I returned to the apartment to find Evelyn sitting on the couch watching TV. It was our favorite show, Modern Family. Though an old series, like Friends, I could watch it countless times. Whenever Evelyn and I felt bored, we’d turn it on. It was a family comedy that brought us so much joy.
Hearing the door open, Evelyn turned around. When she saw me, she immediately rushed over, her face lit with excitement.
“Oh, Seraph, you’re finally back! Where have you been? I was worried about you all night!” Her eyes scanned me up and down, checking to make sure I was alright.
“I just spent the night at the bar,” I explained. “You know, my part-time job there.”
I forced a smile, but I knew it probably looked more like a grimace.
Sure enough, Evelyn cupped my face and stared at me. “Why do you look so sad? What happened last night? Did you run into Lucian?”
She didn’t seem to notice I was lying.
I nodded sadly. It wasn’t just Lucian-I had run into everyone.
Of course, Lucian no longer stirred strong emotions in me. His persistence only brought endless annoyance.
Vivienne was the same, clinging to me like a madwoman, though her impact on me was minimal.
But Kael… Kael could shatter me at any moment.
I couldn’t explain it. We had only met a few times, and our relationship was purely physical. Why did he affect me so deeply?
“God, I just went dancing, and you got tangled up with him. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you,” Evelyn said, patting my back to comfort me.
“It’s fine, really,” I replied, trying to sound casual. “It’ll all pass.”
Then I added, “No matter how much he tries, I’ll never forgive him.”
The more I had once loved Lucian, the more I now despised him.
He had betrayed our relationship and broken my heart. I hated him!
Evelyn nodded, but then her brow furrowed. “Wait, Seraph, what’s that strange smell on you?”
I froze. I had gotten up from Kael’s bed without showering. Could she smell him on me?
My heart raced, and I tensed up, not daring to speak.
I didn’t think it would be a good idea to mention anything between me and Kael.
In fact, I didn’t want to tell Evelyn about Kael. Even though she was my best friend, I knew she’d think I was crazy for sleeping with him.
He was a notorious playboy, the type who would take any woman he met.
I didn’t want to burden Evelyn with my problems. She deserved to focus on her own life.
“I… I didn’t shower last night. It was so crowded and lively, so…”
“But why did you change your clothes?” Evelyn’s green eyes sharpened as she stared at me, as if trying to see through me.
At that moment, I felt a chill run down my spine. My breathing grew shallow.
Evelyn had always claimed to have a psychic sensitivity, but I’d never felt it so strongly before. Her gaze seemed to pierce through me, as if she could see my very soul.
“I…”
“Did you sleep with someone?” she pressed.
Under her intense gaze, I had no choice but to relent.
“Yes.”
“God! Who was it?” Evelyn exclaimed. “No wonder you didn’t come back last night. I was so worried!”
“Just a one-night stand,” I muttered, covering my face. I couldn’t bring myself to say more. “What about you, Evelyn? Did anything happen with Magnus last night?”
I quickly changed the subject, hoping to avoid further questions.
“No. We danced for a bit, but then Magnus said he had to leave. He didn’t want you to be alone, but when we realized you weren’t there, I checked my messages and found out you’d left,” Evelyn explained.
“I had wanted to show off some new moves to him, but he didn’t seem interested.”
Her mood seemed to dip slightly.
“It’s okay, Evelyn. You’re amazing. If you keep spending time with Magnus, he’ll see how wonderful you are.”
“No, no, Seraph. Don’t you see? He likes you.”
Her words stunned me. I stared at her in disbelief. “What are you talking about?”
How could that be? It seemed impossible.
“It’s true. Trust my intuition-it’s never wrong,” Evelyn said with a smile, seemingly unbothered by the idea that Magnus might not be interested in her.
“Also, speaking of which, Seraph, there’s something strange about your aura. Was the guy you slept with last night… human?”
Her question startled me. I remembered the flashes of golden light in Kael’s eyes. I had started to suspect he wasn’t human.
Now, Evelyn’s words only deepened my doubts.
“What do you mean?”
“I sense an animal-like energy around you, but it’s faint. I can’t quite place it. You might have caught the attention of something… not entirely human.” Evelyn frowned, her sharp eyes scanning me as if she could see something invisible clinging to me.
Her gaze was sharp and it felt like a scanner, moving up and down my body.
A cold sweat broke out on my back as I listened to her.
“Evelyn, have you ever seen someone’s eyes glow?” I asked.
“Glow? Like a cat’s?”
“Not exactly. Cats’ eyes only glow under certain lighting conditions. But could someone’s eyes shine in complete darkness?”
“That’s impossible,” Evelyn said, shaking her head with a laugh. “Unless they have some special ability, like a vampire. Their eyes glow, and they have sharp fangs to drink blood.”
Her words sent a shiver through me. Could Kael be a vampire?
His eyes had glowed, and when we were together, he often bit my skin as if he wanted to devour me.
But that didn’t make sense. If Kael were a vampire, he’d had plenty of opportunities to kill me.
In the two nights we spent together, he could have ended my life at any moment.
And if vampires were real, would our small town really be so peaceful?
Just then, my phone buzzed.
A text message appeared: “Congratulations, Miss Vale. You’ve been accepted as a part-time staff member at the Eagle Club. Please report to the club tomorrow at 3 PM tomorrow.”
Reading the message, my mind went blank. I didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad.
On one hand, I wouldn’t have to work at the bar anymore. Those months of part-time work had been exhausting, dealing with all kinds of harassment from the customers.
A safe and interesting place to work was something to celebrate.
But on the other hand, the Eagle Club? If I worked there, wouldn’t that mean I’d keep running into Kael and Lucian?
I had applied for the job hoping to spend more time with Lucian. Back then, I knew nothing about boxing, but I wanted to share his interests and grow closer.
Our relationship had been so sweet, even if it was secret. Being able to see him train and help organize his locker had felt like pure happiness.
Now, after breaking up with him, I had gotten the job. It felt like a cruel joke.
I stared at the message, the words burning into my eyes.
Evelyn noticed the text and grinned. “Seraph, you actually passed the screening! The pay there is much better than the bar.”
She nudged me playfully and added, “Plus, you’ll get to see some handsome boxers.”