Two hundred years ago, nothing was more important in my life than power. Two hundred years later, the only thing that matters most in my life is a woman. If I could go back in time and tell my younger self about Eleanor, my younger self would probably just snort and forget about it.
But now... I slip my right hand into my pants pocket, my fingers touching the soft velvet surface of a small box. It took me a long time to choose it, to the point where I had to be late coming home. But it was all worth it for the ring in my pocket right now. It's a ruby stone that I finally chose for Eleanor. Even since the first time I saw it, I knew this ring would be perfect for her. I didn't plan any of this at all; marriage is not the most important thing right now. No, as long as I haven't gotten rid of Alastair, Eleanor is not entirely mine. But lately, Eleanor seems to be drifting further away from me, no matter how close she is next to me, I can feel her mind is far from me. I want to bind her to me in every way possible, before she changes her mind... From the corner of my eye, something moves, and I shift my gaze from the penthouse balcony. My breath catches in my lungs as I see Eleanor standing in front of our bedroom door. Her amber eyes have been on me since earlier; I didn't notice the sound of her footsteps or her breathing. Slowly, I approach her, and Eleanor doesn't say a word, neither do I. I can't remember how to speak; for now, my brain has stopped thinking altogether. After all, who can think when faced with an angel? Her amber eyes shimmer as she looks at me, and her lips slightly curl upward. If Eleanor wanted me to jump from the penthouse balcony right now, I would do it willingly. Her right hand reaches up to straighten my tie but stops at my heart. I reach for her other hand and hold it, my thumb caressing the pulse in her wrist that beats rapidly. I lift her hand and briefly kiss it without averting my gaze from her. "Nick..." her voice is slightly choked, making me look at her with a bit of confusion. She looks sad. "What is it?" I ask after she withdraws her hand that was on my heart. "Eleanor, what's wrong?" I repeat, a little panicked. She bites her lip, lowering her head slightly. I lift her face with one of my hands so she looks at me again, but her eyes still avoid mine. "Eleanor..." For a moment, that thought comes back to my mind, what if she changes her mind and leaves me? Panic rushes over me like an electric current. No, I won't let her. This time, my hand cups her jaw, forcing her to look at me, and when her amber eyes finally meet mine, the panic that previously enveloped me turns into fear. Nicholas Shaw, afraid? I can't open my mouth again as her eyes look at me with a guilty expression. What if Eleanor leaves me? The question echoes in my mind. "Nick, I'm pregnant." My panic makes my brain slower to process what she just said, so I just stare at her blankly for a few moments. "Nick... I'm pregnant," she repeats when I don't give any response. Her eyes glisten again, this time with tears she's holding back. And that's when I realize what she just said. I let go of her hand, furrowing my brow as I look at her belly beneath her dress. "I wanted to tell you earlier, but... but..." I hear her choked voice again, this time clearer, "Nick, say something." Eleanor is pregnant. The ring box in my pants pocket suddenly feels ten times heavier. And I'm going to be a father. The word 'father' feels so foreign to me. Eleanor is pregnant. Several things flood my mind at once, but the one thing that dominates my mind right now is just one. Alastair. If Eleanor is pregnant, then I can't kill him right now, because if Alastair dies... "Nick!" My eyes blink, watching a tear fall from her eyes like a shimmering diamond. I can see everything from her perspective, guilt, fear, and panic. Almost the same as what I just felt. Perhaps what she's thinking right now is the same as what I thought just a few moments ago, she thinks I will leave her. "I... I need to think," I mutter, turning my back and sitting back on the sofa, with my back to her still standing. I bury my head in one of my hands, closing my eyes. The one thing I can be sure of right now is that Eleanor will never be mine."Having offspring is very difficult for Volders, sometimes one has to try several times with different partners. Usually, a Volder's goal in taking a Leech is to have offspring." Alice paused for a moment. "And that is why Nicholas is very eager to kill Alastair."But... "Alastair changed me not because he wanted to have offspring.""I know. But Nicholas sees it differently, and he will always see Alastair as a threat." Alice smiled wryly at the expression on my face. "And not only that, Eleanor, a Leech is the property of the Volder who changed them. They are bound until one of them dies. In short, Alastair's blood and power are more dominant in you than Nicholas's, no matter what.""What will happen if Nick kills Alastair?""If he kills Alastair? His clan will retaliate, of course. Alastair's clan is one of the oldest clans. I don't want to alarm you, but no matter how strong Nicholas is, he won't have a chance to... avoid it. There's one more thing Nicholas needs to consider before
Everything happened so quickly.The sound of the bell woke me up from sleep, and I felt the bed move as Nick got up. I didn't know what time it was, so I closed my eyes again, but the next silence made me open them and look at the digital clock next to the bed, which showed 2 a.m.The next moment, the sound of something breaking outside followed by Nick's angry shout. My heart felt like it leaped in my chest when the sound of shattered glass was heard again; in the darkness, I got off the bed and put on my sleeping coat."I will kill you if you touch her!" Nick's threat made me slow down my steps, my heart pounding hard as I opened the bedroom door. Nick stood with his back to me, his body tense, wearing only his pajama pants. But a strong killing aura emanated from his body, making the fine hairs on my body stand on end. He clenched his fists tightly, and my breath caught as I saw the shards of glass and fresh blood flowing from the palm of his hand."Mr. Shaw, we will only ask once.
