Julie stared at Roman. For a moment, her mind turned blank before an awkward smile appeared on her lips. She had believed that it was normal Silverwater, and to stop Roman from drinking it, she had gulped it like water. Though there was a difference in its taste when compared to the taste of water, she wouldn't have felt much difference if she didn't come to know what she was drinking.

  While Julie was still processing her thoughtless move, Roman turned to look at the waitress, whose eyebrows had raised.

  "Four glasses of water. Now," ordered Roman, and the waitress bowed her head and immediately left their booth.

  On the other hand, Donovan rubbed his chin, watching the young witch who was sitting in front of him, as he hadn't thought the girl would gulp down the liquid.

  "If you really wanted to have a drink, you should have asked me, Ms. Winters. How about I pick you something that you might like, I did mean it when I said that I wanted to bond with you," commented Donovan, and Roman turned to look at the Elder vampire with a glare.

  "Don't try to push my buttons, Donovan," Roman threatened the Elder in a low voice, as he was not in the mood to listen and enjoy the Elder vampire's jokes.

  "She isn't a normal human, and it won't affect her as the Silverwater and the substance in there is tempered. Also, I would like to listen to her thoughts and to see if she can hold herself. No one should leave this place without my permission. We came here to have a good time," said Donovan, humming a tune under his breath even though the music was blaring from the speakers. "Relax and enjoy. How about I order you another drink that you would like? I can tell you're thirsty," the faint smile that was on Donovan's lips broadened.

  Donovan raised his hand as if to signal a nearby waiter to come to him. When the man in the waiter's uniform appeared near the Elder vampire, the vampire said something to him in a low voice, as if it was going to be a surprise.

  "Don't forget I want the drink to be exactly like this one," smiled Donovan.

  Julie noticed the waiter's gaze on her for a swift second before he left the booth to bring the ordered drink. She started to feel hot as if suddenly she was sunbathing, and she took a deep breath before stretching her fingers.

  "How are you feeling?" questioned Roman, his eyes though they looked cold, they had concern for Julie, and Donovan noticed this.

  He wondered why Roman was so much attached to this girl. His eyes narrowed, and he continued to rub his chin with a thoughtful expression on his face.

  "Good evening, Mr. Donovan," came a vampiress' voice, and Donovan shifted his gaze to look at the girl.

  "Was there a change with the waitress who was serving us?" questioned Donovan, watching the vampiress, who looked slightly offended by his words before she smiled.

  "No, I am not one of the waitresses here. I am one of Roman's friends. Aliana is my name and this one," she turned around and introduced the person who stood behind her. "This is Greysen, my brother."

  "Acquaintance," corrected Roman, his eyes lazily shifted to look at the girl with a hint of annoyance on his face.

  "What brings you here, Aliana?" Donovan noticed the girl's interest in Roman, but Roman's interest was in the witch. He picked up the toothpick with the olive in it and put it in his mouth. "Why don't you come and join us? The more the merrier."

  When Greysen came to sit next to Roman, Roman warned him, "I prefer people staying and sitting more than two seats away from me now."

  Greysen quickly moved from there and sat next to his sister Aliana, who sat next to Donovan, whose facial expression looked like his favourite show was going to be displayed at any moment now.

  The waitress brought glasses of water and placed them on the table, and before Julie could pick up one, Roman took hold of the closest one and offered it to her.

  "I can pick it up, you don't have to do that," whispered Julie, being embarrassed by the open display of affection that Roman was showing on her in front of others. She felt it too much because she felt everyone's eyes were fixing on them.

  "I wouldn't have done that if you had not drunk the Silverwater drink," Roman lightly glared at her and then he said, "Keep drinking water so that it would be flushed out of your body."

  "I will be fine," muttered Julie, feeling very light right now, as if, if she would jump from the top of the roof, she would fly.

  "Your cheeks are turning flushed," noted Roman, and with the back of his finger, he gently caressed her cheek.

  Unconsciously, Julie moved closer towards him, her eyes slowly started to close before she composed herself to sit still in her place.

  "You better stick to me, and don't go wandering around looking for trouble," stated Roman, and Julie looked into his eyes.

  "Why would I do that, when trouble is staying right next to me," Julie mumbled to herself, but Roman heard it, and he narrowed his eyes.

