Cassandra arrived at the mansion with hurried, uneven steps, her face still warm from the storm of emotions swirling within her. She was flustered, trying to regain her composure after what had just happened. Strax's mischievous smirk lingered in her mind, irritating her more with herself than with him.
As she stepped into the main hall, she spotted Daniela lounging casually in one of the armchairs, flipping through a thick book. Her sister glanced up briefly and imdiately noticed Cassandra's disheveled state. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her usual poise seed to have taken a hit.
"What's this?" Daniela asked, raising an eyebrow. "Soone managed to get under your skin again?"
Cassandra huffed, throwing herself onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. She crossed her arms and stared at the ceiling, deliberately avoiding her sister's gaze. "It's nothing," she said defensively, though the hesitation in her voice only piqued Daniela's curiosity further.
"Doesn't look like nothing. You seem... bothered." Daniela closed her book with a snap and leaned forward, scrutinizing Cassandra as if she were so kind of fascinating experint. "What happened? Was it Strax?"
Cassandra flinched at the ntion of his na, which was all the confirmation Daniela needed. A sly grin spread across her face as she let out a low, teasing laugh that only served to annoy Cassandra more.
"Cut it out, Daniela!" Cassandra snapped, her tone laced with irritation but also a hint of embarrassnt. "It's nothing! He's just... he's just irritating. That's all!"
"Oh, irritating, is he?" Daniela's grin widened as she leaned closer, her expression practically glowing with mischief. "Heart racing? Sudden urge to punch him but also... not really wanting to hurt him?"
Cassandra froze, her expression shifting instantly. "What? No! Of course not!" She tried to avert her gaze, but Daniela had already caught on. The truth was written all over her older sister's face, no matter how much she tried to hide it.
"Uh-huh," Daniela murmured, leaning in further with the unmistakable look of soone who knew exactly what was going on. "And this sudden concern for him? This fear that sothing might happen? You can't get him out of your head, can you?"
Cassandra opened her mouth to protest, but no words ca out. Her silence was answer enough, and Daniela wasn't about to let the mont slip away.
"Welco to the club, Cassandra," Daniela said with a cheeky grin, holding up her hand as if expecting a high five. "You're officially part of the 'Vampires in Love' club."
Cassandra blinked, stunned, before her eyes widened in shock. "You're insane! ? In love with him? Not a chance!"
"Oh, you absolutely are," Daniela countered, her tone playful but resolute. "Just look at you! All flustered and unsure of what to do with your feelings. What do you think this is? A confusion spell?"
"You're delusional!" Cassandra crossed her arms again, turning her head away, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed her completely.
Daniela let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, this is too good. Deny it all you want, big sis. I've been there too. The difference is, I've already accepted it. Now it's your turn."
"You... you too?" Cassandra looked at her, disbelief etched on her face.
"Oh, absolutely," Daniela replied, her tone a mix of amusent and certainty. "And the sooner you admit it, the easier it'll be to deal with. Now, co on—high five, Cassandra."
"Wait... we're talking about Strax, right?" Cassandra asked, and Daniela looked at her, confused.
"Who else would we be talking about?" Daniela asked, still holding up her hand expectantly.
"Hold on," Cassandra said, her voice incredulous. "How have you already accepted this? Wait—are you saying you were in love with Strax?"
Daniela smiled at her, biting her lip as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Well... he does have a strong grip…" she murmured, "And a very nice package..."
Cassandra's jaw dropped, utterly stunned by Daniela's casual statent. "You... you slept with him?" she repeated, her voice filled with disbelief and a hint of outrage.
Daniela's mischievous grin widened as she tilted her head, still playing with her hair. "Why so surprised? I thought it was obvious." She shrugged, as though discussing sothing as mundane as the weather. "It was just... casual. Nothing serious, of course. But honestly..." She paused, biting her lower lip as if savoring a mory. "The guy knows what he's doing."
Cassandra shot to her feet, her face flushed not just with embarrassnt but with sothing hotter brewing inside her. "Are you insane?! How can you talk about this so openly?!"
"Oh, co on, Cassandra," Daniela said, laughing as she rested her chin in her hand. "You're such a prude sotis. Considering you've never even had any experiences, maybe give it a try—or I might just go find him again. Actually, I already planned to. I don't mind sharing. After all, he's married anyway."
