Emma woke up in an excessively bright silence.

She had slept on the sofa in the guest room. That priceless silk bed, she hadn't even touched it.


The first ray of morning light shone through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, awakening the city from its slumber. It had been a long time since Emma had seen a sunrise.

Barefoot, she walked to the glass curtain wall. From this height, cars looked as tiny as beetles. She realized for the first time that Elias Thorne chose to live here not to enjoy the view, but to look down upon everything.

A faint footstep sounded behind her.


Emma spun around sharply, assuming a defensive posture.

Elias stood there.


This was her first time seeing him in daylight. He wore a simple white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. The sunlight seemingly caused him no harm, only making his marble-like skin appear more pale, while his golden eyes had softened to a lighter shade of brown.

He looked... almost human.

"Are you afraid of sunlight?" she blurted out, her voice hoarse.

Elias seemed amused by the question. "Did you think I would turn to ash?" He walked toward a dining table placed by the window, where breakfast was already set—not on silver platters, but fresh croissants, fruit, and steaming coffee.

"That's a foolish legend," he sat down with elegant poise, "Sunlight is merely... unpleasant. It reminds me that time is passing. While I remain stagnant."

He gestured for her to sit down.

Emma didn't move. Her stomach was churning. "What exactly do you want?"

"To have breakfast." He picked up a piece of toast.

"I'm not here to play house with you!" Emma's voice became shrill, "You've imprisoned me here, ruined my life, forced me to..."

"I saved your brother's life." Elias calmly interrupted her, this fact like a boulder, crushing Emma until she could barely breathe.

She could only submit and sit down.

"Why are you doing this?" Emma stared at him intently, "Why me? There are millions of people in this city. Sanguine Solutions has so many 'donors'. Why specifically me?"

She thought he would say "because I like it," or "because you resist."

But Elias's answer made her shiver.

He put down his coffee cup, his gaze piercing through her, as if studying some strange insect.

"Because," he began, his voice deep, "before tasting your blood, I had been 'dead' for several centuries."

Emma frowned: "What?"

"What do you think immortality is? A blessing?" Elias laughed self-mockingly, "No. It's numbness. It's the infinite repetition of everything. Food has no taste, music has no melody, all emotions fade into gray. I live in a tomb, except this tomb happens to be above the city."

His gaze became sharp, with a hunger she couldn't understand.

"Until I tasted your blood."

"It's not 'food', Emma." He leaned forward, lowering his voice, "It's fire. It's the first touch of 'vibrancy' I've tasted in hundreds of years. It reminds me of... the feeling of being alive."

Emma felt a bone-chilling coldness.

She wasn't being pursued by a monster. She was... being pursued by an addict. And she was his only drug.

"Since... since that's the case," she hesitated, bringing up that absurd deal again, "then like I said before. I'll give you. My blood. You can draw it regularly like Sanguine Solutions does... as long as you guarantee Leo's safety and... set me free."

Elias laughed, a cold and mocking smile. "You still don't understand." He stood up, and that sense of oppression returned. "Do you think I brought you here just to treat you as a... premium blood bag? What I want isn't your 'supply,' Emma."

His gaze darkened, "In our legends, there's something called 'Anam Cara'—soul blood. Destined companion. It's not a 'drug,'" his voice lowered further, "it's my 'other half.' What I want is you, the person."

"Soulmate..." Emma found this word absurd and disgusting. "So, for you vampires, a 'soulmate' must always be human?" she asked sharply, "What if that person... that person is already married? What if she already has a family? Would you still forcibly take her away from her life like you're doing now?"

Elias didn't answer. He simply gazed at her calmly with those golden eyes, his look seeming to say: "What do you think?"

"Fate," he finally spoke, "doesn't concern itself with the fleeting vows of mortals. Don't think that mortal called Liam was 'first.' " His voice carried a hint of cold mockery, "I have waited six centuries for this moment. You belong to me. His existence was a mistake from the beginning."

"You're a monster," she whispered, her voice carrying a slight tremor.

"I am." Elias did not deny it at all. "So, Emma, before I lose my patience with you, you'd better learn how to make your blood... a bit more 'delicious'."

He stood up, the sunlight behind him outlining his tall and dangerous silhouette, with shadows extending toward Emma like something tangible. He didn't leave, but instead leaned closer to her, his cold breath barely brushing against her ear, causing her to shiver.

"As for your brother Leo..." his voice dropped very low, like a lover's whisper, yet carrying an undeniable sense of control, "he will begin the first phase of treatment today. And whether his attending physician is willing to report to you in detail about his progress each day..."

His fingertips almost touched the pulse throbbing at her neck, lingering there, but ultimately only gently picked up a strand of her hair.

"That depends entirely on you, Emma. Depends on what kind of 'sincerity' you're willing to show me."