Chapter 57

~ Morgan Vale's ~

"We have no secrets," David said, his voice calm as he continued to arrange his belongings. Jade regarded him with a furrowed brow. "Aren't you scared?" she asked, her tone tinged with concern.

"Are you a scaredy-cat?" David shot back, a smirk playing on his lips. "He's totally awesome, strong, and immortal. Isn't he incredible? I envy him."

Jade shook her head, disbelief written across her features. "Are you stupid? That means he's dangerous."

David's expression softened as he met her gaze. "Not at all," he replied. "He may be ill-tempered, and he may sound mean, but he never kicked me out. I bet he was lonely."

A small smile tugged at Jade's lips, mirrored by David. "Rest up," he said before leaving the room.

As Annabelle approached the entrance, she knocked on the door. David and Jade turned their attention to her as she spoke. "He's alive."

David exited the room, leaving Jade to sit on the bed. She watched him go before turning her attention to Annabelle. "That man is weird, but so is that kid," she remarked.

Annabelle joined Jade on the bed, nodding in agreement. "Still, I think he has a good heart."

As Annabelle glanced at Jade, she noticed a wound on her head. Concern etched on her face, Annabelle reached out to inspect it. "Let me see," she insisted.

Jade recoiled slightly, feeling uneasy. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"You have dried blood here," Annabelle explained gently. "Let's go to a hospital."

Jade shook her head adamantly. "No."

Annabelle persisted, worry evident in her voice. "Does it hurt? Are you dizzy?"

Jade removed Annabelle's hand from her head, offering a reassuring smile. "I'm fine," she said, chuckling lightly. "Since I'm a sense, I must also have a strong skull."

Tears welled in Annabelle's eyes as she pulled Jade into a tight embrace. "Hey... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Jade," she whispered.

Jade returned the hug, feeling a wave of emotion wash over her. "You must have been scared," Annabelle murmured.

Jade nodded, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "I was," she admitted. "And I also realized that you were telling the truth all along."

Annabelle smiled through her tears. "It's okay. I'm the one who's sorry you had to suffer because of me."

Determined to keep Jade safe, Annabelle made a solemn vow. "I'll make sure to keep you safe... at all costs."

I woke up from sleep and walked outside my room. To my surprise, Annabelle sat at the entrance. She quickly got up as soon as she saw me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Well, I was just worried that you might change your mind overnight and kill us," Annabelle replied, showing me her dagger. "I was keeping an eye on you."

I looked at her without taking her words seriously and wanted to walk away, but she stopped me.

"Where are you going in that condition?" she asked.

I paused and replied, "To the kitchen. I need some blood."

Annabelle looked surprised. "Blood?"

I glanced at her and reassured her, "Relax, it's not human blood."

She seemed relieved as she said, "Wait here, I'll get it for you."

But I insisted, "Forget it."

She turned back to me. "You can barely walk. Wait here."

Annabelle went to the kitchen and brought the blood for me. She sat by the bedside while I was sitting on the chair. She watched me drinking the blood, but I stopped and asked, "What's wrong? Are you disgusted? You, who fed off human blood?"

Annabelle scoffed in disbelief. "Will you stop it already? I don't want to argue with someone who is hurt. By the way, what's your name?"

I questioned her, "Why do you want to know? I don't think we're close."

Annabelle replied, "Ooh, I see. Then I'll call you whenever I want, Vamp. Must be your surname since you're a vampire. Hmmm, how does Mr. Vamp sound?"

I looked at her furiously, and she said, "Anyway, let me know if you need anything."

Then she stood up. I asked her, "Why did you do it?"

Annabelle turned back at me and asked, "What?"

I said, "You could have just left me back there. Why did you save me?"

"Because I need you," Annabelle replied.

In the quiet of the room, her words echoed, carrying a weight that lingered in the air. The tension between us palpable, yet beneath it all, a thread of understanding began to form, binding us together in ways we never anticipated.

As I watched Annabelle leave the room, her words echoed in my mind. Despite the uncertainty of our situation, a sense of purpose stirred within me. And as I pondered the significance of her words, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead for us on this unexpected journey.

The air in the room seemed to thicken as Annabelle's words hung in the air. Confusion knitted my brows as I tried to process her revelation. "You're the sword that can kill Imoogi Vampire," she stated matter-of-factly, her gaze piercing. Before I could respond, she turned to leave.

"Wait," I called after her, my voice betraying my uncertainty. Annabelle halted, her movements rigid as she turned to look at me. I pressed on, feeling the weight of her words settling in. "Okay, his name is Jack," I said slowly, the name feeling foreign on my tongue. Annabelle folded her arms, anger smoldering in her eyes. With a silent fury, she left, leaving me to grapple with the implications of her revelation.

As she disappeared from view, memories flooded my mind. I recalled how she had saved me from drowning not long ago, her actions contradicting the warnings of Black Soul. "Don't believe anything she says, she's lying to you," his words echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of the uncertainty clouding my judgment.

Before I could dwell further, I was jolted back to reality.

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Across town, in the dimly lit confines of the police station, Mr. Thomas sat nonchalantly in the interrogation room. Detective John leaned forward, frustration evident in his demeanor as he addressed the man before him. "You said you want to know who killed the kidnapper?" he questioned, his tone laced with suspicion.