IRYNA
I quickly looked away before he could notice I had been staring.
Gosh, that man was fine.
And somehow—annoyingly—that stupid demon didn't even deserve to look better than him.
Wait.
Did I just admit that asshole looked better?
"Here you go, miss."
The server's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned toward him, blinking as reality settled back in.
"Thank you," I said, offering a small, polite smile as I reached for the drink.
The glass was cool against my fingers. I lifted it to my lips and took a slow sip, letting the cold sweetness settle over my tongue. A quiet sigh escaped me, some of the tension easing from my shoulders.
For a moment, I just… breathed. Then, almost without thinking, I glanced back toward where the stranger had been standing. He wasn't there.
I frowned slightly. Gone? Just like that?
I pursed my lips, a small pout forming before I forced myself to look away again. It wasn't like it mattered. He was just a stranger. A very attractive stranger, yes—but still a stranger.
I focused on my drink instead, tracing the rim of the glass absentmindedly. Then I turned to my other side—
—and nearly spilled the entire thing.
My breath hitched as I jerked slightly, barely managing to steady the glass before it tipped over. He was sitting right there. Close. Too close.
And he was staring at me.
"Be careful," he said, his voice smooth, laced with quiet amusement. "You don't want to stain your beautiful dress."
I gulped. Hard. Shit, I hoped he didn't hear that.
Slowly—very slowly—I took another sip of my drink, trying to compose myself before placing the glass back on the table.
"Uh… thanks," I managed. "I will."
He smiled. And then… he didn't say anything else. Neither did I. The silence stretched between us, thick and awkward. He kept looking at me—calm, unbothered—while I tried very hard not to stare back like an idiot.
Tried. Failed.
"Um… nice jacket," I finally blurted, the words tumbling out in an awkward attempt to break the silence.
He grinned, clearly amused.
"Thank you," he said. "Do you work here, or…?"
"Oh—no," I replied quickly, shaking my head. "I don't work here. I just… came to—um—check out some designs. For a dress."
Why was I stuttering? His smile faded slightly.
"The only dresses made here are wedding dresses," he said, studying me. "You're… getting married?"
My breath caught. The question hung between us, heavier than it should have been. Yes. Yes, I was. So why couldn't I just say it? Why did the words refuse to come out?
"Oh. That's—"
"No!"
I cut him off too quickly, too sharply.
"I—I'm not getting married," I rushed out. "The dress is for my friend. I came here with her."
For a split second, he just looked at me. Then his smile returned.
"Oh, I see," he said, nodding lightly. "That's fortunate—I mean… that's nice."
He rubbed the side of his neck, almost sheepish. I let out a small, awkward laugh.
"And you?" I asked. "You came to get a dress for your… your fiancée?"
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Fiancée? No," he said easily. "I came here for something else. Just decided to grab a drink first."
I nodded.
"Oh… okay. Great."
Ugh, what was I even saying? He grinned slightly, then straightened.
"My name is—"
He paused. Just for a second. Like he had to think about it. Then he smiled again.
"Lucien."
Lucien. The name settled in my mind effortlessly. It suited him. Too well.
"I'm Iryna," I said.
"Iryna," he repeated, slower this time, like he was testing the way it felt on his tongue. "That's a beautiful name."
Heat crept up my neck.
"Your name is… nice too," I said, wincing internally at how plain that sounded.
He didn't seem to mind.
"Thank you, Iryna."
Then he stood. And stepped closer. My breath caught instantly. He stopped right in front of me, his gaze locking onto mine in a way that made it hard to look away. Too close. Way too close.
Who was this man?
Because no one should look like that and feel this… calming.
"So, Iryna," he said softly, "what do you like to do?"
What did I like to do? The question caught me off guard. Aside from graphic design, I had never really taken the time to figure that out.
"I… do graphic designing," I said slowly. "And I like movies. I love movies, actually."
His smile widened. A real one.
"Perfect," he said.
Something about the way he said it made my heart skip.
"Would you like to watch a movie with me?" he asked. "Do you think you can create a day for me?"
A day. The way he said it—like it mattered—like I mattered—felt so… different. So easy. So normal. Unlike some demon who didn't even know how to be polite—and didn't care to learn. I really needed to stop thinking about that asshole.
I nodded quickly.
"Yeah," I said. "I think I can."
His expression softened slightly.
"I'm honoured," he said. "Thank you, beauty."
Beauty. My stomach flipped.
"Can I get your contact?" he asked, already pulling out his phone.
I hesitated for only a second before taking it from him, typing in my number.
"There," I said, handing it back. "Just send me a request."
"Sure."
Then he turned slightly toward the server.
"Add everything she bought—and will buy—to my bill."
The server nodded immediately. I blinked.
