Master of Lust

"What more do you expect from me? Are you some kind of deranged lunatic? I disclosed the unsettling truth about your deceased grandmother as per our agreement." A sharp retort escaped Rick\'s lips.

"But no, I went above and beyond by offering you the antidote without charge," Rick stated, his tone tinged with incredulity. His gaze bore into Evelina, a furrow forming on his forehead. "I even went so far as to point out the probable culprits you should focus on. What else do you demand from me?"

Rick\'s frustration boiled over, and he shot Evelina a scathing look. "Are you utterly incapable of figuring out who the hell did it? Should I hold your hand through the entire process?" His words were laced with contempt, emphasizing his exasperation. "How can this fucking dead lady entrust the business to someone as intellectually deficient as you?"

The room hung heavy with Rick\'s disdain as he continued his verbal assault. "And it\'s not a recent revelation. Oh, no... no... no... I have long been aware of your intellectual shortcomings.

Throwing away millions of dollars to a complete stranger as if it\'s pocket change?"

"It\'s a fact that you are nothing more than a pampered child who stumbled upon a fortune, clueless about how to handle it." The words lingered in the air, painting a stark picture of Evelina\'s perceived incompetence.

Rick\'s tirade continued unabated, his words lashing out like venom, but Evelina\'s response was far from the expected fury. Instead, a subtle smile adorned her face, almost teetering on the edge of a smirk.

Caught off guard by her unexpected reaction, Rick furrowed his brow, his frustration deepening. "What\'s so amusing?" he demanded, scrutinizing the smile playing on Evelina\'s lips.

Evelina met his gaze with a raised eyebrow, her smile morphing into a wry expression. "Do you believe my indifference to money stems solely from being a spoiled brat?" she retorted, her tone composed yet edged with a hint of challenge.

Rick, unyielding in his demeanor, responded matter-of-factly, "And what else could it be?" The air crackled with tension as the two locked eyes, each holding their ground in this verbal duel.

Evelina\'s smirk widened, a spark of amusement dancing in her eyes as she countered Rick\'s barrage with a revelation of her own. "Did it never cross your mind that perhaps all this wealth is but a mere drop in the ocean for me? Every breath my grandmother takes is far more precious than this trivial amount.

I expended a fraction of my fortune with the sole purpose of safeguarding our lives," she asserted, the self-assuredness in her voice cutting through the tension.

"And, as you can see, my decisions have borne fruit. I emerged unscathed from that perilous forest, and you\'ve swiftly concocted an antidote for my grandmother. Not a single misstep on my part."

Evelina\'s tone took on a sardonic edge as she continued, "You know, considering all you\'ve done so far, a few million dollars seems like an absurdly low price to pay. I could be squeezing you for so much more," she taunted Rick, a hint of mockery in her voice.

"Even if you multiplied the amount by ten or a hundred, it would still be a paltry sum compared to the value of a single strand of my hair." The room resonated with the irony of her words, underscoring the vastness of Evelina\'s wealth.

"You don\'t seem that bald to me," Rick felt as if Evelina had smacked him on his face, he quipped, attempting to salvage a semblance of dignity.

Evelina\'s response, however, was swift and cutting, shattering Rick\'s attempt at levity. "Perhaps you struggle with counting after six or seven zeroes," she shot back, delivering a verbal blow that left Rick momentarily flustered to Evelina and her family\'s enormous wealth.

Caught off guard, Rick struggled to find his footing. "Are you suggesting that all the money I\'ve requested from you is..." he began, his uncertainty palpable.

Evelina, nodding knowingly, cut him off, "Now don\'t drag it any longer. Tell me how you obtained knowledge about the poison and who orchestrated the poisoning of my grandmother," she demanded, her tone now devoid of amusement.

Rick, still reeling from Evelina\'s revelations, maintained a measure of secrecy. "How, I won\'t disclose," he admitted, his demeanor a mix of guardedness and shock. "But as for who, that\'s relatively easy to deduce." His words hung in the air, a cryptic promise of forthcoming revelations.

"Amethyst Mist doesn\'t affect humans," Rick continued, his tone shifting to one of analytical consideration. "So, it\'s highly improbable that any human in your employ would be aware of its potential as a poison for your grandmother. It\'s not impossible, but the likelihood is slim."

Leaning in, Rick\'s demeanor shifted abruptly. "On the other hand," he continued, his tone lowering, "when Amethyst Mist comes into contact with a vampire\'s body..." In a sudden, swift motion, he seized Evelina\'s arm, a surprising boldness in his actions. "It can be stingy."

His movements were decisive as he sprayed the purplish mist onto her wrist. The room filled with the fragrance.

"Ehh..." Evelina\'s body shivered involuntarily, and her nose crinkled as a subtle, stinging pain emanated from her wrist.

"Are you attempting to poison me?" Evelina demanded, her voice now icy and resolute.

Rick, however, responded with an exaggerated shock on his face. "Are you out of your mind? Now that I\'ve discovered you\'re a golden egg-laying chicken, why on earth would I want to kill you?" His tone dripped with sarcasm as he dismissed the notion with theatrical incredulity.

"I already mentioned that small amounts are harmless. In fact, if administered correctly, you might even develop a tolerance to it," Rick explained, his words carrying a nonchalant assurance.

