To His Hell and Back-Chapter 126: Unmasking A Liar-I

Ariel’s expression seemed stunned and Bella could see how for a moment her sister’s green eyes moved toward her in a panic then it darted back to Cassius in an angry glare, "Don’t you try pin this into something else."

"But weren’t you the one who had started this game of blaming who is the wrongful one?" Cassius was still relaxed as he leaned backward at his chair.

"Okay that’s enough," Bella raised her hand and schooled Cassius with her green eyes but he shrugged as if saying back to her that he wasn’t going to push it too far anymore and would now seal his lips. She then turned to Ariel who seemed to be clutching to her fists until its knuckles had turned white.

This was the first time Bella had ever seen Ariel look so... hateful.

Unlike her who was always more short tempered. Ariel was the opposite. A sweet, demure, and rather shy girl that’s who her sister was. Even when she’s upset or mad, she never hate the person who she fought against, even at times she pitied them. So for her to show such open hatred to Cassius who she just knew was odd and all this because of the fact that he’s a vampire?

Bella held her sister’s hands and smiled, "You have doubts about vampires and I understand that." Their village never had vampires so her sister must have seen things in the brothels that made her believe all vampires were the same, "But Cassius isn’t here as our enemy. He’s an ally. I wish that you would accept his presence a little."

Ariel looked into her eyes, unconvinced but her sigh appeared after a while as she could never bring herself to deny anything that Bella had requested to her. She spoke. "Fine. Though this man should show more respect to others as his eyes are always condescending."

"Ah that," Bella drawled. It’s something that he’s born with, a thing she doesn’t think any amount of time could ever change. "Anyway sister, what do you think about the basement? Have you been there before?"

"You know there is a basement?" Ariel asked and she nodded with a hum her older sister answered, "I know. I was kept there until two weeks ago."

"And when was it when Courtez went missing?" Cassius chirped and although Ariel looked offended for having to answer his question she replied regardless.

"Four days ago, this Saturday."

"She’s still alive then," Cassius nudged his chin to Bella and his birdie seemed to have fallen into a deep ponder. "Do you want to go and help her?"

"Can I?" Arabella asked hesitantly and saw how his smirk curled and his crimson eyes gleaming.

The half moon birthmark on his neck began to glow as he smugly replied, "When have you ever listened to me? Do what you want, no one will dare to stop you."

Though he would usually tease and toy with her, at times whenever she needs someone else’s hands to push her on the back, Cassius easily offered it for her. She couldn’t deny how much reassured she felt upon hearing his encouragement, making her feel stronger even though her body remains the same as a second ago.

Ariel watched as Cassius had studied Bella in interest. Meanwhile Bella herself? She looked delighted being beside the blood sucking creature. She seemed to have formed a rather strong bond to Cassius and was seen clearer by how they both seemed too used to each other’s presence, enough not to hide their true self.

Ariel gritted her teeth. Under the table, her hands clutched tighter into a fist until from the edges of her palm blood had flowed out.

"Ariel, can you show me your hands?" Bella asked and although startled, her face lifted up and she smiled.

"Sure. What’s for?"

"I wanted to give you this," she pulled Ariel’s hands seeing the one bleeding hand had returned spotless without a single blood. Bella who didn’t know how her sister had dug her own nails to her palm didn’t notice the supernatural power that her sister had seemed to suddenly come into possession.

Instead, Arabella tied the bracket around her hands, softly saying, "I got this from a friend. They told me it can protect you from unwanted dangers of vampires."

Ariel saw the silver and a smile spread on her lips, one that was so genuine and so sincere.

"...don’t change..."

"Hm?" Bella asked as she felt as if she had heard her sister speak up earlier. "I didn’t catch that sorry."

"I’m saying that I don’t need it," Ariel gently wrapped her hands instead with the bracelet, "Keep it with you. This bracelet seems to be of some... it looks important, you shouldn’t give away everything to people, Bella."

"I’m not giving to people am I?" Bella smiled and giggled, "I’m giving it to my beloved older sister."

At this Ariel’s tensed expression seemed to turn gentle. She had smiled from her heart and Cassius noted this. But had also noted the odd shifts between her mood and how earlier he had smelled blood that wasn’t his or Bella only to disappear the second after.

It was odd. Ariel is Ariel but at the same time not and knowing what those potions that the sorcerers could make, he questioned if the potions had been distributed to the brothels which would be the fastest place for it to be sold at. Perhaps other than potions to turn vampires into remnant there would be some other dangerous potions.

"So what do you plan?" Ariel asked and Bella smiled,

"Let’s go down the basement to check if Courtez is there. We can sneak quietly."

"We could also just walk proudly to the basement," Cassius sighed with a shrug on his shoulders. "Who will dare to stop us?"

"It’s dangerous," Bella answered, "We don’t know in what condition Courtez is so it would be better to search and find her first. I’m worried that perhaps madam Ursula is hiding something and that could put us to harm." Besides if Cassius has just strode straight to the basement she was worried that he would begin a killing spree. Their only target was Madam Ursula, the other girls in the brothels were all like her and Ariel, sold by their husband, parents, or siblings. She didn’t want them to face death or to see horrors anymore.

Meanwhile Cassius thought about her warning regarding the owner of the brothel and how dangerous she could be. But rather than worrying madam Ursula, he was worried about his birdie’s older sister who seemed to be a walking explosive of danger. After all with the way Ariel was acting, something odd wasn’t an understatement for her actions.