The atmosphere in the room shifted drastically as Elena, still smiling sweetly, walked up to the boy, her laughter cold and filled with malice. As he stood there, his face already dripping with wine, his expression softened, a subtle enchantment taking hold of him. Before he could even react properly, she leaned in and whispered, "Seems like you like drinking the wine that's on you."
The room erupted in excitement. The boys, having consumed their own share of alcohol, cheered loudly, urging her to act on her provocations. Music started blaring, a deep blue slow dance song, the tempo slow but pulsating. The lights went out, and one by one, the group got up, eyes closed and bodies swaying as they danced.
"Miss, come join us for a drink," one of the boys grinned, pulling at Elena's hand. His eyes gleamed with desire.
Elena stood up, her gaze cold and calculating. She eyed the boy's neck, still glistening with spilled wine. A sharp glint of silver flickered in her eyes, her fangs subtly growing as she leaned in closer. The blood, so fresh, was tantalizing. It had been too long since she'd tasted new blood.
Before she could make her move, something unexpected happened.
Wham!
A frying pan struck Elena on the back of the head with a loud clunk, nearly knocking off her golden wig.
"Who the hell—?" Elena growled, her fangs flashing in the dim light as she spun around.
Without missing a beat, Damon kicked open the door, holding the frying pan like a weapon, stepping into the room with an icy presence. "What's going on here?" he asked coldly.
The moment Elena saw Damon, her face darkened, though it quickly transformed into a radiant smile as she sprinted toward him, clearly excited to see him. "Damon? It's you! I've been looking for you."
Damon raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk forming at the corners of his lips as he coldly responded, "Looking for me? After you were just eyeing other guys?"
The room was silent as the boys, now slumped on the floor, began to regain their consciousness. Damon had used a misting powder to ensure the boys were knocked out cold.
Elena paused, taken aback by the remark. After a brief hesitation, she reached for a plate of squid strips and attempted to justify herself, "I was thinking of you... and food. I met some on the way and wanted to taste a little."
"Shut up! Enough with the nonsense!" Damon's voice was commanding, his irritation palpable as his presence overwhelmed her.
Elena let out a scoffing laugh and moved toward the door, "Fine. I'll leave then. Off to find something more... fresh to eat."
"Wait. Come back," Damon ordered, his voice softer but still firm.
Elena stopped, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "What now?"
Damon turned to glance out of the window, his dark gaze filled with concern as he spoke without looking back at her. "Go out the back way."
"What? Are you crazy? Why would I listen to you?" Elena scoffed, unwilling to comply. She had no intention of jumping out the window. Not with her current state. She was close to human strength at the moment, and the thought of falling from the window was absurd.
"Do you want to be killed?" Damon's words cut through the air. "I've heard that vampire hunters have already entered Windy City. With your current condition, you won't stand a chance against them."
Elena paused, her expression faltering as the realization hit her. She hadn't known that Windy City had become a hunting ground for vampire hunters. If Damon knew about this, it meant something serious was going on.
"How do you know all this? What else do you know?" Elena asked, her voice tinged with both wariness and curiosity.
Damon grabbed Elena by the collar, effortlessly lifting her off the ground as if she weighed nothing. With a swift motion, he tossed her out the window.
"I'm a history teacher. Don't think I don't know about vampires, even the likes of a drought demon," Damon said, his voice dark and filled with grim humor.
Thud! Elena's form disappeared into the night, leaving behind a strand of golden hair fluttering in the breeze.
Damon shut the window with a soft click and turned to the unconscious boys. He reached into his bag, pulling out a bottle of water and feeding it to each one. The special concoction in the water would help them wake up quickly.
"Mr. Gilbert? What are you doing here? Where's the lady?" one of the boys groggily asked as he regained his senses, still thinking about Elena.
Damon shook his head, feigning ignorance. "I don't know anything about any lady, but with all this fine wine, don't you think you should offer your teacher a drink?"
One of the boys, still intoxicated and excited, slapped Damon on the shoulder and boisterously said, "Mr. Gilbert! What are you doing sitting there? Get up and join us!"
In that moment, a chilling silence fell over the room. The entire atmosphere seemed to freeze.
The boys realized exactly who they were speaking to. It was Mr. Gilbert. They were no longer in a mood for reckless fun. They weren't foolish enough to provoke someone like him.
Before anyone could say another word, there was a knock at the door.
Clerk stood at the entrance, his hand raised as he knocked lightly. "What's going on here? Didn't you all come out to have fun?"
Shawn entered behind Clerk, lifting a glass of red wine to his nose and inhaling the scent. "Mr. Gilbert, is this what Windy City University provides its staff? Drinking alcohol during working hours?"
Damon stood up, glancing at his watch and replying, "I'm here to fetch these students who skipped class. The public lecture starts soon. Sorry, but I have to take my leave. Enjoy yourselves."
"No problem. Safe travels," Clerk said with a warm, friendly smile.
Shawn nodded and gave Clerk a thumbs-up, saying, "Clever! Our legendary, top-ranked VEA official, always on point. You've not only kept the schedule tight, but you've also made us pay for the drinks."
Clerk smiled, though his gaze grew colder. His voice became steely. "In the past six months, there have been constant disappearances of vampires across the country, many of which have ties to Windy City. This has severely affected the reputation of the Vampire Enforcement Agency, breaking the fragile peace between the Vampire Clan and humans. There have even been official complaints from vampires. How ironic is that?"
Shawn stretched lazily in his seat, unfazed. "I get it. That's why you're lowering yourself to be here with us, huh? The great VEA official, slumming it with the likes of us."
Clerk's smile turned cold, his tone growing more serious. "It's no longer just a joke. The situation is deteriorating fast."