Chapter 2

What's happening to me?

I didn't know.

The next thing I knew, the waves had carried me to a seashore.

I coughed as I crawled toward the farther end of the beach, desperate to keep myself from being swept back into the water. I forced myself to sit and looked up at the moon.

I could see it clearly from here.

That blood-red color was both magnificent and terrifying.

I turned to the side and noticed a boat nearby. Something inside me seemed to urge me toward it, and before I knew it, I was walking over and pushing it into the water.

I immediately climbed aboard and grabbed the oar.

My body seemed to have a mind of its own as I paddled farther away from the shore, allowing the water to carry me wherever it wanted. I couldn't think clearly anymore.

The only thought in my mind was to keep rowing until I reached wherever the fog was taking me.

It was dangerously silent.

I couldn't hear anything else.

Even the ocean was eerily serene. The water was calm and cold.

Too cold.

It made me shiver.

I rowed slowly until I could finally make out where I was heading.

An island.

A dark, unfamiliar island I didn't even know existed.

It was covered in fog, and the atmosphere felt strangely unsettling. Even the wind was calm. The temperature was cold, sending another shiver through me.

When I finally reached the shore, I slowly stepped out of the boat.

The moment my feet touched the sand, I felt an even heavier presence settle over me.

The red moon above only made the feeling worse.

I started walking.

I had no weapons with me.

For reasons I couldn't explain, all the weapons I had been carrying were gone. Maybe they had fallen into the ocean when I crashed into the water.

My clothes were ruined as well. I tore the bottom of my pants off, turning them into shorts so I could move more easily.

My torn jacket was useless too, so I took it off, leaving me in nothing but my beige sleeveless shirt.

The entire place was silent, except for the occasional calls of birds somewhere in the distance.

I walked empty-handed until I found a path leading into the forest.

But what didn't make sense was the tall, rusty gate standing at the entrance.

An old placard hung from it.

NO TRESPASSING.

Because of that, my eyes drifted toward another weatherworn sign hanging from a post by the roadside.

I stared at it.

Welcome to Noctherin.

The name echoed with something ancient.

"Why aren't you going inside yet?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the voice behind me.

When I turned around, I found an elderly woman standing there, dressed in a red cloak.

"I-I don't belong here. I can't trespass."

She stared at me for a moment, then tilted her head slightly, studying every detail of my face.

"What are you talking about, Primrose Agatha? What do you mean you don't belong here? Come on. We need to hurry. He'll be waking up soon."

How did she know my name?

"W-Wait, I—"

I couldn't finish my sentence because she suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me through the gate.

Strangely, it felt as though something had sucked me through it.

But whatever thought I had about that quickly disappeared when we started walking.

"How do you know me?"

The old woman looked at me as though she thought I had lost my mind.

Confusion filled her expression.

"What is wrong with you? You only said you were going to visit the beach. Have you forgotten everything already?"

What?

"M-Me? Really?"

She stopped for a moment and looked me up and down before shaking her head.

"I'm old, Primrose. But my eyes aren't old enough to lie to me. So hurry. It's almost midnight. He'll be waking up soon."

I had no idea what she was talking about.

Still, I followed her without asking any more questions.

Eventually, we reached a large, secluded house hidden deep in the forest.

A huge house? In the middle of the forest? On this island?

Why did this house give me such a creepy feeling?

"Come on. Take this to the kitchen. I'll prepare something for the master to eat."

She handed me the basket she had been carrying.

I had no choice but to follow her into the house.

The place was vintage and old. I could tell from the furniture and the structure itself.

The house had the same temperature as the island.

Cold.

I couldn't explain why.

There wasn't even an air conditioner.

The house was enormous, filled with expensive yet antique furnishings. But unlike the modern homes in the city, everything here seemed frozen in another era.

I looked around for the old woman, only to see her heading upstairs to the second floor.

I was left alone on the ground floor, a basket still in my hands.

Confused, I stood there for several seconds before finally making my way toward what I assumed was the kitchen.

Weird.

I had the strange feeling that I couldn't get lost in this house.

I somehow knew where to go, even though I was only guessing and hoping I was right.

When I opened the door, a clean and spacious kitchen greeted me.

I immediately placed the basket on the table and looked around.

It looked like a perfectly normal kitchen.

There was nothing unusual about it.

I leaned against the counter, trying to remember how I had even gotten here.

I hadn't even known that an island like this existed.

It wasn't on any map.

If only I hadn't lost my phone, maybe I could have used it to search the location on the internet.

I was still standing there when I heard something rustle.

I immediately straightened.

A few seconds later, I heard footsteps approaching, as though someone was coming toward the kitchen.

I held my breath as I waited for whoever it was to reach me.

