Alexa placed the last dish on the dining table and wiped her hands on her apron. The eggs were a little too crispy, the toast slightly burned, but it was edible. Her stomach rumbled, but her mind was elsewhere.
She called out, "Breakfast's ready!"
Oscar appeared first, flopping into a chair with his phone still glued to his hand. He barely glanced at the table.
"Where's Levi?" she asked, already knowing he wasn't coming.
Oscar shrugged, eyes still locked on his screen. "Said he was bored. Probably in his room. Chilling. Or brooding. Who knows."
Alexa frowned. "I'll go check on him."
Oscar suddenly looked up, sitting straighter. "Uh, no. You can't. He said he doesn't want to be disturbed."
"What if he's not okay?" she argued, stepping toward the stairs.
"He's not human, Alexa. He's a primordial. They don't get migraines or fevers."
"I'm still going," she said, brushing past him.
Oscar muttered a curse under his breath as she climbed the stairs. "Shit... don't say I didn't warn you."
Alexa slowly pushed the door open. It creaked, just a little, and what she saw made her freeze.
Levi wasn't sitting. He wasn't lying down.
He stood in the center of the room—tall, still, and terrifyingly calm.
Purple light curled around him like smoke, twisting and pulsing as if alive. It wasn't just light. It was energy. Dark, raw energy that made the air feel heavier the longer you stood in it.
Whispers echoed in the room—low and ancient, like a language not meant for human ears. They didn't come from Levi's mouth. He wasn't speaking. His lips didn't move.
But the voices were there. Everywhere.
The jugs on the side table rattled. A vase near the shelf shook until it tipped and shattered. The curtains fluttered without wind. The very walls seemed to hum, reacting to whatever power was rising around him.
Alexa's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't some casual vampire trick.
This was something older. Stronger. Primordial.
And Levi... Levi didn't even blink.
The moment she stepped further in, something shifted.
Levi didn't turn right away. The shadows curled tighter around him like they knew she was there. The whispers stopped. Not faded—stopped.
Then slowly, he turned his head. Not fast. Not startled. Just calm, like he already knew she was watching.
His eyes met hers—dark, unreadable, and cold enough to silence the noise in her chest.
"Get out," he said.
Just two words. Low. Firm. Dead serious.
The kind of tone that didn't rise or tremble—but pressed down on your spine like weight.
Alexa swallowed hard. For a second, she forgot how to move. It wasn't just fear. It was power. His presence filled the room like something ancient had woken.
She backed away, hand finding the door, heart racing as she closed it behind her.
Alexa walked back down the stairs slowly, her face blank. She didn't say a word. She just sat at the table, picked up her fork, and started eating. Oscar glanced at her but didn't speak either. The room was quiet except for the soft clinking of cutlery.
Ten minutes passed.
Then they heard footsteps.
Levi came down, looking different. Serious. He wore a plain purple T-shirt and black pants, no shoes. His hair was messy like he'd just rolled out of something heavy—maybe sleep, maybe something else. His face didn't show much, but there was a shadow in his eyes, like his mind was still somewhere else.
He pulled out a chair and sat down without a word.
The table stayed quiet. No one dared ask him anything. Even Oscar kept his head low, scrolling his phone like nothing happened.
But Alexa's eyes flicked up once, just for a second.
And she knew… whatever Levi had been doing up there, it wasn't sleep.
He looked straight at Alexa.
"You came into my room," he said quietly, his voice flat but sharp enough to cut through the silence.
Alexa froze with her spoon halfway to her mouth. Oscar stopped scrolling his phone and raised a brow like, well, here it comes.
"I was worried," she mumbled, looking down. "I didn't know if you were okay…"
"I said I don't like being interrupted."
That made her jaw clench. "Then lock the damn door next time."
Oscar let out a low whistle but quickly looked away.
Levi didn't move. Didn't blink. Just stared at her like he was trying to figure her out again.
The silence sat heavy at the table.
"I was worried."
"You shouldn't have been," he said. "You should've stayed out."
"I'm not some puppet," she snapped back, the words slipping out sharper than she meant. "I thought you might be hurt or… I don't know. You were locked up in there, and Oscar kept dodging questions."
Levi didn't flinch. "Still not your business."
Oscar cleared his throat. "Alright, anyone want salt or should we keep seasoning with tension?"
Alexa shot him a look, then turned back to Levi. "You could've just said you were fine."
"I'm not used to explaining myself," Levi said. "Especially to someone who thinks I can catch a fever."
That earned a tiny scoff from her. "Right. Big bad primordial doesn't get sick. He just glows purple and nearly shakes the house apart."
For the first time, a faint twitch pulled at Levi's lips. Not quite a smile—but close.
Oscar blinked. "Wait, glowing purple? What the hell kind of vampire meditation were you doing up there, man?"
Levi finally looked away. "Eat your food, Oscar."
Oscar raised both hands like fine, fine, and reached for his fork.
Alexa, still watching Levi, muttered, "Next time, just don't shut me out like that."
Levi glanced at her again, and this time, something softer passed in his expression. Not warmth, not yet—but something human.
