06.  

From: Daehyunnie 

Are you with her now? Is she warm? Are you treating her like a gentlemen? Where are you guys going? Are you scaring her? You're gonna feed her right? Don't starve her. 

Youngjae snickered and rolled his eyes as he read Daehyun's message. Soah, who was sitting beside Youngjae simply smiled as she witnessed how sassy he was. 

To: Daehyunnie 

Do I look like I'm gonna eat your girl up? We are going to grab dinner, stop being annoying.

A reply came from Daehyun instantly. Damn, this guy is being overprotective already. Youngjae thought as he mentally pictured himself kicking Daehyun in his shin.

From: Daehyunnie 

Where are you bringing her for dinner? Did you even ask her what she likes? Don't make her eat something she doesn't like, punk. 

Youngjae rolled his eyes again and groaned inwardly. If everyone knew what kind of annoying creature Daehyun is, they probably wouldn't look up to him that much anymore. Youngjae thought while furiously jabbing on his keyboard, typing out a reply to Daehyun. 

To: Daehyunnie 

I AM BRINGING HER TO BUFFET AND THEY HAVE AN INSANE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOOD SO STOP BEING BOSSY 

From: Daehyunnie 

Is your keyboard malfunctioning? Why are you typing in caps? 

Youngjae groaned and kicked the air with his legs, which made him look like a 4 year old kid who was throwing a tantrum. Soah bit back a chuckle at that scene. 

"Seriously, this guy." Youngjae muttered under his breath. 

To: Daehyunnie 

Bye, I'll see you back at your house. 

With that, Youngjae tossed his phone onto the leather seat, folding his arms and puffing his cheeks out of annoyance. 

Soah couldn't help but laughed heartily at how Youngjae was acting like a kid. 

"Who did this to you?" Soah asked with a wide smile on her face. 

Youngjae rolled his eyes. "Daehyun. Who else? That kid is being annoying. He's speaking as though I'm gonna eat you up."

Soah's eyes widened slightly. "You guys were talking about me?" 

Youngjae turned to face Soah with a smile on his face. "Yes and this is the first time I've ever ever seen Daehyun being so protective over a girl he was seeing but technically you guys haven't even went out together yet. Oh goodness, I still need to deal with him later." 

Youngjae threw his hands up into the air, as though he was asking for the Angels to swop down and save him. Soah felt shocked that Daehyun actually cared for her that much. To be honest, she thought that his interest in her was only temporary and it will just fade away after a while. 

He's the King and I'm just another regular girl. Soah thought as she glanced down at her palms. 

They arrived at the buffet restaurant that Youngjae had planned for them shortly after and he had booked a private room so that they won't be disturbed by the crowd in the restaurant. Soah ate happily but didn't eat much as she had a small appetite naturally. 

Youngjae excused himself shortly after they were done with their meal and Soah was now standing in front of the window that overlooked the city. As the restaurant was located on the 89th floor, she could see all the lights that were lighted up in the city crystal clear. 

She let her eyes fleet from one building to another, wondering about how someone else out there had a vastly different life from hers. Were they happy with their life?

"It's nice, isn't it?" 

A spark of energy immediately sparked up inside of her the moment she heard the voice. Or maybe it was already there to begin with but she was too distracted to notice it. She swirled around immediately, meeting eyes with the man whom she was so fatally attracted to. 

Daehyun was standing near the door with his hands tucked into his pockets, wearing a smile on his face. He was dressed in black button down, black pants that fitted him perfectly and topping it off with a black long coat that stops near his mid-thighs. 

He looks breathtaking, as usual. Soah thought as Daehyun strode over to her side. He stood beside her, his eyes focused on the city view. 

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" Daehyun asked, turning to Soah and waiting for her answer. 

Soah simply nodded in response. She didn't trust her voice enough right now to reply a 'yes'. 

So there they were, walking down along the streets in Milan. Since it was already close to 10pm, the streets were fairly deserted and it offered the peace that Soah and Daehyun wanted. 

"I'm sorry for asking you out on a date and yet I didn't turn up for it." Daehyun apologized while running a hand through his hair. 

Soah simply nodded to acknowledge his apology. The surge of energy and attraction that brewed in Soah was still present and it seemed to grow even stronger the closer she gets to Daehyun. If he's feeling it too, he sure is handling it well. Soah thought as she snuck a glance at Daehyun. 

Soah's heart was beating away ferociously in her chest and all attempts to rein it in was futile. 

"I've something to tell you, Soah." 

Soah turned towards him, an indication that she was listening to him. She searched for Daehyun's eyes but his eyes were glued onto the floor, clearly wanting to avoid eye contact. 

"I've to bring you in to the Prophet." 

Soah blinked at him, "The Prophet? What's that?" 

Daehyun sighed, closing his eyes momentarily. "When a Vampire that is seen as a threat to the whole of the Vampire species surfaces, we bring them in to the Prophet, where they will be assessed of their real threat towards the entire species by the entire community." 

The silence that fell between the both of them was a sickening.  

"When is that going to be?" Soah asked softly, breaking the silence. 

"Tonight. I'm really sorry, Soah, that a date that I planned for you had to unfold into this." Daehyun said apologetically. 

Daehyun lifted his head up, meeting eyes with Soah, and Soah was sure that she saw guilt in his eyes. 

She forced out a smile at him. "It's okay, I understand that it's necessary." 

In a few hours time, Soah had to face the entire Vampire species and there were hundred thousands of them. Not to forget the fact that she was clueless about what were they going to do to her. Soah thought that her heart couldn't beat any faster that it already was but, boy was she wrong.

••• 

Soah wiped her palms on the jeans she had changed into as beads of perspiration started to form on it, due to her nerves. 

Daehyun had drove her back to her dormitory for her to get a change of clothes and, luckily Leah and Caleb were nowhere to be seen, which means that she didn't have to do a whole round of explanation. 

Right now, she was standing in a large room with stone walls and staircase-liked platforms with chairs lined neatly on those platforms. The entire Vampire community was all staring at her. Hundred thousands of eyes were trained on her, tracking her every move. 

She was led to a stone altar in the middle of a room where Soah assumed was where she was supposed to lie on for them to do whatever they were gonna do to her. She lied down carefully on the altar and by the steady beat of the energy burning in her, she knew that Daehyun was in this room too. She glanced up at the ceiling and a male with blonde hair came into her sight. 

He held a glass bottle with a clear liquid inside of it and he was about to sprinkle the contents on Soah. Soah shut her eyes, afraid of what was about to happen. The last time a similar ceremony happened at the university, it revealed her identity. What was this liquid going to do to her now?