Elise hesitate a little. Avoiding would be hard she thought to herself. Elise was taught not to hurt other's feeling. If she avoid the man it would be hard but she could put a distance, thought Elise. "But Mr. Harland means no harm-"

"He means no harm but there is his intentions and I can't have you fall into a bad man's hand." Ian interjected, his brow than raised, "Unless you are interested in the vampire?"

"I don't!" Elise denied quickly. "But he only wish to be friend and I don't think I could avoid him. It would be rude to." A teaching she grew up with since little wasn't something she could chance suddenly. Unless the person had a bad intention, Elise couldn't avoid a person. She feels bad to do that.

"A friend is one way for him to get close to you. Then do you know what came after friends? Lovers." Ian dropped his tone low. He could tolerate her innocence but to have her fall to the wrong hands due to it wasn't to his liking.

"But I'm not interested in him in that way. I have-" her words spilled out from her lips and before more words could come from her lips, she purse her lips tightly, her heart thundering.

"What is it?" he prompted her words and the grin that he lost found its way to tilt the corner of his lips again. "Continue, Elise. What do you have?"

"I-I." she stuttered, her mind was dizzy but Ian didn't stop to urge her to continue. Just now almost a moment ago she almost confessed abruptly and she didn't wish to confess without preparation. Or else she fear she would faint at the spot she was now. "I have never a look at him in that way."

Ian could sense that she had almost spilled the little secret she had kept secure in her heart. Though he was expecting of her words, but for now, he would settle with this.

"Good. Then from now on, keep your distance with him you could do that instead of avoiding him then?" Elise nodded. That was what she had been doing, thought Elise to herself. Ian rubbed her hair, his smile pulled further and more charming as it twinkled with mirth. "Wonderful," he remarked and Elise could feel his hand moving away as he pushed himself by his knee to move back and sit on the side of the bed.

"Master Ian." she called in a whisper and bite her lips to open and with her eyes meeting his. "Why would you-" she wished to ask why would he stop her from associating with Mr. Harland but she stopped in the middle, her words coming softly as she spoke, "-refrain me from talking with Mr. Harland?"

She looked up to find his expression beamed and his lips widened with a smile. "Do you wish to know?"

"Is it wrong for me to know?" Elise asked his question, there was a hint of desperation on her lips. But the braveness she showed was commendable, thought Ian with his grin widening,

Ian stood up from the bed his eyes rolling around to see the lantern and the shadows that stayed on his face flickered when the flame of the candlestick swayed. Elise can't make out his expression but with the growing silence her heart grew louder to her numb ears.

"It is not, sweetheart, but do you think you could handle the consequence to know?" Ian's red eyes seemed to darkened in color almost like clotted blood.

Consequence? Elise asked in her heart and her loose fists tightened. Before she could ask though, Ian spared her from replying and spoke, "Because you are something this castle protect. Something that I protect. The letter that you have, the vampire must be waiting for your reply isn't he?"

"Mr. Harland said so in his letter," replied Elise, her heart was disappointed that she didn't reply to his question fast.

"You could choose whether to reply or not." Ian stated only to throw Elise to a maze of puzzles. Didn't he told her not to be associated with Mr. Harland? Then why did he now tell her that it was up to her choice whether to answer?

Elise darted her eyes from Ian to the envelope she placed on the table. When she saw him looking as if he was about to leave, Elise stood from the bed, "Master Ian, are you and Lady Ellen in a relationship?"

Ian turned the side of his face toward her an expression of confused passed by his face when he hummed. His sweet girl must have had a wrong impression from the rumors about him and Lady Ellen. As the rumor started before Elise came to the castle, Ian didn't care about it but he would not want Elise to misunderstand. It would be hateful to him that Elise had to miss sleep stressing about the rumors.

"Will I be inside a room at night with a woman if I am. I maybe a bastard of a person but believe me I don't do anything of a such," Ian remarked as he turned his whole person to Elise, taking time to see the appearance she was in now where her hair was ruffled. Pushing her to bed didn't only affected Elise but also Ian. He almost lose his reason and devour her here and now.

"I didn't say that," Elise replied, "You are a great person, Master Ian."

"Again with that praise. I am not an angel darling, you shouldn't call me a great person." But he is thought Elise to herself. Why can't Master Ian see how he was a great person with his own eyes? "If you want to talk again, come and visit my office tomorrow. We could share stories about Maroon and the odd memory you feel. Or maybe we could talk about me. Take plenty of rest tonight," Ian smiled at her, he walked to to rub the back of his hand to her cheeks before leaving by using the door.

Once Ian left Elise turned her body and fall to her bed, she pushed her heated face on the pillow only to smell Ian's scent on her bed and stood up in surprise. It was her own bed but now it feel as if she was sleeping on Ian's bed and the thought had her toes curl.

Why did Master Ian had to show on her bed? He surprised her greatly by suddenly appearing out of no where. Ian had told her that it was the castle was his that he could enter any room freely but she wondered how.

Elise shifted her position to the side of the bed where Ian didn't slept on and took a rest there. At first she was afraid to sleep, to fall into a sleepwalking state which was life threatening. Her worry ease because Ian came and talked with her but at the same time, because of his sudden night visit, her heart was loud to keep her awake.

It was only after some times did Elise's heart calmed down and she felt her eyes slowly closing. Hallow meanwhile, didn't know what happened. He had fallen asleep without knowing anything happening around him as he was put to sleep with Ian's magic.

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