ALICIA'S POV

My comment had erupted uneven whispers, some too low to be heard by an ordinary vampire and some obnoxiously and intentionally loud.

'Welp, another one's gonna lose his head this month.'

'She is introducing this one to us what's changed'

'Change? Ha! It's hard to see any change in this kingdom. I guarantee he will be dead in a month tops!.'

'Alas death Is the only ending for this unfortunate fella.'

'She isn't called the Red Dame for nothing.'

"Red Dame, the sexy but ruthless Goddess. I wonder how she got so good at combat and assassination. I've been practising nonstop for years yet I don't even deserve to be in her shadow."

'Princess Alicia is so hot I'm ready to ignore all the red flags if I could just jvghikkr#*%'

"Throw me that ass!'

"I know right, ugh just imagine that face under…."

"That's enough!" I commanded, audio intimidating everyone on the table. Things seemed to be blowing out of proportion as that deviated from the matter at hand.

She had only been absent for a few weeks and they had already gotten so bold, later she would be chastised for sending yet another useless vessel to the underworld where they had come from. Who could really blame her for her actions?

I glanced at the person who was the centre of their comments before it gradually became something probably disturbing. Blake wasn't affected by what they had said, staring into the distance like he was seeing some interesting alternate universe.

These words entered through one ear coming out through the other, ultimately having no significant meaning in his business. He stood tall, towering above every living being present in the area.

Although there were quite a handful of vampires stronger than he was present in the room, he wasn't at all shaken by their glares, but rather sent out a dominating and choking aura which had spoken on his behalf that he wasn't to be bullied. It was like watching someone mark his territory. How cute!.

Ian snickered, "Get it, girl."

Ugh (-_-;)・・・

Sigh, it was no use talking sense into this bastard; he would just make the situation much worse. I ignored his unfiltered remark. Sometimes I wondered how I got such a person as a best friend.

Oh right, he had beaten the crap out of me in a random duel when I was much younger. Bittered and fascinated that someone in my age group was way stronger than I was. I had practically stuck up to him like an annoying leech till he had agreed to tutor me on better fighting techniques.

In the process, I met Scarlet.

Another badass fighting maniac who happened to be friends with Ian. She was very brutal with her words and didn't waste a second telling me how useless and weak I was. Luckily, I hadn't taken these observations negatively as it pushed me even further to train harder, to gain my dad's recognition. Session after session it clicked and we had finally become best of friends.

We had become so close that we usually shared most elite tasks regarding the state's affairs together, giving us the nickname "Nemesis Trio" the name being quite self explanatory. Me being the main executioner, Ian the reckless one with devilish ideas and Scarlet, the one who kept the group sane when she wasn't drastically increasing her body counts.

With time I had gotten a name for myself, 'The Red Dame". A title resulting from how cruel and bloodthirsty I could be when my very little patience had been stretched beyond its limits. Though it wasn't the best I would want to be tagged with, I wasn't complaining.

Scarlet shot a glare at Ian and shook her head, also wondering if she had become quite handicapped in choosing her 'Symbiotic Partners' as she called them. She hardly related to the word 'friends' and thought the term was quite shitty.

What's the use of having 'friends' if they had nothing to drastically improve your life with?. Friends are the men who spontaneously join you to drink at the bar or the girls who totally relate to you in the bathroom when you cry about the ex who recently dumped you or even that classmate next door, and those are an 'in the moment' thing. Keeping such persons close any longer than the expiry period would just be linked to having another load of bullshit to carry or completely degenerate you.

This moment had her thinking if Ian could eventually upgrade from the strong but annoying partner in her life. Nah, probably not. Everyone has these quirks which are sometimes a bit much and they are what makes you special. If he suddenly became different, who would cure her of boredom? He was the only one who came up with the fun and crazy ideas in the group.

"I think she is done, now scram. There is only so much bullshit I can stomach in a day." Scarlet commanded, in a very casual tone.

"What? You didn't think we would actually want to eat with you guys right? See I had a long day, I don't want to reek of blood tonight so…."

They scrambled out before she finished her sentence, what had bothered them the most wasn't death but the torture before it. It is rumoured Alicia could use the "Sage of the spirit", an extremely brutal stone-like fruit rarely ever found which could cause unimaginable pain and intense hallucinations when used on a vampire.

"Sit," I ordered Blake, standing for a long time could cause adverse effects on his back which was still recuperating.

Blake sat stiffly on the empty seat between I and Ian. Awkward silence reigned for a while before

"Ha ha ha ha, ke ke ki ki ki…." Ian laughed hysterically, "Oh my goodness! ha HA he he ahhhhhh ki kiii…"

I rolled my eyes, the clown was at it again.

"Look at y'all faces,he he…. now you've got to tell me what really ha ha…. went on in that room" He said in-between laughs.

