The following evening, the Black Orchid Estate hummed with quiet tension.
Xuěyáo moved through her duties with a new awareness. Every shadow seemed deeper, every whisper of wind through the high windows carried a hint of threat. The moonsteel dagger Yè Júnhào had given her rested securely in a hidden sheath beneath her uniform skirt, its weight both comforting and sobering.
Stewardess Mei had been unusually silent during breakfast, her kind eyes clouded with worry. "The Master has doubled the guards," she murmured while serving tea. "Stay close to the main halls today."
Xuěyáo nodded, but her mind kept drifting to last night's kiss—the cool press of Yè Júnhào's lips, the possessive grip on her waist, the raw vulnerability in his voice when he confessed how deeply her scent affected him.
By dusk, she was summoned to the Master's private study.
Yè Júnhào stood behind the massive oak desk, poring over an ancient map spread across the surface. Tall candles flickered in silver holders, casting dancing shadows across his sharp features. He wore a fitted black tunic that accentuated his broad shoulders, his jet-black hair tied back loosely.
When she entered, he looked up, and for a moment the storm in his eyes softened.
"Xuěyáo," he said, voice low and warm. "Come here."
She crossed the room, stopping beside the desk. He reached out, his cool fingers gently tilting her chin up to examine the nearly invisible marks on her neck.
"They healed well," he murmured, thumb brushing the spot with surprising tenderness. "How do you feel?"
"Stronger," she admitted. "Your blood… or rather, the way you took mine… it left a lingering warmth."
A dark satisfaction gleamed in his gaze. "Good. You will need it."
He rolled up the map and turned to face her fully. "The Shadowfang Clan will not stop with one failed scout. They are testing my defenses. Tonight, I must reinforce the outer wards. You will accompany me."
Her pulse quickened. "Is it safe?"
"Nothing is truly safe when ancient blood calls to ancient blood," he replied. "But I will not leave you unprotected. Consider it another lesson—how to sense magical barriers and the creatures that seek to break them."
They left the study together, moving through the long corridors toward the estate's outer walls. The air grew colder as they stepped into the misty gardens. High stone walls topped with iron spikes stretched into the fog, glowing faintly with protective runes that pulsed like living veins.
Yè Júnhào led her along a narrow path, his hand occasionally brushing the small of her back to guide her. The touch was protective, yet it sent sparks racing across her skin.
"Close your eyes," he instructed. "Feel the flow of energy around you."
Xuěyáo obeyed, breathing deeply. At first, there was only the chill mist and the distant hoot of an owl. Then she sensed it—a subtle vibration in the air, like invisible threads woven through the night. Warm in some places, colder and frayed in others.
"The wards are weakening here," she whispered, pointing to a section of wall where the runes flickered erratically.
Yè Júnhào's expression darkened. "Well spotted. The Shadowfang scout must have damaged them during the attack."
He raised his hand, and dark crimson energy gathered at his fingertips. With precise gestures, he began to repair the barrier, the runes flaring brighter under his power. Xuěyáo watched in awe as ancient symbols reformed, stronger than before.
Suddenly, a low hiss echoed from the mist beyond the wall.
Three shadowy figures emerged—vampires with glowing red eyes and elongated claws, their forms partially dissolving into black smoke.
"Júnhào," one snarled, voice like grinding bones. "Hiding behind walls and a human pet? The Council grows impatient. Hand over the scented girl, and we may let you keep your lonely throne."
Yè Júnhào stepped in front of Xuěyáo, his body radiating lethal grace. "She is not for you. Leave now, or become ash."
The leader laughed, a harsh, ugly sound. "Her blood could make us strong enough to challenge the Council itself. One taste—"
He lunged.
Yè Júnhào moved like lightning. In a blur of shadow and crimson energy, he met the attacker mid-air. Claws slashed, fangs snapped. The clash was brutal and silent—no dramatic shouts, only the sickening tear of flesh and the hiss of dissolving bodies.
Xuěyáo drew her moonsteel dagger, heart pounding. One of the remaining vampires broke past Yè Júnhào and charged toward her, claws extended.
She remembered the garden lesson. She breathed calmly, sidestepped at the last moment, and drove the dagger upward into the creature's side.
The moonsteel burned like acid. The vampire shrieked, staggering back as black smoke poured from the wound.
Yè Júnhào finished the leader with a vicious twist of his hand, tearing out the heart. He spun, grabbed the injured attacker by the throat, and slammed him against the stone wall.
"Tell your master," he growled, voice icy with fury, "if any of you touch her again, I will hunt every last Shadowfang to extinction."
He crushed the vampire's throat. The body crumbled into ash, scattering on the night wind.
Silence fell once more, broken only by the soft rustle of mist.
Yè Júnhào turned to Xuěyáo. Blood—black and viscous—splattered his tunic, but his eyes softened the moment they landed on her. He crossed the distance in two strides, pulling her into his arms.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, voice rough with concern. His hands roamed over her arms and sides, checking for injuries.
"I'm fine," she breathed, still gripping the dagger tightly. "I… I defended myself."
Pride and something deeper flared in his gaze. He cupped her face with both hands, thumbs stroking her cheeks. "My brave little prey. You are becoming far more than I ever anticipated."
Before she could respond, he kissed her—hard, deep, and claiming. The taste of battle and possessiveness lingered on his tongue. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers.
"The wards are stronger now," he murmured. "But this was only a probe. War is coming, Xuěyáo. And I fear you are at the center of it."
She leaned into his touch, blue eyes steady. "Then we face it together."
Yè Júnhào's arms tightened around her, holding her close against the chill mist.
For the first time in centuries, the ancient vampire felt not just hunger… but hope.
Yet deep in the highlands, unseen eyes watched from the shadows.
The Shadowfang Clan had learned something valuable tonight.
The Master's new pet was not helpless.
And that made her even more valuable.