Triana.
The sky began to brighten. Triana awoke to the sound of a knock on the door. It took her two seconds to remember that she was in a room at an inn and that last night she slept with a vampire man beside her. But she found herself in the middle of the bed, with a musty-smelling blanket wrapped around her body. Screening the room, Triana found herself alone.
Where is Vlador?
The knocking sound returned, this time with force and urgency.
"Yes," Triana called out as she got out of bed and hurried to the door.
Opening it, she was greeted by two maids carrying a washbasin and a night
Triana.As the sun rose highin the sky, their carriage reached the street Triana had noted on a paper earlier. They stopped in front of a large, two-story house."This is Mr.Winston'sresidence. I still remember the house. Ithasn'tchanged at all!"Triana said, smiling wide as she looked at the beautiful yard, even in autumn."Then we should meet him now. I hope thewitch'snotes are as I expected,"Vlador said, striding toward the house.Triana knocked on the door, and shortly after, theywere greetedby a man with whitehair and round glasses perched on his nose.He led them into the living room.
Triana.Staring blankly ahead, Triana snapped back to reality, blinking and frowning. What kind of crazy news had she just heard?Her older sister, Rubby, was getting married?Her motherhadlied to Winston, sayingthatshe was sick in her room?Trianadidn'teven know her sister was engaged, let alone had a suitor! Her shy, introverted sister with no friends—how could she suddenly be getting married?Beyond that, what was her family doingnowwhile she had gone missing after visiting the vampire castle?She had thought there would be chaos at Galev Castle
Vlador"Right now, my parents are probably secretly sending men to find me while they stay in the castle because my sister is about to get married. I understand why they're doing this. My sister is marrying the crown prince of Galvadea. They wouldn't want to cause any trouble."Vlador chuckled, staring at Triana with wide eyes. "Are you really that stupid? Then, keep your stupidity to yourself! Don't burden me with it!""Mr. Vlador, please..." Tears streamed down Triana's cheeks."No. Cry until you're dry. That won't make me let you go home," Vlador hissed, sharpening his gaze. "Don't you remember our lives are bound? Letting you go home is too risky for me. They'd imprison me forever like an animal to keep you alive and able to marry your damn prince.""No, Mr. Vlador," Triana said, shaking her head quickly. "I promise that won't happen. We'll find a way to break this curse together, and I will make sure my parents don't hurt you. I'll even ask them to find someone who can interpret
Triana"Oh, is that your youngest daughter, Your Grace? Is she the one whois rumoredto be excessively beautiful?""Yes,you'reright. Butshe'sfeeling a little bit unwell now, sohermother had to take her to rest for a while."Stefanus explained, giving his wife a meaningful look.Catherine nodded with a smile. "Triana adores her sister so much. Studying non-stop has worn her out, but she insisted on participating in this grand wedding.""Oh, I envy the harmony among your daughters, Your Graces. Not only are they beautiful, but they also have kind hearts,"said a woman in a red dress, the wife of one of the generals.
VladorHer eyes scanned the surroundings. Quite surprising.Hestill remembered whenheonce disguised himself to enter the human party. Itdidn'ttake long for them to realizethat hewas a vampire. But now, it seemed humans had lived comfortably without vampires for too long, so they no longer harbored worries and suspicions.Shifting his gaze to his hand, Vlador noticed the small hand he held was slightly sweaty in the cold night. He redirected his gaze toTriana'sface and met her eyes.Then Vlador slowed his pace almost to a halt before reachingoutforTriana'sother hand and pulling her slender body closer.
Triana."Where is he now? Did he follow you?"Stefanus asked.Triana remained silent. Her tongue was stiff, unable to explain what had happened next."Triana,"Catherine rose from her chair,moving to sit beside her daughter, and taking her cold hand."What happened there, dear? What happened to you? Stop crying and speak calmly."Sobbing harder, Triana swallowed and raised her face to look at her parents alternately."Mother... Father...I...I’vebeen cursed togetherwith that vampire. The witch...she tricked us. She cursed us both with her potion. Now our blood is bound."
