DARANOne of the jeverics growled and bared his sharp fangs."How did you know she was here, ugly wizard?"Seeing that Jeveric was angry and jealous when he found out about my appearance, I deliberately tightened the hug on Jonea's body."How can you call me ugly?""You always hide your face behind that disgusting mask. You are definitely an insecure man."I stretched out my right hand to grab Jonea's neck possessively. I'll show those Jeveric bastards what I've done to find my girl."Necklace?" Jeveric grinned. "What is the connection and specialty of the necklace? Did you put any magic spells in there?"I grinned back. "Since when a Lycan King can put magic spells anywhere?""You!" shouted the jeveric. "Even though you have denied that you are not wizard thousands of times, we all know you are. Your position as a Lycan King is all just camouflage. You are just a petty and lowly wizard hiding behind the title of king.""Haven't you noticed the pendant on this necklace? These are the v
JONEA I saw Aland standing on a stage with lots of people watching. Aland's body was full of wounds. His silver hair looked dirty, mixed with dried blood. He was only wearing trousers without a shirt. His hands were tied behind his back. I tried to lunge forward and cut through the crowds of people filling the square. I'm so freaked out. Inside my mind, I just wanted to get close to Aland and set him free. When I was only one step away from reaching him, a beam of light suddenly shone sharply towards me. My eyes burned and blinded me for a moment. "No! Don't take Aland away." The light engulfed Aland's existence. I really can't see it. My eyes feel hot and sore. As soon as I opened my eyes, everything was gone. I was stunned to see Loko standing before the window while opening the curtains. Immediately I sat up straight with a look of confusion and half sleepy. Is all this just a dream? But it felt like Aland's existence was so real. I began to rub my eyes when Loko turned to f
JONEA We actually had breakfast in Daran's study. Loko came with breakfast for us. "Have our guests finished breakfast yet?" Daran asked. "Yes, Master. They have returned to their respective positions." "Immediately prepare all our needs, Loko." "Yes, Master!" I saw Loko step back with a bow before turning around and leaving Daran's study. Now it's just me and Daran. We sat on the couch. There is a small table in front of us. Before leaving, Loko had arranged our breakfast there. "Say it! I know you want to ask something." Daran always gives me chills. How did he know the things I was thinking and worrying about? Before I even said it. “Loko… I mean him….” "He is a neighbour who lives here. Since about 200 years ago? I forget exactly when he lived here." I was really taken aback. Loko is just a guy in his mid-40s to 50s. He even looks much younger than my adoptive parents. Who would have thought that he was already hundreds of years old? Then Daran, how old is he? "Loko is
DARAN "How? Is it nice to touch my face?" I held Jonea's hands firmly and placed them on my cheeks. She tried to get away, but I kept her there. I really showed my sweet smile in front of her. Our faces are so close. I had to bend my head to line up our faces. "You've been staring at me. Am I cool? Am I handsome?" I really want to know how she will react. But that girl just showed me a straight and cold face. Oh, I'm so annoyed. "You just look like a fraud!" Jonea curtly said to me and withdrew her hands very quickly. This time I was really offended. She says my face is like a con man's face? Seriously! If only she knew, all the girls in the pack and the country of Blackton are vying to get me. I should teach this little fox a lesson. I took her to my regular shop. This is the one character I used to frequent if I wanted to leave the house. And now, Loko already replaces me to shop and come there. So, how many years have I not come to this shop since the last time? 100 years?
