Bride of the vampire
Chapter twenty four

"Why?" he whispered, his voice barely audible in the dimly lit room.

Crystal felt a rush of confusion and uncertainty wash

over her. She hadn't meant to say those words out loud, they had simply slipped from her lips, fueled by the thoughts swirling in her mind.

"I don't know," she replied honestly, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability.

Damien, his piercing gaze fixed on her, suddenly changed the topic, catching her off guard. "How much do you earn per night?" he asked, his tone both curious and calculating.

A wave of unease washed over Crystal. Why was he asking about her earnings now? What did he have in mind? These questions raced through her mind, causing her heart to beat a little fast

er.

"$1000," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Without missing a beat, Damien's voice dropped to a low, almost conspiratorial tone. "I will pay you $5000," he said, his words hanging in the air. "Don't go to work tomorrow. Don't even go to the restaurant." Crystal's mind spun with a mixture of shock and curiosity. What could he possibly have in mind that would warrant such a generous offer? Her thoughts raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

"I will pick you up at 10 in the morning," Damien continued, his voice filled with a strange mix of urgency and determination. He leaned in, quickly kissing her forehead before abruptly leaving the room.

Left alone with her thoughts, Crystal's mind buzzed with questions. Don't go to work? Don't go to the restaurant? Where was he taking her? What was he planning? Her mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle that Damien had presented her with.

As the hours ticked by, Crystal remained in the special room, contemplating her next move. If she had left immediately after Damien, it would have been obvious to anyone watching that they had just engaged in a sexual encounter. The last thing she wanted was to be labelled as a whore. Crystal knew that Angel was friendly and confident, and also was capable of anything for money, including setting her up with men. But Crystal had her limits. She would rather beg for food than subject herself to the whims of different men.

****

AT CRYSTAL APARTMENT.

The next morning

The next morning, the sun's gentle rays filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on Crystal's face as she woke up. Stretching her arms above her head, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement for the day ahead. Today was a rare day off from work, thanks to her young master Damien's request, and she couldn't wait to spend it with her best friend, Adrian.

As she made her way towards Adrian's room, a mischievous smile played on her lipswhen she heard faint moaning coming from behind the closed door. Giggling softly to herself, Crystal couldn't resist teasing her friend. "Adrian!" she called out, her voice filled with playful anticipation.

Before she could open the door, Crystal decided to give Adrian some privacy and moved away, heading towards the kitchen.

The tantalising aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, mingling with the scent of the breakfast she had prepared. As she stirred the pot on the stove, she couldn't help but chuckle at her own thoughts. "Young master," she mused, replaceing amusement in the title Damien had jokingly bestowed upon himself.

An hour later, the kitchen was filled with the mouthwatering scent of Crystal's culinary creations. Just as she was putting the finishing touches on the tofu dish, Adrian appeared in the doorway, his dishevelled hair and sleepy eyes giving way to a wide grin. He wrapped his arm around Crystal, pulling her into a warm side hug.

"Hmm, look who's looking all shiny and smiley this morning," Crystal teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"How was it? Good or awesome? Who was the top?" she added, winking playfully.

Adrian chuckled, his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink.

"Silly girl, of course I was the top. Since when did you start talking naughty?" he asked, feigning surprise.

Laughing, Crystal playfully nudged him. "Oh, come on now. You can't blame a girl for being curious," she replied, her voice filled with playful innocence. "But enough about that. "What did you make for breakfast?" Adrian inquired, his stomach growling in anticipation.

"Tofu," Crystal replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But haven't you already had breakfast in bed all night?" she giggled, emphasising the words "all night" with a suggestive tone. Adrian's eyes widened, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "C'mon, stop teasing me," he pleaded, giving her his best puppy eyes. "Yes, the all-night breakfast is making me hungry again." Crystal couldn't help but laugh, swatting his hands away as he reached for the tofu dish.

"Well, I didn't make yours, so hands off," she scolded, a playful grin on her face.

"Hey, aren't you going to work today? It's getting pretty late, oh I forgot you are always late." Adrian said with a chuckle.

Crystal sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not going. I actually have a date," she replied, trying to hide her nervousness. She couldn't possibly tell Adrian that she was going out with a man she dances for, especially since she had no idea where he was taking her.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Is it that guy from the other night?" he asked curiously.

