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 at the plate of salad with an interesting mix of colors in front of me. Expensive looking salad plate. ugh. Actually, the salary as an accountant like me is quite a lot, not to mention the added bonuses. But I still have to pay off my college tuition payments by next year, so I have to save money until all my debts are paid off. And the first debt I have to pay is the debt for Lana's shoes. I know this man must be very rich, but I still can't take it for granted. We ate in silence, he seemed as busy with his thoughts as I was. In this awkward silence I can barely taste the salad I'm eating. I guess I'll get another bagel after this, salmon and cream cheese, I can eat it at the office for later. "Desserts, Eleanor?" He had finished his meal. I nodded automatically, then finished my salad. A few minutes after my salad was finished, a glass of cold chocolate mousse replaced my salad plate. On top of the mousse, edible gold flakes are beautifully arranged. My eyes fixated on my dessert. I've never eaten gold before. "Have you lived in San Francisco long?" he asked without touching his dessert, he continued to drink his wine earlier. "Since college. Before that I lived in Georgia." I scooped up my mousse with the gold flakes and put them in my mouth. I couldn't taste the gold, but the cold dark chocolate melted in my mouth, lighter in texture than cheesecake. I sighed after the first scoop, I wouldn't mind eating a gallon of this mousse on my own. "I've lived in San Francisco before. Do your parents live in Georgia?" His eyes follow the movement of the spoon that I put in my mouth. The blue color of his eyes turned darker, maybe because of the light effect? I shook my head, "I don't have parents." I don't even know if they're still alive. I spent my entire childhood in orphanages and foster families. He just nodded slightly and did not continue the question any further. I finished my mousse and looked at my watch, there's still 20 minutes left. This lunch wasn't what I expected, once I learned the name everything turned even more awkward. "Are you In a hurry?" he asked while calling the waiter again. "Not really ... " My sentence was cut off by Giorgio who came back to our table, he brought our bill without being asked, I think Mr. Shaw often came to this place until they memorized his habits. He handed Giorgio his credit card without looking at the bill, then his attention returned to me. "Ah! You helped me yesterday, I haven't thanked you in person. At least let me pay…" "No need. I was just in the right place at the right time." He replied with a faint smile. I'm starting to think maybe his faint smile is his real smile, his face always looks so serious. His dark blue eyes were looking at me with an intensity that made me slightly uncomfortable. "Well, I still have to thank you." "Tonight I have to attend a charity gala dinner. How about thanking me by accompanying me?" A small part of my brain cheered because he still wanted to meet me, then I remembered my overtime schedule that couldn't be postponed. I sighed before answering, "I have to finish my work tonight ... " And another night, and another, and another. "You can continue your work in the morning, Eleanor." "I have to finish it tonight if I want to finish it in a week." He was silent for a moment,compared to yesterday. He seemed to keep his distance a little today. Except for his two intense blue eyes, his calm and serious demeanor almost makes him ... robotic. My hands itched for a moment to ruffle his immaculate dark brown hair. "What if I replace it with lunch?" I added before I could think. "Tomorrow I have to go to court." "Oh." I tried to cover up the disappointment in my voice. Of course, he is a lawyer. 'Maybe next time-" Giorgio cut me off again. He came back to return the credit card and thanked us with a big smile. A standard fine dining smile. Mr. Shaw glanced at his watch then stood up, "We'd better go back now." Then he helped me by pulling up my chair. We walked out of the restaurant and were greeted back by the cloudy Manhattan weather. "Eleanor-" "Nicholas." A feminine voice made us both turn towards the sound source. A blonde woman standing behind Mrs. Shaw. My eyes couldn't move from her, glued to her face. She is so beautiful. I can't explain what makes it interesting. The woman was wearing a casual blue dress, her light blonde hair was styled loose. So far, maybe I've always been proud of my slightly rare amber eyes, but when compared to this woman, my eye color is nothing. She has very pretty eye color, an almost glassy mix of blue and gray. Her eyes, though slightly cold, were looking at Mr. Shaw. For a few moments, I just stood staring at her beauty like a fool. 