"You didn't have to do that," I said. "Thank you."
He shrugged lightly.
"It's nothing," he replied. Then his gaze returned to mine. "I'll send you a text. Will you respond?"
There was something almost… careful in the way he asked. Like he actually cared about the answer.
I let out a small laugh.
"Yeah," I said. "I will."
He nodded once at the server. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away. I watched him go. My gaze lingered longer than it should have. And before I could stop myself, I bit my lower lip slightly.
Then I turned back to the server.
"Is he a regular here?" I asked.
The server smiled.
"Yes," he said. "He loves our drinks."
I nodded slowly.
"I see…"
I stared at my drink for a while after he left, my fingers still lightly wrapped around the glass.
Lucien. Even his name lingered.
There was something about him… something I couldn't quite place. It wasn't just his face—or the way he smiled—or how effortlessly he spoke. It was the way he felt. Light. Easy. Like being around him didn't require effort. Like I could just… exist. I exhaled slowly and took another sip of my drink, trying to shake off the strange calm that had settled over me.
My phone buzzed against the counter. I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts, and picked it up.
CIARA: [Where are you?]
I stared at the message for a second before typing back.
:[ At the drink area… the place with juices and stuff.]
I hit send and dropped my phone back on the counter. A few minutes later, I heard familiar footsteps approaching.
"Iryna."
I turned slightly, and sure enough, Ciara was walking toward me, her expression a mix of relief and mild annoyance.
"There you are," she said. "I've been looking for you."
"Sorry," I replied, slipping off the stool. "I told you I was getting a drink."
She glanced at the half-empty glass in front of me, then back at me.
"You good now?"
I nodded.
"Yeah."
She studied me for a second longer, like she didn't fully believe me, then sighed.
"Alright. Let's go. We're done here."
I grabbed my bag and followed her as we started heading toward the exit. But just before we stepped out—
My eyes drifted back. To the direction Lucien had disappeared through. Like maybe—
Just maybe—
He'd still be there. Ciara noticed immediately.
"What?" she asked, slowing slightly. "What are you staring at?"
I smiled. I couldn't help it.
"I met someone," I said.
Her brows lifted.
"Oh?"
I let out a small, almost breathless laugh.
"Gosh, Ciara… he—he was so good-looking," I said, my words tumbling out before I could stop them. "Like… insanely good-looking. He looked so ethereal. So out of this world. So—"
"Slow down, Iryna," Ciara cut in, giving me a look. "Did he charm you or something? What's so special about this person?"
I rolled my eyes, though the smile didn't leave my face.
"I think I have a crush, Ceecee," I admitted. "It's been so long since I liked someone at first sight."
Ciara didn't respond immediately. Instead, she stopped walking the moment we stepped outside. I almost walked into her.
"Look at me," she said.
I frowned slightly but turned to face her.
"Iryna," she began, her tone more serious now, "you don't need humans right now."
The smile on my face faded just a little.
"You don't need some random man who will only leave you when things get bad," she continued. "You know you don't have time for all this."
I opened my mouth, but she didn't let me speak.
"If you just want to have fun with him—fine," she added bluntly. "I don't have an issue with that."
My eyes widened slightly.
"Ciara—"
"But if you're thinking of anything more?" she cut in. "Then wake up. It's not possible."
Her voice dropped.
"First of all—Dark will kill him."
I frowned.
"And why would he do that?" I asked. "It's not like we're in a real relationship or anything. He needs me for the anchor, and I need him to stay alive. That's it."
Ciara nodded slowly.
"Yes. True," she said. "But don't forget something." She stepped closer. "If you start getting close to someone else right now, it's going to affect whatever you have going on with Dark."
My jaw tightened slightly.
"And I don't think he's the kind of person who would allow anything—or anyone—to come between him and his soul anchor," she continued.
Her eyes locked onto mine.
"Iryna… I don't think it's a good idea to piss him off."
I rolled my eyes, folding my arms.
"I don't care, Ciara," I said. "Just because I have this… thing with Dark doesn't mean I can't meet other people."
I shrugged.
"He never said anything about it. You're overthinking it."
She sighed.
"Maybe," she said. "But just be careful."
Her expression softened slightly.
"Handsome men are not always as beautiful as they look."
I scoffed lightly and nudged her shoulder.
"You should actually get yourself a hot, handsome man too, Ceecee," I teased. "You can't keep focusing on my life like this."
She rolled her eyes, though I caught the small smile she tried to hide.
"Please," she muttered.
She raised her hand and flagged down a cab. The car pulled over, and we both got in without another word. As the door shut and the car pulled away—
I leaned back slightly, staring out the window. But my mind wasn't on the road. It drifted. Back to a pair of green eyes. And a name that still felt too smooth on my tongue.
Lucien.