This is a prequel to the books 'Valerian Empire' & 'Heidi and the Lord'. Please read the, before reading this.

"How is your business coming along?" Leonard sized the man up and down subtly as he asked the question to the curly black haired man. The man almost matched his tall height by only falling behind with a mere inch.

"This year has been very generous. With the word Mr Carmichael and the others have spread, I have been having many customers to earn a livelihood here," Jerome smiled to showcase his pearly white teeth. As he belonged to an average vampire family, his fangs were visible which couldn't be hidden. The pureblooded vampires could hide their fangs and expose it only when it was needed.

"That's good to know," murmured Leonard.

"Give me few minutes, Jerome and we will leave to look at the house in Willow," Mr Carmichael turned around to walk back inside, leaving the young men at the entrance.

Leonard noticed how Jerome's eyes that were on his father until he disappeared in the halls now looked around as if he were searching for something.

"Are you looking for someone?" The question must have startled the curly haired man as his eyes snapped back at Leonard and he let out a short laugh which was slightly laced with embarrassment.

"Oh, it's just one of your maid. I promised to get her the famous sweets from this shop in Wovilles when I would return back."

"Vivian?"

"Yes, Vivian," just speaking her name brought light to the man's dull red eyes which didn't sit well with Leonard, "She's a lovely girl," Jerome continued to speak praises of her, "The first time I met her, she was cutting the shrubs when she stepped on a rose stem by mistake. The blood was too much because of the thick thorn," that idiot, thought Leonard to himself, "And even after I treated her feet she continued to work. I haven't seen anyone who works hard. I offered her a position with a higher pay to only be refused."

"Why does it sound that more than giving her work you are trying to woo her," it wasn't a question but a statement.

Jerome did nothing but smile looking down at the ground and then back at Leonard, "It might be".

"I apologize but she won't be working in any other mansion no matter how high the employer would want to pay the wage," Leonard looked at the man straight in his eyes as his blunt words were delivered clearly. The atmosphere had suddenly turned dull and dark. Both the men looked at each other in the eye, none ready to lower their gaze down.

"Looks like I have someone to compete with," Jerome stated, his eyes flickering over a maid who crossed the halls before settling back at the Carmichael man.

"You don't have to worry about that," not understanding what it meant Jerome tilted his head, "What I mean to say is," Leonard's dark eyes brooded with untamed temper behind it, "There isn't a need for competition. And if there was one," he paused, "The winner has already been fixed."

"Is that so?" Jerome twisted his lips. If Leonard was being so upfront he didn't see the reason to not be the same, "Correct me if I am wrong but as far as my knowledge goes, pureblooded vampires don't take maids or any lower creature to them as a wife. Are you insinuating that you want to marry her?"

"That has nothing to do with you, Mr Jerome. The matters of my mansion are something I had like to keep private than invite an outsider to take part in which I extremely dislike."

"It depends where miss Vivian's interest lies or rather whom. I will give her the sweet another time," Jerome smiled. Hearing the footsteps from behind, Leonard decided not to comment on it further as his father came in sight.

Vivian who had gone to fetch the quill from Leonard's room had found it and had gone to the study room as ordered to place it there. It was when she was about to get out did Leonard step in. To allow him in, she retraced back her footsteps.

"You found the quill," Leonard noted looking at the table and leaned over the front of the desk in a relaxed position.

"You kept it next to the window sill, master Leonard," she replied to see him nod. Thinking that was all it was he needed for the moment, she went to turn towards the door to only hear him question her.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go water the plants. Paul asked me-"

"A few minutes shouldn't matter," he patted his hand on the seat for her to take, "Come, sit."