Chapter 808: I Found My Home
The Holyfield estate lay blanketed in silence that was unusual for the night hours.
Normally, even in the deepest part of the night, one would find a maid polishing silver in the kitchen, a guard making rounds, or perhaps Diana brewing a late-night tea to settle her restless mind.
Tonight, however, every light was extinguished, every corridor hushed, every room filled with the soft breathing of slumber.
In the family wing, beds were occupied—often by more bodies than they were designed for.
Skadi had dragged Joy into her room, and they now lay tangled like puppies, Joy’s pink hair spread across Skadi’s chest while the wolf-girl snored softly, her tail twitching in some happy dream.
Aisha, exhausted from her festival "activities" with Cassius, had curled into a ball in her own bed, her cat ears occasionally flicking as if chasing dream-mice.
Maria slept with one arm draped protectively over the edge of her bed, as if even in sleep she guarded her daughters.
Even the maids’ quarters were quiet.
Isabelle had finally stopped fussing over tomorrow’s menu, Portia had ceased her nocturnal sketching, and Nala wasn’t pacing the halls with her usual restless energy.
For the first time in recent memory, the entire household slept soundly, faces softened by contentment, bodies relaxed in the safety of their sanctuary.
Except one.
—
On the balcony overlooking the moonlit gardens, a figure stood silhouetted against the silver night.
Carmela leaned against the railing, her slender frame wrapped in the simple black robe she favored for nighttime wanderings.
The wind whispered through her long, white hair that seemed to drink the moonlight and shimmer with its own ethereal glow.
But her most striking feature, those crimson eyes that usually burned with sharp vigilance were half-lidded now as she felt sleepy.
She blinked slowly, the way a cat does when fighting sleep in a warm lap.
For anyone else, this would be completely normal.
It was the middle of the night, after all.
But for Carmela, this was deeply strange.
Carmela was a creature of the night. She was most active during the dark hours, her senses sharpest when the moon was high.
This wasn’t just because she was a vampire, but because the night had always offered her comfort.
When she’d roamed the world in the past, the darkness had been her ally, her shield, her home.
It allowed her to move unseen, to blend into the shadows like the dark creature she was.
The night didn’t scare her—it gave her the protection she desperately needed.
The daytime, on the other hand, was her enemy.
Not only was sunlight bad for her skin, but it also exposed her, made her noticeable.
Every moment spent in the light was a moment of heightened vigilance, a constant feeling of being watched from all directions.
So why was she feeling sleepy now? Why was the night, her sanctuary, making her feel so drowsy?
A small smile tugged at Carmela’s lips as she realized the answer
Because she felt safe.
Here, in Cassius’s home, she felt something she hadn’t felt in decades.
A deep, bone-deep sense of security.
In the outside world, she had to be constantly on guard.
She’d spent her entire life hunting corrupt nobles, and they’d spent their entire lives hunting her back.
The church had also put a bounty on her head.
The common people, if they noticed her sharp fangs and blood-red eyes, could report her at any moment.
There was no rest, no peace, no moment of true safety.
But in Cassius’s household, everything had changed.
The people here were the kindest, warmest souls she had ever encountered.
Cassius’s wives welcomed her like a sister, dragging her along to whatever activities they had planned.
The maids would come over to gossip with her whenever they caught a glimpse of her, treating her like an old friend rather than a feared vampire.
Even the knights, who should have been her natural enemies, spoke to her casually, without fear or suspicion.
No one treated her differently just because of what she was.
Still, Carmela had been extremely vigilant when she first arrived.
—
She’d checked every meal for poison. She’d kept her back to the wall at all times.
She’d watched everyone with suspicious eyes, waiting for the inevitable betrayal.
But the betrayal never came.
Isabelle had been the first to break through her defenses. The woman managed Carmela’s blood supply with meticulous care, even adding flavors to make it more palatable.
She’d never once looked at Carmela with disgust or fear.
Then there was Diana, who showed genuine concern for Carmela’s health, regularly checking on her to make sure the vampire was recovering properly.
Portia constantly complained about Carmela’s gloomy clothes, but she’d given the vampire so many beautiful new outfits that Carmela’s wardrobe had practically doubled.
Nala always wanted to take Carmela on rides—slithering through the mansion with the vampire perched on her tail, laughing with pure, uncomplicated joy.
And Vivi, sweet curious Vivi, who asked endless questions about what it was like to be a vampire, her eyes shining with innocent wonder rather than terror.
Every single person in this household had shown her nothing but warmth and kindness.
And Carmela, who had spent so many years alone and hunted, simply hadn’t known how to handle it.
She’d constantly disappear, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of positive attention.
Even if they’d cursed her or attacked her, it would have been easier to deal with.
But affection? Genuine kindness?
Those were weapons she had no defense against.
—
She’d observed everyone in the mansion, watched them go about their daily lives.
And she’d realized that they were genuine. No one was holding a dagger behind their backs. No one spoke words they didn’t mean.
They were just living their best lives, loving each other, and welcoming her into their fold.
Of course, when she’d first met Joy, she’d been absolutely alarmed.
The Saintess of Judgment was the epitome of the very church hierarchy she despised.
She’d been certain a massive battle would break out between them.
But instead, they’d become close companions.
