Bloodbound: The Prince's Eternal Bride

The Lure of Blood

Days passed, and life in the castle gradually settled into a routine for Evelyn. She had grown accustomed to the daily tasks and the eerie, mysterious atmosphere that hung over the place. However, each night she lay in bed, hoping to dream again of the rose garden, but it never appeared. The absence of that vivid dream left her with a lingering sense of disappointment. She had hoped to see Valerian again, to hear his deep, magnetic voice, but now it all seemed like a distant illusion, fading further away each day.

One morning, Evelyn woke up feeling unusually sore. Her back ached, and she felt more fatigued than usual. As she stretched, she felt a familiar warmth trickling from her lower abdomen. With a quiet sigh, she realized what had happened. So, it’s that time of the month, she thought, a touch of frustration washing over her.

At that moment, Emma’s warning flashed in her mind: No blood in the castle. Evelyn frowned, feeling uneasy. This isn’t something I can control, though. Does this count as “seeing blood”? she wondered, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty. She quickly tore a strip of cloth and wrapped it around herself, deciding to find Lilia and ask how she should handle this situation.

What Evelyn didn’t know was that her blood carried an unusual and irresistible sweetness, a scent that certain sensitive non-humans in the castle had already detected.

Outside, near the stables, Arthur stood alone, his tall figure silhouetted against the early morning light. His broad shoulders were tense, and his hand was pressed tightly to his head, as if trying to suppress something within. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his expression was one of deep pain, his golden eyes flickering with barely controlled struggle. The sweet scent drifting through the air from far away reached him, intensifying his inner turmoil, making it nearly impossible for him to resist his instincts.

Meanwhile, in a darkened room elsewhere in the castle, Emma had also caught the scent. Her eyes narrowed, and a twisted expression of jealousy and malice crept across her face. She sniffed the air, her lips curling into a cold smile, and a faint red glow flickered in her pupils. In a low, venomous whisper, she muttered to herself, “… Lucky they’re not here… but how long do you think you can survive?”

In the distant rose garden, Valerian, too, raised his head slightly, inhaling the scent. The wine glass in his hand swirled gently, the deep red liquid inside catching the dim light in a strange way. He said nothing, his expression unreadable as though lost in thought.

Unaware of any of this, Evelyn wandered through the darkened castle corridors, carrying a small lantern in search of Lilia. The silence was unsettling, every faint sound amplified in the stillness. The paintings on the walls seemed to follow her with their eyes, adding to the creeping unease she felt.

As she approached a corner in the hallway, a sudden noise broke the silence, startling her. She stopped in her tracks, clutching the lantern a little tighter as her heart began to race. Something was moving in the darkness ahead, and a low, guttural sound followed—halfway between a growl and a cry of pain, like a wild beast struggling against itself.

Evelyn felt a wave of fear wash over her. Her instincts screamed at her to turn around and run, but she quickly realized that her chances of outrunning whatever it was were slim to none. Better to see who—or what—it is, she thought, her sense of adventure flaring up despite her fear. Maybe I’ll uncover something, or meet another mysterious figure like Valerian.

Her curiosity began to outweigh her caution. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she raised the lantern higher and slowly moved forward. The faint glow from the lantern formed a small halo of light around her, but the figure in the distance remained obscured in shadow. The pained sounds grew louder, more distinct, as she neared—something, or someone, was clearly in distress.

When she got close enough, the lantern’s light finally illuminated the figure. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized who it was—a tall man, hunched over, his body trembling violently. His hands were gripping his head as if he were trying to keep it from splitting apart. His shoulders heaved with heavy, labored breaths, and the air around him was thick with an unearthly tension.