Chapter 15: Sunproof

“Knock, knock.”

The sound dragged me out of sleep. A sharp headache stabbed through my skull the moment I opened my eyes.

“Knock, knock.”

It came again.

I groaned and slowly pushed myself upright on the couch. The room still smelled faintly of alcohol and perfume. Juliet was curled up beside me, fast asleep.

I tapped her shoulder gently.

She yawned… and continued sleeping.

I tapped her again, firmer this time. “Juliet, wake up. We have to get out of here. The sun’s almost up.”

Her eyes fluttered open lazily.

I stood and began pulling my clothes back on, tossing hers toward her. Another knock echoed through the door.

Juliet got dressed and walked to the door, opening it just slightly — enough to reveal her face and nothing else.

“How far, Isaac? What’s going on?” she asked casually.

“Madam, it’s closing time. We’ve locked the doors already. Then I remembered you were still in here all night, so I came back to check up on you.”

She nodded. “You can leave. It’s fine. I’ll lock up on my way out.”

“Okay, madam. Whatever you say.”

He left.

Juliet shut the door and turned back toward me with a small chuckle before sitting beside me again.

“Last night was fun, right?”

I smirked. “Yeah. I just hope I don’t become addicted to drugs now.”

We both laughed.

I checked the time on my phone — 5:30 a.m.

There were still missed calls from Mark and a few of my neighbors, though not as many as before. The sight tugged at something in me, but I pushed it away.

Not now.

“Hey,” I said, sitting up straighter. “You said you were going to help me fix my sun problem.”

“Oh yeah.” She stood immediately. “Come on. We’ll need a couple of things.”

We headed downstairs to the bar. I slid into one of the customer seats while she moved behind the counter, searching through the shelves and cabinets.

“What are you looking for?” I asked.

“Salt.”

She pulled a small container from beneath the counter and placed it in front of me.

“And a knife.”

That came next — set carefully on the surface.

Without hesitation, she poured the salt out and began drawing a symbol on the countertop — a star formed by steady, deliberate lines. When she finished, she looked up at me.

“Give me your hand.”

I hesitated for half a second… then did.

She took my finger and pricked it with the knife. A single drop of blood welled up before the wound began to seal itself almost instantly. She squeezed gently, letting one drop fall into the center of the salt-drawn star.

Then she began whispering something — words I couldn’t understand.

The air shifted.

The room felt heavier.

Suddenly, the salt ignited.

Flames flared up in a sharp burst of light, dancing along the lines of the star. I instinctively pulled back, but the fire burned clean and controlled — bright, intense… unnatural.

And just as quickly as it had begun—

It vanished.

The salt was gone. No scorch marks. No smoke.

Silence.

Juliet smiled.

“Congratulations,” she said softly. “You’re free from the sun.”

I stared at my hand.

At the empty counter.

Then back at her.

“Just like that?” I asked.

She tilted her head slightly. “Just like that.”

For the first time since I turned, morning didn’t feel like a death sentence waiting outside the door.I stared at her for a moment.

At her smile.

At the way the early morning light brushed against her collarbone. At her long, twisted hair resting over her shoulders. There was something different about her — softer, lighter.

I chuckled and looked away.

“What was that?” she asked.

“What was what?” I replied.

“Don’t play smart with me,” she said, narrowing her eyes slightly. “What was that chuckle about?”

I hesitated. “It’s just… okay. For the past few days, you’ve been kind of distant. Closed off. And now you’re different. You smile more. You seem… more interested in me. What really happened yesterday?”

Her smile faded.

Without answering immediately, she turned and pulled out a bottle and two small shot glasses. She poured a glowing blue liquid into both.

I reached for one.

She stopped me with a quick hand. “No, no, no. Both are mine.”

Before I could respond, she lifted one glass, then the other, and swallowed them both. She exhaled slowly, like she was preparing to carry something heavy.

“I’m… somewhat of a princess,” she began.

I blinked.

“A vampire princess,” she clarified. “Remember when I told you about Asogun? About him being the All Father?”

