MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

As Damien requested to be led to the Lord of the Draconis house, one of the knights, ever dutiful, called out to another within the inner sanctum of the castle. Without delay, a figure emerged, clad in the regal attire befitting her station, and approached Damien with a respectful demeanor.

"Lord Durello," the knight intoned, bowing his head slightly in deference. "Please allow me to escort you to Lady Dravena, the esteemed leader of our house. She awaits your audience within the halls."

Damien inclined his head in acknowledgment, his mind swirling with memories of Lady Dravena and their past encounters. As he followed the knight through the labyrinthine corridors of the castle, he couldn't help but wonder if she would remember him after all this time.

"Lady Dravena of the Draconis house," Damien mused to himself, the name rolling off his tongue with a sense of familiarity. "I wonder if she'd remember me."

With each step, Damien's anticipation grew, his thoughts consumed by the prospect of reuniting with an old acquaintance amidst the hallowed halls of the Draconis house.

As Damien was led to the highest parts of the castle and into a grand courtyard, he beheld the epitome of power and beauty standing before him. Lady Dravena, adorned in sleek black armor accented with crimson along its cuffs, cut a striking figure against the backdrop of the castle walls.

Only her face was exposed, framed by cascading locks of long, silver-grey hair that flowed like molten silver down her back.

She stood with her back to Damien, her gaze fixed upon the sea of vampire squires and commoners bustling beyond the castle gates. Damien couldn't help but admire the regal poise with which she commanded the courtyard, her presence exuding an aura of authority and command.

"Durello, such a pleasant surprise," Lady Dravena's voice, smooth and low, cut through the air as she turned to face him, her expression unreadable. "I almost didn't believe it was you who sought my audience at first."

Damien's smirk widened slightly as he observed Dravena's response. "You haven't changed a bit," he remarked, his voice carrying a note of admiration laced with playful banter.

Dravena arched her neck to look at Damien, her gaze piercing yet tinged with a hint of mockery or perhaps feigned indignation. "But you have," she countered, her words delivered with a refined yet cutting tone. "I see a few wrinkles about your face."

An insult to a vampire's immortality and unaging beauty was one that was never taken lightly. However, Damien knew better. He would prove to himself that he didn't need to be checkmarked by Rose.

Damien chuckled lightly, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes as he met her gaze. "Ah, the passage of time spares no one," he conceded with a graceful nod, acknowledging the subtle jibe with good humor.

Despite the underlying tension between them, Damien maintained his composure with practiced ease. He was well aware of the animosity that Dravena harbored towards him, but he refused to let her words or demeanor ruffle his stoic facade.

With a casual shrug, Damien brushed off her remark, refusing to dignify it with a response. Instead, he redirected the conversation with polished finesse, seamlessly transitioning to matters of diplomacy and protocol. It was a delicate dance, but one that Damien had mastered over the years of navigating the intricate web of vampire politics.

For now, he would play the part of the diplomatic envoy, concealing his true thoughts and emotions beneath a mask of cordiality and charm. After all, in the world of vampire politics, one could never afford to show weakness, especially in the presence of a formidable adversary like Lady Dravena.

"Surely you must have heard of my return. So why act surprised that I'm here to see you?" Damien's voice was calm, deliberate, a stark contrast to the turmoil roiling within him.

Dravena's lips curled into a contemptuous smirk, her eyes glittering with a predatory gleam. "You are correct. I did know of your return," she conceded, her tone dripping with condescension. "The bastard of the Durello house who leaves his castle and people to dwell amongst the kind he detests the most. Ironic, isn't it?"

Damien's lips curled into a wry smile at Dravena's barbed words. "Ah, Dravena," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement. "The bastard of the Durello house, you say? How flattering."

Dravena's eyes narrowed, a flicker of disdain flashing across her features. "Flattery has never been my intention, Damien," she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Damien shrugged nonchalantly, his gaze meeting Dravena's with cool indifference. "And yet, here we are," he replied, his voice laced with subtle mockery. "As for dwelling amongst the kind I detest the most, I prefer to think of it as embracing the modern era while maintaining a traditional inclination."

Dravena's expression softened slightly, a flicker of curiosity dancing in her eyes. "A modern leader with a traditional inclination," she echoed, her tone contemplative. "How quaint."

Damien chuckled softly, the sound tinged with irony. "Indeed," he agreed, his voice tinged with self-awareness. "I've always been a creature of habit, Dravena. Change has never been my forte, but there are certain things even I find stifling."

Dravena arched an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism coloring her features. "And what might those things be, Damien?" she inquired, her voice betraying a hint of curiosity.

Damien's smile widened, a glimmer of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Oh, you know," he replied cryptically. "The usual: being trapped within the confines of a castle for the rest of my days, surrounded by the same faces and endless monotony. I have been the sole agent of the expansion agenda. You'd agree that I making the first move outside the confines of our territory is the right move, is it not?

This castle, these people, It gets rather...boring, wouldn't you agree?"

Dravena's lips twitched with amusement, a ghost of a smile playing across her features. "Boredom is a luxury few can afford, Damien," she remarked.

Damien nodded, relieved that the tension was bubbling down a bit.

"And as for the insults, surely we can be more civilized, hmm, Dravena?" Damien's voice was cool, composed, belying the storm raging beneath the surface.

Dravena's laughter rang out like the tolling of a funeral bell, grating on Damien's nerves like sandpaper. "Ah, civilized. My apologies," she said, her words dripping with sarcasm. "It's just that you alone possess the natural gift that evokes the ugly side of me, Lord Damien."