This is a bad idea. For the umpteenth time that sentence rang in my head. A little regret tucked into my heart for rejecting Oliver's offer to take me home. Well, it was actually part of my pride that prevented me from taking up the offer. We just ended our relationship two weeks ago. After two years of being with him, finally a few weeks ago a woman came into my apartment and slapped me just like that before screaming at me to stay away from Oliver. She claims to be Oliver's girlfriend, and admits they have been dating for over a year. Damn Oliver, he's not even that handsome. But that damn thing has been cheating on me behind my back for over a year. I looked back again for the third time, while my feet were still moving. My instincts told me something was following me, or someone. All this because Mr. Newman forced some of his staff to work overtime for the past three days. And today is the worst, we can only go home at half past twelve in the evening. Me, Oliver, and severa
My hand cramped the last clothes I brought into my suitcase, then closed it. Three hours later my plane departs, meaning one and a half hours later I have to be at the airport. I opened my suitcase again and threw a book into it. "I've already called a taxi." A blonde head appeared from behind the door. I smiled as I zipped up my suitcase. "Thanks, Lana." She came into my room and jumped onto my bed, her long legs dangling gracefully on the edge of my bed. "You sure that's enough for two weeks?" he asked, looking down at my small suitcase. I shrugged my shoulders "I'll be back the weekend." Even though it's tiring but I don't want to spend 2 weeks alone in an unfamiliar city. I dropped my body next to Lana. We rented an apartment with two rooms together. I've known Lana since college, even though now we work at different companies but we still rent an apartment together. She is still 23 years old, one year younger than me even though we graduated together. Lana comes from a rich,
After treating my blisters, taking a bath, and ordering Chinese food delivery, I sat down on my big hotel sofa alone. The sky outside was already very dark and it started to rain. I tied my slightly loose sleeping coat and stared at the TV across from me blankly. This past hour my head has been busy trying to guess who my savior man is. Well, since I can't guess the name so I can at least guess the occupation. With his stern and intimidating voice and face, he might just be a young banker. He doesn't look too old from my age, maybe around 30s? But there was something in those blue eyes that made him not look like he was in his 30s. I bit the corner of my lip and frowned, then a knock interrupted my thoughts. I walked to my hotel room door and opened it. A bell boy stood up carrying my delivery and a black box. I gave my delivery money and tip to him then took the Chinese food I ordered. "Miss Heather? This one is for you too." He said as he handed over the black box he had brought.
