Karma, Maybe?

Tristan D'Leon POV

Valen carried me to my bedroom in a bridal style, his arms steady despite my weight. I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me, not because I wasn't capable of walking but because Valen was gay, and this situation felt ironic. Still, I had no choice but to let him.

The room was as luxurious as one would expect in a mansion of my caliber. Ornate furniture adorned the space, but unlike the typical arrangement, my bed was replaced with a coffin, the place where I rested.

He set me down gently, and I sat on the edge of my coffin, still reeling from the pain. The sunlight had burned my skin fiercely. Any other injury, and my vampire physiology would have healed it by now. But sunlight...sunlight was the eternal enemy of my kind.

Only those with immense power could walk freely in the daylight, and I had once been among them. But now? Now I looked helpless, utterly weak. Losing my jade pendant had stripped me of half my powers and left me vulnerable. That pendant wasn't just a trinket; it was a part of me, a symbol of my strength, my protective barrier.

"How did this even happen?" I muttered aloud, my voice heavy with frustration.

"You mean to tell me," Valen started, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, "that you had sex with the heiress of the Sinclair family? The Sinclairs, the second-richest family after the president? And now you've lost your precious jade pendant to her?" He raised a sharp eyebrow, his tone laced with incredulity. "I mean, sure, you're richer than the president, but no one knows that. What's your grand plan now? Rely on the three-hour liquor that barely lets you survive sunlight?"

I let out a dry chuckle, forcing a weak smile. "I'll just go to her house and reclaim my treasure."

Valen scoffed. "Reclaim your treasure? You mean seduce her again?" He rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You said she doesn't even know what you look like and that last night happened because she was utterly drunk. So, what's your brilliant plan? Go back, demand sex, and hope she hands over the pendant? You'll look like a jerk, and she'll kick you out faster than you can blink."

"I know I can't have her again," I admitted with a sigh, rising from my coffin. My steps were slow and deliberate as I began pacing the room. "But I have to be with her. That jade pendant isn't just an accessory; it holds half my power. Without it, I'm nothing. It's my shield, my essence. For it to be absorbed into her body..." I trailed off, my mind racing. "It doesn't make sense. I didn't even turn her into a vampire. So, why did it transfer to her?"

Valen frowned, his sharp features softened by curiosity. "You're saying it's inside her now?"

"The jade transfers under two circumstances: when a human has sex with a vampire and is about to be marked, or when a vampire willingly passes it on as a token of love. In either case, the jade returns to the original owner after the marking, or it bonds them for life. But this...this situation is different. I didn't mark her. And yet, the jade is inside her body." I replied and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Karma, maybe?" Valen suggested with a shrug, though his tone wasn't unserious.

My chest tightened at his words. "Karma…" I whispered. Memories of my creator flooded my mind, unbidden. Her death haunted me still. She got burned under the cruel sunlight, her body reduced to ash because of my negligence. I had left the country after a fight, abandoning her when she needed me most. Years passed before I returned, only to learn that she had died.

Her death wasn't natural, it was orchestrated. The organization she belonged to, the one that cast her out for loving me, had condemned her. I was sure of it. They were responsible. And now, I was their target, too.

"There are countless vampire organizations across the world," I said aloud, though I wasn't addressing anyone in particular. "Each has its own rules, its own way of survival. My creator's organization forbade love, forbade creating new vampires. She broke those rules for me, and it cost her everything."

Valen's expression softened, though he said nothing.

'One day, I'll find them," I continued, my voice hardening. "Those responsible for her death. I'll make them pay.'

A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in," Valen called, his tone neutral.

The door opened to reveal an older man with streaks of white in his hair. Dressed in a chef's uniform, he stepped in with a slight bow. "Mr. Tristan D'Leon, your meal is ready."

"We'll be down shortly," Valen replied, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. The chef nodded and left, shutting the door behind him.

"I don't even know if Jade absorbed the pendant or just picked it up," I admitted after a moment of silence. "But I have to confirm. Probably she just picked it up hence If that's the case, I'll just ask for it back."

Valen gave me a skeptical look. "Ask her? That's your brilliant plan?"

Ignoring him, I stormed toward the dressing table and grabbed a small vial of green liquid. This concoction would allow me to endure sunlight for three hours. It wasn't much, but it would have to suffice. I downed the liquid in one swift gulp, the bitter taste burning my throat.

Grabbing a jacket to cover my still-healing burns, I glanced at the mirror. My reflection stared back, a six-foot-tall man with raven-black curls, piercing golden eyes, and a body sculpted to perfection. A rose tattoo decorated my chest, waist, and thighs, with smaller roses trailing down to my most intimate parts. At the back of my neck, a tiny jade pendant was inked, a reminder of what I had lost.

"I'll get it back," I muttered to myself.

Valen sighed dramatically. "You're crazy. But I guess that's why we're friends."

Once I finished putting on my jacket, I grabbed a pair of sleek black glasses from the dressing table. They were not just an accessory but a necessity. My golden pupils always drew too much attention, sparking endless questions. Were they contact lenses? Or were they my natural eyes? Of course, they were natural, but their unnatural beauty made people stare far longer than they should. Anyone who dared to gaze too deeply would often find themselves lost, mesmerized by their glow. But today, I wasn't in the mood to entertain curiosity or answer anyone's questions.

Satisfied with my appearance, I turned sharply on my heels and stormed toward the door.

"Please be careful!" Valen's voice followed me, filled with concern.

I didn't bother responding. My mind was already elsewhere as I stepped outside my mansion and into the blazing sunlight. My Honda Pilot was parked at the front, a modest choice by my standards, but today I wasn't in the mood for extravagance. For once, I would drive myself.

Sliding into the driver's seat, I started the engine and let its hum fill the silence. As I drove through the streets, my thoughts drifted to Jade and the chaos of the previous night. I hadn't planned for things to escalate the way they had, but there was something about her...a pull, a magnetic force that I couldn't resist. She was unlike anyone I'd ever met, and now I was paying the price for that one night of indulgence.

The city buzzed with life as I navigated the roads, weaving through traffic with ease. Buildings blurred past, but my focus remained on the road ahead and on Jade. What would she think when she saw me again? Would she even recognize me? Considering how drunk she had been, there was a good chance she wouldn't. That thought brought a fleeting sense of relief, though it did little to ease the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.

When I finally arrived at her mansion, I was greeted by the sight of towering gates and uniformed security guards. Their sharp eyes tracked my every move as I pulled up to the entrance. Rolling down my window, I produced a business card with Jade Sinclair's name elegantly embossed on it.

"I have an appointment with Miss Sinclair," I said, keeping my voice calm and authoritative.

It was a lie, of course. The card had somehow ended up in my possession last night, likely one of the many that had spilled from her bag. The guards scrutinized the card, exchanged glances, and then nodded. They waved me through without further questioning.

Driving into the compound, I parked my car in a shaded spot and stepped out into the scorching sunlight. The heat pressed down on me, oppressive and unrelenting, but the potion I had taken earlier held strong. For now, the sun's cruel rays couldn't harm me, though I was keenly aware of the clock ticking down on my temporary immunity.

As I approached the grand entrance, my eyes landed on a striking figure standing just ahead with short brown hair. Her back was turned to me.