Capítulo 19: My Strange Childhood Friend

Nikolai left the hospital room after adjusting himself. The Verface suit and tie felt more comfortable now that he didn't need to fight. However, what surprised him was this room and hospital area was, in fact, part of the Scarlet Group's building.

[To Nikita (Tiny Beauty)]

—Hey, did you get that reunion message? Wanna do the usual and go as my pretend date?

'Let's see, should I at least say goodbye before leaving? It seems this is two floors below her penthouse. Is it another hidden place for the vampires who work here, or just for Selene?'

He shrugged his shoulders. The time was close to two in the morning, and even if he rushed home, it was not like there was something to do except sleep.

So he grabbed his phone, still amazed at how high-tech the phone Selene gave him was. He then sent her a simple message.

[To: Selene (Arrogant D-Cup)]

—Selene, I'm coming upstairs! There are some things I need to talk to you about.

Nikolai didn't really feel like treating her like a 'Master' and nor did her orders seem to affect him, which he found strange. However, it wasn't like he knew much about being a Squire in the first place other than he earned money from fighting.

The hallway smelled like ammonia and cleaning fluid, which made his nose hurt. Since his senses became enhanced, Nikolai started to feel bad for dogs and cats who needed to endure these intense scents that humans created for their various aspects of life.

From the sharp scent of petrol and oil in cars or the scent of rubber in various places. It began to make him wish he could turn off these senses.

Suddenly, there was an annoying series of bleeps from his pocket.

When he pulled out his phone, it seemed to have locked itself. So the annoying noise continued until he swiped the security screen and unlocked the screen, which irritated him...

[From: Selene (Arrogant D-Cup)]

—Don't come!

'Hmm, that's a pleasant scent...' he thought while walking down the same hallway that had various butlers and thralls earlier.

A mixture of floral scents and jasmine with a slight dash of charcoal came from her private room, along with the flicker of a natural fire dancing with a unique crackle.

[To: Selene (Arrogant D-Cup)]

—Too late! HAHA

Nikolai put his phone in his pocket, setting the unit to vibrate because he hated the annoying bleep just now.

"She really does live in a nice place."

"Come inside, stop acting like a pathetic commoner!" Selene's harsh voice echoed from inside the room with the sound of movement. Her usual mood seemed to have returned. Nikolai kind of missed her cute and embarrassed style from earlier.

'Somehow, I prefer this style... makes her fun to tease.'

"Yeah, yeah. Don't be so impatient—it's not like your age."

Nikolai realised that because of their horrible meeting and his arrogance. The way he spoke to her was wrong. Yet he refused to be the one to change himself for someone else, and she was yet to complain.

So, he stopped caring and just acted naturally.

"Earlier, I didn't get a chance to admire this place. The rich sure have fancy homes, huh?"

Nikolai's eyes widened at her luxurious top-floor apartment and the different artworks and display cases littered around the expansive room.

"Why did you even come here..." Selene said with an irritated voice, her eyes watching him from her distant black sofa while sitting in front of the fire he had heard earlier.

'Is she trying to look more sophisticated? Let's not mention it...'

The east wall was a huge window, likely one-sided to stop people from viewing it, but her view showed the entire eastern part of the city, neon lights, and a beautiful look into the wealthy area, while the side facing the slums was a solid wall with few windows.

'Maybe she sleeps on that side to avoid the sunlight? I don't really know much about actual vampires.'

"Hey, Selene!"

"It's Master..."

"Ok, so... Selene, do you sleep on the west side of your apartment to avoid the sun?"

Selene turned to face him, her lips and jaw-dropping as if she felt his question was quite retarded, then shifted her body because she wore a thin dress and seemed self-conscious of her cleavage turning away from him. "Are you stupid... Maybe you think we turn into ash if we step into the sunlight?"

"Eh, you don't? The movies all say..."

"Listen well, Nikolai... Garlic tastes great, sunlight is just a little tiresome and makes my skin bad, a stake through the heart would kill anyone, and I sleep on a super kingsize bed with a customised mattress designed for my body!"

"Oh? Doesn't that mean you're killing the fantasy of a vampire... It makes you seem boring."

"What kind of grading is that?!"

Her face suddenly changed she looked away and closed her mouth. She realised how much she spoke when with Nikolai. Normally, she would spend most nights or days with vampires in silence, dealing with company business or checking over the group.

"I dunno, just the dream of someone who loves horror movies... I guess?"

Yet, as she looked back at Nikolai, who began to pick up things off her shelves and examine them, Selene realised that this annoying man made her unable to remain quiet and focused.

"Such an idiot... did you expect me to have no reflection and sleep upside down?"

Nikolai looked back at her, his lips curling into a slight grin. "Ah... but wouldn't that make your dress flip over?"

'Does he think that's why... Why is he nodding as if affirming his wrong conclusion!?'

Before she could correct him, Nikolai had already tired of looking at her things. He turned around and approached her with long, paced strides.

Yet she felt a sense of anticipation watching him walk closer, despite her strength being far beyond his and no risk... Her heart fluttered and made her feel a sense of danger as if Nikolai would consume her whole if she looked away.

"*Sniff* Oh... that pleasant smell was you," Nikolai muttered while sitting on the sofa beside her, his body crashing down with a thud. He then leaned back and wrapped both arms around the top looking at her with an intense gaze, narrowing his eyes.

"Hmm... at least you have some taste. So? Care to tell me why you ignored my order and came upstairs? Is there some important issue?" Selene felt uneasy—since she met this Volkov man, her mind and focus had been a mess, and she couldn't deny him after tasting his blood, as something inside her body and mind had changed.

'Why... I feel unsettled just breathing the same air as him. It makes my skin fill with bumps and itch, and my chest feels so stuffy, and I want to escape.'

"One moment..." Nikolai took out his phone, the screen visible to Selene, who saw him opening the messaging app in which her (Arrogant D-cup) tag entered her gaze.

However... what she saw below was quite terrifying.

'20 missed calls... 25 messages all from one number?! In the space of five minutes!'

[From Nikita (Tiny Beauty)]

—Yes (Cute cat emoji)

The first one he opened seemed normal enough, but then the second one and third one all contained the same message.

[From Nikita (Tiny Beauty)]

—Where are you?

—Where are you? (Cat emoji)

—Where are you?

—Where are you? (Angry cat emoji)¹

Yet Selene watched as Nikolai opened them with his face remaining the same, not a single reaction to this insane display of obsession.

[To Nikita (Tiny Beauty)]

—Hey, I'm in bed at home. Why are you so energetic?

*Brrr*

[From Nikita (Tiny Beauty)]

—No, you aren't!

—Where?

—Send me your location!

'Why is this man so calm? He should be confused or angry! How come he tagged her Tiny Beauty?! And I am an arrogant D-Cup! This person is clearly a stalker with mental issues!'

However, Nikolai just closed his phone and placed it inside his pocket before turning to Selene as if nothing happened. His lips curled into a faint smile. "So where were we? You wanted to know why I wanted to see you, right?"

"No, that... what about your phone..."

It was useless.

He seemed oblivious and didn't listen, and with the straightest face, he gazed into her eyes and asked one of the most intimate things a vampire might be asked.

"Hey, Selene, let me drink your blood?"

"What?"