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The Castle rose like a curse lodged between the mountains, shrouded by an eternal forest where sunlight never dared to penetrate. Its towers pierced the gray sky like silent daggers, and the Gothic windows, always ajar, let slip whispers and scents that no mortal would dare decipher.

Inside, time seemed to stand still. It was as if the air were suspended between centuries, imbued with blood, aged wine, and memories. Nothing new happened, and yet, everything there pulsed—with a life that came from beneath the skin.

Jay, the oldest guard in the service of Count Dracula, knew every stone of that castle. His steps echoed precisely through the cold corridors, among heavy tapestries and dusty mirrors that refused to reflect. He was the shadow the castle trusted. The silent blade that watched over the dark halls. The only one to whom the Count entrusted the guarding of the most precious thing: the heir.

Yang Jungwon. The Prince. The Court’s Vixen.

Jay would never call him that aloud. But within himself—where loyalty intertwined with sin—he recognized the truth.

The boy was a vision.

He wore skirts and lace with the same ease he wielded venomous words. Spoiled, craving genuine affection, and painfully aware of his own power. His hair was golden like fresh gold, eyes cutting like daggers, and lips that lied sweetly. And behind all his royal poise, his subtle cruelty, there was something Jay saw that no one else could: loneliness. Desire. Hunger.

Not for blood—but for control. For love. For worship.

And Jay had given him all of that.

Of course, no one knew. No one could ever know. In front of everyone, Jay was merely the guard—stern, silent, a trained dog who never looked away. But at night, when the curtains were drawn and the others silenced by distance or fear, he was more.

He was the only one the prince allowed to touch his body.

The castle had a life of its own, and its inhabitants followed a strangely precise routine.

Lee Heeseung, the master of studies, conducted the young prince’s lessons with the meticulous calm of a monk, though he occasionally let his gaze linger too long on the waist marked by the corset ribbons.

Park Sunghoon, the royal swordsman, was colder, more reserved, yet still devoted to the prince in a way Jay noticed all too well. There was something contained there—admiration, perhaps. Or envy.

Kim Sunoo, the gentleman companion, was the closest thing to a true friend Jungwon had. Always at his side, brushing his hair, reading his poems, laughing at his small cruelties. Gentle yet fierce when necessary—and so beautiful that even the paintings seemed to bow as he passed.

Nishimura Riki, the second guard, was a new dog, still learning to contain his impulses. He watched too much. His blood ran hot. Jay kept him on a short leash—by order of the Count, but also by instinct.

Sim Jaeyun, one of the younger servants, served with trembling hands and eyes too wide. Whenever he entered the prince’s room, he seemed to carry a sweet fear—or devotion bordering on sin—on his shoulders.

And at the top of it all, like a god apart, was Count Dracula himself.

Jungwon’s father was an entity in human form. His eyes spanned centuries, and his voice dragged commands with the same smoothness as a sword cut. Jay respected him—feared him, even. But not enough to betray what he felt.

Not even the Count knew what existed between his heir and his favorite guard.

That night, Jay walked down the corridor leading to the prince’s chambers. The castle was silent, the hallways bathed in moonlight. He stopped before the door carved with ancient symbols and took a deep breath. The scent was there. Jasmine. Incense. Something more.

Desire.

He knocked twice. No response.

He entered anyway.

The prince’s room was a sanctuary of decadence and beauty. Candles in iron candelabras cast dancing shadows on the burgundy wallpaper. Heavy curtains surrounded the canopy bed, and beside the crackling fireplace, a pair of red heels had been left carelessly.

Jay closed the door behind him, unhurried. The silence inside was different—not the silence of absence, but of waiting.

Then he saw him.

Jungwon was seated before the mirror, back to him. The black nightgown clung to the lines of his body like spilled ink. Thin straps slid down pale shoulders, exposing the delicate curve of his back. His hair was loose, long, silky, freshly combed. And his eyes, reflected in the mirror, fixed on Jay with that golden gleam that seemed to steal his breath, his soul, everything.

“It took you long,” the prince’s voice was soft but cut like a silver blade. “I thought you’d leave me to sleep alone tonight.”

Jay didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. He walked to him with firm steps, removing his cloak, then the bracers. He stopped behind the chair, hands steady on the backrest, leaning in.

“I was with the Count,” he murmured near his ear. “He wanted to know if I’m still worthy of protecting you.”

Jungwon smiled faintly but didn’t take his eyes off the mirror.

“And what did you answer?”

Jay slid one hand over his shoulder, fingers grazing the exposed skin slowly.

“I said I would die for you.”

The prince turned his face. No laughter now. Just silence—heavy, dense, dangerous.

Jay lowered his head, pressing his lips to the curve of his jaw. He kissed him reverently, as if sealing an ancient oath.

“But living for you,” he murmured, “is far more difficult.”

The nightgown slipped from one shoulder. Jay pulled it down calmly, revealing more of the pale, soft skin marked with bites and scratches. Marks he himself had left. Seals of possession.

“Did you miss me?” Jungwon asked, his voice still low, but now hoarse.

“You have no idea,” Jay replied.

And then the touch grew firmer. Jay slid his hands down his waist, lowering to his thighs, gently spreading the knees. Jungwon didn’t resist—he never did. He only arched slightly, offering himself.

“Touch me, Jay.”

The request was a whisper. But within Jay, it ignited a fire.

He knelt, parting the prince’s legs. He kissed the inner thighs with devotion, with hunger. His mouth traced paths, while his hands held Jungwon’s curves firmly, keeping him open, exposed.

His pussy was already wet, throbbing.

Jay stared for a moment, mesmerized.

“My perfect prince,” he murmured. “Always so ready.”

Then the kiss came—firm, deep, unhurried. Jay’s tongue moved with cruel precision, drawing from Jungwon the first soft, desperate moans. The prince clutched the sides of the chair, his hips trembling.

“Ah… s-stop…” he tried, in trembling laughter. “It’s… so good…”

Jay didn’t stop. He never stopped. It was there, on that altar between Jungwon’s legs, that he prayed. That mouth knew how to make the prince beg, writhe, come with tears in his eyes.

And when Jungwon reached his peak, it was with a muffled cry against his own arm, his whole body tensed, the mirror in front of him fogged with the heat emanating from inside.

Jay rose, lips still glistening, dark eyes fixed on his golden ones.