  "Finish the glass so that you can drink the next one."

  Aliana stared at Julie before her eyes moved to look at Donovan, who was looking at her, "We sometimes like to visit this place when our uncle isn't here to look after it," she smiled politely. "I have heard so much about you."

  "And what might that be?" Donovan continued the conversation.

  "You and the other three Elder vampires saved Veteris," Aliana praised him, "I wish I was there to witness it."

  "You would have been one of the dead victims resting in the coffin. There was nothing much to be saved there. Most were dead bodies," remarked Roman, turning to look in their direction. Julie, who had held the glass of water near her mouth, continued to drink it so that it appeared she was busy.

  "Isn't that a little rude? I heard Mr. Donovan was the one who had saved you from being dead, by turning you into a vampire," said Aliana, watching Roman.

  "Roman wasn't happy when I had turned him. He preferred to be dead than turning into something that killed his family," Donovan crossed his legs and got himself into a relaxed position. "But I know he doesn't mind it now."

  "Why wouldn't I?" questioned Roman, his eyes holding boredom when he looked at Donovan as if he was staring at a wall. "I wouldn't be here if that was so, would I?"

  The waitress returned with another tray of glasses that held blood in it, and while placing it, the waiter with whom Donovan had spoken earlier returned with a girl behind him.

  "What do you think, Sir?" asked the waiter and Julie, who had turned slightly dazed, lifted her eyes and saw a girl who had a similar hairstyle like her and probably holding features that were closely similar to her.

  Was this what Donovan had murmured earlier to the waiter? Julie wondered if Evans should take up Donovan as his possible client once they returned to Veteris.

  "Oh wow, I see another me now," said Julie, and she gulped down the water in the glass that she was holding. But even after drinking two glasses of water, she continued to feel hot, and she now wished to jump into a pool of water.

  "Look Roman, I arranged something more edible as we don't want you taking a bite from Ms. Winters. Aren't I nice?" asked Donovan and the human whose features looked similar to Julie stepped closer near to the seat where Roman was sitting.

  "And I thought you couldn't get any more annoying than you already are. Get this girl away from me before I decide to snap her neck," warned Roman, because he wasn't interested in anyone else, but the one with whom he was interested was busy sipping water.

  "Roman's acquaintances, would you ever refuse such a delicious drink? Warm blood, fresh and untouched?" questioned Donovan as if he was slightly offended by Roman's rejection.

  Greysen only offered a small smile because he had already known about Roman's temper, and today he seemed to be on a little edge than usual. Not to mention, Roman seemed quite taken by the human girl sitting next to him, and he was sure that if he tried to touch even just the replica of the human, it would still earn him an entry in the death list.

  "I think we should all toast, to welcome the Elder vampire who is finally back after taking his rest," said Aliana, and she picked up one of the glasses that was on the table. Donovan raised the glass that he already had in his hand, where he had barely taken three sips from it.

  When the so-called drink moved closer to Roman from the other side while he sat with his back leaning against the seat, Julie's eyebrows furrowed. The girl raised her hand to place it on Roman's chest, but at the same time, Julie caught hold of the girl's hand to stop her from going any further.

  "Don't," said Julie, her eyes slightly hazy because the little amount of alcohol intake had hit her body, and somewhere she was in the state of being sleepy, and she wanted to throw the water on the girl.

  The other girl looked at Julie, and she politely said, "Let go of my hand, Miss."

  "Do you promise to keep your hands off of him?" asked Julie, her words came out to be innocent, and the girl's lips twitched in annoyance.

  "I am here to only serve the customers. Now please allow me to do my job," said the girl, and Julie stared hard at the girl.

  "Okay, I want to have a plate of french fries. You can make yourself useful," on hearing Julie's words, the people in the booth stared at Julie.

  "Did she get drunk already?" Aliana asked in disbelief.

  Donovan picked up the slice of meat from the plate and popped it into his mouth while he looked barely bothered with the things that were happening around him.

  Julie's grip tightened on the girl's hand, and before anyone could say something, Roman said, "Let go of her hand, Winters."

  "You want to drink from her?" asked Julie, with her eyes widened. W-what happened to those words of him where he had told her that he wasn't going to drink from any girls? She knew rippers were extreme vampires but did he have a memory loss?!