My eyes blink once. Shaw&Partner. Shaw. I stared at his face with a stupid look for a few seconds. "So ... what's your name?" "Nicholas. I didn't know we were hiring an auditor." He answered as he took his wine glass and drank the rest. Waiter Giorgio returned with my Chamomile, filled his glass with wine, then disappeared again. My brain is still trying to process the information it just received. He is not a banker but a lawyer. Nicholas Shaw. God, I'm having lunch with my client's boss. "... that means you'll only be in Manhattan for a while?" I half did not listen to his question. "A week. After my audit here is over I'll be back in San Francisco." I answered hastily. I stared at the corners of his mouth which were pulled down. Is he really gay? Christine's words a few days ago replayed in my head. 'A week." he repeated to himself. Suddenly the atmosphere became more awkward as he fell silent. Giorgio returned to our table with my salad and a steak for Mr. Shaw. I stared
My heart skipped a beat as I heard his voice. I lifted my head to gaze into his dark blue eyes, and his eyebrows raised in slight surprise. I had never seen someone as handsome as Nicholas Shaw. He wore a more formal suit than usual—shirt, vest, and jacket—each layer adding to his charm. His cufflinks shimmered in the lobby lights as he pressed the elevator button to prevent it from closing. His black suit matched the dark blue tie, perfectly complementing his eye color. I continued staring as he called me for the second time. "Oh." I stepped out of the elevator, standing in front of him with a hint of awkwardness. He seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Hey." I forgot my formal demeanor instantly. "Are you still here?" he asked, corners of his mouth turning downward. "I already mentioned I have work to finish..." I mumbled, my eyes dropping from his face to the top button of his vest. His perfume, a subtle mix of mint and something expensive, lingered in the air. Not nauseating li
I hadn't told Lana until the next day. Maybe I'll call her back during lunch break. After all, I'll be back in San Francisco in three days, and Mr. Shaw will forget about me... and I'll forget about him.A slight pang of regret enveloped my heart. Ugh, Ella, don't be foolish. Perhaps Mr. Shaw has merely been courteous all along, just happened to help me and replace my shoes....and invite me to lunch, and escort me home.I pulled down the corners of my mouth. He's just being polite, right? Besides, he seems to already have a partner. I looked at my reflection in the hotel mirror; today, I wore a blood-red blouse, a gift from Lana, and a black pencil skirt. I rarely wear this blouse. I like its color and silk material, but it's a bit too conspicuous. Perhaps more suitable for a formal dinner than for work.I straightened my slightly wavy auburn hair. I had planned to dye it a richer brown, but unfortunately, I never got around to it. My amber eyes looked back at me in the mirror, and a
Everything happened so quickly.The sound of the bell woke me up from sleep, and I felt the bed move as Nick got up. I didn't know what time it was, so I closed my eyes again, but the next silence made me open them and look at the digital clock next to the bed, which showed 2 a.m.The next moment, the sound of something breaking outside followed by Nick's angry shout. My heart felt like it leaped in my chest when the sound of shattered glass was heard again; in the darkness, I got off the bed and put on my sleeping coat."I will kill you if you touch her!" Nick's threat made me slow down my steps, my heart pounding hard as I opened the bedroom door. Nick stood with his back to me, his body tense, wearing only his pajama pants. But a strong killing aura emanated from his body, making the fine hairs on my body stand on end. He clenched his fists tightly, and my breath caught as I saw the shards of glass and fresh blood flowing from the palm of his hand."Mr. Shaw, we will only ask once.
"Having offspring is very difficult for Volders, sometimes one has to try several times with different partners. Usually, a Volder's goal in taking a Leech is to have offspring." Alice paused for a moment. "And that is why Nicholas is very eager to kill Alastair."But... "Alastair changed me not because he wanted to have offspring.""I know. But Nicholas sees it differently, and he will always see Alastair as a threat." Alice smiled wryly at the expression on my face. "And not only that, Eleanor, a Leech is the property of the Volder who changed them. They are bound until one of them dies. In short, Alastair's blood and power are more dominant in you than Nicholas's, no matter what.""What will happen if Nick kills Alastair?""If he kills Alastair? His clan will retaliate, of course. Alastair's clan is one of the oldest clans. I don't want to alarm you, but no matter how strong Nicholas is, he won't have a chance to... avoid it. There's one more thing Nicholas needs to consider before
Two hundred years ago, nothing was more important in my life than power. Two hundred years later, the only thing that matters most in my life is a woman. If I could go back in time and tell my younger self about Eleanor, my younger self would probably just snort and forget about it.But now...I slip my right hand into my pants pocket, my fingers touching the soft velvet surface of a small box. It took me a long time to choose it, to the point where I had to be late coming home. But it was all worth it for the ring in my pocket right now. It's a ruby stone that I finally chose for Eleanor. Even since the first time I saw it, I knew this ring would be perfect for her.I didn't plan any of this at all; marriage is not the most important thing right now. No, as long as I haven't gotten rid of Alastair, Eleanor is not entirely mine.But lately, Eleanor seems to be drifting further away from me, no matter how close she is next to me, I can feel her mind is far from me. I want to bind her t
