Chapter 247 - Hook, Line And...

I had an idea what to do in case Staghead was watching, but that had to be handled as secretly as possible. A secret within a secret had to be the most well-hidden mystery ever.

The plans of our team didn't take a long to complete. Rumours were shared that Cornellio got another piece of the seal that he was going to show on a very closed and very private presentation. It was so closed that only our team would be present, but that wasn't public knowledge.

We didn't go back to the same place where Cornellio's last even took place. Instead, everything was prepared in another one of his properties. It was also a mansion, but a much smaller one, and much more isolated.

When everything was set up, we had only waiting left. Eve put a calming spell on the premises, but the vampires of our team agreed to stay away from each other for the most part. That left only me, Eve and Cornellio to sit next to the trap's bait and wait for everything to happen.

And oh, it was a hard choice between the three of our vamps. Everyone wanted their bite of Staghead, and everybody were great fighters. In the end, the honours were given to Cornellio because he had the most reasons to be present here and then. Plus, he owned the place. That left JJ and Bob to guard the premises.

"What if he won't come?" My fingers drew a nervous rhythm on the tabletop of the artsy tea table where the three of us sat, pretending to be oh so interested in tea and snacks. Alright, I was very interested in snacks, but that was my sweet tooth and nervous eating habit talking.

On the contrary, Cornellio looked as relaxed as if we really just came here for tea. Either he was an excellent actor, or very sure of our victory. "Then we wait. He would have to come, eventually."

I let out a noncommittal hum of vague displeasure and looked around the room to busy my eyes. It was just big enough that two people fighting at superspeeds would be able to beat each other up without breaking the glass cases that stood next to the wall, though the rest of the furniture would suffer.

The piece of the Seal of Absolute Knowledge that I loaned out to prepare this trap was laying innocently in the case in the middle of composition. Not a single curve of the mysterious lines on it showed that it was all just a bait.

"If I understand Staghead's personally, he would come, and now and not tomorrow. This is just like the last time. He's a fey. They are well known for their like of disturbing people with their pranks. I'm sure he could've stolen the seal from me without this much fuss, but he had to crash the party," Eve said. She was picking at the end of her braid that again curled around her neck like a thick scarf. "He might had held himself in reigns before, but clearly his patience had run out."

"Exactly."

The voice made the three of us jump up from our seats and turn our eyes at the intruder. No, intruders.

This time, Staghead didn't appear out of the thin air alone. With him were two creatures that were a curious blend of men and foxes. They reminded me of satyrs, except their goat parts were all fox: fox legs, fox tail, fox ears on top of their heads and foxy faces with the same eerie, but beautiful blend of human and animal as on Staghead's. They wore leather armour, wielded swords in their hands, and had bows behind their backs.

And this time, Staghead was dressed up for a fight, too. His armour was much more ornate, and so was his sword and bow, but not to the point of being ceremonial and useless. What didn't change was his conceited expression.

"I decided that it's not enough for me to take what I need. You have greatly insulted me, witches," Staghead's eyes turned to me and Eve. I never thought doe's eyes could have so much hatred in them. Then, a corner of his lips curved up in a malicious smirk. "You will pay for it with your blood."

I didn't even have to look at Eve to see her working—we both had our wells open from the moment we began to set up the trap. This time, it was her task to do magic while I and Cornellio distracted Staghead with chatting.

"You were pretty insulting, too. Crashed the party and didn't even introduce yourself. What's all the fuss for? Why do you need these seals?" I nodded at our bait. "They are just some broken pieces! They have only collection value. Are you really that much of a collector to kill for them?"

"I, Life Unstoppable, don't need reasons to cleanse Earth from undead abominations." Staghead threw a pointed look at Cornellio. "And you are more dull-witted than I thought if you don't even understand the true value of the Seal of Absolute Knowledge, just like the witch that created it! It just shows how much women know about the world."

Oooh, was he also a misogynist? This was going to be fun. "I thought you, fey, were ruled by women, no? Titania and Morgana, two fey queens."

Staghead's face soured immediately. "Ignorant mortal! You don't know what you speak about. I had enough of you running your mouth."

Just as well. I saw the space filling with a life of its own, just like on tests—it meant that the dimensional lock was active. Now, at an attempt to pierce space, it will just push whoever tries back like a trampoline. I turned to Cornellio and opened my mouth to tell him just that, when suddenly…

With a tremble, the space smoothened once again.

"Fools! You thought to catch me so easily? Hunters, seize the undead! The mortals are mine."