Chapter 1: The Rainy Night

"Every legend begins with a place... and every place hides a story."

Scene 1 – The Town of Secrets

Far away from the noise of the cities...

Hidden among the towering Blackstone Mountains...

Lay a beautiful town called Raven Hollow.

It was one of the richest and most peaceful towns in the country.

Small cafés filled the air with the smell of fresh coffee.

Tourists visited throughout the year to enjoy the cool weather and breathtaking mountain views.

To everyone who lived there...

Raven Hollow felt like home.

Standing high above the town...

Was the tallest mountain of them all.

Its peak remained hidden beneath thick clouds for most of the year.

At the very top...

Beyond the last road...

Stood a magnificent black castle.

The castle was old.

Its walls had witnessed centuries of history.

Large iron gates protected its entrance.

Beautiful gardens surrounded the castle, filled with rare flowers that bloomed even during winter.

A crystal-clear lake reflected the castle beneath the moonlight.

It looked peaceful.

Almost magical.

That castle belonged to the Luhaan Family.

One of the oldest and wealthiest families in the country.

Everyone in Raven Hollow knew their name.

The Luhaans owned successful companies, supported hospitals, built schools, and quietly helped thousands of people every year.

Whenever the town faced a difficult time...

The Luhaan Family was always there.

Because of that...

People respected them deeply.

But there was one thing everyone found unusual.

The Luhaan Family rarely appeared in public.

They preferred living quietly inside their mountain estate, far away from crowds and celebrations.

Many people simply believed...

"They're just a private family."

Only Victor Luhaan, the head of the family, was sometimes seen at business meetings, charity events, or important public ceremonies.

The rest of the family remained inside the castle.

No one questioned it.

No one thought it was strange anymore.

Years ago...

Things had been different.

Victor Luhaan and his wife had often attended public events together.

People admired them.

Children would wave as they passed.

His wife was known for her kindness and gentle smile.

She had opened schools for children and donated to hospitals across the country.

But...

One day...

She disappeared from the public eye.

Soon after...

News spread across Raven Hollow.

Mrs. Luhaan had passed away.

No official details were ever shared.

Victor never spoke about her again.

Neither did his children.

Since that day...

The castle gates remained closed most of the time.

The Luhaan Family became quieter than ever.

People respected their privacy.

They believed the family was still mourning.

No one knew...

That behind those ancient walls...

A secret had been protected for generations.

The rain grew heavier.

Cold wind swept across the mountains.

Lightning flashed above the castle.

Inside...

Long hallways stretched beneath golden chandeliers.

Portraits of the Luhaan ancestors covered the stone walls.

Everything was silent.

Almost too silent.

Then...

A pair of footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Slow...

Calm...

Steady.

The footsteps stopped before a large wooden door.

Behind that door...

Someone stood alone, staring out at the storm.

Someone whose life...

Was about to change forever.

Scene 2 – The Youngest Prince

The rain continued to fall outside.

Cold wind slipped through the narrow windows of the ancient castle.

Inside...

Everything was silent.

The long hallways were lit by golden chandeliers, and the walls were decorated with centuries-old paintings of the Luhaan ancestors.

At the end of the hallway...

A large wooden door stood half open.

Inside the room...

A young man stood quietly beside a tall window.

His black hair moved gently with the wind.

His deep crimson eyes were fixed on the town below.

The lights of Raven Hollow looked beautiful from the mountain.

For a moment...

He wished he could live a normal life among those people.

His name was...

Kai Luhaan.

The youngest prince of the Luhaan Family.

Unlike the other vampires...

Kai hated hurting innocent people.

For him...

Every human life mattered.

That was the reason...

It had been seven days since he had tasted blood.

The last bottle stored in the family's emergency blood vault had already been finished.

Normally, the Luhaan Family received a small emergency supply through trusted human partners who worked with hospitals and blood donation centers, using blood that was no longer suitable for medical treatment.

But recently...

Even that supply had become dangerously low.

Kai never complained.

He simply chose to stay hungry.

Even if it made him weaker every day.

Knock... Knock...

Two slow knocks echoed through the room.

Kai didn't turn around.

He already knew who it was.

The door opened.

A tall man entered.

His footsteps were calm...

Yet powerful.

He wore a long black coat embroidered with the royal symbol of the Luhaan Family.

