𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 | 𝑱𝑱𝑲 ✓

♡ Chapter 11 ♡

Chapter Eleven: Royal Blood

The corridors of Melantha stretched long and shadowed, their silence broken only by the soft rustle of cloaks and the murmured whispers of those who feared their prince. Jungkook moved like a shadow himself, his cold gaze unrelenting, a mirror to the darkness that had settled deep within him. Creatures bowed as he passed, out of loyalty, and out of fear. He had earned the name Prince of Darkness, not only through his strength but through the cold aura that clung to him like a second skin.

Tonight, however, the weight of that title seemed to press heavier on his shoulders.

As he neared the kitchens, a faint sound drifted through the air, breaking the stillness. A commotion, voices raised in distress. Jungkook's steps faltered for just a moment, his cold eyes narrowing as he considered ignoring it. But then, a voice, trembling and soaked in fear, cut through the air.

"No... no, please, don't touch me, don't come near," a woman's cry, sharp and desperate.

Something in him twisted, a slow, burning anger that stirred the dormant shadows of his heart. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. Of all the horrors he had seen, this was the one that ignited something deep within him, something primal. He despised the cruelty of men who preyed upon the weak, who took pleasure in terrorizing those who could not fight back.

Without a second thought, he moved toward the sound.

The kitchen was a storm of chaos, three vampires, their eyes wild with hunger and malice, had cornered a young maid. Her body trembled, tears staining her cheeks, powerless beneath their leering gazes. Jungkook moved like lightning, a blur of fury and precision. Before the vampires even registered his presence, they were dead.

Three bodies hit the floor, hearts no longer beating, pulled from their chests with lethal efficiency. Jungkook stood over them, their hearts cradled in his hands, still warm with the remnants of life. He looked down at them with indifference, as though they were nothing more than pests that needed to be dealt with. The maid, crumpled and sobbing, looked up at him in terror, her body frozen in place.

His eyes met hers, dark and unreadable, something deeper swirling beneath their surface, something that was not entirely vampire, but something more. She could feel it, that hollow coldness that lingered around him, and yet, there was a flicker of something more. Something hidden.

With no emotion, he dropped the hearts to the floor, the dull thud echoing through the silent room. He wiped his hands clean as though the blood meant nothing and turned to leave.

"Thank you," the maid whispered through her sobs, her voice trembling with both fear and gratitude.

Jungkook gave the slightest nod, a mere acknowledgment, before he disappeared into the hall, his mind already shifting away from the scene. Behind him, hidden in the shadows, Taehyung watched with a knowing smile, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Still the same, aren't you, Kook?" Taehyung muttered to himself. "Even with your heart turned off, you can't help but protect the innocent. You are really amazing."

And with a sweet smile, he vanished into the darkness to tell the other members. Leaving no trace behind.
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Back in his room, Jungkook leaned against the cold stone wall, his eyes once again drifting toward the hidden painting in the corner. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape it, her face, her eyes, the roses that wrapped around her like a soft embrace. She haunted his thoughts, her image burned into his mind, and for the life of him, he couldn't understand why.

Frustration boiled in his chest. He wanted to forget her, to erase her from his thoughts, but every time he looked at the painting, the pull grew stronger. The woman in the painting wasn't just a creation; she was something more. Something that twisted his heart in ways he didn't want to admit.