"I know, but you will always be Aselia for me. That’s the name I have known you with and have grown to love," Xiran was beaming inside, she had finally deemed him worthy enough to reveal her real name to him.

"Rivan told you? And you can call me whatever you want, I just wanted you to know the name I was born with. I don’t want to have secrets from you," Aselia reached out and placed her hand on his and squeezed gently, earning a soft smile from him.

"Thank you for placing so much trust in me," Xiran knew it wasn’t easy for her to open up her heart and reveal her true identity. She simply nodded at him.

The rest of the journey passed with them making small talk, it was almost noon when they reached the underground parking lot of the Mayor’s office.

The car halted and Xiran drew her closer to his heat, cupping her face he kissed her for a long long time.

It was not a lustful kiss it was a kiss revealing his longings for her, she was leaving and this burdened him and that showed in the way his lips held hers, the way he held her in his arms.

Finally letting her go, he stared into her saddened turquoise orbs and asked:

"When will you come to visit me again?"

"Whenever you will call for me, I will come," a wounded smile she gave him and he nodded with a heavy heart, pressing her closer to him. He knew at the end of the day she wouldn’t be feeling so amiable towards him. He wanted to make the most of this situation.

She nuzzled in his chest, taking in his petrichor scent with deep breaths. Aselia could never get enough of this smell, she could never get enough of him.

They finally separated and her heart screamed in protest when she distanced hers from his. "We have to go, my dear," he took out a white mask from his pocket and covered her face with it, hiding her away from prying eyes, hiding her away from the world which wanted nothing but to tear them apart.

Xiran knocked on the glass of his car door and Carios opened it for them to step outside. Taking hold of her hand Xiran led her through a tunnel. Aselia observed how the white marble deflected the bright hue of golden-embedded lights in the wall. Though the tunnel was more concrete, white marble had been used to decorate it.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Xiran knocked and the door was opened by a short thin man whose head was almost devoid of hair.

"Señor," he bowed and stepped aside for them to enter.

"Mazitine has everything been arranged as I asked?" Xiran led Aselia inside the spacious office. Mazitine closed the door and replaced the painting on the hidden handle.

"Yes Señor, everything is in order. We are waiting for the guests to arrive. The conference room is ready, you can proceed there, I will arrange for some blood and refreshments for the lady," Mazitine offered.

"Serve them once the guests arrive, have you checked the security? I don’t want any breach. You understand how important this day is," Xiran probed with that authoritative voice of his, which was not raised.

"Security has been tightened ten folds, I have just spoken to Warise and he is personally bringing Aldridge and his team here, they will arrive in a short while and so will Señor Amondius."

"Good, inform me when they are here, we will wait for them at the conference room," Mazitine bowed and Xiran led Aselia out through the other door towards the conference room, where the intended meeting was to be held. Aselia was holding her phone and Yurian’s tablet in one hand. Yurian has been constantly texting her, informing her about the VIP treatment they were receiving from the vampires.

The conference room had a double silver and grey door. Two guards stood outside who quickly bowed and opened the door, seeing Xiran and Aselia approach.

They entered the spacious conference room and Aselia gasped at its beauty. The white and silver walls were neat and flawless. The left side of the room comprised of one colossal aquarium. Numerous varieties of white and silver coloured fish swam in it.

White lights shimmered down from the ceiling and a crescent-shaped chandelier hung in the middle of the room. Directly under the chandelier was a massive-sized round table, built out of milky white marble. Silverish-white chairs had been properly placed all around it.

A single cylindrically shaped vase with white flowers lay in the center of the table. A huge screen has been adjusted on the front wall to be used during the meetings. The atmosphere of this room was pristine, almost surreal.

Xiran let go of Aselia’s hand and she skidded over to the beautiful aquarium. "This is breathtakingly beautiful," her eyes shone with the excitement she felt seeing the room and aquarium.

"I designed it," Xiran shrugged his shoulders while puffing out his chest. The room was as tranquil to her as its designer was. Aselia had placed her hand on the aquarium and was observing the fish when she added dryly:

"Thanks for choosing to be an angel that day or I would have been standing in another gloomy abyss of black."

"You dislike the black colour, why?" his question was genuine.

"I don’t like it on you, you give horrible vibes when you choose it. You become unpredictable. White is your colour not black," she answered without turning towards him and keeping her eyes glued on the fish.

"Sometimes the tiny details you pick up, baffle me beyond words but then I remember you are a hunter and it comes with your job to be attentive to them," he couldn’t help but gush at how smart she was.

"Still trying to figure out why you are wearing it today, my intuitions are telling me you are up to something and I can’t figure out what," she finally turned to face him and he was closely watching her. His eyes held tension whereas hers held curiosity to figure him out.

None of them spoke for a few seconds and then the door opened and both of them shifted their attention toward it. Five men entered one after the other. Chief Warise was the first one followed closely by Aldridge and Silver Wolf, Yurian and a boy with jet-black hair.

A hushed silence fell over the room as the hunters glared at Xiran, whose eyes were as stormy as the clouds that bring forth thunderstorms. The veins popped out of his hands for he was clutching them too tightly. His eyes scanned all the four hunters that had entered through and two of them were laced with weapons to their teeth.

Aselia decided to break the awkward silence which was prolonged more than necessary. "Welcome, Sir, I hope your journey was pleasant," she spoke calmly to Aldridge.

"It was, White Falcon," he answered but kept his eyes glued on the vampire in front of him, who didn’t seem very welcoming.

Aselia’s feet carried her toward Yurian. He smiled at her and she embraced him. Xiran noticed how she only chose to hug him and didn’t initiate any physical contact with any other men who accompanied him.

She then began the introductions: "Xiran, this is Aldridge but you have already met him under some not-very-pleasing circumstances," and Xiran barely nodded his head with his lips pursed.

"This is Silver Wolf, a platinum hunter and my current partner," she pointed toward the man who was laced with weapons and Xiran gave him a look of pure loathing, it was evident Xiran was not pleased to meet him. Silver Wolf glared back at him with the same loathing.

"This is..." she pointed to the unfamiliar boy with jet-black hair she knew nothing about and wondered why he was there. The boy was lost in the beauty of the room.

"Agent 93 is a vampire and a huge asset to our organization," Aldridge spoke up and Aselia understood why he was brought. Aldridge wanted to show off how they had vampires among their ranks. Xiran gave a curious look to Agent 93 who seemed so out of place and he smiled sheepishly in return.

"Right, and you already know Yurian," Yurian stepped forward and shook hands with Xiran; who smiled for the first time since these men had entered his room.

"Good to see you again, Xiran," Yurian was as usual his bubbly self.

"Likewise, welcome to Fritez City. This time through proper channels," there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Thank you," Yurian replied and stepped back.

"This is a peace meeting not a declaration of war. I don’t want to see any weapons or vials or whatever you hunters keep to hurt us. I want all of you to hand over everything to my chief of police here. Everything will be returned to you after the meeting."

Xiran pointed to Warise and Silver Wolf gritted his teeth.