Rick, undeterred by Evelina\'s skepticism, conjured a honey bottle seemingly out of thin air. "What I\'m about to demonstrate is how to detect if you\'ve been poisoned by Amethyst Mist," he announced with an air of theatricality, the honey-filled bottle cradled in his hands.

With a fluid motion, Rick poured a generous amount of honey onto the same spot on Evelina\'s wrist where he had earlier sprayed the mysterious perfume. The sweet liquid mixed with the lingering fragrance, creating an unusual concoction.

"You could have shown it on my grandmother, instead of experimenting on me," Evelina, her initial protest stifled, couldn\'t help but watch with a mix of curiosity and apprehension as the honey interacted with the Amethyst Mist. But her words stuck in her throat after what Rick did next.

Evelina recoiled in disbelief as Rick, in a bizarre and unexpected move, leaned forward and put his mouth over her honey-covered wrist. The sight was unsettling as he sucked the honey into his mouth, and with his tongue, proceeded to lick her wrist clean, extending the act up to her elbow. The room fell silent, the only sound being the uncomfortable spectacle unfolding before them.

Once the initial shock wore off, Evelina, her eyes glaring with a mix of surprise and anger, yanked her hand away. "Let go!" she snapped, her voice laced with irritation. "What on earth do you think you\'re doing?" Her teeth gritted in frustration as she awaited an explanation.

Rick, undeterred by her outrage, licked his lips and responded with a nonchalant air. "Your family has a peculiar habit of incessant questioning—why, what, and how. Why not take a look at your wrist first?" he suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Evelina\'s eyes widened in alarm as she gazed down at her wrist, discovering the presence of a disconcerting purple patch where Rick had applied the Amethyst Mist and licked the honey. Fear crept into her voice as she turned towards Rick.

"What is this?" she inquired, a hint of trepidation in her tone.

Rick, still wearing a self-assured smile, explained, "That, my dear, is the litmus test for the poison." His words hung in the air, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "Now, if you check your grandmother\'s wrist and neck, I\'m confident you\'ll find traces of the poison there. Surely, you wouldn\'t like me licking your grandmother would you? It\'s best you handle it yourself."

"Your grandmother has been seasoning herself with a perfectly blended poison," he elucidated, his words carrying a weight that settled heavily in the room. "She might have experienced the pain, but chose to overlook it. Judging by the remaining contents in the bottle, I\'d venture to say it\'s been happening for quite some time.

Whoever orchestrated this was patient—patient enough to wait at least ten years for your grandmother to succumb."

The mention of a decade startled Evelina, prompting her to seek clarification. "Ten years? What leads you to that conclusion?" she inquired, her voice a mix of disbelief and concern.

Rick tossed the bottle towards Evelina, who caught it with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "This bottle was manufactured ten years back," he declared, his gaze wandering towards the dressing table. Behind it stood a glass cupboard, a meticulously arranged display of perfume bottles and various accessories.

Evelina\'s eyes narrowed as she examined the bottle, her mind racing to comprehend the implications of such a revelation. Meanwhile, Rick, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, mumbled to himself, "But how did it not go bad? Could it be like wine?"

Rick, dismissing the peculiarities of the perfume\'s longevity, focused on the aspect of time. "And who can wait this long?" he questioned, his tone contemplative. "For a regular human being, ten years is an eternity. Few can suppress their resentment or resist the impulse to act on it for such an extended period."

"But..." Rick trailed off, a meaningful look directed at Evelina.

"It\'s different for us," Evelina finished his sentence, a tacit acknowledgment of a shared understanding.

"Exactly," Rick nodded knowingly, his gaze steady. "That is why... The one responsible for your grandmother\'s long sleep is likely among your family."

"Well, most likely. I have to add that just in case," he added, a note of caution.

"Anybody here?" she suddenly called out, breaking the gravity of the conversation.

"Miss," Geoffrey stepped forward, eager to respond, but Evelina swiftly stopped him in his tracks.

"Not you," she declared, her gaze now fixed on the door.

Outside, the guard and the nurse were caught in the act of eavesdropping. Startled by Evelina\'s sudden attention, the nurse nervously nudged the guard inside, causing him to stumble awkwardly into the room.

Evelina, taking charge of the situation, directed the guard, "You, get me as much honey, and..." Her expression soured as she turned to Rick, "And human saliva, as possible. Hurry it up."

Rick, applauding her newfound assertiveness, chimed in, "Way to go, girl! You\'re finally leading from the front. Good for you." With a mock salute, he added, "Now, if you don\'t mind, I will take my leave."

Evelina, not missing a beat, questioned Rick\'s departure. "Where are you going?" she inquired, a note of suspicion in her voice.

"My job here is done," Rick nonchalantly shrugged, a hint of satisfaction in his expression. "I was just supposed to sneak a peek at your grandmother. Everything else is already complimentary from me."

"Now that I\'ve done more than what I was asked to do, give me my money and close the deal," he demanded.

Evelina, however, wasn\'t ready to let him off the hook. "You haven\'t yet cured my grandmother," she pointed out.

"I wasn\'t supposed to," Rick replied with another shrug.

Cutting to the chase, Evelina pressed, "What do you want to cure her?"

"This house of yours."

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