DARANI was at the museum checking out some new art pieces that had just arrived from abroad. Besides working as a curator, I’m also an appraiser. I need to verify the authenticity and price of these historical items before they're handed over to collectors. I packed up my stuff, grabbed my car keys, and was about to leave the museum when one of the staff approached me. “Excuse me, Mr. Carver.” I stopped and turned to face her. She was a beautiful and very attractive woman. She’s been the one helping me with all my affairs at the museum. “Um... so, I just got word that some of the items you were looking for have been found. We should go to the client’s place to check them out. So, how about we discuss the schedule... over dinner?” She was always so polite yet cheerful. She never let me down when it came to work. But, I couldn’t treat her the same way. I’m still me. “Maybe another time,” I answered coldly. I turned and was ready to leave. She quickened her pace and blocke
DARAN"Daran? You…"Jonea looked shocked when she saw me. She got into the car and sat down carefully. "What?" I mumbled nervously, staring at Jonea without blinking. Am I busted? Is she suspicious? My body froze. I couldn’t move; I was so nervous. Suddenly, Jonea reached out her hand and gently touched my head. I had no idea why, but it felt amazing. My chest… my heart pounded so hard. My whole body felt like it was buzzing with a million volts of electricity, and at the same time, I felt ridiculously happy. Jonea even leaned closer and whispered, “Relax… don’t move.” Even if she didn’t ask, I couldn’t move a muscle anyway. I was scared… even to breathe. I was scared to ruin this moment. Without realizing it, I closed my eyes. I don’t know what I was expecting to happen. Would Jonea finally kiss me first? A few seconds later... "Done!" she said cheerfully. I didn’t feel anything. No gentle touch on my face, let alone a kiss on my lips. Nothing at all! When I opene
JONEA“So, why did you suddenly offer to pick me up? As far as I remember, you hate meeting strangers outside your comfort zone, especially dealing with the werewolves out here.”“I was just passing by and… it seemed like you’ve been avoiding me since yesterday.” Daran spoke without turning to look at me, focusing on driving.He sounded casual, but I felt awkward. “I thought we talked about this and decided to go back to how we were before. Talking and acting normal…”Now I was the one feeling embarrassed and unsure what to say. “I’ve just been feeling a bit confused. Personal stuff,” I quickly added, “It’s got nothing to do with you.”“What are you confused about?” Daran probed.I waved my hand. “Oh, it’s nothing major, and I’ve sorted it out. You don’t need to worry about it. But anyway, where are you taking me this time? You think we’re going home?”---EVANGELISTAThe whole ride back to the hotel, we didn’t speak or even look at each other. I just kept pretending to be interested
JONEAWhen Daran hugged me all of a sudden, so possessively, he whispered that a demon had appeared behind me. When I turned around to see, Daran used his magic to easily dissolve the demon.“This place isn’t safe,” Daran immediately got serious. “We should go home.”“What about the winter insects?”Daran gave me a sharp look. “Is that still important right now? Your safety is my top priority.”I didn’t argue anymore, and we rushed back to the car.---HUNTERThe warriors I sent to keep an eye on Jonea’s activities sent me some photos they took on my phone. The photos showed Jonea having a good time, looking so happy by the lake. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her smile like that.“Who’s she spending her time with?”I couldn’t stand looking at those pictures anymore, so I threw my phone on the table in frustration.Earlier today at the campus, I tried to find her in the art studio, but only found Marilyn there. I didn’t waste any time and started interrogating her.“Tell me, I thin
JONEA"Watch your step!" Hunter said. "If you keep spacing out while walking, you might hurt yourself."As he spoke, he let go of my hoodie. We stood there awkwardly for a moment, facing each other."Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to grab you. I know you usually hate being touched."I just stared at him without saying a word and walked away. I headed to the storage locker to grab my art supplies. But, to my annoyance, Hunter kept following me."We still have some group work left, right? Two more assignments, and we have to visit two different places for our essay. When can you do it?" Hunter leaned against my locker, flashing that annoying grin of his.Without looking at him, I kept packing up my art supplies and shoving them into my bag. I answered nonchalantly, "Whenever."Honestly, I was already thinking of asking Daran to take my place. I just wanted Hunter to leave me alone.But he didn’t give up, "You going somewhere? We could hang out after we finish the assignment.""I'd rather not
