors, and windows, "See if you can find something," said Lucas to see Belle nod her head.

When Lucas left to check the above floor, Portia looked around the house which she didn't recognise as she had never visited this place before. Lucas had asked her to see if she could find something, and even if Portia wanted to help, she was not Belle. Belle and Portia had turned out to be two different people which was why they didn't share the same powers. Belle was the lighter version, while Portia was the darker version.

Portia could run her hands over the walls as much as she wanted, but she would never come to find anything because she lacked the ability Belle possessed. For now, she only concluded that if ever Lucas asked her to find something, all she would have to do was lie. Lie and make up things so that no one would ever find out anything about it.

She couldn't stop herself from smiling at the thought of what was happening to Belle right now. Portia would give her a few more hours before Belle would be eaten by the other creatures. There was nowhere for Belle to run but to succumb to the absolute death by fusing herself with whatever creature decided to eat her.

Smiling at her reflection when she came to stand in front of a window, she heard Lucas call her name or rather 'Belle', and she answered, "I am here."

Far away from the land of Valeria and not in the land of the living but the land of the dead, Belle laid on the ground with her eyes opened as she was still unconscious after Portia had dipped her fingers into her chest to kill her. It was very common for a soul to come back to consciousness after they were killed.

"Me has been waiting for months," came a voice in the cave where Belle was placed on the ground, "Me has brought things to eat along with you. Nice tasty, tasty soul that makes my mouth water," said the creature that had dragged Belle from the forest to an isolated cave. The creature had to make sure that no other creatures would smell Belle and come at them by snatching its precious food away from it.

Hearing the creature speak, Belle finally started to wake up where her body felt numb. It took her a while to comprehend where she was and that she was no more alive but part of the dead.

"You is awake!" the creature exclaimed in joy looking at Belle who had closed and opened her eyes found herself looking up at the rocky ceiling that had a golden glow, "Me has been waiting for you. Awake soul much tasty. Fresh fresh."

Somewhere in the back of Belle's mind, she felt as if she had met this creature before as she was still trying to get rid of the drowsiness from her body. She turned her head to her left to see flames that were coming from the fire on which a wide pot was placed that was black.

At first, Belle wondered what this creature was doing with the fire and pot, her eyebrows furrowing together as she continued to look at the flames. The heat felt good in this cave as the temperature was icy cold outside.

The dull memory of what happened appeared in her mind. Meeting Portia and how she had dragged her into the forest like she was some piece of tree. Even though she was dead, there was still light pain that she could feel in her body, especially in her chest.

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