JONEA Eve handed me a glass of water. It's juice or something similar. Because the colour resembles a strawberry. My chest is still pounding, and my emotions are still running high. Eve dragged me into a chair and gave me the drink. On the other hand, Daran just stood still and didn't show any expression. He also still needs to answer my previous question. "So, your name is Jonea, huh?" she asked. "Thanks," I said to Eve for the drink she handed me. "Wow, you really are a sweet girl." Eve put her hands on her hips and turned to Daran. "You didn't do anything weird to get her, did you?" "I bought her with my personal money." "What?!" Eve screamed loudly. "You bought her? Do you think your future wife is something you can trade?" I took a sip of the juice in my hand. It looks like raspberry juice mixed with other fruit. I don't know what. But it tastes sweet and sour at the same time. When served warm, it feels so soothing. I just glanced at the two of them, who were noisy. My
JONEA After telling me a few things, Eve suddenly walked closer to me and grabbed the pendant hanging around my neck. "Dragon tears? How about having it?" Eve looked taken aback. She took off the dragon tear pendant as if her hand was on fire. I need to find out where I got this pendant. I held it tightly, hoping that my feelings would reach Aland, who had given this pendant to me. Eve rubbed her hot hands from the dragon tear pendant around my neck. She looked agitated. "Are you all right, Eve?" "So those really are dragon tears? Only some people can touch and own it. Because the dragon's tears choose, who has the right to own them. If someone else were to forcefully touch it, the worst would be this." Eve showed her burning red palms. I am surprised. Because that didn't happen to Daran. He also touched my dragon tear pendant. "Does it hurt?" I was worried to see Eve's injured hand. "Does not matter. It's just a small wound. Will recover in a few days. Remember, I'm still a
DARAN I quickly came when I felt a powerful magical energy. The magic power was coming from Evangelista's study. I don't know what she's doing, but I'm worried that something terrible will happen to Jonea. I shouldn't have left Jonea alone with Eve. Even though I trust Eve, she won't hurt Jonea; Eve doesn't know who Jonea really is. When I came, a magic power was enveloping Jonea's whole body. It was a mighty wild, magical power I had not seen for several hundred years. She must be stopped. I tried to cut the magic knot and hugged Jonea from behind to protect and comfort her. I have to bring Jonea back to her senses. All the bits of bladed weapons, armor, and wrought iron that had been in Eve's workshop went flying. Everything was spinning in a whirlwind and enveloping Jonea's body. The girl didn't even realize that her body was scratched by many sharp weapons. I hugged her tightly and absorbed her wild magical energy. No! This energy comes out of the dragon's tears. I had no
JONEA I even came here bringing nothing with me. But why did I pack so much of my stuff to return to Sapphire Blue? "Do you need any help, Miss?" I jumped in shock and almost died right then and there. Without a sound, without knowing when he came, suddenly he was standing behind me like a ghost. Loko's face was always pale. He stood stiff as a log. "Yes! No!" I corrected my words because I was too nervous. "You don't need to worry. I can pack these things myself. How about you? You must be busy because you must pack Daran's things." "Mr. Carver didn't even bring anything for this move." "What does it mean?" "Because the house we are going to has long been owned by Mr. Carver, decades ago. The house is already filled with Master's personal belongings." I actually stood up and faced Loko because I was so shocked. "So you're saying Daran has lived in the Blue Sapphire before? Even there, he has a private house and personal belongings, I see?" Loko just winked in approval. "W
DARANOn the way back home, my mind kept returning to what Jonea had told me earlier. When she mentioned meeting a strange man in the paint shop, I immediately got a bad feeling. There was something she said that struck a chord: the black mark on the man's forehead."Jonea," I broke the silence. "Can you describe the man you saw at the paint shop?"Jonea looked at me for a moment, probably noticing how serious I was. She paused, as if she was piecing her memory back together.“I don’t know, Daran. It all happened so fast,” she muttered. “He... was right behind me when I accidentally bumped into him. And when I looked at him, I was shocked. I don’t know how to explain it... but he had this strange kind of handsomeness, something out of the ordinary. It was like there was something eternal and timeless in his face. But the most disturbing thing was the black mark on his forehead. It was so dark, different from the ones I’ve seen before.”I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but
DARANAfter dropping Jonea off at campus, I decided to meet up with Eve. There was something only she could do for me, and right now, I needed her help more than ever.I found her in a quiet corner of the campus park, her arms crossed, looking like she’d been expecting me. Her gaze was intense, as if she already knew why I was there. When I walked up to her, she didn’t take her eyes off me, studying me with a sharp, questioning look.“There’s something I need you to do,” I said, getting straight to the point.Eve raised her eyebrows, looking clearly surprised. “What? You’re going to keep her by your side?” She looked at me skeptically, like she couldn’t quite wrap her head around my decision. “That’s a sudden change of heart,” she added with a flat tone, but I could hear the tension in her voice.I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm under her penetrating stare. I knew keeping Jonea close was risky, and if anyone knew the dangers of that, it was Eve.“Are you serious?” she asked a
DARANWithout thinking twice, I grabbed the window handle, yanked it open, and let the cold night air wash over me. Shifting to my lycan form, I jumped out from the second-floor window, landing silently and swiftly in the backyard. Every muscle in my body tensed as I sniffed the air, trying to catch a whiff of that mysterious figure’s scent.My sharp lycan eyes scanned the dark yard, piercing through the thickening fog. There was nothing here except an unsettling, unnatural calm. Still, I knew that figure couldn’t have just disappeared. I decided to follow its trail, heading quickly to the fence where I first saw its shadow.When I reached the spot, I found... nothing. The thick night fog hung all around, making the shadows of trees and the fence seem even more ominous. No sign of life or any other presence. I growled softly, frustrated by the strangeness of it all."What does this even mean?" I muttered to myself, trying to calm down.Even though the figure had vanished, I could stil
