NIYA'S POV:
"I don't get it. How?" Veronica's voice trembled with confusion.
Arrogantly, he retorted, "If you all were a bit sharper, you wouldn't have shot Niya, huh?"
"Is this some twisted prank, Niya? Did you bring in someone who looks like Arjun just to mess with us?" Khush raked his hand through his hair in frustration.
With an air of nonchalance, he lit another cigarette, exhaling smoke before speaking. "As I said, fools," he remarked, relishing the moment.
Veronica turned to me, her eyes pleading for an explanation.
"Maybe Arjun should take the lead in explaining," I suggested, turning to face the person we thought was dead but now stood in front of us, grinning mischievously.
"Well, as you can see, I'm not six feet under. I'm alive, but not in the human sense. Truth be told, I haven't been human for quite some time," Arjun admitted, adding to our confusion.
"You're not exactly making things clearer," I sighed in frustration.
Arjun shrugged, implying it was up to me to unravel the mystery. "Why don't you shed some light, since you're the one who invited me here?"
"Okay, let's start with introductions and the information I have," I offered, hoping to bring some clarity to the bewildering situation.
"Please, because right now, my head feels like it's ready to explode," Khush remarked irritably, with Veronica nodding in agreement.
"Guys, meet Noah, but we know him as Arjun. I met him like I met you, Khush, in Cedric's office. But back then, I was having a weird moment and didn't recognize him at first. Later, I found some pics of Cedric and him, so I got curious," I explained, trailing off into an intense silence.
"How can he be alive? We all saw the video of his death. I'm sure he was dead," Khush pulled at his hair, looking to Ivan for confirmation.
"Yeah, we all saw it, and I analyzed the footage. It wasn't doctored," Ivan affirmed Khush's observation.
"How can a dead man still be dead?" Arjun smirked and glanced at me. "You've got some explaining to do to these fools," he chuckled.
In a blink, Arjun moved lightning-fast, gripping Khush's neck. Khush found himself pinned against a tree, feet away from his original spot, baffling everyone.
"What the hell?" Veronica's scream filled the air as she rushed to Khush's aid.
"Let him go, Arjun," I said calmly. He laughed a bit, let go of Khush, and fixed his clothes.
"What are you?" Khush gasped, trying to catch his breath.
"He's a vampire," I disclosed, causing Ivan's eyes to widen in disbelief.
"Is this like a spooky Halloween thing?" Ivan looked really scared
"No, mate, this is reality. There are creatures living among us, hidden until the night falls," Arjun explained calmly, standing close to Ivan and whispering something in his ear. Ivan looked stunned but nodded.
"Now that the introductions are done, why was I summoned? I highly doubt it was for some freaky entertainment," Arjun quipped.
"How?" Veronica's voice trembled with confusion.
"Excuse me?" Arjun raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her question.
"How can you be a vampire? I just can't wrap my head around it," she stammered, looking to me for answers.
"Don't look at me; I'm just as puzzled," I raised my hand, signaling that I wasn't the one to clarify this mystery.
"Alright, storytime, folks," Arjun sighed, observing our bewildered expressions.
"I've been a vampire for almost a century now," he revealed, causing all of us to gasp in shock, a chill running down my spine.
Damn! I had been in a relationship with a vampire? I used to spend alone time with him. How naive of me.
"I know what's going on in your mind, Niya," he chuckled softly, shaking his head. "If I wanted to harm you, you'd have been turned or dead already."
"Once upon a time, I was just a regular guy like you all. My name was Anirudh Singh, and I was just trying to find my place in society," he sighed, his eyes seemingly lost in the past.
"I wanted to fit in with the high society because my parents were big shots during the British rule. One day, I came across a group of British dudes, and I wanted to be part of their circle," he shook his head in disbelief.
"I was a naive 20-year-old, eager to do anything. So these five older boys, almost three years older than me, invited me to join in a ritual, and I foolishly agreed," he continued, looking at us as we nodded for him to go on.
"They gave me some strange juice to drink and then sent me into the forest to hunt a deer. I was scared, but I didn't want to seem like a coward. So, I ventured into the woods only to find myself surrounded by monsters. Their fangs and bloodshot eyes screamed danger," he chuckled lightly, and a shiver ran down my spine.
"I was so terrified that I ended up wetting myself. But then, I did the dumbest thing. I ran. I gave them exactly what they wanted. They were the predators, and I was their prey. The 'deer' they talked about wasn't an animal, it was me. They hunted me down, drinking my blood one after the other. Eventually, I lay there on the ground, left for dead."