JONEAI just got back from the studio, had to finish some paintings for clients. The house was completely quiet when I got home. No idea where those two monsters were, and honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to care.I quietly headed straight to my room. As soon as I stepped inside, I got a message. From Hunter. "You said we could meet anytime, right? Let’s meet this weekend. There's something I need to tell you."I read it, but I didn’t plan to reply. Classic excuse to meet up. I let out a heavy sigh and flopped onto the bed. "I’ve got bigger problems than Hunter constantly getting in my way."I dropped my bag on the floor and sat down, feeling exhausted. "Of course, I’m starting to like him—Daran Carver! That’s the conclusion after seriously analyzing my feelings over the last few days. Living together and interacting all the time… I need to remove this seal from my body, awaken my wolf, leave this house, and free Aland from the dragon realm. That’s the only way."I stood up, too r
JONEA"Why are you laughing?" I asked, startled and a bit in awe. It was the first time I saw Daran laugh, and honestly, it made him look twice as handsome.Daran stopped laughing but still had that smile on his face. "Watching you is fascinating!" he said casually. "One second you're happy, the next you're annoyed. One moment you're laughing, then you're frowning.""What are you trying to say... that I can't control my emotions? Are you saying I'm like some moody little kid? That’s not funny!""That's not what I meant," he answered calmly. "I like you, Jonea," Daran said after a brief pause. "I've lived for a long time. When you've been alive for so long, everything starts to feel like seasons passing by. Everything feels pointless. But you… you're always so genuine with yourself. I admire your honesty and everything about you! I like all of it!""I like you too," I blurted out without thinking about the implications. "I think I’m falling for you, Daran. I don’t know how to describ
OWENI stormed down the hallway, the anger pulsing in my veins with every step. The smug expression on Hunter's face earlier only fueled my rage. I spotted him coming my way, head down, fiddling with his phone, completely unaware of the storm barreling towards him.Without hesitation, I grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. "You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” I growled, my face inches from his. "Using Jonea as a pawn in your pathetic little games?”Hunter’s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly recovered, scowling as he yanked against my grip. "Are you insane? Let go of me!”I didn’t budge, pressing him harder against the wall. "What? Can’t handle it when someone fights back? How dare you treat her like some prize to be won?"Hunter pushed my hands away, his face contorted with irritation. "I don’t know what you’re talking about, Owen.""Cut the crap." My fists clenched, and before I knew it, my knuckles met his jaw with a force that echoed down the hall.
JONEAI sat on the edge of the bed, still feeling the warmth of Daran’s chest that had been my resting place moments ago. Now, I’d put a small distance between us. My heart was full of questions, but I didn’t know where to start.“So all this time, you thought I was afraid of you?” I asked, breaking the silence.Daran turned toward me, his dark eyes filled with doubt. “Isn’t that true?” he replied. “For humans and other creatures—especially werewolves—my kind is terrifying. That’s why they’re always trying to kill or get rid of lycans like me.”I shook my head softly, my heart heavy from his words. There was sadness he didn’t show, but I could feel it. His dark eyes carried a loneliness that made me hesitate to touch him, even though I wanted to.“No,” I said firmly, though my voice wavered slightly. “You’re not scary at all.”Daran raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Oh? Is that so?”I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “Actually, you’re… too handsome. It makes it hard to
JONEAI couldn’t answer Aland’s question. My lips felt sealed, every word I wanted to say stuck in my throat. Something heavy weighed on my chest, making it hard to breathe.The room was suffocatingly quiet, the only sound being Aland’s ragged breaths, full of emotion. I couldn’t stay in there a second longer.Quickly, I got up from the bed, grabbing a blanket to cover myself, and stepped out of the treehouse. The cold night air bit at my skin, but I didn’t care.Ahead of me, a small, crystal-clear pond caught my eye. The moonlight shimmered on its surface, creating an almost calming scene. Kneeling by the edge, I cupped some water in my hands and splashed it on my face.That’s when something strange happened.The calm breeze around me suddenly turned wild, swirling fiercely. My hair whipped around my face, and I had to close my eyes against the sudden burst of dust. The soft rustle of leaves grew into a deafening roar, like a storm appearing out of nowhere.“What is this...?” I whisp
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