Chapter 20 Missing In Action

• At the very beginning of her stay, he had made it clear that it would be best for her to stay on the second floor, further away from him and much closer to the meeting room where business and affairs were taken care of. Vera wasn't one to be treated less than or like a servant. She might not have been as fierce as her sister and mother, but she had inherited that no-nonsense attitude much like them. She told him she wasn't one to be treated as a doormat. Instead, she was here to do a job. She wasn't happy being here either. She would have instead been in Egypt doing her research. Instead, she was here to be playing nice to the prince and the courts. Weeks into her being her, the bitter tension began to melt away the more they spent time together. He could recall the bitterness between him and Natalya as well, but unlike Natalya, Vera had her tricks. Though she wasn't as forward as Natalya, Vera was a spitfire, and her charm was that of a rattlesnake when her dander was up. On the other hand, Natalya was more tactful regarding a particular situation. Vera was younger than Natalya, so she had much to learn about the timing of what to say and when to say certain things. However, her thoughts made him laugh; she was bold and, at times, witty. Even though he could read her thoughts, she knew it was pointless to beat her around the bushes when he already knew what she thought. As the days passed, he learned she was just as dangerous as her sister, even though it was different. He could see why her parents believed that Vera would be an asset to him when dealing with his rivals. Though she wasn't a fighter, she could touch someone, learning what she needed from the person or creature by prying into their innermost thoughts. She would then use her silver tongue to speak to that individual, and they wouldn't even know it. Her abilities he was to learn didn't end there; besides being telepathic herself, her other abilities began to surface after she had turned twenty, which wasn't that long ago. Telekinesis, her ability to move things with her mind, and electrokinesis, where she could manipulate or generate electricity at will. Her abilities didn't affect Dracul like many others, but their relationship wasn't just about power. They were almost made for one another. Though Dracul was several hundred years older than Vera, her abilities made her a challenge for him, which was a perfect match in his eyes. Vera couldn't believe they had been together for a while, and she found his alpha tendencies, charm, and dominant approach to things alluring. His darkness captivated her for him. She was his light in a dark world. She paced in the room, thinking about the situation, wondering what she should do or even if she could do anything, but when nothing came to her mind, bringing down her mood for the night when she had been excited about tonight's event. That was when Dracul came into her room to see if she was ready, and he had no patience because he wanted to see her in the new dress he had selected as a present for tonight's soirée. His eyes feasted on her figure in the dress that hugged her figure, only until he got to her facial features, which had changed his mood for the moment. "What is wrong, my dear?"
• "I think my sister needs my help."
• "Natalya, I'm sure she is fine."