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“The closest term to it would probably be ‘soulmates’. Every creature with demon blood—-”

Zari paled.Demon blood?Lord Alexandru had...demon blood?

“—-is born without a soul. Not having a soul makes it difficult for one to be good. That’s the simplest way to define their challenge. Their only hope of gaining a soul is through a heartkeeper – a person destined to share his or her soul with the one with demon blood.” Rhapsody paused in her typing, looking at Zari as she asked, “Do you wish to know more?”

“Lord Alexandru...he has demon blood?”

“He is half-demon, yes. His father was a demon, his mother a vampire.”

“And all the years he’s lived, he didn’t have a soul?”

Rhapsody hesitated. “I do not like talking about hearsay.”

“I do,” Zari answered promptly.

“What I will tell you has not been confirmed,” Rhapsody warned.

“I still want to hear it.”

The other girl said slowly, “It’s been said...that in his younger days, he had fallen in love with another vampire. And that girl was the one who saved him, her heart acting like his soul.”

Chapter Four

Alexandru watched her prepare to leave. She had come a long way to reach this point in her life. To be strong and independent, to have the power to help others. She was no weakling, this woman of his, but even so, it did not stop worry from darkening his thoughts and making his heart heavy. He said abruptly, “I don’t like you doing this.”

She didn’t look at him, didn’t stop packing her things as she said, “I know. But this is what I’m meant to do.”

“Is it?” Alexandru couldn’t stop himself from asking.

Her hands stilled. The air became cold with her sadness. He almost took the words back but he didn’t because it was what he felt.

Still not turning to look at him, she said softly, “Yes. It is...because I don’t want my life to be defined just by what we feel for each other. I don’t want people to only remember me because of who I am to you.”

“ANOTHER DEMON’S INVOLVEDin this, am I right?” Sir Richard voiced his speculation reluctantly, and it was clear to see on his face that he already knew the answer to it.

“It’s the only possible way for the victim to get into this place,” Alexandru answered. The two of them were locked inside the headmaster’s office, which was hidden high on the school’s tallest tower. Although most people thought of the chubbyvampire as clumsy and harmless, Alexandru knew it was only a façade and that the other man was, in fact, one of the most vigilant protectors the school had on its side.

“Do you think the demon’s acting alone, or is it truly possible that one of my students is involved?”

Alexandru’s gaze returned to the two files on the desk before him. One was the girl everyone called the Madonna and whose Master was a well-respected baron. The other was a mystery and her anonymous Master even more so. Of the two, it was clear who appeared more likely a suspect. Of course, leave it to his pet to befriend that same girl as well.

“Why did you accept this girl in your school, Sir Richard?”

“She was escorted here by vampires I personally know. They are trustworthy. I would stake my life on the fact that they would never choose to serve a vampire who wasn’t.”

He had many resources at his disposal, but none of it had proven useful in unearthing any information about Rhapsody. Alexandru had a feeling whoever her Master was, it would be someone even more powerful than he was, and such beings were only a handful.

“Has her Master been informed of what’s happening?”

“Yes.” It was obviously all Sir Richard would say. “Have you come up with any possible motive for this, Lord Alexandru?”

He shook his head. “I hate to say it, but another corpse will be the only way for us to gather more clues.”

Sir Richard sighed. “I feared as much.” His fingers restlessly tapped on the armrest. “The students are getting worried,though. I need to take some kind of action. For the time being, I may have to place those two girls under house arrest.”

Alexandru nodded in understanding.

“The Madonna, of course, will only look even more pitiful. She has that kind of persona. But as for Lady Rhapsody...I am afraid this will only isolate her even more. And people who are close to her may likely be treated the same way.”