That got my attention.
I smirked, leaning back against the velvet seat, pretending to be unbothered even though I was curious. "Go on then," I said, mockingly. "Tell me, what do you think I am.?"
Lucien tilted his head, as he watched me with that kind of look that always made people squirm. His eyes were steady, and unreadable. He leaned back in the chair, before he bit down softly on his lower lip.
"Shit! Not again", I muttered to myself. I shouldn't have looked, but I did and the sight made something warm coil in my stomach, something I quickly killed with irritation.
No. Not tonight. Not with him.
He smiled faintly, as if he knew exactly what that fleeting moment meant. "You're the kind of woman every man wants," he said finally, his tone low and deliberate. "The kind who goes for what she wants without hesitation. The kind who acts cold on the outside but deep down, you're soft and warm."
He paused, leaned forward again, as his elbows rested on his knees. His voice dropped to a whisper.
"And most importantly, you're the kind of woman who's caught my attention so badly, I can't seem to get you out of my head."
I blinked slowly, unimpressed. "Is that what this is? Some kind of poetic confession? Because if it is, you've picked the wrong audience."
He laughed lightly, unbothered by the sharpness in my tone.
I set my fork down with a soft clink. "Lucien, if all this nonsense you're spewing is the reason you decided to interrupt my peaceful evening, then congratulations, you've officially wasted your time. Now, get the fuck out. As you can see, I'm busy, and the last thing I need is Lucien Darren and his bad energy hovering around me."
His laugh came out loud, too loud. And for a man who constantly irritates me, he sure has an annoyingly magnetic presence.
He rose slowly from his chair, that grin never leaving his face. "You never fail to entertain me, Seraphina."
Before I could respond, he reached over again, and stole another slice of my dessert.
"Lucien!" I snapped. "The next time you touch what's mine, you'll end up losing your fingers."
He turned back and smirked at me. "Oh come on darling, you should learn to share," he said over his shoulder as he moved on.
"Perhaps I should learn to kill faster," I muttered under my breath.
He chuckled again, unhurried. "We'll see each other again, sooner than you expect, Seraphina. Much sooner than you think."
And with that, he left.
Through the glass door, I saw him signaling to a few men who followed closely behind, as they disappeared into another VIP room down the hall. My eyes narrowed. That's when it hit me.
What was he doing here? This place isn't meant for humans. It is the underground suites reserved exclusively for supernaturals.
Lucien Darren shouldn't have access to this place, infact he shouldn't even know it exists.
A chill ran through me. Could he be one of us? Or was he just snooping around, trying to piece together secrets that weren't meant for mortal ears? Either ways, I didn't like the uncertainty. Not one bit.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Cassian's number.
He answered on the second ring, his voice smooth and steady as always. "Yes, my lady?"
"Get down here. Now."
Within minutes, the door creaked open, and Cassian stepped in. His eyes sweeping the room immediately, with his shoulders tensed, scanning every corner until he realized Lucien was gone.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his tone clipped with concern. "I'm sorry again for what happened earlier. I should've—"
"Cassian," I interrupted, waving my hand dismissively. "It's fine. I didn't call you here for apologies."
He straightened slightly, waiting.
"I want to ask you something," I said, resting back in my chair. "Do you know the man that was just here? Has he been here before?"
Cassian hesitated. "Yes," he said after a moment. "I confirmed with the waitress, who he had the altercation with him earlier. He's a regular and that's why he was so insistent about this room. Apparently, it's the one he uses most times."
My brows knit together. That doesn't make sense. "A human in the underground section?" I muttered. "That's not possible. Unless…"
Cassian frowned. "Unless he's not human?"
I nodded slightly. "Exactly. But we can't be sure yet. And until we are, I want eyes on him. Everywhere. Inside and outside the club."
"Understood boss."
I looked up at him, my tone turning colder. "And Cassian?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"Be discreet. He's a business rival and technically, that makes him an enemy. Even if he doesn't know this place belongs to me, we can't afford risks. Especially around men like him."
Cassian's gaze hardened. "Consider it done."
Satisfied, I began packing my laptop and papers back into my bag. He raised a brow when he saw the untouched plate of dessert still sitting on the table.
"You're done already?" he asked, surprised. "You didn't even touch your cake."
I glanced at it, then scoffed. "That asshole ruined my appetite anyways. Throw it away."
He smiled faintly, and said nothing.
I took a few cash from my purse, more than enough to cover the meal and dropped them on the table. "For the meal," I said. "And you can keep the change."
Cassian bowed his head. "Thank you, my lady."
I stood up, smoothing my black skirt. "You did well tonight, Cassian. As always."
"It's always a pleasure to serve you," he murmured, and smirked.
I ignored the way that smirk made my heart stutter for half a beat.
Leaving the room, I walked through the dim corridor and took the private staircase leading down to the underground parking lot. My car, a sleek black coupe was already waiting.
By the time I reached home, the chaos of the Crimson House felt distant. I dropped my bag on the kitchen counter, kicked off my heels, and undressed as I walked toward the bathroom.
The shower was quick, just hot enough to wash away everything. When I finally crawled into bed, I fell asleep almost immediately. For once, my mind didn't wander off, nor did I wake up in the middle of the night haunted by old memories.
Whenever I spend too much time around Cassian, I sleep better. I've never understood why. Maybe it's the calmness in his voice, the steadiness of his presence, or maybe it's something else, something I can't quite figure out. It's almost as if he carries some sort of magic that settles the chaos in me.
When morning came, sunlight spilled across my sheets, warm and intrusive. I blinked, surprised at how late it was. I haven't slept this deeply in years. I skipped the gym, deciding instead to enjoy this rare stillness of a quiet morning.
I walked barefoot into the kitchen, poured myself a glass of water, my mind finally beginning to catch up with the day. My phone buzzed on the counter.
Several missed calls and they were all from Nicole.
I sighed. "Typical," I muttered.
Although something about it felt off. It's almost as if something had happened and I couldn't shake this gut feeling I was having in my stomach.
Then I saw the text.
"Check your email. ASAP".
I hesitated for a moment, but nothing could have prepared me for the shock I was about to see.
I clicked on the link she sent to me, and the headline flashed across the screen, bold and merciless.
"Is seraphina Vale truly human?"