Check out my new story : "Hold On | Tim Drake"! It's related to this book, you'll see the same characters!
So far, I really like the plot of the story. I just posted the prologue, so please check it out! 😘

~

[ D A M I A N ]

Dinner with Olivia was.. bland. She kept talking about her love for branded items throughout the whole night. Grayson was right, she's just an accessory.

I spent my entire evening staring at her, boringly, whilst my mind wandered into other places.

She was gorgeous, sure, but there was really nothing more than that.

"Damian!" A gruff voice brought me back to reality. I turned around, closing my book, to face Jason.

"Where have you been, Todd?" I ask him, whilst he walked towards my window.

"Places.." He shrugs, leaning against the wall. This is the first time I've seen him since last year. He does have a hobby, and it's disappearing.

"Right." I exhale, eyeing him carefully. Nothing really changed. He seems to be the same, spontaneous imbecile.

"Where's Bruce? And Alfred? Not the cat, the person." He slurs, eyes fixed on the fur ball, currently crouched, hissing at Jason. I guess the cat doesn't like the bird.

"Father decided to take a break, nobody really knows where he wandered to this time. As for Alfred, he's out, buying groceries." I respond calmly.

"Right.." Jason wandered, his eyes cloudy, masking his emotions. "And what are you up to, demon spawn?"

"Nothing. Actually, I'm feeling empty. Want to eat?"

"Hell yeah."

~

The man wheezes, bloodshot eyes looking at me. His dark, unruly curly hair fell onto his face, covering the scars on his forehead. I land another punch, and the sound of bones cracking fills the room. He coughs back, blood streaming down his nose.

His mouth twitches, trembling, weak. His eyes meets mine, for a second, before blacking out. He opens them again, eyelids trembling, struggling to see the sight before him. Jason stood behind me, arms crossed, contemplating everything.

"Talk." I command, my voice echoing through the basement. This needs to be fast, time passes. I have a meeting in an hour. He looks at me, barely breathing. I take a step closer towards him, and he opens his mouth, his words coming out desperate.

"Fine." He raises his hands, defeated, breaking.
My shoulders relax, as I stood still, ready to hear whatever reason he has to offer.

This man, whoever he might be, had been following me for the past couple months. I ignored it at first, but today he had been caught by Alfred, hiding behind the bushes.

"Your mother hired me." He wheezes, struggling to breathe in, as he holds his chest. I clench my jaw, looking at Jason. He tenses up, slightly, taking a step towards me.

Of course this has to do with my mother.

"For what?" I ask calmly. What has my mother done again..

"She is trying to find the girl. Because you knew her the most."

"Who?"

"The victim of 'the plan J'! The one whose blood is infused with the deadly serum!"

"He's a boy. Dead. We couldn't save him." Jason states, bore in his eyes. I could tell that he wanted to finish this man as soon as possible.

"It was a trap.. That wasn't him. He was a distraction."

"His blood, it was positive. He was injected with the poison." Jason replies, resisting the urge to end this man.

"That's because they injected the victim's blood into his system, tricking you into thinking it was actually him."

"Then, who was it?" Jason asks, walking next to me, his voice threatening, his bad side slowly coming back to life.

"Someone very close to you, Damian." The man smiles, eyes meeting mine, sparkling with mischief, his teeth in full view, covered in his own blood.

"Speak, you filth." I spat. Jason glanced warily at me.

"Alina. Alina Vanderbilt."

And for a second,

everything stopped.

Jason looked at me, confusion in his eyes.
"Who is she?"
I ignore him, blinking, letting the disturbing words sink in. My heartbeat accelerating, as I turn around, slowly stepping towards the door. I need to get out of here, my body desperately wanting fresh air.

"I have to go." I state, opening the door.

"But.. who is she..?" Jason asks again, this time slowly, carefully.

"An old flame of his. And I think I might've poured some gasoline in it." The man coughs, as I close the door behind me, not wanting to hear anymore words.

~

I stood by the water, the sounds of the sea giving me some kind of warm feeling.

Hands in my pockets, my eyes followed the swift movements of the waves, as they crashed onto the nearby cliff, offering music to my ears.

Night had already befallen, the sky was a mixture of dark blue and orange. Thunders roared, a storm is about to pass by.

For a long time, I've been thinking. What am I to do as I age? Continue this vigilante life? I barely can imagine myself doing other things. I've never done anything else than that.

Last year, father had given me something I could've never guessed. The title of Batman. I also had a secure position at Wayne Corporations, which earned me a face to the public. Damian Wayne, the new prince of Gotham.

Although I'm not sure if people actually enjoy my company. Who would, anyways?

I didn't want to end up like him, my father.. He's been lonely. Things have been messy.

"Damian." Jason's gruff voice appeared, loud and clear behind me.

"Who's Alina?" He asks, once again. My shoulders tense up, as I turn around to face him.

"Someone I thought I knew."

~

"Alina.. why?" Aria gasps, closing the bathroom door. She walks towards me, her sweet, yet exhausted face looking at me. What have I done to her?

That's all I do, dragging my close ones into this mess, and slowly losing them.

I raise my head, a loud sigh coming out of my trembling mouth, my right hand grasping pieces of what used to be my hair; and my left hand holding a pair of scissors.

"It was starting to fall out anyways.." I mumble, facing the mirror, staring back at my reflection, and my shoulder length hair. At least the haircut's not that bad..

"Fall out..? Alina, your condition's worsened."

"I know." The last few nights, I started coughing blood again. I didn't want to worry anyone anymore, it was something that I've kept to myself.

"We need the antidote. As soon as possible. I can't watch you suffer anymore." Aria states. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, because I know I can't stop her.

Because once that spark of determination flashes in those amber eyes of hers,

No one can stop Ariana Vanderbilt.

____________________________

Ariana, Alina and Taliana Vanderbilt. I think I could've made them triplets, yeah?

Anyways..
We just hit 3,5k! Last chapter we were only 2k! You guys are amazingggg!

And... The first chapter of Tim's book just got published! Check it out!! Although it is only the prologue.. The second chapter is coming up real soon.

Tim's book and Damian's are related, so characters from this book will have an appearance!

And Tim's main love interest is..

Sorry, can't tell you that yet! Can you guess who it might be?

I know I've said this hundreds of times, but thank you guys so much for reading! It really makes my day.

Oh, and please don't forget to vote! Thank you guys so much!

-Sophia ⚜️