  "I need to drink from someone, because the blood in these glasses are stale to my taste, compared to the fresh running blood," remarked Roman, and his words made Julie look like nothing less than an abandoned cat.

  The girl sitting next to Roman smiled at Julie as if she knew this would happen because she had already met normal vampires and rippers before.

  "Then drink from me."

  Donovan finally spoke, "I wouldn't advise on it, Ms. Winters. As you know, Roman isn't in his usual state of mind. He will probably drink from you until he feels full enough and someone like him is never full."

  "I know," replied Julie while staring right into Roman's eyes. "I am a much better drink than her, or anyone else," she confidently said and tried to convince him. Roman noticed her anxiousness, and to him, it seemed like if he would say anything more, she would start to cry.

  The corner of Roman's lips curled, and he turned to look at the other girl and said, "You heard her. Scram. She wasn't joking when she said something about saving your neck."

  Roman stood up from his seat and then pulled Julie to stand on her feet, which slightly staggered, and he put his hand around her waist.

  "We are supposed to grieve and share our pain, Roman. Where are you going?" questioned Donovan, who had been hoping to see Roman snap the girl's head so that Julie's trust in Roman would break, but nothing that he had expected had happened.

  Roman stared at Donovan, "Go cling on to someone else tonight. I am taking her to one of the private rooms."

  "Well since Ms. Winters has decided to offer herself as a meal to you, I will tell the waitress that you don't need any drinks," said Donovan, and he watched Roman leaving the booth with Julie.

  Roman didn't bother to reply and holding Julie's hand, and he took her away from there.

  Julie felt the sound of the music had stopped, and everything around her turned slow for a moment. When some of the vampires' eyes around the place turned to look at Julie, Roman's eyes were quick to meet theirs with annoyance, and they were quick to look away from her. Making their way through the floor, they finally came to a corridor with fewer people's presence in it.

  "Mr. Moltenore, how can we—"

  "Do you have a spare room? One where no one would come to disturb us," said Roman and the person in charge there nodded his head.

  "You will find it up in the top floor, room one eight," he bowed his head.

  As Julie followed Roman for a second, she pulled his hand and stopped him from taking another step forward. When he turned to look at her, she said, "Rome……" her words came out breathy, and Roman's jaws clenched.

  "You are such a troublemaker," muttered Roman under his breath.

  "Then why did you order Silverwater to drink when you know your heart is getting corrupted? I wouldn't be in this state, if you hadn't ordered it in the first place—"

  Roman took a step back towards her, "Do you know how flushed you look right now? Don't show this face to anyone. I am annoyed enough with Donovan's presence."

  "Are you saying……I…… you said you wanted to drink blood from that girl! Will you drink blood from anyone?" asked Julie, a frown on her forehead. Her head has already muddled because of what she had drunk, and she was angry. "I am all for understanding about my boyfriend being a vampire, but it's like you have forgotten things."

  Roman stared at her, and he brought his right hand near her face, but instead of caressing her cheek, he flicked her forehead, "Do you really think I would drink the person's blood?"

  "You said you killed one of the students back in Veteris, didn't you?" asked Julie, internally rolling her sleeves and ready to fight.

  "Do you prefer me killing you while I am drinking blood from you?"

  "Do it, "Julie provoked him, but Roman didn't look one bit amused. "I know you are hurting but…… you can not shut yourself like this—"

  Roman placed his hand on her lips so that she wouldn't speak more.

  "What do you want me to do, Winters?" questioned Roman, his eyes turning redder, and he closed the distance between them. "Or what do you like me to say?"

  "Tell me how you really feel so that I can help. Just the way you have been there next to me," said Julie, pursing her lips in the end.

  Roman looked behind Julie before he caught hold of her hand and said, "Let's go to the room."

  Julie frowned further, and without a word of protest, they walked through the dark corridors, taking the lift before reaching the top floor. She turned to look at one person, who wore the uniform like the other waiters and waitresses.

  They stepped in front of the room, and Roman opened the door with a key in his hand. Once they stepped inside the room, he locked it, and Julie wondered if he was going to kill her because of his uncontrollable thirst. Of course, she knew that he would never hurt her, but he wasn't himself right now since she had woken up from her sleep.

