Chapter 66 Midnight in Paris

Chapter 66 Midnight in Paris
Blue Luck nightclub stood alive in the heart of the city, brighter, louder, more modern—but still carrying that same energy I remembered, and the neon lights flickered above the entrance, and music pulsed faintly even from outside, and bass vibrated through the walls like a heartbeat. I stepped in, and instantly, I was swallowed by the atmosphere—lights flashing in different colors, bodies moving to the rhythm of the music, laughter, voices, chaos, and the air was thick with perfume, alcohol, and something darker beneath it all, and it hadn’t changed, not really. I walked to the bar, ordered a drink, then another, and the liquid burned slightly on the way down, but it didn’t affect me the way it would a human, then I moved to the dance floor. I didn’t think, and I didn’t plan, and I just… moved, and strangers came and went—faces I didn’t care to remember, bodies brushing past mine, laughter shared for no reason, and for a few hours, I let myself blend into it all, and disappear. Eventually, I found someone, a girl—carefree, unaware, lost in the music, and our eyes met briefly, and that was all it took, so I held her gaze, pulling her in, guiding her without a single word, and she followed, like they always do. I fed… just enough, not too much, never too much, and by the time I was done, she wouldn’t remember anything clearly—just fragments, confusion, maybe a strange dream. When the night began to fade and the first signs of dawn crept in, I left, and I returned to my hotel suite just before daybreak, and the city was quieting down around me, and I didn’t bother with anything else, and I just collapsed onto the bed and let sleep take me. And then… it became a routine. Every day, I slept through the sunlight, untouched by the world outside, and when I woke, I’d take a shower, get dressed, and step back into the city, and I’d walk to the cinema, sit through another French movie I barely understood, and after that, I’d get ice cream—same spot, same taste, then I’d head to Blue Luck, and drink, and dance, and blend in, and feed, night after night. Strangers came and went, and faces blurred together, and nothing mattered, and just like that… a week passed. A week passed, same routine, same faces, same emptiness, until that night. I was already a little drunk, standing in the middle of the dance floor, letting the music carry me, when I saw her: a girl, dark hair, moving effortlessly to the rhythm, dancing alone like she didn’t need anyone, and there was something about her—something familiar, so I didn’t think, and I just walked toward her, and I slipped into her space, matching her movements, and soon we were dancing together like strangers who didn’t need introductions, and my hand found her arm, firm but smooth, and I leaned in close, my lips near her ear. My voice dropped, soft, controlled, and I began to pull at her mind… gently at first, then deeper—threading my will into hers, bending her awareness, guiding her under, or at least… I tried to. Suddenly, she shoved me back, and I stumbled slightly, caught off guard, and my brows tightened in confusion, because that had never happened before, and she looked at me… and smiled. “Seriously?” she said, amused. “You’re trying to hypnotize the serial hypnotist?” The moment her voice settled in my ears, everything froze, and I looked at her properly this time, and really looked, and my heart stopped. “Jane…?” I said, barely above a whisper, and she tilted her head slightly, that same wild spark in her eyes. “In the flesh,” and I didn’t think twice, and I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her tightly—too tightly, like if I let go, she’d disappear again, and for a moment, I just held her there, and after everything… after all this time… she was real. Slowly, I let her go, stepping back, still staring at her like I couldn’t believe it, and she was exactly how I remembered, maybe even more beautiful. “Come on,” she said, grabbing my hand. “Let’s get out of here,” and we left the club together, and the noise faded behind us as we stepped into the quiet streets of Paris, and it was silent, calm, and only the faint glow of streetlights guided the road. We stopped, and I stood in front of her, taking her in, and the light fell gently on her skin—pale, smooth, and her freckles were still scattered across her face like I remembered, and her long black hair rested perfectly over her shoulders, straight, shining under the dim light, and time hadn’t touched her, not really. Slowly, I raised my hand and placed it against her cheek, feeling the softness, the warmth. “Is this really you…” I said quietly, searching her eyes. “Or am I dreaming?” She didn’t answer, and instead—she punched me straight in the stomach. “Ah—!” I gasped, dropping to my knees instantly, clutching my abdomen as the pain shot through me, and she stood over me, completely unfazed. “You’re not dreaming.” I slowly got back on my feet, still holding my stomach. “What was that for?” I groaned, and she crossed her arms, and her expression shifted—less playful now, more serious. “You left me,” she said. “You didn’t even care if I was coming back or not, and you just left… no note, no trace, nothing,” and her words hit harder than the punch. “I waited for you,” I replied, my voice calmer now. “Three years, and I stayed there for three years, Jane, and I thought you weren’t coming back,” and she scoffed lightly, shaking her head. “Three years means nothing to an immortal vampire,” and I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry,” I said, looking at her properly. “Can you forgive me?” She held my gaze for a moment, like she was thinking about it… then her expression softened. “Whatever,” she said, waving it off slightly. “I can’t stay mad at you,” and a small smile formed on my lips. “Thanks,” and we started walking side by side, and the quiet street stretched ahead of us. “So,” she said after a moment, glancing at me, “Where are you staying?” “Hôtel Le Bristol,” I replied, and her brows lifted slightly, impressed. “Wow… I guess you were feeling nostalgic, huh?” I let out a faint chuckle