Many things their father was known for, but what wasn't among those qualities that the dark hunter held about himself was lying. At least, not as far as Lazarus knew. He never did stop to question what his father had told them, but back then there was next to know reason yet the young man with those messy caramel colored locks should have. The man had never given his son a reason to doubt all that he'd told him and his little sister, but in the end, did that truly mean that there were not skeletons that Tal had hidden from his children? From his wife? Lazarus knew that there had been another woman before Ellie and Lazarus's mother, but that had been years ago, long before either of the children had been even the smallest twinkle in their parents' eyes. As with most children, Ellie had been keen on knowing how it was that the two had met and decided that they wanted to spend the rest of their eternities together. It was a typical "girl" question, or so that was what Lazarus thought when that question had left the girl's lips all those years ago when they'd been younger. He hadn't really ever cared to ask about the nature of that fateful encounter which had drawn them together. It served him no good to know, and he was too busy doing rebellious things like sneaking out and trespassing on places that he really shouldn't be going. That was before he'd decided to take on that tradition, before his life was changed for the rest of his long and empty life. He'd listened though, as their mother and father took turns sharing that story with nothing but love and adoration for one another in each other's gaze, Ellie's own icy blue eyes sparkling ever so innocently. Of course, Lazarus being not only Lazarus but also an adolescent male, he'd silently gagged on all that lovey dovey shit. It wasn't his scene, even when he had yet to have that first lustful taste of female companionship that he would one day come to try and subdue his anger in, only to fail. But those words that had fallen from his parents about the day that they met so apparently held every hint of truth, as with all other things they'd told their son and daughter. So why would he question them?

He'd told Lazarus of that wicked uncle the siblings had. He'd warned them against spending too much time around the man for the fact that his intentions were not just or right, that the mysterious man that seemed to disappear early on in their lives for a reason that Tal was adamant on enforcing."James has darkness in his heart, and like all disease, it can be caught". That had been the largest reason for good ol' Uncle James vanishing from the estate never to be seen again. Tal had insisted that the beliefs of his brother were not right for The Daray Council, and most all of the other men and what few woman that were part of that council that worked under their father seemed to be in agreement when the time came that the man was exiled. It had been an occurrence that wasn't meant for the siblings to see or hear or be a part of, their father going as far as to always ensure that if James were around Lazarus and Elain, that their mother was nearby or another member of the council. He hadn't trusted James to be alone with the children, especially Lazarus. Tal knew just how skillful the man could be with manipulating those around him, and the last thing that he wanted was for James to try and steal the boy away to raise him as his own, teach him those cruel beliefs that dark hunters and humans were the only fit beings to walk the world, that all other beings were destined to perish at the hands of dark hunters. He hadn't even desired to turn them into servants or pets. No, Tal had told Lazarus and Elain that their wicked uncle wanted to exterminate entire races all for his pleasure and his twisted idea of a perfect and cleansed world. That had been enough for Elain to promise their father that she would never speak with him, and back then, Lazarus had promised in turn. It was expected. There was no other option for the siblings then. But there was now. They were grow adults, and the very beings who made them promise never to speak with their uncle were gone.

Delight flickers across those cold, blue eyes and Lazarus simply turns his attention back to those stocked shelves of perhaps the most expensive bar in Sacrosanct, the rage still roaring in those dark forest eyes but he was tired of the world seeming to delight in his anger these past few days. It was too high class for that witch to follow him here, and with Ellie being under age, he was sure that she wouldn't be able to enter even if she wanted to. The man in a black suit that opened the door for customers coming and going was likely meant to keep an eye out for any minors that might try and sneak their way in. Even then, the honey-blonde young woman was hardly the time to drink, and he'd left her back at the house with her studies. He does not set his hardened eyes back on the man as he drawls out a question meant for scolding children who misbehaved, that hand gripping the glass a little tighter before lifting it to his lips as he takes another deep drink before setting it back on the coaster."I wouldn't know", the hunter answers in a low growl. When the man sitting beside him takes a drink from his own glass with exactly what Lazarus had ordered, his remark has Lazarus grinning wolfishly as he gives James a side-glance."Yeah well, it's the trend for us youngsters", he drawls back almost with a sneer as his mind still tries to work out how the hell James managed to track them down here. Perhaps he really shouldn't be too surprised, but something told Lazarus he wasn't up to anything good. His dark gaze lingers on his uncle as he continued to go on about his ancient liquors and when he extends an invitation to dinner, that prick of protectiveness finds the dark hunter as he turns his narrowed eyed on his uncle entirely now, suspicion clearly burning in those depths as he is silent for a moment.

"Sorry Jim, we'll have to pass", he replies in low tenor tones, daring to give the man beside him a nickname he surely wasn't fond of, almost as though he didn't care for anyone to be eavesdropping on their less than warm and friendly conversation. He didn't know if James had someone else in tow with him that had snuck into the bar once he'd had Lazarus' full attention, and while he could care less who did or didn't hear his less than polite words. His uncle could leave anytime he wanted and Lazarus could just continue on his merry way, but somehow, he doubted that the man simply wanted to stop by and say hello like he seemed to be suggesting. Figurative hackles begin to rise when again he makes a remark about the man's upbringing before practically shooting daggers at the man for the mention of his father."He told us enough about you", he answers back in his own dry baritones, the tension in the air seeming to almost thicken that those nearby seemed to move to seats farther away from the pair of men. James goes on to mention the funeral and a whole different darkness finds Lazarus as he's thrown back into that rainy day when what was left of the council gathered around in black to mourn the death of his parents. He is silent, having nothing he wanted to say about that day, and his uncle seems content enough to move on from his statement as he takes another disgusted taste of that drink. Why doesn't he just order something else? Seriously... When he offers an explanation as to why he's here, the darkness from the past memory dissipates and instead he lifts a brow at the man before turning back to that drink, finishing it and waving the bartender for another."You mean, you're here to rid it of the 'trash' that fills the streets, right?", he challenges, making it clear that he knew about what the man enjoyed doing. Probably shouldn't tell him about Ellie's friend, then. And then he says that word. Family. It strikes a chord in Lazarus again as he is entirely too aware that James was right... At least, as far as he knew, he was. He narrows, hardly won over by the man's words, though there was no denying the truth that he brought with him."And how do you propose to do that?", he asks with skepticism dripping from every word that slips past his lips. If everything his father has ever told him about James, it was that the man always had a motive. And if he thought for even a moment that Lazarus was about to let Elain come to harm in any way, he would be shown that he was sorely mistaken.