My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

"Raelynn," Axel began with a hint of enthusiasm in his voice, his usual warm smile lighting up his face. "There's a new collection I'd like to show you. I think you'll find it quite fascinating."

"Really?" Raelynn's eyes widened in excitement, her lips curving into a delighted smile. She took a step toward Axel, eager to follow.

Before she could move further, Elion's voice cut through the air. "We don't want to bother Axel." He glanced at the man. "The lady at the desk mentioned you were busy, didn't she?"

Axel blinked, a brief flicker of surprise crossing his features before his smile returned. "Well, it's part of my job to introduce our guests to new collections. I wouldn't call it a bother."

Before the conversation could escalate, Raelynn held up a hand. "It's okay, really. We'll just explore on our own. You can get back to your work, Axel."

For a moment, Axel fell silent, his gaze flickering to Elion. The two men locked eyes for a moment before Axel gave a small nod and turned to Raelynn. "Alright then, but if you need anything, you know who to look for."

Raelynn smiled brightly. "Thanks, Axel! I'll keep that in mind."

As Axel walked away, taking a different path among the towering shelves, Raelynn and Elion began their exploration. They had barely taken a few steps when Raelynn heard a low mumble coming from behind her.

"Definitely not you."

Raelynn turned around, curiosity written all over her face as her brow quirked. "What was that?"

Elion raised an eyebrow, his expression playing at innocence he didn't feel. "What?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, a spark of suspicion flashing in them. "I could've sworn I heard you say something."

"You must be imagining things," Elion replied smoothly.

With a small sigh, she chose to let the matter slide, shaking her head as she muttered under her breath, "Maybe I am imagining things."

Raelynn moved forward, her excitement bubbling over as she scanned the shelves eagerly. "This place is amazing," she said, her voice filled with awe. "I could spend hours here."

Elion trailed behind her, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. Dressed in dark clothes, he looked out of place among the library's warm tones, like he'd stepped out of a gothic painting.

"You'd probably end up reading everything."

"Don't tempt me," she shot back, grinning as she wandered deeper into the library.

Raelynn's steps slowed as they reached the section on ancient history and folklore. Her fingers skimmed along the spines of the books, pausing occasionally to read the titles. When she came across a section on mythical creatures, her eyes lit up.

"This looks interesting," she mumbled, pulling out a book with a fancy cover. As she opened it, she discovered detailed illustrations of vampires, werewolves, and other mythical creatures, along with long descriptions of their legends.

Elion lingered a few steps behind her, watching as she immersed herself in the book.

"Did you know vampires can't be seen in mirrors?" Raelynn said suddenly.

Elion's posture stiffened for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a casual shrug. "And did you know humans believe everything they read?"

Raelynn pouted, looking up from the page to glare at him. "You're no fun."

"I'm plenty of fun. You're just reading the wrong material."

While Raelynn focused on her book, Elion casually browsed the shelves nearby. He grabbed a book at random, skimmed a few pages, and let out a quiet chuckle before slid it back into place.

"What's so funny?" Raelynn asked, curious.

"Nothing," Elion replied, his smirk widening as he glanced at the book in her hands.

Raelynn arched an eyebrow and reached for the book he had just returned. When she saw the title, her eyes narrowed. It was another copy of the same book she was reading.

"It's mythology," she said defensively, holding the book up. "What's so funny about that?"

Elion leaned casually against the shelf, his smirk never wavering. "Nothing at all. It's just... this book designed to trick people into believing nonsense."

"How would you know?" she shot back. "It's not like you've ever met a vampire, lived with one, or... are one."

His hand halted just before touching the book, as though something had caught his attention. There was a flicker of something on his face before he casually shrugged it off. "Just a hunch," he said smoothly. "And trust me, my hunches are as good as your so-called 'woman's intuition.'"

Raelynn rolled her eyes but didn't press further, muttering, "Whatever you say."

A few moments later, Raelynn's attention was drawn to another book with an intriguing title: Vampires: 10,001 Facts and Myths. She pulled it from the shelf, her curiosity piqued. Just as she was about to open it, Elion reached over and gently but firmly closed the cover.

"That's enough fantasy for today."

Raelynn blinked up at him, confused. "What? But I was just—"

"Trust me," he interrupted. "You'll thank me later."

She frowned, still puzzled, but decided not to argue. He seemed different now, his relaxed confidence replaced with a hint of wariness.

As they moved away from the section, Raelynn couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She trailed behind Elion, her gaze wandering back to the shelves they had just left.

It was then that she thought she saw Axel standing in the distance, partially hidden between the rows of books. His expression was different—colder, more serious than she'd ever seen before. The warm, friendly smile he usually wore was nowhere to be found.

Raelynn froze, her heart skipping a beat. But when she blinked and looked again, there was no one there.

"Something wrong?" Elion asked, turning to look at her.

Raelynn hesitated, her brow furrowing. "I thought I saw..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "Never mind. Must've been my imagination."

Elion's gaze lingered on her for a moment. "Let's keep moving."

Raelynn nodded, though unease still stayed with her as they continued deeper into the labyrinth of the library.