I watched Elena sleep, her face a peaceful contrast to the turmoil I knew churned beneath the surface. It was the next day, and I had to go to work despite every fiber of my being wanting to stay with her. I had arranged for six vampire bodyguards to watch over her. I couldn't risk anything happening to her again.
The bodyguards, all dressed in black and standing in a semi-circle around me in the living room, waited for my instructions. Their presence was intimidating, but that was precisely why I had chosen them. They were the best, and Elena's safety was paramount.
"Listen carefully," I began, my voice firm. "Your primary duty is to protect Elena at all costs. She should never know you're here. Your presence should be invisible to her, understood?"
They nodded in unison, their expressions stoic. The leader of the group, a tall, muscular vampire named Marcus, stepped forward. "Understood, Ms. Steele. We will ensure her safety without her knowledge."
