ELLE
A cool breeze greeted Blade and me as soon as we got out of the car. There were trees all around us, and I could see the ocean nearby, making the air feel incredibly fresh.
Blade walked over to me and placed my hand on his arm. We walked toward the resort entrance, where several employees greeted us.
“Welcome to Valentine’s Beach and Resort.”
Three female employees welcomed us.
“Where’s Ellise?” Blade asked.
“She’s already at the Banquet Hall, sir. She’s waiting for you.”
I don’t know why, but I became annoyed by the woman standing in front of us. It seemed like she was interested in Blade.
“Okay, thanks.”
“I’ll escort you there, sir.”
“Ah, no. We can find our way there,” I interrupted their conversation.
“All right, ma’am.”
I could see the disappointment on the woman’s face. Was she really flirting with Blade right in front of me?
“Let’s go, Blade.”
I pulled Blade along because I was afraid that woman might melt from staring at him.
I noticed Blade laughing as we walked.
“What’s so funny?”
“You look cute when you’re jealous.”
“Jealous? Me? No way.”
I looked away from him.
“It’s okay, Elle. Don’t worry. I’m all yours.”
I smiled at what he said, but I tried not to show it.
Was that really jealousy I was feeling?
Ah, whatever!
The Banquet Hall was located on the ground floor of the resort, so it didn’t take long for us to get there. Besides, it seemed like Blade had already been here before because he knew his way around the resort.
I suddenly became nervous when we entered the Banquet Hall.
I noticed the strange looks people were giving Blade and me. Almost everyone was staring at us, making my heart beat faster.
Blade held my hand.
“Don’t mind them, Elle.”
We walked toward a table, and thankfully, fewer people were staring at us afterward.
Everyone here was dressed in either black or red, which seemed to be the theme of the party.
The place was beautiful. A huge chandelier illuminated the hall, and there were large round tables covered with white tablecloths. Each table had six seats.
“Hey, Blade! Come here!”
I looked toward the person calling Blade and saw Ellise, the cousin Blade had told me about. We immediately walked over to her.
“I’m glad you’re not late,” Ellise said when we reached them.
She was with a man who looked like her boyfriend.
“Yeah, because this party is so special to me. Besides, I’m here with my girlfriend.”
Blade placed his arm around my waist, and I could feel my cheeks heating up because of what he said.
It felt so good hearing him introduce me as his girlfriend. I couldn’t help but feel butterflies in my stomach.
“Oh my God! You said yes to him, Elle?”
I simply nodded in response.
I noticed how beautiful Ellise looked in her black cocktail dress, which matched her boyfriend’s black suit perfectly.
“I’m happy for both of you. But I’m sorry about what I did before. That was the only way I could think of to bring out your feelings for my cousin.”
She was referring to the time she kissed Blade.
“I-it’s okay,” I answered shyly.
“Just tell me if this cousin of mine ever cheats on you. I’ll rip his head off.”
I was slightly startled by that. They were vampires, after all, and they were certainly capable of doing something like that.
“Of course I won’t do that. I’d have to be an idiot to cheat on Elle,” Blade said.
“Good. Anyway, Elle, this is my boyfriend. His name is Raven, and he’s also a vampire.”
I wasn’t surprised by that anymore. I was already getting used to being surrounded by vampires, and his complexion made it pretty obvious that he was one.
Her boyfriend looked extremely serious and didn’t even smile at me.
“Okay, let’s eat first because the event will start soon.”
As soon as Ellise said that, Blade and I sat down.
It wasn’t long before the food arrived, so we started eating.
I finished quickly because I only ate a little. I wasn’t that hungry.
I noticed an elderly man walking onto the stage in front of us. He was wearing a red and black suit. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was one of the board members.
He was Mr. Kenjie Tan.
“Good evening, everyone!”
He began his speech, and everyone in the room turned their attention toward him.
“I know that this is a special event for everyone working at Bloody Liquor Company.”
Everyone listened intently.
“And I’m here to show you just how effective the sacred medicine is.”
After he said that, a man suddenly walked onto the stage.
I was almost frightened by his appearance.
He was shirtless and wearing only black pants. There was no denying that he had an impressive physique.
His eyes were blood-red, and his two fangs were clearly visible.
I could definitely tell that he was a vampire.
“Now, you’ll see how the sacred medicine works.”
Mr. Tan took a small container from his pocket. Inside were red capsules. I couldn’t see them very clearly from where I was sitting, but they appeared to be red.
He took one and gave it to the vampire standing beside him.
“Just wait and see the real magic of science.”
I was stunned when the vampire suddenly sat down as though he were experiencing some kind of pain.
I looked at Blade, but he was simply watching the stage with a serious expression.
Slowly, the vampire’s appearance began to change.
His pale skin gradually became a normal human complexion. He stood up, and the pain he had been experiencing seemed to disappear.
His eyes turned black, and his fangs suddenly vanished.
The sacred medicine really was incredible.
The vampire now looked completely human.
“And that is the effect of the sacred medicine from Bloody Liquor Company.”
Loud applause filled the room after he finished speaking.
I couldn’t move.
I was still processing everything I had just witnessed.
The sacred medicine was real.
And it could actually make vampires look human.
“Are you okay, Elle?”
I looked at Blade.
“Ah—yes. I’m fine.”
“Can I leave you for a while? I just need to talk to some of the company members.”
“Sure. I’ll stay here and wait for you.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my eyes on you, Elle. And Ellise is here, so you won’t be alone.”
I smiled at him.
Before he left, he kissed me on the cheek.
I watched Blade walk toward another table, where he happily began talking with several people.
“Elle, can I ask you one question?”
Ellise suddenly spoke, and she looked serious.
“Of course. What is it about?”
“Do you really love Blade?”
I was slightly surprised by her question, but her expression remained serious.
“I know it’s kind of an awkward question, but I just want to know. Blade is a really good person, and I don’t want him to get hurt because of love.”
I understood that she was only worried about her cousin.
Perhaps she was also surprised that I had chosen to be with Blade despite knowing that he was a vampire.
“I love Blade very much. Just like you, I couldn’t believe at first that it was possible for me to fall in love with him. But as time passed, I eventually accepted that I really did love him.”
I could see that she was listening carefully to every word I said.
“I’m happy whenever I’m with him. And for now, I just want to make the most of the time we have together because he gives me a kind of happiness I’ve never felt before.”
A big smile appeared on Ellise’s face.
“You know, I think you’re going to be a good girlfriend for him. I can really see that Blade is happier whenever he’s with you too. Just look at him.”
I quickly turned toward Blade.
He was looking directly at me with a smile.
“I heard everything you said.”
He said it without making a sound, simply mouthing the words from across the room, but it was enough for me to understand him.
I immediately looked away.
Why did I forget that he was a vampire?
Of course he could hear our conversation even though we were quite far apart.
I could feel my face turning red as I looked at Ellise, who was barely holding back her laughter.
“I’m sorry, Elle. I forgot he could hear us.”
She laughed, and it seemed like she had planned the whole thing.
This is so embarrassing!
Blade now knew exactly how I felt about him.
I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.
I wish Blade would take longer to come back because I had no idea how I was going to face him after this.
Arghhhh!