Belle looked at the apple she held in her hand which she had picked up from the orchard of their garden. Bonelake had many apple trees and with the winter coming close in time, the apple had ripened to its fullest and she would have guessed it was a bird that had come to eat but the bite mark told otherwise.

It didn’t look like a normal bite of a human or of a vampire and the servants of the Adams knew well enough to not eat the apples that grew in here. To not touch unless it was asked to do so.

She didn’t have to know who was eating it as she had seen the shadow in there and now that she came back to her room’s patio, she looked at the garden to see if the shadow was lurking again. She had never seen anything like that before in her lifetime and to explain what she saw was difficult which she doubted anyone would get.

When she had turned to Lucas, he had questioned her what she had seen and it appeared that he hadn’t seen it either. Looking back down at the apple in her hand, she saw how the sides of the apple where it was bitten into were turning brown and black. Discolouring quicker than usual and her brows furrowed.

Things had started to turn strange around here. First, the shadow that was following her, the vapor on the deranged vampire, her eyes momentarily blacking out when she had gone to the dance lessons. She didn’t know why she felt as if something bad was happening around her. Not to forget the dream she dreamt of that hooded creature who spoke about waiting for her so that it could eat her soul.

And while Belle was weighing on these things, Lucas left Adams’ mansion in the name of running an errand. With his hands in the pockets of his coat that went past the length of his knees, he reached the front of the church to see Father Connor there speaking to two people, they appeared to be father and son.

Father Connor said, “Kenith, you should know better to not smoke. It isn’t good for your body,” the young boy had his head down who heard the father advise him.

The boy’s father had apparently caught his son smoking who was barely the age of fourteen. The father smacked his son’s head, “Tell him again because I caught him twice and he lies on top of it.”

Father Connor looked down at the boy, “You shouldn’t do it, Kenith. It isn’t a habit people enjoy once they grow old. You will fall sick. Is that what you are looking for? I am sure God won’t be pleased by this behavior of yours,” seeing Lucas appear in his vision, he gave him a nod.

“I wasn’t doing it,” the young boy denied, trying to stick to his first lie bringing a displeased look on his own father’s face.

“Lucas,” the man greeted Adams’ butler who he was familiar with.

“Good afternoon Mr. Shire. Father Connor,” Lucas greeted them before his patient looking eyes fell on the boy, “Again in trouble, young Kenith?”

Mr. Shire said, “I caught him smoking with the cigarette and smoke in his mouth and he denies that he wasn’t doing it.”

Lucas said, “You shouldn’t do things your elders don’t want you to do. If they are telling it then it is for a reason. Smoking is never good for health, you will die quite soon with your lungs turning fried. Is that what you are looking forward to? If you didn’t know smoking kills and getting drunk will get you killed. And also to lie, it is a very bad characteristic to possess,” he said to the young boy who hung his head in shame. Father Connor who heard this gave a look to Lucas but didn’t say a word, “He’s a young boy, Mr. Shire. Children get curious. He won’t do it again.”

“Well, I hope he doesn’t. Not under my damn roof. Good day gentlemen,” Mr. Shire offered his greetings as he pulled his son along with him and walked down the road.

Seeing them gone, Lucas pulled out his own pack of cigarettes to receive Father Connor’s amused look, “Do you ever apply your own preaching to yourself?” Father Connor shook his head with a smile. No one knew that this perfect butler was a hypocrite.

“What joy would that be if I did that?” Lucas raised one of his eyebrows before lighting the end of the cigarette, “We tell the mortals what they want to hear. That’s your job though.”

“You know you would have made a very good priest in here,” said Father Connor.

“I will pass. With the number of people who come here for confession, it makes me wonder why they even bother to make errors. Three-fourth of them would be lying in the cemetery while the other one-fourth of them would be in the forest because I wouldn’t have time for them,” Lucas took a drag before letting the smoke out of his mouth, “The boy is still a child. If he was an adult, he would have known how to hide without being caught. Who even lies like that? Fools,” he whispered under his breath.

Father Connor gave out an awkward smile. As good as Lucas appeared in the front, he didn’t have the same sentiments. They were mostly words, “Are you here for Sister Isabell?” he asked knowing it was the only reason this man would come here.

“Did you think I missed the church?” Lucas asked Father Connor who smiled, “Is she in there?”

The priest nodded his head, “She must be free in a few minutes. Would you like to come in?” asked father Connor.

Lucas took another drag from the smoke and then threw it down on the ground to stamp on it, “Sure.”

He followed Father Connor inside the church, the walls and the atmosphere was much bearable compared to the first few times he had stepped in here which felt like it wanted to crush him, a place where he was not supposed to be but over the years, things had changed. He was able to walk in and out of the church without much issue, after all, he had spent years honing the body of a mortal.

Taking a seat at one end of the benches, he looked at the chapel and the multicolored windows where the ceiling was covered in artistic painting.

“Good afternoon, father Connor.”

“Good afternoon,” he heard the priest of the church greet the local woman. The woman walked forward to pray, leaving Father Connor to come and stand next to Lucas.

With his hands folded against his chest and his back leaned against the wooden rest, he said, “She’s come here for confession,” Lucas’ words came out low enough for only the priest to hear.

“You think so?” asked Father Connor. Though he was a priest here, Father Connor was originally a white witch who served the people around the town where the church was located while also serving the Council, “How is work in the mansion?”

“Same as always. Did you meet anyone interesting?” asked Lucas and when he meant interesting he wasn’t speaking about women.

“There might have been some visitors but no one reputable,” answered Father Connor.

The woman prayed and then turned around to look at the father with her lips pursed and Father Connor walked towards her before they stepped into the confession box. To Lucas, it was obvious because he could see the woman’s body trembling. Her stance was not as balanced as if she had done something very wrong.

Lucas had come here to only enquire about the grim reapers if anyone had turned at the door of the church which he usually did every once in a month. The priestess of this church finally stepped out of the door which was built at the side and he saw a young girl follow her from behind.

“I will see you later then,” said Sister Isabell as they exchanged polite bows and the girl walked out of the church.

When Sister Isabell’s eyes fell on Lucas, she offered him a smile, “I was hoping you would come here. There is something I wanted to discuss with you.”

Lucas stood up, “Has the council found out about you?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. He had taken shelter under a vampire’s home, and like him, Sister Isabell was using the church to hide her true identity.

“Fortunately no, but this involves your world.”

“How interesting,” he commented before following her to the door where she had come out from.