Chapter 9 Call me Sebastian

Eleanor's POV:

She hesitated, then slowly raised her head, her silver-gray eyes meeting my crimson ones directly. The unusual color of her irises caught the light, striking and beautiful in their uniqueness. For a moment, I felt my ancient heart stutter in its rhythm—a sensation I hadn't experienced in centuries.

"That's better," I said with an approving nod. "When you're done with your tasks, come find me in my study. I have something important to tell you."

"Thank you for telling me, Master," she said softly.

"Sebastian," I corrected, "when we speak privately, please call me Sebastian."

Eleanor's eyes widened slightly, then she nodded, a small, genuine smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"Sebastian," she repeated softly, as if savoring the syllables of my name.

She nodded, a hint of warmth in her silver-gray eyes. "I'll remember that." She hesitated for a moment. "I should get back to the kitchen now."

I watched her leave, her soft footsteps fading down the hallway. With a satisfied sigh, I made my way back to my study, only to find Adrian already lounging in my favorite chair. His legs were crossed high like he owned the place, casually flipping through one of my ancient tomes with an infuriating smirk on his face.

"Comfortable? That happens to be a rather expensive antique chair," I remarked, raising an eyebrow though I couldn't fully suppress the hint of amusement in my voice.

Adrian looked up, the corner of his mouth curling into that insufferable smile of his. "It's quite nice, actually. No wonder you always hog it." He closed the book but made no move to vacate my seat.

Adrian looked up, the corner of his mouth curling into a dismissive smile. "It is nice, no wonder you always hog it." He closed the book but didn't immediately stand up.

I removed my jacket and hung it on the nearby coat rack. "Find anything interesting in my collection?"

"Not as interesting as my day," Adrian replied, finally standing up, though deliberately slowly. "I took Eleanor shopping today."

I walked to the liquor cabinet, retrieving two glasses—whiskey for myself and the blood mixture Adrian preferred. "Tell me about it. How is she adjusting?"

"Surprisingly well." Adrian accepted the glass, and we clinked glasses with practiced ease. "She shows remarkable adaptability and gratitude for everything. We completed all the necessary shopping—clothes, toiletries, and other essentials. She was extremely frugal, choosing reasonably priced items despite my repeated assurances that cost wasn't an issue."

I felt my expression soften, my fingertips stilling against the cool glass. "She's always like that, never wanting to trouble others," I murmured, almost to myself. I looked up at Adrian again. "What kind of clothes did she choose?"

"Basic styles. Simple jeans, t-shirts, a few long-sleeved shirts, and one dress—which I insisted on, considering there might be formal occasions." Adrian detailed. "Also a set of pajamas and necessary... undergarments."

I smiled and shook my head, "Not surprising. She always puts others first." I took a sip of whiskey, repeating my question, "What clothes did she select?"

"Basic styles." Adrian shrugged, settling into the armchair across from me. "Simple jeans, t-shirts, a few long-sleeved shirts, and one dress—which I insisted on, telling her there might be formal occasions." He winked. "Also a set of pajamas and necessary... undergarments. Honestly, her reaction to these things was like I'd given her the whole world."

A pang shot through my chest—an echo of emotion I thought long buried. "She's been through so much," I said, unable to keep the tenderness from my voice.

"Speaking of which," Adrian pulled out his little notebook and flipped it open with casual precision. "I think she needs a cell phone—currently she can only contact her family using mine. And since she mentioned wanting to continue her education, a laptop would be useful too." He paused, his expression shifting to one of mischief. "Oh, and she was practically drooling over your book collection, though she didn't say it outright. But that look in her eyes when she saw the bookshelves—it was like a hungry wolf eyeing a flock of sheep."

I couldn't help but laugh at his colorful metaphor. "I'll arrange for the phone and laptop tomorrow," I said, already making mental notes. "As for the library, she's certainly welcome to use it." I found myself curious about her intellectual pursuits. "What types of books does she like?"

"Classic literature and history books," Adrian answered with a hint of surprise that mirrored my own growing fascination. "She's self-taught in multiple languages and knowledgeable about history and mythology. Quite the smart kid."

"Indeed impressive," I nodded, gently swirling the amber liquid in my glass and watching the light play through it. "She's far more complex than we imagined."

My phone's sudden ring interrupted my thoughts. I frowned at the screen, recognizing the name immediately. "It's Irene."

Adrian's face contorted into an exaggerated grimace. "Ah, the council fox. Let me guess—she's heard about Eleanor?"

"Seems that way," I sighed, already anticipating the conversation to come. "You go ahead. Ensure Eleanor's settled in properly."

"Certainly," Adrian stood, raising his glass in a subtle salute. "Good fortune with the council member." With that, he departed with his half-finished drink, leaving me to prepare for what would undoubtedly be a difficult call.

I picked up the phone, keeping my tone calm. "Irene, what is it?"

A steady, professional female voice came through from the other end. "Sebastian, I heard you've recently taken in an interesting little one? A young dhampir girl?"

My body tensed instantly, muscles coiling tight beneath my shirt. "News travels fast, Irene. You already know."

"My job is to know things, dear." Irene's voice carried a hint of amusement, "Especially when it involves a girl who might be a super dhampir."

I fell silent for a moment, my voice dropping to a dangerous level. "How did you know she's a super dhampir?"

"Don't be so tense, Sebastian." Irene soothed, "Very few people know this, and I have my information channels. As a council member, it's my duty to keep track of special situations within the territory."

My fingers lightly tapped the desk as I considered how to respond. Finally, I said in a low voice, "She is under my protection."

"Of course, of course." Irene quickly replied, "I understand this child is important to you. I just wanted to let you know that I have some information about her that might be useful to you. Also, the council is very interested in your recent actions."

"I don't care what the council thinks," I practically forced the words through my teeth.

"But you should care, my friend." Irene's voice turned serious, "Especially because they're considering granting you the title of Master for this region."

This news stopped me in my tracks. "What?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell you this news personally." Irene's voice carried satisfaction, "Given how you've recently handled those... unethical behaviors, the council believes you're the ideal master for this area."

I took a deep breath, trying to digest this information. "I need to know all the details, including the scope of responsibilities and authorities of this new position."

"That's exactly what I wanted to discuss with you," Irene answered. "I'll come over next Tuesday, and we can talk in detail. I need to identify Eleanor's creator. I believe that, as the new Master, protecting a precious dhampir will be your privilege."

"Tuesday night," I said briefly. "I'll be ready to receive you."

"Perfect," Irene responded pleasantly. "By the way, Sebastian, have you considered... her blood?"