Chapter 176

I didn’t want to go home after that encounter—Mom was there, and I knew I’d end up taking out my frustration on her. The park seemed like the best place to cry my eyes out in peace.

Petty humans…

I will marry your mother, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Damien’s words echoed in my head on repeat. I hadn’t expected him to be soft or gentle—he was a businessman, after all, someone who had made his fortune in just five years. But the way he spoke to me… he hadn’t just been arrogant. He had been cold. Unfeeling. Like an entirely different person.

How was I supposed to explain this to Mom? Gwen was already so deep in her fantasy romance, she couldn’t recognize a red flag if it slapped her in the face. Damien claimed to love her—but we both knew it wasn’t about that. We had no money, no status, no influence. There was no reason for a wealthy vampire to get involved with someone like her.

So why?

What the hell did he want?

⸻

“Watch out!”

I barely had time to register the warning before a ball came flying toward me. I braced for impact, eyes shut—waiting for pain. But it never came.

I opened my eyes to see someone standing in front of me, tall and lean, shielding me with ease.

“That was a close call,” he said smoothly.

One glance at him, and I knew. He was beautiful. Like model-agency beautiful. The kind of guy who made you forget your own name.

Some kids rushed over to apologize and scurried off with their ball. I kept staring at the man.

I didn’t know much about Incubi—never talked to the ones at school—but there was always that scent around them. It clung to the air like warm syrup, thick and dizzying. Some claimed it acted like an aphrodisiac. Too much of it, and you’d lose your mind, desperate to be close to them.

He sat beside me, leaving just enough space for comfort. Blond hair, blue eyes, sharp features—he was the picture of “dangerously attractive.” For a while, we said nothing.

Then finally, he spoke. “Is there a reason you’re crying in a children’s park?”

I quickly wiped my eyes, trying to erase any evidence of tears. “Family issues,” I muttered. Was I really about to spill my problems to a total stranger? Maybe. I hadn’t had a real conversation with anyone in forever. My only two friends were now dating each other. My life was truly a joke.

“My mom’s getting married,” I said. “To a vampire.”

“Is it the marriage part that bothers you,” he asked, “or that he’s a vampire?”

“Both.”

“Liar.”

I turned to glare at him. His eyes were so blue they almost didn’t seem real.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re one of those.”

“One of what?”

“Racist.”

“Okay, fuck you—I am not racist.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“He… he’s dangerous, okay? I just know he is. He wants something—I don’t know what—but he’s not marrying my mom out of love. That much I’m sure of.”

He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Hmm.”

He didn’t roll his eyes or dismiss me. He didn’t accuse me of being paranoid, like everyone else. He just listened. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant everything in that moment.

“You could be right,” he said, “or you could be exaggerating. Either way, you’re allowed to feel how you feel. It’s valid.”

I blinked at him, stunned. No one had ever said that to me before.

Mom never listened. Evan had labeled me delusional. And Daisy? She’d always needed to be the main character in everyone else’s story. I just hadn’t seen it until recently.

“My name’s Aaron, by the way.”

“Elizabeth. But just call me Liz.”

“Alright, Liz. Want to grab a drink?”

⸻

When Aaron said “a drink,” I thought he meant coffee or soda—not a dimly lit bar that definitely didn’t serve cappuccinos.

“I don’t drink,” I told him, pushing the glass away. The bartender whispered something, and Aaron rolled his eyes.

“It’s not strong. You’re of age, aren’t you?” He gave me a once-over. “It’d be fucking weird if you weren’t.”

“I’m eighteen.”

“Then you’re good, princess.”

He didn’t pressure me. Even when he offered again, he didn’t push it. He was just chill. The kind of person who let you be yourself.

Eventually, I gave in. Took a sip. It burned—but not in a bad way. It was sweet, warm, and left me feeling floaty. “Can I have another?”

“Just one more.”

I drank the next one just as fast. When I asked for a third, Aaron refused. We ended up talking about a bunch of random stuff—nothing important. And still, it was one of the best conversations I’d had in years.

How sad was that?

At some point, Aaron’s gaze flicked behind me. His expression changed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I thought I saw my younger brother. Stay here—I’ll be right back.”

I nodded and watched him leave. A few minutes passed. Then I signaled the bartender.

“Can I get another drink?”

“Sure.”

I don’t know how long I stayed at the bar, but eventually, I realized Aaron wasn’t coming back. Maybe he’d forgotten about me. Or maybe he just didn’t care.

I was dizzy by then—barely walking straight—but I managed to stumble out of the bar on sheer willpower. I pulled out my phone and dialed Mom’s number with shaking fingers.

“Mom?” I whispered. The line was quiet. “Can you… please come pick me up? I’m at…” I squinted at the neon sign over the door. “The No Man’s Bar. It’s near the park. Downtown.”

“Are you drunk?”

I froze. That voice wasn’t Gwen’s.

“You!” My voice sharpened. “Why do you have my mom’s phone?”

“This is my number,” Damien said coldly.

I hung up immediately.

Fine. Whatever. I’d just walk until I found a cab. Except walking was easier said than done when the world was spinning.

Thirty minutes later, I hadn’t made it far. I was leaning against… something. A wall? A trash can? Who knew.

That’s when an expensive car pulled up beside me. The tinted window slid down.

Damien.

Same icy expression he always wore when no one else was looking. “Get in,” he said.

I wanted to tell him to go to hell. But I knew he’d leave me there without a second thought. As much as I hated him, he wouldn’t hurt me—not yet. Not when he still needed whatever it was he was after.

I got in.

He drove in silence. I could’ve left it there. We could’ve ignored each other like usual.

But no. Of course he had to speak.

“You’re pathetic. Surely you know that.”

This motherfucker.