Chapter 81 - Black Ball (Part 2)

Iris felt uncomfortable and sought of pissed, her hand clenches his arm tightly but he didn't respond, he never took his eyes off Lorna for a second, he held an unreadable expression, his lips in a thin line.

Iris wondered why she didn't get a response from him, she could tell the cause of that was the woman in front of them.

"I'm so sorry my fiancee step out of line like that" Lorna said amused.

'FIANCEE?????!!!!' Ghost roars in Liam's head pissed.

"I have been looking all over for him, so did he," she said pressing her body against Chase more, his hand firmly around his waist.

"Am sure he thought this lovely young lady here was me" she adds.

Iris let a huff escape her lips in a sassy manner. Her first impression of this lady before her was hated this bitch, but her eyes remind her of someone, she wasn't quite sure.

"It's an honor to stand side by side with the black ghoul," she said smirking.

Liam's eyes travel to her hand stretched out, he took it with his free hand, she avoids the shiver that ran down her spine as his lips brush against her hand. She subconsciously bit her lips, Liam smirks knowing the reaction he caused.

'Those fucking lips of his' she moaned in her head as he redrew from her.

'Damn it Lorna concentrate' she reminds herself composing.

"I'm sorry for the slight misunderstanding," she said forcing a smile against her lips.

"Black Ghoul!" a female voice booms as their attention drift to it, so did others that had their attention on them.

A woman around her 60s walks towards them, her skin paled, her white hair matches the color of her skin, although her age, her slender knee-length gown still showed her curves, her ghoul eyes present. Two others behind her, Wayne Sanford and Cassandra William both dressed elegantly.

"It's Wayne and that Claw" Iris whispers in Liam's ear. 

"It's truly is an honor to finally meet the black ghoul, king of the ancients," she said with a slight bow.

Whispers filled the hall. 

"King?" Lorna said puzzled.

"I'm the host, Linda Sanford," she said stretching her pale hand to Liam.

"Long have I waited to meet the greater power".

***

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Chase silently hissed to Lorna.

"Saving your life, can't you see he's purposely doing this, he's taunting you as any predator would, he knows the agency is here, that's why he announced himself, he knew we would act and then the moment you did all of us will be eaten alive without a second thought, we are literary in the means of ghouls," Lorna said pointing a finger on his chest.

"So what was your best cover-up, your fiancee?".

Lorna rolled her eyes.

"There wasn't any other way, I needed to protect the team".

"By the way what the hell are you doing here, you should be on a desk study," Chase said scowling.

"I can't just sit still when the whole agency views me as a suspect, I have to do something, you have to trust me that I didn't have a hand in this".

"This doesn't change the fact you disobeyed direct orders, we will talk about this after tonight," Chase said final.

Lorna growled in frustration.

"And I also want your accomplice, I'm sure you weren't able to figure this on your own".

"I planned it out myself".

"Oh really now, you mean to tell me you strategized this all by yourself and I do know we mask our scent from the ghouls, I'm sure you did too".

"I stole it from Peter's lab, I overheard the mission details in the private meeting" she gave a fake confession hoping it sounds convincing 

"Yet again Lorna Hart commits an offense" Chase said in amusement.

"Sir" Jesse said walking towards them, along with Peter, her eyes drift to Lorna.

"Well you're obviously in trouble," Jesse said holding a serious face.

Lorna just gave a small side smirk, Peter rubs the back of his neck clearing his throat.

"Lorna will face the consequence of her actions, for now, we stick our head in the mission and avoid unnecessary attention"

"Already happened," Lorna said referring to some stares at them.

"Fine then, we should avoid talking in groups, which means," Chase said grabbing Lorna by the waist and pulling close to his body, she gasped at his sudden action.

"Tonight it's just me and you Lorna, the part of fiancee needs to be played well".

***

"Linda Sanford" Liam said picking up a wine glass on the table.

"Your son tried to kill me" he adds in amusement taking a sip.

Iris sat uncomfortably beside him, she tried to keep a clear head.

"I do apologize for that my dear" Linda said amused.

"As you can see he's the leader of the V-ghouls so extra measures have to be taken" She shrugs.

Wayne huffs in a sassy manner at his mother's words.

"He's a fool declining my offer, I offered him riches and fame if he embraces his destiny" Wayne spat pissed.

"I'm sure you know I don't give a damn about riches, I have all that, and as I said before, I don't give a fuck about your ideas," Liam said sternly.

"You see mom, he's not worthy of the title, he doesn't deserve to be ghoul king, I do," he said the last part facing his mom.

