The fall

Cora's breaths came in shallow pants as she stared at Damien, her mind trying to process the revelation. "There are... others out there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Plenty," Damien replied casually, the corner of his lips twitching upward in amusement. He leaned against the edge of the clock tower, one leg bent as if they were discussing something trivial like the weather. "Some are politicians, others celebrities. They're everywhere, blending in perfectly."

Her head spun. Vampires walking among humans, living normal lives? It was absurd, yet here she was, standing before one. She clutched her cardigan tighter as the night's cold seeped through her, her mask glowing faintly in the moonlight.

"How many are at Oscar's?" she asked, her voice laced with unease. She needed to know. She needed to protect herself—and Amelia.

Damien tilted his head, his dark eyes studying her. "Enough to fill every dormitory." He smirked at her pale face. "But that's not why I brought you here tonight, little bird."

Her heart skipped a beat at the way he said "little bird," the nickname holding a mix of affection and mockery. "Then why am I here?" she asked cautiously, taking a step back when he straightened and closed the distance between them.

"To test a theory," he replied, his tone smooth yet laced with intrigue.

"A theory?" she echoed, confusion evident in her voice.

"Yes," Damien answered, his gaze flickering to her mask, which pulsed faintly as though reacting to his words. "To see if you're a witch."

Her eyes widened in shock. "A... a witch?!"

Damien's smirk deepened, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Witches are real too, little bird. But they're nothing like the enchanting beings you read about in fairytales. They're trouble." His tone darkened as he uttered the last word, his disgust palpable.

Cora swallowed hard, her thoughts racing. She hoped she wasn't one because she didn't like the sound of that .

"But before we get to that," Damien said, his voice softening as he stepped even closer, forcing her to tilt her head up to maintain eye contact. "How did you come to wear this mask?" His eyes bore into hers, demanding honesty.

Cora hesitated but found herself answering. "I... I don't know. My mother said she found me at her doorstep one Halloween night, already wearing it."

Damien arched a brow, clearly intrigued. "Interesting."

She shivered under his intense gaze and took a step closer to the edge of the tower, hoping to escape his scrutiny. "What's this test about?" she asked, glancing down to the ground far below.

"Jump," Damien said, his tone nonchalant as though he'd just asked her to go for a stroll.

"What?" Cora whipped her head around to look at him, sure she'd misheard.

"You heard me," he said with a cocky grin, stepping forward to loom over her. "Jump. Let's see if you'll fly, little bird."

"You're insane," she snapped, stepping back further.

His smirk turned wicked. "No, just curious. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll survive.You just need to make sure you don't break some bones , simple isn't it ?."

Cora glared at him, her fists clenched. "There's no way I'm doing that!"

"Suit yourself." He shrugged and turned away, only to whirl back around and scoop her into his arms before she could react.

"Damien!" she yelled, struggling against his iron grip.

"Relax, little bird," he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear. " We need to test this theory. Sometimes all you need is the right motivation and I'm here for that "

Before she could protest further, Damien stepped to the edge and let go.

Cora screamed as she plummeted, the icy wind tearing at her clothes and hair. Her heart raced, her mind blank with terror. She saw Damien's silhouette further disappearing above her .

Damien watched from above checking for any sign but there was none. Witches were able to bring out their ability whenever they're threatened with their life but more importantly black witches .

Cora closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable impact.

But it never came.

She felt a sudden, jarring stop and opened her eyes to find herself cradled in Damien's arms once more. They were standing on the rooftop of one of the dormitories.

"You—" she started, her voice shaking with fury, but he silenced her with a hand over her mouth, his hand touching her mask .

"Shh," he whispered, his arm tightening around her waist. "Look."

Cora followed his gaze to the ground below, where a group of figures moved stealthily through the shadows. Her breath hitched as she noticed their crimson eyes glowing in the dark.

"Who are they?" she whispered.

"They're officers from the police but these are night creatures ." Damien replied, his tone dripping with amusement. "They're searching for clues about Jaffet's disappearance."

Cora froze. Did they suspect Damien? Her heart pounded as she recalled what Damien had told her , he'd killed Jaffet.

"They won't find anything," Damien said confidently, his lips curling into a smirk. "I'm not that careless."

She turned sideways to glare at him, her emotions a mix of fear and anger. "You're unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.

Damien chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "And you, little bird, are fascinating."

Before she could respond, he teleported them back to her bathroom, his arm still wrapped securely around her. The sudden change in surroundings left her dizzy.

"You can teleport too?" she asked, her voice rising in exasperation. "And what the hell was that back there? Why would you throw me—"

He stepped closer, cutting off her words as he cornered her against the wall. His hand braced against the tiles beside her head, trapping her in place.

Cora's breath hitched at their proximity. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, his intoxicating scent filling her senses. His disheveled hair fell over his forehead, giving him a roguish charm that made her heart race.

"Why so worked up, little bird?" he asked, his voice a seductive murmur.

"W-what are you doing?" she stammered, her cheeks burning as his gaze dropped to her lips which was slightly visible in her mask.

"Making sure you're ready for tomorrow," he replied, his thumb brushing against her jawline. "It's going to be chaotic, and I'd hate to see you faint from the stress."

His words sent a shiver down her spine, but she refused to let him see how much he affected her. "I'm not some damsel in distress," she muttered, trying to muster some defiance.

Damien chuckled, the sound vibrating through her. "Dream about me, little bird," he whispered, his lips grazing the shell of her ear.

Before she could respond, he vanished, leaving her alone in the dimly lit bathroom.

Cora stood frozen, her heart pounding and her cheeks flushed. She touched her mask, wondering what secrets it held, and cursed under her breath.

"That jerk," she muttered, her lips trembling with a mix of anger and something she refused to name.

She climbed into bed, her thoughts consumed by Damien. No matter how much she wanted to hate him, his smirk, his touch, and his infuriatingly cocky attitude refused to leave her mind.

With a frustrated sigh, she closed her eyes, knowing sleep would bring no solace.