Asher observed his surroundings. They currently stoodnear the large, looming gates of the castle. Tall, golden lamps lit the way for the lost wanderers under the star speckled night. magic

There was a white stone pavement leading directly into the front entrance of the castle, with a majestic marble fountain and an even more impressive garden. There was a lingering scent of floral sweetness and vanilla essence frequently used by Vampires.

Everyone was heading towards their cars without hesitation. They slid into their vehicles with the poise and ease of experience; humans and Vampires alike.

Asher had done an extensive background check on the majority of the guests. They were all high-profilers, the majority being Vampires, since they occupied the top one percent.

"Get into the car," Asher demanded.

His voice left no room for argument.

Adeline rapidly blinked. For a split second, Asher looked like he was prepared to kill. Not wanting to challenge him, she climbed into the tall vehicle. The car was warm, as the driver already had the heater running. Compared to the frigid weather outside, it was much safer.

"Will you join me?" Adeline asked in a small voice. Did he have to investigate something? Why? Humans and Vampires had made a pact. Neither race would target, nor hurt each other. The millions of deaths from the Species War two centuries ago had guaranteed that much. Though, recently, there were a lot of mysterious deaths around the city… all in the form of young maidens.

"I will get Viscountess Eleanor and ensure both of you return safely," Asher stated. He firmly twisted to her. "Stay in here and don't leave the van."

Adeline nodded her head. She didn't plan to, anyway. She wasn't motivated by foolish courage to save someone, despite possessing the skills to do so. If only… if only she wasn't so weak. Then, maybe she wouldn't shake at the thought of harming someone.

It was precisely why the task given to her was so impossible. Adeline lowered her head. Her Uncle was going to be furious. It was a single request, kill the Vampire King. One way or another, she had to do it.

A suicide mission.

That was exactly what her Uncle assigned to her—a girl who despised violence. He was sentencing her to death. The reason was clear.

"A life for a life," Adeline whispered to herself.

It was the King's life for hers. Her Uncle had promised he would set her free from her relatives. Once she regained freedom, he would no longer contact her. He would do everything in his power to ensure no one discovered her location, either.

"Now, what am I supposed to do?" Adeline groaned. She slumped her head on the leather seat and squeezed her eyes shut.

"His Majesty didn't even show up to his own party." Adeline ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Things never went her way.

Out of everywhere in the world, she just had to run into the man from the bar. It was a miscalculated judgement of hers. Back then, she was drunk with a beloved friend, and before anyone knew it, Adeline was whisked into the night.

Her virtue remained. She ensured it. "Aunt Eleanor would blow the world up if she knew what happened," Adeline considered out loud.

She heaved a burdened sigh. Her shoulders seemed heavy, much like her guilty conscience. Who exactly was that man? She had spent a night with him on a warm bed, and he held her as if she were a lover. Nevertheless, their bodies did not tangle together, and neither did he kiss her.

"I should stay away from him the next time I see him." Adeline concluded her verdict. He was dangerous. She didn't even remember his name. She recalled nothing of him, except his unforgettable face.

The mysterious stranger possessed features that put all of Heaven's favorite angels to shame. Just the flicker of his ruby-red eyes was enough for the woman to fawn over him. His deliberately sensual smile promised of sinful things. It was difficult to forget a face like that. Especially when people would double and triple look—only to gawk at his striking appearance.

"Goodness, His Majesty is quite rude, but that's expected of those disgusting creatures," Aunt Eleanor squabbled. Her voice raised an octave, like her eyebrows. Her leathered lips were stretched into a firm resolve.

"He doesn't show up to the ballroom, nor make a commencement speech. What a disappointment," Aunt Eleanor fumed. She lifted her dress,and with the help of Asher, clambered into the car.

"I should've believed the rumors. Supposedly, this is a normal occurrence," Aunt Eleanor added on. Her actions were jerky, her shoulders tensed. She was far more than upset.

Today, Aunt Eleanor had spent quite a fortune to buy Adeline her lovely emerald dress. The color suited the Princess's eyes; a hideous shade of envy green. All the money in the world could not bring Adeline a good suitor. She was simply too shy and too embarrassing.

"And you," Aunt Eleanor sharply whirled to her niece. "Where were you half the night? I look away and all of a sudden, you're gone!"

There it was again. That strange conversation. Adeline was baffled. "I was in the balcony, then I—"

"Security is cleared," Asher interrupted. He shot Adeline a warning stare, urging her to be quiet. He ignored her exasperated expression.

"We can head back to the estate," Asher added on.

Asher gave the sliding black door a solid tug. Automatically, the door slid into place. Asher sat in the passenger seat after having just finished retrieving his confiscated weapons. Guns, knives, and all sorts of other things were not permitted inside of the castle. They had been collected and sorted by family name.

Through the rear view mirror, he saw Adeline's pleading reflection. She was a child brimming with curiosity. None of which he would divulge with. He had figured out what happened earlier. And nothing about it was pleasant.

No one in the world deserved Adeline. Especially not a filthy Vampire.