Two days later.

Maxwell sent one of his pet the raven bird to investigate what is the update of Ella's aunt that he specifically poisoned.

The bird returned during the evening informing its master that the old woman was still alive and healthy.

Maxwell was furious...

Xenon appeared in front of his brother and noticed the scowl on his face. "What's wrong brother?"

"Those winged creatures, I'm sure they are the ones who cured Margie! After ingesting my deadly poison...I was expecting the woman to die anytime. But my pet bird saw that old woman attending to her garden looking healthy the next day after getting poisoned!" Maxwell growled.

Xenon's brows furrowed. "So...those winged creatures are preventing Ella to come here in the castle?"

"Could be..." Maxwell answered gritting his teeth in anger.

"Hmm...too bad we can't get out from this castle...I would love defeating those winged creatures and bring excruciating death upon them!" Xenon uttered the words with venom.

Lothaire suddenly appeared in front of his brothers. "Guys, why are you looking so agitated?" he asked them while lowering himself on the velvet red couch.

"Maxwell's poison failed to kill the old woman because the winged creatures probably intervened and save the old woman. Therefore your beloved Ella can't come here inside the castle and we will be experiencing a long delay in resurrecting father!" Xenon filled his brother with the details.

"Ah I see...that's not a problem...we could send armies of dark shadows to attack the winged creatures," Lothaire suggested calmly.

Maxwell erupted into amused laughter. "That's easy to say, brother. Let me remind you that our armies of dark shadows will dissolve into ashes before they can even get out of the door of this castle."

A creased appeared on Lothaire's forehead. "How about the dark shadows outside...we can still command those who are outside? Am I right?"

Xenon shook his head. "Not anymore. After realizing that they will only die if they fight the winged creatures no one was brave enough to come near to this castle and obey our orders. They are staying away from this castle as far as possible so that we can no longer summon them and control them under our power. So yeah...the only ones left that our older brother can manipulate are his pet birds. They are the only thing left that we can use to continue spying the outside world..." he elaborated.

"Oh, no...this is not good!" Lothaire was drumming his fingers on his thighs in deep thoughts, he was figuring things out on how to get Ella to come into the castle on her own accord which is very hard at this moment since they can't do anything to speed up the process.

Maxwell stared at his brothers in frustration. "Look at us! We are like a bunch of useless beings! I feel sad about our situation, we are powerful vampires yet we can't even get Kate back and we can't influence Ella, either! This is fucking bullshit! I'm tired of this shit! I want to leave this forsaken castle and have absolute freedom to do anything I want outside!" he shouted in an irate voice.

Lothaire watched his older sibling's furious face. "Calm down, brother. It's no use getting riled up. Let's just continue thinking of a solution. Getting angry won't help solve our problems," he reminded him calmly.

"Alright, I'm out of here. I need to vent my anger on someone!" Maxwell spoke irritably.

"Ensure maximum control on your anger, dear brother, you might end up killing Ivy!" Xenon warned him.

Maxwell only nods his head and disappeared from his brother's view.

He resurfaced inside Ivy's room a moment later.

Ivy was sleeping on the bed when he made an appearance beside her. He looks like a dark shadow peering at her face.

That was also the moment Ivy opened her eyes and Maxwell's blazing red eyes shrouded with anger as his fangs appeared in his lips, terrifies her.

Ivy shuts off her eyes already expecting what happened next. Her mind and heart went numb. She already got used to the pain, his bite no longer hurts terribly like it used to be.

Maxwell caresses Ivy's arm for a few seconds and then sank his pointed fangs into her arm drinking heavily from her intoxicating blood.

Ivy winced in pain and bit her lip.

A few minutes later, Maxwell was done feeding on Ivy's blood. As usual, her blood can calm his nerves and raging emotions, it always is. That is why he wants to keep Ivy on his side forever as long as he lives.

He caresses his finger on the area on her skin and the two bloody wounds caused by his bite healed instantly.

"Open your eyes, dear Ivy. I'm done with my feeding," he commanded in a gentle voice.

Ivy obeyed and open her eyes. She can no longer see the fangs emerging from his lips, they retreated somehow inside his mouth after feeling satisfied with her blood.

"W-when can I see my sister?" Ivy asked him directly. It's the only thing that she can think of. "Please Maxwell, let me see my sister!" she begged. She will do anything just to see her sister again.

Maxwell was staring at Ivy's desperate face, liking her pleading voice. "Easy my dear...I'm actually considering your suggestion..."

"Really—?" she was smiling now as renewed hope surged through her body.

"Yes! But... there are some things that we need to iron out first. I will allow you to see your sister but you must convince her to come with you. Can you do that for me, Ivy?" Maxwell said eyeing her expression closely.

"Yes! I will do anything to get my sister back. We will serve you as long you don't kill us and help us get out of this castle, safe and alive!" Ivy pledged her loyalty to him.

Maxwell grinned triumphantly. "Ahh, I like the way you pledge your loyalty to me, my dearest Ivy. But how I can be sure that you won't change your mind the moment you have a chance to see and talk to your sister? What if your sister...already like staying with Esmeralda and wanted you to stay there with her as well? Where does it leave me? Can you give me any assurance that you won't be swayed by your sister's pleading? Can you stick to your pledge of loyalty to me to the end—?" he looked at her face keenly gauging her sincerity.

Ivy swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes, I swear! I will convince my sister to return here to your place!" she concluded with a serious face.

Maxwell smiled brightly. "Alright, I'm satisfied with your answer, my dear. Now...to make sure you will abide by your promises to me, I want you to take this..."

He opened the palm of his hand.