A games of secrets

The moment their dance ended, Sirena pulled her hand back first, ignoring the lingering chíll where his fingers had brushed against her skín. Damian was studying her, his golden eyes gleaming with something unreadable. Not just attraction. Not just suspicion. Something deeper.

"You don't like being touched, do you?" he

murmured, amusement flickering at the edges of his voice.

Sirena smiled, slow and deliberate. "Only when it's on my terms,"

Damian's smirk deepened, "Then l'l have to

make sure l'm always on the right side of your terms,"

Before she could respond, a sleek voice cutthrough the tension.

"Serena, darling, I've been lookíng for you."A tall, elegantly dressed woman approached

her aunt, Evelyn Vale, COO of Vale Industries and the mastermind behind this entire charade of an engagement. She moved like a queen surveyíng her kingdom, all poised power and unshaken authority.

Damian inclined his head politely, but Sirena

could sense the shift in his posture. He might play the part of the charming heir, but he knew exactly who Evelyn was. More importantly, he knew she was dangerous.

Evelyn smiled at Damian, offering her hand in greeting. "Mr. Voss. A pleasure, at last."

Damían took her hand, pressing a polite kiss to her knuckles, "The pleasure is mine. Your reputation precedes you."

"And yours" Evelyn replied, her toneperfectly Smooth, but her sharp gaze flicked between him and Sirena. She was already analyzing the space between them, the unspoken tension.

"Sirena," Evelyn continued, turníng back to her, "your father is expecting you in the west hall. A business matter."

A business matter. Code for get away from him before you reveal too much.

Sirena exhaled through her nose but nodded. "Of COurse." She turned back to Damian, her expression composed. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, fiancé."

His smirk didn't falter. "Oh, I will"

----------------------------------------------------------

She found her father standing in the dimly lit

west hall, speaking with a few associates. The moment she approached, they excused

themselves, leaving the two of them alone.

Her father wasted no time. "Did you notice it?"

Sirena tensed. "Notice what?"

He met her gaze, voice lowering. "Voss isn't

human." Her blood ran cold. It wasn't a question. It was a certainty.

Sirena swallowed, keeping her face neutral.

"What makes you say that?"

Her father's jaw clenched, "Your abilities react strongest to threats. I saw what happened on the dance floor. The shimmer on your skin. The hesitation, Whatever he is, you felt it, didn't you?"

She hesitated, Just for a breath, But that was all he needed.

Her father expression darkened "whatever he is dangerous, Sirena. Keep your guard up

She nodded, even as her mind raced. If her

father suspected, how long before Damian

figured it out, too?

She turned to leave, but before she could step away, something shifted in the air. A presence. Sirena barely had time to react before she was yanked into the shadows of an alcove, a strong, cool hand clamping over her mouth. Her pulse spikeduntil the scent of him hit her.

Damian.

Her narrowed eyes met his as he leaned in, his body far too close, his voice low against her ear. "I think you and I need to talk."

She wrenched free, stepping back, ignoring the way his touch still hummed on her skin. "Do you make a habit of dragging women into dark Corners?"

"Only the ones who aren't telling me the truth."

His golden eyes gleamed in the low light. "What are you Serena"

She smiled, masking the way her pulse thundered. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

His lips parted, as if he was about to say

something else-but then she moved first. A

whispered note, barely audible, slipping

between them like a ghostly melody.

His breath hitched. His body swayed just slightly. Her siren song was subtle, but enough to throw him off balance.

Sirena took the opportunity to slip past him, her voice dropping to a whisper as she passed.

"Careful, Damian. You're not the only one playing this game!"

And then she was gone, leaving him standing in the shadows, his fangs slightly extended, his hunger awoken-not just for blood, but for answers.