LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 7: Serena’s gambit
The night draped over the Moreau estate like a velvet shroud, but the air inside was thick with tension. Sirena walked away from Adrian's room, her heels clicking against the marble floor in a slow, deliberate rhythm. Her lips curved as she processed the information she had extracted from him, her influence leaving him dazed and vulnerable.
A sharp presence behind her disrupted her thoughts. She didn't have to turn to know who it was.
He was close, his presence a cold ripple against the heated air. Her smirk widened as she kept walking, knowing he would follow. He was furious. She had seen it in his eyes when she had led Adrian into that room—the possessive, violent gleam that made something deep inside her coil in anticipation.
Serena stepped onto the balcony, her heart pounding. She knew Damian would follow.
Without warning, Damian grabbed her by the throat, his grip tightening as his eyes burned with fury.
"Don't play games with me, Serena," he growled. "I don't like it."
Serena smirked despite the struggle, coughing as she gasped for air. The moment his grip loosened, she tilted her head and met his gaze with defiance.
"And here I thought you liked games," she taunted.
Damian's jaw tightened. He closed the distance in two slow, deliberate steps, his broad frame casting a shadow over her. "You think this is amusing?"
"I think *you're* amusing." She reached for the railing, tilting her head. "You brought a woman to this party, parading her around like a prize. I was *supposed* to be jealous, wasn't I?"
His fingers twitched at his sides. "It wasn't about jealousy."
She gave him an indulgent smile. "No? Then what was it? Marking your territory? You do realize I'm not some delicate thing to be owned, don't you?"
His eyes darkened. "You say that, and yet you spent the night whispering in another man's ear."
"Oh, Damian," she sighed, stepping forward, her fingers trailing up his lapel. "Are you really comparing my power play to your petty attempt at making me jealous?"
His hand shot up, wrapping around her wrist—not enough to hurt, but enough to remind her he was stronger. "You don't know what you're doing."
She arched a brow. "Don't I?"
He exhaled sharply through his nose. "I should punish you for making a spectacle of yourself."
Her pulse spiked at the dark promise in his voice, but she merely laughed, tilting her head toward him. "Then do it."
His grip on her wrist tightened before he suddenly let go, stepping back as if she had burned him. He raked a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath in a language she didn't recognize.
Her smile was triumphant. "That's what I thought."
Before he could respond, a voice interrupted them. "Serena."
They both turned to see a man stepping out of the shadows. He was tall, lean, with silver-streaked hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. There was something *old* about him, something unsettlingly familiar.
Serena's amusement vanished. "And you are?"
The man tilted his head, his lips curling in a knowing smirk. "Someone who knows the truth about your bloodline."
Damian immediately stepped in front of her, his body tense, protective. "Who sent you?"
The man chuckled. "No one. But I think you'd both be very interested in what I have to say." His gaze flickered to Sirena. "Especially you"
Sirena's fingers curled at her sides, power humming beneath her skin. "Speak. And choose your words carefully."
The man's smirk widened. "Oh, I will."
---
A dimly lit room. The scent of aged leather and burning wood. The man—Atlas—lounged in a chair, his expression unreadable as he studied them. Damian's patience thinned, his eyes flashing with suspicion. "Enough games. Talk."
Atlas's gaze flickered toward Sirena before settling on Damian. "I wonder… does your lover boy truly know what you are?"
Damian's body tensed. His jaw clenched. "What are you implying?"
Atlas chuckled darkly. "Oh, I can see the gears turning in that head of yours. You suspect something, don't you? But whatever you think… it isn't the full truth."
Serena's expression remained unreadable, but the air around her grew heavy. Damian turned to glance at her, doubt creeping in. She met his gaze, her lips curving slightly, as if daring him to ask the question neither of them wanted to voice.
Atlas leaned forward, a wicked glint in his eyes. "Careful, Damian. Curiosity can be a dangerous thing."
Damian's voice was cold, measured. "What are you?"
Atlas's smirk didn't waver. "The real question is—does Sirena already know?" His gaze flickered to her, watching for a reaction. "My grandson might have told you something that made you curious, didn't he?"
Serena's gaze didn't falter. She already knew what Atlas was—a wizard. But his grandson? That was the real mystery. Because as far as she could tell, the boy was nothing but a normal human.
Damian's suspicion grew, his hand twitching at his side. "What are you after?"
Atlas leaned back, looking pleased. "Oh, Damian. You'll find out soon enough."
Serena sighed, turning to Atlas. "Fine. I want to talk to you privately."
Damian's scowl deepened. "Like hell you will."
Serena turned, meeting his gaze with a silent challenge. "Trust me."
His jaw tightened, but after a tense beat, he relented. Atlas chuckled, watching the exchange with interest. "Well, well. It seems the boy is rather *taken* with you."
Serena rolled her eyes. "Bullshit."
Atlas smirked. "If you say so." He leaned forward. "Now, let's talk business. What's in it for you?"
She arched a brow. "That depends. What exactly are you offering?"