5. Damon and Jax

Ivanna's Pov

I was still stunned, like an insane. The scene in front of me was not a dream. Was Jax going to say that I was looking at it wrong? Obviously, the few people in front of me were not ordinary humans. And Jax, who suddenly appeared—why could he communicate with those vampires to let me go?

Is Jax also a ...?

Anyway, let's consider it a favor to have saved me from becoming the meal of that pale, bloodsucking creature at the bar earlier.

"This is for you. Drink first, Miss," said the man who had only been my bodyguard for a week but already had many mysterious things he did and happened in my life.

I accepted the cup of drink he offered without breaking his gaze.

Then, I quickly checked the drink in my hand. Just a cup of my favorite camomile tea. No! I didn't want to think badly about this or wonder why he knew my favorite—anyone can have a supply of camomile tea at home, just like me.

I sipped the drink in my hand, feeling a relaxed sensation for a moment after my whole body had been shaking all over after experiencing that horrible event.

"What happened earlier? Why were you able to have a conversation with those creatures? They're not human, right?"

I couldn't hold back any longer. Who are you really, Jax? After looking like a junkie, now you seem like a clan leader who has the power to organize and order others—vampires.

"Calm down, Miss. That was not what you thought."

"Oh, really? Which part is wrong? Don't tell me you guys are cosplaying for Halloween because we're not celebrating it. Or are you going to say that they just pranked me? Don't be joking, Jax. Do they even know me?"

I attacked him at length. However, while he was trying to explain, my mind wandered in an indeterminate direction. I scanned the entire side of the room I was currently in.

I'm now in Jax's residence, which doesn't look suspicious. It's just like any other man's residence. It's just that it's impeccable here and feels empty.

There's a desk in the corner with vinyl and a few bookcases in the other corners of the room. And to my surprise, some awards mentioned that Jax had done a master's in medicine.

So why did he choose to be my bodyguard?

"Ms. Sanchez, did you hear me?"

I heard; I didn't want to respond. I got up, approached a glass cabinet, and looked at some certificates and diplomas there. Very suspicious. Why did Jax pursue so many fields of study and manage to complete them in such a short time?

"They're just for display," he said, coming closer and standing behind me. He said the words as if to cover the fact that he hid behind all the lies he had told me all along.

"Are you gonna say that what they did earlier was just an act to bully me?" I asked, in sarcasm at all the lies he was making up.

I didn't know for sure if he was lying or if I was thinking too bad about him. One thing was for sure: I didn't believe a word he had said. I looked at his diploma again—The University of Eastonville in the years when I was still living a beautiful life as a young woman.

We seemed far apart in age, but was it that far?

"I told you it was just a display," he said again, forcing me to believe him.

Alright, handsome. I won't force you to tell me the truth. However, know that I'm not a woman you can fool.

"Alright. I think I'm fine, and you can take me home now," I said, looking at the man intently.

His eyes were reluctant. Reluctant to take me home, or was there something else he had planned? Was it possible that my suspicion that he was working with Damon was correct?

"Alright, Ms. Sanchez. I'll take you home. Just wait a moment; I must pack up my clothes first."

I frowned, not understanding. In other words, what did Jax have to pack his clothes for?

"I have to obey the order to stay in your mansion anyway so there can be more time to guard and watch over you. Isn't that so?"

Ah, yes. Jax was right. I let him tidy up his house before he went inside his room for a while and returned with a backpack hanging on his back.

We returned to my mansion with many questions in my head that wouldn't be possible to answer if I had asked this man directly.

Jax is full of mysteries. He was a charming man with many secrets that he would never reveal to anyone but that I would have to uncover on my own.

Please don't doubt my abilities. Nancy Drew 2.0 will be in action.

***

Damon was no longer in his bed. I've forgotten it so many times I don't know when it all started. He still looked normal before we got engaged because we lived separately. And ever since he decided to live together in my mansion, things have been confusing.

I may have experienced this before, but I didn't pay much attention and assumed that my intuition and feelings weren't working correctly.

However, ever since Jax's arrival, things have been different.

The liquid Jax injected, the suspicious business with the strange human, and he never really explained what happened at the club, and now Damon.

I tried to keep my consciousness at the right level. Even if it needs to be perfect, there's a lot I need to know tonight, and I can only rely on myself because neither Bri nor Tatiana will ever believe me if I tell them everything.

Maybe Bri will believe it, even if it's a little challenging. But Tatiana—anything about Damon, if it's terrible, she'll deny it immediately.

I stepped slowly into the room I'd given to Jax. The door was wide open, but I didn't see him there. He wasn't even standing guard in front of my room like usual. Where was that man? On his bed were scattered strange-looking syringes with the same liquid I saw him inject into his body that day.

I no longer wanted to know about that. Jax could be right, or it could be the other way around. As for Jax, I'll take care of that later because I'm looking for Damon right now.

I deliberately left my shoes on, hurrying cautiously, following the figure I saw into a room. From the posture, it was Damon. However, what was he doing in the middle of the night?

I hid behind the wall as the man was heard opening the door to a room—an unoccupied room, which used to be my parents' room before they passed away. I should have been the one occupying that room, but I couldn't bear to look at the souvenirs that were still there.

And Damon always wanted us there.

Was he preparing a surprise for me? He could have done something to the room so that he and I could stay there.

I peeked a little; the man had already entered the room full of memories. He left the door a bit open; I don't know its purpose.

I stepped slowly and stopped right in front of the gap Damon had left. I could see him standing there, looking out the window. He looked at the sky as if enjoying the moon's beauty tonight.

He was such a romantic man in the past. However, things have changed, and his strangeness this time is also completely unknown to me. If he wanted us to move into this room, why didn't he say so?

And that woman—wait! There's a woman in that room. Why didn't I know about it at all? This is my house, and I didn't know that Damon had brought another woman into the house.

I was about to rush into the room, but once again, my gut instinct told me that what I saw wasn't the whole story.

That's right! I needed something else to solidify my suspicions about Damon and confirm whether it was still worth keeping. It may sound childish, but I couldn't accept Damon's different treatment.

My chest rumbled as it became clear that the woman was undressing before me. And Damon—he was making out with her so passionately.

I involuntarily stepped back. Once again, I witnessed Damon doing it every night without me knowing. But who was that woman? Is she the woman I saw who made love to Damon that night before?

I was still smothering my mouth to keep from making a sound. However, my footsteps stopped. Not because I wanted to, but because someone was standing behind my back and immediately protected me with his arms as if not letting me witness what I had already seen before my eyes.

"Close your eyes, Miss Sanchez. You don't deserve to see this," the man said.

"I've already seen it, Jax. Please don't lie to me anymore for any reason. I already know everything. Tell me, what are you doing here?"