Back in her room, silence had finally settled.
Zephrine stood near the window, staring outside. The estate stretched wide, dark walls and guarded paths—but her eyes caught something else.
A gate.
A back gate.
Her breath slowed.
Exit.
Her mind clicked instantly.
"Oh… right," she whispered to herself. "That must be the way out."
A small, determined spark lit inside her.
Let's see how that vampire stops me.
Her gaze flicked down to her wrist.
The bracelet.
The tracker.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Let's test that later," she muttered.
She glanced outside again.
No movement.
No guards nearby.
Perfect.
She took a deep breath.
And jumped.
What followed was… less graceful than planned.
She landed badly.
Stumbled.
Spun.
Somehow managed to bounce slightly off a low edge.
"Ah—!"
Another stumble.
A turn.
A half roll.
She hit the ground again.
"…God bless you," she whispered to herself each time, as if it would help.
By the seventh awkward landing attempt, she finally steadied herself—
Only for her own shoe, flung mid-misstep, to fly through the air and smack her head.
"Ouch—God bless you," she muttered again, rubbing her forehead.
She straightened herself quickly.
No time to waste.
The gate was right there.
Freedom.
She stepped forward.
One foot through.
Halfway across.
Her heart raced.
I'm actually doing this.
Then—
A voice.
Calm.
Too familiar.
"Going somewhere?"
Zephrine froze.
Slowly, she turned her head.
Azriel.
Leaning casually against the wall nearby, arms relaxed, watching her like he had been there the entire time.
Her stomach dropped.
She hadn't even noticed him.
"Yeah," she said quickly, trying to recover, "running from a stupid blood sucker—"
She paused.
Her eyes focused properly now.
Her expression changed.
"…Wait, wha—"
Recognition hit her.
"Oh God—Mas—"
She lost balance in shock.
Fell backward.
Before she could hit the ground—
A hand caught her.
Firm.
Effortless.
Azriel pulled her up just enough so she was suspended against him, their faces dangerously close.
A faint smirk curved his lips.
"So first," he said softly, "a blood sucker… then master?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"You change your damn titles quickly, princess."
Zephrine froze.
Her breath caught.
"I—I was just… having a view—"
His gaze darkened slightly.
"Don't 'view' me," he interrupted quietly.
A pause.
Then—
"Princess."
Zephrine was still caught in his grip.
Her heartbeat hadn't settled yet.
Neither had her breath.
Azriel didn't immediately let her go.
Instead, he studied her.
Quietly.
Like she was something he couldn't quite categorize.
Then, in a lower voice—less mocking than before—he spoke.
"Tell me something, princess."
Zephrine stiffened slightly.
His eyes didn't leave her face.
"Why do you keep trying to escape?"
The question wasn't sharp.
It wasn't angry.
It was… curious.
Almost genuinely so.
Zephrine hesitated.
"What kind of question is that?" she whispered.
Azriel tilted his head slightly.
"A simple one," he said. "You eat well. You sleep in a safe room. You're not being tortured."
A pause.
His gaze sharpened just a little.
"You're alive."
His fingers loosened slightly but didn't fully release her.
"Most humans in this world would call that enough."
Zephrine's jaw tightened.
"That's not freedom," she said quietly.
Something flickered in his eyes.
He repeated the word slowly.
"Freedom…"
Like he was testing its meaning.
Then he let out a faint breath.
"You've had freedom before," he said. Not a question.
A statement.
Zephrine didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Azriel watched her reaction carefully.
Then he added, softer but more dangerous in its honesty—
"And yet you still ran."
His grip adjusted slightly, steadying her rather than restraining her now.
"Not once," he continued, "but again and again."
A faint pause.
His eyes narrowed.
"Even when you know you can't win."
Zephrine finally looked up at him.
"Because I don't belong here," she said firmly.
For the first time—
Azriel didn't respond immediately.
He just stared at her.
Longer than usual.
Like her answer didn't fit inside whatever logic he understood.
Then—
A quiet exhale.
"And where exactly do you belong?" he asked.
Zephrine hesitated.
Her voice softened, but stayed steady.
"Home."
That word lingered between them.
For a moment, even the air felt still.
Azriel's expression didn't soften.
