Vampire Assassin: Love and Lies

Damien Vesper stood at the gates of Aether High, staring at the towering structure. His stomach churned as he took in the sprawling campus. This wasn't just any school—it was the school for supernatural beings. Vampires, werewolves, witches—you name it. It was the best in the continent, Grand heart. Students from different races all over came from their countries here. And today, it was where Damien would start a new life... as a nobody.

The truth? Damien wasn't exactly a nobody, but that was the role he had to play. After all, being a ruthless assassin wasn't something you broadcast. Plus, he was done with that life as Cadien Ashwood. He was now Damien Vesper so he had to keep his head down and blend in like an ordinary vampire named Damien. Easier said than done when you're not exactly... ordinary.

With a deep breath, Damien adjusted his uniform—green blazer, white shirt, black tie—and pushed open the gates. He could already feel the eyes on him. As he walked through the entrance, murmurs rippled through the crowds of students.

"Who's that?" one girl whispered to her friend.

"I've never seen him before. He's... gorgeous," another voice said.

Damien felt the heat of those words but kept his face neutral. He'd been used to attention for years—being a vampire had its perks—but this was different. He had a purpose here. And that purpose wasn't to get caught up in teenage drama, no matter how many pairs of eyes followed his every move.

His eyes flicked over to a group of girls whispering behind their hands, their eyes glued to him. As he walked past, a few of them giggled, their voices barely masking the excitement in their words.

"Look at his jawline... it's unreal."

"Those eyes... I could lose myself in them."

Damien fought the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn't here to be a heartthrob. He was here to survive. But that didn't mean he couldn't play the part if it kept people from prying into his past.

He kept his pace steady, glancing around at the various supernatural students. Some were already grouped up, chatting animatedly. He could hear bits and pieces of their conversations, but his attention was more focused on the strange buzz in the air. It wasn't just the usual first-day jitters. There was something else, something heavier. His instincts were on edge.

As he walked through the courtyard, he caught sight of a figure that made his heart skip a beat.

Nadia Winters.

She was everything he wasn't. Confident. Powerful. Beautiful. Her violet eyes were scanning the courtyard, and for a brief moment, their gazes met. She raised an eyebrow but didn't look away, as if sizing him up. It was clear from her stance that she knew exactly what kind of attention she commanded. And right now, she wasn't the only one who had it.

Damien quickly turned his gaze away, reminding himself why he was here. He couldn't afford distractions. But then, he heard the whispers again.

"Is he really that tall?" one student whispered.

"Have you seen his posture? He looks like he owns the place."

Damien couldn't help but smirk at that. If only they knew.

Eventually, they arrived at his first class. Mr. Saville the vice principal opened the door and gestured for Damien to go in.

"Here's your classroom. I'll let you get settled. Don't worry, you'll fit right in."

Damien stepped inside, the door closing softly behind him. The classroom was filled with students, most of them already in their seats. The moment he stepped in, however, the chatter died down, and every head turned toward him. It wasn't a surprise. He could practically feel the eyes on him, but that didn't make it any less uncomfortable. He hated being the center of attention.

He walked to an empty desk at the back of the room and sat down, trying to act like nothing was different. But the murmurs began again.

"Who is he? Seriously, where did he come from?"

"I think I heard someone say he's a vampire. I mean, look at him. He's got that... look."

Damien let out a quiet sigh, but before he could settle in, a voice spoke up from the row in front of him.

"New kid, huh?"

Damien looked up to find a girl with messy brown hair and a casual leather jacket grinning at him from her seat. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Yeah," he replied, forcing a smile. "First day."

"I'm Zoe," she said, leaning back in her chair and spinning it around like she was auditioning for a spy movie. "You seem... different. Got the whole mysterious thing going on. But you also kinda look like you're trying to avoid making a scene. Not gonna lie, that makes you more interesting."

Damien raised an eyebrow. "Avoid making a scene?"

Zoe nodded dramatically, almost toppling her chair over as she leaned back too far. "Yeah, but you're already making a scene! I mean, just look at you! You've got the height, the eyes, the jawline that could cut glass—seriously, you could make a mirror jealous. And don't even get me started on how the whole room froze when you walked in." She paused. "Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic. But still, you're like a walking, talking plot twist."

Damien couldn't help but laugh. Zoe was... wild. He could already tell she didn't care about the usual high school hierarchy. If she had something to say, she would say it. And somehow, her oddball charm made Damien a little more at ease, even though he didn't want to admit it.

"Thanks for the compliment," he said dryly. "But I'm just trying to get through the day."

"Sure, sure," Zoe said with a wink, suddenly popping a bubble from her gum. "I'll believe it when I see it. But I'm not gonna lie, you're not fooling anyone. You're here to stir things up." She glanced at the group of girls whispering at the back. "You've already got half the room in your corner. The other half is just wondering if they should start a fan club."

Damien glanced around. Sure enough, a few students were stealing glances at him, some looking excited, others... intimidated. Zoe's words were far from exaggerated.

"So, uh," Zoe continued, "when the drama starts—and trust me, it always does—don't say I didn't warn you." She dramatically adjusted her jacket and gave him a thumbs up. "Also, if you need a guide for surviving this place, you know where to find me."

Damien raised an eyebrow. "I'll keep that in mind."

Zoe grinned widely. "Awesome. And by the way," she leaned in conspiratorially, "you're gonna need more than looks to survive this school. Trust me, it's the wildest ride you'll ever be on."

Damien couldn't help but laugh again. Despite her wild nature, Zoe seemed harmless—at least for now.

As the bell rang, signaling the start of class, Damien's thoughts drifted back to Nadia. He hadn't missed the way she'd looked at him earlier. There was something about her that unsettled him. But he'd deal with that later. For now, he had a new persona to maintain.

The class started, and the noise faded into the background. But Damien couldn't shake the feeling that his presence was already stirring up more than just curiosity. It was a strange, unsettling feeling.