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. "
JONEA"Isn't he home yet?"I searched the house for Owen, but he was nowhere to be found."Do I have to make a report to him if I'm going to the club? But there is no such agreement between us. What if he comes looking for me?"I pondered."Why am I so sure he will look for me? It's like he won't care no matter what I do. Daran isn't here either."After taking my bag, I left the house. When I got to the door, I hesitated and finally turned back.I took a piece of memo paper from the table by the phone. I wrote a message on it and attached the paper to the refrigerator door using a magnet."It's up to him whether he wants to read or not. At least I have an excuse and a defense if something goes wrong."I nod, satisfied. The taxi is waiting in front of the house.The atmosphere of the city of Blue Sapphire is so lively. As if all the inhabitants of this country are nocturnal creatures. During the day, there isn't much activity, but when night comes, it's as if all life begins.I got out
OWENI was just returning home when the phone rang."It's past midnight. Who's calling at this hour?"I put the car keys on the table and grabbed the receiver. I heard his panicked voice. It's really not like my uncle."Did something happen to my bride-to-be?"My uncle literally screamed into the phone. I had to hold the receiver away from my ear.What the hell is he? Scream midnight!It was only then that I realized that the house was quiet at that time."What?" I was confused and reconfirmed my uncle's question. "Who's in danger?"Just knowing that uncle called was very strange. It is scarce he calls me."Are you stupid, Owen? Are you drunk? I told you to stay sane and stay alert!"My body immediately shivered at that time too. "Oh, is it about Jonea?"I had forgotten that Jonea was now living here with me."What do you mean she's in danger?" I laughed softly. "You worry too much about her. There's no way she'd be in danger. I'm sure she's curled up in her room now under the covers."
JONEA "Hunter? How could that be." Again I couldn't move. This time it wasn't because the energy in my body was drained, but because Hunter appeared that made me weak. I couldn't move because of my own shock. I even injured him. I saw Hunter had a red mark on his forehead. But he didn't have the same negative impact as the previous monster. I looked down at my hands, covered in Hunter's blood. I still tightly gripped the black bone dagger with trembling hands. "Jonea... are you okay?" Hunter groaned in pain. He held his waist, which was torn by my dagger. He wasn't angry at all. On the other hand, Hunter is worried about me. Now I'm confused. What exactly happened? How could Hunter be here? "I saw you at the club. You… being carried by a strange man. I thought something bad had happened to you. That's why I followed you all the way here." Lie! I shouted in my head. Slowly my consciousness returned. I backed away in fear while pointing my dagger at him. Hunter is on Luke Drake
OWEN"What do you ask of me? You want me to satisfy you, Jonea?"I didn't expect it; Jonea pushed me so hard that I fell backward. I grinned at her.The girl looks very annoyed. I really like it when I see her angry and desperate like that.Staring at Jonea at this close distance made me realize how attractive she was. Maybe she didn't realize that there was an enormous power within her."Stop teasing and playing games with me, Owen! We just agreed not to tell Daran about tonight's events. You will also be at a disadvantage if Daran finds out you are not taking care of me seriously."Asshole girl. She knows what she's doing.I gave up too. Although from the start, I did not intend to report tonight's incident to my uncle. I'm curious who the man who saved Jonea was when she was attacked by a warlock in the alley. That guy is indeed an Alpha Werewolf, but I don't know from which pack.I stood straight and pretended I was stretching the muscles that felt stiff after she threw my body awa
JONEA"What do you do there?"Owen screamed so loudly I almost fell. I held on to the window sill very tightly.Owen approaches me with big strides. If caught, he would attack me and throw me off the second-floor balcony.I took a step back to take a swing when Owen opened his bedroom window roughly."Are you out of your mind? Why are you standing on my balcony at this hour? Explain to me, Jonea Rawling!""Of course, because I can't sleep!" I replied harshly. "This is all your fault! You said that I might die in six months. Imagine if you were me. Can you sleep well when you know death is in sight?"Owen let out a few rough breaths. He even closed and opened his eyes repeatedly. He seemed to be trying to control himself before returning to face me."You said… I-will-die!" I repeated once again.Until now, I never really imagined death would come this quickly.What have I been doing all my life? What good things have I done? Meanwhile, I haven't been able to free Aland, who is currentl
