Music Recommendation: Heavens, what an afternoon- John Lunn

In the past, whenever Allie Moriarty was in the presence of people who were not her family, her head was always slightly bowed. The small vampiress only stared at people without uttering a single word.

But today was different because she was no more a fangless vampiress.

One of the men at the table noticed Allie's fangs. Leaning toward his wife, he whispered, "The rumours seem to be untrue about the incident that took place in the Moriarty family."

"What are you murmuring about?" His wife asked, pausing her fork and looking in the direction where her husband was looking. She looked surprised, "Looks like it. I was sure that she was fangless and she had brought shame to the arrogant family."

As if two wasn't enough, another woman caught sight of Allie's fangs and remarked,

"Lady Annalise, your daughter is a lovely vampiress."

Believing the praise was for Marceline, Lady Annalise raised her gaze and said, "Marceline has always held grace in her. It isn't anything new, Lady Noel."

On hearing her being praised, Marceline smoothened her dress and smiled. But then the woman said, "That is true, but I was talking about your younger daughter Allie. Her fangs are out."

Lady Annalise turned irritated, not liking this disgraceful joke about her family. She was about to glare at the woman for such impudence, but she looked at Allie. Her eyes widened, and her eyebrows subtly furrowed. Were those... fangs?

"Truly, the Moriarty family is remarkable. Even after all the rumours going on, you didn't let it ruffle you or your family members," the other woman continued to praise, while both Lady Annalise, as well as Marceline were perplexed if Allie perhaps had stuck something in her mouth.

Sensing everyone's gaze on her, Allie stopped eating and looked up at her mother. Not realising until this very second that her fangs were out, she turned tense.

Lady Annalise pulled out her handkerchief and dabbed the corner of her younger daughter's lips, which also allowed her to look closer at the fangs. She couldn't believe it... How did this happen?

But soon, Lady Annalise didn't care about how and what. Her daughter had fangs!

"It has indeed been a while since I have seen Miss Allie with her fangs."

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With a proud smile, Lady Annalise placed her hand on Allie's shoulder and responded, "There's no need to show off the fangs, unless it is necessary. We are Moriartys after all, and Allie knows it too. We don't have to prove anything to anyone," she harrumphed.

But Marceline found it strange that Allie's once lost fangs were back. Even a human's tooth didn't grow back after the second time. She tried to speak to her mother,

"How is--"

Lady Annalise placed her hand on Marceline's lap to stop her from questioning and smiled at the people who curiously looked at them, especially Allie. Continuing to smile, she whispered to Marceline, "There's no need to wonder how the broken vase got fixed, when everything is well." The older vampiress then turned to her younger daughter, asking her fondly, "Would you like to eat some meat, Allie?"

Allie looked up at her mother and nodded.

Lady Annalise internally heaved a sigh of relief.

Since the day Allie's fangs had been pulled out by the previous lowly governess, it had made Lady Annalise worried about how her daughter would grow up in the society they were living in. The incident didn't just threaten to bring shame to Allie but to the entire Moriarty family. Now that Allie's fangs were back, there was no reason to mention the broken fangs at all.

At one side of the table, Lady Annalise was happy about her daughter's regrown fangs, and on the other side, Eve and Vincent's eyes occasionally met before others spoke to them.

Right now, Eve heard Henry speak, "... summer house that is near the lake is beautiful during the rainy season. We should all go hunting together. Hasn't it been late this season?"

"I think with the increased rogue's activity, it has been paused until the forests are clear," said another man at the table.

"What do you think, Mr. Moriarty?" Asked another man who sat near them, and Vincent, who was looking at Eve, shifted his gaze.

"The weather is lovely and it is the perfect time to hunt the animals before they go into hiding. Unless the gentlemen are worried about rogues," Vincent remarked.

"Let us discuss this further after lunch then," agreed Henry. He then turned to look at Eve, who took a bite from her plate. His eyes fell on her lips, where the liquid slipped from the corner of her lips, and she quickly dabbed it with the napkin.

Vincent watched the smitten human staring at his mermaid and took another sip from his wine.