"Oh, really you do?" Iris cut in pissed.

"You eat ghouls, who would wanna follow that kind of leader" she hissed.

"The title is sacred, only he who possesses the greater power can be worthy of ghoul king," she told her son.

Her ghoul's eyes drift back to Liam.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions".

"That's the only reason I came here," Liam said leaning up from his seat.

"Let's start the drugs".

"G-st you mean," she said raising an eyebrow.

"Why create something like that from the skin of your Claws? Do you have any idea the damage you cause because of that drugs I didn't just come here for answers I came here to kill" he said with a scowl as his eyes changed to his ghoul ones.

"To kill me you mean," she said, her ghoul eyes shining in amusement.

"Your piece of crap of a son," he said shifting his gaze to Wayne who had a smug smirk against his lips.

"And you if you're the drug dealer" he adds facing her.

"The drug you're making is turning innocent humans to Claws and there's a bounty on his headset by you, every drug dealer is after him," Iris said sternly, taking glances around of some unwanted attention on them.

"First I will have you know I'm the drug dealer but I'm not the manufacturer," Linda said taking a sip of her wine.

"Then who is?" Iris demands.

"Whoever puts the bounty on his head, of course, all I know is that we have a source for this drugs, and yes it's made out of the Claw skin belonging to a V-ghoul but not from my organization,".

"Why deal that kind of drugs then huh?" Liam asked already knowing the answer but still felt a need to know where he stands.

"I'm sure you know the answer black ghoul" Wayne said amused.

With a flick of her finger, a servant came to their table with a tray at hand placing it on the table.

Iris froze seeing the green drugs in the sachet, about ten of them.

"This is a drug-dealing party, after all, where's the fun without it, help yourself to some and make millions," Linda said rising to her feet so did Wayne adjusting his suit.

"Today we dine together in peace, tomorrow we at war, it was nice having you" she adds with a smile walking away as did Wayne, and Cassandra who sat at another table.

Cassandra gave Liam a heated gaze before walking away.

Iris's eyes drift to Liam's tighten fist, his knuckles turning white, she placed her hand on his giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm gonna kill that bitch" Liam said pissed.

"You know we can't do that right now, this place is practically swamping with drug addicts and agents, we can't afford to make a wrong move, we have to be smart, and besides she knows the name of the manufacturer I have a feeling she does," Iris said without a doubt.

"It's not gonna be easy to get it off her, she's toying with me and I know that. What did you think she means about the ghoul king?".

"You grew up human Liam, it's understandable if you don't know about it," she said sighing.

"Then what does it has to do with me?"

"We ghouls has an ancient history, it's about our birth and origins, but its a lost history, few scraps were seen a long time and it talked about Lucas Carter your ancestor, it's also part of the discovery of Jonathan Jonas".

"What did it say about the greater power?"

"It said the greater power has authority over us like a ghoul king and that he will be the key to unlocking our lost history before we joined civilization".

Several Tables Away

"We need to know what they are saying or what that Linda Sanford said about the drugs, for all we know she could be the drug dealer," Lorna said stealing glances from Liam and the strange woman he was with, she felt a sharp pain in her chest when she the woman's hand locked with Liam. 'She must be the one he's with' she thought without a doubt.

Chase sighs dropping the sachet of drugs back to the golden tray it was served with.

"This is ridiculous," he said shaking his head negatively.

"We have to find out what they know," Lorna said facing him.

"And how do you suggest we do that?"

"By dancing," she said winking.

"By what?" he said puzzled as Lorna rise to her feet.

The classical music began playing loudly as partners walk to the center of the ballroom to waltz.

"I'm not dancing," Chase said through gritted teethes.

"Oh yes you're if you want answers, trust me I have a plan," Lorna said stretching out her hand for him to take.

Chase stares at it before hesitantly taking it, she leads him to the dance floor with a smile on her lips.

"Take my waist," she said.

"What?" Chase said dumbfounded.

"Take my waist don't you know how they do it?"

"I don't know how to waltz," He said a bit embarrassed.

"Well I can fix that, so follow my lead," She said taking one of his hands to grab her waist, she placed one hand on his shoulder, the other merge with his other hand spread out in a straight form.

"Now move with me," she said as they did, making the dance with the same beat of the music.

"You're getting a hang of it," she said giggling.

A small smile found his lips.

"Oh, so the scarecrow smiles" she giggles.

He frowns.

"Scarecrow?"

"Oops!" Lorna said amused urging him to spin her clockwise, he did as she laughs, Chase smiles once more loving the sound of her laughter, it warms his heart and he loved the feeling.