Read Novel Full Chapter 175: Private Party
Chapter 175: Private Party
The hall was crowded with ’people’ chatting and enjoying their drinks while live music filled the space.
The entire place was dressed in extravagant Victorian elegance, its excessive decorations supported by a structure so ancient it had existed longer than every human present combined.
A grand chandelier dominated the ceiling, its crystals catching the light beautifully. The food and ’drinks’ were impeccable, and everyone wore refined, stunning attire.
For a moment, Seamus almost forgot they were underground at all.
The conductor led an orchestra through a classical piece that Seamus vaguely recognized but could not name.
Despite the mask covering his face, he felt eyes turning toward him the moment he entered.
"Hm?" he murmured under his breath.
"Probably because you’re human," Madeline said calmly. She wore a deep red gown that clung to her perfectly.
"Even with those contact lenses, they can still tell."
Her black mask matched her long gloves and blended seamlessly with the dark tones of Seamus’s formal attire beside her.
"Ah, I see. But they don’t know what I am, right?"
Madeline shook her head. "Unless you start bleeding, no. Then it becomes a different story. Don’t worry though. There are vampires under the Velstrath here. They might protect you if something happens."
Seamus nodded, forcing himself to relax and blend in. He wasn’t afraid. He had more than enough power to handle them if necessary. He simply did not want to create another enemy.
That was all.
Suddenly, two figures approached him. One was elderly, the other much younger. Seamus recognized one of them instantly by his gait.
Doctor Ben had one leg shorter than the other, a detail difficult to miss. Not many shared that condition.
"Seamus. You came," Ben said warmly before leaning closer and lowering his voice. "This is Doctor Daniel, my mentor. We should talk somewhere else."
Daniel, who relied on a cane, smiled kindly and shook Seamus’s hand with surprising enthusiasm. Soon enough, the four of them began moving away from the hall.
It turned out the grand ballroom was only meant for dancing and light conversation. A place to establish connections, nothing more. The true attractions were deeper inside.
The building itself was strange. Unlike normal structures where higher floors meant moving upward, here the higher the number, the deeper underground it went. Even the staircases descended instead of climbing.
The hallway itself was full of rooms and only those invited to specific rooms truly knew their purpose. Others could wander in by mistake, but that often ended badly.
Guests sometimes stumbled into places they were never meant to see, leaving them traumatized by what awaited behind certain doors.
Ben explained this with an uneasy laugh, recalling the time he randomly opened one door and walked straight into a vampire BDSM club involving both humans and undead.
"They didn’t want to let me leave," he added grimly.
"It’s not that bad, right?" Seamus lifted a brow, clearly unable to imagine how traumatizing it could have been. "Isn’t BDSM supposed to involve consent from both parties?"
Ben stopped walking and turned sharply toward him, his expression immediately defensive.
"You are insane. I mean, yes, it can be hot in theory. I won’t deny that. But the BDSM definition some vampires have is deeply messed up. Their idea of consent is... flexible at best."
He shuddered slightly. "You can end up as a sex slave, and no, not the attractive fantasy kind. I mean the broken, miserable, never-seeing-the-surface-again kind."
"He’s right," Daniel suddenly chimed in, his voice calm but heavy with experience.
"I once found what they referred to as a sex doll inside a suitcase. A living one." He paused, tapping his cane against the floor.
"Poor boy bonded himself to the wrong vampire. By the time we found him, he barely remembered his own name."
Daniel sighed before continuing, his tone oddly reflective. "Still, if you manage to find the right partner, someone sane and disciplined, it can become an interesting night. Educational, even."
Ben grimaced hard. "Doctor Daniel, I really do not want to know about your youth experiences."
"Oh, come now," Daniel chuckled. "You’re still young, Ben. Loosen up a little. Enjoy life while you can. Be more like Seamus here."
His gaze shifted toward Madeline. "Your vampire partner?"
Seamus nodded and tightened his grip on her hand instinctively. "She’s Rose."
"I see," Daniel said with approval. "Good for you."
He sighed afterward, clearly disappointed. "Sadly, my junior doesn’t respond the way it used to."
Ben rubbed his face in embarrassment. "Please forgive him, Seamus. Doctor Daniel just wants to feel relatable and included."
Seamus laughed softly. "It’s fine. My dad is sometimes like that too."
Not long after, Ben stopped in front of a door that looked no different from the others. He hesitated only a second before opening it.
The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed completely.
Andrew stood near the table with his arms crossed, irritation written clearly across his face.
Bianca stood a short distance away, covering her face with one hand, her posture stiff with frustration as if she had already lost patience long ago.
Andrew’s eyes snapped to Seamus immediately.
"What are you doing here?"
Seamus froze, his surprise obvious. His gaze flicked to Ben so sharply it almost burned.
"What the hell?"
Ben blinked, genuinely confused. "Aren’t you glad to meet your father here?"
"Are you kidding me, Ben?" Seamus groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Listen to me for a second—"
"No," Andrew cut in coldly. "Close the door."
The sound of it shutting echoed far louder than it should have.
They moved toward the round table at the center of the room. The seating was awkward, forced, and tense.
Andrew took his place slowly, his glare never leaving Seamus for even a moment.
"What are you doing here?" he asked again, slower this time.
"Ask Ben," Seamus replied flatly. "He invited me."
Ben shifted uncomfortably. "Well... Seamus wanted to know how to resurrect a vampire."
Andrew’s jaw tightened.
"There," Seamus said, shrugging despite the tension.
"You told me to ask Ben. And I can’t afford to waste time. I need answers fast."
"You want to go against Lady Isolde?"
Bianca suddenly asked, finally lowering her hand. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the room.
"And you allow this, Lady Madeline?"
The air turned suffocating. Seamus narrowed his eyes slowly as realization struck. Bianca worked for Isolde. She would report this. There was no doubt about it.
His thoughts darkened quickly. If this escalated, there were only a few ways it could end, and none of them were clean.
Then a scream tore through the wall next door.
"AHHHH!!!"
The sound was raw, panicked, and unmistakably real.
Everyone jolted. Chairs scraped against the floor as they exchanged sharp looks. Whatever was happening next door was bad enough to cut through the tension like a knife.
Without another word, they moved toward the source of the scream.