Mark moved swiftly through the underground passage, the air damp and heavy with the weight of centuries. The faint sound of dripping water echoed around them, and the chill seemed to seep into the stone walls. Tong, wrapped in Mark's arms, glanced at the darkened path ahead.
"Gloomy, quiet, and freezing," he muttered. "Not exactly five-star accommodations."
Mark suppressed a grin. "You're not a guest. You're a fugitive now, remember?"
Tong let out a soft chuckle, his mischievous smile breaking through the tension. "Ah, I should've never been to this place. Should've avoided creatures from ancient times altogether."
Mark glanced at him, his face softening as he laughed. "Do you regret it now?"
Tong tilted his head, his smile turning wistful. "No. I don't regret it. At least I found someone who's tortured because he loves me."
Mark stopped walking for a moment. "You think this is love?" he asked softly, his voice almost a whisper. Tong didn't answer, just smiled at him with that same knowing look that left Mark both uneasy and comforted.
They continued in silence until they reached a hidden underground chamber beneath Mark's castle. The room was vast but sparse, its stone walls adorned with faded tapestries and shelves lined with dusty books. Mark placed Tong carefully on an old chaise lounge.
"I'll find a way to end this," Mark said, his voice resolute. He moved to the back of the chamber, pushing open a concealed door that led into his family's hidden library. Shelves upon shelves of ancient texts loomed before him, their spines worn but their secrets intact.
Tong watched him disappear, sighing. His heart ached for Mark, but his curiosity still burned. He muttered to himself, "What kind of curse makes someone live like this?"
Meanwhile, Kael prowled the city with a growing sense of frustration. He had gathered a group of vampires, each loyal to him through fear or admiration, and set them loose to search every corner. "Mark thinks he can hide," Kael sneered. "But even he can't vanish forever."
His confidence, however, was misplaced. Mark had chosen his hiding place well—far from the reach of prying eyes, cloaked in layers of secrecy.
"We've searched the southern district," one of his lackeys reported. "Not even a whisper of him or the human."
Kael growled, his eyes glowing faintly. "Then look again. Spread out. We'll turn this city inside out if we have to."
Elsewhere, in a dimly lit bar, Tong's friends huddled around a table. Worry etched deep lines into their faces.
"Has anyone heard from him?" one asked, scrolling through their phone for the hundredth time. "No," another replied, shaking their head. "He hasn't posted anything, hasn't answered calls or texts. It's not like him to just vanish like this."
"He did mention something about urgent business..." someone else muttered, but their voice was tinged with doubt.
"What kind of urgent business would make him disappear completely?"
Silence fell over the group as unease settled in.
Back in the underground room, Mark pored over the ancient texts, his fingers trailing over faded ink and brittle pages. His mind raced as he searched for anything that could guide him—anything that could break the Moon Drop curse.
One text caught his eye: "The Cycle of Eternal Shadows." He opened it carefully, scanning the pages for clues.
"The curse was sealed in blood... it can only be undone by blood," he read aloud, his voice echoing in the stillness. The words brought a chill to his spine.
A faint rustle behind him made him turn. Tong stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame, his mischievous smile replaced by curiosity. "So, what's the verdict, Professor Vampire? Did you find anything interesting?"
Mark sighed, closing the book. "It's more complicated than I thought."
Tong stepped closer, his teasing tone softening. "It always is, isn't it?"
Mark looked at him, his resolve hardening. "I'll protect you, no matter what."
"And who's going to protect you, Mark?" Tong asked, his voice quiet but firm.
Mark didn't answer, but his silence spoke volumes. For now, he would keep Tong safe, even if it meant carrying the weight of the world alone.
YOU ARE READING
MY GOLDEN BLOOD (END)
FanfictionI wrote this story as a bit of a vent for when I was feeling a bit down about My Golden Blood. I thought there might not be another novel I could read. Moreover, even if there is, it will be very disappointing because it must be written in Thai, so...
