Dawn never truly touched the Black Orchid Estate.
Thick mist blanketed the highlands even as the sun climbed, turning the world into a realm of perpetual silver and shadow. Xuěyáo woke to the soft chime of a crystal bell placed on her nightstand. A neatly folded black-and-silver uniform waited for her on the chaise—elegant yet practical, with a high collar and long sleeves trimmed in subtle orchid embroidery.
She dressed quickly, braiding her long raven hair into a simple yet neat style that left a few strands framing her face. The fabric felt luxurious against her skin, a far cry from the coarse clothes of the village.
A soft knock came from the connecting door.
"Enter," she called.
A middle-aged servant woman with kind eyes and graying hair stepped inside, carrying a silver tray. "Good morning, Miss Lín. I am Stewardess Mei. The Master has requested you join him for breakfast in the private dining hall at dusk. Until then, you may explore the east wing, but do not wander into the forbidden corridors without permission."
Xuěyáo accepted the tray—fresh fruits, warm bread, and fragrant tea. "Thank you. May I ask… how long have you served the Master?"
Stewardess Mei's smile turned cautious. "Long enough to know that curiosity can be dangerous here. Serve well, keep your head down, and the year will pass smoothly." She paused at the door. "And Miss Lín… be careful. Your eyes are quite striking. The Master has never chosen a personal maid so quickly before."
With that, she left.
Xuěyáo ate slowly, mind racing. The word "prey" still echoed in her thoughts. Yet last night, the Master had shown restraint. Tenderness, even. Was it possible the rumors were exaggerated?
As dusk painted the sky in deep indigo, she made her way to the private dining hall, guided by flickering wall sconces. The corridor felt alive with shadows that seemed to shift when she wasn't looking.
The dining room was intimate compared to the grand hall—dark wood table set for two, crystal goblets, and tall candles whose flames danced in the draft. Yè Júnhào was already seated at the head, dressed in a tailored black coat that accentuated his broad shoulders. A single red rose rested beside her plate.
"Sit," he commanded softly.
She obeyed, folding her hands in her lap.
He watched her with unnerving intensity as servants brought dishes—roasted meats, delicate soups, and vegetables glistening with herbs. He touched nothing, his own plate remaining empty except for a goblet filled with dark red liquid that caught the light like wine… or blood.
"You ate little this morning," he noted.
Xuěyáo startled. "How did you—"
"I know everything that happens within these walls." His lips curved. "Eat. You will need your strength."
She picked up her fork, acutely aware of his gaze. The food was exquisite, but the silence stretched, thick with unspoken tension.
Finally, he spoke. "Your scent has haunted me since the moment you crossed the gates. It is sweet, like night-blooming jasmine mixed with fresh snow… and something uniquely yours. It stirs the hunger I have kept leashed for centuries."
Her spoon paused mid-air. "Is that why you chose me? Because of my scent?"
"Partly." He leaned forward, elbows on the table. "But also because your eyes hold no deceit. You came here for love, not ambition. That is rare."
A flush crept up her neck. "My grandmother is all I have left. I would do anything for her."
"Anything?" His voice dropped, dangerous and velvet-smooth. "Even offer your neck to a monster?"
Xuěyáo set her spoon down and met his crimson-flecked gaze head-on. "If it saves her, yes."
Something dark and possessive flashed in his eyes. He stood abruptly, circling the table until he stood behind her chair. His cool fingers rested lightly on her shoulders, thumbs tracing small circles that sent shivers racing down her spine.
"Then prove it," he whispered against her ear. "Let me taste… just a drop. Not to harm. Only to know you."
Her pulse thundered. Fear and a strange, forbidden thrill warred inside her. "Will it hurt?"
"Only for a moment. Then pleasure."
She closed her eyes, tilting her head to expose the graceful line of her throat. "Then do it, Master."
His breath ghosted over her skin. She felt the sharp graze of fangs, the press of cool lips—
A sudden, violent crash echoed from somewhere deep in the estate.
Yè Júnhào jerked back with a snarl, fangs fully extended. "Stay here."
He vanished in a blur of shadow, faster than any human eye could follow.
Xuěyáo's heart hammered. She rose on shaky legs and moved to the doorway. Distant shouts and the clash of steel reached her ears. Something was attacking the estate.
Footsteps pounded down the corridor. Stewardess Mei appeared, pale-faced. "Miss Lín! You must hide—"
Before she could finish, a dark figure burst through a side window in a shower of glass. A man with glowing red eyes and elongated fangs lunged toward Xuěyáo, claws extended.
"Your scent… the Master's new toy!" he hissed. "I'll take you for myself!"
Xuěyáo grabbed a heavy candlestick and swung with all her strength. It connected with a sickening crack against the intruder's shoulder.
The vampire laughed, backhanding her lightly. She flew backward, slamming into the table. Pain bloomed across her ribs.
In the next instant, Yè Júnhào materialized between them like a wrathful storm. His hand shot out, closing around the attacker's throat with crushing force.
"You dare touch what is mine?" His voice was ice and fury.
The intruder choked out a laugh. "She smells like paradise. The Council will want her—"
Yè Júnhào's claws tore through the intruder's chest in one brutal motion. Black blood sprayed across the floor as the body dissolved into ash and shadow.
He turned to Xuěyáo, eyes blazing crimson, fangs dripping. For a terrifying second, she thought he might lose control completely.
Instead, he dropped to one knee beside her, gentle hands inspecting the bruise already forming on her cheek.
"Are you hurt?" The rage in his voice had softened into something raw and protective.
"I'm… fine," she whispered, though her side throbbed.
He gathered her into his arms as if she weighed nothing, carrying her back toward their chambers. His body trembled with barely contained fury and another, deeper hunger.
"You were never supposed to see that," he murmured against her hair. "But now you know the truth. I am no gentle lord. I am death incarnate."
Xuěyáo rested her head against his chest, listening to the slow, powerful beat of a heart that had not truly lived in centuries.
"Then why does death feel so warm when it holds me?" she asked softly.
Yè Júnhào's steps faltered for a single heartbeat.
The ancient vampire had no answer.
Only the terrifying realization that the prey he had chosen was already beginning to tame the beast inside him.