C H A P T E R 2

SELENA,

Walking through this dark corridor, I felt a cold breeze enveloping me as if it were an exit. So, I followed that path, relying on the warm glow from the lamp I held as my guide.

The entire surroundings are enveloped in darkness, accompanied by a gentle whisper of the wind. Nothing else is in sight except for the ancient wall, covered in cobwebs and dust, evidence of the neglect that has plagued this place for a long time.

Each step I took filled my heart with anxiety and fear. In the intense darkness of this passage, I felt like something was pulling me toward the corners of the walls, ready to swallow me in darkness.

Various unsettling thoughts raced through my mind, intensifying my fear of what I might encounter in the darkness. But I gathered my courage and pushed forward, determined to reach the end of this corridor.

Upon reaching the end, I faced two separate passageways, each adorned with torches on their sides. I lit them one by one, illuminating the surroundings.

"Hmm, which path should I follow?" I wondered, placing my hand under my chin while feeling the air around me.

A strong gust of cold wind blew to the left, indicating it led outside the manor. However, I couldn't help but wonder where the other passage led.

"Where could this one lead?" I pondered, but I decided first to explore the left passage. I walked in darkness for several minutes until I reached a small and narrow doorway.

It was partially covered by ivy, and when I attempted to open it, I discovered it was locked with a metal handle.

"Oh, what a pity. I can't open it," I whispered, peering outside. I could only see greenery, trees, and a garden surrounding me. However, what intrigued me was why I had never explored this part of the manor before.

As children, we wandered around the area, and I often got lost due to its vastness. Little did I know there was a hidden garden within this manor.

It seemed neglected, as the plants had overgrown and spread over old chairs, nearly engulfing the gazebo standing in the middle of the garden.

Perhaps tomorrow, I will instruct gardeners to restore it, but the question is, will we find it tomorrow?

I shook my head. It appeared that I wouldn't have time to attend to this old garden tomorrow, considering the workload as the newly appointed Duchess of the Alpin Estate.

I walked back to the corridor leading to my room, passing by the two passages once again. I stared at them, contemplating whether I should also explore this part of the mansion. Surely, there couldn't be any ghosts or monsters lurking here, right?

I nodded, agreeing with myself, and chuckled at my own thoughts. I continued walking, gradually overcoming the fear that had gripped me earlier. My eyes and senses began to acclimate to the darkness.

Finally, I reached the last passage, and a door stood before me. "I wonder if it's locked?" I asked myself, attempting to open it. After a few persistent pushes and shoves, I finally unlocked and opened it, only to be startled by what I saw.

I nearly dropped the lamp in my hand in shock at the sight of a child crouched in the corner.

My trembling hand moved the lamp closer to shed light on his face, but he remained turned away from me, and I couldn't tell if he was even alive.

"Ch-child?" I stammered, my voice trembling with fear, my hands shaking uncontrollably from anxiety.

He didn't respond, but I noticed a slight movement, which relieved me, knowing they were still alive.

I approached the child and asked, "What are you doing here? Why are you locked up?" Curiosity and bewilderment filled my voice.

I am concerned about him because he is extremely thin, and you wouldn't expect him to be still alive. The place we're in is somewhat foul-smelling, and he seems to be shivering because he's only wrapped in a white cloth.

I'm not sure if my assumption about his gender is correct because he doesn't face my direction, and it's difficult for me to determine due to his physique.

What is a child doing inside a prison cell and in such a place? Why is he being hidden and confined in this secret hideout?

I furrowed my brow and immediately looked for the key to his cell. I'm annoyed because who could be heartless enough to do this to a defenseless child?

I scanned the entire place and saw the hanging key on the side of the door, far from his cell. I quickly grabbed it and searched for the right key that would open the cell separating us.

"Just hold on. I'll let you out in a moment," I said, rapidly going through each key in my hand, and after trying five different ones, the lock on the cell finally clicked open.

A loud noise echoed as I opened the prison cell. It was evident that this cell was rusty and very old, but because he was so weak and powerless, he couldn't open it or escape from there.

Despite feeling anxious, I slowly walked into the cell where he was confined. I sat beside him and held his shoulders, but he suddenly bit my hand, and blood gushed out.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked fearfully, but he didn't release his grip on my hand.

I felt his fangs sink deeply into my flesh as if they were numbing my knees.

Although I wanted to scream or run, I felt as if I were hypnotized and unable to move from my seat.

