Chapter 4 Blind Date

The red tie with white stripes neatly emphasized the appearance of Jayden Gavian's broad shoulders. He tightened their relationship as much as he could. Life hacks suppressed the blinding thirst.

Jay slowed down the open-top car. The crescent moon was shrouded in mist, and he liked that view more than the full moon, which many said was beautiful.

Bullshit.

Humans are all deceived. The full moon hides fierce power, while the sickle offers what it is. If their ancestors had not often held wishing rituals, the devil's chains would not have tightened when the full moon came.

Jay's laugh was muffled by a forefinger lodged in one of his fangs. He gently rubbed it to reduce the itching. Argh, that girl's skin must be smooth. Unable to imagine it, Jay stepped on the gas.

Arriving, Jay scanned the girls' backs as he walked along the table. His muscles tensed. Finally, he found a girl in a red dress. Her beautiful back was exposed like a magnet that attracted Jay. She approached the end table, the best spot to view the majestic City of Walles.

"Nona Crystal?"

Ruby turned around. "Ah, yes... Just call me Ruby, and you?"

"Jayden Gavian," Jay said, holding out his hand; Ruby grabbed it.

"Just call me Ruby."

At first, Ruby thought it was a business greeting. Unexpectedly, Jay guided Ruby's hand toward his lips. A short kiss on the back of her hand felt heart-stopping.

That crazy vampire, Ruby thought. Dare to make a touch.

It's a kiss! Ruby's teeth gritted, and desire twisted Jay's mouth into a bulge.

"Miss? Are you okay?" Jay asked, suddenly sitting in the opposite chair.

Ruby came back to reality. Remember, you are on a mission.

"Oh, sorry, I was too nervous," said Ruby, sitting as gracefully as possible, just as Anna had taught her to do.

"Have you ordered, darling?"

Ruby's ears burned hot, but she covered it with a wry smile. Ruby became increasingly challenged. Jay also wore a mask, pretending to give all kinds of attention while waiting for his prey to lower their guard. Ruby wondered who would be the first to let their guard down.

"Not yet, and don't worry. Your driver just dropped me off three minutes before you arrived," said Ruby, starting to feel confident about leading the game.

"Thank goodness you didn't wait long. Okay, please choose what you want to order, Beauty," Jay offered, handing her the menu and holding two fingers to his shoulders.

A waiter came and was ready to take notes.

"Um... I want to eat A5 wagyu, dry-aged kanpachi, Hamachi tostada yuzu kosho, bluefin tuna, and sweet onion pickle with garlic. Then, lobster spring roll with sweet chili sauce, spicy chicken dumplings with dan-dan sauce, black truffle shumai, and prime beef skewers, too... ah, that's enough!" Ruby said as she took a glass of wine from a mobile trolley pushed by another waiter.

Jay choked on the first sip, shocked to hear the extensive order.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay? Drink little by little. This is a free service. You can retake it later," said Ruby, controlling her overly satisfied expression.

"Hahaha, of course, I know. I'm just impressed that you can eat that much and still have a beautiful figure," Jay praised, pressing a tissue to the corner of his mouth.

"My digestion is different from others. If your mind-"

"Oh, absolutely not! I like seeing women eating heartily."

"I've finished noting your order. Are there any additional requests?" the waiter asked.

"You haven't ordered your food yet, Mr. Jay," Ruby reminded him.

"Ah, right, I want mushroom soup."

"Okay, please wait a moment. I'll excuse myself."

"Just that?" Ruby pretended to be surprised. "Are you on a diet?"

"Hmm... you could say that."

Braggart. Ruby knew Jay was restricting his intake.

"What the hell, you're making me feel inferior," Ruby joked.

Jay chuckled. "Why are you feeling inferior? Look at how perfect you are. I diet for health, Darling. I've been overeating junk food lately; because of that, I lack nutrition and often feel tired. I look worse than it appears in the photos, don't I?"

Correct. You ugly vampire. Your behavior is terrible. Your aura is evil. All ugly!

"Seriously! You are the most handsome man I have ever met. Judging from your posts on social media, you like to let your hair down, right? I'm flattered that you wore your hair back this time. I'm telling you, the key to a handsome man is a perfect forehead. You could have been a model if you hadn't introduced yourself as a CEO. How can you lead a company at such a young age?"

"What else if not privileged parent."

They fake laughed in unison. "You are so honest."

Food was served in five courses. It took Ruby fifteen minutes to devour the first round and only five minutes for the second round. It's nothing; she could eat three raw deer in less than ten minutes, let alone these trivial dishes.

A bottle of champagne ran down Ruby's throat nonstop. Jay gaped at the strange human girl's eating display. His previous prey always maintained a guarded image. One bite was just the tip of a fork. What a waste of time. Finally, the time came for Jay to find the jackpot. The victim likes to eat, which arouses his hunger. The soup was just a passing wind. He couldn't wait to taste Ruby's fresh blood.