“That was just the beginning, Your Highness.”

“Then take me to bed,” Jungwon whispered, turning fully. “Make me forget who I am. Just for tonight.”

Jay lifted him into his arms with a firm gesture, as if he had done this a thousand times. And he did—in silence, in secrecy, in sin.

As he laid him on the silk sheets, he thought: I would die for you, Jungwon. But I will live. Only to worship you.

Jay laid him down carefully on the sheets, as if Jungwon were something sacred. And he was.

In the golden dimness of the room, the prince looked sculpted from porcelain. Small legs bent, skin still trembling beneath the thin sheets. His eyes watched him with a mix of challenge and plea—a look Jay knew better than his own reflection.

“Are you going to make me wait?” Jungwon whispered, slightly parting his legs, teasing. “Or did you forget how to touch me?”

Jay bit his lower lip, pulling off his shirt at once. His firm, scarred body bent over the prince’s, mouth hot against the collarbone.

“I never forget,” he said softly, dragging out the words. “But you deserve to be reminded why you are mine.”

His hands slid over the bare thighs, fingers spreading them more. Jungwon opened up easily, sensitive, still throbbing from the previous orgasm. Jay slowly traced the wet lips with his thumb and smiled.

“Still so wet… All this just because I licked you like a good little slut?”

“Shut up,” Jungwon moaned, cheeks flushed, body arching slightly.

Jay licked his finger and pushed it slowly in, burying it inside the hot pussy. He took him easily, as if expecting it, begging.

“Ahhn…” The moan was louder, freer. Jay added the second finger without warning, moving them skillfully, listening to the wet sounds with almost wild pride.

“Do you like it when I open you like this, huh?” he murmured near his ear. “When I leave you soft, ready for me?”

“Jay… f-fuck me already…” he begged, hips rolling against his hand. “I can take it…”

“Take it? You can’t take shit,” he growled, pushing the fingers deeper. “You’ll thank me for preparing you like a princess deserves.”

Jungwon bit his lips, moaning again, higher, sharper. Jay’s fingers toyed with the right spot inside, while the other hand climbed to the small chest beneath the fallen nightgown, squeezing, torturing carefully.

“That…,” the prince panted, desperate. “More… d-don’t stop…”

Jay pulled his fingers out with a wet snap, licking them before Jungwon’s eyes.

“I love your taste.” Then he freed himself from his pants, the hard cock already throbbing. “But I love feeling you inside even more.”

He positioned himself between the prince’s legs, lifting them carefully, resting the thighs on his shoulders. The sight of the open, red pussy still throbbing made his control waver.

“Ready?” he asked, holding the base of his cock, teasing the tip against him, just to provoke.

“Jay…” Jungwon looked at him, golden eyes darkened by desire. “Fuck me, please…”

Jay buried himself slowly.

The head of his cock was swallowed with heat and tension. Jungwon’s body clenched around him, trembling, sweet, divine.

“Ah, fuck…” Jay gasped, biting his lip hard. “So tight… Always so good for me…”

“More… please…” the prince begged, nails digging into the sheets, mouth open in desperate moans.

Jay pushed harder, until he was fully inside her. They moaned together—a sound of sin and completeness.

He began moving slowly, feeling every inch of the hot, soft flesh gripping his cock with almost painful force. Jungwon’s small body received him in a way that seemed made just for him—tight, wet, begging.

“So perfect…” Jay panted against the prince’s neck, savoring the scent of blood, sweat, and desire. “My beautiful little boy…”

Jungwon let out a loud moan as Jay deepened the thrust, holding his thighs open as if wanting to tear him with pleasure.

“Jay… p-please…” The pleading tone stirred something primal in him. “Harder… finish me…”

Jay laughed hoarsely, dark pleasure coursing through his veins.

“You ask so beautifully, princess…” he whispered before obeying.

His thrusts grew stronger, faster, making Jungwon’s body sway across the sheets. Each stroke drew from him a sharp, almost crying moan, while the pussy swallowed Jay’s cock with wet, indecent sounds.

“Ah… ah… oh… Jay…” The prince was undone beneath him, tears running freely from his golden eyes.

Jay leaned further, bending Jungwon almost in half, his mouth capturing the swollen lips violently. He kissed him as if he needed him to breathe, as if he could, with this, mark his soul.

“You are mine… only mine…” he whispered between kisses, voice hoarse, filled with worship.

“Always have been,” Jungwon panted, burying his nails into Jay’s back, scratching, marking his territory too.

The rhythm became brutal.

Jay felt his own control slipping, dissolving in every moan he drew from that body, in every warm contraction of the pussy around his cock.

“Ahhn… I-I’m gonna…” Jungwon whimpered, legs trembling over his shoulders. “Jay… I… I’m—”

Jay sank his teeth into the prince’s shoulder—a vampire bite, a lover’s bite, a guardian’s bite—and the prince came. His whole body shuddered, the pussy squeezing Jay in an insane grip, drawing from him the roughest, most primal groan he had ever uttered.

Jay couldn’t resist.

With a low moan, he drove himself to the end, spilling inside him—hot, deep, belonging.

They stayed like that for a while—clinging, panting, sweating, the scent of sex heavy in the air.

Jay caressed Jungwon’s face with the tips of his fingers, wiping a lazy tear running down the flushed cheek.

“My prince,” he murmured, kissing his forehead. “So beautiful, all fucked out…”

Jungwon smiled faintly, exhausted, satisfied, glorious.

“Idiot…” he whispered, pulling him into a slow kiss. “I hope you have stamina. Because I still want you all night.”

Jay laughed softly, pressing their foreheads together.

“I am yours, Your Highness. The night… the eternity… all that I am.”

And in that warm alcove, under the dark blessing of the castle, two vampire hearts beat out of sync—mad, dirty, in love.

. . .

Jay woke before the light touched the sky, as always. The castle still slept—or at least pretended to—shrouded in its constant mist. The chandeliers had extinguished themselves along the stone walls, but the prince’s room maintained its amber glow, thanks to the small enchanted flames that never went out without permission.

Next to him, Jungwon breathed slowly, lying on his stomach, naked under only a dark silk sheet. His pale skin was covered in marks: bites on the shoulders, bruises on the thighs, scratches on the back—all left by Jay as a memory of a night full of whispered pleasure.

