Vampire Assassin: Love and Lies

It had been three weeks since Damian had the standoff—or rather, the stare-off—with Cassius. The whole school was buzzing with rumors about him. Girls whispered about how "cool and mysterious" the new guy was, while guys either ignored him or tried too hard to act tough around him. Emma had gotten the worst of it, though. A bunch of girls in her year had started throwing shade her way because Damian was close to her and didn't seem interested in anyone else.

Then there was Nadia. She wasn't just the queen bee of the school—she owned the crown. Damian had recently found out that she wasn't just some rich kid either; her family was aristocracy. To top it all off, she was betrothed to Cassius. Yeah, that Cassius. But there was something else bothering Damian. He was being followed. Not by Cassius—this was different. Whoever it was, their presence felt suffocating.

"Guess the past isn't as easy to bury as I thought," Damian muttered to himself.

---

Morning training in the Vampire Fields was supposed to be peaceful. For Damian, it was just another place to push himself harder. The cold morning breeze ruffled his dark hair as he went through his drills: quick jabs, powerful kicks, and testing his speed in short bursts. The training grounds, surrounded by tall, imposing stone walls, had a strange calmness to them despite the grunts and yells of students practicing their abilities.

Nearby, Emma was practicing her witchcraft. She twirled her hands in the air, small sparks of energy swirling around her fingers. Damian smirked as one of the sparks fizzled out and she muttered a curse under her breath. Not far from her, Oliver was hunched over a dusty spellbook, trying to perfect a barrier spell. The poor guy had been at it for an hour and still couldn't get it right.

As Damian finished a set of high kicks, his sharp eyes caught a familiar figure walking along the edge of the training grounds. Zoe. She was dressed in her usual rebellious fashion, looking like she didn't care about the world around her. Damian raised a hand in greeting flashing a smile. Zoe noticed him and gave a quick wave back before disappearing into the crowd.

Damian turned his attention back to his training, but his focus was interrupted when a group of men in black suits entered the grounds. They were led by the vice principal, who always had that "strict headmaster" vibe. These men weren't just anyone—they moved with precision and purpose, like they owned the place.

"Who are those guys?" Damian asked Emma, his tone casual.

Emma didn't even glance up from her spell. "Auditors. From the emperor's court. Apparently, they're here to review the school's progress or whatever."

Damian frowned. Auditors? He recognized them, though. They weren't from the emperor's court. They were from Silent Blades—his old assassin gang. His grip tightened as memories of his past crept back into his mind. But why were they here? And why were they walking around with the vice principal?

The men disappeared into the school building, and Damian forced himself to shake off the unease. He couldn't let this distract him. Not now. But before he could refocus, a group of three older students approached him.

"Oh, look, it's the big shot newbie," one of them sneered, crossing his arms. "Think you're better than us, huh?"

Damian sighed. Typical. He had tried to avoid these guys, but apparently, they had made it their mission to test him.

"Not in the mood," Damian said flatly, turning away.

"Hey!" The lead bully grabbed his shoulder, spinning him back around. "We're talking to you, Vesper."

Damian's eyes narrowed. The bully had no idea what he was messing with.

"You should walk away," Damian said, his voice low and calm.

But, of course, they didn't. The lead bully threw a punch, aiming for Damian's face. Damian dodged with ease, stepping to the side as the bully's fist cut through the air. Before the guy could recover, Damian swept his legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground.

The other two bullies lunged at him at the same time. Damian moved like a blur, dodging their clumsy attacks and landing precise strikes. Within seconds, all three of them were on the ground, groaning in pain.

Damian stood over them, his posture relaxed but his expression cold. He hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Impressive," a voice said, slow and deliberate. Damian turned to see the vice principal watching from a few feet away. Behind him was the head of the men in black suits, studying Damian with an expression that sent a chill down his spine.

The vice principal scowled. "You're not allowed to fight on school grounds, Vesper. You—"

"Let him go," one of the men in suit interrupted, his voice calm but firm.

The vice principal looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I said let him go. No punishment." The man's sharp gaze shifted to Damian. "This one's... interesting. Very interesting."

Damian kept his face blank, but inside, he was on edge. Did this guy recognize him?

The vice principal huffed but didn't argue. He muttered something under his breath before storming off, leaving Damian and the men alone.

The man in the suit took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "You've got talent, Draven. But talent like yours doesn't come from regular training. I wonder..." He trailed off, his words heavy with implication.

Damian didn't respond. He wasn't about to give this guy anything.

After a tense moment, the man smirked. "Be careful, Vesper. The world has a way of catching up to people like you." With that, he turned and walked away.

As soon as the man was gone, Damian let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He turned to the bullies, who were still on the ground, looking humiliated.

"Get up," Damian said, his voice curt but not unkind. He offered a hand to each of them, helping them to their feet.

Around them, a few girls had been watching the fight, their eyes wide with admiration. Damian ignored their stares as he walked back to Emma and Oliver.

Emma raised an eyebrow as he approached. "You really don't care, do you?"

"About what?" Damian asked, his tone casual.

Emma shrugged. "About, like, anything. Everyone's talking about you, you just beat up those guys, and you're still acting like it's no big deal."

Damian didn't answer. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the encounter with the men in black suits. The competition was coming up, and he needed to focus. But if Silent Blades was involved, his past might not stay buried for long.