Chapter 11: Damien 11
Adeline took a deep breath, releasing her grip on her friend's head. "This man behind me is not my boyfriend. We are not dating."
Evelyn's smile faded slightly. "What?" she asked, confused. "Then who is he? And why on earth are you staying with him?"
Adeline hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Enzo, who hadn't moved from his spot but seemed to be watching the two of them with mild amusement. She turned back to Evelyn. "He's the one who saved me." She explained, gesturing at her bandaged arm. "If it weren't for him, I'm not even sure I'd be alive right now."
"As for why I'm staying with him... It's... complicated. But I'm totally safe with him, I promise. You don't have to worry."
Evelyn scanned Enzo again with a skeptical look, this time really taking in his appearance. Her gaze met his blue eyes, and she froze for a second when he flashed her a charming smile. She quickly turned back to Adeline, leaning closer. "If you say so. If you trust him, then… I guess I trust him too. But I swear, Adeline, if anything happens to you—"
Adeline chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Nothing's going to happen," she reassured her.
Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a phone that looked brand new. "I got a new phone and number since I dropped my old one when I was attacked," she said with a sheepish grin, handing it to Evelyn. "Here, take it down."
Evelyn nodded, pulling out her own phone. "What about your family? Aren't they going to wonder where you are? Won't they be worried?"
"No!" Adeline said quickly, waving her hands frantically in front of her. "They don't need to know. Not yet, at least. Evelyn, you can't tell anyone about this or that I even visited you. You have to keep everything that happened this morning a secret, alright? Please."
Evelyn frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. "Adeline…."
"Please," Adeline repeated. "Just keep this between us for now. It's safer this way. I'll explain everything when the time is right."
Evelyn wanted to question further, but since it was Adeline, she decided not to. She was her best friend, and she trusted her. "All right, I'll keep quiet."
Relieved, Adeline smiled and hugged her again. "Thank you."
When they pulled away, Evelyn marched past Adeline, her eyes locked onto Enzo as she headed straight for him with a serious expression. As Evelyn approached, his eyes met hers, and he pushed off the wall, standing up straight.
Evelyn stopped just a step away and crossed her arms, attempting to look as threatening as possible despite the insane height difference. She pointed over her shoulder at Adeline and began, "That girl right there is my best friend. Since she's going to be staying with you for now, you better make sure she's safe. I mean it—not even a scratch, got it? If anything happens to her because of you, we're going to have a big problem."
Enzo raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching as he suppressed a laugh. He stared down at the human, studying her for a short moment before nodding curtly. "I understand."
—----
Damien Laureati, a towering muscular man, sat in a massive chair that resembled a throne. The room was barely furnished, with only the essentials: a grand desk, a towering bookcase, and a chandelier above, with a single lit candle on his desk. His long, shoulder-length hair was tied into a bun, and he had a scar that ran from his jaw to his neck.
Though his physical appearance resembled that of a man in his early sixties by human standards, Damien was far older—nearly five centuries old in vampire years.
Before him stood a trembling man, his head bowed low and his shoulders shaking slightly. Damien held a fountain pen in his hand, his grip tightening around it as the man before him delivered the news.
"What do you mean that Enzo hasn't replied to any of the letters? Are you sure they were delivered to the human world?"
The man nodded quickly, his voice trembling as he answered, "Y-yes, my lord. I personally delivered the first letter to Andrei just last week. Since there was no response, I delivered another earlier today."
A loud crack filled the room as Damien's hand snapped the pen in half. Ink spilled onto his fingers, but he paid it no mind. His chest rose and fell with anger as he slammed his fist down on the desk, causing the candle to flicker violently. "How dare that brat ignore me!" he roared, rising from his chair. His shadow completely enveloped the trembling man, making him feel even smaller than he already was. "Does he not realize how little time is left?"
Damien began pacing, waving his hand around as he spoke, "He has barely a year before it's time for me to step down. How does he think he'll become a good ruler if he wastes his time running around in the human world instead of preparing here? Or does he think he can just waltz in and take the throne without learning what it means to lead?"
He stopped suddenly, turning his glare on the man before him. "Do you think I want to be dealing with this now? I've ruled for centuries—this is his responsibility, and he's ignoring it like a child!"
Though his words sounded like complaints, the man dared not respond, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. He knew better than to speak when Damien was in this mood.
"Do you know what this means?" Damien asked. "It means he doesn't respect me. His father! That insolent little thing!"
The vampire world was very different from the human one. While humans had governments and nations, the vampire world was unified under a single ruler, which was Damien Laureati. This world was smaller, and its leadership passed down through bloodlines.
Damien had the ability to travel freely between the vampire and human worlds. This was a privilege only rulers possessed, and once they got it, their offspring would also have the same ability. It was this power that had allowed Enzo to live among humans for years.
The vampires from Enzo's world aren't bound by the typical weaknesses often seen in other myths. While human blood is more satisfying and potent for them, they can sustain themselves entirely on animal blood without issue. Another unique aspect of these vampires is their immunity to sunlight, enabling them to walk in daylight just as humans do. This allows Enzo to blend into the human world, moving around freely at any time of day without fear of harm.
Damien resumed pacing, running a hand through his hair. Finally, he stopped and faced the trembling man once again. "Send him another letter. Tell him that he had better return immediately. If I have to step foot in the human world to drag him back myself, he will regret making me do it."
The man nodded frantically, bowing even lower and slowly backing away towards the door. "Yes, my lord." Without another word, he turned on his heel and bolted out of the room.