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
JONEA "Under the leadership of Luke Draken, the land of Blue Sapphire is now a free and open land. Various races other than werewolves can come, stay, and even live there with special permission. They must also pay a hefty amount to get a residence permit in Blue Sapphire." I just finished reading the last part of the note Eve left me. Soon the plane will also land at the Blue Sapphire airport. I closed the notebook and put it back in my backpack. "However, Luke Draken still refuses for the lycans to enter and stay in his territory no matter what. Until now, the Lycans remain the main enemies of the werewolves in the land of Blue Sapphires. That condition has only strengthened under Luke Draken." Keep remembering that part of the note. "Fuck Eve. She gave me a fake identity as a werewolf to get into the Blue Sapphire. I use the name Jonea Rawling, but as a hybrid girl, not as a Lycan, let alone a human." I clutched the vial of medicine I found with Eve's notebook tightly. Accord
JONEAThe young man bowed very low and brought his head towards me. I gripped the pebbles that were on the ground. I'm ready to punch him if he intends to hurt me.When my hand was raised, suddenly, the young man pulled the hood of his jacket back. His black hair swayed down to his forehead. He has a symmetrical face shape with defined cheekbones and a nose.He looked at me and gave me a sinister smile.Moon goddess! I screamed inside. Who is this handsome and beautiful creature?I shivered at the sight. Even with such a cynical smile, he looked extremely handsome and charming."Welcome, Aunt!" "W-what? AUNT? Who are you?"He'd probably be about the same age as me–if he was human. But I have my doubts. He could be hundreds of years old. Their faces are deceiving.He was still squatting in front of me. Now his face became cold as ice in the north pole. He narrowed his eyes and tried to intimidate me.A second later, he opened his mouth wide, and terrifying sharp fangs appeared."Aaahhh
JONEAI felt the sharp tip of the fangs begin to dig into my skin. Somehow suddenly, Owen bounced. The invisible shackles that bound my body were released. As if I had just been freed from the entanglement of a very strong rope, now I can breathe freely and move my body as before.I saw Owen trying to get up after hitting the wall. His face was blue-purple with embarrassment and pain.What happened?Owen was thinking the same thing.He grinned as he straightened his back and patted his wrinkled shirt. Still haughty, he said curtly to me."You… not bad at all! Don't ever call me a vampire. Because I am a lycan!""O-of course, you are a lycan. Ha ha ha… Isn't your uncle also a Lycan? I'm so stupid. Why can I think of you as a vampire? That's impossible, right? Ha ha ha…"Owen left me alone. I covered my mouth and no longer laughed stupidly. Phew!I quickly picked up my suitcases and carried them into the room. I locked the door tightly from the inside. I even checked three times to be su
JONEA"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?""Yes," I answered confidently. "I'm going to take the bus."Owen shrugged his shoulders. "Up to you. Besides, it would be spending my time if I had to take you to campus first. I'm already late because you woke up late.""Sorry," is all I can say to Owen. He even prepared breakfast for me."Are you sure you don't want to be escorted? Do you know the place? Do you know which bus to take?"I gulped. He said I was a bother but seemed worried about letting me go to campus alone."Stay cool. I've learned everything." I showed him the schedule and bus route from the brochure at the nearest bus stop. "Blue Sapphire University, arts faculty, fine arts department, right? Bus on route 21.""It's good that you understand."Owen leaves first in his car.Half an hour later, I got off the bus and stood in front of the gates of a very grand and famous university in Blue Sapphire.I froze there, staring at the big sign above the entrance gate. "
EVANGELISTAThe wind atop this building was fierce, biting my skin like a thousand sharp needles. Yet, I stood firm. In front of me, a handsome man stood tall, his back straight. His silhouette appeared calm, but there was something unsettling in the way he gazed at the city lights below.“I didn’t think you’d find me,” he said, not bothering to turn. His voice was low and heavy, each word carrying an enigmatic echo.I glanced at his shadow on the concrete. In a flash, it shifted—from human form into that of a massive dragon. His body remained human, but his shadow told a different story.I wasn’t reckless. Cautiously, I stepped to his side, my hand ready to reach for my weapon at any moment.“Long time no see, Lycan,” the man greeted, glancing at me. A faint smile touched his lips—not warm, but laced with something darker.“Don’t underestimate me,” I replied coolly. “I came here as a warlord.”The man chuckled, the sound mocking. “Then act like one. Do your duty on the battlefield, i
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