Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 161: Taken

Chapter 161: Taken

With the Emperor’s birthday a mere 4 days away, it was understandable that festivities would have already begun to take place in Krobridge.

The marketplace was quite rowdy as people went about trying to purchase items.

At a few places, decorations were already being set up and even a few statues made of Emperor Enoch the First likeness were erected at the center of the market.

But despite all this, one could sense the underlying tension in the atmosphere.

A few people were worried that the Night Kindred would strike when they least expected so some got brazen enough to be carrying weapons on their person.

Nadia noticed a few armed men patrolling the area with peculiar weapons.

Of course, she tried her best to not set herself out as someone to watch out for as she wore a simple saree with a translucent yellow scarf placed over her face.

Carrying a small bag in her right hand, she weaved her way through the crowd and made her way to a publishing house located in the business area of the marketplace.

After ignoring a few catcalls along the way, she soon arrived at her destination.

For each Extension, there was only enough room for one publication house from which newspapers and the like were printed and distributed.

Surprisingly enough, these papers all had the same distribution station within Kro Institute from which they delivered the newspapers to the noble districts and the school premises.

The publication house in the 11th Extension which called itself, Daily Tribune, was ranked as one of the top 3 newspapers in the main distribution center located in Krobridge.

As Nadia stepped into the building, a strange feeling washed over her causing her to pause.

Furrowing her brows, she looked behind her but apart from the people going about their business, there seemed to be nothing out of place.

"Did I imagine it?" She couldn’t help but wonder as she did a double take, of course, there was nothing to be seen.

Shaking her head, she did away with the weird feeling and walked toward the reception hall of the Daily Tribune.

"Hello." Nadia greeted amiably.

The lady at the reception flashed a smile as she replied. "Hello, Miss. How may I help you?"

"I’m here to see your Editor in Chief. I have a few articles I’d like published and I believe he would want to see them."

"I see." The lady said. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Uhmm, yes. I should. I was recommended by Booker."

The receptionist turned flustered for a moment as she met Nadia’s gaze.

Quickly recovering her composure, she replied. "Please head to his office."

Then she added, "Up the stairs, first room on your right. You can’t miss it."

Nadia nodded in appreciation before making her way up the stairs.

As she walked, she couldn’t help but notice how the building seemed a bit... empty.

"Most likely because of the approaching holidays." She muttered in a bid to calm her nerves as she went up the stairs to the second floor before walking over to the first door on the right.

On it, a silver plaque was hung at the top corner with the name, Jason Palmer, Editor in Chief and Branch manager.

Nadia flashed a warm smile as she reminisced about her days in BoneHaven when she also had such a plaque on her door.

She let out a sigh as she reached for the door to knock on it only to pause as the weird feeling came again.

Pursing her lips, Nadia slowly pulled back and once the weird feeling came again, turned to take her leave.

"Did Booker do something?"

Hardly had those words left her lips when the door exploded with wooden shrapnel scattering everywhere.

Nadia shielded her face as she instinctively activated her spirituality, her brown eyes glowing crimson for a moment as a result.

Immediately, she tried to run down the stairs only to notice the appearance of two male Vampires wearing suits, standing not too far down the stairwell.

Her eyes constricted as she wondered how they managed to get there without her noticing.

No, maybe she had but... they hid themselves quite well.

Clap...clap

"You are quite sensitive, Miss." A feminine voice was heard from behind, carrying with it equal amounts of appreciation and bloodlust.

Nadia took a deep breath and after calming her nerves, turned to face the one that spoke.

Charlotte stood a few meters away from her with Booker standing just beside her with a complicated expression on his face.

"I wasn’t expecting this from you," Nadia remarked, addressing the former black market boss.

Charlotte chuckled. "Please don’t be mad at him, he is a mere businessman and we carried out a simple transaction."

Clicking her tongue, Nadia met Charlotte’s gaze and inquired. "So what do you want from me?"

"Hoh, we’ve got a feisty one."

"The history between the Night Kindred and the Devil Wheel is too far back to still take it so seriously now."

"You are indeed very correct. Of course, if I get the chance to kill a Mystic from that Wheel, I would."