  Roman made his way towards the fridge, pulling out cans which she believed to be blood. Quietly, she took a seat at the edge of the bed, looking at the room. She heard the sharp sound of the can's ring being pulled open, watching Roman chug it down. And this continued with the next six cans until he finally turned to look at her.

  "All you had to do was to stay back in the dorm and rest," said Roman, picking up a bottle of water. He picked up something else before coming to stand in front of her.

  "Hold the bottle," said Roman, and Julie, who had believed that they were here to talk, stared at him.

  "I am not thirsty," replied Julie, where the intoxication hadn't disappeared from her mind or body.

  "You're heating up, Winters. I have had a bad day, so let us go one step at a time. Alright?" stated Roman, and Julie wondered if him saying 'bad day' meant somewhere his humanity was still intact. She held the bottle in her hand, where Roman removed the cap.

  He cut the lemon and squeezed it into the water bottle, "Drink it. It will help." Caring Roman always melted Julie's heart, even in his ripper state. He took a seat next to her, leaning towards the table and stretching his hand to pick up another can of blood.

  For a few seconds, silence filled the room. She asked him, "How do you feel?" Basic questions seemed one way to approach the matter, thought Julie in her mind.

  "Hungry," deadpanned Roman, and Julie nodded her head.

  "I mean… feelings," Julie rephrased the sentence, and she turned to look at him. Watching him take a sip of blood from the can.

  "Piper wants you to have her wedding gown," came Roman's words as he stared at the lamp that glowed brightly in the room. Julie's eyes widened. "Like an idiot she had gotten her wedding gown stitched so that she could wear it when she would marry Tristan. I believe the gown that you wore on the stage was something she had planned to wear when Tristan would introduce her to my parents. She didn't want it to go to waste."

  Roman's expression was blank and void of any emotions, as if he couldn't feel or sense anything.

  The only reason why Roman had even bothered to keep Julie safe now from the other vampire's eyes was that she was that last remaining thread that still connected to his past emotions.

  "Was……was it too painful for her?" Julie's words were careful. Everything had happened so fast, receiving the news one after another, that she hadn't found enough time to process things around her.

  The wall that Roman had pulled up in his mind after putting Piper to rest in the casket, he saw glimpses of the vampiress, as if the wall was holding cracks.

  'Tristan isn't here,' came his dull voice from the past.

  'I know, that—but wait! Roman, I wanted to ask you something,' said Piper's voice in the back of his head. A memory that existed before he or she turned into a vampire.

  'What?'

  'Tomorrow is his birthday, do you think he will be able to sneak out for sometime or is his day and night busy?' asked Piper.

  Roman had given her a hard stare, 'Mother has plans for him. And father wants him to meet the people who work with him, so that Tristan can take up the title in the near future.'

  Piper's face slightly fell, but she nodded her head with a smile, 'Ah, I see. That's fine," she waved her hand, and said, 'Thank you for telling me.'

  As Piper took three steps away from him, ready to walk in the direction of her home, Roman called her, 'Lady Piper.' Piper turned around, wondering if she had forgotten something. He pulled out a card from his coat pocket and offered it to her. 'The celebration starts at six in the evening.'

  Roman remembered the memory, because it was one of the first few times he had come across the vampiress.

  "I think she handled it with grace even though she was in pain," replied Roman, taking another sip from the can before he lowered the can for a moment and brought it back up to his lips to finish it.

  "Is there no way to bring back a dead vampire?" asked Julie, wondering if there was a witch's book that had spells of secrets.

  "There would be a population explosion if that were to happen, wouldn't it?" commented Roman, the outline of his red eyes turning slightly black, making them look more prominent.

  Julie placed her hand on Roman's hand, which was on the bed next to her. She curled her fingers so that she could his hand, offering him quiet comfort.

  "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," said Julie, knowing how painful it was to lose someone dear. When her mother had passed away, all she had done was cry and shut herself in the room, not wanting to talk to anyone. "We can sit here, like this," she offered.

  Unlike the time when they were in his dorm, Roman didn't seem like he was trying to scare or push her away from him, and it was a silver lining. He stared hard at the wall, silence filling the room once again, but Julie watched him from the corner of her eyes.

  "Do you want my blood……" asked Julie, and Roman's gaze shifted from the wall, to look at her.

  "As delicious as you are, I like you alive with blood in your body," responded Roman, and Julie noticed the sliver of sadness that passed on his face.