His sharp crimson eyes carried authority.

This was...

Victor Luhaan.

The Vampire King.

Kai lowered his head slightly.

Kai: "Good evening, Father."

Victor looked at him for a long moment.

His expression showed both concern...

And disappointment.

Victor: "How long has it been?"

Kai answered honestly.

Kai: "Seven days."

Victor's eyes narrowed.

Victor: "Seven days without blood?"

Kai gave a small nod.

Silence filled the room.

Outside...

Lightning flashed across the sky.

Victor walked closer.

His voice was calm.

But firm.

Victor: "The emergency blood supply is almost gone."

"We cannot keep saving it for you."

Kai looked away.

"I know."

Victor folded his hands behind his back.

Victor: "Then tell me..."

"Why are you doing this?"

Kai remained quiet for several seconds.

Finally...

He spoke.

Kai: "Because I don't want innocent people to suffer."

"I'd rather stay hungry than take someone's life."

Victor stared at his son.

Neither of them spoke again.

Only the sound of rain filled the silence...

Scene 3 – A Father's Command

The room fell silent.

Only the sound of rain echoed through the castle.

Kai stood quietly beside the window.

Victor looked at his son for a long moment.

His face showed no anger.

Only disappointment.

He slowly walked toward the fireplace.

The warm flames danced across the room, but they could not melt the cold silence between father and son.

Finally...

Victor spoke.

Victor: "Kai... do you know why the Luhaan Family has survived for centuries?"

Kai remained silent.

Victor answered his own question.

Victor: "Because we never let our emotions control us."

"We rule with discipline."

"We protect our family."

"And we never forget who we are."

He turned and looked directly into Kai's eyes.

Victor: "We are vampires."

Kai lowered his head.

Kai: "I know, Father."

Victor continued.

Victor: "Then why do you keep fighting your own nature?"

Kai took a slow breath.

His voice was calm.

But filled with pain.

Kai: "Because every human has a family."

"A mother..."

"A father..."

"A child waiting for them at home."

"I don't want to be the reason someone never returns."

The room became silent once again.

For a brief moment...

Victor's expression softened.

He understood his son's heart.

But he also knew...

Kindness alone could never keep a vampire alive.

Victor walked closer.

He gently placed one hand on Kai's shoulder.

Victor: "You think refusing blood makes you kind."

"But it doesn't."

"It only makes you weaker."

Kai didn't answer.

Victor removed his hand.

"The emergency blood supply is almost empty."

"We have protected it for years."

"But it was never meant to replace hunting forever."

He paused.

"If you continue like this..."

"Your body will begin to reject itself."

Kai slowly closed his eyes.

He already knew the truth.

Every day...

His strength was fading.

His heartbeat had become slower.

Even standing for long hours had become difficult.

Victor looked toward the rain outside.

Then spoke in a firm voice.

Victor: "Tomorrow, the leaders of the other vampire clans will arrive."

"They respect the Luhaan name."

"But respect disappears when weakness is revealed."

He looked back at Kai.

"You are my son."

"The youngest prince of this family."

"If they discover that you haven't fed for seven days..."

"They will not insult only you."

"They will question the strength of our entire bloodline."

Kai clenched his fists.

He never wanted to shame his family.

Victor stepped toward the door.

Before leaving...

He spoke one final time.

Victor: "Leave before midnight."

"Hunt."

"You don't have to kill."

"Take only what you need."

"But return before sunrise..."

"...after you have fed."

Without another word...

The Vampire King walked out of the room.

The heavy wooden door slowly closed.

Kai stood alone.

The rain continued to fall.

He looked at his reflection in the window.

His pale face...

His tired eyes...

And the question he had asked himself for years.

Kai (whispering):

"Can a vampire protect humans... without becoming their enemy?"

No one answered.

Only the storm outside.

Scene 4 – The First Hunt

The rain had become lighter.

Dark clouds still covered the sky as the clock inside the castle struck eleven.

Dong...

Dong...

Dong...

The sound echoed through the silent halls.

Kai walked slowly down the grand staircase.

His footsteps were calm, but his body felt heavier than ever.

Every step reminded him...

He had not fed for seven days.

His strength was fading.

His vision blurred for a moment.

He held the wooden railing until the dizziness passed.

A maid standing nearby noticed him.

She looked worried.

Maid: "Young Master... are you alright?"

