Blood Shadow's Favor.

Temporary cohabitation

Legend has it that there exists a race of unnatural beings, born from the corpses buried in ancient graves. Their skin is a deathly shade of violet, their appearance grotesque, sustained by the constant need for fresh human blood. The world knows them as vampires.

In a place untouched by humankind, there lies an isolated island. Thanks to its geographic position, the island remains perpetually shadowed, damp, and shrouded in darkness. This is where the fabled bloodline resides.

Contrary to popular belief, these vampires are of exquisite appearance, their beauty unmatched. They prefer the night, moving through the forests with ghostly speed. Some possess extraordinary intelligence, and their lifespans stretch for millennia. For generations, under the rule of a powerful lord, the vampires lived on the island by day, venturing into human lands by night to feed on blood.

But two hundred years ago, everything changed. The youngest and the first lord with human blood in his veins ascended to power, shattering the old ways. His rule was harsh, enforcing strict laws—no killing for blood, only animals could be hunted, and the vampires were permitted to walk among humans. Any who defied these laws were swiftly captured and brought back to the island for public execution.

Under his command, a group known as “The Beacon” emerged, each member a paragon of strength and skill. For two centuries, the bloodline lived under these new laws, bound by order and discipline. Most reluctantly accepted this way of life, though a few, unable to adapt, harbored secret resentment.

Aungel knew this well but had dismissed it as insignificant—until now.

As the last rays of sunlight slipped behind the mountains, leaving only a crimson hue in the sky, Aungel stood on the balcony, bathed in the twilight's eerie glow. He absently stroked the silver ring on his finger, his expression unreadable.

It seemed some were growing restless.

Aungel’s eyes narrowed as he let out a cold laugh. If it weren’t for certain reasons, he would have never taken up the mantle of lordship.

“Milord, I failed to protect you. Please, punish me.” The man kneeling before him spoke, his voice heavy with guilt. The lord had been attacked within his assigned region—a grave failure on his part.

“Rise. It wasn’t your fault.”

Luben stood, but the guilt remained etched on his face. “Allow me to escort you back to the island to tend to your wounds.”

“There’s no need to return yet.” Aungel’s injury presented the perfect opportunity to investigate those who had grown bold.

“But your wound…” Luben’s concern was evident.

“It’s just a minor cut from a worthless dagger. Nothing serious. Have all traces been cleaned up?”

“Yes, everything has been handled. There will be no issues.”

“Good. When you return, contact Teast and have him investigate our people, especially Floge.”

“Yes, milord. I’ll do so immediately.”

“One more thing—have the apartment near the company cleaned. I’ll be staying there. And don’t forget to deposit some money into the card and bring it to me tonight.”

“Yes, milord.”

Just as Luben finished speaking, the sound of light footsteps echoed from the doorway, followed by the jingle of keys.

Both men turned towards the door.

Aungel recognized the sound of Sarah’s footsteps.

“You should go now. Come back an hour after the lights go out,” Aungel ordered, quickly moving to sit on the sofa.

Luben hesitated for a moment, taken aback by the smoothness of Aungel’s actions. Just as the key was turning in the lock, Aungel glanced up, frowning. “Why are you still here?”

Realizing his delay, Luben swiftly turned and leaped off the balcony, disappearing into the night without a trace.

When Sarah entered, she noticed the curtains fluttering slightly, but attributed it to the wind and thought nothing more of it.

“Here.” Sarah placed a large shopping bag on the coffee table.

Aungel glanced at the bag, puzzled. “What’s this?”

“Clothes. If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay here for a while, but there’s no extra bed. You’ll have to sleep on the sofa. You can go anywhere except the bedroom.”

Sarah had made up her mind to keep their interactions to a minimum, hoping that would avoid any issues.

“What’s wrong?” she asked when he didn’t respond.

“…Fine.”

“Just one condition—you need to stay indoors as much as possible. I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea.”

“Understood. I won’t leave the apartment.” Aungel agreed quickly. For him, staying here was the best option while he continued his investigation. Plus, he intended to keep certain people guessing, so it was best not to expose himself by going out.

Satisfied with his compliance, Sarah nodded.

For dinner, Sarah made fish soup. The man ate heartily as usual, finishing whatever was put in front of him. He seemed easy to please.

If the chefs on the island could hear her thoughts, they’d be in utter disbelief. This lord was known to be the pickiest eater in history—morning dew collected at dawn, only the freshest animal blood, and nothing else.

Every day, the island’s chefs lived in fear, worried that the slightest mistake could cost them their lives at the hands of “The Beacon.”

Later that night, Sarah lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the events of the past two days in her mind.

She’d brought a strange man home on a whim and then, out of pity, had agreed to let him stay. Normally, this wasn’t like her at all.

Perhaps it was because he, like her, had no parents.

Fortunately, she had enough savings to support them both for a while.

But then, images of him refusing to go to the hospital flashed through her mind, making her question his identity once more. She didn’t dare ask. But it was likely something shady, perhaps even criminal.

Sleep began to overtake her as she murmured, “Handsome men really are trouble. They mess with your head.”

From the moment Sarah had entered the bedroom, Aungel had been listening closely. Her last words caught him off guard, and he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

An hour later, a shadow flipped over the balcony railing, moving silently across the room to the sofa. The figure respectfully handed Aungel a black tin of specially-made medicine and a bank card.

“Milord, here is the treatment. I’ve already contacted Teast, and the investigation is underway,” Luben reported.

“Good.”

“The apartment has been cleaned as well. When will you be moving?”

Aungel paused while unscrewing the tin’s lid. “I’ll be staying here for now. Don’t inform anyone else.”

“Understood.” Luben’s face remained calm, though he was surprised by the sudden change of plans.

“If anything urgent comes up, find me here. Minimize your appearances to avoid detection. Stick to the usual schedule.”

“Yes, milord.”

In the darkness, Luben departed the way he came, disappearing into the maze of city buildings like a phantom.

Everything returned to silence once more.