Monday morning. Arav entered class, his mind still lost in the memories of Friday night. Kayen's touch on his lips, his confession, that midnight journey—everything seemed so unreal.
But Kayen was real. And he was a vampire.
Arav sat in his usual seat. A few minutes later, Kayen entered the classroom. Their eyes met. Kayen gave a small smile—just for him—and came to sit beside him.
"Good morning," Kayen whispered, so softly that only Arav could hear.
"Morning," Arav replied, his face warming up.
The class started, but Arav couldn't concentrate. His mind kept wandering to questions. If Kayen was a vampire, did he drink blood? Had he ever killed anyone? How had he survived for 1050 years?
And the biggest question—why him? Why Arav?
After class, Kayen caught his hand as he was leaving.
"Free this evening?" he asked.
"I... I have an assignment due—"
"Finish it. Then meet me. Same place as Friday night. 8 PM."
Before Arav could respond, Kayen had left.
That evening, Arav reached the viewpoint at exactly 8 PM. Kayen was already there, standing at the edge, looking at the city.
"You came," Kayen said without turning around.
"You asked me to," Arav replied, walking closer.
Kayen turned. In the dim light, his features looked even more otherworldly. Sharp cheekbones, pale skin, those dark eyes with their red gleam.
"You have questions," Kayen stated. "Ask."
Arav took a breath. "Do you... drink blood?"
"Yes."
"Human blood?"
Kayen's jaw tightened. "Sometimes. But not often. I can survive on animal blood. And in the modern world, there are... other ways. Blood banks. Willing donors."
"Have you killed anyone?"
A long pause. "Yes. In my past. When I was young, wild. But not in the last two centuries. I've learned control."
Arav felt a chill but continued. "Why me? Why are you interested in me?"
Kayen stepped closer, his eyes intense. "That's what I need to explain. Come, sit."
They sat on a flat rock overlooking the city. Kayen began speaking, his voice low and measured.
"In the vampire world, there's a concept called 'blood resonance.' Sometimes, very rarely, a vampire encounters a human whose blood calls to them in a way nothing else does. It's not just hunger—it's recognition. Like finding a part of yourself you didn't know was missing."
Arav's heart started beating faster. "And I'm...?"
"Your blood resonates with mine," Kayen said, his eyes locked on Arav's neck. "From the moment you stumbled into that jungle, bleeding from those thorn scratches, I could smell it. Sweet, intoxicating, impossible to ignore."
"So you followed me because of my blood?" Arav felt a sting of disappointment.
"Initially, yes," Kayen admitted. "But then I watched you. Your kindness with your friends. Your discomfort at that party. The way you stood up to Karan even when you were scared. You're not just your blood, Arav. You're... extraordinary."
"I'm ordinary," Arav protested. "I'm just a college student—"
"No." Kayen's hand cupped his face. "There's something in your lineage. Your ancestry. I can sense it. You're not purely human, Arav. Somewhere in your bloodline, there's something else. Something ancient."
Arav pulled back, shocked. "What? That's impossible. My family is normal—"
"Are you sure?" Kayen asked. "Have you ever felt different? Seen things others couldn't? Had dreams that felt too real?"
Arav's mind raced back. The strange intuitions he'd always had. The way he could sense people's emotions. Those vivid dreams of ancient temples and forests he'd never visited.
"I... I thought everyone experienced that," he whispered.
"They don't," Kayen said gently. "Arav, I think you have supernatural ancestry. Maybe a witch, maybe something else. It's dormant, but it's there. And it's why your blood calls to me so powerfully."
Arav stood up abruptly, pacing. "This is too much. First you're a vampire, now I'm not fully human? What's next?"
"I know it's overwhelming—"
"Overwhelming?" Arav laughed, a bit hysterically. "My entire reality has been turned upside down!"
Kayen stood, approaching him carefully. "I'm sorry. I should have waited, eased you into this—"
"No." Arav stopped pacing, turned to face him. "No, I want to know. I need to know. If there's something in me, something different, I have the right to understand it."
Kayen's expression softened with admiration. "You're brave."
"I'm terrified," Arav corrected. "But tell me everything. What could I be? How do we find out?"