Jay ran his hand along his bare back with reverence, as if touching an altar. Every little sound the prince had made, every plea, every moan—still echoed inside him. And yet, fear pressed on his chest like an iron hand.

Because it was only a matter of time before the Count discovered.

Jungwon’s father wasn’t just the sovereign of all vampire clans in the north. He was terror dressed in scarlet velvet. An ancient, powerful, ruthless being, whose only weakness, they said, was the son he had raised with his own hands. Jungwon was his pride. His treasure. His most valuable possession.

And Jay, a mere guard, was the audacious plague silently corrupting that treasure.

“You’re staring at me again,” murmured Jungwon, eyes still closed.

Jay smiled, leaning down to kiss his nape.

“You snore when you’re on your stomach.”

The prince laughed, hoarse, and turned lazily, golden eyes opening slowly. He looked even more beautiful in the dim light, lips swollen, neck marked with purples. A small bite was healing near the collarbone.

“Liar,” he murmured. “I’m delicate.”

“You’re a demon,” Jay replied, brushing his fingers over his face. “But you’re my little demon.”

The kiss that followed was slow, intimate. It would have lasted longer, if not for the sound of a heavy knock on the door.

“Your Highness?”

Sunoo’s soft voice came through the wood. Jay jumped from the bed as if struck by a stake, grabbing his clothes in a second.

“The Count wishes to see you for breakfast. He said he noticed your absence last night… and… is worried.”

Jungwon sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Daddy always exaggerates.” Then, louder: “Sunoo, tell him I’ll come down soon. I need help with the new corset.”

Jay looked at him with a mix of horror and adoration.

“You’re not going to tease him with that… are you?”

“I am,” the prince said, stretching his arms toward him, playful. “Dress me, Jay… please?”

Jay groaned softly. He knelt before him, beginning to lace the corset, pulling the ribbons firmly. Every time his fingers touched the prince’s skin, his blood boiled again.

“One day he’ll rip my heart out with his hands,” he murmured, pulling a little tighter than necessary.

“Perhaps. But until then… you’ll keep fucking me every night, won’t you?”

Jay held his breath, biting his lip hard.

“You’re a demon, Jungwon.”

“And you’re a coward.”

. . .

The castle’s breakfast hall was vast, decorated with red and gold tapestries. Count Dracula was already seated at the head of the long table, imposing in a black cloak embroidered with silver threads.

His eyes locked on Jungwon the moment the prince entered.

Jay followed two steps behind, face impassive. But inside, his heart was beating like a war drum.

“My son,” the Count said, spreading his arms with a cold smile. “I was about to check your room. You weren’t in the library last night, nor in the greenhouse, nor in the observatory. I searched myself.”

“Daddy…” Jungwon ran to him, hugging him like a child, face buried in his chest. “Don’t be dramatic. I just overslept…”

The Count ran his hand through his blond hair, never taking his sharp gaze off Jay.

“And who was guarding your sleep?”

Jay swallowed hard, keeping his eyes on the floor.

“I was, my lord,” he said firmly, though inside he trembled. “As usual.”

The Count did not respond immediately. He continued smoothing Jungwon’s hair, black eyes shining with suspicion.

“I trust you, Park Jongseong,” he said finally, with a thin smile. “But I wonder… how far can one resist the charms of an angel?”

Jungwon smiled silently, face still pressed to his father’s chest, golden eyes turning toward Jay. A look full of mischief.

Jay lowered his head even further.

Yes, he was lost.

Hopelessly in love. And every day, closer to the noose.

. . .

After breakfast, the prince was escorted by Jay and Riki to his study quarters. As every day, his activities were divided: philosophy with Heeseung, fencing with Sunghoon, etiquette with Sunoo. Jake, the servant closest to Jungwon, took care of clothes, notes, baths, and medicines.

And everyone knew: the prince was spoiled, capricious, and utterly enchanting.

“Your Highness has dark circles,” Heeseung commented, arranging books on the oak desk. “Studying late?”

“Something like that,” Jungwon replied, throwing himself into the chair as if it were a throne. He wore a light silk nightgown under a lace robe, hair tied in two delicate braids. “I’m tired. I want a light lesson today.”

Heeseung nodded, inclining his head. Never contradicting the prince.

Jay leaned against the wall, watching silently. His gaze passed over Jungwon’s bare back—the robe had slipped slightly with movement—and he immediately looked away, trying to maintain composure. He could not, under any circumstance, let anyone notice the way he watched him. The way he desired him.

Riki, at his side, gave a short laugh.

“You’ll break your neck trying not to look,” he whispered to Jay, too quietly for others to hear.

Jay shot him a sharp glance.

“Careful what you say.”

“I said nothing,” Riki smiled sideways. “Just… dangerous to fall in love with a rose full of thorns. Especially when that rose sleeps in a garden watched by the Devil himself.”

Jay clenched his fists at his sides, saying nothing. He felt the danger every time the Count called his name.

. . .

Later, during fencing class, Sunghoon held Jungwon’s waist from behind, adjusting his posture gently.

“Like this. Keep your feet steady. You’re off balance.”

“I am off balance,” the prince retorted with a smug smile. “And you can let go of my waist now, Sunghoon. Jay’s staring like he wants to kill you.”

Jay did not hide his discomfort. The way the teacher touched his prince, even professionally, made his blood boil.

“He’s just keeping me safe,” Jungwon said elegantly, lifting the training sword. “But there’s nothing to worry about. After all, I am completely loyal to my guardian.”

Sunghoon raised an eyebrow, confused by the tone.

Jay felt the sentence like an intimate caress spoken aloud.

And once again, he had to swallow his desire and pretend he was just a guard among many.

. . .

Night fell over the castle, thick and silent, wrapping its walls in a velvety shadow. After the Count’s last inspection, Jake serving the warm bath, and Sunoo preparing the tea, Jungwon threw himself onto the bed, eyes gleaming.

“I’ve missed your taste,” he murmured.

Jay approached, still in his formal uniform, stopping at the edge of the bed, breath tense.

“Jungwon…”

“Daddy won’t come tonight. He has a meeting with the Elders of the Mist. It’ll last hours.”

Jay exhaled, fighting the urge to throw himself onto him.

“You want me dead, is that it?”

“No,” the prince replied, opening his legs slowly, revealing that beneath the nightgown, he wore absolutely nothing. “I want you to devour me until I forget his name.”

