Luna's fingers tightened around the ancient book.

The portrait of Adrian stared back at her with the same crimson eyes... the same silver hair... the same calm expression.

The date beneath the portrait read:

1586

She looked up at Adrian, who stood silently between the towering bookshelves.

"This is a joke, right?" she asked, forcing a nervous smile. "Someone painted you to look like an old vampire."

Adrian's face remained emotionless.

"I wish it were that simple."

He gently closed the book and looked around the empty library.

"We shouldn't talk here."

"Then where?"

"There is a place no human has seen for hundreds of years."

Without another word, he walked toward the exit.

For a moment, Luna hesitated.

Every instinct told her to leave.

But her curiosity was stronger than her fear.

She followed him.

The evening sky turned orange as they entered Blackwood Forest.

This time, Luna wasn't afraid.

With Adrian walking beside her, the forest felt strangely peaceful.

After nearly twenty minutes, they reached a crystal-clear lake hidden between ancient trees.

The water reflected the sky like a giant mirror.

"It's beautiful," Luna whispered.

"My mother loved this place," Adrian replied softly.

"You mentioned your mother yesterday."

A shadow crossed his face.

"She died a long time ago."

"I'm sorry."

"For vampires..." he said with a faint smile, "a long time means centuries."

Luna laughed.

"You really enjoy these vampire jokes."

"I'm not joking."

Silence filled the air.

Then Adrian slowly stepped into the fading sunlight.

"Watch carefully."

His crimson eyes glowed brighter.

His sharp fangs slowly appeared.

The veins beneath his pale skin darkened.

A cold breeze swept across the lake.

Luna's heartbeat thundered.

"You..."

Adrian looked directly into her eyes.

"I am a vampire."

For several seconds, Luna couldn't speak.

Her mind screamed that it was impossible.

Yet everything she was seeing was real.

"You... drink blood?"

"Yes."

"You've killed people?"

Adrian lowered his eyes.

"I have."

Luna stepped backward.

Fear finally reached her heart.

Adrian noticed.

"I understand."

"No..." she whispered.

"I don't."

"I never wanted you to know."

"Then why tell me?"

"Because lies create greater monsters than truth."

Luna stared at him.

"If you're a monster..."

She paused.

"...why did you save me?"

Adrian looked toward the moon rising above the forest.

"When I saw those wolves attacking you..."

His voice became quiet.

"I couldn't let you die."

Just then, Luna accidentally slipped on a wet rock.

She fell toward the ground.

Adrian caught her before she hit the earth.

For one brief second...

Their faces were only inches apart.

Luna could feel his cold breath against her skin.

His crimson eyes softened.

Time seemed to stop.

Then Adrian suddenly released her and stepped back.

His breathing became uneven.

"What's wrong?"

He clenched his fists.

"The scent of your blood..."

"My blood?"

"The scratch on your arm hasn't fully healed."

Luna looked down.

A tiny drop of blood had appeared.

Adrian closed his eyes.

His fangs grew longer.

Every instinct inside him screamed to bite her.

He turned away immediately.

"Leave."

"What?"

"Please."

His voice shook.

"I can't control myself."

Luna realized he wasn't threatening her.

He was protecting her.

Without thinking, she gently held his hand.

"It's okay."

The moment their hands touched...

A brilliant silver light burst from Luna's wrist.

The crescent-shaped birthmark glowed like moonlight.

Adrian gasped.

The unbearable hunger inside him disappeared instantly.

He stared at Luna in disbelief.

"It can't be..."

"What happened?"

"You calmed my bloodlust."

"What does that mean?"

"It has never happened before."

Hidden among the trees, two glowing red eyes watched everything.

A vampire dressed in black smiled cruelly.

"So... the prophecy is true."

He disappeared into the darkness.

That night, Castle Noctis echoed with angry voices.

"The prince has touched the Moon-Blood!"

"The prophecy is awakening!"

"We must eliminate the girl before it's too late!"

King Lucien remained silent as the Vampire Council argued.

Finally, Elder Magnus stood.

"The Blood Bond has begun."

Lucien looked toward the window.

"My son will never abandon her willingly."

"Then force him."

Magnus smiled.

"Or make the girl fear him."

The following morning, Luna couldn't stop thinking about Adrian.

Instead of feeling frightened...

She wanted to understand him.

While walking to college, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.

It was Gabriel.

The vampire hunter.

"I warned you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Gabriel placed an old photograph into her hands.

The picture showed a beautiful young woman standing beside Adrian.

Luna frowned.

"Who is she?"

"Every woman who loved him..."

Gabriel answered coldly.

"...died."

Luna's heart skipped a beat.

"When was this taken?"

"Three hundred years ago."

She looked closer.

The woman resembled her.

Almost like a distant relative.

Gabriel leaned closer.

"Ask Adrian how many humans have died because they trusted him."

Then he walked away.

That evening, Luna returned to the lake.

Adrian was waiting.

"You came."

"I have questions."

"I expected that."

She held up the photograph.

"Who is she?"

Adrian froze.

His face lost all color.

"Where did you get that?"

"Answer me."

He closed his eyes.

"Her name was Isabella."

"Were you in love with her?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I failed to protect her."

"Did you kill her?"

Adrian's voice broke.

"No."

"But I watched her die."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

"For four hundred years..."

"I've blamed myself every single day."

Luna looked into his eyes.

For the first time...

She didn't see a monster.

She saw a lonely man carrying centuries of guilt.

Without thinking, she stepped forward and hugged him.

Adrian stood completely still.

No one had embraced him in hundreds of years.

Slowly...

Very slowly...

He wrapped his arms around her.

For one peaceful moment, the world disappeared.

Neither of them noticed the hooded figure standing on a distant cliff.

The stranger pulled back his hood.

His eyes were black as night.

A wicked smile crossed his face.

"So..."

"The Vampire Prince has fallen in love again."

He raised an ancient black crystal toward the Blood Moon.

"Wake up..."

"My master."

Deep beneath Blackwood Forest...

Something ancient opened its eyes.

A deep growl echoed through the darkness.

The prison of the First Vampire had begun to crack.

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