𝔒𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔞𝔩 𝔖𝔦𝔫｜ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴀᴍᴘɪʀᴇ ᴅɪᴀʀɪᴇꜱ

012

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Herik and Dahlia had a simple understanding: stay away from the Quarter. After all, that's where the Mikaelsons were, and they didn't want to mess with them yet. While they had connections there, they tried to avoid the area at all costs, staying on the fringes or disguising themselves with magic if they ever had to venture into the Quarter. Henrik only went there to socialize with the witches; other than that, he would leave immediately.

He had his reasons for this cautious approach. He didn't want to reveal himself just yet; he had plans, and introducing himself to the Mikaelsons prematurely would be disastrous. The Mikaelsons were powerful and unpredictable, and Henrik knew that any misstep could ruin everything he had been working towards.

Dahlia, ever the pragmatist, respected Henrik's decision. She knew the importance of timing and strategy, and she supported Henrik's desire to remain in the shadows until the right moment. For now, they would continue to live on the outskirts, honing their skills and biding their time, all while keeping a watchful eye on the events unfolding within the Quarter.

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"Get up, boy. We have things to do," Dahlia said. It was close to the time for their century slumber, and she wanted to head to the markets to buy herbs and other ingredients.

Henrik sighed and stood up, getting dressed. Ten minutes later, they arrived at the market. Dahlia went off to shop, leaving Henrik to his own devices. As he wandered, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, Henrik," Luke said.

Henrik sighed and ignored Luke, walking away.

"Come on, don't ignore me. I overstepped yesterday. Let's reacquaint ourselves," Luke said with a suave smile.

Henrik gave him a quick look and kept walking. "I already know your intentions, so don't even try it, Lucien."

The man was shocked to hear his real name. "Ah, so you've caught on. You are quite sharp."

Henrik shrugged and tried to walk away, but Lucien grabbed his arm, keeping him in place. Henrik stared at his hand before feeling a burning heat emanate from his skin.

"Okay, noted. Don't touch you," Lucien said, quickly letting go.

"You're quite the interesting witch, darling," Lucien said, but before he could continue, Henrik interrupted.

"I'm not helping you with whatever you want. Anything you need is bound to get me into more trouble than it's worth—or than you're worth."

As they spoke, Dahlia returned and asked, "Who is this man, Henrik? Don't tell me it's another one of those men you plan on bedding."

Before Henrik could respond, Lucien took Dahlia's hand and kissed it. "No, I am not, but I wouldn't mind that," he replied with a sly smile.

Dahlia raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. She pulled her hand away from Lucien and gave him a scrutinizing look. "You'd better mind it," she said coldly. "And stay away from my nephew." With that, Dahlia waved her hands, making her and Henrik disappear, leaving Lucien stunned.

Back at their house, they prepared for the evening ahead. Dahlia turned to Henrik, her expression serious. "So, tell me why you have a vampire chasing after you. Don't tell me he's one of your boy toys," she said, raising an eyebrow.

Henrik rolled his eyes. "He's not. He heard about me from the witches. They're reluctant to do any spells for him without our permission, so they threw my name under the bus, which made him come to me. I said no, and he won't take that for an answer."

Dahlia sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fantastic. Just what we needed—more complications. We'll need to be careful with him. Vampires like Lucien are persistent and dangerous."

Henrik nodded, feeling a weight settle on his shoulders. "I know. But if he's saying is true, we might have to deal with him whether we like it."

"We should be fine. The house is warded, and so are we. It's going to be okay," Henrik said reassuringly. Just as he was about to continue, there was a knock at the door. Confused, Henrik went to answer it. Instead of finding anyone, he saw a letter on the doorstep. He picked it up and read it aloud:

'Henrik,

Greetings,

You are formally invited to attend the Mikaelson masquerade ball. The event promises an evening of elegance and intrigue. Please come dressed appropriately for the occasion.

We look forward to your presence.

Warm regards,

Elijah Mikaelson' 

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