Vlador.The door opened, revealing an interior that was no different from the luxurious rooms of most noble girls.“Her Grace said not to leave this room. We will stand guard outside.” One of the two guards assigned to escort them spoke.“I know.” Triana replied, half-mumbling.Stepping into the room, Vlador approached the largest window overlooking the Winder Forest bordering the Galvadea palace area. He then moved to another window and chuckled. “They even had time to nail all the windows shut before we arrived.”As Stevanus had mentioned, they were discreetly taken to Terax Villa through the palace's back gate. Observing one of the Galev family’s luxurious villas, Vlador concluded how esteemed Duke Stevanus was.Leaving the window, he moved to a white dresser adorned with carvings of birds and flowers, which held an array of petite porcelain dolls. He then glanced around at the other expensive items belonging to a young girl.A crooked smile formed on Vlador’s face. “You were raise
Triana.Hereyes widened, but no more tears fell."Sweetheart, we hope you understand why we had to make this decision, no?"Catherine asked, looking at Triana with glassy eyes.Still staring blankly downward, Triana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Then she nodded once."Yes, I... understand."“We’llprovide you with a carriage, food, and enough money for your round trip to Verxic. We believe you can fend for yourself, Triana.You’rea grown woman now.You must liveindependently,”Stevanus said, prompting Triana to look up at him.
VladorHis gaze followed Frederick as he made his way to his seat. Once the man settled into his chair, his attention shifted to Triana, who pressed her lips together.As he had suspected, Frederick was trying to manipulate Triana. At least she was sharp enough to grasp the situation and keep her words to a minimum, even though the vampires treated her kindly—a kindness that was nothing more than a facade.Vlado knew exactly how vampires viewed humans, and he was certain that the Verdonix clan was responsible for the killings of Verxic’s people, not wild animals."I was wondering if you’ve ever encountered the Elix witches on this island."Vlador’s sudden question silenced everyone at the table, including Frederick, who exchanged looks wit
Vlador"Welcome to the Verdonix Mansion, Prince Vlador. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Frederick Garvus Verdonix, the head of the Verdonix clan. We are truly honored that you’ve chosen to visit our humble mansion."Vlador remained silent, staring at the blonde man from head to toe. The man, with faint lines around his eyes, was the same height as him. His eyes were red but not glowing—similar to Dyan's."I need not say that your demeanor feels... odd, do I?" Vlador asked."Oh… haha..." Frederick let out a chuckle, then nodded. "Such a judgment is well deserved, prince. I apologize for any confusion our actions may have caused."The man then extended one arm and shifted to the side. “How if I explain everything during dinner?"Frederick’s offer was met by silence from Vlador. He fixed his gaze on the man’s eyes. It was clear to the vampire clan that Vlador didn't trust them simply because they were vampires.Clearing his throat, Frederick continued, "I understand you have some ques
TrianaHer tears eventually fell.Triana nodded. “I understand. Thank you for answering my question.”Without waiting for Vlador's response, she turned and hurried away from the man who remained rooted in place.As her tears continued to flow, Triana pressed on. Foolishly, she still hoped that Vlador would chase after her. She yearned for the cold-hearted man, who had never desired her from the beginning.She loved Vlador. She acknowledged it and screamed it silently in her heart. She longed to remain with him, aware that he regarded her merely as a companion on his journey. Yet, was that not enough to warrant her continued presence by his side?Triana refused to return to her family. She knew that their treatment of h
Vlador“So, you’re saying that the civilization of this island exists only in this small community?” Vlador asked.Rextov raised an eyebrow and nodded. “The good news is that we live harmoniously in this small community.”“Coincidentally, we came to this city in search of a family. They have hair as white as snow and eyes as blue as glaciers. Have you seen anyone matching that description here?” Vlador inquired.“Well, that’s quite unusual. I’ve never seen anyone like that, not even in this city,” Rextov replied while stroking his chin.“Are you sure?” Vlador pressed. “My parents said they should have lived on this ice plain for a long time.”“For how long, exactly?” Rextov countered. “I was born and raised here. My ancestors were natives. Most people on this island have blonde or red hair. Perhaps the family you’re looking for are newcomers, not the old residents of this city.”Rextov’s explanation silenced Vlador. He couldn’t provide further details that might raise suspicions about
