Chapter 3 vampires flirting

Chapter 3

"The younger they are, the easier they are to spoil," Clev answered.

"That still depends on their personality. We can't be sure yet," Gunther said.

"Who do you think will win?" Ross asked.

Gunther thought for a moment. "Either Empire or Tangent."

Tangent stood and gave them a slight bow.

"If not me, then it'll be Indigo," Ross interjected.

"Good luck, everyone," Clev smirked. "She's going to be mine."

"Alright, meeting's over. We have VIP guests booked today. Let's focus on them first." Gunther clapped his hands.

I ended up skipping class that afternoon, just as Trojan had demanded. But the café was busy, so Ross couldn't pick me up.

We had to commute together. He had brought his motorcycle but refused to let me ride it, so he left it at a park center.

He was silent the entire train ride, eyes fixed on his phone, seemingly studying some kind of information. Meanwhile, I felt awkward watching the couple sitting across from us.

"They're really doing that out in public?" I muttered.

"You say something?" Trojan glanced at me.

"Huh? Oh... n-nothing..."

Then, he followed my gaze and smirked.

"First time seeing vampires flirting in public?" he teased.

"Mind your own business," I muttered under my breath.

But the couple noticed we were watching them. My eyes widened when the man smirked at me and slid his hand up his girlfriend's thigh.

Feeling uncomfortable, I stood up and looked away.

"Where are you going?" Trojan grabbed my wrist.

"I-I'm switching seats..." I mumbled, unable to keep watching.

Why were there so few passengers, anyway?

"Hey!"

I turned, thinking he was talking to me.

"You two see a student sitting right in front of you, and you still won't stop messing around?" Trojan scolded them.

"Jealous, huh? What does it matter if she's a student?" the guy scoffed.

Trojan sighed and stood up, clearly irritated.

"Jealous, you say?"

I quickly grabbed his arm, already guessing that he was about to start a fight. Just in time, the train reached a station, and the doors opened. I tugged on his sleeve, urging him to get off. He clicked his tongue and walked out ahead of me, still annoyed.

Sometimes, it's still hard to believe they're just around.

I let my eyes wander as we walk, observing the vampires we pass by. They look almost the same as humans-except for their noticeably paler skin, which makes it easy to tell them apart.

Well, except for the wealthy vampires who find ways to make themselves appear normal using their money.

That's when I realized Trojan and I were holding hands. He was leading me along as we walked.

My face heated up as I stared at his back. I don't know if it was just my imagination, but time seemed to slow around us-like everything was moving in slow motion. What's wrong with me?

I tapped my cheeks to snap myself out of it, only to bump into his back when he suddenly stopped walking.

"Oh?" he reacted.

"S-sorry, you stopped so suddenly..." I muttered, rubbing my nose.

But he still didn't let go of my hand.

He dialed a number on his phone and placed it against his ear.

"Hello, we're at Eastgate now. Just come pick her up... We'll wait for you."

"Who was that?" I asked after he ended the call.

"Ross."

"Are you close with him?"

"No," he denied. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, noticing how I was staring.

"Your wounds... they've already healed?"

"Yeah, a while ago. You just noticed now?"

"Yeah... That's amazing."

"Tell me, aside from me and the others at the café, have you ever had a close encounter with vampires before?"

"No," I shook my head. "You're the first ones."

"Sorry," he suddenly apologized.

"For what?"

"For dragging you into the mess caused by those spoiled brats," he said seriously.

"I think they're actually nice-especially Gunther."

I felt him squeeze my hand.

"Before this game ends... I'll tell you everything."

"But didn't you say keeping quiet was part of your job?"

He didn't get the chance to answer as a limo pulled up in front of us. The window rolled down, revealing Ross, grinning while wearing shades.

Trojan opened the door for me and helped me inside.

"I'll see you later," he said before finally letting go of my hand.

Ross sat there like he was in the middle of a photoshoot, striking a pose every minute. He looked more like a model than an actual model. And honestly, even though he was flashy and full of himself, he was nice to look at.

If I hadn't sold my phone, I might've secretly taken a picture of him. But the problem was-I got mugged the same day I got kicked out of my apartment. I lost all the money I had saved for rent and a decent new phone.

In just one moment, I lost everything-my money, my home, and my 'dignity.'

That's why I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity Gunther offered. It's not every day something like this happens, and I have no idea how long it will last.

The important thing is, I have a place to stay, even if it means living with vampires. It feels like I hit the jackpot.

Especially now, riding in this luxurious car with a prince sitting right in front of me!

"Are you mesmerized by my handsomeness?"

His voice broke through my thoughts.

I blushed. I had been staring at him.

"Ah, uhm... It's just that you look cool."