DARANAfter a long and intense conversation with Eve at the gallery, one harsh truth finally hit me: Jonea might be the next target. If this person is after the women connected to me, hoping to find someone with the “pure red moon blood,” then Jonea is likely their main goal. But maybe—just maybe—they don’t know she’s the one they’re after yet.A wave of panic rushed over me. I can’t let this happen. I should never have left her safety to Owen; this wasn’t his responsibility—it should’ve been me, protecting her myself.Without wasting another second, I jumped into my car and sped off from the gallery, heading straight for the café where we were supposed to meet. Hopefully, I wasn’t too late.But as I drove through the quieting city streets, doubts haunted me. Why did I leave her alone? I should’ve known how dangerous this situation is. Too many innocent people have already been hurt or killed, and I can’t let Jonea become one of them.When I reached the café, it was already late. We s
DARANAs the sun was setting on the horizon, I sat behind the wheel of my car, staring down at the report that had just landed in my hands. It wasn't just any report—it was the result of one of my shadow hunters managing to sneak in and snag a classified document from the dragon police. Carefully, I flipped through page after page, my eyes scanning every word and line on each sheet.When I reached the final page, I froze. A subtle yet undeniable pattern stood out. Every victim was a woman. Not just any women—they were lycan women who once worked for me. They were lycans I had freed from slavery.I'd spent so much time and effort freeing them from the chains of bondage, giving them a new life in the human world, where they could pass as hybrids and live in peace. But now, one by one, they were being hunted and killed.With a trembling hand, I gripped the report, clenching it tightly as anger and worry took over. This wasn't just random murder—it was a message. Whoever was behind this k
DARANIt was just before dawn when a soft knock came at my door. Owen’s voice whispered, letting me know that another body had been found, the third one this week, with the same disturbing pattern as before. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. The whole town was tense; even the guards seemed like they hadn’t slept in days.Quickly, I gave the order to gather a few of my men in the back storage room, a hidden place away from prying eyes. They trickled in, one by one—my “shadow hunters,” lycans with powerful magic who could move unseen. They didn’t have faces; they were more like black shadows moving silently in the dim light.I looked them over, my voice steady, though my mind was racing. “The situation’s getting serious,” I said. “A third body’s been found, the same pattern. We can’t let this go on. We need to find out who’s responsible before anyone else dies.”They all nodded, some of them darkening as if sensing the urgency. I laid out my instructions: who they needed to talk to, where t
JONEAWhen I realized I’d gotten too lost in that kiss, I pushed Daran’s chest as hard as I could, breaking whatever had just happened between us. The lingering warmth on my lips confused me, but I forced myself to remember: I couldn’t allow myself to enjoy something like this. I couldn’t betray Aland. How could I let myself get wrapped up in another man’s touch while fighting so hard for the chance to be free and reunited with Aland?Daran looked at me, breathing heavily, obviously unsatisfied with how abruptly I’d ended things. His face showed confusion, almost like he was trying to figure it out. He asked softly, “What’s wrong, Jonea?”I looked down, unable to meet his intense red eyes, which were still smoldering. “This is… wrong, Daran,” I whispered, mostly to myself, reminding myself of the huge risk I was taking by letting my guard down with him.Daran looked bewildered but took a small step closer. “I wasn’t lying when I said you mean something to me. At first, I thought you w
JONEAI looked at Daran, waiting for an explanation. Whatever his reason was for stepping in earlier, I wanted to know. But he just stood there in silence, his eyes distant. It was like there was a part of him I could never reach, something he was hiding away, locked up tight.Maybe it's better not to know, I thought. If he didn’t want to tell me, I wouldn’t force it. That's his world—a world I can't enter.Finally, he offered to take me home, but I shook my head. I didn’t want to lean on him more than I already had. Without a second thought, I turned and walked away.I could feel Daran watching me as I walked, but I didn’t look back. The walk home felt way longer than usual, and each step brought me back to the mess earlier—Owen and Hunter fighting. Because of me. It was strange, almost surreal.Owen, with his warmth and straightforwardness, tried to protect me, and so did Daran. They both acted like I was some fragile porcelain doll that couldn't even get a scratch. But the way they
DARANI drove slowly through the cold night in Blue Sapphire. The streetlights cast a dim glow across the sidewalk, making the city feel like it was hiding secrets in the shadows. An uneasy feeling settled over me, a restlessness without any clear reason, though deep down, I knew what was really bothering me.Suddenly, the car radio crackled to life with static, and then the news announcer’s voice filled the cabin.“Breaking news from downtown Blue Sapphire: another mysterious murder victim has been found tonight. The victim, a young woman estimated to be around 20 years old, showed no signs of sharp or blunt weapons. Instead, her wounds indicate the bites of a wild animal, though the exact species remains unidentified.”I gritted my teeth, holding my breath as the report continued.“Forensics experts note that the bite marks on the victim’s body don’t match those of a werewolf or a dragon. The preliminary theory is that the attack may have been carried out by a lycan. Although their