The chronicles of Phoenix Zach

CHAPTER 10: OLD FLAME

ZACH’S POV

I avoided looking at Damien the moment I entered class.

Which was stupid.

Because somehow that only made me more aware of him.

I could still remember the feeling of his hand against mine in the bathroom.

Very Cold.

Steady.

Strangely calming.

And the way he looked at my necklace before suddenly leaving.

What was that about?

I tightened my grip on my notebook and quickly sat beside Xavier before my thoughts could spiral any further.

Xavier glanced at me immediately.

“So,” he said casually, “you survived sitting next to the demon prince.”

I snorted softly.

"Barley".

DAMIEN’S POV

I shouldn’t have gone into that bathroom.

I knew that.

Yet the idea of her being alone on school grounds,

my body moved before logic could stop it.

And now I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Again.

I leaned back against my chair while the classroom buzzed around me.

Zach sat across the room beside Xavier now.

Not beside me.

Good.

That was safer.

So why did it bother me?

Xavier laughed at something she whispered while helping her with a math problem.

Zach smiled faintly.

And for some reason that irritated me more than it should have.

Not because Xavier liked her.

He didn’t.

I knew Xavier better than that.

This was strategy.

Distraction.

Normalcy.

He wanted Zach focused anywhere except me.

It's a competition after all...

Fortunately for him…

I couldn’t stop looking at her either.

“You’re staring.”

I looked beside me.

Blake, who served my coven, smirked while flipping through his notebook.

“I’m not.”

“Sure.”

I ignored him.

But the truth was, Blake rarely missed anything.

Especially not when it involved me.

The lesson dragged on while students quietly copied notes from the board.

Every now and then my eyes drifted back toward Zach before I could stop them.

Annoying.

Maybe it was because of the bathroom.

Maybe it was because I could still remember the fear in her heartbeat.

Or maybe—

No.

I cut the thought off immediately.

My phone suddenly vibrated against the desk.

Edward.

“Young master,” he said carefully the moment I answered through the mind link, “another body has been found.”

My mood darkened instantly.

“Where?”

“Southern district. The council believes rogues are involved. The car is ready”

I stood up immediately.

Blake looked at me knowingly.

“You know classes aren’t over, right?”

I grabbed my bag.

The teacher paused mid-sentence as I walked toward the door, but she said nothing.

Nobody ever did.

Some students moved out of my way while others whispered behind my back.

I ignored all of it.

The hallway was quieter now, most students were still trapped in class.

“You’ve been here two days and already skipping classes. Impressive.”

I glanced sideways.

Xavier walked beside me lazily with his hands shoved into his pockets.

I rolled my eyes.

“Do you need something?”

“No,” he shrugged. “Just surprised you lasted this long.”

Typical Xavier.

Always turning everything into some silent rivalry.

“And you enjoy inserting yourself into my business far too much.”

A grin tugged at his lips.

“Maybe your business is just entertaining.”

I scoffed softly before continuing toward the exit.

But just before I stepped outside—

I looked back toward the classroom windows instinctively.

And there she was.

Zach sat near the back beside Xavier’s empty seat, completely focused on her notebook.

For some reason, seeing her there—

safe

Eased something in me slightly.

I hated that feeling.

****hours later****

I got home just before sunset.

the scene was gruesome, 4 teenagers,

missing organs,

the candles, pentagrams and symbols of what looked like a phoenix on the floor told me everything..

they are after that phoenix hoax

i need to rewind, i hate how i cant get to kill them as of yet

a shower will do

After showering, I changed into black jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt and a fresh pair of black-and-white Vans before hurrying downstairs.

I found Whitney in the kitchen arranging sealed blood packets into a silver insulated carrier while heating instant ramen on the stove.

Only Whitney could combine vampire blood rations and junk food in the same meal.

“You’re late, thought we should leave the house a bit,” she complained while tightening her ponytail. “The AB blend is getting cold.”