But it changed.
Subtly.
Not anger.
Not amusement.
Something closer to… confusion.
As if "home" was a concept he couldn't fully connect to anything real.
He finally released her wrist.
Slowly.
Not out of permission.
But thought.
"You keep risking your life," he said quietly, "for something that makes you weaker every time you chase it."
His gaze held hers.
"That doesn't make sense."
Zephrine pulled back a step immediately, rubbing her wrist.
"It doesn't have to make sense to you," she said.
That made him pause again.
A different kind of silence followed.
Then Azriel spoke again—lower this time.
Almost to himself.
"You really are strange."
A faint, unreadable smile returned to his lips.
"But that's exactly what's becoming… annoying."
He turned slightly away, as if dismissing the moment.
Then glanced back at her once more.
"Next time you try to run," he added calmly, "try to understand something first."
Zephrine frowned.
"What?"
His red eyes met hers again.
"I always find you."
A beat.
"And I always will."
Azriel looked at her with a faint grin.
"Speaking of your punishment…"
Zephrine stiffened.
"You were so eager to go to the forest, right?" he said calmly. "Let's show you."
Before she could react, he caught her wrist and pulled her forward.
"Wait—!"
At first, she followed reluctantly, stumbling behind him. The path ahead looked normal… until it didn't.
The deeper they went, the darker it became.
The trees grew unnaturally tall, their branches twisting like claws. Thick green vines hung low, swaying slowly—almost like they were alive.
Zephrine slowed down instantly.
"Mm… master," she said nervously, her voice shaking, "we should go back. I promise I won't do it again. Please—"
Azriel didn't even look at her.
"I don't trust you," he said flatly. "Keep walking."
"No, please—!"
Her voice cracked as one of the vines shifted.
The "rope" on a nearby tree suddenly moved.
Snapped toward her.
Zephrine froze.
Then—
It wrapped around her leg.
"Ah—!"
She jerked back instantly.
The vine tightened.
Panic hit her like a wave.
"No—please—Master!"
"Shut up and walk," Azriel said coldly, still pulling her forward as if nothing was happening.
She tried to follow again, trembling violently, but another vine brushed her ankle.
That was enough.
"AAAAH!"
In one sudden movement, she jumped—
Straight onto him.
Her arms locked around his neck and her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, clinging to him like her life depended on it.
Azriel stopped.
Completely.
"…Get down, princess," he said, voice dangerously calm.
"No, please—Master, it will eat me!"
"It won't."
"It will! Look how scary it is!"
"Get down."
"But ma—"
His voice snapped sharply.
"GET DOWN."
Zephrine flinched.
Slowly, reluctantly, she loosened her grip and slid down.
But she didn't let go completely.
She stayed close behind him, clinging to his sleeve as they moved forward.
The forest opened into a clearing.
And Zephrine froze.
Snakes.
Everywhere.
Black.
Coiled.
Hissing softly in the dark like they were waiting.
Her breath caught.
Azriel stood still beside her.
"I was thinking," he said quietly, "of giving you a punishment you'll never forget."
Zephrine swallowed hard.
"…What?"
Something dark flickered in his eyes.
"A punishment," he continued, "that will make sure you stop trying to run."
A pause.
His voice lowered slightly.
"Forever."
The forest felt wrong.
Not just dark—but alive in a way that didn't belong to nature.
The air was thick and heavy, pressing against Zephrine's chest with every breath she took. The trees around them stood unnaturally still, their twisted branches stretching like claws toward the sky. From time to time, faint rustling sounds echoed through the forest, though nothing visible moved.
And the snakes—
They were everywhere.
Coiled on branches. Sliding across roots. Wrapped around stones like they had always belonged there.
Black scales caught faint reflections of the dim light, glistening like wet glass. Some hissed softly, tongues flickering in the air as if tasting fear itself.
Zephrine stood frozen behind Azriel.
Her fingers instinctively clutched the fabric of his sleeve, not fully letting go even though she tried to maintain distance. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears.
Azriel, however, remained calm.
Completely unbothered.
As if the entire forest was nothing more than a routine path.
Then—
Something changed.
