Ten days later, after all the grueling discipline, Kai decided Saul was finally ready to be introduced to his father's mansion. Since Victoria was occupied with her friend Nora, Kai used this spare time to keep an extra eye on Saul by showing him around his new surroundings: the place he would now be forced to call his new home.
Donned in a gray suit and matching tie, Saul stepped out of the bathroom that connected to his new bedroom. Although the bedroom wasn't as large as the other rooms in the mansion, it was still quite spacious. The interior was fully embellished with the finest, luxurious furniture and topped with a comfortable bed. Even for a minion, the area was rather fitting.
"I could get used to this," Saul remarked, admiring his appearance through the reflection of a full-length mirror.
Nearby, Kai sat in a chair, attentively observing Saul's every move as his striking red orbs seemed to electrify him with rays of lightning. No matter how much he disdained Saul, Kai hadn't skimped on providing him with the latest brands and voguish styles of the twenty-first century, considering that Saul would be his wife's primary bodyguard.
The Coven was affluent, so nobody, including the minions, ever dressed unsophisticatedly, as they represented the Collins. Wealthy attire and a dominant composure spoke volumes to other Covens that were louder than fancy words; at least, that's the philosophy Vlad had taught his family to practice in their leadership roles, reinforcing that a stronger message was even conveyed through those who served them.
"Don't feel spoiled," Kai curtly warned, intently eyeing him like a hawk.
Upon hearing Kai's authoritative voice from the corner, Saul snorted. An aura of annoyance fumed from Saul's demeanor as Kai smirked, watching as his muscles tensed.
"Ranked as a minion is far from considered spoiled," Saul rudely retorted, shifting his stance to face Kai directly. "Now, where is my sister?" A sharp demand reverberated through his unmistakable growl.
"Ask me nicely, and perhaps I'll grant your request," Kai taunted him, crossing his left leg over his right knee and patiently waiting for Saul to adjust his tone as his eyes gleamed in mockery.
Under his breath, Saul deeply snarled beneath his chest, nearly sinking his fangs into his lower lip. He clenched his fists at his sides, turning his knuckles pale as he gritted his fangs. Fury boiled within him, and he averted his gaze from the smug look on Kai's face. How he truly wished to gouge out Kai's eyeballs this instant. But not today, Saul reckoned, swallowing his anger down. Someday, he promised himself to strike Kai down, but today wasn't the day.
Burying his pride beneath, Saul spoke in a softer tone, "I wish to see my sister, please."
Kai's smirk deepened, becoming more callous at Saul's feigned submission. For Kai to witness the sight of Saul pretending to submit only made the process of breaking him all the more enjoyable. Prior to reawakening Saul, Kai had already anticipated that his dominance wouldn't be an easy barrier to tear down.
Nevertheless, this is where Darlene became the key weakness that Kai needed to fully dominate this unruly Alpha. Under no circumstances would he ever trust Saul with Victoria without obtaining this leverage. Without Darlene, the idea of making Saul his wife's bodyguard would have never crossed his mind.
However, Kai trusted Darlene with his wife because he was aware of their close friendship, which they had unsuccessfully hidden from him. Over anybody else, he believed that Darlene was capable of managing her brother for the most part. Only if absolutely necessary would he then intervene to handle Saul himself if he must.
"Was that so difficult?" Kai taunted Saul, deliberately making a mockery out of him.
Once again, Saul withheld his tongue, clenching his fists tighter to resist the urge to attack Kai. The futility of his heart's removal emphasized the gravity of his disadvantage against Kai. For now, at least, Saul held his pride and accepted his defeat. Though his mind clung to the hope that someday he would liberate his Coven from the Collins.
As the door gently swung open, a familiar scent flickered a spark of joy in Saul's eyes. Ivan escorted Darlene inside, and her radiant smile matched her brother's.
Happy as ever to be reunited with Darlene, Saul quickly closed the distance between them, cupping her warm cheeks into his palms. It had been far too long since he had last seen his little sister when she was twelve, and now she stood before him, completely transformed into a stunning vampiress. Fully mesmerized by her, Saul could only marvel at how beautiful his younger sister had blossomed into adulthood.
Darlene's light, curly blonde hair cascaded down the sides of her face like a delicate white veil, and her lips shimmered a natural rose tint. To top off her enchanting beauty, a vivid crystal-blue shade sparkled in her eyes like stars glistering in the night.
As sadness clouded his eyes in a storm of emotions, Saul mumbled, "You look like our mother."
If they hadn't lost the war against the Collins, Darlene could have led a beautiful, free life. Their parents wouldn't have been detained by Mr. Collin, and Headmaster Vlad never would have achieved victory to defeat their grandparents if everything hadn't fallen apart during the battle.
Instead, it would have been the other way around. Every male in the Collin Coven, including the Royal males, would have been detained, and every vampiress, including the Royal females, would have been enslaved by their family.
"I miss Mother," Darlene whispered as unshed tears watered in her mesmerizing eyes.
While Saul embraced his sister, Kai and Ivan quietly left the bedroom. It wasn't necessary to stick around when Kai knew Darlene could manage her brother from here, just as he had instructed her to do.
Side by side, Ivan and Kai walked silently down the corridor where most of the minions were housed. As they continued down the hallway, Mr. Collin's guardian appeared and hastily intercepted them halfway.
Before the guardian could speak, Kai immediately asked, "Did something happen to Victoria?"
The panicked expression on the guardian's face had already told Kai this wasn't good.
"An unknown scent was detected in our territory," the guardian replied urgently. "Your father wants you to investigate it. He'll ensure everyone's safety in the mansion."
Without hesitation, Kai and Ivan vanished into the shadows before swiftly traveling into the thick forest, where the rest of his clan joined them with Glenn, Rome, Jack, and Ace.
Not a whistle from the wind disturbed the silence as the snow crunched softly beneath their boots. In every direction, the group dispersed, their piercing eyes scanning every tree and bush. Dead silence eerily slithered within the forest until a light breeze susurrated the thin, icicled branches. Suddenly, a twig snapped. Kai dashed to the right as the others quickly followed. As they rounded a line of trees, they spotted the glowing red eyes of their intruder among them.