"And then? What happened next?" Veronica asked, her voice trembling, and he offered her a warm smile.
"I cried for help, praying for a miracle. I didn't want to die; I dreamed of living, marrying my Anju, having kids. But my foolishness led me to the worst death, alone. However, I later woke up, and those same five people welcomed me into their coven. The coven that's mine now."
"Why did you join us? What about Colonel?" Khush inquired, voicing our collective curiosity.
"Colonel is my bloodline. I had a younger brother, and even after becoming a vampire, I stayed close to my family. I joined you guys for fun, not expecting to fall in love," he glanced at me, his eyes speaking volumes.
"Then why did you do what you did?" I asked, feeling my heart break.
"Because that day, I found my mate in that warehouse. I couldn't tell you the truth, so I chose a different path," he explained, directing his gaze toward Veronica.
I couldn't contain myself and slapped him, but he chuckled and shook his head.
"Bold move, slapping a vampire," he laughed.
"How could you? Why ruin our friendship? You could've just said you wanted to break up. But no, you took the hard way and destroyed everything," I yelled, wanting to hit him again, yet Khush held me back.
"Stop it! Do you want to get yourself killed? Stay put," Khush warned in a hushed tone.
"Easy there, lioness. No wonder Cedric is having a tough time," Arjun laughed.
"Yeah? Screw you and him," I spat at him.
"Now that you've heard my story, can we address the elephant in the room?" Arjun looked at me, and Khush released his grip on me.
With a deep breath, I tried to compose myself amidst the tension crackling in the air. "So, a few days back, I was abducted. There's something I discovered."
"What?" Khush asked, leaning in with curiosity.
"Remember those strange water tanks in the warehouse that day?" I inquired, and they nodded in recollection.
"The ones that screamed 'weird and sketchy'?" Veronica chimed in, seeking confirmation, and I nodded in agreement.
"Well, surprise! Turns out they were sigils. The place I was held captive had that same 'eau de warehouse' scent, and there were some things I couldn't get a good look at it." I explained to the group.
"Okay, and why's this the topic of our undercover conference?" Arjun raised an eyebrow, seemingly attempting to get under my skin.
"Cut to the chase, sweetheart," Arjun interjected, his tone condescending.
"You mean you spotted the same things we saw at the Russian base?" Khush joined the conversation this time.
"At least someone's not playing the fool," I scoffed.
"Thanks," Khush scratched his head, somewhat bashfully.
"But why did those rogues have mafia flairs?" Veronica's brow furrowed in confusion.
"That's exactly what I've been pondering," I agreed, finding some accord in our confusion.
"Are you suggesting a mafia-rogue buddy system?" Arjun probed, and I nodded.
"But why bother telling us? It's not our concern, especially not yours," Arjun shrugged, showing his disinterest.
"Did you take a course on agitating people in your spare time?" I hissed at Arjun, his nonchalance irritating me.
"Our mission was over after Karan's incident. It wrapped up when I was shot and you were having your beauty sleep. It's not our job to save clueless goofs; I'd happily let 'em be" Arjun dismissed the idea.
"How can you be so heartless?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"No heart," he corrected, pointing to himself. "Vampire, remember?"
"Arjun or Noah, whatever you want to be called, she's right. It's not just about humans; it concerns your kind too. Imagine the chaos humans can create if they get involved with other creatures. They pose a threat to vampires, werewolves, and witches alike," Khush chimed in, causing Arjun to contemplate deeply.
"I despise humans and rogues," Arjun grumbled.
"Fine! What's the plan?" Arjun relented.
I glanced at Khush, sharing a knowing smile, and he shrugged in response.
"We need to delve deeper into this, unearth who's the head honcho of the Bratva, and how these rogues are tangled up with them," I urged.
"What if the Bratva's Pakhan isn't actually human?" Veronica's sudden insight left us all stunned.
"How did I not think about this?" I chastised myself inwardly.
"Hmm, you're sharp," Arjun remarked, causing Veronica to make a face.
"Alright! I'll delve deeper into this. I'll have my coven dig in," Arjun committed in a serious tone.
"I'll have my wife look into that witch you mentioned, find her connections to all of this," Khush added.
"I'll focus on the rogues and anyone aiding them," Veronica contributed, and we nodded in unison, ready to uncover the truths hidden within the shadows.
"Alright, I'll dive into the underworld network and see what's brewing," Ivan chimed in, and I gave him an approving nod.
"And hey, don't go blabbing to your hubby about our little get-together, sugar," Arjun grinned mischievously, earning a narrowed gaze from me.