Jay closed his eyes for a moment, as if praying to some dark entity.

“Hell…”

When he opened them again, they were as dark as the night itself.

Jay no longer had the strength to resist.

He dropped the cloak, tore off the gloves, and advanced to the edge of the bed, where the prince waited, legs open, a mischievous smile teasing his full lips.

“So naughty,” Jay growled, voice rough, crouching over the mattress.

Jungwon let out a drawn-out, provocative giggle, raising his hands to pull him by the shirt.

“And you’re weak. Dying of fear of my daddy… but don’t even think twice before plunging your tongue into my cunt.”

Jay dug his fingers into his thighs, spreading them further. His mouth trembled with hunger.

“Shut that mouth, Your Highness,” he murmured, leaning between his legs.

Jay’s tongue slid slowly, hot, starting at the inner fold of the thigh and moving toward the already pulsing, wet center of Jungwon. The prince let out a muffled moan, arching against his mouth, hands clutching the sheets tightly.

“Jay…” he whimpered, in a trembling whisper.

Jay sucked slowly, savoring him as if he could live on nothing else. It was his sin, his poison, his undoing.

“Always so wet for me, aren’t you, my little prince?” he murmured against the sensitive flesh, before devouring him with even more intensity.

Jungwon whimpered loudly, legs trembling around Jay’s head. With every lick, every firm suck, every slow stroke of the tongue, the fragile body of the little vampire writhed in pleasure.

Jay loved hearing him like this—surrendered, needy, so broken by him he forgot they were forbidden. Each drawn-out moan sounded like music. Each whispered request made his cock throb painfully inside his pants.

When he felt Jungwon begin to shiver, Jay pulled back, lifting his face covered in his juices.

“You’re going to cum that easily, Your Highness?” he teased, with a dirty smile. “I thought you’d resist more.”

“Y-you…” Jungwon panted, trying to pull him back. “You idiot. Make me cum properly… now.”

Jay laughed softly, climbing over him, kissing his belly, chest, neck.

“You’ll beg beautifully for me,” he promised, pressing his hips against Jungwon’s wet cunt, just rubbing over the pants.

The prince moaned loudly, desperate.

“Jay… please… inside.”

Jay growled, biting his throat lightly, as a warning.

“Don’t speak so loud, you spoiled brat. Want your father to come in and see you being fucked by a guard?”

Jungwon laughed softly, mischievous.

“Maybe I do.”

Jay gripped his hips tightly, making him whimper quietly.

With quick movements, he unbuttoned his pants, freeing his already hard, throbbing cock, aligning it at Jungwon’s wet entrance. But he didn’t penetrate immediately, teasing with the tip, brushing it between the swollen lips.

“Jay… please… I need…” Jungwon whimpered, eyes glistening with desperation.

That scene destroyed Jay.

With an impulse, he sank inside him, slowly, feeling every inch of the hot, tight flesh swallow him. Jungwon moaned hoarsely, clinging to his shoulders.

“That’s it, Your Highness,” Jay murmured between clenched teeth. “Feel me. Take me all inside you.”

Jungwon moaned louder, body trembling under him.

Jay began moving in long, deep thrusts, taking his prince with worship, hunger, and love. Every time he hit deep, Jungwon whimpered softly, biting his own fist to keep from screaming.

The sensation was so intense Jay lost track of time.

But he would make Jungwon cum first.

As always.

“Give it to me…” the prince whimpered, pulling him deeper. “I want it all, Jay…”

“I’ll give it to you, damn it. I’ll give you everything,” he growled, speeding up his movements, fucking him hard, mercilessly.

Jungwon’s body trembled beneath him, and then, with a moan too loud to contain, the prince came, spilling himself entirely, gripping Jay inside him with cruel force.

Jay lost control.

He came shortly after, sinking fully in, releasing everything he had into that forbidden, adored body, biting the pale shoulder to stifle his own scream.

When it was over, he collapsed onto him, sweaty, entwined bodies, the scent of sex and sweet blood lingering in the air.

“My prince…” Jay whispered, voice choked. “My sin…”

Jungwon smiled, eyes closed in pleasure.

“Yours.”

Jay was still panting as he fell beside the prince, his arm wrapped around Jungwon’s slim waist, as if afraid the prince would vanish if he didn’t hold him close. Their bodies sweated softly, warmed by contact and freshly shared pleasure, yet the room quickly returned to its natural chill, cold as everything in that castle.

Jungwon shifted slowly, opening his eyes without hurry. His cheeks were flushed, lips swollen, expression gentle. The robe was still crumpled beneath him, and the nightgown, damp, clung to his skin. His scent—sweet, intoxicating, unmistakable—still filled the air.

“I like it when you’re scared,” he said softly, pressing the tip of his nose against Jay’s jaw. “You seem more obedient. More… desperate for me.”

Jay laughed through his nose, pulling him closer.

“You’re a demon in angel’s skin.”

“I’m a vampire,” Jungwon replied simply, closing his eyes again. “And you’re mine.”

Jay kissed his forehead, then his cheek, reverently.

“I always was. From the first day I saw you in your father’s arms, looking over everything as if the whole world were beneath you.”

Jungwon sighed, a delicate sound that cut through the silence.

“Daddy loves me so much…” he murmured. “But he’d never understand this. Never accept you.”

Jay felt a shiver run up his spine. It wasn’t the first time he’d thought it, but hearing it from Jungwon’s mouth made it feel even more real.

“I know. And that’s why you need to be careful. Every step. Every word. Every look.”

The prince turned to face him, his expression serious now.

“I’m not naive, Jay. I know what I’m doing. I know the danger. But I’m not afraid. Are you?”

Jay didn’t answer immediately. He studied him intently, eyes tracing every soft feature of his beloved’s face. Then, finally, he nodded.

“I am. Because you’re all I have.”

A brief silence followed, heavy with unspoken meaning.

Then Jungwon smiled. A small, genuine smile that melted Jay completely.

“You’re going to clean me?”

Jay let out a low laugh.

“Your Highness really is a spoiled little brat.”

“And you’re my personal servant,” he replied, lifting one leg over his hips. “Clean me properly, or I’ll tell daddy you bit me last night.”

Jay’s eyes widened, laughing nervously.

“You’re sick.”