I finally relaxed when the old woman entered.

"Are you all right, Primrose?"

I nodded and watched as she approached the basket.

She took several fruits out of it.

"W-Who are you again?"

She looked at me, confusion written all over her face.

"What happened to you?"

"I-I slipped earlier and hit my head. I don't know why, but I seem to have forgotten even who I am."

I lied.

Concern immediately replaced the confusion on her face.

"Are you all right? Are you hurt? Let me see."

She hurried toward me and reached for my head to examine it.

I didn't resist and simply let her.

When she finished, she smacked me lightly on the shoulder.

"You really are something, child! You need to be careful! You can't get yourself hurt—not even a scratch!"

Her warning made me frown.

"W-Why?"

She froze for a moment and looked away before continuing what she was doing.

"Never mind. I'm your Nana Marty. Now go... return to your room and get some rest. We'll talk about what happened to you tomorrow. Tell me if you're feeling any pain, all right?"

I could only nod before following her instructions.

Just like I had somehow found my way to the kitchen, I immediately found the room Nana Marty had called mine.

It was directly across from another door. I had no idea who occupied the room behind it.

I entered mine and was greeted by a slightly old bed that still looked sturdy.

There was a lampshade beside it and a cabinet against the wall.

The room was filled with a scent that reminded me of myself.

It smelled like me.

Was that even possible?

I'd never been here before.

This was something that needed an explanation.

The longer I stayed in this place, the more questions filled my mind.

Instead of lying down, I walked toward the curtains swaying in the breeze from the open window.

I looked outside.

The moon was slowly returning to its normal color. The blood-red glow was fading.

The night breeze brushed against my skin as I watched the trees and their leaves dance in the darkness.

I could hear the calls of animals in the distance, though I didn't pay much attention to them.

Not when I suddenly felt as though someone was watching me from the side.

I turned around.

Nothing.

Only the terrace of the neighboring room was visible.

I frowned and shook my head.

I must be hallucinating.

Maybe I was simply getting too caught up in the strange atmosphere of this place.

I decided to go back inside and close the curtains completely.

I needed to sleep.

Tomorrow, I would find out what had really happened to me—and where the hell on Earth I was.

I closed my eyes.

The image of my brother flashed through my mind.

And eventually, I felt myself falling into darkness.

I didn't know how long I had been asleep when I felt something warm against my face.

It was as though someone was beside me, breathing softly against my skin.

My heart pounded violently.

There was something strange about the sensation.

I immediately opened my eyes.

I felt cold.

I looked to my side.

No one was there.

Am I dreaming?

But I had really felt it.

It was as though someone was whispering into my ear while gently caressing my hair.

Even now, I could still feel the fingers that had brushed through my hair while I slept.

But there was no one there.

Fear immediately took over.

I sat up, planning to leave the room and find Nana Marty.

There was no way I would be able to sleep again after what had just happened.

I took a jacket from the closet and wrapped it around myself, trying to warm my trembling body.

Hugging myself, I walked through the dark hallway toward Nana Marty's room.

For some inexplicable reason, I somehow knew exactly where it was.

But before I could take another step, three consecutive loud thuds came from the opposite direction.

They were coming from another room near mine.

I frowned and turned toward the sound, listening carefully for anything else.

The house fell silent again.

Just as I was about to move, I heard another thud.

Then a faint voice.

I didn't hesitate.

I followed the sound immediately.

It led me to a room whose door I had no idea what was hiding behind.

But I couldn't ignore the anxiety and curiosity building inside me when I heard the voice again.

I pressed my ear against the door to listen more closely.

I could hear someone screaming.

They sounded distressed.

As if they were begging for help.

My anxiety intensified.

Should I go inside?

Or should I pretend I hadn't heard anything?

But something inside me desperately wanted to open that door.

And unconsciously...

I did.

It was too late before I realized that I had already opened it.

I stepped inside.

The room was dark, with the only source of light coming from a lampshade on the nightstand.

I was about to take another step when I heard another groan—a suppressed scream.

I turned around immediately.

And froze.

Someone was taped and shackled.

My eyes widened and filled with tears when I realized who it was.

His expression was exhausted and worried.

He looked at me as though begging me for help.

He was sweating, his hair unkempt, his body covered in bruises and wounds.

As tears began streaming down my face, I covered my mouth.

I couldn't believe I was seeing him like this.

I couldn't even begin to comprehend that he was alive.

The old woman in the forest had been right.

This was where I would find the person who had been missing from my life for so long.

"K-Kuya..."

My voice cracked.

The next thing I knew, I was running toward him, sobbing uncontrollably.

He was still struggling against his restraints, shaking his head at me.

He looked terrified.

As though he was desperately telling me to run.

