I sat hidden in the shadow, my gaze slipping through the slits of the old, worn blinds, tracing Danifae inch by delicate inch. She was speaking to that half-dead sweet pea plant, her voice soft and gentle, like a breeze brushing against midnight roses. The world was filthy and cruel, yet she still held onto this purity, this… fragility. My fingers unconsciously stroked the marble windowsill; the cold, unyielding touch stood in stark contrast to the fire raging inside me.
I am Charles, heir to the werewolf lineage. Arrogant, cold—those were the labels the world gave me. But in front of her, every last piece of that facade crumbled to dust. I loved her, down to my very bones. I loved the crescent curve at the corner of her eyes when she smiled, the faint, unconscious tilt of her lips as she slept, even the occasional exhaustion that crossed her face when she had to take part-time jobs to scrape by.
The neighborhood had grown restless lately. A faint, putrid stench lingered in the air, one that belonged neither to vampires, nor werewolves, nor those foolish humans. It was older, far more venomous. My instincts, and the restless beast coiled deep within my blood, roared in warning—danger was drawing near.
She stood and stretched, and even that faded, washed apron looked strangely lovely on her. She was heading to the flower shop. My brow furrowed, irritation coiling tight in my chest. She never listened. I had told her, clearly, to avoid going out at night as much as possible. But she was always too kind; once she gave her word, she would keep it, no matter the risk.
"Charles?" She turned suddenly, as if sensing something. Her amber eyes held the glow of moonlight, bright and unguarded.
I did not move, suppressing my breath and presence to the very limit. She could not see me, yet I could feel how sharp her intuition was—that was the advantage of the vampire blood, an unnatural sensitivity to the world around them. I held my breath until she shook her head softly, laughing at herself in quiet self-mockery. "Really… I've been so paranoid these days."
She picked up a tattered canvas bag and pushed the door open into the night. I followed like a shadow, silent and unseen, gliding just behind her. The streetlamps cast a dim, yellow glow, stretching her figure thin and long. She walked with light, graceful steps; even when life weighed heavily on her, crushing her until she could barely breathe, she never complained. Instead, she gave what little warmth she had to comfort those around her. Foolish girl. Such a foolish, precious girl.
"Little Danifae! Off to the flower shop again?" A portly middle-aged man stuck his head out of a roadside tavern, his breath reeking of alcohol as he waved at her. That was Edgar, a half-breed—half human, half vampire—who made his living trading shady goods of unknown origin. The way he looked at her made my skin crawl.
Danifae smiled politely and quickened her pace. To me, that smile felt forced, a polite mask she wore for the world. The beast inside me let out a low, guttural snarl, nearly bursting forth to tear that offensive man to shreds. But I couldn't. I had to remain calm. My duty was to protect her, not stir up unnecessary trouble.
I noticed the moonstone pendant I'd given her, hanging around her neck, its light dimmed. The charm was meant to sense and absorb nearby evil. For it to fade so completely… it could only mean one thing.
Danger was already upon us.
A strange, fetid wind swept past without warning. The putrid stench in the air thickened tenfold. Every hair on my body stood on end, adrenaline surging through my veins like wildfire.
"Danifae, look out!" I didn't think. I just moved.
Before she could react, a shadowy figure lunged from behind a pile of trash cans by the street. Its speed was unnatural, its form blurred, like a mass of churning darkness. Its sharp, clawed hand shot straight for her throat.
"Aah!" She let out a startled cry, stumbling backward in instinctive terror.
I was in front of her in an instant, slamming my fist into the shadow. The blow carried the sharp, brutal force of my werewolf strength, and I could feel my bones shifting faintly, the wild power within me awakening. The shadow let out a piercing shriek, the sound like nails scraping against glass, making my scalp prickle. It seemed to have no physical form; when my fist tore through it, it simply scattered… then reconstituted itself, unharmed.
"What is that thing?" Danifae's face was pale, pressed safely behind me, her voice trembling. She had never seen anything like this—not the common evil spirits written in old books.
I stood guard before her, staring fixedly at the writhing darkness. It had no eyes, no mouth, no nose, yet it radiated a malice so pure it made my blood run cold. A wraith? No. Wraiths were vicious, but their forms were never this indistinct. This thing… it was like something crawling up from the abyss, primal evil in its rawest form.
"Don't be afraid," I murmured, my voice steady, unshakable. But only I knew the werewolf inside me was screaming warnings. This creature was not easy prey.