Kai gave her a small smile.

Kai: "I'm fine."

The maid knew he wasn't.

But she lowered her head without saying another word.

Outside...

The castle gates slowly opened.

Cold air rushed across the courtyard.

Kai pulled the hood of his black coat over his head.

Before leaving...

He looked back at the castle.

Its tall towers disappeared into the clouds.

It had always been his home.

Yet tonight...

It felt strangely distant.

He whispered softly,

Kai: "I'll be back before sunrise."

Then...

He stepped into the darkness.

The road down the mountain was long.

Rainwater flowed beside the narrow path.

Tall pine trees swayed gently with the wind.

The town lights slowly became brighter as Kai walked closer.

He could hear music from distant cafés.

People were laughing.

Cars moved through the streets.

It looked like any normal night.

Kai quietly watched them from a distance.

A little boy ran across the road holding his father's hand.

A young couple shared one umbrella.

An old man closed his small bakery before heading home.

Kai smiled faintly.

Kai (thinking):

"This is why I can't hurt them."

Minutes passed.

Kai searched every empty street.

He looked behind buildings...

Near the forest...

Even beside the river.

He hoped to find an injured animal.

Or anything that would keep him alive without hurting a human.

But there was nothing.

Not even a stray dog.

The hunger inside him grew stronger.

His breathing became heavier.

For a second...

His red eyes glowed brighter.

He immediately looked away from the people walking nearby.

Kai: "No..."

"I won't lose control."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The rain fell gently onto his face.

Then...

Something changed.

A soft breeze passed through the street.

Kai suddenly stopped walking.

His heartbeat became faster.

The wind carried a scent unlike anything he had ever known.

It wasn't strong.

It wasn't ordinary.

It was...

Warm.

Pure.

Different.

Kai slowly opened his eyes.

His vampire instincts awakened.

He looked around the crowded street.

Kai (whispering):

"...What is that?"

The scent disappeared.

Then returned again.

Stronger this time.

Kai took one slow step forward.

Without realizing it...

He began following the mysterious scent.

He had no idea...

Where it would lead him.

Or whose life it belonged to.

Scene 5 – The Girl in the Rain

The mysterious scent grew stronger.

Kai stood still.

The cold wind carried it through the quiet streets, making his vampire instincts restless.

It was unlike anything he had ever smelled.

It wasn't just blood.

It felt...

Alive.

Warm.

Almost... comforting.

Kai slowly looked around.

People walked past him without noticing.

Some hurried home before the rain became heavier.

Others laughed beneath colorful umbrellas.

None of them carried that scent.

He took another step.

Then another.

Without realizing it...

He was following it.

The rain began to fall harder.

Streetlights reflected on the wet road like tiny golden stars.

The town grew quieter.

Most of the shops had already closed.

Only a small café and a flower shop still had their lights on.

The scent led him toward the old bus stop beside the flower shop.

Kai stopped.

Someone was standing there.

A girl.

She held a black umbrella in one hand and a paper bag in the other.

Her long dark hair moved gently with the wind.

She looked completely ordinary.

Just another college student waiting for the rain to slow down.

Kai couldn't see her face clearly.

The streetlight behind her turned her into nothing more than a silhouette.

Yet...

His eyes refused to look away.

His heartbeat became faster.

His hunger...

Disappeared.

That had never happened before.

Every time he smelled human blood, the hunger inside him became stronger.

But this time...

Everything became strangely calm.

Kai frowned.

Kai (whispering):

"...Why?"

He had no answer.

At that very moment...

The girl looked up at the sky.

A small smile appeared on her face as she stretched out one hand.

Raindrops landed gently on her fingers.

She laughed quietly to herself.

Kai had never heard such a simple laugh before.

For some reason...

It made him smile too.

Without even realizing it.

Suddenly...

A strong gust of wind blew across the street.

The girl's umbrella slipped from her hand.

It rolled across the wet road.

Kai moved on instinct.

Before the umbrella could fall into the rushing water beside the road...

He caught it.

For a brief second...

Their eyes met.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them knew each other's names.

But somehow...

It felt as if fate had quietly introduced them.

The rain continued to fall.

And somewhere high above the clouds...

Destiny smiled.

End of Chapter One

The rain had stopped...

But destiny had only just awakened.

Continue to Chapter 2...

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