The Judgement Of Divinity (TMOE #2)

Chapter 29: A supportive friend

A familiar, yet ever so repulsive blend of odours hit Lucius like a wave as he entered The Entrails, and his lip curled as he looked down at the grime underneath his shoes. It had been the norm for him a few years back, but he'd quickly and happily accepted clean roads as part of his everyday life.

So what had brought Ethan down there in the first place? He wasn't a particularly high class person per se, but Lucius found it hard to believe any member of the Hargreaveses, alive or not, ever had to set foot there unless for a very good reason.

He looked around. His memories of the street was blurry, but from what Richard had told him, Ethan was supposed to be nearby.

Then someone tugged at his coat, and Lucius wrinkled his nose before even looking.

"No, I'm not lost, I don't want to buy anything, and I don't keep my valuables up for grabs in my outer pockets even at the best of times," he told the woman behind him. "Better try an actual angler next time."

"Could have fooled me," the gloomy-eyed woman muttered as he turned around, and she let go of his coat.

Lucius was equally as flattered as he was offended, and he leaned in closer.

"I'm not an angler," he hissed. "I'm just not a worm."

The woman was not impressed, and she imitated Lucius' crinkled nose before leaning forward as well.

"You're either an angler, or a worm. It's as simple as that."

In the end it was Lucius who wanted to back away. Not because her words intimidated him, but because her breath was really bad and he began to worry she was a spit-talker like Whitbrow.

He remained in the same position though, trying to think of a threatening comeback.

"Lucius?" a voice then said, and Lucius reluctantly broke eye contact to turn his head towards Ethan. "Didn't expect to see you down here making out with old ladies."

Lucius scowled, and so did the woman, enough to make Ethan flash an apologetic, close-mouthed smile.

"Not that you're that old, my lady. In fact, now that I look closer I'm rather certain I'm older than you."

"You don't say," Lucius mumbled under his breath, averting his gaze.

The woman still glared, but turned to stomp away and look for other rich people to steal from.

"I'm genuinely surprised to see you here though," Ethan said while still looking after the woman disappearing in the crowd. "Isn't Mr. Faal's orphanage closer to the outskirts?"

"I came to find you." Lucius crossed his arms and gave the vampire a judgy look. "And you're not exactly the person I'd expect to find here either."

Ethan scoffed.

"When you're me, you look for where there's life after sunset, and The Entrails serve me better than any other place in South Kerilia."

"I mean..." Lucius glanced around with a light frown. "... There are cases where I think staying inside would actually give you a better time."

"You don't have to be down here if it's so beneath you." Ethan's voice held a slight resemblance to his father's icy tone. "But I need to eat, and I only have so many options."

Lucius blinked. He hadn't even wondered about Ethan's usual food sources before.

"Oh, you have to find people down here?"

"Anglers aren't well known for their vampire friendliness." Ethan looked away. "People here are just happy for the money."

Lucius pursed his lips. As unlikely as it sounded, he supposed even he would've considered letting a supernatural stranger drain his blood if it paid well back in the day.