My Stepmom Is A Vampire & Her Entire Bloodline Wants To Breed Me

Chapter 184: The Symbol That Should Stay Burried

They decided to move the discussion to the drawing room, bringing alcohol and snacks as if the topic at hand were not potentially disastrous.

Only Ulrich appeared genuinely relaxed. Andrew looked tense, shoulders stiff, while Bianca’s complexion remained pale, her unease impossible to hide.

"What are you two waiting for?" Ulrich said casually. "I heard Leah gave you a limited batch of liquor."

He lifted the glass, took a slow sip of the brown liquid, and nodded in approval. The bitterness of the toxins, distilled from a rare species of snake and mixed with blood, lingered richly on his tongue. The balance was perfect.

Vampires could eat and drink like humans, though most human food tasted awful to them.

Venom, however, was different. Their bodies were immune to it, but processing it took time. The effect mimicked intoxication, something between being drunk and pleasantly high.

Too much, however, could put them into a temporary coma, which was why Leah had to be precise when brewing her liquor.

Andrew only nodded, gesturing toward the food laid out on the table. The snacks were cut into neat cubes, dark in color and firm in texture.

"You can eat that?"

"Fried blood," Ulrich replied easily. "I found it somewhere on the Aisa continent. They use animal blood, process it like pudding, then fry it. This one though, is human."

"I see." Andrew crossed his arms.

"Then let us talk about Latros and Bjorne. As far as I know, Latros has been quiet for a long time. Given their history, what makes you think they are active again?"

It’s common knowledge that Latros were punished severely for their sins in the past, making their movement limited.

Bianca let out a slow breath, tucking her hair behind her ear before finally speaking. "They might be active now."

She paused before continuing. "I saw the Black Widow symbol on one of the surfaces."

"Anyone could use that," Andrew argued. "It could have been a smaller group within Caduceus trying to mislead us or just simply having the same symbol as them."

Bianca shook her head. "You don’t understand. A Covenant’s symbol is sacred. Vampires take immense pride in it. They use it as a mark of achievement."

Her gaze sharpened. "The Black Widow with a full moon behind it belongs only to Latros. If anyone else dared to use it, Latros would not remain silent."

"She is right," Ulrich said calmly. "Some bloodlines are so proud they do not bother hiding. They act with absolute confidence that they will win."

He took another sip, then added with a faint scoff, "Though Corvane was different. Roanna had no manners at all."

The room fell quiet, the weight of old grudges and awakened Houses settling heavily between them.

"Then what about Bjorne?" Andrew asked.

"It is instinct," Bianca replied quietly. "The founders of Latros and Bjorne were twins. They were inseparable. Even in the past, they worked together to kill other progenitors."

Andrew opened his mouth, ready to argue, but stopped himself. Instinct alone was not evidence, yet ignoring it would be reckless. In the end, caution was preferable to regret.

Being overprepared was far better than being unprepared.

He reached for one of the small sandwiches on the table and took a bite. Even simple food tasted better when his body was not strained or injured.

"Why not ask Corvane’s Emblem?" Ulrich suggested, sampling the fried blood with mild interest. "He might know something."

"That isn’t possible," Andrew replied. "He appears only when he feels like it. I can’t even establish proper communication with him."

Ulrich sighed. "What a shame. Our Emblem never liked interacting with others unless approached first. I wonder if Miss Madeline can contact the rest."

"She cannot," Bianca said calmly, crossing her legs. "Madeline can’t be controlled, and she hates being asked for favors. She simply exists, observing without interfering."

"An enigma in name and nature," Ulrich murmured. "I wonder if the Emblems of Latros and Bjorn share Corvane’s fate. Or perhaps the opposite."

Andrew frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Ulrich’s golden eyes flickered, something guarded hiding beneath their glow. He looked as if he wanted to speak, then settled for less.

"Nothing," he said lightly. "If some of them chose to interfere with us, their Emblems may share the same perspective."

Andrew narrowed his eyes. Those words felt incomplete.

Ulrich is hiding something.

Still, for now, the investigation could go no further. The ruined building alone contained thirteen floors, hidden chambers, and countless collapsed corridors.

Bianca’s work was only the beginning, and Andrew doubted they would uncover anything decisive soon.

For the moment, he turned his attention to reports from the North, scanning news and intelligence feeds for anything that might connect the dots.

***

Seamus sat stiffly at the bar, facing the bartender. He had never been to a place like this before. Call him boring or sheltered, but life had never allowed much room for leisure.

When asked what he wanted to drink, he hesitated far too long before answering awkwardly, "Is... water available?"

The bartender raised an eyebrow but seemed to understand. He set down a glass of water, then added a light cocktail beside it.

"It won’t get you drunk," the bartender said. "Just an introduction."

"Oh. Thanks." Seamus nodded, eyeing the mojito uncertainly.

Before he could take a sip, someone slid into the seat beside him.

Startled, Seamus jolted upright and turned to see a man with dark hair, green eyes, and a face painfully familiar.

Vincent.

"What are you doing?" Vincent asked casually.

"Uh," Seamus replied, glancing at the drink. "Trying a mojito."

Vincent frowned. "Are you even eighteen? You don’t look like it."

Seamus sighed. "I am eighteen. And if you were unsure, why suggest meeting here?"

Vincent ignored the question and signaled the bartender. "As usual."

"Aye, sir."

Then he turned back to Seamus. "Because vampire hunters rarely come here. They cannot afford it."

He stood. "I booked a private room. I would rather not have this conversation overheard."

Without waiting for a response, Vincent gestured for him to follow.