1
Day One -
A Night with Fate
———
Muddy ground stretched beneath a scattered carpet of leaves, their colors shifting between shades of brown and pale yellow. A cold breeze passed through the trees, sending a few dry leaves drifting to the ground.
The traveler walked unsteadily along the rough road, his footsteps crushing the brittle leaves beneath him. Nothing broke the silence except the wind and the soft crackle of leaves beneath his feet.
How much time had passed?
He glanced at the pocket watch in his hand. It was nearly eleven twenty-five at night.
He raised his head and looked at the full moon illuminating the path ahead.
"It has been nearly a hundred years since that day."
He ran his fingers over his cracked lips as he looked toward the castle standing high upon the mountain before him.
He whispered again, his hoarse voice sounding as though his throat were on the verge of bleeding.
"At last... I have reached my destination."
——
He pushed open the tall black iron gate and looked around.
He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.
Tall trees stood with yellowing leaves, while the dry grass below them had been left untrimmed.
He swallowed hard, steadied his breathing, and continued into the front garden.
But beyond the towering castle stood a vast garden filled with beautiful red roses.
And there she was.
Then, in a whisper that hissed like a serpent, he said,
"My mate."
The woman looked at him with crimson-red eyes, her fangs buried in the neck of the pale corpse in her arms as she drank the last drop of blood from its lifeless body.
A peculiar gleam lit her eyes.
She released the limp body, letting it fall to the ground, then closed her eyes and released a sigh of relief.
Blood stained her white silk dress, leaving dark patches that stretched from the top of the gown to its hem.
Once her thirst was satisfied, she opened her eyes and turned her gaze toward the pale man standing before her.
"Who are you?"
"A traveler."
The woman smiled, then licked the remaining blood from her fingers.
"I would have offered you some hospitality, but as you can see..."
She glanced down at the human body on the ground.
"You arrived too late."
The man smiled.
"If you don't mind, I would like to stay for the night."
She smiled back. Her eyes slowly returned to their deep, dark black.
"You can come inside, stranger."