But he was already getting up, heading to fetch a warm towel that Sunoo always left folded at the foot of the bed.

As he gently cleaned the prince’s soft skin, Jay paused from time to time to kiss the thin thighs, the smooth belly, the still-sensitive pubic mound. His eyes said everything his mouth could never say aloud.

Love. Devotion. Absolute adoration.

Jungwon moaned softly at every touch, but no longer from lust—rather from an intimate, almost romantic pleasure.

“Are you sleeping here tonight?”

Jay hesitated.

“If the Count comes…”

“He won’t.”

Jay sighed, defeated, and lay down beside him again, pulling the blankets up to Jungwon’s shoulders. The prince curled against his chest like a content little cat.

“Good night, my faithful guardian.”

“Good night, my prince.”

. . .

The castle still slept under the weight of the deep night when heavy footsteps echoed through the marble corridors.

Jay woke with a start.

He felt Jungwon stirring against his chest, drowsy, and immediately understood: someone was approaching. And it wasn’t just anyone. It was him. The Count. Jungwon’s own father.

Jay muttered a quiet curse, leaping out of bed with desperate agility. He grabbed his scattered clothes, dressing in trembling movements, while Jungwon chuckled softly, amused by his panic.

“Stop laughing,” Jay hissed, adjusting his collar and running a hand through his disheveled hair.

“You look so cute when you’re desperate,” murmured the prince, turning lazily to face him, his naked body still covered only by the blanket.

Jay gritted his teeth, walking toward the secret door that connected Jungwon’s room to the guards’ internal corridors—a privilege architected by the Count himself, who trusted his most loyal men blindly.

But before escaping, Jay paused.

His eyes met Jungwon’s once again. A brief moment. An eternal moment.

And then he disappeared into the shadows.

. . .

Count Dracula pushed the heavy golden doors without even announcing himself.

He was an imposing man, with regal posture, wearing a long dark red velvet coat. His eyes—black as death itself—swept the room in one motion, searching for any sign of disturbance.

Jungwon, already covered up to his neck, smiled broadly.

“Daddy,” he said, his voice sweet, dragged by feigned sleepiness.

The Count closed the doors behind him, approaching his son’s bed. His steps made the ancient floor groan, and his mere presence dominated the room.

Jay, hiding behind the false wall of the secret corridor, held his breath.

He could smell the Count. His power, his ancestral blood pulsing in the air like a storm about to explode.

“My little sun,” said the Count, his deep voice reverberating through the cold stones. “I didn’t disturb you, did I?”

“Never, Daddy,” Jungwon replied, winking at him.

Dracula smiled, and in that smile, there was something genuine. Something that few—or perhaps no one besides Jungwon—had ever seen.

He sat at the edge of the bed, running a heavy hand through his son’s golden hair.

“Dreaming of me?”

Jungwon chuckled softly.

“I always dream of you, sir.”

Jay felt his stomach twist. The Count’s blind affection for his son was a wall that could never be crossed. If he found out… if he even suspected…

They would all be doomed.

The Count placed a solemn kiss on Jungwon’s forehead, like a father blessing his most precious jewel.

“Rest. Tomorrow you have lessons with Master Heeseung. And Sunghoon wishes to test your fencing again.”

“Hmm…” Jungwon grumbled, curling under the covers. “I hate waking up early.”

The Count let out a rough, paternal laugh.

“One day you will be king, and kings do not sleep in.”

He rose, walking back to the door.

“Goodnight, my little sun.”

“Goodnight, Daddy.”

The doors closed with a dull click.

And the castle fell into silence once more.

. . .

Jay waited a few minutes before leaving his hiding place. Each step he took in the corridor seemed to echo his own sins.

Upon reuniting with Jungwon in the room, he felt relief pour through his bones. The prince watched him, amused, as if it were all just a game.

“See?” he teased. “He didn’t suspect a thing.”

Jay approached, kneeling beside the bed, his hands still trembling.

“One day, we won’t be so lucky, Your Highness,” he whispered, his voice tense.

Jungwon reached out, caressing his short hair with the tips of his fingers.

“Then be more careful, my love. Or be faster,” he added, winking at him.

Jay bit his lip, caught between laughter and despair.

He loved that little demon.

Loved him more than he should.

More than was safe.

More than was allowed.

But it was already too late to turn back.

. . .

The sun never truly rose for Dracula’s castle.

Only a faint gray light filtered through the towers and stained glass, casting long shadows that made the corridors even darker. And it was under that warm light that the castle’s inhabitants awoke.

Jay was already at his post even before Jungwon left the bed.

He wore the black guard uniform—elegant and severe—with a sword strapped to his hip and the royal family emblem sewn onto his chest. His eyes, however, searched for only one thing: the golden figure that was his prince.

Jungwon emerged from the room as if torn from his sweetest dreams. He wore a dark blue velvet gown, fitted at the waist and flowing at the sleeves, with silver embroidery depicting constellations. His long hair fell freely, sliding down his back like liquid silk.

He was the most dangerous sight Jay could witness.

Jay swallowed hard as the prince passed him, casting a brief look full of mischief—a discreet provocation hidden beneath a mask of innocence.

“I shall accompany Your Highness to the study hall,” Jay said, bowing respectfully.

“Very well, Jongseong,” Jungwon replied, his voice soft, formal, like that of a trained noble.

The walk through the corridors was slow. Their steps echoed against the stone walls. Riki, the other personal guard, walked right behind, attentive to any suspicious sound. Silent as a shadow, yet sharp as a blade.

In the study hall, Lee Heeseung was already waiting.

He was an elegant vampire, youthful in appearance but with ancient eyes. He carried a stack of books in his arms and wore a gray coat that made his figure seem even more austere.

“Your Highness,” he greeted with a slight bow. “Today we will resume the History of the Clans and the Art of Diplomacy.”

Jungwon rolled his eyes almost imperceptibly—a gesture only Jay noticed—before sitting in front of the large oak desk.

Hours dragged on.

Jay remained motionless by the door, silently observing everything, though his attention wandered. He watched, hungry, the delicacy with which Jungwon bit the tip of the quill, his full lips stained with ink. The way he crossed his legs beneath the heavy skirt, occasionally revealing a pale patch of thigh.

That boy was a vision made to destroy men.

