SWNOVELS Chapter 460 460
The servant girl bowed and hurried out. However, Rosa's perceptive gaze didn't miss the fleeting tension in her husband's demeanor. "What's the matter, Reaves?" sensing his unease, she inquired.
Reaves, hesitating for a moment, decided to shield his family from the weight of his uncertainties. "Nothing to worry about."
The servant withdrew, leaving the family to exchange glances marked by unspoken questions.
"Just promise me you won't leave the house, not tonight." The gravity in his voice hinted at a hidden worry, leaving Rosa and Tiffany to nod in unison.
As the atmosphere held a palpable tension, Rosa was the first to break the silence. "Reaves, you've been acting strange. What's going on?" she asked, her concern deepening.
Reaves, choosing his words carefully, responded, "It's just been a long day. I needed some time alone." With a parting glance, he excused himself, retreating to the sanctuary of his room.
He suddenly paused and turned around, glancing at Tiffany, who acted like she wasn't present in the room. "And you too, make sure you don't leave the house," he warned and continued his departure into his room. Though Rosa and Tiffany exchanged curious glances, they complied with Reaves' request, nodding in agreement.
As Reaves reclined in his study, the plush surroundings of his home providing a fleeting respite from the weight of his responsibilities, the tranquility was abruptly shattered by the distant clamor of hurried footsteps. The rhythmic urgency reverberated through the walls, jolting him from the solace of his contemplative state.
Rising from his seat, he approached the nearest window. Reaves parted the heavy curtains, peering into the night to discern the source of the commotion. The sight that met his eyes revealed a city in tumult. Streets teemed with activity as lantern-bearing police officers weaved through the streets in a determined pursuit. An air of palpable tension hung over the scene, a silent prelude to a revelation yet unknown.
"Have they found the killer?" he asked himself, a surge of curiosity mingled with a tinge of apprehension, prompting Reaves to step beyond the confines of his residence. Outside, the air crackled with a sense of urgency, and the intermittent glow of lanterns illuminated the faces of vigilant officers patrolling the area. Something had stirred the city into action, and Reaves felt the gravitational pull of the unfolding events.
Spotting a patrolling officer nearby, Reaves approached with a purpose. A single question lingered in his mind, demanding answers. The officer recognized him and bowed immediately. "What's happening?" Reaves inquired, his voice cutting through the night air. The officer, though committed to his duty, seemed equally perplexed. "We were all ordered to search all over the city for Master Dracula, and we have to make sure to find and arrest him before tomorrow evening or something bad will happen."
"Could Dracula truly be the elusive Necromancer orchestrating the chaos that enveloped the city and threatening my family?" Tom asked internally.
"Why is Tom adamant about capturing Dracula before tomorrow night, and what is the bad thing that will happen if you are unable to capture him?" he asked. He could still remember Tom stopping him from pursuing the Necromancer into the deep forest, and now Tom was adamant to get the killer, even if it meant heading into the deep forest.
"I don't know; we were all on our duties when we received the order," the officer replied. He was unable to shed light on Tom's specific motivations.
With a subtle gesture, Reaves dismissed the officer, his mind whirring with contemplation.
Another group of officers was passing and discussing; Reaves couldn't help but overhear their hushed discussions. "Do you think Dracula is really the one?" one officer queried, uncertainty etching his features. The other, an older and more experienced figure, responded with a solemn nod, "It's what Tom believes. We have to hurry; we are in a race against time."
Dracula sensed the gravity of the situation and couldn't shake the question from his mind, "Why is Tom so adamant to capture Dracula before tomorrow night?"
The realization struck Reaves like a thunderbolt – Dracula, a figure he had known for years, harbored intentions that transcended the bounds of mere revenge.
Fueled by a potent mixture of concern for his family and a sense of responsibility as the city's leader, Reaves recognized the need to transcend the confines of a defensive stance. The time for reactive measures had passed; a more proactive approach was imperative.
A surge of determination coursed through his veins, eclipsing the initial shock of the revelation. He knew that standing idly by would only endanger those he held dear.
Reaves remained in the same spot for a while and turned back, heading straight to his manor. In the dimly lit corridors of his grand manor, Reaves retraced his steps, his thoughts a tempest of conflicting emotions. Rosa and Tiffany, waiting anxiously for his return, could sense an air of gravity enveloping their home. As Reaves approached, the flickering candles cast shadows on his face, highlighting the furrows of determination etched across his brow.
As Reaves stepped into the well-lit living room, the warm glow of candlelight played upon the tapestries lining the walls. Rosa couldn't contain her concern. "Reaves, what happened? Why the police urgency in the middle of the night?"
Reaves, with a deep breath, plunged into the revelation.
"Dracula. He's behind the attacks on Tiffany and the incidents at the hotel."
The revelation struck Tiffany with a renewed sense of fear and recognition. The memories of the night she had narrowly escaped death in the rain on the road flooded back, the terror still vivid in her mind. "Dracula? But he seemed... friendly." She had encountered Dracula on various occasions, and the old man had always been as welcoming as possible.
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"Appearances can be deceiving, Tiffany. We can't afford to underestimate the danger he poses," Reaves replied.
"How is that possible?" Rosa couldn't help but ask, feeling oblivious to everything going on.
"But why? What does he gain from harming us?"
"I don't know, Rosa. It seems like there's more to him than we ever realized. But right now, our priority is to stay safe." Reaves lied; he couldn't bring himself to reveal his past secret with Dracula to them.
"You both stay here. I'll handle this. You'll be safe within these walls." Reaves, seeking to assuage their fears, assured them of their safety within the confines of their home. The commanding patriarch, with a final embrace for Tiffany and a comforting pat on Rosa's shoulder, urged them to remain indoors, a sanctuary shielded from the impending storm.
Tiffany nodded, her eyes reflecting a mixture of fear and trust. Rosa, though visibly shaken, managed a nod as well. "Just... be careful, Reaves," she said.
"I will, Rosa. I promise," Reaves replied with a reassuring smile.
As Reaves retreated into his bedroom, thoughts flooded his head as the ambiance shifted. "Dracula, how could I have been so blind and forgotten the intensity of his vengeance? The danger he poses is beyond my understanding. But now, I must protect my family. My duty as a father outweighs his reason for revenge." As Reaves gazed up, the portraits of ancestral figures gazed down, their stoic eyes seeming to pass judgment on the choices made in the name of protection and survival.
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