"There are ways," Kayen said. "Tests. Rituals. I know someone who can help—a witch who lives in Bangkok. She specializes in bloodline reading."
"A witch?" Arav's eyes widened. "There are witches too?"
Kayen smiled slightly. "Arav, there's an entire hidden world alongside yours. Vampires, witches, shape-shifters, spirits. We've always been here, just hidden."
Arav sat back down heavily. "This is insane."
"Do you want to meet her? The witch?" Kayen asked. "She can tell us about your bloodline. But only if you're ready."
Arav thought for a long moment. His whole life, he'd felt slightly out of place, like he didn't quite fit in the normal world. Maybe this was why.
"Yes," he said finally. "I want to know."
Kayen nodded. "Tomorrow night. I'll take you to her."
They sat in silence for a while, looking at the city lights.
"Kayen?" Arav said quietly.
"Yes?"
"When you say my blood calls to you... does that make it hard? Being near me?"
Kayen turned to him, his eyes serious. "Every moment. Your scent, your heartbeat, the blood flowing through your veins—it's a constant temptation. But I would never hurt you, Arav. I'd rather starve."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because," Kayen reached out, threading his fingers through Arav's, "you're not just food to me. You're not just your blood. You're... everything I've been searching for in a thousand years."
Arav's breath caught. "That's a long time to be alone."
"It is," Kayen agreed. "But maybe it was worth it. To find you."
Arav leaned his head on Kayen's shoulder—cold but comforting. "I'm scared."
"Of me?"
"Of what I'm feeling. Of what I might be. Of all of this."
Kayen's arm came around him. "Fear is wise. But don't let it stop you from living, from discovering who you truly are."
They stayed like that until the moon rose high, two beings from different worlds, connected by blood and something deeper neither could fully name yet.
The next day at university, Arav noticed things he'd never paid attention to before. The way some people seemed to shimmer slightly at the edges. The cold spots in certain hallways. The feeling of being watched by more than just human eyes.
Was he imagining it, or had knowing about the supernatural world somehow made him more aware of it?
In the cafeteria, Min noticed his distraction.
"Earth to Arav! You've been spacing out all day. Still thinking about Friday night?" She grinned. "You disappeared with Kayen. Spill!"
"We just... talked," Arav said, which was technically true.
"Just talked?" Min looked skeptical. "For the entire night? You didn't come back to the party."
"We went for a drive. Looked at the city."
"Romantic," Min teased. Then her expression turned more serious. "But be careful, okay? Kayen is... intense. And we don't really know much about him."
*You have no idea how right you are,* Arav thought but just nodded.
Across the cafeteria, he spotted Karan watching them. When their eyes met, Karan quickly looked away, but not before Arav saw something in his expression—hurt mixed with anger.
After classes, Arav went back to his dorm to prepare for the evening. Kayen had texted: *Wear something comfortable. Bring an open mind.*
At 7 PM, Kayen picked him up on his motorcycle. They rode through Bangkok's streets, but this time they headed to a different area—Chinatown, with its narrow alleys and old shophouses.
Kayen parked in front of what looked like an antique shop. The windows were dusty, displaying old bronze statues and faded silk paintings.
"She's upstairs," Kayen said, leading Arav to a side entrance.
They climbed narrow wooden stairs that creaked with each step. At the top, a door with strange symbols carved into it.
Kayen knocked three times.
The door opened.
A woman stood there—ageless, with long silver hair despite a youthful face. Her eyes were an unusual violet color, and she wore layers of flowing fabrics in deep purples and blacks.
"Kayen," she said, her voice melodious. "It's been two years."
"Mae Siri," Kayen bowed slightly. "Thank you for seeing us."
Her violet eyes turned to Arav, and he felt like she was looking through him, not at him.
"So this is the one," she said softly. "The one whose blood sings. Come in, young one. Let's see what secrets your lineage holds."
Arav stepped inside, Kayen's hand reassuring on his back.
The room was filled with candles, crystals, books stacked everywhere, and herbs hanging from the ceiling. The air smelled of incense and something else—something magical.
"Sit," Mae Siri gestured to a cushion on the floor. A low table separated them.
Arav sat, Kayen beside him.
Mae Siri took Arav's hands in hers. Her touch was warm, unlike Kayen's cold fingers.
