Sweet Revenge With My Billionaire Vampire

The tall double doors that led into the council room opened and Petrov stepped in first, walking slowly with his hands clasped behind his back as he approached the large round table at the center of the room. Behind him, Julian, the youngest council member, followed hesitantly. His small frame was almost completely hidden behind Petrov’s taller one.

At the head of the table, Damien was already seated, and as Petrov and Julian took their seats, he inclined his head slightly in greeting. "Petrov."

His eyes shifted to Julian, giving him a small nod. "Hello, Julian."

Julian sank deeper into his chair, waving timidly. "Hello, Lord Damien," he murmured, barely audible.

Just as the doors were about to fully close, it stopped for a second before swinging open again, and Argilia strode in.

Her elegant dress flowed around her as she moved gracefully, her heels clicking loudly against the floor. She paused just a few steps into the room and nodded to the men. "Good day, everyone. Please pardon my tardiness. I had to stop this one from brawling with one of the guards."

She gestured at Nolan, who stepped in behind her. His face was twisted into its usual scowl, his eyes blazing with irritation. "Why must you get in my way, Argilia? I would’ve enjoyed knocking some sense into that idiot if you hadn’t stopped me."

Argilia let out a long, tired sigh and pointed toward the table. "Go sit down, Nolan."

Nolan huffed but did as he was told, slumping into his chair. Argilia followed and took her own seat.

Damien sat forward, and the moment he cleared his throat, the glow of the chandelier above them dimmed, leaving only spotlights illuminating each chair at the table.

"Why have you called me here this time? I have matters of great importance to attend to as we speak, so I hope this isn’t another waste of my time."

Petrov nodded thoughtfully. "We understand your busy schedule as the king, Damien. However, I called this meeting to inquire about your progress with Enzo. It has been almost two months since our last meeting, and we want to know if you’ve spoken to him. Has he finally agreed to return back to our world?"

Damien’s gaze dropped to the table, his fingers curling into fists atop its surface. He inhaled deeply, exhaling through his nose before responding. "I’ve given Enzo three months to return. He’ll come back by then."

Nolan, sitting with his arms crossed, let out a derisive scoff. All eyes turned to him, his expression darkening. The opportunity to needle Damien had presented itself, and he was not one to let it slip by.

"Three months? You don’t even have a year left, and you’re giving your brat a whole three months to make up his mind? Sounds to me like you can’t control your own son."

Argilia, sensing the tension thickening in the room, shot Nolan a pointed glare. "Nolan, stop. Whatever flames you’re trying to ignite, extinguish them now. If what Damien says is true, then giving Enzo three months isn’t unreasonable."

Petrov nodded in agreement, stroking his long white beard. "Enzo is a bright boy. If he returns, four months is more than enough time for him to prepare to take his place. He has always been a capable kid."

The room’s attention shifted to Julian, whose nervous fidgeting was impossible to ignore.Argilia’s eyes landed on him, expecting him to speak, but Julian only sank deeper into his chair, his fingers clutching the armrests.

Argilia exhaled, the sound conveying her annoyance as she rolled her eyes, while Petrov chuckled at the boy’s reluctance to contribute.

Nolan, however, was far from finished. He rose from his seat abruptly, the force of his motion causing the legs of his chair to scrape loudly against the floor. His palm slammed down onto the table, and he leaned forward, locking his intense gaze onto Damien.

"Bright or not, this isn’t normal. Enzo is supposed to be here now, not gallivanting around in the human world. And you—" he jabbed a finger in Damien’s direction "—how low do you have to fall, Damien? What kind of king are you to keep tolerating his disobedience? The ’great’ ruler of Sa’al, reduced to begging his son to come back. It’s pathetic."

Argilia’s eyes flashed with anger. She sat up straighter, glaring daggers at Nolan. "That’s enough, Nolan! You’re crossing the line, and you know it. Sit down before you make things worse."

Damien, however, didn’t react immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, resting his chin on the knuckles of his clenched fist. His eyes regarded Nolan with an unsettling calm, as though he were studying a particularly irritating insect.

A chuckle rumbled in his throat as he waited for Argilia to finish, and when she did, he spoke. "Do you have a personal problem with me, Nolan? It seems that every time we’re in this chamber, you go out of your way to try and get a rise out of me. Let me make something clear: I don’t ignore you because I can’t do something about your insolence. I ignore you because you’re not worth my time."

Silence followed, but it was immediately broken by Nolan’s loud, almost offended laugh, which stopped as abruptly as it started. "Not worth your time? Or are you just too scared to do anything about it? Just like you’re too scared to go back to the human world and drag Enzo back here yourself, as any decent ruler would."

"Powerful ruler this, powerful ruler that. You’re nothing like what the people believe you are."

Petrov sighed heavily, his wrinkled hand rubbing between his brows as if to dispel the growing headache Nolan’s words were causing.

"You know what I think?" Nolan asked, a sly smile crossing his features. "I think your son isn’t coming back. Ever. And honestly, maybe that’s for the best. It means Petrov’s son will take the throne, and we won’t have to see your face again. You’re nothing but a weak king who can’t even handle his own stubborn son."

The room seemed to hold its breath as Nolan’s words echoed against the walls. Petrov closed his eyes, exhaling deeply, while Julian looked like he wanted to crawl under the table. Argilia’s lips parted, but even she seemed momentarily stunned by the audacity of Nolan’s statement.