Novel-novel oleh Grytonna

AMBROSIUS By the fourth day of our escape, even the weather was against us at this point. Heavy rain began to pour, turning the dirt tracks muddy and soaking through my thin clothes until I was shivering non-stop. Jude didn't seem to care. In fact, I could tell he was intentionally taking the longest routes through the rocky hills. He was dragging out the journey on purpose, squeezing every single drop of utility out of my body before he finally had to hand over my freedom. Humans were so damn predictable, it was nearly revolting.As storm grew more violent, Jude suggested we take shelter in a nearby cave.“You know we can only move when it's night right?” I reminded him.“Yeah, and we've been doing just that for hours in this storm,” he rolled his eyes as he headed towards the cave. “Unlike you, humans can fall sick and die. And, I don't plan on dying.”I watched him disappear into the cave and for a second, I wanted to tell him that I was closer to a human than I was to a vampire

AMBROSIUS The first rush of adrenaline from escaping the estate faded after a few hours of walking through the dense, freezing woods. The fog hung low, dampening my white shirt until it clung to my skin. I expected Jude to be in a hurry. Kiran was a monster, and even with a head start, common sense dictated we should put as much distance between us and the manor as fast as possible.But as the sky began to turn a cloudy grey, Jude slowed his pace. He stopped near a massive, moss-covered oak tree and dropped his heavy pack to the ground with a loud sigh."We rest here," Jude announced, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.I frowned, stepping toward him. "Rest? We've only been walking for five hours. We need to reach the border ruins before anyone notices I’m gone. Kiran might be away, but the guards will check my room eventually."Jude turned around, a slow, annoying smirk spreading across his face. He didn't look like he was afraid anymore, if anything, he looked like he h

AMBROSIUS Kiran didn’t leave me in the dungeon for the entire week. Three days before his scheduled trip to the East, he had the guards drag me back up to my bedroom. He didn’t say a word about the young noble he’d killed, and he didn’t ask why I had been in the library. He simply used me. He spent the entire night reminding me who I belonged to, his rough hands leaving fresh marks over my older bruises before he finally left at dawn.By afternoon, the estate was busy as everyone prepared for Kiran’s departure. I stood by the heavily curtained window of my room, peeking through a sliver of the velvet fabric. Down in the courtyard, Kiran was getting into his carriage and as expected, Fyodor was going with him as well.Kiran never went anywhere without him. Despite being a rather competent head of the Devereux family, Kiran was too nonchalant to handle the boring details of travel, leaving everything for Fyodor to organize.I watched them ride out of the iron gates with a small detachm

AMBROSIUS Jude sat on the edge of the stone floor, his breathing loud and erratic in the quiet cell. He was frantically pulling his trousers up and buckling his belt, his hands shaking so much that the buckle clicked loudly against the floor. The post-nut reality was hitting him hard. The intoxication of my body was wearing off, replaced by the sheer terror of what he had just done.I stayed on the floor for a moment, slowly pushing myself up into a sitting position. As I moved, a sharp, stinging pain flared across my shoulder blade. I had grazed one of the silver bars during the struggle, and my pale skin was already blistering. I pulled the oversized white shirt back over my shoulder, covering the burn, and looked at the pathetic man sitting across from me.Physically, I had lost my chance to run. My body was too weak from the sedatives to overpower a soldier. But looking at the sheer panic in Jude’s eyes, I realized I could still win this if I pushed the right buttons."You're d

AMBROSIUS The lower dungeons were completely dark, damp, and smelled of mold. The guards had dragged me down here right after the incident in the library, stripping me of my tunic and trousers. They left me with nothing but a thin, oversized white shirt that hung loosely over my frame, and a pair of simple inner shorts.The cell door was made of thick silver bars. I had to stay in the exact center of the stone floor, sitting with my knees pulled to my chest. Silver was poison to my kind. Even with the suppressant drugs keeping my vampire abilities at zero, my flesh would blister and burn upon contact with the metal. I couldn't even lean against the door to rest my aching back.Days bled into each other. I lost track of time as I couldn't even see the sun rise here unlike in my room where I could at least tell behind drawn curtains. A servant was instructed to feed me everyday. The servant would open a small slot at the bottom of the door to slide a blood bag inside. The blood was al

AMBROSIUS I wasn't in the best shape right now and I couldn't exactly kill or hurt him even if I was.“If you're lost, I'll help you call a maid to show you back to the hall,” I said, trying to stay calm. “It seems you're not that quick-witted,” he snarled, before lunging forward, his hands catching me by the shoulders. He was surprisingly strong for a human, his fingers digging into my sensitive skin as he tried to force his mouth against mine. He smelled repulsive—like alcohol and stale sweat."Stop," I hissed, my hand flying backwards, pushing against his chest. I barely had any strength due to the drugs, but I managed to shove him back a few inches. "Let go of me.""Don't act pure with me, slave," Boras’s son snapped, his face twisting in anger. He grabbed my hair, yanking my head back violently. "You're a whore for the Devereux men. You think you're too good for a northern lord?"Before he could do anything else, the library doors burst open and the atmosphere completely chang