“Yeah.”

She looked at me steadily. “He’s my grandfather.”

The only thing I managed was, “Wow.”

Truthfully, I wasn’t shocked. She had that presence — ancient, untouchable. Royal.

“I committed a crime,” she continued. “One that got me banished. The only way I could return home was to take the life of an innocent human.”

The air between us shifted.

“That burden…” she said quietly, “has been on my mind for over five decades. Fifty years of knowing what I’d have to do to be welcomed back.”

“And now?” I asked.

She met my eyes.

“Now I’ve decided I don’t want to carry it anymore. I’m free.”

“So… you’re not going home?”

She gave a small, almost amused smile. “Home has always felt like a prison to me. Rules. Expectations. Bloodlines. Power politics.” She shook her head. “I’d rather stay here. With you. Show you what this life can really be.”

She leaned closer.

“And let’s be honest… what would you do without me?”

I smirked. “Wow. Lucky me. I get to travel the world with one of the strongest vampires in existence.”

Her eyebrow lifted. “You still plan on traveling the world?”

“Hell yeah,” I said without hesitation. “But I’m not trying to drag you with me. It’s okay if you want to stay close to your properties.”

She laughed softly under her breath, then looked me up and down slowly.

“You really need a change of clothes.”

I looked at myself. Fair.

“What? You’re going to take me shopping?”

She shrugged playfully. “Yeah. I guess I should spend some of this revenue on you, boy.”

“Wow. My sugar mommy is generous.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she replied.

We both laughed.

She poured more shots — this time letting me take one — and we clinked the glasses together before drinking. The liquid burned smoother than the last one.

A few minutes later, I glanced toward the windows.

The sky was lighter.

The sun had risen.

We looked at each other.

A silent understanding passed between us.

She locked up the bar, and together, we stepped outside into the morning light.We started walking down the quiet morning street.

“Wow,” I said, spreading my arms slightly as sunlight hit my skin. “I can’t believe I’m in the sun right now. Last time I was under it that long, I thought I was going to die. I could literally feel my flesh tightening up like dried fish. What kind of spell did you cast anyway?”

“It’s just a sun-protective spell,” she replied casually. “Pretty easy. My mom taught me.”

Her tone shifted slightly at the mention of her mother.

I caught it.

“So… which store are we headed to?” I asked quickly, steering the conversation away.

“I own a shopping mall not too far from here.”

I stopped walking for a second. “Okay. You need to tell me how rich you actually are.”

She smirked. “My family is technically the richest in the world. We just hide it. Drawing attention to ourselves would be… inconvenient.”

I stared at her. “Wow. I think I might just marry you right now.”

She burst into laughter. “Money means nothing when you’re a vampire. You could literally make a billionaire donate everything to charity… or to you.”

“Hey, relax,” I said. “I know I’m handsome, but I’m not that handsome.”

She tilted her head. “Ohhh. That’s right. You don’t know yet.”

“Know what?”

“It’s a vampire trick.” She grinned. “You know what? Let’s race to the store. I’ll show you there.”

“But I don’t even know where it is.”

“Oh… right.” She looked around. “Okay. How about I give you a ride?”

“How? And there are people everywhere.”

She glanced around again before nodding toward a nearby empty alley. “Come on.”

I followed her in. She bent slightly.

“Get on my back.”

I stepped back. “Are you sure?”

“I’m way older than you. Which makes me way stronger than you. It’s fine.”

“Okay ooo…”

I climbed onto her back carefully.

“You have to hold me very tight,” she warned. “Unless you want to fall and smash your head open. That would be a terrible way to die.”

I wrapped my arms around her firmly.

Before I could say I was ready—

She took off.

The world exploded into motion.

The alley blurred instantly, colors stretching into streaks. The ground beneath us seemed to vanish. Wind slammed into my face so hard it felt like knives slicing through the air. My eyes watered. My ears rang.

It didn’t feel like running.

It felt like being launched.

The sound of the city disappeared, replaced by a rushing roar. Buildings shot past like shadows. I could feel the power in her muscles beneath my arms — steady, controlled, effortless.