"Cool?" He dramatically placed a hand on his forehead. "I'm far too handsome for such a simple word. Being a vampire naturally makes me cool. But that's not the compliment I wanted to hear."

I grimaced. His confidence was overwhelming. But to be fair, he had every right to be. If he ever showed up at my campus, there would probably be a stampede.

"Hmm... Hot?" I accidentally blurted out the opposite.

He smirked. "Anything else?"

"Aesthetic?"

He clapped his hands.

"Very well said, my lady! Forgive me for looking like a work of art. Sometimes, even I get blinded by my own beauty, which is why I often avoid mirrors." He crossed his legs and rested his arms on the seat.

"Yeah, you should be living in a museum," I quipped.

He laughed. "You're right. If I die, I'll donate my body so the world can admire me."

"But you're a vampire. They wouldn't be able to preserve your corpse."

"That's the sad part," he laughed. "Uhm, can you take off my shades?"

"Huh?"

"My position will be ruined if I lift my hands."

If the window were open, I'd probably be drowning in the strong wind from this guy.

"Are you afraid of scratching my handsome face?" he asked when I didn't move right away.

How cocky!

Since the car was moving, I carefully leaned toward him, keeping my head down. I managed to grab his shades, but just as I removed them, the driver suddenly hit the brakes. I fell onto his lap-almost kissing him!

His ashen eyes locked onto mine.

I froze. My body refused to move out of nervousness and awkwardness. And for some reason, he didn't move either. His gaze remained fixed on my face.

Gently, he brushed his fingers against my cheek.

"You're the first person to ever sit there..."

The sound of the door opening snapped me back to reality. Embarrassed, I turned to look at the driver, who was standing outside.

I quickly got out of the car.

Ross followed, his expression neutral. I looked around-were we in the underground lobby of a mall? I thought we were heading back to the café.

We headed straight to the elevator, leaving the driver behind.

We stopped on the 6th floor. As soon as we stepped out, the cool scent of air conditioning greeted me. The place was huge, seemingly dedicated to luxury clothing, bags, shoes, and cosmetics.

The moment the salesladies and staff saw him, they quickly lined up to make way for him. One of them even approached and greeted him.

My eyes wandered to a poster-his face! Then, I started noticing his image everywhere: on LCD screens, stickers, icons, banners, and even a life-size standee?

I stopped at a corner displaying lipsticks. I picked one up and smelled it-it was scented, floral. Most were gradient and glittered.

A hand suddenly snatched it away from me. When I turned around, I saw Ross smelling the lipstick as well.

"Do you want to try it?" he asked with a smile.

Before I knew it, my lips parted on their own.

"Don't move," he said, holding my chin as he leaned down to apply the lipstick.

I knew nothing about makeup, but the way he did it-it was like he was an expert.

"It suits you."

He turned me toward the mirror.

"See?" He kept his hands on my shoulders as we both looked at my reflection.

I only ever used lip balm. This was my first time wearing lipstick, and of all people, a vampire had applied it for me. My classmates would go crazy if they were in my place.

"Your beauty is simple, so it's not easily noticed. But with the right clothes, shoes, and styling, everyone's eyes will be on you..."

My confidence soared at his words.

"A-are you the owner of this shop?" I asked, curious.

"No."

"Then, are you the model for all the brands here?"

"Yup, my face is just that in demand," he said with a wink.

"Sir, the spa is ready, along with the dressing room and the outfits for fitting," a staff member informed him with a polite bow.

"She's the one you'll be making over," Ross said, pointing at me.

"W-wait, Ross-?" I barely had time to protest before the staff whisked me away.

He simply waved at me.

Hair spa, foot spa, massage, mani-pedi, and all sorts of pampering-I experienced everything in just a few hours. I felt amazing. I was literally being treated like a princess, complete with snacks!

Finally, we arrived at the dressing room.

"Please wear this, Lady Prim. Sir Ross designed it specifically for you."

"H-he designed it? You mean he's a designer?" I asked in surprise.

The staff member smiled and nodded.

"A designer, model, cosmetics enthusiast, and the owner of this entire building," she said proudly.

I was shocked. Earlier, when I asked him, he said he wasn't.

"But he doesn't want people to know about that. He prefers to be recognized only as a model. Very few know about his other professions. In the world of fashion design and business, he's anonymous. People only know him as a top model-he's highly sought after for commercials and ads."

"Aren't you worried about getting in trouble for spilling his secrets?" I asked.

She shook her head. "You seem special to him. You wouldn't expose him to others, would you?" Her tone was slightly challenging.

"Of course not. Besides, his life has nothing to do with me," I replied. "I'm just staying at their place temporarily..." I mumbled the last part to myself.

To Be Continued...