Alyssara Velcroix I

'How exactly did Lucifer attract her attention in the first place?' I racked my brain for answers as I stepped back into my room, desperate for some semblance of a plan before the investigation resumed. 

Alyssara's obsession with Lucifer didn't happen overnight in the novel. It was a slow, creeping thing, born from her fascination with his detached attitude toward her charms and his undeniable strength. 

Strength I couldn't do anything about. 

Which left… detachment?

I mulled over the idea. Should I act like one of those fools who fell for her on the spot, praising her beauty and charisma like some lovesick puppy? Maybe that would bore her enough to move on. But no. That wouldn't work. If anything, it would only make her more suspicious. Alyssara wasn't the type to fall for flattery or overt simpering, and trying to fake interest would likely end in disaster. 

No, the only real strategy was to redirect her attention back to Lucifer, just like in the novel. But the thought made me pause. Could I really do that to him? 

Images of Lucifer's life from the story flashed through my mind—twisted, fractured, spiraling into tragedy—all because of one person. Alyssara Velcroix. She wasn't some romantic foil or morally grey antihero. Her perception of love was a storm, destructive and merciless, a far cry from Cecilia's light yandere tendencies. Alyssara's love didn't merely consume; it annihilated.

Chills coursed through my body at the memory of the havoc she wreaked on Lucifer's life in the novel. 

'No, it's still fine,' I reassured myself, though the words rang hollow even in my mind. For now, she seemed to be toying with me—testing the waters, perhaps, but nothing more. As long as I didn't give her a reason to take a deeper interest, I could keep her at arm's length. 

I had to. 

Because if Alyssara ever turned her focus fully onto me… there wouldn't be any coming back from it.

At least, that had been the plan.

So why in the world was I sitting here now, surrounded by three very irritated princesses, all of whom were glaring daggers at Alyssara? Across from us, she sat with a radiant smile, the picture of innocence, as if she hadn't just upended my morning and, potentially, my life.

She tilted her head slightly, a gesture that seemed childlike, almost playful, though I knew better. This was Alyssara Velcroix, the Advisor to the Lord of the Southern Sea Sun Palace. Or, at least, that was her disguise.

If I didn't know her true identity, if I hadn't read about the horrors she would eventually unleash in the novel, I might have fallen for the façade. Begrudgingly, I had to admit she was that convincing. Every movement, every word, every glance was perfectly calculated to charm, to disarm.

But knowing who she really was? It only made the act more terrifying.

Cecilia crossed her arms, her crimson eyes narrowed to slits. "Why are you here, Advisor Alyssara?"

The way she emphasized "Advisor" was almost mocking, though Alyssara didn't even flinch. Instead, she let out a soft, melodious laugh, like she found the whole situation delightful.

"I was simply curious," Alyssara replied, her voice smooth as silk. "After all, it's not every day that I have the honor of hosting such distinguished guests. Isn't it natural to want to get to know you all better?"

Rachel leaned forward, her expression calm but her tone sharp enough to cut. "We're not here for tea parties. We're here for an investigation."

"Oh, I understand," Alyssara said with a nod, her smile never wavering. "But surely a little camaraderie wouldn't hurt? Besides," she added, her cyan-green eyes locking onto mine for a brief moment, "it seems I've found someone particularly fascinating."

I felt a bead of sweat slide down my back as Rachel, Cecilia, and Seraphina all turned their heads toward me in unison, their expressions ranging from disbelief to outright annoyance.

"Fascinating?" Seraphina echoed, her voice as icy as her demeanor. "Arthur? Really?"

"Why does it sound so absurd when you say it?" I muttered under my breath, though it didn't help the situation.

Alyssara giggled again, clearly enjoying the tension she was stirring up. "Oh, I'm sure he doesn't see it, but there's something about him that's just… intriguing."

"Arthur," Rachel said, her voice dangerously calm, "what exactly did you do to catch her attention?"