/THEO/The official offer email from PixelPulse Studio arrived at exactly 4:15 PM, and I swear my heart stopped for a full ten seconds. I stared at my phone screen, reading the words ‘Administrative Assistant Role’ over and over until they blurred together.I got it. I actually got it.The relief that washed over me was so intense my knees felt weak. The salary was exactly what I needed—enough to cover my half of the rent, buy groceries, and finally start a hidden savings account. The moment I had enough to pay Nevan back for my university tuition, I was going to cut ties completely and then, I'll finally be able to breathe.To celebrate, I decided to make a proper dinner. No basic sandwiches tonight. I went down to the local market and bought fresh ingredients for a savory chicken stir-fry and egg fried rice. By the time 6:00 PM rolled around—the exact start of my kitchen time slot—the apartment was filled with the delicious aroma of garlic, ginger, and sesame oil.Right on cue, Lor

/THEO/It was the morning of the interview and I had barely been able to sleep at night because of how nervous I was. PixelPulse Studio was one of the biggest names in the industry, and getting an interview there felt like a miracle. I spent twenty minutes just trying to get my tie straight, which was a struggle because my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.I wanted to look—and smell—the part. I reached into my drawer and pulled out a bottle of cologne Mayla had given me for my last birthday. It had a nice, woody scent, something that felt more "adult" than the citrus stuff I usually wore. I dabbed a bit on my neck and wrists, hoping the scent would give me a boost of confidence.As I walked out of my room, I bumped right into Lorcan in the narrow hallway. He was heading toward the kitchen, probably for his morning caffeine fix. Usually, he’d just sidestep me like I was a piece of furniture, but today he stopped dead in his tracks.His nostrils flared, and his blue eyes narrowed as they sw

/THEO/Living with Lorcan was harder than I assumed. Maybe I'd been a bit too confident.I had been in the apartment for three days, and I had already broken Rule #1 at least fifteen times. It wasn’t on purpose though. I was just used to a house where silence meant someone was angry or sick. So, every time I saw Lorcan’s tall, broad frame moving toward the kitchen or the front door, my brain automatically fired off a "Good morning!" or "Hey, how was your day?"Every single time, Lorcan would just stiffen, give me a look that could freeze boiling water, and keep walking.By the fourth morning, I decided to change my strategy. If he wouldn't let me be a friend, I’d be a top-tier roommate. I woke up at 5:30 AM—thirty minutes before his kitchen "time slot"—and got to work. I brewed a fresh pot of coffee and made a batch of breakfast sandwiches: toasted brioche, fluffy eggs, and crispy bacon.I set a plate on the island, placed a steaming mug next to it, and scribbled on a neon yellow stic

/THEO/He just stared at me with those deep blue eyes, his expression so flat it was almost impressive. Up close, he was even more intimidating—wide shoulders, a sharp jawline, and a general vibe that would make anyone be afraid to approach him.I was different of course, not that I wasn't afraid that he'd call the cops on me, in the sense that I was brave enough to approach despite his demeanor and intimidating look.I wish he wouldn't look at me like some kind of creep. He looked like some high-level accountant or a manager who took himself way too seriously, maybe that's why he was so rigid."I’m sorry," he said, his voice so deep that I gulped in surprise. I was weak for deep voices. "Do I know you?""Not yet! I'm Theo Pearson," I said, sticking my hand out. He looked at my hand like it was some foreign object and didn't move. I slowly pulled it back, tucking it into my pocket. "I heard you just got the two-bedroom. I’ve been looking for a place in this area, and honestly, I’m the

/THEO/Breakfast at the Beckett residence was something I could never get used to. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the dining room, glinting off the polished silver and the expensive porcelain. Nevan sat at the head of the table already fully dressed, prepared to go to work. He was currently cutting his steak into perfect, uniform cubes, a small, indulgent smile playing on his lips as he listened to my sister, Mayla, talk about her plans for the community garden.I looked down at my own plate, the eggs suddenly tasting bland.Every time Nevan laughed—that reassuring sound that used to make me feel safe—all I could see was the way he'd wrapped his arms around a woman in front of a hotel—a woman that wasn't my sister."Theo, you’re awfully quiet," Nevan said, his grey eyes settling on me. "Still recovering from that double shift at the cafe?""I’m fine," I said, keeping my voice as flat as possible. I didn't look at him. I couldn't."You know, I was talking t