"Arghh... so fresh!" Ruby exclaimed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Oh my, that's adorable," Jay praised, shifting slightly and leaning forward.

Suddenly, Ruby stiffened. The man's porcelain face was very close, wiping Ruby's mouth with a tissue and then moving down to the back of her hand. The red and blue pupils met tightly. Gradually, they deepened each sinking. Their little hearts secretly enjoyed each other's beauty.

"Are you... human?"

It felt like a giant hammer had fallen from the sky and stuck straight into Ruby's heart. She hurriedly hid her knuckles under the table, squeezing her dress. A wolf's nails will lengthen when it faces a threat.

"What do you mean? What kind of ridiculous statement is that?" Ruby's words added a chuckle. She searched longer for the meaning behind Jay's mysterious gaze.

"I mean, I know that blue-eyed humans are scarce, and I have to say yours is the prettiest," said Jay.

Only then did Ruby's nails shrink. She breathed a sigh of relief while Jay pulled himself back into his seat.

"Why do you look tense, darling?"

"Because of your... flattery? And, we are rather intimate, too." Ruby was half honest, half evasive. Next, she asked a question back. "How about you? Are your eyes red? Are you wearing eye lenses or a vampire?"

A boomerang. Ruby hugged, proud of her bright idea.

"Vampire?" Jay laughed. "You like watching movies, don't you? What a cute girl!"

A vampire's pinch is similar to a crab's pinch. The pain is not felt. The discomfort is extraordinary. Still, Ruby couldn't stand her cheeks being teased.

"They can't possibly exist in the real world, Darling. Do you believe in conspiracy theories?"

"No, not really. Forget it. I was kidding. After all, vampire characters will continue to be popular for centuries. Just because they're general doesn't mean I like them. Talking about vampires is a little scary," explained Ruby.

"Is it true? Don't cover anything up. If I talk like that, you may fear my interest in you will decrease. Do not worry, dear. It's not a big deal. Instead-" Jay propped both arms on the table surface. His head tilted with a teasing smile, "tell me more about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"Let's talk about it somewhere else," Jay said.

Ruby raised one eyebrow. In her heart, she wondered what kind of place modern vampires used to execute their prey. They must play special tricks in this age of advanced technology, increasing knowledge, and human reasoning.

The four-wheeled vehicle glided smoothly, leaving behind the reflections of the city lights. Jay closed the car's roof when the fluttering of lush trees hit Ruby's open shoulders.

"Want to wear my suit? You look cold," Jay offered.

Ruby's tongue held back a moan, and she shook her head. Jay should have done that a long time ago. It was clear that this vampire rarely watched romance dramas. His days must be dull, taking care of corporate vampires.

Ruby leaned her head against the soft backrest, secretly glancing at the way Jay looked at the empty street-a gap in time where the vampire discarded the fake romantic treatment.

Her eyelids closed, empty, no signs of life.

Quiet.

He lives eternally, decidedly confined to the role of a human, and gathers a clan without unity in it. Vampires generally live alone, like stormy prey, selfish.

Ruby's mind was filled with questions about the formation of RED-EYEZ and the secrets behind it. She suspected that important people surrounded Jay. Its power must be great so that it can accommodate ignorant creatures working together to build a bloody industry. Amazingly, it has survived for centuries, adapting to developments over time. Interesting, but Ruby's interests lay in bringing them down.

Ruby turned, lifted herself, and checked her surroundings. By the way, where was Jay trying to take her?

At first, Ruby thought they were heading towards an abandoned building. However, the left side was surrounded by trees, while on the right side, there were many barley fields. Only a few buildings remained.

Was he taking her into the middle of the forest? Or worse, did Jay already know and intend to return her to Baskerville? Ruby arranged for pick-up at the station previously. How could Jay know?

The car kept going. The wind slipped through the hinges, and Ruby realized the wind downstream was much more piercing. She lowered the window and found a cliff covering a bay that was being crushed by waves.

High seas! Ruby was impressed by the opening of her thoughts.

Once upon a time, one of the other wolves drowned in the sea. That body was destroyed after being discovered six days later. Haris then moved to research. He said the sea was a mass grave without bodies.

If bodies are put into water when oxygen conditions are tolerable, large animals will eat them first. Then, the body will be opened to smaller animals. The sea monsters cleaned up the rest of the vampires' mess. However, this is just conjecture.

"Where?" Ruby confirmed.

"You want to see the sea?"

The hairs on Ruby's neck bristled. Jay couldn't possibly have the ability to read minds. If that were true, with all the evil thoughts Ruby had about him, Jay would have just dumped her.

Honestly, Jay looks whacky. So, who fell into whose trap?