Chapter 168 - Pushing People’s Buttons

Upon hearing Donovan's words, Aunt Sarah, who was about to head to the kitchen, turned back to look at the shameless man who had invited himself to sleep over under their roof. When a person was this shameless, it was harder to refuse or retort back. 

Uncle Thomas was taken aback, and somewhere, the man felt embarrassed. They didn't have an extra room to accommodate the unexpected guest. Donovan behaved as if he didn't sense the uncomfortableness in front of him. The Elder vampire said, 

"How long is it going to be before dinner will be served? Roman and I will go get dessert for later. It would be rude for us to impose on you when you are already hosting dinner," a light chuckle escaped from his lips. 

Julie was glad that Donovan and Roman would be stepping out of the house for a few minutes. 

Aunt Sarah replied, "It should take thirty to forty minutes," her voice sounding stiff and wanting to see the guests out of the house as quickly as possible, but even she had come to learn that it was a hard thing to shove a person out of the house blatantly. 

"That sounds perfect. Is there any particular flavor that you prefer, Mrs. Winters?" Donovan had suddenly turned considerate. 

"Raspberry," replied Uncle Thomas, with a polite smile. "We both will have that."

When the Elder vampire turned to look at Julie, she replied, "Chocolate. Anything with chocolate."

"We'll be back soon," Donovan gave a short nod, and both the vampires stepped out of the Winters residence. Once the guests have left, Aunt Sarah turned to look at Julie and asked her,

"Please tell me, Julianne, that you didn't know your boyfriend's brother was going to come here to stay." 

Julie shook her head, and she said, "I am sorry about that. Rome and I really had no idea that he was going to come visit us or plan to stay here." 

"Thomas," Aunt Sarah said to her husband, "How do you think we are going to have him stay comfortably when he doesn't have a room to sleep in. Julie has been making use of Joel's room already. We don't even know this person." 

"Calm down, Sarah. I am sure we will figure something out," Uncle Thomas kept a calm composure. 

"How am I supposed to be calm, Tom?" asked Aunt Sarah, and Julie could tell that her aunt was going to lose her cool soon. She saw Uncle Thomas pat his wife's back soothingly. 

"Julie, how about you help your aunt in the kitchen and in the meantime, I will try to get something ready," said Uncle Thomas, and Julie quietly nodded so that she wouldn't set any more fuse like how Donovan and Roman had done. 

When it was dinner to be served, both Roman and Donovan returned. Julie took the ice cream and placed it in the freezer. During the meal, everyone sat at the table, with different expressions. Aunt Sarah had a cold, stone-like expression on her face as if she didn't want to speak or be spoken to. Donovan stared at the food on the table while Uncle Thomas watched the man named Azazel.

After Donovan took a bite from the food served on his plate, he held a grave expression on his face. He said, 

"It isn't bad, but I think it would have been much better if you added less salt to season the meat."

Aunt Sarah's hand clenched on the fork in her hand, and if Uncle Thomas didn't sit between Donovan and her, Julie wondered if her aunt would stab his hand that was resting on the surface of the table. 

"Maybe you should cook for yourself next time and invite us for dinner instead," suggested Aunt Sarah with a pointed look. 

The Elder vampire lightly chuckled, and he said, "I don't have to cook for myself, Mrs. Winters. I have servants to do that, and they prepare delicious meals. Why dirty my hands, when I can have others do it for me." 

"So, what do you do, Mr. Mol-Donovan?" Uncle Thomas, who tried to shift the conversation at the table, he corrected his mistake. 

Donovan ran his tongue across his teeth as if to remove any food particles before speaking, "I help with the university. Making sure everything is running smoothly and the students there are well taken care of. Because you know how important every student is, they become part of our society. It is a big responsibility and I take it very very seriously. " 

Both Roman and Julie quietly stared at the Elder vampire from their seats, where the vampire lied right through his teeth with not one bit of remorse. His lies were believable and smooth, with not a hint of suspicion in it. 

"Of course, Roman told us that your great-grandfather was one of the founders of the university," noted Uncle Thomas, and Donovan offered a polite smile before he got busy cutting the meat and taking a bite from the plate. 

As Julie continued to have her meal, Donovan caught sight of Julie's wrist and commented, "I have always wanted to get something on myself too. Especially after seeing you, Rome." The people at the table looked slightly confused, while Roman stared at his father. "The ink I mean. Where do you think I should get one?" 

On the forehead, thought Roman in his mind while deciding not to make things more uncomfortable for Julie or her family. 

"What do you think, Julie? Should I perhaps get something like yours?" asked the Elder vampire, and if Aunt Sarah had not been successful in stabbing the vampire, Julie wanted to try it herself. It was quite obvious that he was enjoying his time, poking everyone. 

Both her relatives turned to look at Julie before their eyes fell on her wrist, where Roman's name was inked on her skin. 

Julie cleared her throat, raising her hand to tuck the piece of her hair behind her ear. Concentrating on Donovan's question, she said, "Do you want to get a name or have any design on your mind?" 

"Hm, let me think," Donovan had a thoughtful expression on his face before he said, "I was thinking of getting name inked on me. But the question is what to write. Let us go to this place where they ink tomorrow."

"We'll write the address for you to go and get it," stated Roman, not liking that the little holiday he had planned to spend with Julie was being sabotaged by this man. 

"I was actually asking Julie," smiled Donovan, getting on everyone's nerves. 

"I actually have plans with Rome. We are going to travel a bit and visit some places," Julie informed the vampire, noticing a grim expression adorning on his face. 

"I guess it is time I marry and settle down, considering how children these days don't want to spend time with their elders," said Donovan thoughtfully, and Julie wondered if he meant it, that he missed spending his time with Roman or if this was another scheme of his. 

Technically, Donovan had never been able to spend enough time with Roman. Because by the time he had found out about his son's existence, Roman had been transformed into a vampire and had been put into the coffin-like himself, and it was only a few days ago since Donovan had woken up.

Now that Julie thought about it, it hadn't been long since the university's festival had taken place, yet so much had transpired in that time. 

It made Julie wonder if perhaps both Roman and Donovan needed some time together so that they could patch things up between them. But then, at the same time, she doubted Roman wanted that, though Donovan seemed to be more than glad to cling around Roman's neck like a koala bear. 

"I guess I will just have some bonding time with you guys," decided Donovan, looking at Uncle Thomas and Aunt Sarah. 

There was an obvious look of dread, where Uncle Thomas decided to continue eating instead of commenting on what couldn't be refused as this person was important to his niece. While Aunt Sarah couldn't imagine cooking for this man again.. She had hoped to have a peaceful weekend, but how long was this obnoxious person planning to stay here?! Thought the woman in her mind.