but didn’t say anything, and she looked at me again, this time more carefully, studying my face. “Are you depressed, Stephen?” she asked, and I hesitated. “Maybe… I don’t know,” I admitted, and her expression changed instantly—worry creeping into her eyes. “Well,” she said gently, nudging my arm, “You’re not alone anymore, and you have us now,” and I frowned slightly. “Us?” I repeated. “What do you mean by us?” She smiled, a hint of excitement creeping back in. “I have to introduce you to my friends,” and something in my chest tightened, because friends, and I nodded slowly, forcing a neutral expression, but a small, unfamiliar feeling crept in: jealousy, and I pushed it down immediately, because it didn’t matter, and she was here, and that was enough, or at least… that’s what I told myself. As we walked through the quiet streets, I started talking, and at first, it came out slowly… but then everything just poured out, and I told her about my sister—how she hunted me down, how close she came to killing me… and how, at the last moment, she changed her mind and faked my death instead, and Jane didn’t interrupt, and she just listened, so I kept going. I told her about the vampire I kidnapped—how I tortured him until he finally broke and agreed to take me to the Count… the man I believed was my father, and my jaw tightened slightly as I spoke. “And when I got there… we fought,” I continued. “I almost died,” and her expression darkened, but she stayed silent. “I would’ve died too,” I added, “If someone didn’t step in,” and I glanced at her briefly before looking ahead again. “He called him brother,” and there was a short pause. “And then he said something that changed everything,” I went on, my voice quieter now. “He told him… that he was my real father,” and Jane’s brows pulled together slightly, and I let out a dry, humorless chuckle. “Which means… I’m not who I thought I was, and I’m not the prophesied Dhampir, not the one meant to bring an end to all vampires,” and the words felt strange every time I said them, like they didn’t belong to me, and we walked a few more steps in silence before I exhaled slowly. “So yeah,” I muttered. “That’s been my life,” and Jane finally spoke. “Wow…” she said softly. “No wonder you looked depressed,” and I glanced at her. “You’ve been through hell, Stephen,” and her voice wasn’t teasing this time, and it was real, then she nudged me lightly, and a small smile formed on her lips. “Well,” she said, “You can forget about all that now,” and I raised a brow slightly, and she looked ahead, and her eyes shone with something new—something certain. “Because a new chapter in your life…” she said, “…is about to start.” We kept walking until we stopped in front of a house, not just any house, and it was massive, the kind of place that didn’t just sit quietly in a neighborhood—it owned the space around it, and a wide compound stretched out before it, enclosed by tall gates and thick walls, and the driveway alone could fit multiple cars, and the building itself stood proudly at the center, its structure elegant but imposing, and I looked at it, then at Jane. “What are we doing here?” I asked, and she smiled slightly. “Meeting our new family,” and that word again, and before I could question it further, she grabbed my hand and led me inside. The interior was just as impressive, high ceilings, soft lighting, modern furniture mixed with a touch of classic design, and everything felt lived in—but not in a normal way, and there was an energy in the air… something restless, and we walked deeper into the house until we reached what looked like the main living area, and that’s when I saw them. A girl sat casually on one of the couches, laughing loudly as chaos unfolded around her, and two guys were chasing another guy around the living room, moving far too fast—blurs of motion, cutting across the space in seconds, knocking things slightly out of place but never losing control, and it almost looked like a game, almost, then the girl noticed us. “Hey! Quit it!” she shouted, and instantly, they stopped, and all eyes turned toward us, and one of the guys tilted his head slightly. “Jane… who’s this?” “This is Stephen,” she said simply, and there was a brief silence, then a voice came from above. “Who is Stephen?” I looked up, and a man was walking down the stairs, and he carried himself differently from the others—calm, controlled, every step measured, and he looked older too… not by age, but by presence, and authority sat on him naturally, and leader, that much was obvious, and Jane stepped slightly forward. “He’s my friend, and I’ve mentioned him a few times,” and the man didn’t respond immediately, and instead, he walked straight up to me, stopping just close enough to invade my space, and his eyes locked onto mine, sharp and heavy, like he was trying to read through me… or intimidate me, and I didn’t look away, and I held his gaze, steady, because if that’s what he wanted—he wasn’t getting it. The tension lingered for a moment longer… then suddenly, he smiled, and it was subtle—but it changed everything, and he turned his head slightly toward Jane. “I like him,” and Jane smirked, clearly pleased, then he looked past me, toward the girl on the couch. “Where is Lucas?” Before anyone could answer, a voice came from deeper inside the house. “Right here!” A guy rushed into the living room, slightly out of breath but grinning like he had been expecting something exciting, and the man nodded once, then turned back to me. “We’re going out for our nightly hunt,” he said calmly. “Would you care to join us?” I didn’t answer immediately, and instead, I looked around, at their faces, and every single one of them was looking at me—smiling, relaxed, almost… welcoming, then my eyes found Jane, and she was smiling too, not the wild, teasing smile I remembered… but something softer, something real, and in that moment, something clicked inside me. After everything… after all the loss, the running, the emptiness… I had finally found something I didn’t even realize I was still searching for: a family, so I looked back at him and nodded. “Of course,” I said. “I’ll join you.”