"So you are here to kill me?" As she spoke, Nadia was trying her best to gauge her opponent’s strength.

As a daughter of a Coven leader, she knew things that normal people wouldn’t know, and even more than that, she could use them if necessary.

Unfortunately, the female Vampire as well as the two down the stairs managed their bloodlust so well that it was hard for Nadia to glean anything reasonable.

Charlotte flashed a warm smile, a clear contrast with her cold gaze as she replied. "Not necessarily. I plan to kidnap you instead."

"Hmm?" Nadia raised a brow.

"You aren’t important enough to force me to make a move... it’s your little friend I seek."

"You..."

"If he does survive the calamity he is currently experiencing, he will surely come for you and when he does... we will be waiting."

"You intend to use me as bait?" Nadia seemed offended as her eyes shone with clear hostility.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"Tch." Nadia clicked her tongue as she spoke using deviltongue.

Denyen

Badump

Charlotte remained stiff for a moment, a window Nadia took without hesitation as she charged forward.

The two Vampires behind her rushed to grab hold of her, closing the distance in a second.

However, Nadia didn’t bother turning back as she spoke again.

Falsus

The Vampires grabbed hold of her only to discover that whom they had grabbed was Charlotte instead.

Immediately their expressions fell at the strange turn of events.

Charlotte however reacted differently as she remarked with a smile. "So this is how you would have fought back... you are truly a feisty one."

Nadia immediately paused and the next moment, realized that she was still standing in place, unmoving.

Blinking repeatedly, she soon understood what had happened.

"You are a Psychic." She muttered bitterly.

"Is that what you think?" Catherine’s smile widened. "You Devil Wheel Mystics are so annoying for the fact that you know just how to mess with the Night Kindred, no matter what domain you possess power over. So damn frustrating."

She approached Nadia and reached out to trace a finger over the Stigma etched at the top of her exposed bosom.

"Pride... It suits you, you look like the type that lies a lot." Charlotte mused as she grabbed Nadia’s chin.

Nadia gritted her teeth as she muttered. "He will kill you if you do this."

"Oh?... Is the Dark Lord strong enough already that he can take on a Silver Knight Captain?"

"Silver..." Nadia trailed off as a heavy blow struck her in her gut, taking the wind out of her.

She buckled over and quickly lost consciousness with Charlotte using one arm to keep her standing.

"If we had met in a different location, we wouldn’t have easily caught her," Charlotte muttered before adding in vague annoyance. "It would seem the Devil Wheel has itself yet another genius."

"Can I go now?... You have the girl." Booker suddenly said.

"But I don’t have the main target, so be a darling and head back into that office and brew me a cup of coffee while you’re in there."

"You will wait here?"

"Where else should I wait?" Charlotte couldn’t help but question exasperatedly.

"I apologize." Booker quickly made his way back into the office while Charlotte handed over an unconscious Nadia to her two subordinates.

"Take her to the basement and tie her up. We’ll be expecting a visitor soon."

As the duo took Nadia, one of them paused to ask. "Captain, what if he doesn’t show?... If the Liaison is as Crimsons say she is then... Can the Dark Lord survive such an encounter?"

"We’ll have to wait and see, no?" Charlotte replied before hurrying them along.

Once they were out of sight, Catherine’s casual expression contorted into a frown as she muttered under her breath.

"It would seem the Great Families haven’t been quiet all this while. Even going as far as to create warriors capable of using antimagic... It would seem the second coming won’t be as easy as we thought it to be."

Letting those words linger for a moment, Charlotte took a deep breath before quickly deciding her next course of action.

***

Death.

That was what came to Alex’s mind as Elizabeth swung her blade at him.

At that moment, Nyx’s words came back to him.

If you die, you die forever... no third chances.

Those words were enough to snap him from his flustered state as he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.

Elizabeth sensed the change but still did not react as she moved to end his life.

However, what happened next got a reaction out of her as Alex reached out with one hand and grabbed her blade while he formed a fist with the other and landed a powerful blow in her torso.

Elizabeth shook, not out of pain, but out of shock at how Alex responded to her attack.

It was a bit too... human, no?