Chapter 5 Play the Hero
1233 Words
In an instant, the mark on Serene's neck began to flash frantically, emitting an extremely dazzling golden light, blinding everyone around as if it were burning with an unstoppable brilliance!
'It turns out that the Quentin family heir and Asta are indeed a pair of despicable adulterers! Serene might have lied, but it's undeniable that someone has performed the Bestowal Ritual on her!'
The information overload left everyone present momentarily stunned.
Before anyone could react, someone shouted out, "Hey, isn't this reaction something only the Hollister family can trigger?"
Everyone simultaneously looked up toward the second floor.
Everyone simultaneously looked up toward the second floor, where a private room exclusively for the Hollister family was located.
Even the Hollister family members were caught off guard
.
"What just happened?"
"How did this human thief get our family's marks?"
"We just added a new family member, Wyatt, and now we're getting a sister too?"
"Shut up."
Wyatt glanced at the group of Hollisters watching the spectacle, closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, he turned to Ian. "Go claim her."
Ian, a tall and muscular man, paused for a moment before he joked, "Can't miss such a perfect chance to be the hero."
Everyone in the banquet hall watched as Ian descended the spiral staircase, his gaze fixed on Serene.
With graceful poise, Ian approached Serene.
He bent down, extended his hand, and helped Serene to her feet.
Serene stood there, frozen and unresponsive.
Ian sized her up, noting she seemed just as bewildered as the rest.
'It seems she's lucky. The mark she randomly received is indeed the Hollister family's mark.'
Ian couldn't help but admire her luck.
He pulled Serene close and addressed the crowd. "Apologies, my mistake. I got a bit tipsy and forgot to formally claim my woman. She's a bit clueless, constantly mixing up Landers and Hollisters."
The crowd fell into an awkward silence.
Suddenly, Ian spoke loudly, "But yes, the Quentin family heir and Asta are quite the adulterers. Just so you know, I found my girl drowning her sorrows in a bar, thanks to their betrayal... Anyway, don't mind us." With that, Ian turned, escorting Serene up to the second floor.
Every eye in the hall turned toward Jake and Asta.
Asta felt incredibly humiliated as if a thousand slaps had landed squarely across her cheeks.
Her eyes locked onto Ian's hand resting on Serene's waist, her eyes welling up with tears.
"She actually got marked by someone from the Hollister family? That's absolutely impossible!"
She immediately turned to Jake for confirmation. "She's just an ordinary human with no allure blood, right?"
Jake ignored her, his silence leaving everyone guessing.
Asta didn't get Jake's response, only the surrounding whispers.
Glancing around and gradually losing her composure, Asta found her eyes filled with tears as she quickly moved toward Jake.
"Sweetheart..."
Jake's face turned dark, disbelief clouding his features as he watched the woman he'd dumped, one he'd dismissed as tasteless, now being taken away by a member of the Hollister family.
His face looked as though it had been repeatedly stomped on by a werewolf, leaving him utterly humiliated.
'There's no way I could've been wrong. The Hollisters must be the fools here!'
Jake shoved Asta aside.
Taking a step forward, he fixed his gaze on Ian, who had reached the second floor.
"You i***t!" Jake yelled.
"You have no idea how awful her blood tastes!"
Ian paused, slowly turning around with a subtly raised eyebrow full of intrigue. "We don't usually call our food brides around here."
He glanced at Asta and then back at Jake, smirking maliciously. "Sounds like you're saying your bride's blood is sweet. Well, now everyone here knows your bride's blood is delicious."
The implication of Ian's words cast a shadow over the Quentin family.
Every vampire enjoyed human blood that tasted sweet!
After speaking, Ian elegantly turned away.
Jake's expression instantly shifted to panic.
He immediately turned to look at Asta.
Asta looked aggrieved and hurt, her expression still a bit confused as she saw Jake staring at her.
Jake glanced around at the other vampires in the banquet hall.
Their blood-red eyes gleamed, a dangerous tension filling the brightly lit hall.
"Damn it!" Jake cursed.
He roughly grabbed Asta's wrist and hurriedly yanked her away from the banquet.
Caught off guard, Asta stumbled as she was dragged and called out in disbelief, "You're hurting me!"
Frustrated, Asta began to struggle. "I'm talking to you! Where are we going?"
The sound of rushing air filled her ears!
The vampires who'd heard about Asta's sweet blood were closing in fast!
In the rush of the moment, Jake didn't take the time to explain. Instead, he lost his patience and lashed out at Asta.
"Stop struggling, or I'll break your legs!" His red eyes flashed, revealing his vampire nature.
Fear washed over Asta as she was led away obediently.
The banquet hall emptied in moments.
Meanwhile, the Hollister family on the second floor was abuzz with activity.
"Wow, look who it is. Ian, the cocky guy who just won the battle, right?"
"Oh, and here's the human thief."
"Ian, that c***k about the sweet blood really stirred things up for the Quentin family. Impressive."
"Hey, over there, you. The one zoning out! You know, our family just saved your life."
"Not only that, we even avenged the Quentin family for you."
"Maybe a little blood donation as thanks?"
"You kidding? Didn't you hear Jake say her blood's practically undrinkable?"
"Gotta say, you're really lucky."
Laughter filled the room.
The sound of different voices made Serene feel overwhelmed.
She snapped out of her daze.
Seeing the pairs of golden eyes in front of her, she realized she wasn't dreaming.
'I was saved by the Hollister family. So that night... I didn't end up with a hybrid vampire?'
Serene felt disoriented. Her previous fear hadn't dissipated, and she was still unable to relax. Suddenly, her vision went dark, and she fainted.
Ian, who was closest to her, caught her effortlessly.
Ian looked slightly annoyed.
He looked up at his family. "Alright, I already played the hero once tonight. Who wants a turn?"
A few whooshes filled the room.
Ian glanced around, noticing that most of his family had disappeared.
Wyatt seemed unfazed, remaining seated and unmoving.
Then, Ian threw Serene toward Wyatt.
Wyatt didn't catch her. He merely stared as she collapsed to the floor.
Wyatt looked up at Ian with a sigh, seemingly wanting to instruct him to take Serene back. But before he could, Ian was gone.
Wyatt didn't know what to say.
He stared at Serene lying on the floor for a long time, lost in thought.
Finally, with a resigned sigh, he lifted Serene into his arms.
Moonlight shimmered around them.
Her senses vaguely picked up the scent of the forest, crisp and cool with the faintest hint of flowers.
Serene hadn't fully regained consciousness.
Then, Serene opened her eyes slightly. In her blurred vision, she could only make out the strong jawline and attractive, crimson lips of the person holding her, making him look very approachable.
'He looks a bit like the vampire I slept with that night.'
Serene had an epiphany.
'Wait... A Hollister gave me this mark. So, the person I spent the night with must also be from the Hollister family, right?'
- Writer
