The Vampire king And His Angel.

13. Do You Like Him?

Francesca’s face darkened. "The boss went on a hunting trip, leaving her behind. The elders took that chance to get rid of her. They sent Alistair, one of the most heartless vampires in the clan, to kill her."

"Why would Alistair agree to that?" I asked, my stomach sinking.

"Because he hated her," Francesca said bitterly. "He was in love with Darlene and couldn’t stand the fact that boss had her heart. In his jealousy and rage, he… he beheaded her."

I froze, horrified. "That’s… awful."

"Yeah," Francesca said softly, her expression haunted. "The boss was never the same after that. He’s carried that pain for centuries."

I was completely horrified and disgusted by what Alistair had done.

I sat there frozen, my hand covering my mouth. “That’s seriously messed up. He must’ve been out of his mind!” I said, swallowing hard.

“Once the boss found out the truth, he completely lost it. He went on a rampage and killed over a hundred members of the clan,” Francesca explained, her voice low. “It was confirmed that he was responsible for all of it.

“As punishment for his actions, he was locked away for more than 400 years. Meanwhile, Alistair and the rest of the clan worked to wipe out Ramon’s descendants.

“Alistair took over, eliminating the senior elders and stronger vampires. He couldn’t get to the boss, though, because he’d already escaped.

“After fleeing, the boss formed his own clan, which has only grown stronger over the years. Ever since, there’s been constant conflict between Dante’s clan and Alistair’s.” Francesca let out a relieved sigh as she finished.

I handed her a glass of water. “You’ve seriously told me so much, Francesca. Thank you for sharing all this.”

She nodded with a small smile. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? Even for me, the first time I heard all of this, it felt unreal.”

“Have you ever met Alistair?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

“God, no! And I don’t want to either. He’s terrifying, Crystal.”

“From everything you’ve told me, it sounds like he’s completely heartless,” I added, feeling a chill crawl up my spine. Francesca nodded in agreement.

“Wow, I didn’t realize this conversation would take so long,” she said suddenly, glancing at the clock.

“Francesca, can I ask you something else?” I said, drawing her attention back to me.

“Of course! What’s on your mind?” she replied, looking a little confused.

I sighed, feeling a bit nervous. “Why am I here? What does a vampire’s ‘slave’ even do? Because, honestly, I have no clue.” My voice shook slightly as I asked.

“I’m so sorry, Crystal. I don’t know why you’re here,” Francesca said with a gentle look, moving closer to take my hands in hers. “But maybe it’s because the compulsion spell didn’t work on you?”

Her kind smile eased some of my nerves, and I nodded, squeezing her hands lightly in return.

“Have you seen Derek around? I haven’t run into him lately,” I asked, scanning the kitchen like I expected him to pop out from behind a cabinet.

“Wait, you know Derek?” Francesca asked, her excitement evident as she sat up straighter.

“Yeah, he’s my best friend. Or, well, he was before he disappeared three years ago,” I said, giving her a puzzled look.

Her reaction surprised me. I swear her eyes literally lit up.

“Do you, uh, like him or something?” she asked with a suspicious tone.

I gasped, laughing at the absurdity of the question. “No way! Derek’s like a brother to me.”

Her whole face lit up at my answer, and she clapped her hands together. “That’s great to hear!”

I raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Wait… do you like him?”

Her cheeks turned pink, but she didn’t hold back. “Yes, I do! I like him a lot, but he keeps pushing me away,” she admitted, fiddling nervously with her dress.

She gave me this adorable puppy-dog look, practically begging. “Since you’re close with him, could you maybe help me out?”

I couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I haven’t talked to him in a while, but if I get the chance, I’ll definitely put in a good word for you.”

Her excitement was instant. She grabbed my hands and started bouncing in place. “Thank you so much, Crystal! You’re the best!”

Just then, the door opened, and Monica walked in.

“She’s not giving you any trouble, is she?” Monica asked, throwing a pointed look at Francesca.

“Not at all!” I assured her with a smile. “Actually, I’ve really enjoyed talking to her.”

Monica returned my smile. “Glad to hear it.”

“Mother, guess what?” Francesca blurted out, practically bursting with energy.

Monica rolled her eyes. “What now?”

“Crystal knows Derek! They’re close, and she might be able to help me!”

Monica let out a long breath. “It looks like you’ve become her latest obsession with Derek.”

Just as she finished speaking, the door swung open again.

“My name? What about me?”

I whipped my head around, grinning wide. “Derek!”

Finally, a familiar face. God, I needed answers, and I needed them now.