"Nothing!" I said quickly, raising my hands in mock surrender. "I have no idea why she's saying this."

"Oh, don't be so modest," Alyssara said, leaning her chin on her hand as she gazed at me with what could only be described as mock adoration. "Your presence is… captivating."

Cecilia's fingers twitched, and I could tell she was a second away from summoning flames just to see if Alyssara's perfect smile could withstand being set on fire.

"I swear," I said, addressing the three girls around me, "I haven't done anything to encourage this."

"Encourage what?" Alyssara asked innocently, her lips curving into a sly grin. "I'm merely stating my admiration."

"And we're merely stating that you're not welcome here," Rachel said coldly.

Alyssara finally let out a small sigh, as if conceding defeat, though the sparkle in her eyes suggested otherwise. "Very well. I can see when I'm not wanted. For now."

She stood gracefully, brushing invisible dust from her skirt, and gave us one final smile before leaving. But not before turning her head slightly to look at me.

"I hope we'll have more opportunities to talk, Arthur," she said sweetly, her tone dripping with implied threats wrapped in honey.

And then she was gone.

The silence that followed her departure hung like a dense fog, broken only by Cecilia's low growl. "I don't like her."

"You're not supposed to," I replied, slumping back into my seat. "Trust me, if anyone here wishes she'd vanish into thin air, it's me."

The truth, plain and simple. Every interaction with her sent shivers down my spine, the kind that lingered long after she was gone. Yet, there was no room for sentimentality. The investigation loomed ahead, and I had to stay focused.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Alyssara glided into her chambers, her face unreadable, every step a calculated ripple on still water. She paused briefly, her lips curving into a fleeting smile before vanishing into her usual impassivity.

"Alyssara," a low, commanding voice called from the shadows. Cassius stepped forward, his crimson eyes gleaming as they locked onto hers.

"Your Highness," she replied smoothly, tilting her head ever so slightly. "What brings you to my quarters?"

Cassius hesitated, momentarily caught in her gaze. It was a look he had chased for years, one that always seemed to evade him, slipping through his grasp like smoke.

"I came to find you," he finally said, his voice quieter than he intended. "What were you doing?"

"Nothing that concerns Your Highness," Alyssara replied lightly, her tone as elusive as her smile. "What is it you seek from me?"

His jaw tightened, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. Her words were polite, deferential even, yet they carried the weight of a chasm he could never bridge.

"You know what I want, Alyssara," he said, stepping closer, his voice thick with frustration. "Must you always deny me?"

Her eyes flickered, the barest hint of amusement in their cyan-green depths. "The only one capable of commanding me is His Majesty," she said, her tone light yet final.

"I am the future Vampire Monarch!" Cassius snapped, his voice rising with a mixture of anger and desperation. "Can you not love me?"

Alyssara's lips twitched, a soft giggle escaping as she regarded him. "Your Highness," she said, her voice low and lilting, "you do not want my love."

Her steps were deliberate, closing the distance between them with the grace of a predator circling its prey. Cassius's breath hitched as she drew closer, her presence an intoxicating force that threatened to drown him.

"My love," she whispered, her breath a feather against his ear, "is far too dangerous for you."

Cassius trembled, his body rigid with a mix of desire and fear. He wanted to move, to seize her and claim the connection he craved, but he couldn't. Her words were chains, her presence a snare. The air seemed heavier, charged with an unspoken challenge.

He breathed deeply, his chest heaving as she leaned even closer, her proximity a deliberate provocation. Cassius felt powerless, bound not by force but by the sheer weight of her being.

Alyssara stepped back, her gaze cool and untouched. "If Your Highness truly desires something dangerous," she said, her voice dripping with mockery, "then perhaps you should reconsider what you're asking for."

Cassius said nothing, his crimson eyes narrowing as she turned away, dismissing him as easily as one might swat a fly. The door closed softly behind him, leaving Alyssara alone once more. Her fleeting smile returned, curling at the edges of her lips as she whispered to herself, "How amusing."