Crystal hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, it is."

"I thought you said it was a woman, not a man. You're such a troublemaker," Adrian playfully scolded, lightly tapping her on the head.

"Come on, spill the details. I want to hear all about it," he urged, genuinely interested in her love life.

*********

Damien's eyes were fixated on his watch, his gaze shifting from the time to his secretary, who had been standing for what felt like an eternity.

She couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration, wishing she could smack him on the head for his incessant time-checking. Yet, she remained composed, holding the files tightly in her hands as she observed him.

A dry chuckle escaped Damien's lips as he caught wind of her internal thoughts. He knew he was testing her patience, relishing in the power he held over her.

Breaking the silence, Damien finally spoke up, his voice laced with a hint of arrogance. "What's my schedule from 10am to 3pm?" he inquired, his eyes still darting back and forth between his watch and his secretary. Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, the secretary took a deep breath before responding.

"You have a meeting with Mr. Alfred from 9am to 10am. From 10am to 3pm, you only have files to cross check and sign," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance.

"You can have a seat," she added, her relief palpable.

Just as she thought she could finally take a break, Damien abruptly changed his mind.

"No, I changed my mind," he declared, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I think You should continue standing."

The secretary's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Are you serious?" she blurted out, unable to contain her frustration any longer.

Damien's face contorted with anger as he glared at her. The secretary immediately regretted her outburst, fearing the consequences of her actions.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm really sorry," she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear. "Please, sir, don't fire me. This job is my only source of income. My dad is dead, and my mom is in the hospital. She needs my salary to stay alive. Have mercy, sir," she begged, her desperation evident as she dropped to her knees.

Fear. It was a powerful motivator, one that Damien was all too familiar with. He despised the sight of it in people's eyes, a reminder of the control he held over them.

Letting out an exasperated groan, Damien's anger simmered slightly. "Did I ask for your family history?" he snapped, his voice laced with irritation."

You have two options: either you stand here until tomorrow or you sit down and leave my office. Thanks to your lucky stars, I didn't lose my temper, or else you would have joined your father," he roared, his words dripping with venom. The secretary trembled in fear, her body recoiling at his harsh words. She knew better than to argue, her survival instincts kicking in.

"Get me coffee," Damien ordered, his tone demanding and authoritative.

A few minutes later, the secretary returned to Damien's office, gracefully balancing a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. Behind her stood a man, Mr. Alfred, who exuded an air of importance and authority.

"Here is your coffee, sir, and Mr. Alfred is here," the secretary announced, her voice filled with a hint of deference.

"Thank you," Damien replied curtly, his attention already drifting away from the secretary and towards the man standing beside her.

Realising that her presence was no longer required, the secretary nodded and quietly exited the room, leaving Damien and Mr. Alfred alone.

"Hello, Mr. Montenegro. It's a pleasure to see you again," Mr. Alfred greeted, extending his hand for a handshake. However, Damien remained stoic, refusing to acknowledge the gesture.

"So, about the..." Mr. Alfred began, but Damien's mind was elsewhere, his thoughts clouded with a sense of unease.

As the conversation between Damien and his client continued, Damien struggled to

concentrate. His mind was fixated on a crystal-clear image, a vision that seemed to overshadow everything else.

"That will be all for today, Mr. Alfred. You may leave now," Damien abruptly interrupted, pointing towards the door.

Mr. Alfred looked at Damien in shock, his confusion evident. Damien was supposed to come to him, not the other way around. They hadn't even finished their discussion, and now Damien was chasing him out?

"If I have to repeat myself, I swear on your life that your head will be the one rolling out of here," Damien warned, his voice laced with a chilling intensity.

Feeling a surge of fear, Mr. Alfred hastily gathered his belongings and fled from the room, desperate to escape the wrath of Damien.

Despite Damien's reputation for being

cold-hearted and rude, people still chose to do business with him. They were drawn to his honesty and integrity, knowing that he would never cheat or try to take advantage of them.

"Isabella, clear my schedule for the rest of the day. I need to go somewhere, and no one, I mean no one, should enter my office," Damien ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Well, I'm already inside," a voice chimed in, causing Damien to freeze in his tracks.

"Hello there, bestie," the voice continued, revealing itself to be none other than Carlo, Damien's partner in crime.

"Carlo?" Damien stammered, his surprise evident.