MOONSHINE CASTLE,

Esme was standing in front of the mirror reviewing her marked body over and over again. Her white skin had various bite marks crafted like bunch of tattoos. From her collarbone to her chest, Aaron had left almost a series of marks defying his outrageous act from last night. Exhaling a long helpless sigh, Esme pulled up the nightgown from her shoulder side and started caressing her messy hairs.

Unexpectedly she didn't feel any ounce of anger for giving her so many marks.Rather an indefinable warm surfaced her heart after seeing those love bites on her body.

Stepping out from the washroom, she didn't spot Aaron and assumed that perhaps he had left for the courtroom already. Esme's eyes fell on the calendar and instantly her expression turned dull.

Clutching tightly the opened date, her heart sank reminding the day that Ayra turned 8 years old. Her vampire form must have unreleased from it's shell and will want to crave for blood in every full moon day.

Esme's heart throbbed in anxiety for the safety of Ayra and started cracking her head for meeting Ayra once.

Can he ask Aaron once to visit Ayra? After all, their relationship have progressed a lot in this days.

After finishing her breakfast, she headed for the study taking in note that the court had been adjourned half an hour back. Aaron must be staying in his study now.

Reaching in front of the study room, Esme gave two light knocks but didn't hear any response. Thus she pushed open the door gently and found the expected person sitting on the chair. His deep red eyes were reading a old wrenched book attentively and he seemed absentminded too.

Esme entered the room after locking the door and walked over him curiously. Still getting no response from him, Esme initiated the conversation stopping near his chair,

" Are you busy? You haven't heard my knocking."

Aaron lifted his head from the half opened book and spoke pulling her in his embrace. He responded beaming into smile,

" Not busy, I was focused only. You seem to miss me this days so much, huh?"

Esme chuckled at his speech for turning every conversation into flirtatious words.Watching his happy expression, she was hesitating to mention about visiting Ayra.

Will he believe me? Why am I caring for his feelings too much?

Just then her gaze landed on the opened page of that old book. Her eyes darkened at the word " ENCHANTRESS" as she asked curiously sitting on his lap,

" What are you reading about?"

Aaron shifted his eyes from her face and followed her gaze. Rubbing her arms gently, he explained seriously,

" This woman was a powerful hybrid in the era of our parents. Even though she was born as half werewolf and half witch in blood but she had cultivated the supreme powers of werewolf and witch by killing weak ones. She had some conflicts with my mother thus at the end of the day, my mother had to lose her life in hands of ENCHANTRESS. Later she had started stalking our family to absorb the supreme powers by sucking our soul powers. She killed my older brother too who was trying to save me from her wrath. Thus my father had vowed to kill her and finally did by exchanging his own life."

Aaron paused between his words and sighed helplessly reminiscing his painful past. On the contrary, Esme's face turned sour hearing the brutal incident and tapped on his palm in comfort.

How can anyone be so cruel enough to finish a entire family?

Aaron continued in a lower tone and explained the incident of mysterious corpse briefly. Esme's face tensed up and asked anxiously,

"So you are predicting that ENCHANTRESS hasn't been dead yet? She is back and trying to harm you?"

Aaron shook his head helplessly and replied gazing at her,

" That seems impossible Esme. On the flip side, only ENCHANTRESS had the power of sucking soul powers in our world. I'm clueless. She hasn't appeared in front of me yet."

Esme furrowed her eyebrows recalling the earlier attack and blurted out,

" What about the lady from yesterday? I'm assured that she is a hybrid. Because only hybrid has the power of casting haze spell. You were hypnotised as soon as you stepped in."

Esme stopped abruptly reminding that she had revealed too much and fell awkwardly quite. Unexpectedly Aaron didn't find anything odd with her explanation nor did he interrogate further.

Esme felt uneasy and mumbled to avoid any suspension,

" Well, I had read it from your library book on that day. You should be careful, then."

Aaron gazed at her perplexed face deeply and spoke with deeper meaning,

" Esme, you can trust me. I promised to you that I will never hurt you."

Esme glanced sideway of his face and felt uneasy with his words.

Why does she feel like Aaron knows about her very well?

As the atmosphere inside the study turned awkward and stiff, a hasty knock from the door interrupted their conversation. Esme jolted before quickly lifting up from his lap.

Aaron frowned slightly and commanded,

" Come in."

As the door opened, Queen Mother stepped in beaming into a wide smile. Her gaze shifted on Esme who seemed perturbed and averted her eyes on Aaron quickly.

Even Aaron was curious behind her immense happiness early in the morning. He asked curiously,

" Mother, why are you so excited?"

Queen Mother smiled and responded immediately,

" Aaron, son I have taken a big decision for Athena. Well, I think that Zave is perfect match for her and she seems to agree with this marriage. Now, I only need your permission to arrange the engagement ceremony soon."

Aaron knitted his eyebrows together and replied closing off the book,

" When did you take this decision, mother? Is Athena okay with that? Or are you forcing her to accept your own decision? "

Queen Mother's face sank as she heard Aaron's doubt on her judgment. She seemed nervous and wanted to say something. But Aaron talked first getting up from the chair and spoke with warning,

" I don't know what had happened between you two seven year ago. I clearly remember that when I had returned from the southern coast city after six months of my training, Athena seemed to stay in her room most of the time. She had started creating distance with her family and even now I can't see her in front of me anymore.It feels like my little sister had been dead after that year. "

Aaron paused a bit before continuing again,

" Well, I won't interfere between you two. But I won't approve this proposal as long as I don't hear it from Athena. Meanwhile you can think over the decision once more."

Queen Mother's face darkened in his indirect refusal and nodded her head blankly. After saying that he could hear from Athena too, she quickly left the room leaving Aaron in daze.

Esme saw his concerned expression and suggested sincerely,

" You have taken the right decision. You should talk with Athena first. Why do you guys don't behave like normal siblings?She seems to be isolated from the whole family."

Aaron sighed and replied stepping near her,

" I don't know, Esme. I asked her several times that what happened with her when I was gone. But she wasn't ready to tell me anything. She wasn't like this before and I seem to be the worst brother. "

Esme reminded her bonding with Ethan.Honestly her brothers pampered her like a little girl always and never let her feel the absence of dad. Snapping out from her wild thoughts, she suggested grabbing his palm lovingly,

" It's never too late to mend any bond as long as you try and you are willing."

Aaron gazed at her face deeply and her words somehow encouraged his mind. He nodded his head and felt light headed.

Yes, he can try to get back his little troubled sister again!

Placing a chaste kiss on her cheek, he replied intending to visit Athena at once,

" You are the best wifey, love. You always impress me. You can stay here if you want. I'm going to the old castle now."

After saying goodbye, Aaron departed from there as Esme smiled at his retreating back.

He behaves like a teenage boy in love sometimes!

Esme shook her head helplessly forming into a sweet smile and sat down on the chair intending to know more about ENCHANTRESS.

She was still feeling bothered on the lady that was trying to cut off Aaron's wrist. What was she attempting to do exactly?

In this all mess, she forgot to ask his permission about going to visit Ayra.

As she fell in dilemma and started turning the pages absentmindedly, the door was knocked once again.

Sinking in her own thoughts and conclusions, she responded briefly,

" Come in! "

Without looking up, she thought that it was some maid but unexpectedly heard a familiar tone,

" Good Morning!"

Esme paused before lifting up her gaze shockingly. Her face beamed in happiness as she uttered surprisingly,

" Ron! Thank goodness, you have finally come to meet me!"