One of the snakes, larger than the others, began to move differently.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
It lifted its head higher than the rest, its body uncoiling in an unnatural rhythm. The surrounding snakes went still as if responding to it.
Zephrine's breath caught.
The creature's form started to shift.
Its body elongated—not in length, but in structure. The scales rippled like liquid shadow before dissolving into something more solid… more human. Bone structure reformed beneath shifting skin. Limbs extended where coils once were.
Within seconds—
A man stood where the snake had been.
He was tall, lean, and unsettlingly sharp in appearance. His skin bore deep scars that crossed his face and neck like old warnings. His eyes, however, were what truly made the air feel heavier—cold, calculating, and far too aware.
A low smile spread across his lips as he tilted his head.
And then he spoke.
"Well, well…"
His voice was rough, like gravel dragged through silence.
"Look who decided to come here."
His gaze locked directly onto Azriel.
A slow grin widened.
"Azriel Dorentis."
The name echoed through the forest like a warning rather than a greeting.
Zephrine felt a slight shift in the atmosphere immediately. Even the snakes nearby stilled further, as if waiting for something to break.
The man took a slow step forward, boots pressing into the damp ground.
"What a surprise," he continued, voice dripping with mock amusement. "How come a high elite like you is wandering into a place like this?"
He gestured loosely around him.
"To us lowly people."
A faint chuckle escaped him, but there was no humor in it—only challenge.
Zephrine swallowed hard.
Her grip on Azriel's sleeve tightened slightly without her realizing.
Because for the first time since entering this forest…
It didn't feel like Azriel was the only dangerous presence here anymore
Worse.
Azriel, meanwhile, only smiled.
Calm.
Controlled.
forest grew quieter after Azriel spoke.
"Yes," he said smoothly, answering the unspoken question. "A slave of mine."
The word struck Zephrine harder than she expected.
Slave.
As if she were an object.
Not a person.
"You know how strict I am with my rules," Azriel continued casually.
Before Zephrine could react—
His hand caught her shoulder.
Hard.
And with terrifying ease, he shoved her forward.
She stumbled violently, falling onto the cold ground at the scarred man's feet. Dirt scraped against her palms as pain shot through her knees.
"Teach her a lesson," Azriel said coldly behind her.
"A lesson she'll remember before ever trying to betray me again."
Zephrine's heart dropped.
The scarred man looked down at her slowly.
Then back at Azriel.
A faint grin spread across his scarred face.
"Well…" he drawled, his rough voice echoing through the clearing. "What a surprise."
He circled around her lazily, like a predator inspecting prey.
"Why would a powerful elite like you ask us to discipline someone else?" he mused. "Especially someone so…"
His eyes dragged over Zephrine deliberately.
"…fragile."
Azriel's lips curved slightly.
An ugly smile.
"I'm afraid," he said softly, "I might be too harsh on someone fragile."
The surrounding snakes let out low hissing sounds that almost resembled laughter.
Then the scarred man laughed too.
Dark.
Cruel.
"Well then," he said, crouching slightly to Zephrine's level, "I would be pleased to teach a beauty like her a lesson."
His gaze lingered on her trembling hands.
"One she never forgets."
Fear surged through her instantly.
The glimmer in his eyes was wrong.
Dangerous in a way that made her stomach twist.
Zephrine shook her head quickly, panic rising too fast for her to control.
"No… no, please…" Her voice trembled. "Master, I promise—I'll behave, I swear—"
Azriel crouched in front of her before she could continue.
His fingers slid against her cheeks, holding her face gently between his thumb and forefinger.
The softness of the gesture only made it worse.
"I know you will, sweetheart," he said quietly.
His red eyes locked onto hers.
"But sometimes…"
His thumb brushed beneath one of her tears.
"…life lessons are important."
Zephrine stared at him in disbelief.
"Don't worry," he added smoothly, standing back up. "I'll pick you up later."
A faint smirk appeared.
"Have fun."
"No—!"
Her voice cracked completely now.
"No, please, Master—please!"
Tears blurred her vision as she reached toward him instinctively.
But Azriel only watched her for one final moment.
Completely calm.
Then—
Black smoke curled around him.
And he vanished.
Gone.
Just like that.
The forest suddenly felt much darker.
Much colder.
