Suddenly, Michael clapped his hands together and, rubbing them, said:
"I didn't really want to do this, but you're not leaving me any other choice."
His pupils flared with golden light, releasing a powerful wave of energy so strong that even Lucien tensed slightly.
"Now get out of here while I'm still in a good mood," Michael said in a deep, bass voice.
"RUN!" they screamed, bolting into the nearest alley.
Michael's eyes stopped glowing. He turned around and gestured politely toward the café entrance.
"Actions like that make guys even more attractive," Ellie whispered softly into Lily's ear.
A faint blush appeared on Lily's face, and her gaze dropped to the floor. In her family, adult topics were never discussed — and she herself had never been in a relationship before.
[Alley Behind the Café]
"Did you see that guy's eyes? I'm never looking into them again," one of the men gasped.
The gang leader grabbed him by the collar and yanked him closer.
"Listen up, half the district's afraid of us. We'll take down that damn brute. Just because we ran doesn't mean we're cowards. It was a tactical retreat."
But fear filled his body too — that gaze had been like the eyes of a starving wild beast, ready to tear him apart at any moment.
[Inside the Café]
The girls entered. The scent of coffee and aromatic candles on the tables filled the air. There weren't too many people, so there were plenty of tables to choose from.
After walking a few meters from the entrance, they chose a small table tucked away in the corner.
"So strange… could it be that I finally have friends?„ flickered through Lily's mind.
Hanging their coats on the chair backs, they sat down. The very next moment, a sweet girl of about eighteen approached them.
Her short chestnut hair, streaked with white, immediately drew attention, and her waitress outfit perfectly emphasized her figure.
"Good afternoon, welcome to our café. What will you be ordering?" she said, holding a notepad and an ink pen.
"Four cups of coffee, please," Ellie replied.
The girl quickly jotted down the order and walked toward the kitchen.
"Lucie, why are you so quiet today?" Ellie asked, resting her chin in her hands.
"I'm just not interested. Besides, I've got plenty to do," Lucien answered.
"You? Busy? I don't believe it. I get more done on my day off than you ever do," Michael laughed.
"I remember when we used to work together — I always had to wake you up. Every morning I'd be pounding on your door, waiting for you to come out. Sometimes so hard we had to replace the door," he added.
The corners of Lucien's lips twitched upward, his serious face softening into a faint smile.
"You two worked together?" Lily asked.
Neither Michael nor Lucien had time to answer before Ellie jumped in:
"Yes! They were the best duo in the White Siren organization. Every demon knew their names — though none lived long enough to tell the tale. They're still considered the strongest pair ever. Until one day, our dear Lucie decided to leave and become a wandering exorcist."
Her charisma and animated gestures gave her a radiant energy like a small sun that brightened everyone around her.
Lily was about to ask another question when the murmur of voices faded beneath a melody a soft tune blending gentle sorrow with a hint of muted hope.
Turning around, they saw an elderly man standing in the corner, his fingers gliding skillfully over the strings of an old violin.
One by one, people began to rise and drift into a slow dance.
A smile lit up Lily's face, and she immediately suggested they dance too. At the same time, the waitress brought their coffee.
"This morning's going to be hard to forget," Lucien muttered.
Ellie jumped up from her chair, grabbing Lucien's and Lily's hands and pulling them to the dance floor.
"Michael, you too!" she called out.
"I'm not very good at dancing…" Lily whispered.
"Don't worry, neither am I," Ellie added with a grin.
After a few songs and dances, they finally sat back down to drink their now slightly cooled coffee.
Just then, a middle-aged man approached and offered to take a picture for memory. No one objected, and leaning closer together, they posed.
A flash, and the moment was captured forever.
The photographer didn't ask for a single cent, saying it was part of his job.
"By the way, I almost forgot," Michael said, reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket hanging on the chair.
He pulled out a rare magazine — the latest issue of a fashion weekly from a neighboring country. Tossing it on the table, he added:
"It's all I could find. Lucky to grab the last copy."
"Michael, thank you so much!" Ellie beamed.
Her eyes shone twice as bright, her face glowing with joy that looked like it would last for days.
"Well, I'd better go," Lucien said, finishing his coffee.
"Wait, we'll come too," Michael replied.
After paying, they headed toward the exit — but the gang from the morning was already waiting outside.
"You're dead, brute!" one of them shouted, charging forward with a folding knife.
Michael didn't even move. Suddenly, Lucien stepped in front of him — he blocked the attack with his left hand and struck the attacker's chin with his knee. The man dropped instantly.
With a smooth step forward, Lucien followed with a punch to the nose, then leaped up, spun, and knocked out two more.
Only the gang leader remained — frozen in place, too terrified to move.
"You were told to get lost. Hope that's clear now. Idiots," Lucien said, straightening his jacket.
Michael placed a hand on his shoulder and, smiling broadly, said:
"Why so rough with them? You know that kind of weapon can't hurt me. Just make sure none of them die."
"Relax, I only hit at half strength," Lucien replied, giving the giant a light pat on the shoulder.
"Ha-ha-ha! Now that's the old Lucien Graves I remember," Michael laughed.
When they reached Ellie's stall, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Michael returned to the organization to see the Chief. Ellie went back to work, while Lily and Lucien headed home.
On the way, Lily tried asking Lucien about his past, but he waved her off lazily every time, saying:
"You don't need to know that."
All her attempts were rejected.
When they finally got home, they sat in the kitchen. It was past noon, and their stomachs growled loudly. Lily sat quietly, staring at the paintings on the wall.
Lucien got up, opened the fridge, pulled out a piece of meat and some vegetables. Tossing the vegetables into the sink, he washed and chopped them before putting everything into a pot.
"These paintings were done by hand. They must have been painted by someone dear to you, right?" Lily asked.
Stirring the food, Lucien got distracted for a moment and answered honestly without thinking:
"Yes."
[Organization "White Siren"]
The silent marble corridor echoed with Michael's heavy steps. His face was emotionless, his gaze fixed on a single point — the brown door leading to the Chief's office.
Suddenly, something caught his attention…
Thank you for reading the chapter. I'll be glad for every comment and will gladly answer your questions. You can learn more on the Discord server. I'm really looking forward to seeing each of you there.