The room fell into stunned silence as Reylan entered. Officers, aware of his reputation in the supernatural society, exchanged worried glances at his cold stare. Why was this vampire here?
Reylan's eyes then met Christina's with a warm smile, sparkling with delight at her call. But it quickly dissipated as his gaze lowered to the entrance, replaced by a shadow of hesitation.
The archaic rules of his kind forbade him from entering without an invitation, and he wasn't ready to weaken his powers for her, not until it was confirmed that she was the one. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the door's frame and addressed the officers who seemed to recognize him, "Am I allowed to take part in this investigation, officer?"
One of the officers quickly replied, stuttering, "Ye-yes, of course! Come inside, Mr. Blackwood."
"Thank you," Reylan replied, stepping into the house.
Christina frowned at their strange exchange, but her thoughts were interrupted when Reylan suddenly took the bag from her shoulder. Kissing her cheek, he apologized sweetly, "Sorry, I was tied up in a meeting and missed your calls."
"It's fine. I'm glad you made it at such short notice," Christina managed to reply, her heart almost melting not by his kiss but by the way he noticed her struggle with the heavy backpack.
"Shall we?" Reylan asked, his voice breaking through her reverie. Christina nodded and held his extended hand with a smile. She shot a glare at Derek, who was still in a shell-shock. But when they started walking out, he quickly grabbed her other hand.
"He's a womanizer, princess! He'll only end up hurting you!" Derek's voice was low, his words more a reflection of his bruised ego than genuine concern.
"Well, at least he is honest about it and won't cheat behind my back," Christina retorted, pulling away her hand from his grip. Derek gritted his teeth at her response, his frustration palpable as he watched her cling to Reylan's arm.
"I'm hungry, babe! Let's dine somewhere peaceful before heading home," Christina's voice echoed through the entrance, leaving the officers and the lawyer even more uneasy.
"What an imbecile!" The lawyer muttered under his breath, his glare fixed on Derek. Even the officers regretted following this foolish human out of greed for money. If they had known she was close to this vampire lord, they would have never stepped in here.
---
Christina nervously picked at her nails, her gaze darting towards her boss. Despite her initial refusal, he had reached out to her on the office account, suggesting to reconsider the offer. He stated their relationship would be less complicated if she wasn't interested in men, and even left his personal contact. Guided by a gut feeling, she had saved it, perhaps for this very moment.
Meanwhile, Reylan drove through the night, a smile lingering on his lips since he received her text. When the prey herself extended an invitation, how could he resist? He quickly teleported to her house, leaving his brother to represent him at the Vampire Society's monthly gathering.
Breaking the silence, he asked, "Why did he kick you out?"
"I respectfully walked out!" she retorted, a scowl appearing on her face, his words successfully deleting her contemplation to thank him.
"Whatever you like to call it," Reylan shrugged, steering the car towards his home instead of a hotel.
"I was naive enough to register it under his name. He used it against me," Christina admitted, her gaze fixed on her hands. She was already hating herself and hoped he wouldn't spew out something funny again. But he did!
"As expected of you," Reylan mumbled, shaking his head.
"You can drop me off at the next stop. Thanks for your help, sir." Christina said with a glare, not in the mood for banter. She was afraid of saying something that might bruise his ego and jeopardize her job. It was all she had left and couldn't lose it at any cost.
"Weren't you hungry? Let's get dinner first," Reylan suggested with a sly smile.
"I was just irking him up. You don't need to—" Christina's protest was cut short by a loud growl from her stomach, forcing her to shut her mouth. Perfect timing to embarrass her, as always!
Reylan chuckled as she cursed under her breath and turned toward the window. He increased the speed before she could change her mind. After all, this might be his last chance to test his theories and the prophecy.
Christina frowned in confusion as they entered the Elysian Estates instead of a restaurant, the top housing community of the wealthiest tycoons in her city. "Where are you taking me?" she asked, turning towards Reylan.
"To the best restaurant you'll ever visit," he replied, a smirk playing on his lips, deepening her confusion. She could sense the mischief in his voice and regretted her decision. Why on earth did she call him in the first place?
They drove silently into the deeper parts of the enclave, finally stopping in front of a secluded villa. "This doesn't look like a restaurant," Christina said as they parked in front of the house. She clutched her seatbelt, unwilling to unbuckle it.
But Reylan did it for her, almost giving her a heart attack. She froze against the back of her seat, her breath hitching as he removed the belt and smiled at her, his face just an inch away from hers.
She blinked, sucking in another breath as he leaned even closer. "It doesn't, but trust me, you will have the best meal here," he whispered, his seductive voice heightening her concerns.
Two bouncers rushed to open the door for them, and Christina had no choice but to step out, feeling like a mouse trapped in the temptation of cheese.
"Shall we?" Reylan extended his hand, and with a frown, Christina took it. Something felt off, especially the sly spark in his eyes, but she had herself set this trap, and arguing now was pointless.
A middle-aged man, presumably the butler, rushed to greet them as they entered. His eyes widened at the sight of Christina, and she couldn't help but wonder if she was the first woman to ever set foot in this house.
"Oh, you're still here," Reylan greeted him, feigning surprise.
"The young master asked me to stay until you returned. He was worried when you left in such a hurry earlier," Darren replied, his hands neatly folded behind his back. His tone was more interrogative than informative, piquing Christina's curiosity.
"Ah, I left in a hurry to see her," Reylan said, smiling at Christina. He made it sound as if he hadn't been the one to instruct Blaze to inform Darren about his abrupt departure.
"It's good that you're here," Reylan continued, placing a hand on Christina's waist. "Meet my girlfriend, Christina Joss."
Both Darren and Christina looked at Reylan in shock, their gazes meeting in mutual surprise. Feeling Reylan tighten his grip, a silent command for her to play along, Christina forced a smile and gave a slight bow to the older man.
"Ni-nice to meet you, Ms. Joss," Darren stammered, still trying to process the shock. He wondered when this bratty vampire had started bringing his prey home. He needed to report this to the elder master soon!
"Help her freshen up and set the table for us," Reylan ordered. Darren nodded quickly and rushed towards the kitchen, his ears lingering on the couple's conversation.
"What-" Christina began, but was quickly silenced as Reylan placed a finger over her lips, his eyes warning her to hold her tongue. A smirk played on his lips, his hand making its way to her neck, before tracing a line over her throat with his thumb. "Let's go for a walk after dinner. Trust me, you will love it!"
This damned devil! Christina gritted her teeth and nodded, understanding his warning.