The night was quiet, too quiet. The others had gone back to their dorms to rest after the chaos of the past days, but Elise couldn't sleep. Her thoughts kept looping around Davon—his eyes, his words, his strange calm when everything around them fell apart.
So she wandered. The moonlight painted the campus silver, and somehow, her steps led her straight to the balcony outside the old library. There he was—Davon—leaning against the rail, staring at the stars like they were whispering secrets only he could hear.
Elise hesitated, her heart pounding. Why does he always look like he's carrying the weight of a thousand years?
"You shouldn't be out here alone," his deep voice broke through the stillness. He didn't turn, but she knew he'd sensed her the moment she arrived.
"I couldn't sleep," she replied softly. "You couldn't either, huh?"
He finally looked at her, and for a heartbeat, she forgot to breathe. The moonlight caught his eyes—red, glowing faintly, like dying embers. "Sleep doesn't come easily for people like me," he said with a hint of sadness.
"People like you?" she repeated, taking a step closer. "You talk like you're not even human sometimes."
Davon's gaze flickered, but he didn't answer. Instead, he said, "You've been through enough today. Go rest."
But Elise shook her head. "No. Every time you say things like that, I feel like you're hiding something from me. Something big. Why can't you just tell me what it is?"
Davon clenched his jaw. "Because if I do… you might hate me."
She frowned, her heart squeezing. "Then let me decide that."
For a long moment, there was only silence. Then Davon turned fully toward her, his expression unreadable but his eyes burning with emotion. "If I tell you," he said quietly, "everything changes."
Elise met his gaze, unwavering. "Then let it change."
The wind brushed her hair across her face, and he reached out instinctively, tucking it gently behind her ear. His touch was cold, but her heart raced at the warmth behind it.
"You don't know what you're asking for," he whispered.
"Then show me," she whispered back.
For the first time, Davon looked vulnerable—like a wall had cracked open inside him. He exhaled softly, the faintest tremor in his voice. "Elise… I'm not like you. I never have been."
She stared, confused. "What do you mean?"
He hesitated… then stepped into the light. His eyes gleamed brighter, his fangs barely visible when he spoke again. "Because I'm a vampire."
Elise froze. Her breath hitched, her pulse racing. The air felt too thick to breathe. She didn't scream. She didn't run. She just stared at him — the man who had saved her, protected her, cared for her.
After a long silence, she whispered, "You saved me… more than once. So why would I hate you now?"
Davon blinked, startled. Then, for the first time in forever, he smiled—a real smile. "You really haven't changed at all."
She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
He looked down, almost shyly. "You used to say that too… before you forgot."
And as those words sank into her heart, Elise's world tilted—flashes of forgotten memories flickering at the edges of her mind. A hand reaching for hers. A promise in the dark. "Even if death takes you, I'll find you again."
Her heart raced. "Davon… I—"
He took her hand gently. "It's okay. Don't force it. Just remember… I never stopped loving you."