Warm morning sunlight gently lit up Ethan's face, stirring him from a deep, heavy sleep.
He turned his head away from the light and shifted into a facedown position, burying his face in the pillow. As usual, he pulled the blanket over his head and face.
Strange…
Ethan's nose twitched slightly. He realized he was nestled into a very soft, cozy bedding set, which carried a light, gentle fragrance. This definitely wasn't the stiff mattress and rough blanket from his rented room.
He flung the blanket aside, eyes wide open in surprise as he looked around.
Where is this place?
How did he even get here?
Ethan was inside a small, charming room with white and beige as the dominant colors. The furnishings included a full bed, a wardrobe, a study desk, and a bookshelf, all styled in a blend of minimalism and a touch of neoclassical, creating an elegant, cozy space with a nostalgic aura.
Right across from the bed was a large arched window, its double-layered curtains drawn aside. The window was tall, almost 1.8 meters, filling the room with natural light despite being the only one.
The wall with the window curved inward toward the ceiling, indicating this was an attic room.
His own rented room was also in an attic. Maybe he had a thing for attic-style spaces. Still, there was no comparison between his modest place and this gracefully designed room.
Outside the window, birds chirped amid the soft crashing of ocean waves. This place seemed closer to the sea than the town center of Harmony where Ethan lived.
He swung his legs off the bed.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him, numbing him from heels to head. His arms, now carefully bandaged, throbbed with sharp pain.
In that haze, horrifying memories of the night in the dark alley rushed back into his mind.
So… it wasn't a nightmare.
He remembered how Royce had finally pried Autumn's fangs out of his neck, while Ethan still held her tightly in his arms.
Through the pouring rain, Royce collapsed onto the ground, drained of strength and unable to get back up. Yet strangely, the wounds on his body were slowly healing.
Then came the sound of a car door opening, a shocked gasp, and sobs of anger, clearly a woman's voice. Footsteps splashed through the rain, racing toward Ethan.
Someone gently but firmly took Autumn from his arms, leaving behind a chilling emptiness in his chest.
After that…
Everything faded into darkness.
It felt like a long time ago.
Autumn… and Royce too…
Where are they now?
Are they okay?
Ethan sat on the bed to gather himself.
He ignored the temptation to admire the glimmering sea outside the arched window.
He opened the attic door and found the staircase leading down. Though momentarily overwhelmed by a maze-like hallway full of turns and doors, Ethan quickly found Autumn's room.
This time, he didn't even need to close his eyes and follow the scent of lilies.
As if… he simply KNEW exactly where she was.
Ethan sighed in relief when he saw that Autumn's slightly parted lips had regained their usual rosy color. Her skin had also recovered a soft blush on her round cheeks. Life had returned to the delicate girl's body.
She lay sound asleep on a dainty, princess-like bed, frilled and ruffled in an old-world style.
Sitting beside the bed was a woman with long black hair, youthful and only slightly taller than Autumn. Though she looked like she could be her older sister, the deep sapphire eyes she had held a timeless mystery, hinting that her true age could not be measured in years.
She smiled warmly at Ethan, a kind of smile only a mother could give. Rising to her feet, she gestured for him to follow her into a small sitting room just off the hallway.
Once Ethan was settled into the soft couch and began sipping warm water, the woman finally started to introduce herself.
"My name is Marina, Autumn's mother. On behalf of our family, I want to thank you for saving her."
"I should be the one thanking Autumn for saving me, actually…"
Ethan scratched his head, visibly awkward and flustered by such a formal thank-you from an adult. After a pause, he decided to risk asking Mrs. Marina about the one thing that had been weighing on his mind.
"May I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Autumn… When did she become… like this?"
"Like this - how exactly?"
Ethan froze. He didn't know how to explain. Mrs. Marina chuckled softly at how much her question seemed to stump him.
"Well, seventeen years ago, when I gave birth to Autumn, she was already like this."
"But… your eyes are blue…"
Before Ethan could finish, Mrs. Marina cut in.
"My father, Autumn's grandfather was one of the first foreigners to set foot in Vietnam back when it was still called Dai Viet."
Seeing Ethan's puzzled expression, Mrs. Marina continued.
"We fall in love, marry, and have children just like regular humans. Most of us are born this way. Only a very small number are created through transmission through a bite."
Instinctively, Ethan reached for the spot on his neck where Autumn had bitten him. He could feel a raised mark.
"Don't worry. One bite isn't enough to turn you into one of us. Besides, the success rate of becoming a fully-formed version of what we are through infection is extremely low. Something like 0.01%."
"So… you'd have to infect 10,000 people to get just one fully-formed version like you. What about the others?"
"Ha… It's better if you don't know what happens to the rest…"
She changed the subject, just like her daughter always did.
"Autumn's told me quite a bit about you. I suppose you've figured out what we are, haven't you?"
"Yes," Ethan nodded softly.
"We have many names. Everywhere we go, people call us something different: Ma Ca Rong to the Vietnamese, Phi Phong to the Thai people, Vrykolakas in Greece, Strigoi in Romania… But most commonly, they call us one name: Vampires."
Even though Ethan already knew the truth, especially after the alleyway incident, he still shivered at the word "Vampire."
"It seems like novels, movies, or games often portray us as noble corpses, dead and then resurrected, who go around drinking blood, right? Some writers even add that we like sleeping in coffins and have ridiculous fears like garlic, crucifixes, and turning to dust under sunlight…"
Her icy blue eyes glinted with a trace of sarcasm.
"Sure, some eccentric individuals in our kind have had odd habits or irrational fears like that. But the truth is, we're creatures not so different from humans. Most of us, since ancient times, have strived to blend in. We have to. It's the only way we can coexist peacefully with humanity for the long run."
"But the descriptions of your strength, speed, and diet… those are accurate, aren't they?"
"They got the part about BLOOD wrong. Blood isn't at the top of our food pyramid. It helps us heal faster. For some Vampires, it can enhance power or awaken dormant abilities. But honestly, the biggest 'effect' of blood is that euphoric, HIGH-inducing feeling. It's… addictive. But we can live just fine, long and healthy lives, eating regular human food, just prepared a bit differently."
"So you're saying real Vampires don't fear garlic, don't fear crucifixes, don't turn to dust under sunlight… and don't rely on blood either? That… actually makes you scarier than all the fiction!"
"Exactly. Listen carefully, Ethan. For your own safety and your family's, it's best if you PROMISE to never share anything about Vampires with anyone, by any means."
Her sapphire eyes bore into Ethan's. The black pupils shimmered faintly, vibrating with a speed and rhythm like a hummingbird's wings. The hypnotic sensation made Ethan feel lightheaded.
"I… I'm sorry. I can't promise that."
Mrs. Marina blinked in surprise when Ethan, dazed for only a brief moment, quickly regained clarity and composure.
"I told you, Mom. You can't manipulate him."
Autumn suddenly appeared in the doorway of the small sitting room.