After a minute, one of the guests pulled Henry back into the conversation. Eve noticed the woman sitting next to Vincent staring at him. As much as the woman tried to capture his attention, the pureblooded vampire looked uninterested, as if there was no one sitting next to him, and it was just Eve in front of him.

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But the woman was patient enough to wait, and when Vincent slightly turned to her side, she dropped her handkerchief. She looked embarrassed and murmured,

"How clumsy of me."

Knowing Vincent, Eve believed he would continue to have his meal.

But Eve's eyes widened when Vincent leaned his head to the side to pick up the fallen handkerchief belonging to the woman.

When Vincent bent his head, his eyes fell on the things under the table. His eyes fell on Henry's foot. The shoe and the sock were missing from the man's right leg next to Eve.

His eyes met Eve's, who looked at him in question. When he sat straight, he placed a spoon back on the table. He said to Eve,

"Dropped this naughty spoon. Is it hot here?" he asked her while ignoring the woman beside him, whose mouth was hanging open.

What did he mean it was hot? Winter was near and the weather was cold. She shook her head.

"Thought so," Vincent hummed before taking a bite from his food.

The she-wolf waited for a few seconds before realising that Vincent wouldn't pick up her fallen handkerchief.

The second course of the meal was served to the guests, and though people didn't speak to Eve, she didn't feel alone. After some time, while she was eating, she felt someone's foot bump into hers.

For a moment, she thought it was Henry's feet, but the man was eating his meal, and when her eyes met his, she smiled before resuming her meal. But someone's foot bumped against her foot. She froze when the foot gently brushed against her ankle.

Eve's eyes were quick to look at Vincent, who didn't look at her first and when it did, he stared at her. As they continued to stare, a small smile cracked on his lips and she glared at him. She pulled her foot away from him.

"Mr. Moriarty, if you are done having your meal, a stroll would do you good," Eve whispered to him.

"How rude to say it when you see me eating," Vincent replied, and one corner of his lips pulled up.

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But God only knew how long this devil's legs were. He caught her left foot and pulled it forward firmly. If Eve were to pull her leg, she knew it would end up bumping the table's surface.

Just because it was under the table didn't mean they weren't surrounded by people! And what was he doing playing with her foot!

When his foot moved above her ankle, a shiver ran to the centre of her body and she gripped the knife and fork in her hands. He brushed against her stocking with ease, reminding her of the evening when she had felt his breath on her bare leg.

Her heart was turning nervous and she gulped.

When no one was paying attention to them, she asked with gritted teeth, "What are you doing?"

"So soft that it makes you want to bite it," Vincent remarked loudly, turning Eve quickly red.

Henry, who heard it, turned to Vincent and the pureblooded vampire said, "The duck has been cooked excellent, Mr. Quintin. Never have I bitten into such softness."

"You are absolutely right, Mr. Moriarty," Henry nodded. Eve picked up the glass of water and slowly drank it to hide her embarrassed face.

For Vincent to do something like this in a room of people and right under their noses, Eve didn't know if she should perhaps excuse herself, but it was rude to leave when the last course of meal was yet to be served.

When her eyes met Vincent's coppery-red eyes, he stared at her, a cunning smile creeping up his lips.

Eve felt Vincent's foot move up, brushing her calf-muscle gentle yet sensually. She tried hard to keep a straight face. She closed her eyes when he pulled his foot away.

But then she felt the foot trying to sneak back under her dress.

Getting her thoughts together, she decided enough was enough!

A few seconds ago, on seeing Mr. Quintin adjusting his seat, Vincent had pulled back his foot, knowing what the man would do.

Unable to resist without touching Eve's beauty, Mr. Quintin had tried to get his foot under Eve's dress to run it over her leg and ready to place his hand on her thigh.

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But things didn't go as the man wished and hoped for.

Eve subtly raised her foot, and when the foot got near hers, she used her shoe heel and stomped right on top of the foot.

She smiled in victory, and the smirk on Vincent's lips turned into a grin. While Mr. Quintin's face turned red in pain.