Chapter 171: Selena Gomez - Kill Em With Kindness
Luna stepped into The Crimson Bell, a classy, candlelit restaurant nestled within the older part of Blood City. Red curtains swayed gently with the breeze from the windows, and violins played softly from the quartet in the corner. Her eyes scanned the tables quickly and then locked onto the figure seated at the back, sipping a drink with the smug air of a man who had always gotten his way—even when he shouldn’t have.
"Lord Gabriel," Luna called smoothly as she approached, her voice as poised as a blade sheathed in silk.
Gabriel looked up from his wine glass, surprise flickering across his handsome, ageless face. The vampire had the charm of an aristocrat and the soul of a venomous serpent. "Princess Luna," he greeted with a pleasant smile that didn’t touch his eyes. "How nice to see you. You look lovely despite the stress of carrying a strong vampire child."
There was a chill in his compliment. Luna’s lips curved into a practiced royal smile as she glided into the seat across from him. "Thank you," she replied, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, subtly exposing the mark on her neck—a silent message that she was claimed, powerful, and not to be trifled with. "I was quite surprised to realise you were so invested in my upcoming wedding."
Gabriel raised a brow, swirling his wine. "What can I say? Damien is my favourite nephew."
Luna tilted her head and gave a soft laugh, the kind women in court give when they know they’re about to draw blood. "Right. I see what you did there."
Gabriel’s smile twitched.
She leaned forward slightly, folding her hands atop the white linen tablecloth. "See, when I first arrived here, I was warned to be wary of you. I thought, ’Hey, give the poor guy a chance.’ You were dealt a terrible hand—anyone would be bitter and jealous if the throne was handed over to the son of a mere concubine instead of the crowned prince himself."
Gabriel chuckled darkly, leaning back. "You got the history lesson, congratulations."
"But," she continued, undeterred, her tone icy sweet, "It seems to me, you’re quite hell-bent on screwing with our lives."