JONEAWhen the reindeer sleigh stopped, I froze, staring at the giant tree in front of me. It towered so high the top was barely visible, and its trunk was so wide it looked like it could hold an entire village inside. The tree felt alive, glowing faintly from the cracks in its bark, radiating a magical aura that was both calming and mesmerizing.But the most shocking part wasn’t the tree—it was the scene around it. Dragons of all sizes roamed the area. Some floated gracefully in the air, while others moved on the ground, their massive forms exuding a kind of elegance I never thought possible.As soon as we stepped off the sleigh, every dragon there froze for a moment, then bowed deeply in respect. Their gazes were fixed on Aland, reverent, as if they worshipped him.“Dragon King!” one of the dragons roared, its deep voice echoing in the air.I froze. “Dragon King?” I whispered, staring at Aland in confusion.He gave me a small smile and extended his hand, inviting me into the magnifi
JONEAI froze, staring at the giant figure before me, my eyes wide in disbelief. The blue dragon stood tall and proud, exuding power but not menace. Its shimmering scales gleamed under the moonlight, reminding me of the Dragon’s Tear pendant Aland gave me. Unfortunately, the pendant had lost its radiant blue hue and turned dark.“Who… are you?” I stammered, my voice trembling, a mix of awe and fear.“I am the Mountain Dragon,” it replied, its deep voice rumbling like an earthquake. “I’ve come for you, Jonea. Come with me, and I’ll explain everything.”Before I could respond, Owen had already stepped in front of me, his body tense. His claws glinted sharply in the moonlight. “You’re not laying a finger on her!” he growled, his tone threatening.The dragon snorted, irritated but unfazed. “Hey, little lycan, stay out of this. I’m not going to hurt her. I just need her for something important. I’ll bring her back when it’s done.”“No way!” Owen snapped, his voice rising in anger. “You thi
DARANThat night felt cold, even though the wind barely stirred. I stood at the edge of a cliff overlooking the dark forest below, trying to calm my restless mind. The usual soothing sounds of nature now felt foreign, as if they were hiding something.Eve emerged from the shadows, her steps quiet and measured. She always had that presence—soft yet unpredictable. She stopped a few feet from me, studying my face as if looking for answers I wasn’t even aware I was hiding.“You okay?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.I nodded, even though peace was the farthest thing from my heart.Eve sighed, clearly unconvinced. “Daran, I know this is weighing on you. But you can’t keep going like this.”I turned my gaze toward the forest, avoiding her piercing eyes. But she didn’t back down.“I think all this is happening because you’ve lived too long,” she said softly, her tone gentler. “When you’ve been through so much, it gets hard to tell what’s real and what’s just shadows of your fears.”
JONEALate nights in the art gallery always felt weird, like another world was alive among the shadows of the paintings and sculptures around me. But still, I chose to be here. The dim lights reflecting softly on the canvas before me offered a sliver of peace.I was still working on a drawing assignment for class. A few other students were scattered around, busy with their own projects, but the place was growing quiet. Even though I was tired, this was better than dwelling on the strange events from last night—and the mysterious guest who, for some reason, felt oddly familiar.Daran and Owen refused to talk about it. I tried pressing them, but they clammed up, even changing the subject to avoid my questions. Frustrated, I gave up and decided to bury myself in my work at the gallery, hoping it would drown out the unease that kept creeping back.But as I lifted my brush to the canvas, my mind couldn’t stop replaying that night: the words of the man in the dark cloak, the tension radiati
JONEAThe silence in the house that night was suffocating, yet strangely boring at the same time. After watching some random TV show—so dull I couldn’t even remember its name—I gave up and turned it off. Sitting alone in the living room like this made time crawl unbearably slow.Daran still hadn’t come back since leaving without a word. Not unusual for him, but it still ticked me off. At least Owen was around, though he’d been locked in his room for hours, buried in his gaming console. I sighed, long and loud.I tried lying down in bed, hoping sleep would finally take over, but all I felt was restless. This weird feeling, like something was lurking nearby, kept gnawing at me.Dragging myself up lazily, I decided to make some warm milk in the kitchen. Maybe that would help kill this boredom.As I stepped out of my room, though, the air around me suddenly shifted. A gust of wind swept through, even though all the doors and windows were tightly shut. I froze, confused.And that’s when, o
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