The shadow attacked again, this time abandoning Danifae and lunging straight for me. It coiled around my arm like a venomous snake, cold and slimy, its touch corrosive. A sharp pain seared across my skin, and my muscles began to numb.
"Charles!" Danifae screamed my name in terror, stepping forward as if to help. Her slender fingers reached out, as if she intended to pull the darkness away from me.
"Stay back!" I snapped, sharp and urgent. One touch from that thing, and her fragile vampire constitution would not survive it. I ripped my arm free, flinging the shadow against the wall, where it left a black, scorched mark.
It was too fast. And it seemed immune to physical damage. I had not fully shifted into my wolf form; in human shape, my strength was limited. But for Danifae, I would risk everything.
"Go! Now!" I shouted at her, the command sharp, yet the worry in my eyes betrayed me.
Danifae froze. She had never seen me like this. Normally, I was gentle, with a quiet edge of dominance—never this desperate, this frantic. She did not obey. Instead, she clutched my sleeve tightly, amber eyes glistening with tears. "I'm not leaving! I won't let you face this alone…"
"Listen to me!" The words came out through gritted teeth. I could feel every strike weakening me. This was no ordinary physical attack. It was feeding on my life force.
Dizziness crashed over me. The shadow let out a low, rumbling hiss, as if it sensed my fading strength… or as if it mocked me. It charged again, hurtling straight toward my chest, as if intending to burrow inside my body.
"Charles!" Danifae shrieked.
In that instant, she let go of my sleeve. A faint, crimson light burst from her fingertips—weak, yet brimming with the pure, ancient energy of her vampire blood. She swung her hand sharply at the shadow.
The moment the red light touched the darkness, it was like fire meeting ice. A sharp, sizzling sound cut through the night. The shadow let out a horrible, agonized wail, its form shrinking visibly. For the first time, it showed pain—genuine, burning pain.
I stared, stunned.
Danifae?
When had she developed such power? I had never seen her use any vampire ability before. Her family was just an ordinary, minor vampire line, nothing special.
The shadow was clearly wounded. It twisted in rage, circling the air once, twice, before dissolving into a wisp of black smoke and vanishing into the night.
The danger passed.
My strength left me all at once, and I sank to one knee, the corrosive marks on my arm throbbing painfully.
Danifae hurried to support me, her hands cold and trembling. "You… are you all right? What about it—did it hurt you badly?" She was still worrying about the monster that had attacked us, so foolish it made my heart ache.
I lifted my head, looking deep into her eyes, my gaze lingering on the faint, fading red glow on her hand. "How… how did you do that?"
She bit her lip, her gaze darting away, like a child caught doing something wrong. "I… I don't know. I just… I was so scared you'd get hurt. And then… it just happened." Her explanation was messy, incoherent.
My heart jolted.
She had unlocked hidden power to protect me? This was not simple coincidence. I loved her purity. But that very purity only made me fear more. What would this power bring her? Protection… or far greater trouble?
"It's all right now," I whispered, pulling her tightly into my arms, breathing in her faint, sweet scent, feeling her small, trembling frame against me. My heart hammered violently in my chest.
But my mind had never been clearer.
This was no random attack. What had that thing been after? Danifae herself… or simply because she was with me? Where had her power come from? And what would my family—those stubborn, unyielding elders—do if they learned what she was capable of?
I lowered my head and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her hair. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, melting into my embrace. She trusted me so easily, giving herself to me completely, without reservation.
But I, Charles, heir to the werewolf clan, felt a weight I had never known before. I had to become stronger—far stronger—if I was to carve out a safe place for her in this dangerous, unforgiving world. This world was far more complex and cruel than she could ever imagine. And I would not let her be hurt again. Never.
I held her close, my gaze sweeping into the depths of the night, toward the spot where the shadow had vanished. Somewhere in the darkness, it felt as though countless pairs of eyes were watching us.
The real danger had only just begun.
I could feel it—a long-buried conspiracy, one that could shatter the fragile balance between all supernatural races, slowly rising to the surface. And Danifae, my Danifae… she might very well be the center of the coming storm.
My love would be her sword, and her greatest weakness.
What was I supposed to do? Should I hide her away, keep her from all conflict, or force her to face the world's cruelty head-on? For a moment, my mind was a tangled, chaotic mess.
She tilted her head up to look at me, her eyes holding a hint of unease, and a deeper, unshakable devotion. She had no idea of the storm raging inside me. She only knew that in my arms, she was safe. That trust was heavy enough to take my breath away… yet it only strengthened my resolve.
I had to find out the truth.
That shadow. Danifae's power. Everything.
I would uncover it all.