Lauren, still recovering from her surprise, sat up in her bed, her gaze fixed upon Alex's striking face—the very face that had haunted her since their painful breakup. Her heartbeat quickened, much to her dismay.
"What are you doing here, Alex?" Lauren's irritation was evident in her voice, her annoyance at his unexpected presence palpable. He met her gaze, his eyes silently conveying emotions and messages he knew he had no right to speak, considering the tumultuous history between them.
"I came to find you, you know? Just to check up on you, since we heard you woke up this morning," he said with a surprisingly calm demeanor. His composed attitude stirred up a mix of uneasiness and anger within her.
"You've got absolutely no right to come and see me," she responded through clenched teeth, desperately trying to contain the fiery emotions in her heart.
"I'm aware of that," he replied, yet again with that disconcerting calmness.
"Even if I were to pass away, I demand that you don't come to see my lifeless body or attend any funeral service," she uttered, her voice quivering as she tried to hold back tears in front of him.
"Please, don't say that. You're not going to die," he quickly rebutted, his response almost too hasty for her liking. As both of them faced each other in this emotionally charged encounter, the atmosphere crackled with tension. The room they were in felt suffocating, with the weight of their breakup lingering in the air like a thick fog.
In that moment, a wave of regret engulfed Alex's heart, as he fully understood why she loathed him; after all, he knew he deserved it. Still, a flicker of hope burned within him, hoping that with time, she might find it in her heart to forgive him. Yet, for now, he knew he had to respect her wishes.
"I'm truly sorry," he uttered, his gaze fixed on her. He could see the raw pain concealed behind her clear eyes, and he cursed himself for being the cause of her suffering.
"Goodnight," he murmured, and with a heavy heart, he turned away and walked into the shadows of the night.
Five minutes after Alex left, Lauren couldn't hold back her tears any longer, as they cascaded down her cheeks like a waterfall. Despite the two years that had passed since their breakup, the pain still cut deep, and she despised herself for feeling this way.
She was still sobbing uncontrollably when her door creaked open, and someone walked in. Fueled by frustration and heartache, she screamed, "I told you to leave me alone!" Her hand instinctively grabbed a nearby pillow and flung it at the figure, but to her surprise, Damien caught it with ease.
"Your tears are far too precious to be wasted on someone who doesn't deserve them," Damien spoke with a firm yet gentle voice, his annoyance evident at seeing her cry over someone who had betrayed her.
"D-Damien?" Lauren looked up through her tear-stained vision, uncertain if it was truly him. As she took in his presence, a mix of surprise and confusion washed over her. Seeing her in such distress, Damien regretted not snapping Alex's neck as soon as he left her room. He approached her cautiously, mindful of her fragile state. "Yes, it's me," he affirmed softly,
He watched her descend from the bed, her footsteps tentative at first, then gaining strength until she reached him. With tear-stained cheeks, she wrapped her arms around him, pouring out her heart in sobs.
Surprised, he eventually reciprocated, holding her tightly as she mourned her shattered heart. Motionless, he felt the warmth of her tears soak into his black shirt.
After what felt like an eternity, her sobs subsided, and he glanced down to see her sleeping on his chest. Puzzled yet touched, he marveled at how she found solace in such an unconventional position. With a sigh, he tenderly lifted her in his arms and gently placed her on the bed, tucking her in beneath the comforting embrace of the duvet.
He brought a chair and kept beside her, sat on it and calmly moved the locks on her face to the sides and afterwards used the wipes on the table to wipe out tear stains from her face, after he was done he sat back down and watched her sleep.
He had actually wanted to visit her when she must have slept, given his new found desire for her blood and especially not knowing what triggers it, he needed to be conscious so as not to vamp out in front of her, but when he heard her sobs, he knew he needed to be there without giving it a second thought.
He watched her sleep through out the night and only left to change at the penthouse they owned at the topmost floor of the hospital. He stationed his body guards throughout her floor, to protect her.
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"Wow, she is definitely the most beautiful human girl I have ever seen in over a century" Venessa purred as she stared down at her sleeping figure.
She was still looking over her when the door opened and Damon walked in with a bunch of flowers.
"V?" Damon called out, visibly surprised to see her.
"Damon" she called and rushed into his open arms while he twirled her in circles until she giggled.
"You didnt tell me Venessa was coming" he asked Derek. "what are you doing here V?" dropping the bouquet of flowers beside Lauren.
"Well apparently I am here for her" Venessa said pointing at the sleeping Lauren" and I cant believe you guys are just only telling me of the prophecy, and what about the fight in Milan? Mazariou?, is that how little I mean to you guys?" She asked folding her arms in front of her chest feigning annoyance.
"It wasnt like that, we were going to tell you everything eventually" Damon said trying to coarse her, as she was their little sister and they loved her.
Venessa, the rescued Hybrid, a unique blend of vampire and witch, had been with them since she was saved from her captors as a teenager. They had cared for her like a cherished little sister, providing for her needs.
Using her magic, Venessa casted a spell of silence in the room, ensuring the sleeping Lauren doesnt hear their conversation or disrupt her sleep. The two conversed in hushed tones until Venessa settled beside her, gently taking her hands into hers, With a few whispered incantations, Venessa closed her eyes, entering a deep focus and after a while, she opened her eyes once more, the outcome of her mystical intervention yet to be revealed.
"Well she isnt a human that's for sure , the energy around her is so different and unique from anyone I have ever seen before and that says alot because I have seen and felt thousands of energy but hers...hers doesn't feel like that of a human, and it looks like she oblivious of her powers" venessa explained.
"So what is she" Derek asked, he couldnt wait to find out what she is because he had always felt like she was a little different from the humans.
"I have a theory but I'm not sure, her energy felt like one I was fortunate to see a century ago" she said.
"Which is?" Damon asked impatiently.
"Khalessi Bennett, her energy is exactly like Khalessi Bennett" she said.
"THE KHALESSI BENNETT" both men echoed in surprise.
"but like I said it's still a theory, also while I'm still in the city i will carry out a research on her ancestry and find out the correlation, then I will get back to you boys" she said.
She stared down at her again and smiled to herself when she remembered that the moon goddess intertwined her and Damien's destiny together.
"Its going to be a fun ride, and I will be here for it" she muttered and just then Lauren opened her eyes, she was startled to find a beautiful strange lady looking down at her so she tried to sit up but unfortunately knocked heads with Venessa.
"Aaaawwwuuu" both girls said while rubbing their temple.
"sorry" Venessa said smiling at her.
"Who are you?" Lauren asked while sitting up, looking around she saw Damon and Derek, staring back at her, and that was when she relaxed.
"Your soon to be bestie" Venessa said smiling broadly and just then the door to the room opened and Damien walked in, wearing an all black outfit, that highlighted his pale skin.
"Damien" Venessa called out excitedly before pouncing on him and embracing him.
"I have missed you" she purred in his arms, while he chuckled.
"I missed you too kiddo" he said before disengaging from the hug. He looked over Venessa's head to see Lauren staring blankly at them.
Just then the door opened and two chefs walked in, wheeling a buffet of different dishes.
"Thought you might be hungry, after wasting your energy crying for that....that person" Damien said teasing her. She felt embarrassed so she lowered her eyes.
"Aw, she looks so cute" Venessa said and went towards her.
"we aren't judging honey sometimes we make bad choices, no one is perfect dont pay Damien any mind" Venessa, her voice was a so soothing that Lauren didnt know when she nodded.
"Bon apetit"
"I brought you these flowers, hope you like them" Damon said handing her the bouquet.
"Thank you, and please if you will excuse me" she said, collected it and went to the bathroom