Supreme Warlock System : From Zero to Ultimate With My Wives

Warlock Ch 244. The Heroes Among The Vampires

Evelyn shot him a warning look but said nothing, following Damian as he led the way toward the staircase. The crowd parted for them, their gazes heavy with curiosity, suspicion, and—in some cases—outright disdain.

When they reached the top of the staircase, Victoria gestured for them to stand beside her. "These three heroes aided me in defeating Varak and his forces. They risked their lives to protect not only me but the stability of our world. For that, I owe them a great debt." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Damian glanced at the crowd, his warlock instincts kicking in. His gaze swept over the faces below, noting every flicker of expression. Most of the vampires wore carefully neutral masks, but a few couldn't hide their distaste. Among them, the senators stood like statues, their eyes cold and calculating.

And then, he saw her.

Aria.

Her face was as striking as he remembered—sharp features, pale skin, and piercing eyes. But unlike the others, her expression wasn't neutral. She looked displeased, her lips pressed into a thin line. She said nothing, but her gaze was cold, almost dismissive.

'Great. Just what I needed,' Damian thought, suppressing a sigh.

Victoria continued, unbothered by the undercurrent of tension in the room. "As a token of my gratitude, I present each of you with this badge—a symbol of honor and protection. With this, you will be recognized as allies of the vampire tribe. You will be under my protection."

She handed each of them a small, ornate badge. Damian's fingers closed around his. It wasn't just a symbol—it was a statement. A declaration to everyone in the room that they were untouchable… for now.

The applause that followed was polite but restrained. Damian didn't miss the sideways glances exchanged between some of the guests, nor the subtle shifts in body language. This wasn't just recognition—it was a disruption of the status quo.

Victoria smiled graciously, raising her glass. "Let us toast to victory, unity, and the future. I hope you all enjoy the food and drinks prepared for tonight. They were made from the finest ingredients… including the captured traitors who dared to stand against us."

Damian barely managed to keep his face neutral, his fingers tightening around the glass in his hand. 'That explains the metallic taste,' he thought, fighting the urge to gag.

Evelyn leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Did she just say the food is made from…?"

"Yep," Damian muttered, cutting her off. "Don't think about it." He pretended to take a sip but the truth was the liquid stopped just before it touched his lips.

Cassius, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed. He took a sip of his drink, his expression as stoic as ever. "Well, that's one way to recycle."

Damian shot him a look. "Seriously?"

"What?" Cassius said with a shrug. "It's efficient."

Damian stared at him, his glass hovering near his lips. "Efficient? Cassius, that's the most insane thing you've ever said. And you've said a lot of insane things."

Evelyn whispered. "You're seriously defending this? I don't care how 'efficient' it is. It's disgusting."

Cassius waved her off, his face paler than usual. "Look, I'm just trying to rationalize it, alright? Don't make me think about it too much or—" He suddenly grimaced, setting his glass down with a little more force than necessary.

"You okay?" Evelyn asked, her brow furrowed as she watched him.

Cassius nodded tightly. "I'm fine. Totally fine. As long as someone doesn't keep reminding me what's in the drink."

Damian smirked, raising his hands in mock innocence. "Hey, don't blame me. I only reminded you a couple of times. The rest is all in your head."

Cassius shot him a glare. "Oh, well, in that case, thank you, Damian. Really helpful. Appreciate it."

Damian chuckled, taking a step back as Cassius continued to grumble under his breath. "Anytime, Cas. Glad I could make your night more memorable."

The trio drifted away from Victoria, trying to blend in while keeping a low profile. The vampires seemed to be enjoying themselves, laughing and chatting as they sipped their drinks and sampled the delicacies Victoria had provided. The other races, however, looked far less enthusiastic. Most of them were nibbling cautiously, clearly trying not to offend their hosts while avoiding the more... creative dishes.

Damian couldn't help but glance at his untouched glass, the faint metallic scent making his stomach turn. "You know," he said, breaking the silence, "I don't think I've ever been this grateful for having trust issues. Makes it easy to skip dinner."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Not even tempted to try a bite? It's all 'finely crafted,' after all."

Damian gave her a look. "Yeah, no thanks. I'd rather not find out if my gag reflex still works in front of a room full of vampires."

Cassius, who had taken a seat on a nearby couch, groaned and rested his head in his hands. "Why didn't I just fake-drink during the toast like you two? Why did I have to go all in?"

"Because you're an overachiever," Damian said, smirking as he leaned against the back of Cassius's chair. "You wanted to show off. Look how that turned out."

Cassius raised a hand in a weak attempt to swat him away. "Shut up."

Evelyn chuckled softly, though her gaze remained cautious as it swept over the room. "You're lucky the vampires are too busy celebrating to notice how awkward we are. Otherwise, we'd be the talk of the night."

"Pretty sure we already are," Damian said, his tone dry. "Have you seen the way they're looking at us? Like we're some kind of weird novelty."

"Well, to be fair," Cassius said, sitting up and regaining some of his composure, "we are the token non-vampires who just got handed badges of honor. It's not exactly subtle."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it less annoying," Damian muttered, his gaze flicking around the room.

Not far from where they stood, Aria watched them.