In a joyous celebration, voices harmonized to sing a heartfelt rendition of "Happy Birthday" to the esteemed President. The flickering candle atop the cake was extinguished as she took a breath and made her wish. The guests erupted in cheers and applause, their excitement palpable.
Soon after, the guests were led to another splendid ballroom with an exquisite bar on the side. The President and her spouse took the lead, gracefully waltzing across the dance floor, setting the tone for the evening. Other attendees followed suit, joining the dance with their partners, reveling in the festive atmosphere.
A voice, discreetly heard behind Damien, caught his attention. Glimpsing Damon and Derek stationed beside him at the bar, he discreetly observed their conversation through the corner of his eye.
"That witch boy certainly takes a fancy of Lauren, dont you think?" Damon whispered, a mixture of surprise and frustration in his tone. "It's as if he's staking his claim, unwilling to leave her side even for a moment. Bloody hell!" Damon cursed under his breath.
Damon himself had been hoping to dance with Chloe, but she was engaged with another gentleman who refused to let her out of his sight.
"Bloody hell! What on earth is Serafina doing here?" Damon exclaimed, astonishment lacing his words as he beheld her entrance. The crowd gasped, helplessly captivated by her elegant presence, as she glided through the crowd, clad in a stunning strapless bodycon dress.
Damien caressed his glass of bourbon, briefly diverting his attention to observe her presence. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he returned to his drink.
"Well, hello boys," Serafina greeted with an enticing smile, a smile that had left many men weak in the knees. Unfortunately for her, these particular gentlemen were immune to her charm.
Damien swiveled in his seat, fully facing Serafina, as she skillfully maneuvered closer, her arms encircling his neck.
"Did you miss me damien?" she whispered, accompanied by a sly wink, her voice dripping with seduction.
"Not in the slightest," Damien countered, a mischievous smirk playing upon his features while she frowned in response.
"And pray tell, what brings you here, Fina? Have you dispatched another husband to the underworld?" Damien quipped, gently freeing himself from her grasp, the conversation now tinged with a hint of sarcastic banter.
With a sly smile gracing her lips, she began, "Well, I haven't exactly dispatched him... yet. I simply divorced him. He became so possessive and obsessed that I had to obtain a restraining order. Otherwise, I might have been driven to... extreme measures," she said matter-of-factly.
Derek, taking a sip of his wine and fixing his gaze on a couple twirling on the dance floor, interjected, "Can't really blame the guy, can you? He married a goddess, little did he know he was the hundredth one."
Curiosity sparked, she turned her attention back to the two gentlemen beside her. Amusement danced in her eyes as she inquired, "Why aren't you boys out there dancing? Every girl in this room would swoon at the chance to share a dance with either of you."
A knowing smirk played upon her lips as she sensed that something was amiss, prompting her to glance back at the bustling dance floor.
"No way," she uttered with a chuckle, before turning her gaze back to the two compatriots.
"It seems there's a lady among the crowd who has captured your interest, but it appears someone else has their attention. Am I mistaken?" she inquired, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes.
A moment of silence passed, betraying their unspoken truth. Damon, breaking the silence, declared, "Excuse me, I must rescue Chloe from that insufferable human before he smothers her to death," and promptly left the bar, heading towards the dance floor.
Serafina arched an eyebrow in Derek's direction, awaiting his response.
"I don't have anyone," Derek retorted curtly, swiftly excusing himself from the conversation. "Now, if you'll excuse me," he added before leaving the company of the other two.
Serafina couldn't help but cast a skeptical glance at Derek's hasty exit. Resuming her conversation with Damien, she posed a question, her tone tinged with doubt, "Why do I find it hard to believe his words?" As Damien's attention fixated elsewhere in the crowd, she followed his gaze, realizing his object of interest.
"Oh, she is undeniably stunning, I must admit," Seraphina remarked, taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of Damian's object of attention. "But since when did you develop a fancy for witches?" she queried, her voice filled with playful curiosity.
Taking a deep breath, Damien sighed and emptied the contents of his glass, a sign of internal conflict.
"Pray tell, what have I missed," Serafina implored, fixing her gaze upon him, her arms firmly crossed over her chest.
Damien sensed the need for a more private conversation, and with a gentle tap on the stool beside him, he motioned for her to take a seat at the bar.
Serafina, one of Damien's closest vampire companions, had crossed paths with him centuries ago in a bustling pub in London. It was there that he witnessed her valiantly defending a harassed waitress, teaching two unruly men an unforgettable lesson.
"So, I'm all ears," she stated, gracefully sipping on the dirty martini she had ordered. Settling into a momentary pause, Damien began recounting the extraordinary events that had unfolded over the past few months.
He recounted the vivid dream that had ignited his journey, the unexpected visitation from the moon goddess, the harrowing battles fought in alternate dimensions against two lycans, and finally, the prophetic revelation involving Lauren, culminating in the present moment.
Serafina remained momentarily silenced, her astonishment palpable, as she absorbed every detail he disclosed.
Turning towards him, she locked her gaze with his, her own drink swiftly disappearing in a gulp.
"Bloody hell, your father lives?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief, to which he nodded in confirmation. "That's what the goddess revealed," he responded quietly.
A mixture of relief and joy mingled in Serafina's voice as she expressed her sentiments, "I feared you would wander this earth alone, devoid of the warmth of love, the flutter of feelings, and the sweet agony of butterflies in the belly. Thank the Goddess," she cooed, causing Damien to chuckle wholeheartedly.
"Do you honestly believe that her newfound knowledge of the supernatural world will alter her feelings for you?" Serafina questioned, her voice steady and unwavering.
"Let's not forget that vampires, particularly the Brennedon vampires, and the Benneth witches have been mortal enemies for centuries. The animosity between our clans still festers to this day. So, yes, I believe she already knows about the tragic history that led to the massacre. That's why she reacted so strongly when she saw us at the hospital today," Damien explained.
"But are you willing to give up and let her believe that the setup was your father's order, without trying to make her see the truth?" Serafina reasoned, her gaze fixed on Damien.
"I suppose she would put more trust in what her aunt tells her than in my words, wouldn't she?" Damien countered, a hint of resignation in his voice.
"You never know," Serafina responded, her gaze shifting towards the corner where Lauren and Marcel stood engaged in conversation.