Still, I straightened my spine and took a determined step toward the door, a fiery resolve burning in my chest. "No more complaints," I told myself firmly. "Time to figure out what's next."
Just as I was about to raise my hand to turn the doorknob, the door swung open abruptly, narrowly missing my face. I instinctively stepped back just in time to avoid a collision.
"Jade!" exclaimed a woman in a fitted, expensive Channel gown. Her short brown hair framed her face, and her deep ocean-blue eyes brimmed with tears as she threw herself at me, wrapping me in a tight hug.
I stiffened, utterly unprepared for the embrace. To be honest, I hated hugs. But what could I do? As the goddess of revenge, I felt strangely powerless in this moment. Now that I was confined to a mortal body, my divine powers were sealed unless absolutely necessary. It meant I had to live as a human, something that didn't come easily to me. Still, I always managed to adapt, it wasn't the first time I'd descended to Earth to carry out divine punishment.
"You scared me so much!" Kira cried, her voice trembling as she clung to me with surprising strength.
Her hold tightened, and I felt a twinge of panic as the embrace bordered on suffocating. I gently pried her arms away from me, which wasn't easy given how weak this mortal body was compared to my true form.
Kira was Jade's best friend from high school and also her secretary at the company. I knew this because I now possessed all of Jade's memories.
"I'm fine now," I said, forcing a smile. It wasn't heartfelt, but it seemed necessary. The former Jade smiled often, even when she was unhappy. Though she had a soft personality, I was here to change that. Her family had no idea what was coming for them, they were about to meet the devil herself. For now, however, I decided to play the part of the sweet, compliant Jade for Kira's sake.
"Your family was so worried," Kira continued, her voice tinged with concern. "The accident wasn't a coincidence. Someone tampered with your car at the airport. It's like they didn't want you to reach your family. They wanted you dead!" Her tone hardened as she placed her hands firmly on my shoulders. "But don't worry, whoever did this will be caught soon. The case has already been reported to the police."
"Good," I replied with a nod. While I didn't have much faith in mortal authorities, they were the best option for now. Without access to my divine powers, I had no choice but to rely on them to deal with this attempted murder.
"But… how did you escape?" Kira asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Your car was found in the river, but you were nowhere to be found. Then, out of nowhere, your workers call me to say you're home. They even said they saw you lying on your bed when they went to clean the room. Nobody saw you come in. How is that possible?"
So, he brought Jade home. He even knows where she lives. How fascinating. A sly smirk tugged at the corners of my lips as I pieced the situation together.
"I don't know either," I lied, feigning a thoughtful expression. "Maybe my parents' spirits are protecting me. I can't remember much about what happened, but I'm just grateful to God for sparing my life."
Kira stared at me, her gaze probing, but I met her eyes with calm composure. She seemed reluctant to accept my vague answer, but what choice did she have?
"Anyways," I continued, brushing aside the topic, "get me ready to meet my father's family. There's a lot I need to discuss with them, and I don't want to waste any more time."
Kira blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Of course," she said quickly, nodding. My words had clearly brought her back to the present moment. "I'll go get the maids to help you."
With a warm smile, she turned and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
______________
Tristan D'Leon POV
Sitting in my study, I allowed the darkness to engulf me. The curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the outside world, leaving the flickering flame of a single candle on my desk as the only source of light. Dressed in a crisp white shirt that clung to my chest, revealing the ridges of my abs and the intricate rose tattoo etched on my skin, I swirled a glass of blood wine lazily in one hand.
Jade Sinclair.
The name lingered on my tongue like poison, though her scent had been anything but bitter. It was sweet, warm, and intoxicating, an aroma that had stirred something primal within me. It had taken every ounce of my self-control not to sink my fangs into her delicate neck, to resist the urge to drain her dry.
I could have ended her last night, extinguished her life as easily as snuffing out the candle before me. But I hadn't.
There was something about her, something that made me pause.
She'd been a challenge, one I hadn't expected to enjoy.
"Fuck me hard." Those were the words she'd whispered, desperate, as if her very existence depended on it. It was almost laughable, the way she offered herself to me, as though her body was her only currency.
Perhaps she thought it was her way of repaying me for saving her. Saving her, yet again.
This wasn't the first time. Years ago, I'd saved her from the fire that had claimed her parents' lives. I hadn't done it out of the kindness of my heart, I had my reasons. I need the Sinclair family heirloom, my creator and lover most treasured item.
I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tightening around the stem of the glass.
A deep growl rumbled in my chest as I took another sip of the blood wine, letting the thick, coppery liquid coat my tongue.
The heirloom was mine to claim now. Whatever its power, whatever its purpose, I would uncover it. And if Jade Sinclair was the key, I wouldn't hesitate to use her. Not only am I interested in the heirloom because of it's power but because it was my creator most cherished treasure during her life time.
"You're distracted," came a voice from the doorway, pulling me from my thoughts.
I didn't bother looking up. "What do you want, Valen?"
My second-in-command strolled into the room with his usual casual grace, his black leather boots silent against the marble floor. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his broad chest, a knowing smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"You've got work to do," Valen said, raising an eyebrow. "Yet here you are, hiding in the dark. What's the matter, Tris?"
Before I could reply, Valen moved to the window and pulled back the heavy curtains.
The sun hit me like a whip.
A sharp, searing pain spread across my skin as if I were being burned alive. My body convulsed, and I let out an agonized cry as I fell to my knees, clutching at my chest.
Valen's expression shifted instantly, his smirk replaced by shock and alarm. He hurriedly yanked the curtains shut, casting the room back into blessed darkness.
"What the hell just happened?" he demanded, kneeling beside me. "How are you affected by the sun? That's impossible!"
Breathing heavily, I raised a trembling hand to my neck. The chain. The jade pendant that had always hung there, a love token from my lover and also a talisman that protected me from the sun's deadly rays was gone.
"You lost it?" Valen's voice was filled with disbelief. His wide eyes met mine, his usual confidence replaced by something close to fear.
I closed my eyes, piecing together the events of last night.
Jade.
Her scent. Her touch. Her body.
For a century, I had abstained, honoring the memory of my mate, the vampire who had been both my ancestor and my lover. She had died a terrible death, and I had vowed never to betray her memory.
But last night, with Jade, I had broken that vow.
Could it be possible? Could the pendant have transferred to her? When I first slept with my mate, I had absorbed the pendant's power from her. Could the same have happened with Jade?
Or had I simply lost it in the chaos?