Tian Yu stirred awake as the first light of dawn touched the chamber. The memories of the previous night washed over him, flooding his chest with warmth he had never known before. He could still feel her touch, hear the soft tremor in her voice as she whispered, "I am not afraid of you."
Those words kept replaying in his mind, like a spell he could never escape. After months of marriage where she had turned away, refusing to look at him, she had finally chosen him—dragged him closer, refused to let him go. For the first time, he had tasted the fullness of her love.
A faint smile tugged his lips, yet his body ached as though carrying the weight of both pleasure and pain. Needing to cool his restless heart before she awoke, he closed his eyes and vanished from the chamber, reappearing by the quiet stream. There he sat upon a smooth stone, letting his legs drift into the water, trying to steady the storm inside him.
Back in the chamber, Yuyan stirred in her sleep. Her lips moved, calling out softly, "Tian Yu… Tian Yu…" Tears seeped from the corners of her eyes, soaking the pillow beneath her. Suddenly she jolted upright, breath ragged, chest heaving.
"Tian Yu…" she whispered again, tears cascading down her face. "I'm sorry…" Her voice broke, trembling with regret. Clutching the sheets to her chest as though it could shield her from the pain clawing within, she bowed her head. "Where… where has he gone?"
Memories of her own cruel words struck her heart like knives. Monster. Beast. Cursed blood. Demon prince. She had thrown those names at him in her moments of fear, and now each one came back to her, bitter as poison.
Her tears fell harder. "I promised to love you, to protect you… Yet I'm the one who wounded you most."
Yuyan rose quickly, dressing with trembling hands. She rushed outside, barefoot upon the cold stones, searching desperately. The garden lay empty. The courtyard silent. She darted through the palace corridors, checked every shadowed corner of their chamber, but he was nowhere to be found.
Her breaths grew shallow, panic tightening her chest. Then suddenly she remembered—the spell. The same spells she had once used to find him when he tried to hide from her.
"Will it still work?" she whispered, lifting her hand and staring at it as though it could speak with her her. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, held it for several heartbeats, then released it with trembling lips. Her mouth began to form strange words, flowing from her as though drawn out by mouth as she had only used them a day before.
The air shimmered faintly. Her body grew warm.
Then she heard it.
A voice, faint but clear, echoing inside her. His voice. He was murmuring her name. At the same time, her heart lurched—because she felt it: the steady, powerful thrum of his heartbeat.
"My blood flows in your heart, Tian Yu," she whispered, and for the first time since she woke up, a fragile smile broke through her tears. Her powers… her witch blood… had awakened.
With a single shift, her body dissolved into shimmering light.
When she opened her eyes, she stood before the quiet stream. Tian Yu was there, seated upon a stone, his long legs dangling lazily into the water. The ripples played around his ankles, the morning sun tracing his silhouette in silver.
Her breath caught. For a moment, she only stood there, watching the man who share her blood and her life.Tian Yu sensed her familiar scent drifting toward him, he turned. When he did, his eyes widened in shock to find Yuyan standing not far away, her figure trembling beneath the morning light. He rose to his feet at once and strode toward her.
"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" he demanded, searching her tearful eyes.
But instead of answering, Yuyan's lips quivered, and a sob broke free from her throat. "Why are you crying,did I hurt you?" Tian Yu asked confusion swirling in his gaze. Then, unable to bear her tears, he pulled her into his arms, his hand gently tapping her back. "Am sorry" she manage to say
"Don't cry… please. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I'm the one who hurt you," he whispered, thinking that he might have hurt her during their love making.
She shook her head fiercely, still sobbing. "No… I'm sorry, Tian Yu—"
Before she could finish, the air split with a sharp hiss. An arrow shot across the stream, its tip glinting with murderous intent. In a flash, Yuyan raised her hand, a streak of blue light bursting from her fingertip. The arrow disintegrated into sparks before it could touch them.
Tian Yu stiffened, his words dying on his lips. His senses sharpened, and the atmosphere shifted. The air grew heavy, charged with killing intent.
"You have…" His unfinished words trailed into silence as he noticed unnatural ripples spreading across the stream. One after another, shadows emerged, dark figures closing in from every side.
Yuyan's breath hitched, her tears forgotten.
"We are surrounded," Tian Yu murmured, his voice low and grim.
The first vampire charged at Tian Yu, blade aimed for his chest. Tian Yu twisted aside, catching the enemy's wrist and slamming it hard against his knee until the sword dropped. In one swift motion, he kicked the weapon into the air, caught it, and turned it back against his foe, cutting him down. Picking up another sword, he continues to fight.
At his side, Yuyan stood, her hands alive with power. Flames burst from her palms, engulfing the nearest vampire and reducing him to ash.
Another group of vampires lunged at them . Tian Yu's twin blades clashed and rang, sparks flying as steel struck steel. With a sharp twist, one blade deflected the strike while the other cut deep across the vampire's chest. As he quickly turned around to black another sword.
Yuyan moved like flowing fire, her fingers weaving arcs of light. She summoned a sphere of blue flame that exploded outward, consuming the last of their attackers in a searing blaze.
Silence fell over the stream. The scent of smoke and blood lingered in the air.