I closed my eyes and didn't understand why a strange heat was spreading throughout my body, making it difficult for me to breathe.

It felt as if my entire body was being set on fire, and I experienced sensations I had never felt before.

But this couldn't be happening! I needed to fight against this strange feeling and escape from this place.

So, I quickly opened my eyes and attempted to push him away, but my jaw almost dropped when I realized the child was no longer in front of me.

The thin body from earlier had transformed into the body of a young man. He had gained weight, and it seemed like magic had changed his appearance before my eyes.

I couldn't utter a word, and nothing came out of my mouth. I just stared at him, and when he faced me, it felt as if my heart stopped for a moment.

While he continued to consume my blood, he looked at me with his crimson eyes, long lashes batting. His nose was straight, and his lips were red from my blood, but his skin was deathly pale as if it lacked blood.

Like a cold corpse.

He noticed my silence and continued to stare at me, using his intense gaze as if he were hypnotizing me, commanding me not to move or make a sound.

I realized that I wasn't responding and kept staring into his eyes. It was as if he had placed me under his spell, preventing me from moving or making a sound.

I blinked several times because my mind couldn't grasp everything that was happening before me.

I looked at my hand and moved it around, even raising it to get a better view, but there wasn't a trace of blood or a wound to be found.

I looked at him and saw his lips marked with my blood. I know he bit me, but why is there no wound?

And earlier, he was a child, but now he's a fully grown man in front of me.

I massaged my forehead, trying to make sense of everything. What is happening? Why can't I keep up with all the events that unfolded in this cell?

I looked at him, and he seemed puzzled and concerned about my behavior, so I faced him and examined him closely.

"You were a child earlier, right?" I asked as he tilted his head.

Wait, does he understand me? Can he speak?

"Uh, wait a minute, earlier, you were this small, right? And you were thin, like this," I explained, mimicking everything I said in front of him.

"I'm not a child," he replied, surprising me because I didn't realize he could speak, and his voice sounded completely grown-up. If that's the case, how did he appear as a child to me earlier?

Am I getting sleepy? Am I lacking sleep, or am I just exhausted from the journey?

"You're not a child, are you? Then what are you? Why did you bite me and drink my blood? And now, where is my wound?" I asked him, but he didn't respond. He just stared at me, so I gave him a serious look.

If he didn't want to tell me, then I would find the answers myself.

I took out a pin from my clothes and used it to cut my finger. Her body reacted to its smell as soon as the blood started flowing, which surprised me.

"Do you want my blood? Tell me what kind of creature you are," I asked and commanded him. He nodded in front of me, and I brought my finger closer to him.

I watched as he licked the blood on my finger, and I didn't understand why my heart started beating faster again.

He sucked my finger multiple times and savored the blood that flowed from it, but as he did, my wound slowly closed.

He stopped when he completely healed my wound and held my hands.

He approached me, which startled me, but I couldn't resist because I couldn't take my eyes off his crimson gaze.

He brought his face close to mine and gently held my chin. "Of all the blood I've tasted, yours is the sweetest," he whispered while looking directly into my eyes, and I could only swallow in anticipation of what he might do.

"Can I taste you more?" he asked, and I couldn't respond. As I stared into his eyes, I felt like I was falling into a deep dream, so I forced myself to close them.

"N-No, you have to tell me what kind of creature you are first!" I stammered, feeling a warm kiss on my neck, causing me to push him away, but he quickly grabbed my hand and restrained me.

"W-What are you doing?" I stammered, and he tilted her head slightly as if questioning.

"I'm tasting you," he answered seriously, which embarrassed me even more. I felt my face getting hot and turning red.

"Do you know who I am? What you're doing is a sin!" I shouted at him, not expecting him to be scared of me, and remained silent as he slowly moved away from me.

He was like a child afraid of my voice, and I felt a pang of conscience for scolding him. I was slightly remorseful because he seemed like a small rabbit that had seen a big lion in front of her.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was just a little scared of what you did to me, and I'm not used to being kissed by an unfamiliar man," I explained to him, not knowing why I felt the need to explain myself.

"Was what I did wrong?" he innocently asked, and why did I suddenly feel guilty for yelling at him?

It felt like I had scolded a child in front of me. I shook my head at him and answered, "It's wrong if you knew it was wrong but still did it. However, if you didn't know it was wrong, maybe I can forgive you if you answered the questions I asked earlier," I said seriously and crossed my arms in front of him.

He looked at me directly and seriously responded to my questions.

"I am a creature called a vampire."