"Friends? Of course!" His hand, which had been gripping the steering wheel, lifted slightly into the air, hovering in a half-open gesture as if waiting for me to take it.
Hesitating for a moment, I reached out and grasped his cold hand. He leaned back against the car seat, letting out a soft sigh, as if he were confirming something important, and gently squeezed the back of my hand.
The tranquility felt strangely magical, as if the kind of energy that only alcohol could evoke was stirring within me. I could almost sense the loneliness and melancholy that enveloped him in the dark of night.
Suddenly, he let go of my hand and quickly grabbed a tissue from the car's storage compartment, pressing it to his eyes.
Watching him wipe away tears, I could feel a pang of heartache in him. But this heartache was inexplicable because—his heart had long stopped beating.
I turned slightly, unable to resist placing my hand on his chest. A faint, otherworldly yellow glow emanated from my palm, and I could clearly hear his lifeless heart begin to thump.
A chaotic, ancient scene flashed through my mind—bloody battles, desperate pain, the cold flutter of a white lace skirt, and a gleaming, ancient long sword...
It all passed by in a blur, like a thief glimpsing into a forbidden realm. Uneasy, I quickly withdrew my hand, and his chest returned to its lifeless stillness.
Yet, it felt as though I had just experienced a world-shattering dream, the images still lingering in my mind.
For a moment, it was as if our souls had intimately connected.
He didn't seem surprised, nor did he scold me for my boldness. Instead, he simply furrowed his brows slightly, smiled, and tossed the tissue stained with crimson, blood-stained tears out the car window.
I stared at my hand in shock, realizing that his ring was now on my finger.
What the hell? What the hell? I hurriedly took off the ring and stuffed it into my pocket, unsure whether it was my own power that had triggered his heartbeat or the ring's.
The atmosphere inside the car was eerily strange, charged with an intimacy as if we had just shared a passionate kiss.
Though the air felt frozen by his presence, my ears burned fiercely, and my heart raced uncontrollably, leaving me weak and slumped in the seat as if my soul had been drained away.
If he had suddenly leaned over and bitten my neck, I probably would have obediently stretched it out for him to feed.
I couldn't help but let out a light cough, confirming I was still alive, and then exhaled in relief.
The rearview mirror reflected my panicked, fluttering phoenix-like eyes. My slightly curled black hair looked like tangled seaweed, disheveled and wild, hanging loosely. After the interrogation at the police station, my face was pale and haggard. My once stunning, delicate oval face now looked dull and lifeless next to this thousand-year-old vampire demon.
I frowned awkwardly. It's true—you really shouldn't sit next to someone too beautiful, or you'll end up looking plain by comparison!
A woman's jealousy began to stir within me, bubbling up uncontrollably. Thankfully, there was the difference in gender, or else I might have thrown a coat over him and turned him into an ugly pighead.
As for his gender, he should probably be called a "male vampire creature." Since he's a ghost, he doesn't count as a man!
The thought of his vampire ugliness actually made me feel a bit more at ease and balanced. I let out a long sigh, and my mood gradually eased.