When she opened her eyes… she was standing in front of her house.
She froze for a moment, staring at the door as if she could not believe she had finally returned. And when she reached out to knock—
"Did you miss me?"
She froze.
That voice.
Her heart dropped into her chest, and she slowly turned around, only to find him standing there… as if he had never left her at all.
The same young man. The same infuriating smile. The same gaze… that pierced right through her, as though he could see what was inside her.
She took a step back and said sharply:
"You!"
Anger flared inside her despite her fear, and she clenched her teeth as she said:
"What did you do to me?! What is this necklace?! And why…"
He interrupted her with a quiet laugh, a careless laugh that only made her angrier.
"Calm down… you look funny when you're this angry."
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Funny?!"
He took a step closer, then leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming with something strange.
"Small… weak… and you think you can keep up with everything that's happening?"
Her eyes burned with anger, and despite her fear, she raised her head stubbornly.
"And who do you think you are?! Just an idiot… a fool who throws his things at people in the market!"
He laughed again, but this time his laughter was deeper, carrying a hidden hint of mockery.
"An idiot? That's a new one."
She frowned and said impulsively:
"Strange… the word 'idiot' bothered you, but 'fool' didn't?"
He stopped for a moment, then looked at her differently… calmer, deeper, as though something had changed, but he quickly hid it behind his usual indifference.
He straightened and said calmly:
"Since you insist on asking questions… I'll give you one answer."
She hesitated for a moment… but did not move.
"I… am not human."
She frowned.
"What?"
He smiled, as though her reaction was exactly what he had expected.
"I'm a vampire."
Silence fell.
Several seconds passed… before she said flatly:
"You're crazy."
His expression suddenly went still.
The smile disappeared.
He remained silent.
One second… two…
Then he slowly approached her until she could feel his breath close to her.
"If I were crazy…" he said in a low voice, devoid of any humor this time, "you wouldn't be the only one who could see me."
Before she could comprehend it, he suddenly grabbed her hand.
She screamed and tried to pull it away, but his grip was firm.
"Look around you," he said calmly.
She looked around nervously.
People were passing beside them… normally.
But her eyes suddenly widened when she caught sight of one of her neighbors staring at her, clearly confused, watching her as she spoke… alone, with no one there to speak to, as if… no one could see him.
"Do you see?" he whispered close to her. "I'm the only crazy person… no one can see."
Her body trembled.
Before she could speak, he moved closer, his eyes gleaming with a strange darkness.
"Except you."
Time seemed to stop for a moment.
Then he smiled again.
That same indifference returned to his features, as though nothing had happened.
"And now…" he said lightly, "do you still think I'm crazy?"
"Do you know what that means?" he said, tilting his head slightly as he watched every detail of her face.
She slowly shook her head.
"No…"
He smiled… but this time, there was not a trace of carelessness in it.
It was cold… frightening, like the smile of a predator that had spotted rare prey.
A hungry, dark look reflected in his eyes, as though he were breathing in her presence before even coming closer… as if her blood carried an ancient scent, captivating… and disturbingly refreshing.
Then he said in a deep, hoarse voice, almost brushing against her hearing:
"That means you are…"
He paused for a second, his eyes never leaving hers, before completing in a quiet voice filled with terrifying certainty:
"The Devil's long-awaited bride…"
She stared at him blankly, speechless, as though his words had slapped her.
"Bride of whom, darling?" she said with biting sarcasm, a loud laugh escaping her lips as the fear that had occupied her face moments ago gradually faded, replaced by a mocking, defiant look.
He stopped moving and stared at her in obvious surprise, as though what he was seeing did not match what he had expected.
For a moment… he almost believed her.
He almost thought that this boldness was real.
But the moment he caught the whispers of her thoughts, everything changed.
Oh God… it seems this is real… What do I do now? What do I do? That idiot actually looks serious!
And in an instant, he burst out laughing.
A deep, loud laugh that completely confused her, making her stare at him in bewilderment as confusion and surprise spread across her face.