And then—

Stillness.

She stopped so suddenly my stomach lurched.

We were behind a massive building.

“That’s the mall,” she said casually.

I slid off her back, trying to act normal as dizziness swirled in my head.

“Hope I wasn’t too fast for you.”

“I’m… alright,” I said, swallowing.

We walked to the front.

The mall was enormous — glass walls reflecting the sun like polished crystal. Tall pillars framed the entrance. The name of the mall shimmered in silver letters across the top. People streamed in and out, unaware of who truly owned it.

Inside, everything gleamed. Marble floors. High ceilings with cascading chandeliers. Escalators gliding silently. Designer stores lined both sides.

We walked into a pristine men’s wear store — minimalistic, clean, expensive.

A young man in a fitted black suit approached us immediately.

“Welcome, Miss Juliet. Welcome, sir.”

Juliet nodded and casually sat on a cream leather sofa, picking up a magazine.

“Are you the one we are dressing today?” the man asked me.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“What’s your height and size?”

“I’m 6’1. And… I don’t really know my size. I just buy oversized outfits.”

“Oh dear,” he sighed politely. “Don’t worry. We’ll fix you up.”

He began pulling pieces off racks with expert precision.

Dark fitted jeans that actually shaped my legs. Slim tailored trousers. Crisp white and black shirts. Soft fitted T-shirts. Neutral tank tops. Casual shorts that didn’t hang awkwardly. Structured jackets that made my shoulders look broader. Even a long black coat that made me look… dangerous.

Each outfit fit like it had been made for me.

When I stepped out wearing a fitted black shirt and dark jeans, Juliet lowered her magazine slowly.

Her eyes traveled from my shoes to my face.

She smiled.

“Much better.”

After selecting several pieces, we left the store with neatly packaged bags.

“Ahh, shit,” Juliet suddenly said, looking at her phone.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have a shareholders meeting at my hotel today. They might try to kick me out.”

“Out of your own company?”

“Companies,” she corrected calmly. “It’s fine. I’ve been an irresponsible CEO lately. It was bound to happen. But don’t worry… I have a plan.”

She looked at me mischievously.

“So. Race you back to the hotel?”

“No way. I’m still recovering from that ride. I can’t do that yet.”

“It’s easy,” she insisted. “Just run like you did as a human. Stop at the alley beside the hotel. Don’t appear at the front door.”

“I swear if I end up inside a wall, it’s your fault.”

“Don’t be a baby.”

We moved to the back of the mall to avoid attention.

I focused.

Juliet vanished.

“Cheater,” I muttered.

I closed my eyes and concentrated. I imagined the energy in my veins, the strength in my legs. I leaned forward—

—and pushed.

The world snapped into blur.

This time it was me.

The pavement flew beneath my feet. Wind roared past my ears. My body felt lighter than air. I laughed mid-run.

Okay. I’ve got this.

I’m doing it.

I’m actually—

BAM.

I slammed straight into a parked car at the entrance of the alley.

The alarm exploded into loud beeping.

I stumbled backward, clutching my head.

Juliet appeared instantly, laughing uncontrollably.

“Oh my God! That was so funny!”

“Shut up,” I groaned.

We switched to normal speed and ran into the hotel lobby before attracting more attention.

As we entered—

“Miss Lincoln, we’ve been waiting for you.”

We turned.

Twelve men in black suits stood from the waiting area. Serious. Formal.

One who appeared to be their leader stepped forward.

“We will be waiting for you in the conference room. When you are ready, meet us there.”

They walked off toward the direction of the diner we ate at yesterday. There must have been a private room beyond it.

Juliet turned to me.

“It’s okay. Just wait anywhere you like. I’ll be back soon.”

She started to walk away.

That’s when I realized—

We’d been holding hands the entire time.

I didn’t want to let go.

But she gently used her other hand to remove mine. She smiled at me — reassuring, confident.

Then she walked toward the conference room. And that’s when I realized…

She never showed me the trick.