But I didn't run away.

I raced toward him.

"Kuya! Thank God! Thank God you're safe! I looked for you everywhere. I never stopped. I-I never forgot you!"

I cried as I wrapped my arms around him.

My entire body was shaking.

So was his.

I felt his shoulder tremble.

He was crying too.

I was sure of it.

I gently ran my fingers through his hair and caressed it.

Little by little, my heart began to calm.

He was alive.

I had known it.

He was still alive.

But...

Before I could even celebrate finding my brother after ten long years, a cold hand suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me away from him.

The next thing I knew, another hand had wrapped around my neck.

It tightened.

He lifted me off the ground.

I kicked wildly, desperately trying to escape his grip.

It hurt.

My vision blurred as I struggled for air.

I could hear my brother screaming, but his voice slowly faded beneath the deafening pounding of my heart.

Then I felt something sharp pierce my flesh.

Like a long, pointed nail.

It burned.

"I already warned everyone not to intrude into a room they're not allowed to enter. And yet here you are."

His voice was deep and dangerous.

"A foolish, stubborn girl dared to break my rule."

Fear coursed through me.

"L-Let me go!"

The creature growled in disapproval.

"L-Let me go... and my b-brother!"

I struck his arm, but I could barely breathe.

The creature didn't even move.

Instead, he tilted his head as though studying my face.

It was too dark for me to see his features clearly.

But his flaming scarlet eyes revealed everything I needed to know.

A vampire.

I had never believed they existed until now.

But one was standing right in front of me.

He was a vampire.

He abducted my brother.

What does he want?

I heard him chuckle devilishly before he finally released me.

I collapsed onto the cold floor, coughing as I clutched my throat.

I could feel blood trickling from the wounds he had inflicted.

"Ahh... the smell of your blood. The taste."

He slowly raised his hand.

He was licking my blood from his finger.

"It makes me thirsty for more."

I almost vomited.

"Y-You're a monster!"

His terrifying, dangerous laughter echoed through the room before gradually fading.

"I am."

His voice was almost amused.

"I am bloodthirsty..."

His crimson eyes glowed in the darkness.

"And I want your blood."

"Never!"

I shouted the word with everything I had.

His eyes darkened.

He grabbed my jaw.

I could still hear my brother crying.

I nearly screamed from the terror and pain when, with a simple wave of his hand, my brother's body slammed against the wall.

A cry of agony escaped him.

An invisible force pinned him there, as though chains had wrapped themselves around his body.

"No!"

I wailed.

I couldn't bear watching my brother suffer.

I was terrified he would die because of what this monster was doing to him.

I tried to stand and run toward him.

But something prevented me from moving.

"Look at how easily I can do whatever I want."

His voice was cold.

"Your brother will suffer, and it's because of you."

"What do you want?! What the fuck do you want in exchange for sparing my brother's life?!"

I forced the words out through my tears.

I was desperate.

I'd spent ten years without my brother.

And now that I'd finally found him, this was the state I had found him in?

No.

No.

"I told you already."

His gaze remained fixed on me.

"I want your blood."

"In return, you'll free my brother?"

I didn't want to agree.

But I had no choice.

I couldn't risk my brother's life.

We had no way to fight this creature.

There was nothing else I could do but give him what he wanted.

"Of course. He'll be free."

His voice was calm.

"He'll be safe."

He paused.

"I don't like men's blood. I prefer women..."

His eyes narrowed.

"And I want yours."

I squinted, trying to see his face, but it remained hidden in the shadows.

He stood tall—composed, powerful.

There was something terrifyingly graceful about him.

And something told me...

He always gets what he wants.

Still, I couldn't see his face.

I didn't know what he looked like.

But there was one thing I couldn't bring myself to admit.

There was something peculiar about the sensation I felt around this creature.

Something I couldn't explain.

Something about him stirred a strange feeling deep inside me.

I lost myself in those thoughts until I heard my brother Trevor groan again.

I could hear his muffled protests, his desperate refusal.

But there was nothing I could do.

Then, in an instant, I felt two hot, sharp points sink into my neck.

My breath caught.

It felt as though something was drawing the life straight out of my body.

The pain radiated through me—sharp, burning, unbearable.

But I stayed still.

I clutched his shoulder as he fed, sealing the deal I had never wanted to make.

My blood... for my brother's life.

When he finally pulled away, his breath brushed against my skin.

Cold.

Unearthly.

He leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper.

Yet somehow, it echoed through me like a forgotten song.

"Some doors were never meant to be reopened..."

I froze.

"...but here you are."

I didn't know him.

I didn't know this world.

But something about his words...

The way he said here you are...

It made me feel as though I had walked into something far older than I could ever understand.

And I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk back out.