And Jay knew that if he wasn’t careful, if he didn’t bury his instincts behind a wall of discipline, he would betray himself in front of everyone.

Control yourself, Jongseong. For the love of hell…

. . .

After lessons, the prince was led to the inner courtyard for fencing practice.

There, Park Sunghoon was already waiting, sword in hand.

Sunghoon was the embodiment of cold beauty. Black hair like night, sharp eyes, and movements as precise as a dancer’s. He was the kingdom’s finest duelist and proud of it.

“Your Highness,” he greeted with a serene smile. “Ready to sweat?”

“I hate sweating,” Jungwon replied, lifting his chin with feigned disdain. “But I will make this sacrifice in the name of the kingdom.”

Jay smiled to himself. Even in formal attire, even with the face of an angel, Jungwon was sharp as a dagger hidden beneath his garments.

The training began.

Jay watched every move, tense. Not out of fear of failure—Jungwon was surprisingly skilled for someone who complained so much—but because he knew there were threats greater than sword strikes.

There were rumors.

Whispers that some vampires at court did not accept the little prince’s lineage. That the throne should belong to another.

And Jay knew he could not allow a single hair on Jungwon’s head to be touched.

Never.

. . .

Later, in the waning light of the afternoon, Jay met with Riki in the inner gardens—the only place they could speak without being overheard.

“There’s werewolf activity to the North,” Riki said bluntly. “I heard mentions of a possible ‘trial’ against the prince.”

Jay clenched his fists.

“Any idea who’s leading this?”

Riki shook his head.

“Not yet. But if they suspect… any slip could be fatal. Especially for you.”

Jay nodded, the weight of responsibility crushing him.

“We’ll double the vigilance. His life comes before ours.”

Riki merely smiled faintly. Jay knew he could trust him. Knew that all of them—the truly loyal—would die without hesitation for the little prince.

Jay would have to be careful.

Not just as a guard.

But as the forbidden lover of Dracula’s heir.

. . .

The night at Dracula’s castle was a shroud of silence, broken only by the wind striking the towers.

Jay walked through the stone corridors, each step calculated and stealthy. Riki had taken the outer rounds; Jake, always discreet, handled the household tasks; Sunoo kept the rest of the castle entertained with his perpetual kindness.

It was the perfect opportunity.

And Jay would take it — even if it cost him his very soul.

He stopped in front of Jungwon’s golden door, heart hammering against his ribs. He took a deep breath. Knocked softly.

“Come in,” came the reply from the other side, a voice dragged with sleep and mischief.

Jay entered.

And the world stopped.

Jungwon lay face down on the bed, wearing a thin, translucent nightgown that barely concealed his delicate curves. His bare back gleamed in the candlelight. Pale thighs spread lazily, invitingly, as if waiting for him.

Jay closed the door behind him, locking it.

His eyes, usually so cold and trained, now burned with hunger.

“Your Highness,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Are you trying to kill me?”

Jungwon turned his face to him, smiling sweetly.

“Me? Never. I was just waiting for my personal guard to... calm me down.”

Jay approached slowly, as if afraid to scare a mirage.

He knelt at the foot of the bed, running his hand over the prince’s thighs, slowly moving up to the curve of his buttocks.

“You know what you’re doing,” he murmured, fingers brushing the fine fabric. “You know how much I suffer for you.”

“Then stop suffering,” Jungwon replied softly, his voice loaded with promise.

Jay closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then lifted the nightgown, exposing the prince’s smooth, pale skin completely.

His little personal hell.

His little paradise.

“I’ll take good care of you tonight, Your Highness,” he whispered against the warm skin, planting wet kisses along the inner thighs.

Jungwon sighed, acting spoiled.

“You always take such good care of me, Jongseong…”

Jay smiled against his skin.

But now he needed to be more than careful.

He needed to be meticulous. Precise.

The guard spread Jungwon’s thighs with firm but gentle hands, sliding down to his warm, delicate center. Jay’s mouth brushed the sensitive area, smelling the prince’s sweet, intoxicating scent, and he let out a low, defeated moan.

“God, you’re perfect,” he murmured, his voice vibrating between Jungwon’s legs.

The prince laughed softly, clutching the sheets with his small hands.

Jay couldn’t resist any longer.

He let his tongue glide to the exact spot where Jungwon was most vulnerable. The first lick drew a sharp sigh from the prince, who arched his back like a spoiled cat.

Jay smiled, satisfied.

“Quiet, my love,” he said, licking him again, more firmly. “Or the whole castle will hear you moaning.”

Jungwon bit his lower lip but couldn’t hold back the low sound that escaped his throat.

Jay devoured him calmly, methodically, as if savoring a rare wine. He sucked gently, licked with a firm tongue, penetrated slowly just with the tip, drawing small desperate moans from Jungwon.

The prince was melting beneath him.

And Jay was going crazy.

He withdrew just enough to slide two fingers into the warm, wet entrance, coating them in his own saliva.

“I’ll prepare you properly, my prince,” he promised, his deep voice drunk with desire. “I’ll open you so slowly, so deliciously, you’ll beg me to fuck you.”

Jungwon arched again, offering himself without shame, with the blind trust of someone who knows they are loved.

Jay slid the first finger in slowly, watching every reaction carefully.

“That’s it, love… relax for me.” His voice was a sinful whisper.

The prince moaned softly, writhing against the touch, begging for more.

Jay added a second finger, opening him with all the care in the world, feeling the warm, pulsing flesh mold around him.

It was so tight, so perfect.

And it was his.

Only his.

Jay moaned softly, feeling the prince stretch even more around his fingers.

Jungwon’s little entrance was warm, wet, and tight — seemingly made just for him.

“My God… you are perfect,” he murmured, planting wet kisses along Jungwon’s delicate lower back.

The prince, face buried in the sheets, let out small, spoiled moans with each slow thrust of Jay’s fingers. His body moved gently, seeking more, in such a sweet surrender that Jay almost lost his mind.

“Want more, my love?” he whispered against the hot skin.

Jungwon nodded, his voice faltering.

“P-please… Jay…”

That pleading, almost crying voice destroyed any remaining sanity Jay had left.

With a final kiss on the inside of the prince’s thighs, he withdrew his fingers, making Jungwon let out a soft sigh of frustration.

Jay stripped quickly, without ceremony, revealing his strong, pale body in the candlelight. His cock, hard and throbbing with desire, glistened with the same hunger burning in his eyes.

