Seamus sighed as he stared at the computer screen.

The calendar in front of him looked ridiculous, yet here he was, trying to arrange a schedule for their so-called sex activities.

Isolde stood behind him, leaning close enough that her cheek almost brushed his.

Diane sat on his right with her arms crossed, Lulu sat quietly in the corner, and Madeline lounged on the opposite side of the table like she was watching a play.

"Good. This should be enough," Isolde said as she inspected the schedule from over his shoulder.

Her behavior had been strange all week, but now her intentions made sense. She only acted like this when she wanted to evolve fast.

Five tier evolution required a lot of his blood. No wonder she was practically glued to him.

Madeline tapped her nails on the table. "What about Aconite? She needs a slot too."

Diane's shoulder twitched at the mention, subtle but sharp enough for Seamus to catch it.

Seamus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Madeline, why are you even here? My blood does nothing for you."

Madeline smirked. "I came to keep Diane entertained."

That was enough to make Diane tense further. Seamus exhaled and tried to reassure her.

"Relax, Diane. You and Lulu are my favorites anyway."

Lulu's ears perked immediately. She did not move from her seat, but her eyes brightened with quiet satisfaction.

Diane did not look convinced. She pressed her lips together, annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.

"Your words make it worse," she muttered.

"Fine, whatever. I am almost a thousand years old. I should be more mature."

Isolde let out a low laugh. "You are mature. Just not in love. I wonder why."

The way Isolde said it was casual, almost gentle, yet Diane froze like someone had grabbed her spine.

Seamus saw it and it reminded him of Viviane and how she was punished for something as simple as wanting connection. He stood up abruptly and took Diane's hand.

Something triggered in him.

"So what if she feels something," he said. His voice was calm, but his eyes narrowed at Isolde.

"Maybe you are the one who did not give her enough love. You cannot punish her for loving me."

Isolde blinked as if she had not expected him to defend Diane so directly. Madeline laughed, amused at the entire shift.

"Oh, sweetheart, you really are dramatic," Isolde said. "I would never punish her for loving someone."

"You punished Viviane," he said. His voice wavered just slightly.

Isolde inhaled slowly. "Do not drag the dead into this. And I did not punish her for that. Ask Diane."

Seamus gazed at Diane. She gave a small nod. Something unspoken moved between them.

He knew there was more to that story, but this was not the moment to dig deeper, not with lots of vampires here.

The room fell into a heavy silence until a knock disturbed the tension. Ulrich entered with Fleur following behind him.

She stayed half a step behind her father, her posture straight and her expression neutral.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything important," Ulrich said politely.

"No interruption at all," Isolde replied with a perfectly smooth smile. "We were simply arranging a schedule for Seamus and all of us."

"Ah, feeding routines." Ulrich nodded.

"If you are organizing something like that, I would appreciate it if my daughter is included."

Seamus immediately felt conflicted. Aconite's story about Ulrich echoed in his mind, yet refusing outright would cause trouble. Also, he dislike Fleur.

He glanced at Fleur. Her eyes did not reveal any intention, only the quiet pressure to obey her father.

Isolde looked at Seamus, clearly expecting him to decide or maybe she already decided to arrange for him with Draemir in the future and just wanted to see how he would handle it.

He took a breath and straightened his shoulders. "I think it is better if she gets to know me properly first. Otherwise it will be uncomfortable for both of us, right?"

Fleur's expression tightened for a second, subtle but noticeable. She did not look angry, only uneasy, almost afraid of disappointing Ulrich.

Ulrich nodded thoughtfully and turned to her. "Treat him well in the future."

"Yes, My Liege," she said softly.

Seamus felt a small, petty victory spark in his chest. Fleur shot him a brief glare, but he ignored it.

If she had acted even a little nicer to him yesterday, he might have agreed. She gave him nothing but insults and cold looks, so this outcome felt deserved.

'I'm gonna wait until she moves first or even beg,' he thought.

***

Diane sat on the garden bench and soaked in the warm sunlight that, thankfully, did not hurt her skin. The heat felt comforting, but her mood did not.

She hated sharing Seamus. Her mother had already reminded her that Draemir women would have their own share too, but knowing it and accepting it were two different things.

What made it worse was that every single woman of Draemir was beautiful. Fleur, Dahlia, and now even Aconite who turned out to be their Emblem of Enigma. It made her feel small in ways she did not want to admit.

"Does Sir Ulrich have a hobby of collecting beautiful women?" Diane muttered.

"He does," a voice behind her replied, so close and sudden it made her jump.

She had not heard footsteps or sensed a shadow, but she instantly recognized the soft tone.

Isolde. Her mother sat beside her and crossed her arms with an air of confidence that made Diane feel even younger.

"He had a tragic past that made him gather women who resemble his daughter," Isolde said.

"Each one has a very interesting personality too. Right, Diane?" Her gaze drifted ahead.

"Especially Aconite. She is adorable. And I know she and Lulu are exactly Seamus's type. Viviane used to act cute and clingy to get his attention, but those two do not even need to try."

Diane followed her mother's gaze. Seamus was introducing Aconite to Lulu. Both women were already getting along, and he looked genuinely happy watching them talk.

Something unpleasant tightened in Diane's stomach.

"Do you think he just looks at me as a replacement for Viviane?" Diane asked quietly.

"What are you saying? Of course not," Isolde replied quickly. "He said you are his favorite. Though, he also mentioned Lulu."

The added detail only made Diane shrink further. A painful ache settled in her chest.

It felt pathetic to react this strongly, yet the feeling refused to go away. She clutched her blouse, trying to steady herself.

"Do not make that face," Isolde said. "I know how to make him like you more. Tonight is your turn, right?"

Diane nodded without looking up.

"What should I do?" she asked.

Isolde placed a hand on her shoulder. "Not what you should do. What we should do." Her voice softened.

"I will teach you how to satisfy Seamus in bed, but you need to help me with something."

Diane froze. Her eyes widened as she instinctively pulled back, removing her shoulder from her mother's touch.

"You know I cannot," Diane said. "I promised him I would never do anything behind his back."

"I see," Isolde murmured. "My youngest daughter has finally grown. Good. Your mother feels a little lonely now."

She let out a quiet sigh. "You used to do everything I asked because you wanted my attention. Now you want his instead, yes?"

"It is not like that. I really like him," Diane snapped. Her hands trembled.

She had never raised her voice against her mother before. The moment felt surreal.

Isolde only smiled as if she expected it. She brushed Diane's red hair behind her ear and leaned closer.

"It is alright. I understand. Your sister did the same once," she said.

"And you do not have to report everything he does anymore. I know him too well. I know exactly what he will do."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I only need you to do one thing."

She whispered instructions into Diane's ear. Diane's brows pulled together.

"That is all?" she asked.

"That is all," Isolde confirmed.

"You do not need to push him off a cliff. I would never let him die. Besides, I will be with him most of the time, so there is nothing for you to worry about."

The explanation sounded simple, but Diane felt a coil of unease. Her mother's smile was too knowing and calculated.

Diane knew Isolde well enough to sense when something larger was hidden behind a gentle tone.

Even so, her heart wavered. She wanted Seamus to look at her more. She wanted reassurance. She wanted to matter.

"If it can make him like me more," Diane whispered, "maybe it is fine…"

Isolde stroked her hair. "And I can bring you along when my turn comes. You want to evolve, yes?"

Diane bit her lip. After a long moment, she nodded.

Isolde's smile widened with satisfaction. "Good girl. I knew you could do this. Let us do our best together."

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