CALEB
I was beginning to think I was some lost artifact in the museum because why is half of the school staring at me?
I had to draw down the curtains around my bed because they had their eyes glued to the windows, watching me. Had they never seen anyone sneeze before?
"Has no one ever fallen sick in this school before?" A familiar voice said.
I turned to find Dominic walking into the room. His hair was pulled back in a messy bun and I suddenly wanted to run my hands through it.
"Hey," he smiled, taking a seat next to me.
"Hi," I said shyly.
Without a word, he reached out and palmed my forehead, catching me off-guard. "Your fever's going down. Feeling better?"
"Y - yeah." I stuttered shyly, gently pushing his hand away.
I heard some whisper then I turned towards the window. "You said no one's ever fallen sick before?"
"Ever." He said matter-of-factly.
"That must be cool." I heaved a sigh.
"I guess," he said, looking away.
Was he blushing?
"If you all don't leave this instant, I'll set this hall on fire!" An angry voice growled in the hallway and the crowd cleared instantly.
Wait! I know that voice!
The door flew open and Damian strolled in.
Without uttering a single word, he grabbed my arm and scooped me out of bed. "Let's go."
I panicked. "Wait. Where are we going?"
"Put him down, Damian!" Dominic rose to his feet.
Damian ignored him and walked out of the room with me in his arms.
While walking in the hallway, I almost exploded out of embarrassment.
"Put me down." I glared at Damian.
"And leave you in there with fish dude?" He glared at me.
"F – fish dude?" I blinked.
He rolled his eyes, still walking to God knows where.
"But I'm still sick."
"You're not."
"How'd you know? You're not my body."
"How about I strip you naked and find out?"
Aargh!
"N - No!" I nearly jumped off his arms.
"Then shut up and stay still," he said.
After a while, he asked. "You wear tuxedos?"
I hesitated before answering. "Y — Yeah. Why?"
"Good. We're headed to a fitting." He said simply.
"What?! Why?!" I panicked.
"If you fall, I won't catch you. Stay still."
"Why are we headed to —" I noticed he didn't take the path that led to our dorm instead, he took the stairs.
"Damian, what are you —"
Oh God.
"Yo, check out Prince Damian and the four-eyed princess." Cameron joked when he saw us.
Now, I really wanted to die.
"Damian, put me down." I whispered.
He didn't answer. He carried me till we got down the stairs then he put me down.
"Your Highness," Mr. Black from my first day of school came up beside me.
"You! —"
"You know what to do." Damian said and the man nodded.
Wait, what does he know?
"Damian —" I panicked when I saw him leaving.
"I'll join you all soon." He said.
"Join us? Join us where? Where are we going?" I asked.
"You ask too many questions, Firefly." Damian said with a deep sigh.
Damn, right.
"Go." He said, giving me a light push.
"Come on, princess. Let's go." Brynn threw her arm around my shoulder.
"Wait!"
Damian didn't turn around and walked away.
"Don't worry, Cubby. We're going to New York." Brynn smiled.
I froze. "New York? Why?"
She grinned. "We have a wedding to attend."
****
When Damian told Mr. Black to do what he knows what he should do? I knew what he should do.
Mr. Black (I need to stop calling him that) gave me herb tea. "Here. It'll cure your cold."
Last time someone gave me an herb, it tasted bitter.
Someone… Dominic.
"Here." He put the mug in my hand and turned away.
I noticed it was just him today and had to ask. "Um… Mr. Black, what about Mr. White?"
He froze.
God, did I do something wrong?
"She's in Aethoria." He replied after much hesitation.
"Oh okay." I nodded and brought the mug to my lips. "Wait, she?!"
"She's my wife." He said.
I believe my jaws dropped all the way to the floor. "What?!"
I heard a soft knock on the door before it clicked open.
Valentine popped her head inside, bright-eyed and entirely too cheerful for my liking. "Get up, Cubby. It's time for the fitting."
I stared at her. After last night, I wasn't exactly thrilled to be around her, but avoiding her wasn't an option.
I sighed, dragging myself up from the bed. "Okay."
The car ride was quiet at first. I kept my eyes on the city, watching the way humans moved, oblivious to the fact that they shared space with creatures who could tear them apart in seconds. It was almost funny.
Cameron, on the other hand, was too excited for his own good. "This place is incredible. First time in the human world, and I love it already."
I smirked. "Wait till you try a New York bagel. It's life-changing."
I barely noticed Vincent watching me until he spoke. "You're surprised people aren't staring at us, aren't you?"
I blinked. "I had been, actually. Yeah. I thought the whole 'red eyes, vampire thing' would be a problem."
Vincent chuckled. "They're aware of us. They just pretend we don't exist. Humans are good at that."
That was... unsettling. I nodded, choosing not to dwell on it.
Then we got to the boutique.
The second I stepped inside, my body tensed. Because standing there, looking like he had every right to be here, was Dominic.
His eyes locked onto me, intense, unreadable. I barely had time to react before he was grabbing my wrist. "I need to talk to you."
There was something in his voice—possessiveness. It made my skin prickle. But before I could even think about responding, another hand—stronger and more familiar—wrapped around my other wrist.
Damian!
"Come with me," Damien said, his voice low, firm. A quiet command.
The entire boutique seemed to freeze. My pulse pounded. I hated the way they made me feel like a prize to be won. But something in Damian's grip felt steady, grounding, and I found myself stepping towards him.
Dominic's jaw tightened, but he let go. Not without a look that promised this wasn't over.
I exhaled shakily, letting Damian lead me away.
The fitting room was ridiculously high-end—plush seating, gold fixtures, and full-length mirrors that reflected way too much of me. Then I saw it. My suit, displayed on a mannequin. A perfect fit except it wasn't because the last time I wore a suit, it was at my father's funeral.
My breath hitched and the room suddenly felt smaller.
I barely registered Damian stepping in until he spoke. "You good?"
I swallowed hard. "The suit's too big."
He studied me. "That's not what's wrong, though, is it?"
I didn't answer. Didn't have to. Damian had this way of seeing through me, peeling back layers I didn't want exposed.
Then he moved. Unbuttoning my shirt.
I panicked. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Relax," His fingers were steady, slow. "I'm helping you find something that actually fits."
Heat crawled up my neck. "I — I can do it myself."
He ignored me, sliding the oversized shirt from my shoulders. His fingers brushed against my skin—warm, careful, deliberate. It was nothing. And everything.
I swallowed as he replaced the shirt with one that hugged my frame better. When he was done, he didn't step back.
He just... stared at me.
I shifted under his gaze. "What is it?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he lifted me onto the table, stepping between my legs like it was the most natural thing in the world. His fingers traced along my jawline, slow, deliberate.
My stomach flipped.
His touch was warm, very… very familiar.
Damian's lips curled into a smile. "You like this, don't you?"
My heart pounded as he leaned in, closer and closer until the door burst open.
Valentine stood there, wide-eyed. "Oh."
Oh, shit.
Damian sighed, stepping back like nothing had happened. I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
Of course. Of freaking course.