Cassandra felt her face burn hotter as the mix of anger and embarrassnt surged. Daniela's words seed to echo in her mind, each more provocative than the last. "You're impossible!" she exclaid, clenching her fists. "How can you talk about him like... like he's so kind of toy for you to experint with?"
Daniela only laughed, leaning back in her chair. "Oh, Cassandra, you're so dramatic." Her eyes sparkled with a hint of malice. "Whether he's married or not doesn't matter much. He's made it clear there's plenty of room in his heart for all of us." She winked mischievously. "And honestly, who would turn down sothing so... interesting?"
"Interesting?!" Cassandra shouted, standing so abruptly her chair nearly toppled over.
"Wow, you're definitely in love," Daniela said, shrugging as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I barely recognize you anymore," she added. "Just go for it. Mom wanted us to find husbands anyway."
"You—!"
Daniela laughed again, but her tone softened slightly. "Oh, Cassandra. You can try to hide it all you want, but I know you. You're just as caught up in this as I was. The only difference is, you're too proud to admit it." She stood up slowly, walking closer to her sister with a smile that was both playful and taunting. "And the more you deny it, the more obvious it becos."
"I'm not denying anything!" Cassandra shot back, but the intensity in her voice only betrayed her further.
"Then take your chance. He's at the hot springs. Go join him. And, you know... have so fun."
Cassandra gawked at her, her face flushing as red as a ripe tomato. "WHAT?! Are you insane, Daniela?! How can you say sothing like that so casually?!"
Daniela just shrugged, leaning against the table with a sly grin. "I'm just being practical. You're holding back, hesitating, and he's there. Alone. At the hot springs. You know what they say: opportunity only knocks once."
"I'm not going to... I can't..." Cassandra stamred, struggling to find the right words. Her mind felt like a chaotic whirlwind, a storm raging within her.
"Oh, please, Cassandra," Daniela interrupted, rolling her eyes dramatically. "It's obvious you want to. You've been looking at him differently these days. I'm just saying: either do sothing about it, or I will. And honestly, I wouldn't mind a rematch after the last ti."
"YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLY VULGAR!" Cassandra exploded, her voice rising several octaves.
"And you're incredibly repressed," Daniela retorted, her tone calm but with a teasing smile. "Look, you have two options. You can stay here, stewing in your own thoughts, or go over there and take control of the situation. Who knows? It might even be fun."
Cassandra crossed her arms, her face still burning with embarrassnt and frustration. "I'm not going to... I won't do sothing so... so indecent!"
"Indecent?" Daniela laughed, throwing her head back. "Cassandra, you're an adult. This isn't indecent—it's living. And frankly, Strax isn't going to wait around forever." She leaned forward slightly, her expression becoming more serious. "Do you really think he'll keep chasing after you if you never show any interest? He already has plenty of attention... including mine."
Those words hit Cassandra like a blow. Sothing in her chest tightened, and she hated to admit that Daniela was right. As much as she didn't want to act on impulse, there was a pang of fear: what if she really did miss her chance?
"I... I'll think about it," Cassandra said, trying to maintain her composure, though the hesitation in her voice was obvious.
Daniela bead, clapping her hands together. "Good! That's progress. Now, if you'll excuse , I'm off to grab a drink. Mom restocked the blood supply. If you decide to join Strax in the springs, don't take too long. If not, let know so I can go instead."
Cassandra stared at her, utterly incredulous. "You... you have no limits, do you? Your head of fluff turned into a head full of mischief so quickly."
"Of course not," Daniela replied with a mischievous grin, already walking toward the door. "Where's the fun in having limits? Besides, I'm practical. If you're not going to seize the opportunity, why should I waste it? After all, I've already had a taste, and I can tell you... it's absolutely worth it." She winked provocatively before disappearing down the hallway.
Cassandra stood there, unsure whether she was more shocked or furious. Her hands clenched into fists, and she muttered to herself, trying to dispel the thoughts Daniela had planted in her mind. "Impossible... I won't... this is completely... inappropriate!"
But even as she grumbled, the idea seed to take root in her mind, as if every argunt she tried to muster was crushed by the mory of Strax and his daring smile. He's there, alone...
"I'm going to lose my mind," Cassandra sighed, covering her face with her hands as she tried to regain control of herself.
'Maybe just a bath... he did invite ...'
Before she even realized it, her feet began moving toward the hot springs.
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