I Have To Get Her Drunk.

Tristan D'Leon's POV

"If I'm the one making you feel pain, then I should also be the one to make you feel better."

That was so ridiculous I almost burst into laughter. I had to bite my tongue to keep from showing any amusement.

The only thing I cared about is my jade pendant, the one embedded in Jade's heart. The very thing keeping her alive is also my lifeline. Without it, I wouldn't be standing here in the daylight, pretending to be concerned. If the pendant cracked, even slightly, it would lose its potency. And if that happened, I'd be as good as dead.

Apart from that, there were only a few sure ways for a vampire to die, fire being the worst. It didn't matter how powerful we were; flames reduced us to nothing. Sunlight too, unless we have an artifact to shield us from it. My pendant was my protection, my insurance against turning to ash under the sun's glare.

I exhaled sharply, my mind replaying the accident from earlier. For a brief moment, I was convinced my heart had stopped. The thought of getting burnt to ashes pressed down on me, I couldn't help but to think of the day my parents died. Their car had burst into flames, leaving nothing behind but charred remains. That memory alone was enough to weaken me, to strip me of my strength and send me spiraling into helplessness.

And I would have stayed that way, frozen in shock if Jade hadn't dragged me out.

Even now, I could still feel the lingering remnants of my disorientation. If not for the pendant inside her, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly. I owed my survival to it. Which meant… I needed it back.

Jade is nothing more than a vessel for my pendant, and the sooner I retrieved it, the better. I couldn't afford to let it remain inside her any longer. And to extract it, I needed to be intimate with her again. Only then would I be at peace.

But that was easier said than done.

Jade is a wild one, stubborn, unpredictable, and impossible to control. She wouldn't just spread her legs because I asked her to. She barely even look at me, let alone trust me. Winning her over is out of the question, and seducing her? That was an uphill battle I wasn't willing to fight.

That left me with one option.

I have to get her drunk.

The first time we slept together, she'd been intoxicated. If I could recreate that scenario, I'd finally reclaim what was mine. And once I did, I'd erase every memory of that night from her mind.

"Can you get the hell out now?"

Jade's voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. Her sharp glare aimed at me, then at Kira, who had been unusually quiet this entire time.

"And you too," she added, narrowing her eyes. "You both should leave."

I tilted my head, feigning a look of mild concern. "We can't just leave you alone, Jade." My voice was smooth, devoid of any real emotion.

Kira, finally speaking up, crossed her arms. "Even if I were to step out, it would only be to get something from your mansion. But I've already gathered everything important, so there's no need. Besides, the doctor said you'll be discharged tomorrow. You're both fine."

Jade exhaled heavily, frustration flickering across her face. She was clearly trying to figure something out. Probably contemplating ways to make my life and the lives of her other 'husbands' a living hell. If she'd been upfront about her intentions from the start, she should have just said she was looking for slaves, not spouses.

This crazy woman.

The door to the hospital ward swung open abruptly, pulling both me out of my thoughts. Jade was still fuming, her anger practically radiating off her in waves.

Our gazes shifted toward the entrance at the same time.

Two men stepped in, one dressed in a police uniform, the other in casual wear. They walked in with purpose, their presence immediately setting me on edge.

I hated police officers.

We were like natural enemies, two forces that were never meant to cross paths. Given my identity as a vampire, a scam artist, and a bloodsucker in more ways than one, I had every reason to avoid them. Yet, here we were, face-to-face, thanks to that damn accident.

"Good afternoon, Miss Sinclair," the younger officer greeted with a polite nod. He was probably in his mid-twenties, his face too fresh to have seen much of the world's horrors. "I'm Officer Isaac." He pulled out his ID, flashing it at Jade.

"Afternoon, Miss Sinclair. How are you feeling now?" the older officer chimed in. He then turned to me, his sharp gaze assessing. "Glad to see you're doing well too, Mr. D'Leon. If you don't mind, we'd like to take your statements so we can track down the culprit." He gestured toward his name tag. "I'm Officer Lionel."

Kira, ever the diplomatic one, stepped forward with a warm smile. "Nice meeting you, officers."

Jade and I, on the other hand, remained silent. I could already tell she wasn't pleased to see them either.

Lionel cleared his throat and turned to me. "Did you happen to see the culprit? The driver of the trailer that rammed into your car?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?" The sound slipped out before I could stop it. I quickly cleared my throat, masking my irritation.

The last thing I wanted was to get involved with the police. Helping them? Out of the question. I preferred to keep my hands clean of their business. Besides, I had lost consciousness during the crash, so it wasn't like I could provide any useful information even if I wanted to.

"Nope. I was unconscious," I said flatly, shrugging. "If you have any questions, ask Miss Sinclair."

Without another word, I grabbed the hospital blanket and pulled it over myself, shielding myself from their scrutiny. Of course, my curiosity got the better of me, and I lowered it just enough to peek at the conversation.

Isaac turned his full attention to Jade. "Can you tell us everything you know, Miss Sinclair?" His voice carried a note of urgency, his eyes keen with curiosity.

Jade sighed, running a hand through her red hair. "I didn't see his face, but the taxi driver seemed connected to the trailer driver somehow. It felt like he sacrificed himself just to get the job done." She shook her head, frustration evident in her expression. "I wish I'd seen that motherfucker's face."

Lionel's brows lifted in mild surprise. "Really? They were working together? That's… unexpected." He jotted something down on his notepad, his focus unwavering. "Anything else you can recall?"

Jade exhaled sharply. "Nothing. That's all I know. I lost consciousness too."

Lionel hummed thoughtfully, tapping his pen against the paper. Then, his gaze sharpened. "Do you have any suspicions? Anyone who might want to harm you? A friend? A family member?"

Jade's expression darkened instantly, her patience wearing thin. "You think I know who's behind this and I'd let you petty insects handle it?" Her voice dripped with disdain. The officers exchanged puzzled glances.

She folded her arms, her tone colder than before. "I already told you what I know. Work with that. I have more important things to think about right now."

Isaac shifted uncomfortably but maintained his professionalism. "Understood. We'll return if we need more information. And, of course, we may have to invite you to the station if necessary."

Lionel gave a curt nod. "Get well soon, Miss Sinclair. Mr. D'Leon."

With that, the two officers bowed slightly before making their way out of the room.

The moment the door shut behind them, Kira whirled around, her face clouded with concern. "Why did you treat them like that?" she asked, her brows knitting together. "Don't you want to catch the culprit? There's a chance they could be someone from your own family."

Jade rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah." Her voice was thick with irritation. "Can you let me think now? This is exactly why I wanted you two to leave me alone."

Kira huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine. I won't ask anything else."

I, on the other hand, couldn't care less about their drama.

What I did care about was the fact that if Jade and I were getting discharged tomorrow, then I have the chance to set my plan in motion.

Judging from her current state, frustrated, exhausted, emotionally drained, it wouldn't be hard to make her fall for it.

I had my ways.