Chapter 3: The Vampire Rejection

Nita said, do you know i can sing to you and you will forget your pains? I can help you with that Charis.

Nita's words were met with a harsh laugh from Charis. "Ha! You think your singing can heal my pains? I don't have a heart, Nita. I'm a vampire, a creature of the night. Your melodies can't touch me."

He turned to leave, but Nita's voice stopped him. "Charis, don't walk away. Let me help you."

Charis spun back, his eyes glinting with a cold light. "Help me? You want to help me? I don't need your help, Nita. I don't need anyone. And especially not your singing."

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Keep your thoughts to yourself, mermaid. Unless you want me to start regretting that I saved you."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Nita feeling stung and rejected. She realized that Charis's walls were higher than she had thought, and that her singing might not be enough to breach them.

Nita sat alone in the garden, her thoughts consumed by Charis's harsh words. Suddenly, a handsome man appeared before her, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Hello, Nita," he said, his voice low and smooth. "I see my brother has been his usual charming self."

Nita's eyes widened as she took in the stranger's resemblance to Charis. "You're...his brother?"

The man nodded, his smile growing wider. "I am. And I must say, I'm intrigued by your bravery. Most people wouldn't dare to try and breach Charis's walls."

Nita blushed, feeling a flutter in her chest. "I just want to help him," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The brother's expression turned serious. "Nita, listen to me. Charis is ruthless and heartless. He can never love or care. Forget about him."

But his eyes sparkled with a hint of teasing as he added, "But I, on the other hand, am a different story altogether. I've liked you since the moment I saw you, Nita."

Nita's face flushed, and she quickly rose from her seat, her heart racing. "I...I need to go," she stammered, before hurrying away to her room.

The brother's laughter echoed through the garden, his eyes shining with amusement. "I'm glad I could tease you, Nita. This is going to be fun."

Nita couldn't shake off the encounter with Charis's brother, whose name she later learned was Valentin. His words lingered in her mind, both warning her away from Charis and hinting at his own interest in her.

As she tried to make sense of her feelings, Valentin appeared in her room, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Nita, I see you're still thinking about my brother. Don't waste your time. He's not capable of love."

Nita's defenses rose. "You don't know that. You don't know him like I do."

Valentin chuckled. "Oh, but I do know him. We shared the same pain, the same fate. But I chose a different path. And I can show you a different way, Nita. A way without pain, without heartache."

His words were tempting, but Nita sensed an ulterior motive behind his charm. What did Valentin truly want from her?