It was the same nightmare every time.
The pale, veiny hand. The bloody fangs. The eyes that looked like bright red blood.
And the scream. That bone-chilling scream that sent shivers down her spine every time she heard it.
And then she woke up.

***

Cassy Lenoir opened her eyes and instantly saw darkness.
Her muscles felt tense, and it felt as if all the energy had been drained from her limbs. However, she could feel a mattress under her body, a softness that spread from her back to her arms and legs.
She had never been on a bed so comfortable. Just being here made her want to close her eyes again and fall back asleep…
No. No, she shouldn’t.
Cassy’s lips stretched into a thin line as she tried to remember what happened before she passed out.
Blood on the snow-covered ground. Blood gushing out from her shoulder.
The cold freezing her limbs. Her breathing growing labored. Black spots appearing in her vision as she waited.
Waited desperately for a miracle.
And then that miracle came.
But in the form of a bloodsucking creature.
A hideous vampire.
Mikhail Ivanov.
Cassy gritted her teeth. She knew very well who Mikhail Ivanov was.
He was one of the elite vampires in the country, the powerful vampire who had several lower-class vampires under his elegant thumb, even those who were more skilled than average. He was also the owner of the largest and one of the only two security companies in the city, which made him responsible for protecting the city at night.
It was a well-known rule in the country that no one dared to cross him, whether they were human, vampire, werewolf, or any other supernatural creature.
Vampires. They were the bane of Cassy’s existence. For as long as she could remember, vampires had roamed the world, and they were so proud of their abilities, knowing very well that they overpowered humans.
The vampires were all manipulative and greedy for power. For her and the majority of the human population, there was no such thing as a good vampire. Only the bad ones existed, which only spelled doom for the human race.
It was why the Supernatural Council, the Human Council, and the Vampire Hunters Association existed. They were made to keep the vampires and the other supernaturals in line. The hunters also had a creed of their own, and that was not to engage in conflict with any vampire unless the vampire attacked them first or attacked a human.
A peace treaty existed between the humans and the vampires. This also applied to the other supernatural species, but they were usually an isolated bunch, especially the werewolves.
The peace treaty was also established in the first place because the vampires needed the humans to survive, so this was a way to resolve the issues and tension between them in a cordial manner.
How ironic that the humans also needed the vampires to protect them.
In a world where humans and vampires coexisted, there were bound to be conflicts of all kinds, whether it was greed for power or hunger. The city of Azallea was the largest in Dekraine, which meant that it was also the city with the largest human population. It consisted of about 70% humans and 30% vampires.
Because of this, the wicked vampires from other countries had their eyes on Azallea. In reality, the world was filled with different kinds of supernaturals. Evil vampires existed, and they formed various factions or organizations to increase their reputation and power.
Outside of Azallea, there was an ongoing conflict, a war of sorts. Vampires were attacking humans, and humans were fighting back by training vampire hunters. The Human Council also had its hands full with this concerning issue.
As a result, even the werewolves and witches got involved in the conflict. The werewolves were the vampires’ mortal enemies while the witches would defend their own kind if necessary, so most of them had an alliance with the humans.
It was why the vampires here in Azallea — where Mikhail’s influence spread throughout — committed to protecting the city. The Councils gave this important task to him since they trusted that he could protect the humans because of his immense power.
And because he was an elite, he was above most authority. The Council was afraid to offend him, while the Vampire Hunters Association wished the day they could take him down would come sooner.
With someone as powerful as Mikhail, the balance of power shifted in his favor, causing turmoil throughout the country. The humans were worried that the vampires were becoming too powerful, and they were also angry that they were being used as pawns in the vampires’ games. However, they didn’t have much choice in the matter.
Thousands of humans — including the supernaturals — loathed him, but at the same time, many admired him for his ruthlessness and the way he handled things. The entire city was like his empire, so to speak, and he reveled in his absolute power.
‘I hate that we’re too powerless against them right now,’ Cassy thought to herself bitterly.
Slowly, she sat up in bed and stared at her hands. Just last night, they had been stained with blood as she clutched her bleeding shoulder. She thought she would die right there, having waited too long for help.
In the end, she had been forced to drink the blood of a vampire in order to live…
Cassy bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. Anyway, he had saved her life. She didn’t want to die, at least not yet, so she was indebted to him.
She had to pay him back.
She hated the fact that she owed her life to a vampire, but that was the way it was.
She sat up in bed and reached for the lampshade on the nightstand. When the small, orange glow gave a bit of illumination to the surroundings, Cassy stood up. She reached for the light switch and turned it on, bathing the room in brightness.
The room was lavishly furnished. The bed, she found, was a dark-red canopy, with silky black curtains hanging at each side. There was a large dresser, a giant wardrobe, two bookshelves, a red couch, and a desk. It seemed to be the typical rich bedroom style with a distinct Victorian touch.
As expected of an elite vampire who held the security of the entire city in his hands.
Cassy felt uncomfortable and exited the room, wanting to get away from the unfamiliarity of it all.
When she walked through the door, she saw a large living room with a fireplace.
And there, sitting on one of the large couches, was a tall, imposing figure.
Mikhail Ivanov.
The infamous, fearsome elite vampire.
As expected of his species, he was elegantly handsome, his silver hair neatly slicked back. A few strands fell across his forehead, giving him an alluring look. He had intense red eyes that seemed to probe one’s soul.
His features were smooth and refined, though his pale skin made him seem a bit intimidating. He wasn’t as white as chalk, though. That would have been too disturbing. It seemed more like the kind of complexion that resulted from not going outside for months.
His red eyes made Cassy a little hesitant. After all, a vampire’s eyes only turned red when he was about to attack or bite someone.
But that wasn’t the case with elite vampires. Their red color was permanent and close to the color of dark wine. Normal vampires, on the other hand, had eyes that looked like a red flashlight that was too bright.
Those red eyes made her feel cautious, as if he was going to attack her at any moment.
“You’re awake,” Mikhail said with a smile. It was an icy smile, one that sent shivers down Cassy’s spine and made her raise her guard.
There was no relaxing around a vampire; they had great instincts and were too fast for humans to comprehend. She was weakened right now, so he had every opportunity to pounce on her.
Though she doubted he could do that to his—
“Mate,” Mikhail suddenly said as he stood up and approached her. He was tall, but his presence was so overwhelming that he seemed to tower over her as he approached. The top of her head was only level with his shoulder, and she suddenly felt quite small in comparison.
“You already know of this, don’t you?” he said with a lopsided smile as he reached out and pointed a slender finger at her chest. “You can feel it in that beating heart of yours.”
Cassy’s breath hitched in her throat.
Even with that finger alone, he could very well plunge it into her chest and drive a long, sharp nail into her heart.
But he was right. She did know that she was his human mate. She had felt it so strongly, especially during their meeting last night.
She knew he couldn’t possibly hurt her, but he was a vampire feared throughout the city. There was no telling how he might behave. These creatures were unpredictable.
“So you understand.” Mikhail’s smirk grew wider. “With that settled, you will be my woman from now on.”
Cassy’s heart instantly skipped a beat.