Surrogate

Zayden stood atop the grand mansion, shrouded in the darkness of the night. Despite the heavy rain, he didn't flinch, keeping his eyes closed and legs crossed while he waited for someone—no, his prey.

He seemed unafraid of what could happen if he slipped and fell.

He didn't care about anything else as he sat above the ceiling, rain drenching him. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves, trickling rain and the distant hum of crickets.

Dressed in black, he blended seamlessly with the shadows. The heavy wind whispered secrets, and suddenly, he opened his eyes, his lips curling into a sinister smile.

He stood up, and like a ghost, vanished into thin air, reappearing before the man, startling him so much that he nearly tumbled down.

"Look who I got," Zayden said, steadying the man and taking the bag he had dropped in shock.

"What are you doing here?" the man questioned, his hands trembling as he took the bag back from Zayden.

Zayden's gaze darkened, deep lines forming between his brows. "Let's get to the deal," he said, sending shivers down the man's spine.

"I... I won't sign it," the man whispered, his voice barely audible. Despite his fear, he managed to speak his mind.

"Are you forgetting your promise?" Zayden asked, raising a brow.

"I see you don't want to go the easy way," Zayden said coldly, his piercing gaze locked on the man, who was now sweating profusely.

The man immediately knelt, pleading as he rubbed his hands together.

"Please, spare me. Give me some time. I promise I won't delay it again. I just want... want to spend some time with my sister."

"A deal is a deal," Zayden said, an ancient scroll appearing in his hands, wreathed in fiery mist. It had a golden phoenix feather along the edges and a seal in the center.

With a snap of his fingers, Zayden broke the seal and opened it, reading from the unseen words. "I hereby sentence—"

He was cut short as a dagger pierced deep into his stomach. He looked down at his abdomen, clutching it as blood spilled down.

"I knew you were coming for me. I needed to be prepared," the man said, chuckling and standing like a victor.

"I guess it's you who's dying before me. Enjoy hell," the man sneered, spitting on Zayden's face. He waited for a groan, but instead, laughter burst from Zayden's lips.

Holding his stomach, Zayden laughed harder until it faded into a chilling grin.

He gripped the knife and pulled it out of his stomach. More blood spilled, but Zayden didn't flinch, not even a twitch in his eye, as though the dagger was nothing to him.

He brought the knife to his lips and licked the bloodstain, grinning at the man's stunned expression.

Speechless, the man's mouth quivered, and his eyes widened in fear.

Without a word from Zayden, the man bolted, running for his life. Zayden chuckled as he watched him flee.

The man knew one thing—if Zayden caught him, he was doomed for eternity. Zayden wanted a little fun, and his prey was about to give it to him.

He had to admit, the man was smart.

Walking through the dark alley, now that the rain had stopped, it wasn't difficult to navigate the slippery path. His hands rested behind his back.

"You know, Liam, humans can be amusing at times. They'll crawl at your feet to save their loved ones, but once it's over, they forget. Just like you. You crawled at my feet to save your sister. Even if it meant selling your soul, you were ready to save her," Zayden paused, furrowing his brows.

"You should run," Zayden said, his voice echoing deep within the thick forest, sensing his prey's scent. It was less fun when his prey didn't hide.

Zayden groaned, realizing the man hadn't moved. Liam must've thought Zayden didn't know his whereabouts.

"I said run," Zayden repeated, and before the man could blink, Zayden appeared in front of him, grabbing his clothes tightly and hurling him against a large tree with an unknown force. The man winced in pain, struggling to stand.

"Game's over, Liam." Liam's eyes widened, hearing Zayden say his name for the first time. He wondered how Zayden knew his name, and if he also knew his sister's.

"Who... who are you?" he stammered.

"You're asking the wrong question. The right question is, what am I?" Zayden corrected, his face gleaming.

"What are you?" Liam questioned, as if under some kind of control, his eyes filled with both curiosity and fear as he kept staring at Zayden.

He had known the man wasn't human from the first day he appeared and made the deal to save his sister. Yet, as if controlled again, he had agreed, even when Zayden mentioned the cost would be his life.

"I am—" Zayden began, his lips curling into a smile, but his excitement faded as his phone rang in his pocket.

He grumbled in annoyance as he answered the call.

"What is it?" Zayden questioned, furrowing his brows, annoyed by the interruption. He was enjoying his introduction and was angry they had come to ruin it.

He wouldn't let them go so easily, and the voice, upon hearing his angry tone, knew they had messed up, and Zayden wouldn't spare them.

"This had better be good news," Zayden said, turning his back to Liam.

"We found the surrogate," the voice said. Zayden pinched his brows with his fingers. They had expected him to be happy, but instead, they only heard a hum.

"Keep her safe. I will be back soon," he said, rolling his eyes. Then, he cut the call and turned to Liam, only to find he was gone.

A smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes gleamed with eagerness.

"This is going to be fun," he said as he watched Liam running off in the distance—something no human would have been able to see.

Zayden drove back to his mansion alone. His father had been really persistent about having an heir, despite Zayden telling him a thousand times. But at least it was better than being forced to love any woman other than the one he kept dreaming of.

She wasn't just the woman in his dreams, but the woman he had waited for all his life.

Without wasting much time, he drove back home.

Zayden stepped into the grand entrance, dusting off his feet before the door was opened by his butler, who removed the suit from his shoulders.

The walls were adorned with intricate designs, and the floors were made of polished marble that seemed to glow in the soft light.

Above him, a crystal chandelier hung like a piece of artwork on display.

He climbed the staircase, which curved like a ribbon, to his room.

It was a large bedroom with a master bed, painted in ash tones. The circular bed sat at the center of the room.

Immediately, he went to the shower before going to see Ryan and Kael, his bodyguards.

He assumed they had kept the surrogate in the boys' quarters. Afterward, he played some music before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

He removed his clothes, revealing his unscathed stomach. Anyone who hadn't witnessed it wouldn't believe he had been pierced by a knife. He didn't seem to care, as he was used to it.

He tossed the blood-soaked clothes into the basket, then slipped into the bathtub.

"A wine would have gone well with this weather," he said, arching his neck back.

He stared into space, humming a song. His gaze was filled with longing and secrets buried for over a thousand years. He hadn't noticed someone approaching him.

A figure kept moving toward him, only for her legs to misstep, and before she knew it, her mouth was on Zayden's soft lips.