Eternal Echoes: The Vampires' Reborn Mate

Chapter 4

I stepped back into the office, my heart still racing from my encounter with Cassian Moreau. The air felt different, heavier, as if the weight of his gaze still lingered on my skin. I made my way to my desk, hoping to shake off the flustered energy coursing through me.

Lucas wasn’t there when I left, but as I settled into my chair, I noticed a neatly wrapped sandwich and a coffee placed beside my keyboard. A small, folded note sat on top.

Thought you might need something. – L

I smiled despite myself. Lucas had a way of knowing when I’d forget to take care of myself. It was an unspoken routine between us – he’d often bring me coffee, a snack, or something light, as if he could sense when I needed it. But today, it felt different.

I picked up the coffee, inhaling the rich aroma, when Lucas walked back in, carrying a file in one hand. His gray eyes landed on me immediately, scanning me with that sharp, unreadable intensity he sometimes had.

“You look…” He hesitated, setting the file down. “Like you’ve been through something.”

I let out a breathy laugh. “That obvious?”

He pulled out the chair beside my desk and leaned against it, arms crossed. “You had your meeting with the CEO?”

I took a sip of my coffee, letting the warmth ground me. “Yeah. It was… intense.”

Lucas tilted his head slightly, his expression carefully neutral. “How so?”

I hesitated, remembering the way Cassian had looked at me, the way his voice had curled around my name like a secret. I shook my head. “I don’t know. He’s just… different.”

Lucas’s jaw tensed for a fraction of a second before he schooled his features. “Different how?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why do I feel like you’re fishing for something?”

He smirked, leaning back in his chair. “I’m just making conversation.”

I exhaled, placing the coffee back on my desk. “He’s… intense. Charismatic, but in a way that feels almost too much, you know? Like he sees through people. And very cryptic.”

Lucas’s smirk faltered slightly before he masked it with a casual shrug. “Sounds about right.”

I studied him, trying to figure out if he was holding something back, but before I could push, an email notification popped up on my screen, I glanced at it and frowned.

**Memo: CEO Department Meeting Scheduled for Tomorrow**

“Well, looks like we’ll be seeing more of him,” I muttered. “He’s meeting with our department tomorrow.”

Lucas’s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his chair. “Guess we should be prepared.”

I sighed, rubbing my temple. “Yeah. Because today wasn’t nerve-wracking enough.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of work, emails, and trying not to let my mind wander back to Cassian. But as the clock neared the end of the workday, I noticed Lucas watching me again, as if he was trying to decide something.

Finally, he stood, stretching before resting his hands in his pockets. “Hey.”

I looked up from my screen. “Yeah?

He hesitated, then flashed me an easy grin. “Want to grab a drink after work? Just us.”

I blinked. Lucas and I had hung out before, sure, but usually in a group setting or under casual circumstances. This… felt different.

I arched a brow. “Just us? And on a Monday nonetheless.”

He shrugged, but there was something deliberate about the way he asked. “Yeah. Long day. Figured we could unwind.”

A part of me wondered if this had anything to do with Cassian. Lucas had been watching me more closely since that meeting. But another part of me… liked the idea.

I smiled, closing my laptop. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

Lucas’s grin widened slightly. “Great. I know just the place.”

As Lucas grabbed his things and started walking out, we agreed to meet each other at the bar. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. And I wasn’t sure whether I was ready for it – or if I even wanted to resist.