The night guards bowed when he walked in the humongous building.

They didn't try to engage him in any conversation because they could see the red flags on their young master. He  seemed more distraught than usual.

Over the edge.. . .

One slight push and he would kill.

Damien pushed back his jet black hair angrily, the deep blue eyes troubled. He didn't even bother using his power to reach the office in one blink of the eye. Instead he was. . . walking.

Making her wait.

If she was going to pull him in without his consent then he was going to do everything to irk her. But knowing her, it was hard to do just that.

It was hard to put frowns on her forehead.

The blood castle was the same the last time he remembered. Only he knew why it was called that.The castle served more like an office , a running body of government than a castle . The grand building was a sight to behold . The marble having a tinge of red to it as if speaking of it's residents. The enormous fountain , the oak doors welcoming everyone. .upon entering everyone could see the framed pictures of the royal family. One generation after the other.

Treaties, conventions , laws. .every important document was right on the wall for everyone to see.

Vampire workers were rushing in and out of the building, no one dared cross his path or tried to talk to him. Everyone kept a wary eye on his frame.

Everyone knew better .

The young man was . . unpredictable.

Unreachable.

Unreadable.

As he reached her office , he didn't bother knocking on the black door. Nor did the secretary sitting outside tried to tell him to do so. In fact she acted as if he wasn't here. Tapping away on her laptop nervously.

But the slight blush on her face was giving away her uneasiness

No matter how he put fear in others, he still couldn't get over it. The feeling of making people feel unstable. .the want to run towards him and then run away from him.

He made everyone run away from him except her, he grimaced visibly.

Entering the office , he shut the door behind him.

The woman occupying the chair behind the mahogany table lifted her eyes from the documents in front of her. The hair as black as her opponent. The eyes as blue as him. She was beautiful , the kind of beauty that demanded instant respect. Staring at him, she closed the file .

"What do you want?" He asked ,more like snapped. Annoyance underlying his voice.

And she clasped her hands together , tucking her chin on top. Looking at the handsome man standing with a slight glare , his hand in the jeans pocket . .the black button down shirt contrasting against his pale skin. Anyone with eyes could see the beauty he hold was unbearable and that wasn't even half of what he had.

"I'm hearing strange things , Damien." She said as she watched him walk towards the big French windows that overlooked the beautiful garden of the building.

"About what?" The moonlight was hitting on his face making him look even more ethereal.

Sighing, she stood up . . pushing the chair back and standing up in one swift movement . In the blink of an eye she was standing right beside him. . looking out of the window.

"About strange tales of priests being burned alive. Throats slit, left to bleed out to death. " She said calmly.

"What's that got to do with me?" He shrugged carelessly.

"It has got everything to do with you, my dear brother. I'm not interested in the murders . What I want to know is the why? Why priests Damien?" She asked casually.

For a moment there was silence .

A semi comfortable silence until he spoke.

"I hate the way they try to portray me as the devil. As someone who should be feared and loathed. Someone who don't have the right over anything. They sit in their ivory castles and give certificates of sainthood to people. Deciding who should and shouldn't enter the cathedral." At his burning tone she nodded slightly.

"Now if you keep on killing people ...leaving a bloody trail of grisly murders then of course they will loath us Damien." She said softly.

He turned his eyes on her, the only living blood he had.

"Is that so? Then let them loath me for my face will be the last thing they see." His voice turned dark.

She didn't say anything , just kept staring out.

"I understand your . . sentiments. But do not make situation difficult for me Damien. I expect help from my brother. Running this country is not easy with a bloodthirsty brother ." Her voice was dry. " You can't go around killing priests. I won't allow that. I can't. "

"I know your rat Elliot told you everything , sister but here I'm telling you. I won't stop. " The finality in his voice was cut throat.

"Why this Vengeance Damien? Why this hatred? Everyone hates humans but not like you do. " She turned towards him now, looking at the only bloodline she had. The only brother she had, the only family she had.

His jawline sharpened.

"I want—i want to see myself in the mirror, Darsana. I want to walk in the daylight. I want to—" he stopped as if realizing he said too much. Frustrated, he pushed his hand in his hair. .the royal blue ring glinting in the moonlight.