"Excuse me?" I was utterly bewildered.
"Your husband? Paid me a visit, gave me a black eye," Arjun chuckled, looking like he'd just won the lottery.
"What's that got to do with us meeting?" I cocked my head, utterly confused.
"Well, turns out, he's well aware of our secret rendezvous. You and me and all those clandestine things," he smirked, reveling in the revelation.
"Cut to the chase, Arjun," I pressed, my patience wearing thin.
"Okay, so Cedric barged into my mansion and went all alpha on me about what went down with you. You know, the Veronica debacle. He warned me to steer clear of you and not even glance your way. Said if I did, he'd ensure I never knew a moment's peace," Arjun recounted with a smirk, seemingly amused by Cedric's possessiveness.
"Trust me, Cedric's gone full caveman," Veronica chimed in from beside me, and I shot her an annoyed frown.
"But how did he find out?" I was baffled.
"Who knows? Maybe he's got some mind-reading skills now," Arjun shrugged nonchalantly.
"That's impossible; he couldn't do that before," I frowned, feeling a tinge of worry, and Arjun's expression turned grave.
"If we are done here, then I'll get going" Arjun cleared his throat.
"I'll get going too" Khush smiled at me and I did the same.
"Let's meet once we find something" Veronica spoke and we all nodded.
****
"Jeez! Women, knock first!" Cedric's voice echoed as he scrambled to grab his towel, while I quickly covered my eyes and turned away.
"Why on earth are you walking around naked in our room?" I retorted, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.
"Because it's my room, and I've been doing this long before you showed up," Cedric muffled his voice.
"But now that I'm here, you should at least have the decency to wear some underwear," I grumbled.
"Turn around," he whispered, and I leapt forward, feeling goosebumps rush across my skin.
"Why would you do that?" I spun around, only to be met with his bare chest.
"Eyes up here, sweetie," he teased, a blush tinting my cheeks.
"You look cute when you blush," he pinched my ear playfully, and I swatted his hand away.
"Quit it, I'm not a kid," I huffed, and he chuckled.
"And I'm definitely not a creep, so we're both safe," he laughed.
"Are you feeling okay?" I placed my hand on his forehead.
"What are you doing?" he laughed.
"Checking if you have a fever or bumped your head," I rolled my eyes.
"Why would you say that?" he chuckled.
"Because your behavior towards me has been oddly caring and carefree lately," I pointed out, feeling a bit flustered.
"Is it wrong if I want to take care of you?" His voice softened, and I felt his breath on my skin.
"You were pretty mean to me not too long ago. You didn't exactly like me, and now this change feels weird," I murmured, the proximity between us making my heart race.
He leaned in closer, and I held my breath, feeling a rush of emotions swirling within me. His presence alone had a profound effect on me, stirring feelings I shouldn't be experiencing. I should resent him, yet here I was, caught in his aura.
"Take a deep breath," he whispered, and I realized I'd been holding my breath the entire time.
He shook his head, stepped back, and I exhaled, trying to divert my gaze from him. That's when I noticed the absence in the room.
"Something's missing," I frowned.
"What?" Cedric played innocent.
"Cedric," I called out calmly, sensing a brewing storm.
"Yes, wifey?" He replied in an overly sweet tone, too saccharine for his usual self.
"Where's the couch?" I narrowed my eyes, pointing to the empty space near the bed.
"Let me call it and ask," he grinned innocently, pulling out his phone.
"Oh look! I guess the couch is busy and not receiving my calls," he pouted.
"Ha-ha, very funny," I forced a laugh, but he laughed genuinely.
"That wasn't funny," I scolded him, and he took a few steps back, raising his hands in surrender.
"Okay, sorry," he apologized, looking a tad embarrassed.
"What did you do with the couch?" I placed my hands on my hips, shooting daggers at him.
"I just didn't like it in the room," he scratched his head sheepishly.
"Then where am I supposed to sleep?" I interrogated, feeling the frustration building up.
"On the bed, beside me," he grinned sheepishly.
"What?" I widened my eyes.
"What? What?" He feigned innocence.
"I... stop it!" My heart was pounding rapidly.
"Stop what?" He batted his eyelashes, pretending not to understand.
"Stop doing that!" I pointed at his face.
"Doing what?" He's doing this on purpose.
"Argh! You know what? I'm going to use the bathroom," I stormed past him and shut the bathroom door, hearing his laughter trailing behind me.
"Stupid heart," I cursed inwardly, feeling it beat for the person I shouldn't be having feelings for.
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Dear Readers,
Happy new year, may this year bring you happiness and lots of success.
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