"Yeah, Alicia, where did you go, leaving your room to the bodyguard? You seldom do that," Scarlet asked, ignoring Ian's giggles about the situation.

"Probably digging through the foundation's food storage and bossing the cook around. I mean the evidence is right on the table, these meals are all her favourite. Since when do they serve maple fritters at all?" Ian analysed.

"Fine, you caught me. I was in the mood for some… specifics. I had to act on them, no?" Alicia explained.

"Specifics?" Scarlet glanced at the table, "Girl you changed the whole course!."

"Don't deviate, I want the whole story" Ian layed back on his seat looking so serious like he was about to hear the confessions of some criminal.

"That's right!"I grinned, "I haven't introduced you guys formally, yet. Sorry for my negligence"

"Scarlet, this is my new appointed bodyguard, Blake. I hope you guys get along from now on." I spoke with a hint of sarcasm.

"It doesn't make sense to have a bodyguard weaker than you. You should know that Alicia." She reprimanded, dissatisfied.

"Daddy brought this one, like the last five of them in the last six months." Ian expatiated.

She yawned, "This is the worst of the bunch. I get you don't get along and all but this is ridiculous."

"Throwing him across the room, don't you think it's a bit much Scarlet?"

"I have zero affinity with weak people, Ian." She spat out casually."I praise and envy those who have strength and can use it properly. Right now all he is, is a nuisance with ninety percent guys, ten percent reasonable output."

"He doesn't deserve to be in the same room or building I occupy, count it as a privilege he is Alicia's bodyguard."

I had been watching Blake throughout the banter. I'm being a creep? Who cares curiously got the best of me.

Oh did I want to see him crumble so bad!.

From the moment he had stepped into this hall, my watchful eyes hadn't left his side once. I couldn't exactly be nice when he literally works against me as an informant from the Lord.

Since then till this very minute, he hadn't gotten any visible change in emotions at all. Rather, the atmosphere seemed colder and colder as time passed.

But then I saw it! His clenched fist molars biding hard into each other and his quick shudders. Now, this was a show! Of all the malicious things that had been said in his name today, the only one that had gotten to him was Scarlet's last comment. This man was quite strange.

[He doesn't deserve to be in the same room or building I occupy, count it as a privilege he is Alicia's bodyguard.]

This man was quite strange.

It seemed to be the last straw to his bizarre reaction. It was like watching the loose lid of a kettle full of boiling water topple continuously till it eventually falls off. The wait was worth it, looking like he was brewing up some foolish, angry curse words, it was most likely to spill in three, two, one!

"Then you wouldn't mind coaching this junior on a few moves, would you?" He asked in a suggestive, calm tone.

"En?"

This wasn't what I was expecting at all.

"A teacher? Ha ha, Alicia, you've got a keeper here. I knew I would get along with him! Look how he cracks me up!" Ian commented light-heartedly.

"You are here on a job to protect your master and not for combat lessons. People these days are a lot more retarded than usual."

"What do you mean 'people these days'? You speak like an old lady sometimes."I pouted.

Blake smirked with dark eyes, "If you didn't want to help why, expatiate so much on my weaknesses? I'd advise you to keep your comments to yourself if they don't make me any stronger." He concluded.

"He dares scold you? I told you he was quite different, Scarlet, he had even challenged me earlier. The future is going to be a lot more funnier with him around" Ian twisted yet again.

"Alas, I could only spare you today because of your backing with the king. The mouth that doesn't know its limits is better cut off before it lands it's over to a bigger mess. Speak much less, it would be good for you."

This was one hell of a watch. Blake rarely ever spoke, she technically told him to go dumb.

He had ignored Scarlets 'Advice' to listen to Ian, who was currently tapping him on the back to gain his attention.

"I could train you on a few moves," He glanced at Alicia with a warm smile, "But you need to do a little something for me."

"I only need you to run some "errands" for me in the state."

I could see Blake hesitate, as he weighed options. Who wouldn't? Being with Ian was like working with a ticking time bomb, he was a crazy man! Although he was an excellent teacher, I was afraid that Ian could make things much harder for Blake and she was in for it. It was up to him to choose his path now; a recessed frequently humiliated fighter or a broken, probably mentally unstable warlord.

Blake stood up from his chair and got down on one knee with renewed goals, "Then this undeserving student would listen to his master."

A glint of light flashed through Ian's eyes, he was scheming again. Blake had made a foolish but rewarding decision.

"Then let this day and its people serve as evidence of our contract," Ian said, placing a finger on Blake's forehead, creating a limited, master student mind like which could expire and can be renewed.

Scarlet gave a bored sigh, "So-so"

**Cough**cough Ian cleared his throat assuming a more serious demeanour.

"I was called upon by Count Zed today." He paused, checking for everyone's attention ,"I have disturbing news."