BLOODY LOVE'S
Episode 165's

"I thought you guys were going by train?" asked Renata restlessly. He saw for himself how Marco fell. His brother-in-law must have slammed onto the floor had Jose not been quick to catch. "Why did you walk home?"

"We left on a wagon," Jose said, "but the horses were gone and the wheels were broken when we returned. Not even the workers we assigned to guard the carriage were there."

"Dead?" ask Jacob.

Jose did not answer. He scratched his nose, his head still hurt and he felt like vomiting. The strange buzz he felt in the forest still continued to echo deep inside there, inside his head, shouting words he could not catch.

They are now gathered at Marco's doorstep, waiting for him to finish cleaning up and treat the man's wounds thoroughly. Jacob glanced at Jose who was still looking down closed his eyes with a forehead leaning against his fist. He was four years older than his youngest brother, but felt Jose had never been as respectful as he should have been. That pisses him off.

"You don't want to tell me anything, Jose?"

"Yes?"

"Someone deliberately used this house as bait to lure the traitor out. You know who that guy is, right?"

Jose grimacing. "Smart people, of course."

"Those smart people protect guests who even ruffled his room?" tease Jacob. They close their heads and talk to each other in a low voice so as not to disturb Renata or Lady Chantall; who also waits for the latest news about Marco's condition.

Instead of being shocked or offended by his brother's innuendo, Jose instead showed a small smile. "He's looking for a necklace?"

Jacob frowned. "You know? Wait... You ... deliberately kept him because he knew he was going to ransack your room?"

"Not exactly so." Jose stared around cautiously and whispered more quietly, "I'm just skeptical he actually came to ask for protection. He looks scared .. and weird. If I leave, he will probably move and show his true form. That's how I think it is," Jose continued in a playful tone, "and if he's right on the move, I believe you or George will definitely catch wet. We know what he's after."

Jacob did not believe. He believes Jose has no plans whatsoever about Xavier and just matches the conclusions, pretending things remain under control because he does not want to admit his mistakes. He was about to respond, but the door in front of them had already swung inward, opening in a narrow gap.

Rolan stepped out with a haggard and messy face. The black shadow was clearly visible under his eyes. "Collapse due to fatigue, lack of blood, and lack of sleep" she reports to everyone. He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "She also had a slight fever due to her injuries—and due to the cold, I guess. But his condition was quite stable, there was nothing to worry about, he was still as strong as a bull. Let him rest first."

"Can I come in?" ask Jose. "There's something I want to talk about."

"Tomorrow, Jose." Rolan. "It's late. Rest up. I'll take care of Marco."

"You too rest, Rolly," Renata said firmly. "I'll wait for Marco."

Rolan wanted to refuse, but his eyelids felt so heavy that he did not want to be fussed by questions or discuss the mystery of Bjork. Renata is the right choice because it is calm and deft, also knows when to be quiet.

"Wake me up straight away if there's anything." Rolan. He opened the door, letting his sister in.

Renata did not move immediately. The woman turned to Lady Chantall, who was standing still with a worried face between them. "Milady," she gently rebuked. "Marquis Argent is in good hands, you don't have to worry. I've prepared a room for you tonight, please." Her hands extended sideways gracefully, and Lady Chantall had no choice but to nod politely and follow Margie who guided her to the guest room.

George agreed and immediately went down to the first floor after making sure to go back to Rolan whatever the doctor needed when he returned later. Rolan just asked for a hot drink.

"You've been working well, dear," Renata hugged her two sons in turn. "Rest. Sleep now. We'll talk again tomorrow morning, after each head feels fresher."

Both Jose and Jacob simply nodded in silence. Renata enters the room followed by Rolan, who warns the two not to act recklessly. "Be calm! I don't want anything else missing!" he said before closing the door.

As soon as the door closed, Jacob shook Jose's shoulder and thrust a fist into his jaw.

In his surprise, Jose had dodged so that the attack was not a landslide. But still the punch came in with a loud voice. His head got dizzy.

"That," Jacob said, pointing angrily, "as a warning to you, for daring to make me a pawn of the game!"

There's a fishy salty taste in Jose's tongue. He's never been hit first all this time. He was always the first to hit. The thing that Jose was proud of him was the speed of his reaction in either running or dodging, because that hit he received just now felt more insulting than sick. The blood rippled hot to the head. He rubbed his numb lips with the back of his hand, then counter launched a blow towards the stomach. Jacob caught his wrist easily and only smiled a mocking smile as Jose continued to pound their heads hard.

Jacob took a few steps back while swearing. Bloody nose.

"That," Jose said as he pointed back. His own forehead was also throbbing pain, but he did not want to show it. "In return for you for always being a meddler!"

"Sok meddling? This is my home too!"

"That you left ten years ago!" tukas Jose fast. "You're sick of Uncle's rules! You, Juan, Jeffrey, all of you couldn't stand it and ran away, leaving everything to me. Then when you go home and see what you left behind, you're sorry. You're just jealous, Jake!"

Jacob lunges, grips and gropes the collar of Jose's shirt to throw him against the wall, but Jose kicks his shins until they both tumble down together. Then the two rolled on the floor, replying to each other's football and boxing.

The commotion was heard all the way into the room. Renata was about to get up, but Rolan prevented it.

"Let it go, let it go" the doctor said as he waved from under the blanket. He slept on one of the long couches in the room just in case Marco's condition turned serious. "They're just kids. Let's hit it to the brink. Anything can be if they are not lost. I'm tired of looking for this Argent or that or whatever."

The two young men stopped when they heard George's footsteps. Both Jose and Jacob immediately broke away and got up, then wiped the blood and tidied their clothes and hair, pretending everything was fine. George wouldn't be so disrespectful to see them wrestling on the floor, but the two masters acting like little children were definitely not the sight they wanted to show the waiter off.

George greeted them politely without asking a single question about their bruised condition, then entered Marco's room with a warm drink for Rolan and Renata. Once out and found the two masters still standing rigidly at the door, George immediately remembered what had been forgotten.

"Mr Hastings is still underground, sir," he said. "I called the doctor this afternoon to take care of his fingers. But will Mr Hastings be left to spend the night down there?"

"Xavier's underground?" Jose frowned. He looked at Jacob whose eyes were bruised red on the left. "What are you doing?"

Jacob grunting. "Save your room."

***