Clayton stood at a distance, watching Odel as she drowned in her sadness. He knew full well that if he approached her now, it would only make the situation more tense. Instead, he chose to let her cry, hoping her tears would ease the burden weighing heavily on her heart.
However, his attention was disturbed when two men appeared on the path leading to Odel. They walked toward her with a casual but purposeful stride. The area was quiet, and a beautiful girl sitting alone was undoubtedly an easy target.
"Hey, all alone, Miss? It's cold out here at night, pretty dangerous without company," one of the men said with a teasing tone.
Odel lifted her face and looked at them with tear-streaked eyes. Her face was weary, but she tried to ignore them and turned her gaze back to the city tower.
"Don't be so cold; we just want to talk. Besides, it's quiet here. Not good to be alone," the other man added as he stepped closer, grinning in a way that clearly made Odel uncomfortable.
Clayton clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with anger. He wanted to rush over and teach them a lesson, but he knew if he suddenly appeared, Odel would realize he had been following her.
When one of the men dared to place a hand on Odel's shoulder, she suddenly stood up with an expression of fiery anger.
"What do you think you're doing, touching me like that?! How dare you!" she shouted, startling the two men.
"Hey, why are you so upset? I just wanted to say hi," the man explained defensively.
"Yeah, Miss! We only wanted to keep you company," the other added.
"Say hi? Keep me company? Do you think I'd want that? What makes you think it's okay to touch my shoulder without my permission? Of course, I mind! Did you ask for my opinion? Do you think you can just do whatever you want?" Odel retorted, her words spilling out in a heated rant.
"But I only meant to—"
"Did I ask for an explanation? I don't need one! You should've understood and left me alone! Why are you bothering me instead?" she cut him off, her tone sharp and unyielding.
The two men exchanged glances, then quickly walked away, muttering to themselves that Odel must be crazy.
"And now you just walk away, huh? Typical rude men!" Odel mumbled angrily to herself.
From a distance, Clayton chuckled. Odel's anger showed she was far from weak. After all, she was used to reprimanding her three vampire fiancés, so dealing with two human men was nothing she couldn't handle.
Hidden among the shadows of the trees, Clayton watched as Odel walked away from the park with heavy steps. She clearly needed time alone, and Clayton didn't want to worsen her mood with his presence.
After leaving the park, Odel wandered aimlessly. The night grew colder, but she didn't seem to care. At an intersection, she noticed the bright lights of a 24-hour supermarket. Hesitant at first, she eventually approached and went inside.
The supermarket was nearly empty, with only a bored young cashier and a few other customers minding their own business. Odel grabbed a basket and wandered through the aisles, her eyes scanning the shelves lined with snacks, drinks, and various daily necessities.
She stopped in front of the drinks section, staring at rows of colorful bottles. Picking up a bottle of soda, she examined it before putting it back. Her eyes then drifted to the bottom shelf, where the alcoholic beverages were stored. After a moment's hesitation, she picked up a small bottle of red wine.
"Just to calm myself down a little," she murmured, as if convincing herself.
She walked to the cashier, paid for the wine, and stepped outside to sit at one of the small tables in front of the store. Without hesitation, Odel drank the wine, finishing it quickly before going back inside to buy more.
Clayton sighed as he observed her from a distance. It seemed Odel was determined to drown her sorrows in alcohol.
Sitting at the table again, Odel continued to drink, seemingly oblivious to the biting cold of the night. Several men passed by, glancing at her and then at the figure standing behind her. The man in black with a chilling gaze deterred them.
"Is he your boyfriend? We won't bother her," one of the men said cautiously, addressing the silent figure.
Odel, now tipsy, looked around in confusion. Half-aware, she turned but saw no one behind her. She remained there until she eventually fell asleep, drunk and slumped on the table.
"Unbelievable. She's such a handful," Clayton muttered, lifting her into his arms.
When they arrived at her apartment, the other two fiancés were shocked to see Odel's state.
"What happened to my Odel?" Daffin asked.
"Tell us, what did you do?" Emilio pressed.
"Shh! Keep your voices down! She was drunk, and I quietly carried her home! If she wakes up, she'll be mad at us!" Clayton explained in a hushed tone.
Daffin immediately opened Odel's bedroom door, Emilio straightened the bed, and Clayton gently laid Odel down. A thick blanket floated over, covering her and making her look comfortable.
The three vampire fiancés stared at her with different expressions on their faces. Then, they turned to each other, exchanging accusations.
"You were thinking of biting her, weren't you?" Daffin accused Clayton.
"Of course not! If I wanted to bite her, I would've done it long ago!" Clayton retorted.
Emilio, however, was different. His eyes glowed red as if he was starting to lose control.
"What are you thinking, Emilio?" Clayton and Daffin demanded simultaneously.
"I'm not thinking about anything," Emilio replied with a sly smile, revealing his extended fangs.
"Drag him out of here!" Daffin declared, and Clayton nodded in agreement.
