Chapter 1 – The Professor with Crimson Eyes

Every university had its rumors. Some spoke of haunted libraries, others whispered about cursed classrooms. But here, at St. Valeria University, the whispers always circled back to one man—Professor Zaid.

He was young, barely twenty-eight, yet carried himself with an authority that even the senior staff couldn’t match. Students said his eyes could silence an entire lecture hall, that no one dared laugh or whisper once he entered. Some adored him for his looks, others feared the sharpness in his voice.

But none of them knew the truth.

Zaid wasn’t human. He was one of the very few vampires left in a world that believed they were nothing more than myths. And in this human world, only one person knew what he truly was—Professor Cassis. Cassis was different, too. Not a vampire, but one of the rare few born with the power to control and suppress a vampire’s nature. Without him, Zaid’s life would have collapsed long ago.

Even with Cassis’s help, the hunger never fully disappeared. It was always there, gnawing at him in silence. He had lived years taming the thirst, convincing himself he could endure. Until Lerra arrived.

She didn’t know it, but her blood was unlike any other. There was something in it that called to him with maddening force, sharper and more intoxicating than anything he had ever tasted. From the moment she walked into his classroom, Zaid knew she was dangerous—not because she threatened him, but because she tempted him beyond reason.

And tonight, of all nights, her scent was unbearable.

Lerra sat in her usual seat, nervously straightening her notes. It had only been a week since she joined her master’s program, and already she felt like an outsider. Especially under Professor Zaid’s gaze. He had the kind of presence that made the air heavy, the kind that pressed silence onto the room with just his footsteps.

Today, her body betrayed her. Her cycle had begun that morning, and though no one around her noticed, Zaid did. His sharp senses caught the faintest trace of blood, and his control nearly cracked. His jaw clenched as he gripped the chalk too tightly, forcing himself to lecture as if nothing were wrong. But every word was dragged out through clenched teeth, every breath filled with a tormenting sweetness.

Her blood.

He wanted it.

When the lecture ended, Lerra quickly packed her books, but Zaid’s voice froze her in place.

“Lerra.”

She turned, startled. His expression was calm, but his eyes glinted with something darker.

“You should go home early today,” he said, his tone low and heavy.

She hesitated. “Professor?”

His jaw flexed, as if he was holding back more than words. “Don’t stay here after sunset.”

Confused, she nodded and slipped out, her heart racing for reasons she couldn’t explain.

By evening, a storm had swallowed the sky. Rain slashed against the university windows, wind clawing at the gates. Lerra lingered at the entrance, clutching her bag. Her short skirt whipped violently in the storm, and with a frustrated sigh, she turned back. She would wait it out.

But the storm didn’t calm. The hours stretched. The sky darkened.

And high above the clouds, the full moon stirred—waiting to break free.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***