Chapter 98: A Touch of Home

"You are the only light in this dark world. A diamond drakion. The one who saved our son—and many others besides. Without you, the world would be a much darker place. The fact that your father is a demon changes nothing about who you are."

This time, she gave him a genuine smile.

That sounded an awful lot like a declaration, didn't it?

Red-faced and flustered, she changed the subject.

"So... we're going to see Nathaniel?"

"Not at all. The demon who occupied his body left it long ago and took possession of another. That's who we're going to see," Kiyan explained before opening his car door.

They stepped out of the vehicle.

The early evening air wrapped around them immediately, colder than the warmth inside the car. Blanche felt the contrast slide across her still-warm skin as the neighborhood lights shimmered around them in a mosaic of neon signs, rain-slick reflections, and muffled music. The district was beginning to come alive.

The car door clicked shut behind her.

Kiyan locked the vehicle with a simple motion.

The alarm gave a discreet chirp as he slipped the keys into his coat pocket with that naturally aggravating confidence he seemed to possess at all times.

Even standing still, he radiated something impressive.

Something that instinctively drew attention.

Or made people avoid him.

Pedestrians subtly stepped aside as he passed, often without even realizing they were doing it, as though an invisible boundary surrounded him—one no one dared cross.

And he didn't seem to notice at all.

He headed toward the club's reinforced entrance with an almost intimidating confidence.

Not hurried.

Not hesitant either.

Every step seemed perfectly controlled, calm and silent, while the colorful glow of nearby signs slid across his dark suit and the sharp contours of his face.

His silhouette looked almost unreal in its elegance.

Black coat. Chocolate-brown suit.

Dark curls tousled slightly by the wind.

And that way he had of keeping his hands in his pockets while somehow still looking entirely capable of handling absolutely any situation.

Blanche followed behind him.

Practically glued to his heels.

Partly because she had no idea where she was.

But mostly because she was beginning to realize this club was probably nothing like an ordinary establishment.

Knowing that was one thing.

Seeing it was another.

Kiyan waited for her at the entrance, let her step ahead of him, then briefly rested a hand against the small of her back to guide her forward.

The contact lasted barely a second.

A second that was nevertheless more than enough to completely destroy her concentration.

His palm was warm despite the cold.

Firm.

Protective.

And her traitorous brain immediately decided to interpret the gesture as the most romantic thing in human history.

Pathetic.

She shot a dark look at the sign overhead.

A cambion descended from a demon...

Did that make her half-incubus?

Was that even possible?

Kiyan knocked, and the heavy armored door opened before them with a muted hiss—as if they had been expected.

"Kiyan," greeted someone whose presence felt strangely familiar. "Blanche."

"Phoenix?!" she blurted, recognizing the unique silver-gray eyes of her familiar.

The man stepped aside to let them enter.

Ever the gentleman, Kiyan gestured for Blanche to go first.

"For the love of Babylon," she muttered while staring at the demon, "if you're my father... please don't tell me."

He snickered and shook his head vigorously.

An immense wave of relief washed through her.

He immediately pulled her into a hug.

She immediately smacked the back of his head.

"An incubus? Seriously? You couldn't have told me sooner?"

The demon waggled his eyebrows several times, a mischievous grin on his face, before motioning for them to follow him.

The entrance opened onto a sophisticated black bar illuminated by violet LEDs.

The transition from the street was almost jarring.

The moment the armored door closed behind them, the outside world seemed to vanish entirely.

The club's muted silence contrasted strangely with the bustling city they had just left behind.

The interior was drenched in deep shades of black, violet, and amber.

Subtle LED strips ran along the walls and ceiling, drawing elegant lines of light that reflected off the polished surfaces of the massive bar occupying one side of the room. Behind it, bottles of every color sparkled beneath the purple lighting like precious gemstones.

The atmosphere was dark yet elegant.

Almost cozy.

Oddly cozy, even.

Blanche had expected something harsher.

Colder, perhaps.

Instead, everything seemed designed to create an atmosphere of discreet, luxurious comfort.

The dark floor absorbed footsteps.

The plush velvet chairs practically invited guests to sink into them for hours.

Even the air felt different—a subtle blend of refined alcohol, expensive perfume, faint smoke, and gentle warmth.

And despite the room's immense size...

The place still felt intimate.

A vast dance floor occupied the center of the club.

Empty.

Completely empty.

Under the subdued lighting, the dark wood reflected the violet hues of the ceiling, creating the illusion of a black mirror stretching across the room.

Curved alcoves surrounded the dance floor, offering privacy.

Half-open, they formed secluded spaces shielded from the rest of the club by circular seating and dark draperies. Even deserted, they carried a strange atmosphere, as though the walls had absorbed hundreds of secret conversations over the years.

Blanche immediately knew this was no ordinary club.

Everything about the place radiated money.

Power.

And secrets.

At the far end of the room, almost hidden behind the violet lighting effects, a more discreet door instantly drew her attention.

Massive.

Black.

And leading to who-knew-what.

Her survival instincts immediately began screaming again.

Because that door practically shouted:

"Absolutely nothing legal is happening behind me."

Or perhaps something even worse.

Beside her, Kiyan continued forward with the same calm, sovereign confidence, as though he knew the place intimately.

And then Blanche realized something rather unsettling.

Kiyan didn't look like a guest here.

He looked like someone who owned the place.

As a result, Blanche felt strangely comfortable.

The atmosphere was warm.

Welcoming.

As though she, too, had once belonged here.

Until she saw her.

The creature had a serpent's tail.

A very large one.