"Ahem." Damon cleared his throat twice, offering a subtle warning to the two small beasts inside before striding in with slow, deliberate steps.
Inside the house, Elysia sprang into action, her claws bared as she lunged at Damon.
Damon raised an eyebrow slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as he spoke softly, "Dare to make a move, and I'll send you to ashes."
"..."
Bang!
The sound of a heavy object crashing echoed through the room.
Elysia's head jerked to the side, her body slamming into the door behind Damon. She clung to it with both hands as she slowly slid down, a trickle of fresh blood leaking from her nostrils.
To think that a former Vampire Clan war god like her had just been struck down by a human!
Damon paid her no mind, calmly changing into slippers at the entrance.
He moved through the house as if he were walking in his own home, casually observing the layout—first the master bedroom, then the guest rooms, study, and finally the bathroom.
He untied his cufflinks, strolling into the kitchen.
Elena, her presence now cooled, sat with an inscrutable expression. Her dark eyes sparkled like the ocean at night, reflecting countless fleeting glimmers.
Ever since Damon walked in, her mood had turned… strange, complicated even, tinged with subtle conflict and unease.
It was an odd feeling, one she had never experienced before, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. Even though this man was always so detached, his coldness seemingly innate.
Elysia, recovering from the blow, bared her fangs and shot Damon a mischievous look. "So this is your benefactor? Not bad. He looks slimmer in clothes, but take them off, and he's got some muscle."
Elena tossed a pair of sunglasses at Elysia, her gaze unwavering and serious. "Listen carefully. He's mine. And stop ogling him."
In the Vampire Clan, every vampire was fiercely territorial, especially when it came to prey.
For pureblood vampires, love was about possession, control, ownership—just like with prey.
Reluctantly, Elysia put on the sunglasses, wiping the blood from her nose as she walked towards the bathroom. "Fine, fine. I won't look. But honestly, what's the big deal? Men are all the same once they take their clothes off. One look won't cost you a thing."
She couldn't stay looking like a bloodied mess in front of a handsome man—it was a matter of dignity.
Elena walked into the kitchen, pretending nothing was amiss, and asked casually, "What brings you here?"
Damon rolled up his sleeves, picked up a frying pan, and weighed it in his hand. His voice was calm, but carried a hint of an edge. "Are you coming back with me willingly, or should I knock you out and carry you back?"
Elena paused by the glass window, her reflection framed in the transparent surface. The cool light softened the sharpness of her features, making her look even more regal, yet the expression in her eyes darkened slightly. "What if I don't want to go back?"
She couldn't forget Damon's speech at the symposium the previous day, nor the passionate kiss that had followed.
Furthermore, she was the leader of the Vampire Clan, burdened with the responsibility of her position, while he was the Vampire Clan's ultimate nemesis—a born vampire hunter.
They weren't meant to grow too close, not unless the Vampire Clan and humanity could one day make peace. Or, at the very least, unless humans ceased hunting and experimenting on vampires.
Damon set the frying pan down and walked over to Elena, standing beside her. "Want to hear a third option?"
"Go ahead." Elena, for now, chose to entertain his suggestion.
Damon leaned casually against the windowsill, his long fingers tracing the smooth marble surface. His voice was light, almost indifferent, but with an underlying layer of dark amusement. "One life for another. You and Elysia, choose. I've spent a lot of company funds on this, and I need to give the higher-ups an excuse for reimbursement."
"Are you threatening me?" Elena frowned slightly. She was at a disadvantage, weakened by her current condition. Damon could easily end them both.
"Sort of." Damon's response was casual, the two words as light as air.
"You can't kill her. The money is mine." Elena reluctantly compromised.
"Hmm, money under her name?" Damon chuckled, a sound that held no sincerity. "Miss Elena, I could accuse you of embezzling my funds."
"..."
Elena's expression darkened.
Had he just given her the card, only to reverse his stance now?
Elysia, overhearing the back-and-forth, couldn't help but interject. "Elena, what's with this cold-blooded human? Is he a lawyer?"
"No." Elena shook her head. "He's a teacher. Currently at Windy City University."
"Leaking personal information, that's an additional charge. Also, can someone explain what 'cold-blooded' means? If not, I'll have to add defamation to the list." Damon's eyes, though cool, now shifted to Elysia.
Elysia immediately shielded her eyes with her hands, pretending to be blind, and began feeling her way toward the living room. Damn it! A former Vampire Clan war god was now cowering before a human?
Elena's face was full of exasperation. Was this really the same proud war god she once knew? Where had that arrogance gone?
Damon glanced at his watch, his voice carrying a subtle hint of impatience. "How much longer do you need to think? You don't have much time."
The Vampire Clan's presence they'd just radiated was enough to draw the attention of other hunters, like Shawn or Clerk, perhaps more.
Elena shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't care. The money's mine, so don't count it against Elysia. As for money or my life, you can decide."
"You really are a scoundrel." Damon's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing with hidden intent.
"Who cares?" Elena shrugged carelessly, her dark eyes briefly flashing with a silver gleam. "Anyway, the Vampire Clan and humans signed a peace treaty thousands of years ago."
"So?" Damon raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He was curious to see what this defiant little blood beast would do next.
Elena's eyes grew colder as she continued. "As long as we vampires don't harm humans, and you can't catch us killing humans on the spot, even as vampire hunters, you can't act against us. Otherwise, you're instigating war. It's a declaration of war against the Vampire Clan."
"I know." Damon's lips curled into a faint, detached smile, as if the conversation didn't bother him at all.
Elena's eyes locked with his. "It's settled, then."
Damon stood still, his voice soft but resolute. "Once spoken, it cannot be undone."
"Then why are you still standing here?" Elena glanced at him.
"Waiting for you to go home." Damon's voice remained calm, unruffled.
Elena's expression shifted, her lips curving slightly in confusion. Home? That was not her home.
Elysia, having had enough of the increasingly tense conversation, couldn't help herself and decided to chime in. "Your Majesty Elena, are you showing off your romance now? My ears are about to sprout calluses. How about we call it a night and see each other another day?"
Truthfully, this human wasn't bad-looking. The scent was probably good too. She might as well keep him around and enjoy him slowly.