Chapter 21

PETER JOHANSEN figured that the rumors must be right. Jefferson Duvas is a wimp. That's what he has been told.

Taking a passing glance on the guy's thick outer coat and gloved hands, he thought the scarf on his neck is an overkill. He's half a vampire, he should be okay with the city's cold weather. Their kind doesn't find comfort in warm temperature.

'He's half a human. Of course.' He lowered his eyes to hide the disdainful glint in it. 'They can be so weak.'

"Mr. Johansen." Jeffrey smiled. The pale lips shone pitifully. Peter guessed he might have put a bit of moisturizer on it. It made him sneer inside. "Thank you for considering my application."

'As if I have a choice.' Peter respects Maximilian a lot because of his strength. But not this half-bake of a vampire. In his opinion, every member of the coven should be strictly pure blooded. "It's fine. Actually, you came just at the right moment because we're lacking a few personnel this time. You know the recent killings..." Peter grimaced. As to whom it was directed, remained unknown. "We should do a brief check on the abandoned factory near 53 docks side. The tire marks and the scent trail present on the first victim has been found there. This is an unprecedented attack. We need someone to be the medic if ever something happened."

Genuine concern flashed in Jeffrey's eyes. His mouth pressed in a curious curve. "So there was a sighting of the possible killer in that factory?"

Peter blinked, unused to the guy's intent expression. "Not the killer, but there was someone acting as his associate. We're sure of that. And that person is armed. We should be prepared because they're still in that place. Although we don't know why."

Jeffrey's face clouded over. Peter watched him for a few more second before asking, "Are you sick?"

The man flinched. Peter noted his squeamish behavior. He must ask Max about this. An awkward colleague is hard to work with. Peter needs his presence of mind and agility all the time. "No. I—I'm just feeling out of the weather."

He decided to be patient at the moment. For the sake of making a good impression on the man. In case Jeffrey would tell Max, he needed to make a great profile. "But you look pale, and you seem cold."

His expectation was to make Jeffrey flustered in his care. Peter was disappointed when he seemed mildly irritated with him. "There's nothing wrong. I'm perfectly fine actually."

Peter shove both of his hands in his pockets and nodded a little. "If you say so." He cleared his throat with a light cough. "You have all morning to make friends. The preparation must be done by afternoon because we'll proceed at night."

"Certainly. Thank you, Sir Johansen."

He hummed an approving tone. At the very least, the guy doesn't look like he relies on his status. He never make a big deal out of his middle name and he wasn't arrogant with Pete.

"I'll leave you to your own then. See you around, Mr. Duvas."


Well, it's still too early to tell.





"DOES HE scare you, Jeffrey?" Mirtle cross his arms and lean on the bookshelf. His glasses crooked slightly on the bridge of his nose. "Because for me, I almost hate him."

Mirtle is a noble son of Mr. Callim, a purebred and his Uncle Max' advisor. His eyes are two deep vortex with a flicker of red from time to time. It was rumoured that he might transform earlier than his Uncle Max but it's clear that he's still struggling with his power until now.

Max had once told him that a person can show early signs of transformation but the whole process can last from a year to a decade. That's what happened with his mom. It's cumbersome and painful every time the moon is out of the sky.

The moonlight helps chill their heated skin.

Mirtle was his classmate on middle school. Although they never really talk back then, the acknowledgement is there. They don't have a bad past with each other.


"Almost?" Jeffrey laugh. "He is quite judgemental. I think he only respect me because I'm my uncle's nephew."

"That would be right. If I were him, I'd kneel in front of you just to make a good impression. Everyone knows you're the heir."

Jeffrey snorted. He wrapped the coat tightly around him before responding, "Hah. It's only on paper, Mirtle. A compensation for my mother since she can't participate in the coven. Once my uncle found his mate and have a child, my position is second to the wind. Invisible. Let's face it, the elders won't accept a halfbreed like me on that pedestal. Since I'm not pure blooded, I won't transform. That's a requirement to inherit the role."

Mirtle's mouth curve. He naturally know those qualifications. That's why he treated Jeffrey like how he's normally with his friends. Everyone outside their territory doesn't know those requirements. They sincerely regard Jefferson as the definite heir. But they do acknowledge inside that he's just a stand in before the real deal comes.

This precedented announcement can act as his first level of protection.

Jeffrey is a halfbreed. It's expected to have him face the ridicule of the unsatisfied members. Janette has a lot of suitors but she pick a normal human, unfortunately. Her son would bear the hate.

But the bullying didn't happen. Maximilian gave a timely announcement regarding Jeffrey.

The coven's disdain towards Jeffrey could not appear on the surface.

"Still, Sir Max appointed you. Might as well ride your coattails, right?"

"Oh, come on." Jeff groaned. "I thought you're different."

Mirtle sniggered. "Stop overreacting. I'm just kidding, okay?"

He rolled his eyes in return. "Why do you hate the boss though? Yes, he's fake but at least he's not like Cedric Mallory. He insult me every time he sees an opportunity."

"Cedric? The 'Cedric'?"

Jeffrey raise an eyebrow. "A half born, just like me."

"Wow..." Mirtle stood properly from his lazy position. He blinked hard. "How can he be bad? I met him once. He's serious... intense about work and he know how to respect his co-workers. He's known to have a man-whore-ish reputation but we all know he's a part werewolf. It's given."

Jeffrey's mouth tug at the corner. He's not impressed. "I guess I'm just that special so he figured I should be treated like a garbage?"

"Oof. Don't exaggerate. Even Mr. Johansen genuinely likes him."

'So it's me who has the problem all along?' He shrug. Decided to put the matter beyond him. "Well, I guess they found they have something in common— they don't like my presence."

He continued eating his lunch while Mirtle was done sipping his cup of warm blood a moment ago. Jeffrey was used to the sight. He's the only one that eats human food now on their table at home. His father finally got his own wish.

"It's hard to change their opinion overnight. Let your action speaks better than any rebuttal you might think of." Mirtle sat across Jeffrey and pinch his barely eaten lunch. "Tonight though, we should not act rashly."

"Why? Do you know something new?"

"Aside from that our opponent might be a hybrid this time? Nothing impressive."

Jeffrey choke. He cough violently to push out a pea lugged in his throat. "A hybrid!"

"Part raven, part vampire. It's fully transformed and can shift into his bird form."

'Yeap.' He swallowed with difficulty. 'Nothing impressive.'