Call Of The Dark

Lazarus gave wine to Cain and then went back to sit on the bar stool. His legs dangling down, he looked at the door of the adjacent room that was ajar. A silly smile spread on his lips. He turned his attention back at Cain and Naomi who were both curiously peering at the door.

"What are you looking at?" Lazarus asked and sipped his wine.

Naomi and Cain jerked their heads towards him, snapping out of their stupid gazes. "Nothing, Lord Lazarus," Naomi replied with a pale blush. "You called us?"

"Yes," Lazarus tilted his head. "You have heard about your father's wishes, haven't you?"

"Yes!" Naomi bobbed her head excitedly. "And you can't imagine how happy we are!"

"Of course, you are going to be happy," Lazarus smirked. "Isn't that dream come true for you?"

Naomi's mouth fell to the floor. "No, it's not like that," she said sheepishly. "I am happy for Olya!"

"Really?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "You are happy for Olya, but she ran away from your place after you declared that you will marry her to me. Don't you think that her actions speak volumes?"

"She is just a child, Lord Lazarus," Naomi countered. "She will understand that it is for her good when she matures. And what is better than growing old with you? She will learn your culture."

Lazarus let out a sarcastic chuckle. "How do you think that after her running away I am going to accept that logic of yours? Do you take me for an idiot?"

"No!" Naomi rasped. "Not at all! It's just that she is too young to understand that--"

"Enough!" Lazarus growled. "I am not going to argue with you on this topic. I have called you over here for another issue."

The tension in the air built and even though Cain was an old friend of Lazarus, his shoulders became taut with anxiety. He gazed at Lazarus with complete attention. Naomi too sat upright without speaking another word.

Lazarus swirled the wine in the glass and then said, "I want to wait for two months before the wedding with Olya. If you agree to that condition, it is fine with me. During that time, Olya is going to stay in the Wilyra Palace. You will not force her to return to Upper North Jupan."

Naomi was thrilled. "Yes, we agree!"

"That is not all," Lazarus said. He gave them a side glance to assess their expressions. They both seemed pretty excited but were suppressing their emotions. "I have another condition."

"Sure, please let us know!" Naomi said, bubbling like spring water from inside. All her dreams had finally come true. Not only would she be related directly to the king's family, she would get the lands that her father left for Olya.

Lazarus drank from his glass. He ran his fingertip on the rim of the glass. After a moment he added, "I have heard that Olya's father left his estate in her name. I want that estate in dowry."

The bubble in her stomach popped with a loud sound, shattering her dreams into so many pieces that she blanched. "Wh--what?" she said as if she had heard something wrong.

Cain whipped his head from Naomi to Lazarus with an expression which seemed like he had eaten vinegar.

"You heard me," Lazarus replied in a very calm tone. "I want that estate as dowry. If you fail to transfer that estate in my name in a month's time, then I will have to report it to the king. He will take personal interest in it then."

"B--but Lord Lazarus," Naomi laughed nervously. "You already have the whole kingdom under you. Upper North Jupan is so far from here. My father's estate is further down. You won't be able to rule it from here."

"Who said I will rule it directly?" Lazarus replied with the same calmness but his expressions were serious. "I will make that castle my summer home. Do you have questions about it?"

They had a thousand questions. Both of them wanted Olya to marry so that she would get all the riches of the palace, and they would get the estate, but the recent demand from Lazarus came down as shocking.

"Lord Lazarus, we can't transfer the estate in your name."

"Why?" he asked, his brows furrowing in temper.

Naomi gulped. "It's because according to my father's will, the estate will go to Olya after she is eighteen years old."

"I don't care," Lazarus replied carelessly. "Do anything, but I want that estate and that too before I marry her."

They were both so flabbergasted that they were speechless. Now they couldn't even say no to the prince. He was the heir to the throne and he had a lot of power. If they denied him what he asked for, he could send them to the dungeons.

When both of them stared at him dumbfounded, Lazarus looked at the door which was opening slightly. Emma emerged from the room in lingerie over which she had a night robe. His face split into a wide grin. He motioned with his fingers to come to her and patted his lap. She sauntered her way to him, bowed to Naomi and Cain and went to sat on his lap. He kissed her temple and said, "I hope you aren't wearing panties."

She blushed and swatted his forearm. "We have guests in your room."

He kissed her temple again. "They will soon leave."

That was the cue for Naomi and Cain to be dismissed. When the couple stared at the blatant shamelessness of Lazarus, he glared at them. They both were so afraid that they got up, bowed to him and strode out of the door.

As soon as they were out of the earshot, Cain started fighting with Naomi. "See where your greed has brought us. You wanted Olya to marry Lazarus and take that piece of land? Now Olya will marry him and he will take the piece of land and the way he was with Emma, your sister is always going to stay miserable!"