"For one second…" he said between his laughter, "I almost actually believed you… My God, you're amusing and sharp-tongued."
Her confusion only grew. She no longer understood what was happening, or how the situation had turned so quickly.
But he gave her no time to think.
He leaned slightly toward her, his eyes gleaming with clear arrogance, and said in a tone wrapped in conceit:
"Has no one ever told you… that vampires can hear thoughts?"
Despite her embarrassment, anger suddenly flared in her eyes.
"I heard something else…"
He stopped, raising an eyebrow with interest.
She continued impulsively:
"That you can be killed with garlic."
Silence fell for a second.
His expression froze, his eyes fixed on her with an unreadable look.
For a moment… she thought she might have gone too far.
"Garlic?" he repeated slowly, as though tasting the word. Then he tilted his head slightly.
"Really?"
Before she could understand his reaction, he burst out laughing.
A long, deep laugh, completely free of anger, almost nothing but pure amusement.
Her confusion increased, and she said sharply, hiding her nervousness:
"What's so funny?!"
He wiped the trace of an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye with his fingertip, then looked at her again, his wide smile still on his lips, as though he had finally found something entertaining.
"My God… where do you people come up with these superstitions?"
She narrowed her eyes, completely unimpressed by his attitude.
"So that's not true?"
He took one slow step closer.
Then another.
Until she felt the distance between them shrinking in a disturbing way.
"Let's just say… we're not defeated that easily," he said in a low voice.
She swallowed, but this time she did not step back.
Instead, she lifted her chin stubbornly.
"I'm not afraid of you."
He gave her a narrow look, realizing that she was not as weak as she appeared… but sharp-tongued enough to get herself killed.
He looked at her as though trying to read what lay beyond her words.
Then he smiled… a calmer smile, and said:
"I know."
She blinked in confusion.
"You know what?"
"I know you're afraid," he said simply, pointing toward her chest. "Your heart gives you away."
She felt as though the ground had been pulled out from beneath her.
"But…" he continued, leaning slightly toward her, "I like that you're trying to hide it."
Her face flushed with anger.
"I'm not trying to hide anything!"
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
"Really? Then stop thinking about running away every three seconds."
Her eyes widened.
The words died in her throat.
Then she shouted furiously:
"Stop reading my thoughts!"
He smiled slyly.
"Make them less noisy, and I will."
She clenched her fist, looking as though she were about to hit him.
But she stopped.
Not out of fear…
but because she suddenly realized—
she did not understand this world.
And she did not understand him.
She took a deep breath, then said in a less sharp tone, though she was still on guard:
"Why me?"
His smile gradually disappeared, and a brief silence fell.
Then he calmly pointed toward the necklace around her neck, his tone completely different this time.
"Because of this?"
She slowly shook her head.
"Not just because of it… but because of you."
She frowned.
"What does that mean?"
He sighed softly, as though considering whether he should answer or not.
Then he said:
"This necklace has existed for centuries… in the same place… everyone passes by it… but no one sees it."
Then he added, looking directly into her eyes:
"And no one can touch it… or feel it."
A shiver ran through her body.
"Except the Devil's bride."
Her heart tightened.
"And you…" he said slowly, "saw it… touched it… and wore it."
She took a step back and whispered:
"That doesn't mean anythi—"
"It means everything," he interrupted calmly.
A heavy… suffocating silence fell between them, as though giving her time to think.
Then he suddenly said, as though it meant nothing to him:
"And that makes you a target."
She quickly raised her head.
"A target?!"
"For many," he answered simply. "And I'm the first."
She froze.
"What?"
He smiled faintly, but there was nothing reassuring about it.
"Don't worry… if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it from the very beginning."
Her heart trembled despite herself.
Then he said in a lighter tone, as though he had returned to his careless manner:
"But I'm curious… and you're interesting."
Her face burned with anger.
"I'm not an experiment!"
He took a step closer, then whispered near her:
"Maybe… but you're the beginning of a game that hasn't even started yet."