Annalise had dozed off not long after signing the contract, her body sinking into the plush leather of the car like it was the first real rest she'd gotten in days. Her lashes fluttered against her cheeks, mouth slightly parted, and arms tucked into herself like a child, oblivious to the world or the vampire sitting right beside her. Caden, of course, noticed.
He tilted his head, one brow raised in amusement, a condescending smirk teasing his lips. "Only this girl," he muttered under his breath. "Only this foolish little human would have the audacity to sleep next to a vampire who could rip her throat out in a second."
But there was something almost... intriguing about it. Her reckless vulnerability. Her quiet defiance. The way she dared to snore softly beside him as if he were nothing more than a chauffeur. He scoffed and looked away, but a sliver of his attention remained on her the entire drive back to the Valtore mansion.
When Annalise finally stirred, her lids fluttering open, she blinked several times before realizing she wasn't in the car anymore. No, she was lying on a massive bed draped in silk, pillows that felt like clouds stacked around her, and a canopy overhead that shimmered in the low golden light of a chandelier. It was too luxurious. Too soft. Too... unreal.
She sat up quickly, disoriented, only for her movements to halt at the sight of six women in uniform standing stiffly at each side of the room.
"Good evening, Madam," they chorused in unison, their hands behind their backs.
Annalise rubbed her eyes, her voice groggy. "What the hell...? Who are you people?"
One if these days she might pass out from all this .
One of the older women stepped forward, a gentle smile on her face. "We've been ordered by Mrs. Mella to clean you up and bring you downstairs."
Annalise's brows furrowed as she realized she was wearing something different—a silk robe, loosely tied around her waist. "Who changed my clothes?"
"We did, Madam. It was... part of the instruction."
"Get out. Now."
They hesitated, glancing nervously between each other.
"I said I don't need help bathing or dressing. I'm not a porcelain doll. I'm human—very capable of cleaning my own damn self."
Their expressions barely shifted, but they obeyed, bowing slightly before turning and exiting one by one.
Annalise stormed into the adjoining bathroom, locking the door with a heavy sigh. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the edge of the ornate sink. She needed a moment. Just one.
When she turned, she gasped.
A gleaming marble jacuzzi awaited her, the water already filled and steaming gently, laced with rose petals and lavender oil. Luxury screamed at her from every corner, but it was the soft glow of candles and warm, comforting scent that drew her in.
"I still hate vampires," she muttered as she let her robe slip to the floor, stepping into the water. "But damn, this is heaven."
She soaked in silence, allowing her muscles to relax for the first time in what felt like forever. But she couldn't stay forever. There was a mission looming over her like a shadow: her mother, held hostage, and the contract she signed without truly reading. There was a heart she was expected to claim, kill—literally.
After finishing her bath and dressing herself in undergarments, she begrudgingly allowed the staff to assist. They dressed her in a sea-blue, knee-length dress that fit her hourglass frame like it had been custom made. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, a few soft strands framing her face like delicate wisps.
She stepped out of the room, her heart pounding against her ribs as she began descending the grand staircase. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sheer opulence of the mansion. Gold accents, crystal chandeliers, marble everything. It made her father's estate look like a peasant's shack.
Halfway down, she spotted a woman approaching.
"I'm Lilith," the woman said with a soft, almost warm smile.
Annalise paused, trying to place the face. Lilith… That girl from the restaurant. Caden's cousin, maybe?
"You look like a goddess," Lilith said, appraising her. "I know this is strange, but... can we be friends?"
Annalise blinked. She wasn't used to genuine kindness. Especially not from a vampire. Her instincts were oddly silent. No alarms. No gut screams. Just... a strange calm.
"Sure," she muttered.
Lilith beamed and led her through the corridors toward the dining hall.
But before Annalise could even sit down, Caden appeared out of nowhere like a shadow given life. His warm fingers wrapped around her wrist, and she looked up, startled.
"Come," he said without looking at anyone else.
"I was just about to eat," she mumbled, confused.
"And I was just about to not care," he replied blandly.
He didn't wait for her response, dragging her effortlessly through the hall and out the mansion. Annalise barely had time to glance at the grandeur around her. Flowers blooming unnaturally, a sky painted in dusk colors, marble statues that moved ever so slightly like they were alive.
They stepped into his sleek black car, and the door slammed shut behind her.
"I'm hungry," she said, voice taut with frustration. "And as far as I recall, there was nothing in that contract about starving me."
Caden arched a brow, then looked away. "Are you sure you read it well?"
"You unbearable piece of—"
"Careful," he drawled, not even glancing her way. "Swearing at your husband-to-be? Tsk. So uncouth."
Annalise glared at him, lips pressed into a hard line. "You're so heartless."
"Thank you," he said smoothly, finally turning his head to glance at her. "It really does sound lovely coming from you."
She looked out the window, fuming, refusing to let him see her crack. But Caden, narcissistic devil that he was, took his time observing her.
Her skin still glowed faintly from the bath. Her lashes curled delicately against her cheek. Her lips were soft, plump, parted in slight frustration. She was... beautiful. But that wasn't what stirred him. It was her fire. Her recklessness. Her refusal to be scared of him despite having every reason to.
"Asshole," she cursed under her breath.
He grinned.