Chapter 23: Stay with me

The faint hum of the city, the glow of fairy lights above, and the distant chatter of partygoers felt like a dream as Sera stood in Damon’s arms, her black satin dress brushing against his sharp suit. The kiss still lingered on her lips—a soft, fleeting moment filled with vulnerability and something else she couldn’t quite name.

“Damon…” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

His gray eyes softened, his forehead still resting lightly against hers. “Sera…”

But before either of them could say more, she cleared her throat softly, breaking the moment. “I—I need a moment. Just… some air.”

Damon’s brows furrowed slightly, but he nodded. “Alright. Don’t go far.”

Sera gave him a faint smile and slipped away toward the restroom, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor.

**Damon**

Damon stood still for a moment, watching Sera disappear into the crowd, the faint trace of her perfume still lingering in the air. His chest felt tight, his thoughts tangled with emotions he couldn’t quite process.

But then Zayn’s voice crackled through his earpiece.

“Damon, we’ve got a problem.”

Damon’s jaw clenched as he lifted his hand to his earpiece. “What kind of problem?”

“There’s someone watching her. Near the staff hallway. Gray coat, brown boots—Damon… it’s him. Her father. I don’t like this.”

Damon’s blood went cold. “Where’s Sera?”

“She went toward the restrooms. But, Damon—this guy just disappeared from my feed. Cameras are glitching.”

Without another word, Damon turned on his heel, weaving through the crowd, his sharp gray eyes scanning every face.

When he reached the hallway leading to the restrooms, his stomach dropped.

The hallway was empty.

“Sera?” His voice was sharp, cutting through the silence.

He pushed the restroom door open gently. “Sera?”

No answer.

The faint hum of the ventilation system was the only sound.

A cold dread settled in Damon’s chest, an emotion he rarely felt—fear.

“She’s gone,” he said into the earpiece, his voice tight with barely restrained panic. 

Damon’s blood ran cold. “Zayn, track her. Now.”

Liam’s calm voice cut in. “The bracelet. The charm. It has a GPS.”

**Seraphina**

Sera had barely stepped into the hallway when she felt the sharp tug on her arm. A strong hand clamped down on her wrist, and she was yanked backward, her back slamming against the cold wall.

She gasped, her green eyes wide with terror as she came face-to-face with the man she thought she’d escaped forever—her father.

His face was sharper now, hollowed cheeks and bloodshot eyes, but his expression was steady, calculating. He wasn’t drunk. He was sober—and that made him far more dangerous.

“Hello, Seraphina,” he said, his voice low and icy. “Did you think you could just walk away from me?”

Sera’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to wrench her wrist free. “Let me go. You don’t belong here. You shouldn’t even be—”

His hand flew up, striking her across the face with a sharp crack. The force of it sent her stumbling sideways, her head hitting the wall.

“Shut up!” he hissed, his face inches from hers. “You think your new friends can protect you from me? You think hiding behind some billionaire will keep you safe? You’re coming with me, girl.”

“No!” Sera screamed, twisting her body as she tried to pull away.

But he was stronger, his grip bruising as he dragged her backward through a staff exit and into the dimly lit alley outside the venue.

She clawed at his hand, kicked at his shins, and tried to scream, but he shoved her toward an old, rusted sedan parked nearby.

“You’ll regret this,” he snarled as he forced her into the passenger seat, slamming the door behind her.

The car sped down the winding road, headlights slicing through the inky darkness. Sera sat rigid in the passenger seat, her chest heaving as she glanced at her father’s tight grip on the steering wheel.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Why now?”

He let out a bitter laugh, his eyes locked on the road ahead. “You think this was random? That you just happened to end up with me after your mother died? You’re not just some girl, Seraphina. Your mother was working on something—something worth killing for. And now, you’re the last loose end.”

Sera’s stomach twisted painfully. “You… you lied to me. My whole life.”

His lip curled in disgust. “You were a tool. Nothing more. And now you’re going to help me clean up this mess.”

But Sera wasn’t listening anymore. Her eyes flickered to his hands, his focus on the road. Her heart pounded in her ears as she realized—this was her chance.

With trembling fingers, she worked at the rope binding her wrists. It wasn’t tight enough. She could feel the knot loosening.

“Stop fidgeting,” he barked.

But it was too late.

Sera lunged, grabbing the steering wheel and yanking it hard to the left.

The car swerved violently, skidding off the road. Her father shouted, trying to regain control, but Sera didn’t stop.

She grabbed the door handle and flung it open.

**And she jumped**.

**Damon**

Damon’s car skidded around the bend, gravel flying as his headlights illuminated the road ahead. Zayn was monitoring Sera’s location in real-time on his phone.

“She’s stopped moving,” Zayn said, his voice tight. “Damon, she’s there. Just ahead.”

Damon’s knuckles were white against the steering wheel, his sharp eyes scanning the darkness. And then—he saw it.

A sedan swerved off the road, its tires spinning on the gravel. And Sera—small, fragile, wearing her satin dress—was tumbling out of the open passenger door, her body striking the pavement with sickening force.

“***No***,” Damon whispered, his voice breaking.

But before he could reach her, another figure stepped out of the sedan—her father. In his hand gleamed the metallic shine of a pistol.

Without hesitation, Damon pulled his own gun, skidding the car into a sharp drift as he fired.

The bullet struck her father’s leg, and he collapsed with a shout, dropping the gun.

Damon slammed on the brakes, the car jerking to a stop as he threw the door open and sprinted toward Sera.

She was lying on the cold gravel, blood pooling around her head, her green eyes fluttering weakly.

“**Sera!**” Damon’s voice cracked as he fell to his knees beside her, his gloved hands trembling as they cradled her face. “Stay with me. Please. Stay with me.”

Sera’s lips moved faintly, but no sound came out. Her fingers twitched weakly against his hand.

From somewhere far away, she heard Damon’s voice breaking as he called her name. And then—**Darkness.**