the glimpse beneath the surface

The night was still, the surface of the pool

glistening under the moonlight like liquid silver. Damian stood at the edge of the terrace, his sharp eyes trained on Sirena, who lounged in the water, her body partially submerged. A breeze carried the faint scent of salt and jasmine, but something else lingered--a whisper of something unnatural.

For a fleeting second, just as the water rippled around her, he saw it. Something shimmering. Something not human.

A tail?

His breath hitched, but in the blink of an eye, itbwas gone. The water stilled, and all that

remained was Serena's form, her bare legs

gracefully cutting through the pool. His brows furrowed as he clenched his fists.

Had he imagined it?

Serena smirked, tilting her head. "Like what you see, Damian?"

His expression hardened. "You think this is a game"

She let out a soft, sultry chuckle. "Everything is a game whether you are playing to win."

He took a step forward, his presence looming. "This is the last time I warn you, Serena. Stay in your lane. You don't want to get on my nerves.The consequences would be bad."

Her gaze darkened, amusemen fading."And you don't want to step into my territory unannounced, Damian.I don't take kindly to intruders."

The tension crackled between them, neither

willing to back down. The moonlight carved

sharp angles into Damian's face, his jaw tight, his eyes searching hers for any hint of deception. But Serena was unreadable,her lips curlíng into that infuriatingly confident smirk.

"Enjoy your swim,Serena" he muttered before turning on his heel and walking away.

But even as he left, his mind reeled. He hadn't imagined it. He knew what he saw. And he would find out what she was hiding.

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

Back at his villa, Damian poured himself a glass of blood, the ice clinking against the glass as he took a slow sip. His mind refused to let go of that moment at the pool.

Something wasn't right about Serena.And that something was exactly what he intended to uncover.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. A few rings later, a voice answered-low, smooth, and laced with an eerie amusement. "I was wondering when you'd call."

" I need a full investigation on Sirena vale," Damian said, his voice clipped and firm."Every detail. Every anomaly. I want to know what she's hiding."

The man on the other end chuckled. "Interesting choice. You do realize digging too deep might get you burned?"

"| don't care. Just do it."

A pause, then a slow exhale. "Fine. But be

careful, Damian. Some secrets are meant to stay buried."

The line went dead.

Damian downed the rest of his drink, his jaw

tightening. He would get his answers.No matter at what cost.

The next morning, Damian received the first

batch of information. At first glance, it all seemed ordinary-Sirena had built her company from the ground up, but the records showed it once belonged to her mother, a seemingly normal human woman. Nothing unusual.

Her dating history, however, was a different story. There were many men in her past-powerful, wealthy, influential. But what unsettled Damian was the peculiar pattern woven through the reports. Several of these men had met untimely deaths.

Each one found dead.

And each one missing their heart. Damian's grip tightened around the papers in his hands. His instincts had been right. Serena was far more dangerous than she appeared.

And he was going to find out exactly why.