Chapter 172: And One More Servant

But the Vampire King clearly wasn't about to let that go.

"You have a boyfriend?" Sebastian asked in a measured voice, tinged with barely concealed curiosity, as he rose to his feet as well.

Not even bothered that he'd kissed another man's wife... What a jerk.

" There's no need for you to walk us out, " Kiyan grumbled, giving her hand a slight tug as he was already heading toward the elevator.

Sebastian took the remark literally and sat back down.

" Yes, " she confirmed.

Then, raising one eyebrow mischievously in his son's direction, she added:

"Benjamin didn't tell you?"

He grimaced as though he'd just swallowed a lemon, under the scrutinizing gaze of both his fathers. Kiyan didn't wait any longer and took advantage of the distraction to make his escape.

But it was a lost cause.

Before the elevator doors could even begin to close, a hand slipped between them.

Dean appeared in the doorway with disarming naturalness, as though he'd always been meant to accompany them.

The King's personal servant.

And, more specifically, the tower's head bartender.

Blanche blinked.

Kiyan merely turned his head slowly toward the newcomer.

They exchanged a perfectly synchronized look.

The same one.

The one that very clearly said:

What the hell is he doing here?

Dean didn't seem to notice their confusion at all.

He stepped into the elevator, calmly pressed the button for the parking garage, and settled into a corner with his hands in his pockets, completely relaxed.

No explanation.

Not a word.

Nothing.

Blanche waited a few seconds.

Then a few more.

Eventually, she looked at Kiyan.

He barely raised an eyebrow.

Clearly, he had no more answers than she did.

The ride continued in an almost comical silence.

When the doors finally opened, Dean stepped out with them as though nothing unusual had happened.

They crossed the lobby leading to the underground parking garage. The steady click of their footsteps echoed between the concrete pillars beneath the cold fluorescent lights, which cast a metallic sheen over the parked cars.

The vampire followed them casually.

Still without explaining his presence.

Still without asking permission.

And the more Blanche thought about it, the more absurd the situation seemed.

Kiyan appeared to feel exactly the same way.

Yet neither of them asked Dean a single question.

Perhaps because they already knew Dean wouldn't answer.

Or perhaps because his sheer confidence was so bewildering that letting him do whatever he pleased almost seemed natural.

They finally reached Mr. Ardachir's car.

Blanche was about to walk around the vehicle to take her usual seat when a movement to her right caught her attention.

Dean had beaten her to it.

Without the slightest hesitation, he opened the passenger door, settled comfortably into the front seat, and closed the door behind him.

Blanche stood there, completely frozen.

Kiyan stopped as well.

A heavy silence descended over the parking garage.

Dean calmly fastened his seat belt.

Then he turned his head slightly toward them.

"What?"

Blanche opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Looked at Kiyan.

Kiyan looked at Dean.

Then at Blanche.

No one seemed to know what to say.

Finally, Kiyan drew a deep breath through his nose.

Very deep.

With that particular expression that usually meant he was about two seconds away from losing his patience.

Dean, meanwhile, remained perfectly serene.

As though he'd simply taken his rightful place in his own car.

Blanche finally burst out laughing.

She had absolutely no idea why he was following them.

She didn't know what he intended to do, either.

But one thing was certain:

the day had just become a lot more interesting.

"Do you know what he wants?" Kiyan asked anyway with a sigh, opening and holding the rear door for Blanche.

" No idea... but I don't think we'll have to wait long to find out."

"Hm."

Dean waited until they'd left the parking garage and the car had merged onto the road before finally speaking.

Until then, he'd maintained an almost provocative silence, perfectly at ease in the passenger seat, as though he hadn't simply decided to invite himself along without offering the slightest explanation.

Blanche took advantage of those few minutes to observe him more closely.

At first glance, Dean was nothing extraordinary.

He was dark-haired, with short, neatly styled hair, warm brown eyes, and regular features that could have belonged to any young human man. And yet, there was something about his face that naturally drew attention.

Probably that aura unique to vampires.

That almost instinctive ability to appear more attractive than they actually were.

Dean didn't even need to consciously use it.

He had an easy, spontaneous smile that seemed to appear whenever his eyes met someone's. His teeth were perfectly aligned, brilliantly white, and two adorable dimples appeared in his cheeks whenever he smiled genuinely.

A few freckles dotted his nose and the tops of his cheekbones, an almost incongruous detail on a vampire that made him look surprisingly approachable.

But it was his eyes that held Blanche's attention the longest.

There was something luminous in his gaze.

A quiet warmth.

A silent invitation to lower her guard.

To trust him.

Dean looked charming.

Friendly.

Likeable.

The kind of man you could easily find yourself talking to for hours over a drink without ever feeling the slightest suspicion.

At least...

On the surface.

Blanche eventually turned her gaze back toward the road.

After all, she'd already learned not to trust appearances.

Erik was probably the best example.

He was attractive.

Quick-witted.

Athletic.

Blessed with a smile capable of making you forget, for a few seconds, that he was probably one of the worst people she'd ever met.

Well...

Quick-witted, yes.

If not particularly intelligent.

And that didn't stop him from being one of the most terrifying beings she knew.

Blanche discreetly glanced back at Dean.

His smile was still there.

So were his dimples.

He looked completely harmless.

She immediately became even more suspicious.

"I'll be direct," Dean said. "I'm one of your many servants. You came to see me about fifteen years ago to infiltrate the tower. You ordered me to join you today, on this exact date, in order to deliver your own instructions to you."

" Impossible! " Kiyan exclaimed, taking his eyes off the road for a fraction of a second before quickly looking ahead again." All vampires are bound to Seb. He can read your mind, speak to you telepathically, and even possess you if he wishes!"

Oh?

That was news to her.

Blanche frowned.

" Except Kysten," she reminded him. And I don't know why, but Sebastian can't get into his head.

Otherwise, he'd know everything about the Players.

Impossible.

The Gods would never have allowed it.

" Exactly, " Dean replied. "Because he's half-vampire... Just like me."