"No promises," he said. "But I heard you."
And with that, he picked up his fork and started eating like the tension never existed.
After the quiet dinner, Oscar and levi pushed back his chair with a soft creak. "I'm heading out," he said, stretching a little as he stood. "I'll be back before twilight. Stay in."
Alexa raised a brow, leaning her cheek into her palm. "Heading out? Sounds more like you're going to gamble. Or maybe pick out another girl to auction."
Oscar blinked at her. "Wow. Harsh."
Before he could defend himself, Levi stood too. His voice was calm, but the slight frown on his face was clear.
"I'm not some pathetic human, Alexa," he said coldly. "I have businesses to attend to. And mind you—" he added, narrowing his eyes a little, "—I don't gamble."
Alexa folded her arms. "Right. So what were you doing in that room the night I was being auctioned?"
Levi paused.
For a second, something unreadable crossed his face. His mouth parted, like he wanted to explain—but then he stopped himself.
Instead, his eyes turned flat again. "Is this how you say thank you?" he asked. "I pulled you out of that place."
"That's not the point," she said quietly.
He didn't argue. Just grabbed his phone from the table and turned away. "I'm heading out," he repeated, voice cool and final. "Be good."
Without another word, Levi walked toward the door. Oscar gave Alexa a small shrug and followed after him, the door clicking shut behind them.
Now the house felt still again.
Too still.
Alexa shifted on the couch, brushing popcorn off her lap as the phone buzzed on the table. She reached for it, pressing the receiver to her ear.
"Levi, it's Skye. Just called in to ask how it's going to be—"
She blinked. "Hello?"
There was a pause. A confused pause.
"…Levi?" the voice repeated, less certain this time. It was male, smooth but sharp around the edges—someone used to direct answers.
"No," Alexa said, sitting up straighter. "He's not here. Who's this?"
"Who are you?" the man asked, suspicion bleeding through his tone. "You don't sound like business."
"I live here," she replied carefully, not sure what counted as classified information in Levi's world. "I'm Alexa."
Another pause. This time, longer. Then a short laugh, but it wasn't amused—it was the kind of laugh people do when something just got very interesting.
"So you're the girl."
Alexa's brows drew together. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," he said quickly, then added with a teasing edge, "Just that I've heard rumors. Didn't think they were true."
"What rumors?" she asked, even though a part of her didn't want to know.
But the line clicked dead.
She stared at the phone for a second, heart thudding a little harder than before.
Alexa stared at the phone, lips parted slightly. "Rude," she muttered, setting it back down.
A knock echoed through the hallway.
She turned toward the door, frowning. That was fast.
It creaked open without waiting for her to reach it.
A man stepped inside like he owned the place.
Tall. Dark hair slicked back. Leather jacket hanging open over a white T-shirt. His smile was lazy, but his eyes were razor-sharp—like someone who noticed everything and forgot nothing.
"Well," he said, glancing around the parlor. "You must be the reason Levi's not answering his damn phone."
Alexa narrowed her eyes. "You're Skye."
He grinned. "So you did catch my name."
"And you just… let yourself in?"
He looked completely unbothered, walking in and tossing his keys on the table. "Levi gave me access. Don't worry, I don't bite—unless I'm bored."
"Funny," she muttered, folding her arms. "Is barging in normal for you people?"
Skye gave her a slow once-over, but there was no lust in his eyes. Just curiosity. And amusement.
"For me? Absolutely."
She didn't know why, but something about him screamed unstable with charm. Like the type who'd smile while setting the world on fire.
"Where's the great vampire himself?" Skye asked, dropping onto the couch and stealing a handful of her popcorn.
"Out. Business, apparently."
"Right," Skye said, popping a kernel in his mouth. "Let me guess—he left without telling you anything important, locked you out of whatever's going on, and now you're wondering why you're even here."
Alexa didn't answer. She didn't have to.
He smirked. "Thought so."
She studied him for a second. "You're not like him."
"Oh, sweetheart. No one's like Levi. I'm just the chaos that follows behind."
Then all of a sudden Skye walked forward and swiftly held her wrist tight and pinching it. firm.
"Let me warn you," he said, voice low, almost calm, but his eyes burned with something dangerous. "If you're the reason Levi can't awaken his devil spirit… I'll personally deal with you."
Alexa tried to yank her hand free. "Let me go," she hissed, but he didn't budge.
Skye leaned in, his grip tightening just enough to send a sharp sting through her arm.
"You think he brought you here for fun? For comfort?" His face twisted into a cruel grin. "You're a risk. And I don't like risks."
"I'm not—"
"Shut up," he cut her off. "If Levi starts losing control, if that thing inside him stays quiet because of you… I'll make you wish you were never born."
He let her go, shoving her wrist away like she was something rotten. Alexa stumbled back, clutching her arm, her breath shaky.
Skye turned to leave, but paused at the door. Without looking back, he muttered, "You're not special. Just another pretty face who got too close."
Then he was gone, leaving the door wide open and her standing there—heart racing, wrist throbbing, and mind spinning.