Slowly—
Zephrine turned her head.
The scarred man was still staring at her.
Smiling.
The snakes around the clearing shifted closer, their scales sliding against the ground with soft, chilling sounds.
Zephrine's hands trembled violently against the dirt.
"…Please," she whispered weakly.
And this time—
Azriel wasn't there to hear it..
The scarred man stepped closer, his grip tightening painfully around Zephrine's shoulder as he dragged her toward him.
"Well," he murmured with a cruel smile, "looks like your master left you to us."
His fingers brushed against her shoulder, and Zephrine immediately jerked away, fear rising violently in her chest.
"But I hate wasting beauty," he continued, eyes glinting dangerously.
The snakes around the clearing hissed softly.
Then his expression darkened.
"Hold her."
Several of the snakes shifted forms at once, their bodies twisting into human shapes. Men emerged from the shadows, surrounding her slowly.
Panic exploded through Zephrine.
She pushed one away and ran.
Branches scratched against her arms as she stumbled through the clearing. Her bracelet burned faintly against her wrist—the seal still blocking her magic.
No powers.
No escape.
One of them caught her arm.
Zephrine reacted instantly, fighting wildly despite the fear. She clawed at the scarred man's face hard enough to leave red marks across his cheek.
He hissed in anger.
"You little—"
He shoved her back roughly.
The fabric near her shoulder slipped slightly, exposing the old bite mark Azriel had left there days ago.
For one brief moment—
Everything went still.
The scarred man's eyes narrowed.
Recognition.
"Interesting…" he muttered.
But Zephrine was already backing away again, breathing unevenly.
Then—
She screamed.
Not from weakness.
From desperation.
The sound echoed through the forest.
And somewhere near the estate gates—
Azriel heard it.
The air exploded.
A violent force burst through the clearing like a storm.
Before anyone could react, the scarred man was thrown backward across the ground, crashing into a tree hard enough to split bark.
Every snake in the clearing froze instantly.
Azriel stood there.
Cold fury radiated from him so strongly that even the forest seemed to recoil.
His red eyes burned.
"Did I tell you to touch her?" he said quietly.
The calmness in his voice was far more terrifying than shouting.
The scarred man struggled to rise.
"A-Azriel, you said to teach her a lesson—"
"I said a lesson," Azriel interrupted sharply.
A dangerous silence followed.
"Not an invitation for your death, Abzure."
Power flickered around him violently, dark energy crackling through the air.
The snakes immediately lowered their gazes.
Abzure swallowed hard.
Azriel took one slow step forward.
"Next time," he said coldly, "I won't leave you breathing."
The threat settled heavily across the clearing.
No one doubted him.
Then Azriel turned.
Zephrine stood trembling a few feet away, breathing unevenly. Her hair was disheveled, fear still visible in her wide eyes.
For the first time since meeting him—
She looked genuinely shaken beyond words.
Azriel's gaze lingered on her for a second longer than expected.
Then he crouched slightly beside her.
Without effort, he lifted her carefully by the waist and pulled her upright.
Zephrine instinctively grabbed onto the front of his coat to steady herself.
His eyes flicked briefly toward her hand.
A faint smirk appeared.
"Looks like you finally learned your lesson, princess," he murmured.
She didn't answer.
Couldn't.
He adjusted the fabric on her shoulder back into place before turning away from the others.
"Come," he ordered calmly.
And this time—
Zephrine followed without resisting.
As they disappeared into the darkness of the forest, the snakes remained completely silent behind them.
He took her to her room which now seemed too much cozy and familiar to her .
Still sobbing everytime she glances at him again and again.
He stares at her then speaks.
"Looks like you got your lesson princess".
he tucked her deep red hair behind her ears and
kissed her neck were he bit before.
His fingers trailing up as he pulled her sleeves up
"And i believe you won't do it again
Will you ?"
She didn't answer.
"Answer me"
She flinches
"...Ye...s ....NO ...no.i won't"
He smirked like he was enjoying.
"will you behave"
Zephrine hesitates before answering
"Yes..."
"That's my good girl now make yourself presentable and , Bring me tea in my room"
Saying this he leaves his words were dangerously soft.
any one could fall .
It scared zephrine even more.
Now what?