My eyes opened wide."Lana?" I murmured, looking at her standing in front of Nick, her hands clenched tightly. Greg stood not far from her. "What are you doing to Ella?" She sounded somewhat hysterical as she asked Nick, who seemed too surprised to answer."I'm taking her home," he said, walking past the frozen Nick. Lana's blue eyes looked very angry... and they were focused on me. But just a few steps later, Nick quickly turned around and grabbed Lana's hand to stop her. The next moment, Greg grabbed Nick's arm. "Let go of her," Greg's voice made the fine hairs on my back stand up."You can't take her back," Nick completely ignored Greg's warning, his gaze fixed on Lana.The three of them looked ridiculous in their tug-of-war. Although I knew the atmosphere in the room had become tense, I couldn't help but stifle a small laugh. My mood had drastically changed upon seeing the three of them. I guess this is one of the effects of pregnancy."Of course, I can," Lana retorted sharply bef
When Nick said "home," I thought he would take me to his home where he lived with Greg. But his car turned towards a building I knew very well. I didn't ask until we stopped in the basement parking. Perhaps Nick planned to bring some of his work home; I could imagine how long it had been since he worked. "I'll wait here." I said as he opened my door."You'll be waiting here overnight, Eleanor." Nick lifted the corner of his mouth. He looked messy yet handsome at the same time. His jawline with stubble and messy hair contrasted with his usually neat appearance, although his eyes still looked as serious as ever.I wanted to kiss him."Eleanor?" He raised both his eyebrows, waiting for me to get out. As I stepped out, I wondered how many women like me had fallen for his charm. No, I don't think Nick ever intentionally flirted with women. Greg was more likely; the two brothers were like polar opposites. Nick led me to a smaller basement lift and took out a black card. I only then realized
My gaze was fixed on the sink in the pantry. Dark red thick liquid clung to some of its white ceramic tiles, then my eyes shifted to the bottle in my hand. This was the third time I tried to drink the blood Greg brought, and the third time I vomited it back up. Was this blood expired?I placed the bottle on the counter and turned on the sink faucet to wash away all the blood that stuck to the tiles. I rubbed my stomach while reaching for the phone Greg had given me earlier, then sent a short message about the blood supply he provided before returning to bed. I knew the early stages of pregnancy were very risky, at least for humans, so I had to request a fresh blood supply as soon as possible, even though I wasn't feeling very hungry yet. Alastair's blood was still enough for a few hours, or more. I closed my eyes as sleepiness crept in. Where was Nick now? Was he looking for me? That was my last thought before sleep overtook me.***One advantage of my transformation was that all my s
(Nicolas POV)My hands gripped the steering wheel of my car tightly, my knuckles turning white. Frustration mixed with anger, causing my eye colors to shift intermittently; this time, I couldn't control my emotions.Eleanor is still here. My instincts tell me that. Erik and Greg are searching on the other side of Manhattan; I haven't met them since Eleanor disappeared this morning. Twice. Twice in 24 hours she has disappeared, and this time, Alastair has truly kidnapped her. I don't know how none of the three of us noticed the intruder's presence. I won't stop until Eleanor returns to me, and I'll make sure this is the last time Alastair touches her.He will pay. I won't stop until Alastair pays twice... no, three times over for this.My cellphone, lying on the passenger seat, vibrated. I glanced briefly at the unknown number flashing on the screen and ignored it. I pressed harder on the accelerator, speeding through the deserted streets, which had been empty since morning until now.
I thought I would see Nick's angry blue eyes behind the door, but when a pair of dark blue eyes, filled with panic, met mine, I froze in place. "Greg?" I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and blinked as I watched him walk towards me.He pulled me behind him until I was behind his back, protected from Alastair. "Are you okay?" He just glanced back slightly, then his gaze returned to the man sitting across from me. I didn't know which was more dominant right now, my relief or my surprise.And it seemed I wasn't the only one surprised.Alastair looked quite surprised, his mouth slightly agape as he stared at Greg. "Wait a minute..." he murmured to himself, "Did I invite the wrong brother?""I received your message." Greg replied shortly, "Nick doesn't know yet, he's still looking for you. You should leave this place as soon as possible, or I'll be the one to kill you." Greg's voice sounded calm, but each sentence contained enough threat.Alastair just sighed and stood up, "I'll fin
My heavy eyes felt difficult to open. I felt like I had just slept for a very long time, my body felt sore."No, that's enough," a man's voice sounded from beside me.Wait a minute, I recognize this voice. Where have I heard it before?"Thank you, Clea." The voice spoke again. I forced my mind to focus and remember. Where have I— I struggled to open my eyes. A dimly lit room greeted my eyes. Alastair. It was Alastair's voice."Eleanor? Are you awake?" He spoke again from beside me, but my vision was still slightly blurry."Nick..." I murmured, my voice unclear."Unfortunately, he's not here right now."I blinked my eyes a few times, even though it made my head hurt. A light blue room greeted me when my vision cleared, I was in a hotel room. It's the same hotel as when I first came to Manhattan a year and a half ago, before I met Nick. Alastair sat next to my bed, looking at me with a hint of concern. "Are you feeling better?" he asked."How—""I kidnapped you," he replied without wait