"And this one is really hilarious. Living dead or zombies? Maybe I would really believe that shit if I couldn't feel your heart beating right now, Raven." Lorien put his hand on Raven's chest.

Raven doesn't seem bothered by it and just ignores the guy.

However, Ramses chuckled. "Living dead, huh? Maybe the meaning isn't literal. We are living beyond human limitations. We were supposed to be dead, but we are not. Our existence is basically taboo in this universe." He looked at Zito. "You will have it rough, my friend. You would be in a difficult position when you explained yourself to Liberio's descendant. Personally, I don't agree with you marrying an innocent woman who doesn't have a clue about what she's trying to do. It's unfair on her part, Zito."

"Believe me, I know that more than anyone, King. But I just can't let her go. Pheobe is the sole reason why I'm breathing right now."

"Is that why you're going to tie her to you with marriage?"

"No, that's not it. Even if I didn't marry her, Pheobe would be drawn into this mess because of her connection to the Fortunas. This marriage is the only way for me to protect her from the other clans. My family will give their loyalty and alliance to Liberio. Anyone who lays his hand on my wife will have a death sentence." Two of the elders came from the clans of Alexander and Mustafa. If the council got three votes from these elders in the court of Royal Reverent, the offender would be punished, and there's nothing that can be done to reverse it. Death will be waiting for anyone who tries to harm the spouse of Zito Alexander. 

Ramses smirked. "That's what I thought. So you saw through it too, Zito."

"Everyone knew those clans that were opposed to you, King. However, only a few were aware of the immortals who pretend to be loyal to you. That's why you granted power to the Fortuna clan. You want to pass them the responsibility in the council if the rebellion you anticipated took place here."

"You are really the brethren of King Alexander, Zito. You are sharp like him." Ramses stood up and peered out the window. He looked at the darkness of the night. "But it's not the time to talk about this topic. The right time for us to talk about it will come. This is your night, Zito. I don't wish for you to be affected by this nonsense dilemma on the night of your wedding. My friend, go and claim your happiness. Protect that happiness with all your strength." 

Zito and Lorien bowed to Ramses before they bid their farewell. When only the two of them remained, Raven approached Ramses. "Master, did the priestess, Lora, say something that made you come here?"

"I will meet that woman here, Raven. There's no way I would leave even if the whole council condemned me for it." He grabbed his chest and he could feel the stronger beat of his heart. But a few seconds passed, and Ramses groaned in pain. His throat is dry and his flesh is rigid. He fell to the floor as if his entire body had been incinerated by fire.
Raven took a blood pack on the buffet table in a hurry. He gave it to his master, who was suffering in agony.

Ramses seized the pack and tore it with his sharp teeth. He drank the blood like he was a mad man who had starved for years. He emptied three blood packs, but it wasn't enough to quench his thirst. Even the pain that tortured him wasn't relieved. It decreased but never disappeared.

"Damn it. I can't die, yet I can feel this kind of pain in my body," Ramses muttered under his breath. "So these blood packs can't hold me any longer."

Once again, Raven persuaded Ramses, "Master, you have to take a servant." Just how many times did he say those words to his master for the past years since he had been awakened?"

I won't." And his answer still doesn't change. "I can live without a servant."

"Then, you have to take a meal. Please, master."

Ramses scoffed. "I'm only fooling myself if I break the law I created, Raven. You know that I'm different from all of you. I have venom that can poison humans. I will kill anyone whom I bury my fangs into."

"Still, I don't want you to endure that kind of pain, Master. I don't give a damn about those rules. Less than those clans who just wanted something from you."

"But I do," he clearly stated. "Even if I'm not a human, I want to live as a human in my remaining years, Raven. I can feel my end is coming near. You are my one and only brethren and you will replace me sooner or later. If ever, you'll be the one who will finish what I've started, Raven."

Raven didn't say anything. He just couldn't simply see the death of his master. If that woman really came out to grant his master's eternal peace, he wished there would also be someone who could save his master's soul and give him enough reason to live. 

MILES' jaw almost dropped in astonishment while their van travelled the road of an exclusive subdivision in Makati. She could spot a lot of mansions outside the window that took her breath away, and there were no average houses in sight from that place.

"Wait a minute. Are you sure this is the place?" Miles asked her two co-workers. "What if the address is wrong? Hey Joanne!" She tapped Joanne's shoulder to get her attention from the screen of the cellphone she was busy with.

"Relax, Miles. The client is the boss's best friend. Boss said that the groom of her friend is crazy rich. We are only one of the three suppliers they contacted to decorate the venue with flowers. It looks like Celts and Francine flower farm aren't enough for this grand event," she mentioned the two famous flower shops in the city. "Or maybe they just wanted to do the wedding ceremony while it rained flowers. What a lucky bride."

Miles sighed and just looked at her old wristwatch to check the time. "It's almost 9 PM. They really wanted to do the ceremony this late at night?"

"You're so outdated, friend. Night weddings are a common trend nowadays. That's what most celebrities do. They paid a lot of money to the videographer because they wanted to be shot perfectly and the angles and effects should be perfect too." 

- to be continued -