He climbed onto the bed, positioning himself between the prince’s legs.

With one hand, he guided himself to the prepared entrance, brushing just the tip against the pulsing little hole.

Jungwon arched his back, silently begging.

Jay smiled, breathless.

“Shh… calm, my baby.” He gripped the prince’s slim waist firmly, holding him against the mattress. “I’ll fill you slowly… I’ll make you feel every inch, my little angel.”

Jungwon moaned, biting the pillow.

With almost cruel patience, Jay pushed the head inside, feeling the warm, soft resistance yield around him.

The sensation was absurd.

Tight. Wet. Perfect.

Jay muttered a low curse, his whole body trembling with pleasure.

“Fuck, love… so tight for me…”

Jungwon whimpered, scratching the sheets with his nails.

“D-daddy…” he moaned softly in the delirium.

Jay let out a rough laugh against the prince’s neck, still driving in inch by inch.

“Don’t say it like that, damn it…” he murmured, voice faltering. “If your real daddy hears this, I’m fucked.”

Jungwon let out a spoiled giggle, moaning again as Jay sank deeper.

When he was finally all the way in, Jay paused. He wanted to imprint that feeling in his memory: the prince’s little hole pulsing around him, sucking him in as if it would never let him go.

He leaned over Jungwon, pressing his chest against the prince’s back.

“You’re mine.” His voice was a possessive growl. “Mine, mine, mine… forever.”

Jungwon turned his face sideways, searching for his lips.

Jay kissed him hungrily, starting to move slowly, feeling the warmth, the softness, the complete love the little prince poured over him without needing to say a word.

He moved with slow, deep thrusts, pressing Jungwon’s waist into the mattress to keep him in place.

Each thrust pulled louder, more desperate moans.

“Like that, love…” he whispered between kisses and bites. “Keep yourself wide for me… show me how this little hole is mine…”

Jungwon could only moan and writhe, lost in pleasure.

It was a secret, forbidden dance — and no threat, not even the terror of Count Dracula himself, could take them out of that moment.

They belonged to each other.

Forever.

Jay felt his self-control slipping with every thrust.

The heat of Jungwon’s little hole seemed to suck his soul along with it, and the way the prince moaned spoiled, writhing against him, only made it worse.

It was too much. Too overwhelming.

He gripped the delicate waist under his fingers even tighter, groaning low in his throat.

“My God, love… you’re killing me…” he whispered, voice almost desperate.

Jungwon let out a loud moan, moving in small circles against the cock filling him.

“More, Jay… please… more…”

The spoiled, wet voice of Jungwon broke Jay’s last resistance.

He grabbed the prince’s hips, pulling them back hard, burying himself fully in one go, eliciting a sharp scream from Jungwon.

“Fuck, you’re so good… so mine…” he growled, starting to thrust forcefully.

The room filled with the wet, indecent sounds of their bodies colliding, Jungwon’s drawn-out moans, and Jay’s dirty whispers, like a curse in his lover’s ear.

“This little hole is all mine, huh, baby?” he murmured between thrusts. “Made for me… only me…”

“O-only yours…” Jungwon whimpered, writhing more, shamelessly begging.

Jay leaned even more over him, pressing their bodies together, lightly biting the sensitive curve of the prince’s neck.

“Good daddy’s boy…” he teased with sweet cruelty. “If your daddy knew what a little slut you are when you’re on all fours for me…”

Jungwon let out a loud moan, as if the dirty words were gasoline on the fire consuming him.

Jay picked up the pace, driving deeper, harder, with each thrust.

Jungwon’s body trembled beneath him, so tight, so hot, so desperately receptive.

The prince reached one hand back, gripping Jay’s forearm as if he needed it to hold himself together.

“Jay… I… I’m…”

Jay knew.

He felt Jungwon’s little hole start to pulse and hold him even tighter.

He lowered his hand, stroking the small, sensitive clit with nimble fingers.

“Come for me, love,” he whispered fiercely. “I want to feel you on my cock… show me who you belong to.”

It was enough.

Jungwon screamed, his whole body arching against him, coming hard, collapsing in delicious spasms.

The sight — the sound — the smell — everything.

Jay couldn’t hold back.

He buried himself fully, groaning loudly, feeling his own climax explode inside the prince, hot and overflowing, filling him to the limit.

They stayed like that, pressed together, panting, sweaty, trembling, as if the outside world didn’t exist.

Just them.

Just the two of them, between dirty promises and absolute love.

Jay planted soft kisses along the prince’s back, whispering low:

“I love you, my prince…”

Jungwon smiled, sleepy and satisfied.

“I love you too, Jongseong…”

The room was wrapped in silence.

The only sound was the slow breathing of the two bodies still entwined under the soft sheets, skin pressed together by the lingering warmth.

Jay gently stroked Jungwon’s golden hair as the prince rested his head on Jay’s bare chest, listening to the steady, rhythmic beat of the guard’s heart.

For long minutes, they stayed like that, not saying a word.

Until Jungwon, in a small, almost trembling voice, whispered:

“Jay…”

The guard slid his hand along his back, a calm, protective touch.

“I’m here, my love,” he replied, his deep voice intoxicated with tenderness.

Jungwon pressed his body closer, as if needing Jay’s strength to keep himself whole.

“Can I tell you something…? Something I’ve never told anyone?”

Jay felt his chest tighten.

“Of course, my prince,” he murmured, kissing the soft forehead.

The prince took a deep breath, as if gathering courage.

“Sometimes…” he began, hesitating. “Sometimes it hurts so much I think I might die.”

Jay stayed silent, letting Jungwon speak at his own pace.

“I miss her so much…” his voice faltered, and he nestled even closer. “My mother.”

Jay closed his eyes, holding back the urge to squeeze him too tightly.

He knew Jungwon had lost his mother under cruel circumstances — captured and burned alive by hunters.

And he knew the anniversary of her death was approaching.

“I remember her…” Jungwon continued, his voice muffled against the guard’s chest. “The way she used to sing to me before I slept… how she called me ‘my little moonbeam’…”

A hot tear slid down the prince’s cheek, dampening Jay’s skin discreetly.

“I was only five years old… and even so… even so I remember her scent, Jay… how she used to hold me…”

Jay wrapped him in both arms, pressing him close, feeling his pain as if it were his own.