Two sides of the same coin, bonded by their tragic pasts and their complicated relationships with their mothers.
They could have been sisters born from different mothers.
Not to mention the fact that Joy had apparently been a fan of her, the Noble Killer and had even made a poster of her as a young girl.
Carmela still blushed in shame whenever she thought about it.
And then there was Maria, who’d basically proclaimed herself Carmela’s second mother.
That had come out of nowhere. After losing her own mother, she’d thought she would never feel a mother’s embrace again.
And now she had not just one new mother, but two—Olga had also claimed her as a daughter.
She could tell Diana wanted to make a similar move as well, but she was too shy to be as direct as Maria.
Still, the intention was clear.
Carmela found herself smiling at the thought of collecting more and more mothers.
If Cassius could have a harem of wives, she could have a harem of mothers!
The thought made her chuckle softly.
But in that moment, she also realized something profound.
When she’d first arrived here, her immediate intention had been to stay just long enough to heal, then leave.
She’d been constantly wary, constantly on edge, constantly wanting to be alone.
But now? She was completely healed. She was even stronger than before.
She could leave anytime she wanted. And yet...
She felt no desire to leave at all.
Her lips parted, and a whisper escaped her, so soft it was almost carried away by the wind.
"It’s almost as if...I found my home."
The words felt strange coming from her own mouth.
For so long, her entire life’s mission had been revenge—exacting vengeance on the nobles who’d taken everything from her, purging their very existence from the world.
But the truth was, she’d also been constantly chasing after something else.
A place where she belonged. A place she could call home.
Ever since she’d lost her mother, she’d been unconsciously searching for it.
That’s why she’d roamed everywhere, never staying in one place too long. She’d been looking for something she couldn’t quite name.
And now, she’d found it...and something else as well.
Her feelings for Cassius.
Carmela tried to deny it in her head, but she really couldn’t.
After all, she knew what true love looked like.
—
Her mother and father had loved each other deeply.
Even though she was young back then, she still remembered their laughter, their embraces, the way they’d looked at each other with pure, overwhelming love.
And her father’s sacrifice, giving his own life to save his wife and child showed how deep that love truly went.
Carmela had never expected to find such love for herself.
After the tragedy that had befallen her family, she’d convinced herself that love was a luxury reserved for others.
That someone as broken as she was could never experience it. And even if she did, she wouldn’t accept it—her mission was too important, there was no time for such distractions.
But then Cassius had appeared.
Somehow, impossibly, the perverted nobleman had drilled his way into Carmela’s broken heart, filling it with warmth and joy she’d thought she’d never feel again.
It had started when he’d broken her out of her shackles on their first meeting. He’d held her in his arms, offered her safety, and refused to let her go.
And ever since then, her life had completely transformed.
She’d found a safe place.
She’d made genuine friends.
She’d discovered new aspects of herself.
She’d gained mothers and sisters.
She’d learned what it felt like to truly belong.
But it wasn’t just what Cassius had given her that made her love him.
It was Cassius himself.
Even for a stoic vampire who’d lived for over sixty years, it was impossible not to fall for him.
Unlike every other nobleman she’d ever known, she’d never been able to truly despise Cassius.
Oh, he could be insufferably perverted, always thinking about his kinky ambitions, his eyes gleaming with lewd intent.
But he also had that smile—that infuriatingly charming smile that made everything feel better.
He said the funniest, strangest things, some of which made no sense at all, yet she’d always find herself chuckling inside even when she refused to show it on the outside.
And then there was the way he’d just grab her hand and drag her along, no matter how much she resisted.
She’d follow him willingly, pretending to be dragged along while actually just enjoying the journey.
But what made Carmela truly love Cassius was what she’d discovered by watching him.
—
Observing people was Carmela’s natural habit.
She preferred to stay in the shadows, watching and learning about people before ever interacting with them.
She’d done this with everyone in the mansion, but Cassius was her favorite subject.
And what she saw was endlessly fascinating.
Cassius was always doing the strangest things.
Creating new delicacies that no one had ever thought of before.
Inventing strange contraptions that somehow worked perfectly.
Goofing around with his maids.
Having tea with his wives.
Teasing Lucius and being teased right back.
Fighting with the Holy Guard.
Talking to commoners. Helping strangers with their chores no matter where he went.
His life was so full of joy. So full of meaning. Even in sad situations, he managed to cheer everyone up, turning sorrow into hope with effortless grace.
Carmela felt like she was watching a movie.
But this wasn’t a tragedy or a drama, it was a feel-good slice-of-life story that always ended with everyone happy.
It was addictive, impossible to look away from.
And she noticed other things too.
Sometimes, when Cassius thought no one was watching, a certain darkness would enter his eyes.
He’d look into the distance, thinking about something far away and deeply personal.
In those moments, even as Carmela watched from the shadows, she didn’t feel scared.
Instead, she just wanted to go over to him and hug him, to share his burden, to protect him just as he protected everyone else.
It was in those moments that Carmela truly knew she was falling in love.
There was no one else she wanted to watch as much as Cassius.
No one else she wanted to leave the shadows for.
She found herself constantly wanting to go over and talk to Cassius, to be near him, to feel that warmth of his presence.
So yes. Even a vampire who’d thrown away her emotions decades ago knew the truth.
She was in love with Cassius.