'Alice, what are you doing here?" Unlike me, Mrs. Shaw just glanced at him then her eyes returned to me. I forced my eyes to move away from the beautiful woman in front of me and met her gaze, "Thanks for lunch, Mr. Shaw." I tried to smile at him, even though my face felt stiff. "See you again." "I'll take you-" "Nicholas. We have to talk." The beautiful woman this time looked at Mr. Shaw a little annoyed. "Now" she added when Mr. Shaw will answer it. I bit my lip angrily to drive away the strange feeling in my heart. Of course he already has a partner, and he's not gay. I'm a little tempted to call Christine and tell her this information. "I can get back on my own. Good bye, Mr. Shaw." I muttered while turning my body without waiting for his answer. My forehead wrinkled a little trying to guess what I'm feeling right now. After walking for almost a block I finally realized the feeling I was feeling. "Damn it." I muttered while scolding myself. 'He's a nobody, Ella. Don't be stupid. You've only known him for a day." I took my new cellphone out of my bag while walking, but five seconds later my screen went blank because it hadn't been charged. As I put it back in my bag, my hand touched a piece of paper in my bag. The check, I forgot to give it to him. I tilted my head up, looking up at the cloudy sky. The sound of thunder was heard from afar. Looks like today wasn't my good day. *** It's been raining in Manhattan since this afternoon until now. All the employees working on this floor have returned since 4 hours ago, only I am left. My eyes feel tired after a day of staring at the laptop screen. I closed my eyes for a few seconds then opened them again, I still had half an hour left. Then at half past eleven I will return to the hotel. Throughout this afternoon I have collected some transaction data between this company and the Bank of Rotterdam, as Mrs. Lynch. I yawned for the sixth time as I stared at the line of numbers on my laptop screen, "Just a little longer, Ella." I muttered while driving away sleepiness. But when my eyes started to feel hot I gave up. I turned off my laptop then collected my things that were on the table and put them in my bag. I literally had to drag my body to get to the elevator. I realized my back to the lonely elevator while looking at the numbers twinkling from the 15th floor to the lobby. Shaw&Partner's building may be one of the oldest buildings in Manhattan, from the outside this building looks ancient with its dark red brick color. But inside, the entire modern and elegant interior is a stark contrast to the exterior. The lobby floor alone uses black granite which is always shiny at all times, in the center of the lobby floor there is a quite large Shaw&Partner logo. To renovate an old building like this would require a very large cost. When I first set foot on this place I thought Mr. Shaw is a man in his late 50s or 60s, with the charismatic face of a lawyer. But it didn't turn out the way I expected because she looks ... young. Nicholas Shaw was not at all what I had imagined. I looked back at my watch, it was still 10pm, I could still stop by briefly on my way home to buy dinner. My mind returns to the chocolate mousse I ate this afternoon, I can still remember the sweet and bitter taste of chocolate that united in the cold softness of the mousse. My stomach grumbled a second later. Well, how else, I just ate a plate of salad this afternoon. The elevator door finally opened in the lobby breaking my thoughts, before I could look up from my watch a voice preceded me.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
I know the Shaw brothers are wealthy, perhaps very wealthy, but it still doesn't diminish my shock at the scene before me.The SUV we rode in entered through a large black gate, traversing a private road flanked by tall pine trees. Half a minute later, a three-story Victorian-era house emerged. Its ivory-white exterior contrasted with black-framed windows. The house looked somewhat antiquated, reminiscent of noble houses built in the 18th century. A fountain pool stood a few meters in front of the house, with a graceful black lion statue in its center.For a moment, I felt transported to a late 1700s film set.Eric halted the car a few meters from the fountain. He assisted me in opening the car door, and the cold night air welcomed me as we stepped out. I gazed at the house before me. Even the house appeared intimidating, much like its owner.Mr. Shaw invited me inside, while Eric returned to the SUV and drove it back through the entrance road. For a moment, I wanted to ask what Eric'
