He is a Vampire.

Lucille’s POV

 

I looked at the stranger's side profile and Jacob’s side profile and I was hit with a sense of déjà vu.

 

The stranger had the same aura as Ron, and his voice was just a touch different from Ron’s voice—it was lazy and appealing.

 

Jacob was too hurt to speak.

 

He pleaded with his eyes to be released, but I didn't show any pity. I grabbed the stranger's sleeve and he released Jacob, even though I wanted him to bash the bastard’s face.

 

But he would get his retribution. I looked at Danielle and chuckled—he would get it soon.

 

"Come on, Berry. Let's get going," he turned to me and said. I almost melted under his soft gaze. He was handsome, and something told me we knew each other like best friends, or wait...

 

Did he just call me Berry? Only my pen pal—was he my pen pal Davis?

 

"Davis?" I asked.

 

"No longer Davis, baby girl. Call me Vladimir from now on," he corrected as he lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. His kiss electrocuted me, and for a second I was dumbfounded.

 

Everything went silent. I couldn't hear what Jacob was saying. My eyes were only on him as he led me away.

 

When we reached his car, I snapped out of it, wriggling my hand from his grasp.

 

"Davis! I mean Vladimir? How come it's you? Your profile picture wasn’t you?"

 

He threw his head back and laughed. "Lucille, why do you think I would use my real identity with a face like this?" He smirked.

 

I flinched. Who wouldn’t use their real face when we had been talking for months?

 

"You could have just told me," I grumbled. I was pissed at his nerve to surprise me like this, especially now when everything had gone south.

 

"It was a surprise."

 

"Then how did you know I was the one?"

 

It just didn’t add up. We didn’t even exchange photos—or did we?

 

"You sent me a voice note and a picture, baby girl. I don't forget the woman I'm interested in."

 

I raised an eyebrow. "Interested in?"

 

"I don't understand," I said and turned to look at him. He surprised me by placing his lips on mine. I was shocked and didn't know how to react, so I didn't respond to his intense kiss—

 

Especially when deep within me, someone else had already ignited a fire that not even Vladimir, who just walked in, could replace.

 

He suddenly stopped and stared at me. I blinked twice because I saw something like a swirl of red in his pupils, but after blinking, I couldn't see them again.

 

"You had sex? You gave someone your first?" he asked. I sensed rage in his tone, and at first I was confused why he was angry. Then I realized something...

 

I widened my eyes in surprise. "How did..."

 

I gasped as his hand hit the seat beside me.

 

"Answer me, Lucille Walker!" he bellowed.

 

“Why the fuck does it matter to you?” I snapped, pulling back like his words hadn’t just sliced through my ribs. That was scary, and at the same time, strange.

 

His jaw clenched and his eyes flickered in... pain? “Because I waited. I waited for you. And you gave it away to some mutt in a damn hotel room?”

 

“Excuse me?” I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Then scoffed, because the whole thing felt like a prank.

 

Waited for who? Did you ever confess? When did he even show interest?

 

“You—wait. I thought we were pen pals? I remember only contacting you to pick me up. Why does it sound like you’re the one who found me?”

 

I laughed. Not really having the time or day to answer to this.

 

“Lucille...” he called out. A soft sound that drifted into my ears and sent tremors down my spine.

 

Was his voice always this good on audio calls?

 

I crossed my arms and looked the other way, refusing to give in. I waited seconds for him to say something, but he never did. He just started the car and drove off, welcoming an eerie silence.

 

“How have you been coping?” he asked, breaking the silence. I gulped.

 

“Like shit. Can’t even depend on myself,” I told him, and he laughed—a deep, rumbling tone that caused me to shift in my seat. For someone who fucked a freaking Alpha, why was I reacting to my pen pal that I just met?

 

I cursed myself internally for my shamelessness.

 

“We’re going to my house,” he announced, and that was the last of the ride. I even slept, forgetting that Vlad was a stranger I had just met.

 

I woke up with a jolt once the car screeched to a halt. A jacket was draped over me, and my heart melted. I looked at Vlad, but he had already jumped down from the car. I watched him round the car and stand before my door.

 

“It’s time to come down, princess,” he yanked the door open, offering me a hand while giving me the most goofy—but hot—smile. It was a killer for me, because I ended up laughing once I placed my legs on the floor.

 

His home was beautiful. Cold. Expensive—old-money-looking. The type of place that screamed bachelor with money and a lot of assets.

 

“I’ll run you a bath,” he said stiffly, dropping my bag near the stairs, and I was a bit confused. “You look like you need it.”

 

I immediately understood. But I didn’t argue.

 

Once he returned downstairs, he led me into a spacious room that every princess would dream to have. My eyes widened in awe, and before I could even speak, Vlad beat me to it.

 

“I know, it’s beautiful. I prepared this one for you.” There was this proud look when he said that. I scoffed internally.

 

Look at who was looking like he wanted to spit out fire.

 

But what was more shocking was the fact that he prepared this for me. For how long was he anticipating showing this to me? Perhaps I would never know.

 

“It’s beautiful, thank you,” I said politely.

 

“The bath is ready, so you can just go on ahead. I’ll be downstairs to prepare something delicious for us.”

 

Once I was alone, I stripped and stepped into the shower, letting the steam wash me clean of the day’s stress. My hands brushed over my skin. It still tingled from Ron’s touch.

 

God. Why did I think of him now?

 

I got out, wrapped myself in a towel, and walked towards the wardrobe. It was massive and black. Minimalistic. I loved it.

 

I dried off and slipped into a chair. It smelled so much like him—exactly something he was capable of doing to keep me close.

 

I was halfway into brushing my hair when I heard a loud bang from downstairs. I froze, listening in for it, in case it was just my imagination.

 

But then I heard it again, this time with a loud guttural growl that caused a tightening in my chest.

 

I didn’t know what came over me, but I rushed downstairs, my heart pounding—only for my feet to halt the moment I saw them.

 

Vladimir and Ron fighting, looking like mad dogs. But still hot.

 

Ron growled like an animal, while Vladimir bared his teeth that dripped with rage. It was all going haywire, and if I didn’t do something, I was sure it was going to get messy.

 

“Stop!” I screamed, but as if my words were breeze, they weren’t heard.

 

Ron shoved Vlad into the wall, shattering the neat shelves. Vlad tackled him, sending them both crashing into the coffee table.

 

“I said STOP! Goddamn it!” I ran between them, arms outstretched—only for Ron’s fist to almost kiss my eye if he hadn’t immediately stopped. His eyes softened the moment they landed on me, and he recoiled.

 

“Come to me,” he said in a gruff tone, extending a hand. I stared at it, confused.

 

“No. Why am I coming to you? I am not an object to be moved around,” I stood my ground and glared at him. He was the one who came in violently.

 

“You don’t understand—”

 

“No, Ron. You don’t. You can’t just demand that I come—”

 

“He is a bloody vampire!”