Vampire Brides

The mist had not yet lifted when a slender silhouette slipped silently through the shadows of the forest. The figure moved without a sound, gliding through the now-quiet woods, leaving only faint traces on the moss-covered ground. A black cloak fluttered lightly in the breeze, and crimson eyes glowed, piercing through the darkness.

This vampire had not joined the battle. He had only observed—from a distance. And now, he raced through the forest, heading southwest, toward the hidden refuge of those who refused to bow to the Blood Laws.

Several hours later, behind ancient stone walls of a ruined temple buried in a misty valley, a group of figures sat around a large fire. But this was no ordinary flame—it burned with a cold blue light, glowing calmly as if whispering ancient incantations.

Those gathered around it were vampires who had long rejected the ancient ways. Rebels who despised the rule of the clans, who resented Griffon Xander—the noble vampire who guarded the fragile boundary between humans and the darkness. Among them sat a hooded leader, face concealed beneath shadow, yet the power radiating from him trembled through the very air.

The scout stepped into the circle and knelt down.

“Report, Master,” he said respectfully.

The hooded figure slowly raised his head. His eyes gleamed with golden light—unnatural for any ordinary vampire.

“Speak.”

“Griffon Xander and his right hand… they slaughtered several of our men. None survived.”

A low growl rippled through the circle. Tension stirred. But the leader remained silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.

“As expected. Griffon will not remain idle. He’s grown too fond of that human… when all they are is greedy, treacherous creatures. Tell me—was he wounded?”

“Not seriously, my lord. But… I believe he’s beginning to suspect betrayal.”

“What?” The leader's gaze sharpened, voice cold as ice.

“So, he’s already sensed it?” he muttered. The old vampire who rarely left his fortress… he hadn’t expected Griffon to react so quickly to their movements.

“If we keep pushing forward, he’ll uncover the rebellion before we can awaken the Great One,” said another vampire, referring to the powerful ancient they sought to revive.

“Then halt the chaos—for now. Wait until the time is right. The night world has no place for an aging noble who dares to limit our power.”

A second figure stood from the edge of the firelight—tall and gaunt, with a menacing aura. Long hair braided like serpents hung from his head. His eyes gleamed like sharpened blades.

“But we still need more blood.”

“It’s pointless to continue now. Griffon will only interfere. We must find his weakness. If we cannot wound him directly… we’ll hurt him through someone else.”

“That way, we can remove him easily.”

“Understand, My Lord.”

Suddenly, the blue flame surged high, casting ghostly shadows across the stone walls. The once-calm faces twisted into expressions of hunger—hunger for power, and vengeance.

---

Meanwhile…

Griffon and Bastian had just emerged from the thick forest. Cold dew still clung to the leaves, and the mist had yet to fully dissolve. In Griffon’s hand was a small wildflower, freshly plucked from the battlefield.

But instead of returning to the castle, Griffon turned in another direction—toward the house that had occupied his thoughts for days. The house where a human girl named Amelia lived.

“My lord, dawn is approaching,” Bastian warned, his voice tinged with worry. His eyes scanned the lightening sky. “We should hurry.”

Griffon didn’t answer at first. He held the flower gently, as though afraid its petals might crumble beneath his fingers.

“Go on ahead. I’ll follow shortly,” he said quietly.

Bastian eyed him. “You're going to see the girl again, aren’t you?”

“Only to leave this flower. Nothing more,” Griffon replied softly. “I’ll be back before sunlight touches the earth.”

But Bastian didn’t leave. “Then I’ll stay with you.” His voice was firm. Concern etched into every line of his face. He knew how deeply that girl was beginning to affect his master. And time—time made everything dangerous.

They moved swiftly, cutting through the fields and mist, until they reached the quiet home at the edge of town. Griffon stood beneath the shadows near her window, watching.

The room was dark. The curtains still drawn. Only a soft glow from the stairway hinted that someone was awake below. Perhaps Amelia had fallen asleep with her parents downstairs.

“My lord… we’re running out of time,” Bastian murmured. The sky above the mountains had begun to streak with gold.

Griffon nodded slowly, then placed the small flower gently on the windowsill. She would see it. He was sure of that.

Bastian exhaled deeply, watching. In his heart, he knew—his master was already ensnared. And a bond with a human, in their world, wasn’t just dangerous—it could lead to ruin.

“My lord…”

Griffon raised his hand, silencing him. “I know, Bastian.”

His gaze remained fixed on the house. And then… he saw her.

A silhouette at the stairs, moving quietly in the dim light. Her face lit softly by the morning glow. It was enough. Just seeing her eased the storm within him.

A faint smile touched Griffon's lips. “We’re leaving.”

They vanished into the mist.

As they made their way back, Bastian finally spoke, his voice low but firm. “My lord… you’re falling.”

“I am not,” Griffon replied calmly. “You worry too much.”

“But your bond with her will change, in time. You know what it means if the others find out.”

“She is just a friend,” Griffon said flatly. “Like all the humans I’ve met before. Nothing more. Nothing will change.”

“I hope you remember those words, my lord.” Bastian lowered his head, though unease still churned in his chest. He had seen it before—how dangerous affection could be for an immortal.

They arrived at the castle just as the sun’s first rays brushed the horizon. The sky had lightened to silver. Griffon quickly retreated into the darker chambers of the ancient fortress, behind stone walls and thick curtains that blocked out every trace of daylight.

Those curtains were his shield… and his prison.

“You’ve disposed of the body, haven’t you?” Griffon asked, eyes narrowing.

“Yes, my lord,” Bastian answered. “No one will find it. I’ve hidden it well.”

“Watch everything closely. If there’s even a hint of betrayal… I won’t forgive it.”

“Leave it to me, my lord. For now, you need rest.”

Griffon nodded, but his thoughts were still unsettled. His gaze drifted once more toward the world he could never fully reach. A world he could only visit when night returned.

Had Amelia seen the flower yet?

He turned from the window, disappearing into the shadows of his room. The castle sank once more into silence and darkness. No one outside would know that behind the thick, ancient walls… lived a vampire noble who secretly longed for a fleeting light named Amelia.

And in the outer corridor, Bastian kept watch—his eyes sharp. The world was beginning to change.