They shut Odel's bedroom door and moved to the living room to discuss the situation.
"Why can't you control yourselves? We're her fiancés, not predators waiting for an opportunity!" Clayton scolded, glaring at Daffin and Emilio.
"Don't be a hypocrite, Clayton! We're marrying her because of her special blood! No matter what happens, I'll defeat you!" Emilio shot back.
"Hey, but you need to be patient! Look whose fangs came out! Do you think I'll let myself lose to you?" Daffin protested.
"That's the problem. She won't choose any of us if she finds out our initial motive is her blood!" Clayton reasoned.
"But my bite wouldn't hurt—it'd only leave a small mark!" Emilio insisted.
"It's not the bite she's worried about! It's the effect! She'll become a vampire like us, and she doesn't want that to happen!" Clayton snapped.
"You're right. She even scolded me earlier. I tried to influence her into tasting the chicken blood I cooked, thinking she'd get used to it and eventually become interested in becoming a vampire," Daffin sighed, looking defeated.
"She cried earlier! She's really overwhelmed by our presence, which leaves her no space at all," Clayton explained.
"Odel cried? Oh, no!" Emilio looked genuinely moved.
"She won't choose any of us if we can't make her feel at ease. She must feel like she's surrounded by predators rather than her future husbands!" Clayton continued.
"So, what should we do?"
"We need to hold back. We should give her space!" Clayton suggested.
Daffin frowned, clearly disagreeing. "Hold back? Are you sure that'll work? If we distance ourselves too much, she might think we don't care."
"Do you think she wants us to care? She's afraid of us! Keeping our distance would be a relief for her! We just need to support her when she genuinely needs our help, nothing excessive," Clayton clarified.
"Hey, you're right," Daffin admitted, finally agreeing.
"But what if that human man approaches her again?" Emilio asked.
"You mean Adrian?" Daffin guessed.
"I'll bite him, tear him apart, and make him regret ever coming near what's mine!" Clayton growled, his eyes glowing red.
"Is that what you call holding back, Clayton? Seriously!" Daffin shook his head.
Sighing, Clayton relented. "Fine, I'll try to give Odel space to be herself and spend time with her friends, but if that man crosses the line, don't stop me from choking him!"
Daffin and Emilio exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. Starting tomorrow, Odel would be given more freedom, and her fiancés would try to live normally to make her feel at ease.
The next morning, the campus was bathed in warm sunlight filtering through the trees. Odel walked to class at a leisurely pace, with no sign of her three fiancés. Though it felt strange, Odel considered it a blessing on such a beautiful morning. Her head still throbbed a little from last night's drinking, but being alone without interference made her feel less pressured.
Odel thought her fiancés might have been sent on an errand by the Baron, but as soon as she entered the classroom, she saw the three of them already there, mingling with the other students.
She realized her freedom was likely temporary—her three fiancés would soon gather and start giving her a headache.
Odel sat next to Fiona, greeted her friend, and glanced backward. None of them moved. Clayton, Daffin, and Emillio stayed in their spots, engrossed in conversation with other classmates, completely ignoring Odel's arrival.
"Good morning, Odel. I heard you and Adrian were working on an assignment in the library yesterday?" Fiona asked.
"Yes, we've finished half of it," Odel replied.
"I'll take care of the other half. Sorry I couldn't join the discussion yesterday. You know how busy I was," Fiona explained.
"It's fine, Fiona," Odel smiled.
The lesson progressed peacefully and smoothly, and the vampire men remained relaxed at the back of the room. When the break came, Fiona invited Odel to the cafeteria, and the vampires didn't follow. That was unusual for them.
"Odel! Why are you daydreaming? Come on, sit down! I just ordered a croissant they say is famous here!" Fiona exclaimed excitedly, pointing to an empty seat in front of her.
Odel smiled faintly and sat down. "Do you really trust food reviews online?"
"Of course! Life is too short not to try the best croissant!" Fiona quipped, sliding a plate toward Odel.
Not long after, Adrian appeared with a stack of books in his arms. "Hey, Odel, Fiona," Adrian greeted them as he set the books on the table. "I've found some references for our assignment, guys," he announced.
Fiona squinted at the stack of books. "Adrian, you didn't even notice we're in the cafeteria! Give me time to eat!" she complained.
"Relax, these books are very patient to wait!" Adrian replied with a grin.
Odel chuckled softly, but then she felt a familiar cold presence nearby. Turning her head, she saw Clayton entering the cafeteria, followed closely by Daffin and Emilio. They looked casual, yet their striking aura made them stand out like magazine models.
Fiona leaned toward Odel and whispered, "Why haven't your nephews bothered you all morning? Did you guys fight?"
"No, just a little argument. I'm very sure they'll come over soon, order some weird food, and start causing trouble again," Odel guessed, keeping an eye on the vampires' movements.
To her surprise, the three vampires chose their own table, ordering food and enjoying their meal quietly together.
"They didn't come here, Odel! Wow! What's going on?" Fiona asked, astonished.