She caught his wrist in an iron grip, startling him.

Taking his hand in hers, her eyes fell on the ring in his finger. All human eyes could see was a simple band of Royal blue color but for vampires it meant royalty. Many rogue vampires tried to replicate the ring, trying to fool people into thinking they were royalty.

"Whether you like it or don't , it doesn't matter. It will never mater. .in front of this seat nothing matters Damien except that you have responsibilities. You have a whole community looking at you. "

She stopped when he pulled his hand back.

She knew her brother had led a hard lonely life . It wasn't easy for her to watch her brother slither into a lonely life. Darsana knew how he trapped humans . .with his allure, his glamour. He knew no one could resist him.

But that was for humans.

In reality , she knew how his brother was.

"As a Freniere, I expect better from you. I do not want to see another clipping in the newspaper. I do not want to—"

"Stop siccing Elliot on me." He said like he didn't hear her.

"Then be a good child and I won't. This is the last time I'm warning you Damien. I will not give warning the next time."

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He took the Virgin Mary shot.

His throat burning a little but he liked a burn in his drinks.  A slight kick back.

He downed even more shots.

The alcohol was numbing down his anger and hostility towards . .well everyone.

His sister for always being pompous and berating him. Reminding him how wrong he was and how right she was.

For humans who were as hateful towards his being as he was towards theirs.

For Eliot who couldn't seem to get off his tail.

For the woman who was eyeing him up and down from quite some time. . .and she was a vampire.

Damien could see the glamour on her , the trance she was trying to put him into. Guess it was her bad luck because his powers ran higher than hers.

No one could put a royal in trance.

No one could use glamour on a royal.

A blue blood.

He smirked at her, wishing he could get drunk like these bloody humans who were occupying the club. Too bad vampires couldn't get drunk to down their misery. The club La Renta was a very. .special one. Where humans and vampires mixed and mingled with each other, hiding away from the government. Trying to rebel. Trying to rebuke the idea that humans and vampires can't be together under the same roof. The club was modern with monochromatic pattern. The disco lights bouncing around the dance floor as both species intermingled with each other. Blood was served openly in wine glasses. .some of them were spiked with special drugs to hype up the ecstasy.

Several women had come his way , waiting to be acknowledged but he just wasn't in the mood. All he wanted was God damn alcohol to numb him down.

Sex wasn't on his mind.

The woman was now catwalking towards him with a sly smile. Hips swishing left and right. Gaining eyes instantly .The blonde hair flying around , the black skirt outshining her curvy figure. Seated in a stool,  he watched her coolly .

She was sending them his way.

The scent of pheromones sent his way to cloud his judgment. He could see she was using her power to pull him in. The sex hormones were trying to attack him everywhere.

"Hey handsome." She winked , leaning against the marble shelf. .her elbows tucking on the edges of the shelf. .her dark rimmed eyes sizing him up and liking what she saw.

All he did was smile.

And she sensed it as yes.

"You looked lonely so I thought. . .," She trailed off from a dramatic affect.

Amusing him further.

Tilting his head to a side , he looked in her eyes that was drinking him up.

"I'm always lonely. "

She grinned , pushing herself to stand straighter now. .ruffling her blond hair a little.

Bolder than before, she ate the distance between them. .the two feet distance . .her breasts nearly touching his torso. .she lifted her manicured hand and placed it on his thigh. .

Impassively, he watched her as if she was an interesting insect.

"May be you should spice up your loneliness a bit. .spice up your life . .," Her voice turned hoarse . .her hand sliding up his thigh. .

His gaze flickered towards her inching hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. " He said softly.

She bit her bottom lip with a devilish grin.

"And why ever not? Tell you what. .I can do it right here right now. All I gotta do is pull my dress up." She winked. And then her voice dropped down a few octaves . " You can check if I'm wearing panties or not."

The smile on his face was breathtaking. The swoon on her face palpable.

"Tell you what. . .walk away while you still can. " He said , snatching her hand off of his thigh and letting it go as if it repulsed him.

She pouted .

His midnight blue eyes looked around at the pulsing club. Bored down to the bones. His eyes sweeping the dance floor. Everyone was having fun, dancing on beats and yelling for no reason and—

That's when he saw her.

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