𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ┃ 𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐍

chapter two: bound by instinct.

Tsukiyo furrowed her eyebrows. She watched as the other vampires tensed up at the mention of the villagers approaching them. Jay muttered a string of curses under his breath, looking stressed before leaving the room, as if he had been summoned by someone.

"Is this a bad time to ask what's going on?" She asked, startling Riki who had seemingly forgotten about her presence for a moment, despite how they were in the same room.

"Sorry, but we don't have time to explain. Just stay here and don't leave the room, for your safety," Jungwon shook his head, gesturing for Riki and Sunoo to follow him. Jungwon stopped before leaving the room, looking at her over his shoulder.

"I mean it, by the way. If you truly want to stay alive, don't leave the room."

And just like that, they were gone, leaving Tsukiyo all alone. She waited for a few more minutes and when she was certain they were not coming back, she got out of bed. Her heart pounded in her chest as she quietly slipped out of the room, careful not to make a sound.

The hallways were dimly lit, the stone walls cold beneath her fingertips as she moved through the unfamiliar space. Her senses were sharp, every instinct telling her to stay sharp. She did not know why they had not restrained her, why they had not locked her away after the encounter earlier, but she was not about to wait around to find out.

As she continued sneaking down the corridor, the scale of the place dawned on her. It was not just a large estate—she was in a massive castle. High ceilings arched above her, with dark chandeliers hanging low, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Gothic architecture, grand and imposing, loomed around her, each twist and turn of the corridors making her feel even smaller within its vastness.

Just as she was about to turn down another hallway, her ears picked up the faint sound of shouting—voices echoing through the castle's halls, growing louder and more frenzied. Her steps slowed, curiosity and unease bubbling within her.

What was going on?

She followed the noise, keeping to the shadows as she moved closer. The shouting grew clearer, angry voices mixed with the unmistakable sounds of chaos—clashing metal, shouting commands, and what sounded like a war raging just outside the castle walls. Her breath quickened as she pressed herself against a window, peeking out through the thick glass.

Outside, the courtyard was filled with movement. A mob of villagers, armed with crude weapons—pitchforks, torches, axes—stormed toward the castle's massive gates. Tsukiyo's blood ran cold. These were the villagers Jungwon had mentioned before and they were attacking the castle.

Her gaze swept over the scene, taking in the firelight flickering against the night sky as the villagers attempted to break through the fortified entrance. They yelled curses, their rage palpable even from where she stood. They saw the vampires as monsters, as enemies to be destroyed at all costs. And now, they have come to wage war.

Her mind races. If the villagers broke through, it would be a massacre—on both sides. She clenched her fists, torn between the hunter in her that had been trained to eliminate vampires and the unsettling truth that she was now caught in the middle of something far bigger than she had realized. From where she stood, Tsukiyo was able to get a view of the vampires' backs facing her.

"We know what you are! Every single one of you are nothing but monsters!" The leader of the villagers; a middle-aged man shouted. He was holding what seems to be a rake in his left hand while he pointed at the vampires with his right hand.

There was nothing but raw anger in his voice, sending shivers down Tsukiyo's spine when she heard it. None of them said anything while the villagers voiced their opinions, agreeing with their leader.