Everyone screamed as they saw Hatice plunge into the lake. Her hands reached out into the air as she tried to keep her face above water. She shouted for help and said something about not being able to swim.Vero just watched as a guy jumped in to rescue her. Everyone’s attention shifted to Hatice and the guy. The guy carried her out of the lake, and Hatice gave him a tongue kiss as a thank you.She acted like that and she hoped Lev would pay attention to her?Vero took advantage of the situation to slip away. Limping, she walked away from Hatice and all the drama.Her leg hurt, it seemed sprained, and she looked a mess. She should have gone back to the dorm to change clothes, but she was already more than halfway there. And the distance to the dorm was now further than the distance to Lev’s house.Vero stopped for a moment to catch her breath and alleviate the pain in her leg. Her whole body was still trembling. She couldn’t believe what she had just done, but she felt a sense of sati
Lev took her down the hallway. Two servants followed them, and Vero hid her face, feeling embarrassed that everyone had to see her being carried by Lev.“Lev, put me down,” she whispered, occasionally glancing at the servants trailing behind Lev. Even though they walked with their heads bowed, Vero still felt uncomfortable.“We’re almost there,” Lev said nonchalantly.“I can still walk.”“Yeah, sure. Don’t complain to me if your legs are broken tomorrow.”“That’s too much—”“We’re here.”The two servants following Lev rushed forward to open the door. Lev carried Vero inside, and Vero was stunned by the sight in front of her.“This is your room?” Vero asked, tilting her head to see the black ceiling, partially slanted and made of glass. From there, Vero could see the enchanting, starry night sky.Almost everything in the room had a black hue. From the king-size bed, wallpaper, and slender pillars on the balcony, to the carpet spread beneath a matching set of sofas.“Yes,” Lev breathed.
Faintly, the sound of a piano and violin could be heard. The spotlight shifted to a bluish-gray shade, and the singer's hands moved rhythmically, captivating the guests with her bewitching voice.And by bewitching, it meant that her voice truly rendered them unconscious.Initially, the guests acted strangely when the first verse was sung. Those who had raised their hands and joined in singing suddenly fell silent and sat upright in their chairs. Afterward, one by one, they dropped their heads onto the table.“What happened?” Vero whispered to Lev, who had returned to sit beside her.“Vero, I want you to listen to me and do exactly as I said.”The music grew louder, and the singer’s voice became more powerful. She continued singing cheerfully as if nothing was happening before her.Or perhaps the spotlight had blinded her eyes, preventing her from seeing what was happening to the guests?Vero gripped Lev’s hand. Her palm was as cold as ice, and her stomach felt twisted by an invisible
Lev clenched his fist. His jaw tightened. “Just one sip,” he said.Henry smiled from ear to ear. “Why is it, brother? Are you afraid that she’s running out of blood? Can’t you control yourself?”Henry walked to the edge of the stage, turning his back to all the party guests. He turned his back on the vampires, who were enjoying their feast, and the singer, who continued to serenade with her melodious voice. “I know you’re better than them at self-control. Because you are a Deammone. We are the Deammones, Lev. We’re not lowlife vampires like them.”In one wide step, Henry narrowed the distance between himself and Lev. In his movement, he grabbed Verona’s hair, pulling her to sit while tilting her head, exposing her neck to Lev. “Drink her blood.”Seeing Henry treat Verona roughly, Lev bared his fangs. “Get your hand out of her.”The threat didn’t scare Henry, but that didn’t mean Lev couldn’t harm him if he wanted to.“As you wish,” Henry muttered as he released his grip on Verona’s ha
His confession shocked Vero.“You knew, and you didn’t stop him?” Her voice caught. She couldn’t believe it.Lev shook his head slowly, then sighed. “I don’t know the details of Henry’s plan, but I know he was planning something.”“But still—” Her hand, which was initially on Lev’s shoulder, slid down to his arm, and she pulled away, turning her face from him. “Why did you do that?”The horrific image of the blood-filled party was still vivid in her mind. Like a broken tape that kept replaying behind her closed eyes, and no matter how hard Vero tried, she couldn’t shake it off. The more she closed her eyes, the more real it became.“There’s no other way,” Lev said. “I couldn’t let you be in danger.”“And you put them all in danger just to save me?” Vero smiled bitterly. In the past, she would have been happy about this. Sacrifices made for her. She used to think it was something admirable. Something that made her special. Like in movies and novels.But now she couldn’t feel the joy of
Today Duradel is busier than usual. Groups of parents and families have come to pick up their children, taking them away temporarily from this beautiful small town.If only they knew the horrors that shroud Duradel and the real threats lurking over their children, Vero was sure none of those parents would bring their child back here.For those whose families didn’t come to pick them up, the university provided buses that would take them to the nearest city. From there, the students could take public transportation to their respective cities.Vero is one of the few students waiting in line to board the bus.Her heart is pounding hard because of many things.This is the first time she left Duradel after being trapped in this place for several months. She’s not sure of her destination. Although she has often gone to The Queen’s Secret Palace, this time she doesn’t know what awaits her there. One thing was clear: she didn’t come to that place to enjoy its music and booze.The line moves s
The guard led Vero through a door next to the entrance. They entered a dimly lit hallway. The walls muffled the sound of music and the noise from the club. Hidden red neon lights in the ceiling gaps enhanced the mysterious atmosphere.A staircase led downward into seemingly endless darkness. Vero swallowed nervously. Beads of sweat, signs of anxiety, moistened her forehead and back.Her hand groped in the darkness, searching for the staircase railing to prevent herself from falling. From the railing, she realized that the staircase was curved, taking her deeper underground. With each step she took, doubt grew in her heart.Her conscience whispered, urging her to escape right then and there. She felt uneasy, questioning whether her decision to come here was the right one.When Vero looked back and contemplated turning around, the guard who had escorted her abruptly stopped, causing Vero to bump into his back.“Ouch!” she exclaimed, rubbing the side of her face that felt sore.“Verona W
Two red-haired people stood with joyful faces. They locked eyes with Vero, who hoped for something to happen right then and there. Perhaps a spark of longing or the overwhelming feeling of meeting a long-lost family member.But... nothing.She only smiled, just like them, without any emotions in her heart.The woman, with curly hair, ran towards her and hugged her tightly. “Oh! My baby, Vivian!”Vero frowned upon hearing the woman call her by another name. Then the man followed suit and, before embracing her, chuckled softly and said, “Your mother gave you the name Vivian before leaving you at the orphanage. But, of course, the nuns who took care of you didn’t know your real name.”Both of them hugged Vero so tightly that it felt suffocating. Not to mention her father’s statement that they intentionally left her at the orphanage, as if it were a joyful event.This was not the heartwarming reunion she had imagined.As her parents released their embrace, a tear welled up in the corner o