I opened the fridge and grabbed one of the bottled blood mixes before leaning against the counter.

The synthetic blends tasted cleaner than human blood.

Less intoxicating.

Less dangerous.

Father preferred pure blood meals imported from licensed coven facilities, but Whitney and I grew up around our mother’s habits too.

Human food never really left us.

Not completely.

“Come upstairs.”

Father’s voice entered my head through the mind link.

“Father,” I greeted while stepping into the office.

Then I noticed her.

i couldn't help it but boredly sighed

Blonde hair.

Perfect posture.

A wine glass resting lazily between elegant fingers.

Princess Isabel Crest.

Of course.

“Well,” Isabel smiled slowly, “that’s a disappointing reaction.”

I leaned against the doorway.

“i have no time for this”

Her lips twitched in amusement.

“Nice to see you too, Damien.”

Father watched the interaction carefully.

That alone irritated me.

Because this wasn’t coincidence.

Nothing in this house ever was.

“The Crest family arrived an hour ago,” Father said calmly.

“Im busy.”

“With school?” Isabel asked lightly.

There it was.

That subtle mocking tone.

Like the idea of me willingly spending time around humans amused her.

I walked further into the office.

“What do you want, Isabel?”

Father’s expression darkened slightly at my bluntness, but Isabel only smiled wider.

“our marriage Damien.”

eyes gleaming with calculation

She laughed softly at that.

Comfortable.

Too comfortable.

Which was exactly the problem.

Father set his glass down carefully.

“Isabel is already planning your alliance. I have already told her she could have anything she wanted, ” he said.

I almost rolled my eyes.

Here we go.

Isabel crossed one leg over the other while watching me carefully.

“You disappeared after our last encounter,” she said casually.

Because I left before sunrise.

Because it meant nothing.

Because I knew immediately she would turn it into something bigger.

“I didn’t realize I needed permission to leave.”

A flicker of irritation crossed her face for the first time.

There it is.

Father noticed it too.

Which meant this entire meeting was political.

Fantastic.

“The Crest and Black families have maintained alliances for centuries,” Father said calmly. “I expect both of you to behave accordingly.”

Translation:

Do not embarrass us.

Do not ruin this.

I suddenly understood why Whitney conveniently invited me out today.

Father planned this.

Probably for days.

“I already have plans,” I said flatly.

“With Whitney,” Father replied instantly.

Not a question.

A statement.

He already knew.

Of course he did.

Isabel tilted her head slightly.

“You’re choosing your sister over me?”

Before he could answer, Isabel laughed softly and stood up

“Oh come on, Damien,” she said while walking toward me. “You cannot seriously be choosing your little sister over me.”

“I will always.”

her expression was livid

There it was.

That pride.

That arrogance only vampire royals carried.

Like the world naturally belonged beneath them.

Isabel stopped in front of me, crossing her arms.

“You disappeared after sleeping with me,” she said bluntly. “Do you know how insulting that was?”

Father sighed heavily already, it wasn't anything new.

I looked down at her calmly.

“that was 50 years ago, a one night stand we had agreed on”

Her jaw tightened instantly.

Good.

Her eyes flashed dangerously for a second.

Not enough to lose control.

Just enough to remind me she was still a predator underneath all the expensive perfume and designer dresses.

“You know,” she said coldly, “most girls would kill to be where I am.”

“That sounds like their problem.”

Silence.

Heavy silence.

Father looked one second away from throwing me out the window.

But Isabel?

She suddenly smiled.

Not sweet.

Not kind.

The type of smile people wore before ruining someone’s life.

“Oh,” she said softly. “So that’s how this is going to be.”

I pushed myself off the doorway.

“That depends. Are we done?”

“You really think you can keep brushing me off forever?”

“Yes.”

The answer came instantly.

And somehow—

that seemed to offend her more than anything else.

I walked past her toward the door.

Behind me, Father’s voice turned cold.

“Dinner tomorrow evening. Both of you will attend.”

I kept walking.