San Francisco (1 week later)"Hey, Ella, do you have time for lunch with me?" Lana's voice sounded hurried as she called me."Yeah, where?" I asked while typing something on my office computer. I glanced at the computer clock briefly; it was still half-past ten."Dine&Wine? My boss gave me a voucher as a bonus, and I haven't used it yet.""Okay, let's meet there directly?""Yeps... See you, Ell!" Lana's cheerful voice made me smile."Bye, Lana," I replied before stopping my typing.Until now, I haven't told Lana the name of the man who saved me in Manhattan. And Lana didn't push me, although I knew she was half-dying of curiosity.After that night, the next day a massive investigation took place. Mr. Shaw hired an audit team to do it, and Mrs. Lynch informed me that my job was done, and I could return. The next afternoon, I was back in Manhattan. No goodbyes and no explanations.His words in the car that night echoed in my head.Well, it seems he doesn't need me anymore. Besides, how
In the end, I confessed everything to Lana.Starting from our first encounter when she saved me to the moment she kissed me at her house. But I didn't tell everything at the restaurant; I shared some when we were already home.Lana helped me dry my hair as I applied makeup. There was still half an hour left before Mr. Shaw picked me up."I swear, Nicholas Shaw really likes you, Ella," Lana looked at me through the mirror while drying my hair."He already has a girlfriend, Lana," I muttered with a hint of annoyance. Her name is Alice, and she's stunningly beautiful. Thinking about how they spoke that afternoon made me slightly jealous."Maybe that woman isn't his girlfriend. Why don't you ask him directly?""Because am I not crazy enough? Mr. Shaw is just—" What, Ella? I thought to myself with frustration. "Just a client.""Oh really? Do you kiss all your clients?"My face reddened a bit at her question. "Lana!"Lana turned off her hairdryer when my hair was dry. "What will you wear to
I stepped out of the car before he opened the door for me. Mr. Shaw held my hand as we walked towards the house. He left his black suit jacket in the car, and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows. A smile appeared on his handsome face as he caught me watching him. He lifted my hand, which he was holding, and gently kissed my fingers."Need more privacy time?" Suddenly, Gregory Shaw emerged from behind the door, smiling warmly at me but frowning when he shifted his gaze to Mr. Shaw. "We've been waiting for you for 45 minutes, Nick."I still wasn't sure why Mr. Shaw invited me here. "You look beautiful, Eleanor," Greg said suddenly, winking playfully."Her name is Miss Heather to you, Greg," Mr. Shaw reprimanded, pulling down the corners of his mouth. Greg just laughed, then his eyes focused on our hands. His smile faded quickly, and I felt my face blush as he glanced at me briefly. "Everyone's waiting inside."Everyone? Who?We walked into the house, and even the inter
I stared into Nicholas Shaw's eyes, now transformed from deep blue to pitch black, similar to Gregory's eyes when we first met in that alley. Sharp fangs appeared as he opened his mouth, and my gaze was fixed on his lips moving as he spoke.This couldn't be happening.Suddenly, he stepped closer, and my automatic response made me step back until my back was against the wall. We were alone in this place, and I didn't notice where the others had gone. I raised one hand to prevent him from getting closer, but my hand trembled violently, my whole body shaking as if shivering from cold."Don't—don't come closer.""Eleanor..." He halted his steps. Slowly, I witnessed a transformation within him. His black eyes almost returned to their original deep blue, and his two fangs completely disappeared."P—please, let me go," I pleaded with a trembling voice.He stopped in his tracks, three steps away from me, his hands at his sides. "I can't. I'm sorry.""What do you want from me?"Was he going to
Nicholas Shaw stood behind me, his body tense, both of his hands still clenched tightly at his sides."Don't. Ever. Touch. Her. Again." he repeated towards Oliver, who was still sprawled on the sidewalk.I couldn't see his expression right now because he had his back to me, but his voice alone was enough to represent his current mood. Suddenly, he turned to me. I thought I would see his black eyes and fangs like last night, but no. He hadn't changed since last night; it's just that his old blue eyes seemed darker now.His gaze focused on my right wrist, slightly bruised. He closed his eyes, furrowing his brow, and took a deep breath before opening them again.Then I realized he was trying to control his anger. His black suit looked a bit disheveled, as if he had just run, and so did his brown hair."What—what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice sounding weak. I was still surprised by his sudden appearance. People slowed down to watch as they passed us."Give me 10 seconds," he mutt
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