Triana“What are you doing?” Vlador asked.“Repaying a favor,” Triana replied, blinking.Taking a deep breath, Vlador said, “Pull your hand back. I need you to do something other than give your blood.”“O-oh,” Triana retracted her arm. Her heart began to race, and she cleared her throat. “What is it you need more… than blood?”“Teach me the languages you know; for example, the language spoken by the two men who made you cry,” Vlador said.“Oh,” Triana chuckled. “Certainly. I would be happy to teach you, Mr. Vlador.”“Good. Now, move away.” Vlador ordered as he stood up and walked towar
VladorIn Triana’s room, he was watching her endless cry. “I’ve killed someone. I made four children lose their mother. I’m a criminal. I’m a murderer,” Triana sobbed. Sighing, Vlador glanced at the soaking-wet handkerchief in Triana’s hand. “The sun has set. How long do you plan to cry?” “I... can’t stop,” Triana replied, breathless. “It’s my fault, Mr. Vlador. I’m terrified.” “That’s just one person dead out of the dozens who healed. Aren’t you being overdramatic?” Vlador frowned as Triana looked at him with her swollen eyes. “One person, you say? To those who didn’t know her, she might be just one person, but she meant everything to her family.” “Gosling,” Vlador sighed. “That woman is dead. She won’t come back to life, no matter how much you cry. You’re just wasting your time and exhausting yourself. You’re doing something futile and pointless.” Triana fell silent, squinting her eyes. “You don’t need to clarify that. I can’t control my feelings!” Clenching his jaws
53. Triana She let down her long hair while staring at her reflection in the mirror. She still didn't understand why she cried and said strange things earlier. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember what she had dreamt that made her babble. "It was a bad dream. I can still feel the sadness and fear from it," Triana murmured, then opened her eyes again. "But I don't remember the content of the dream at all." She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Never mind. There's no point in recalling it. As Mr. Vlador said, it’s just a side effect of the curse." Triana then submerged both her hands in the basin of water under the mirror. She almost yelped as the cold water froze her hands. But still, she used it to wash her face. After refreshing her face and body, Triana changed from her men's outfit into a warm woman's dress. Though it was a simple dress, it was certainly much more elegant than the loose trousers and shirt she had been wearing. A smile spread across Triana's l
TrianaThe blue bird shone brightly in her hand. Her eyes fluttered as she gazed at it.Pretty jewelry was not unusual for Triana. She owned chests of exquisite and luxurious jewelry and trinkets in her castle. But a brooch sold at the Harbour Market was different. It wasn't just pretty; it was beautiful."I didn’t know he was watching me," Triana murmured. A faint smile spread across her lips.Rising from her chair, she reached the window and opened it wide. The sea wind blew fiercely, tossing her long hair.The sea looked as if it was blending with the blue sky. Although they had just left the land, it seemed the strong wind pushed their ship faster.Holding the bird brooch up, Triana smiled again as she matched its blue shade with the colors of the sea and sky. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Vlador was not the cruel man people said he was. If he were keeping her because of their curse, that beautiful brooch wouldn’t be in her hand.If Triana hadn’t visited the
VladorA sly smile formed on his lips. He opened her fingers and lifted her index finger from the row.He stared at the tip of her tiny finger and pinched it, causing it to redden. Then he brought it close to his mouth and bit it with his fang."Ah!" Triana almost pulled her hand back."The blood's oozing out," Vlador said."Please hurry up so I can go to sleep," Triana said without looking at Vlador."I thought you had trouble sleeping tonight?" Vlador responded with a small chuckle before sucking on the finger.Closing her eyes tightly, Triana turned her head away. She almost turned her back on Vlador, though her hand remained in his grasp.A tiny hole at the tip