"Close your eyes," she instructed. "Breathe. Let me see..."
Arav closed his eyes. He felt a tingling sensation starting in his hands, spreading up his arms, through his whole body.
Mae Siri gasped.
Arav's eyes flew open. "What? What is it?"
The witch was staring at him with wide eyes, something like awe on her face.
"Your bloodline..." she whispered. "It's not just one thing. It's multiple. You're a convergence, child. Very rare. Very powerful."
"What does that mean?" Arav asked nervously.
Mae Siri released his hands, sat back. "In your ancestry, I see witch blood—strong, from your mother's line. But also something else. Shape-shifter, perhaps three generations back. And..." she paused, looking uncertain for the first time, "something divine. Very old. Temple guardian blood, I think. Thai celestial beings."
Kayen leaned forward. "A convergence of three bloodlines?"
"At least," Mae Siri confirmed. "No wonder his blood resonates so strongly with you, vampire. He's not just special—he's extraordinary. One in a million. Perhaps one in ten million."
Arav felt overwhelmed. "But I can't do anything supernatural. I'm just... normal."
"Dormant," Mae Siri corrected. "Your powers are sleeping. They might have awakened naturally as you got older, or they might have stayed dormant forever. But now..." she looked at Kayen, "being close to active supernatural beings, especially one as powerful as this vampire, will start to wake them."
"Wake them how?" Arav asked.
"You'll start seeing things. Sensing things. Maybe small abilities at first—enhanced intuition, emotional reading, perhaps minor telekinesis or energy manipulation. The witch blood will likely manifest first."
Arav's head was spinning. "I don't... I can't..."
Kayen's hand found his. "Breathe, Arav."
"This is why vampires are drawn to him?" Kayen asked Mae Siri.
"Not just vampires," she said grimly. "Once his powers start to wake, other beings will sense him too. Some will be curious. Some will want to protect him. And some..." she paused, "some will want to consume that power for themselves."
"He'll need protection," Kayen said, his voice hard.
"He'll need training," Mae Siri corrected. "I can teach him to control and hide his emerging abilities. But Kayen, you should know—a convergence bloodline bonding with a vampire... that's unprecedented. There could be consequences neither of us can predict."
"What kind of consequences?" Arav found his voice.
Mae Siri looked between them. "Your powers might amplify each other. The bond might become... unbreakable. Literal, not just emotional. And if anything happens to one of you..." she trailed off.
"What?" Arav pressed.
"The other might not survive it," she finished quietly.
The room fell silent except for the flickering of candles.
Arav looked at Kayen, who was staring at the floor, jaw clenched.
"Maybe..." Arav started, his voice small, "maybe we should stop this. Before it goes too far. If it's dangerous—"
"No." Kayen's head snapped up, his eyes fierce. "I won't give you up. Not now. Not ever."
"But if it could hurt you—"
"I don't care," Kayen said intensely. "A thousand years I've been alone, Arav. I'll risk anything for this. For you."
Arav's eyes filled with tears. "You're insane."
"Probably," Kayen smiled slightly. "Is that a problem?"
Despite everything, Arav laughed, wiping his eyes. "Yes. But I'm apparently insane too, because I don't want to stop either."
Mae Siri watched them with a soft expression. "Young love. Even supernatural complications can't stand against it." She stood. "Come back tomorrow night. I'll start teaching you, Arav. How to sense your power, how to control it, how to hide it when needed."
"Thank you," Arav said sincerely.
As they left, Mae Siri called after them. "Kayen? Protect him. Something is coming. I can feel it in the air. Your bond has already started forming, and it's sending ripples through the supernatural world."
"I will," Kayen promised.
On the ride back, Arav held Kayen tighter than before. Everything had changed again. He wasn't just a normal human falling for a vampire. He was something else entirely.
And somewhere in Bangkok's shadows, that information was already spreading.
In a dark room across the city, a figure sat up, eyes glowing red in the darkness.
"A convergence," a voice hissed. "After all these years. Find him. Bring him to me."
"And the vampire protecting him?" another voice asked.
"Kill him if necessary. But I want the boy alive. That much power... it's too valuable to waste."
The hunt had begun.