“They took her from me…” Jungwon whispered, voice breaking. “They stole her… and stole her from me…”

Jay kissed the top of his head reverently, eyes painfully wet.

“You’re not alone anymore, my angel,” he whispered. “I swear… I will never let them take anything from you again.”

Jungwon cried quietly, allowed to be small, fragile, only in Jay’s hands.

After a few minutes, when the prince had calmed down, it was Jay’s turn to speak.

In a low voice, almost a whisper of confession, he revealed:

“I lost everything too, once, my love…”

Jungwon lifted his face, eyes watery and curious.

Jay stroked his cheek, smiling with an ancient sorrow.

“Before they turned me into a vampire… I was human.” He paused, as if still tasting the bitterness of the memory. “A street kid… an orphan… stealing bread to avoid starving. And one day… someone saw me. A vampire.” His smile was tinged with sadness. “Instead of killing me, he transformed me. Said I had eyes that deserved to live forever.”

Jungwon listened in silence, absorbing every word.

Jay continued:

“At first… I hated it. I hated being what I am. I missed things you couldn’t even imagine: the warmth of the sun, the taste of an apple, the smell of rain. But over time… I realized that my true life was only just beginning.”

He looked deep into the prince’s eyes, brushing the soft cheek with his calloused fingers.

“Because living… for me… only made sense the day I met you.”

Jungwon gave a trembling smile, his heart tightening.

Jay leaned in, pressing their foreheads together.

“If I had to go through it all again… the hunger, the pain, the loneliness… I would do it all over. Just to find you in the end.”

Jungwon couldn’t resist.

He kissed Jay with sweetness, with reverence, with a passion so deep it seemed capable of healing all past wounds.

When they parted, the prince whispered:

“I love you so much, Jongseong…”

Jay smiled, tears in his eyes.

“I love you too, my little moonbeam.”

And that night, between still-warm sheets and still-open scars, two broken hearts stitched themselves together, stitch by stitch.

Forever.

. . .

The room was still bathed in a golden twilight when soft knocks echoed at the door.

Jay, who until then had been resting with Jungwon nestled in his arms, sat up with a start, his heart racing so fast he could swear it was audible in the silence.

“Prince Jungwon,” a reverent voice called from the other side. It was Sunoo. “Count Dracula wishes to see you for breakfast.”

Jay felt his body go cold.

Breakfast.

The Count.

Daddy.

Shit.

Next to him, Jungwon let out a sleepy little whimper, stretching like a kitten before opening his still-heavy eyes.

“Hm…?” he murmured lazily.

Jay leaned in immediately, smoothing the prince’s rumpled clothes, brushing the scattered golden hair on the pillow with trembling fingers.

“My love…” he whispered, voice tense. “You need to go… now.”

Jungwon chuckled softly, kissing the tip of his nose.

“Don’t make that face, Jongseong… Daddy isn’t omniscient.”

Jay had no time to respond.

Sunoo entered the room after hearing a permissive “come in.”

The young man was delicate, as beautiful as a Renaissance painting—pale skin, shining platinum blonde hair, and large, intelligent eyes.

He glanced at Jay—at the messy room, at Jungwon’s love-stained skin—and smiled knowingly.

“Need help getting ready, Your Highness?” he asked in an innocent tone that fooled no one.

Jungwon laughed, sliding out of bed, naked as the day he was born, with not an ounce of shame.

Jay looked away, his face burning with a mixture of jealousy and embarrassment.

Sunoo, however, was safe. Sunoo knew. And Sunoo would never tell.

While Sunoo helped Jungwon into a white silk robe, light as a whisper, Jake appeared at the door.

“The Count doesn’t like to wait,” he warned, winking at Jungwon with camaraderie.

Jake was different: dark-haired, strong, with an easy smile and sharp humor—and, along with Sunoo, formed the prince’s closest circle.

The only ones who knew Jungwon’s true nature. His pain. His loneliness. His desperate need to be loved not just as a “prince,” but as a broken boy surviving as best he could.

And they also knew about the forbidden love between him and Jay.

Jake and Sunoo were soul brothers to Jungwon—and, by extension, guardians of that hidden love.

Jay rose from the bed in a hurry, adjusting his own tunic, trying to look dignified and professional.

Trying to mask the scent of Jungwon still lingering on his skin.

Sunoo straightened the collar of the prince’s robe and murmured something softly, making Jungwon smile slyly.

Jake cleared his throat discreetly.

“Let’s go, Your Highness. The Count has asked twice already.”

Jungwon rolled his eyes but allowed himself to be guided.

Before leaving, however, he turned to look directly at Jay.

And, in the golden morning light, he gave him a smile so small, so knowing and full of love, that Jay felt his chest ache.

It was a temporary goodbye.

It was a silent promise.

When the door closed, leaving Jay alone in the room still heavy with the prince’s presence, he took a deep breath.

Count Dracula was jealous.

Overprotective.

If he suspected anything…

Jay ran a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the crime committed—the forbidden love—before it was too late.

The grand dining hall was a spectacle of Gothic grandeur.

Huge candles in silver candelabras cast golden light over the long polished ebony table; red and black tapestries hung from the stone walls, and Count Dracula’s presence dominated the room like a living shadow.

Jay remained standing, leaning against a column beside Riki, watching with keen eyes as Jungwon moved with the lightness of a prince, his bare feet almost floating over the ancient carpet.

The Count—a commanding figure with long black hair and eyes red as fresh blood—offered a smile few ever had the privilege to see: a melting smile, reserved solely for his son.

“Good morning, my moonbeam,” murmured the Count, extending his hand.

Jungwon smiled sweetly—that adorable, innocent expression that so few knew was, in truth, just one of his many masks.

“Good morning, Daddy,” he said in a voice soft as velvet, leaning to kiss the Count’s hand.

Jay had to stifle a groan.

Every tender word Jungwon spoke to his father made the guilt in Jay’s chest weigh heavier—but at the same time, he found himself falling even deeper in love.

The Count pulled his son onto his lap, sitting him there as if he were still a child.

Jay, standing in the corner, swallowed hard.

If the Count knew his little boy had been thoroughly fucked all night…

The thought sent a wave of panic and desire up his spine.

Sunoo and Jake were further ahead, seated among the lesser nobles, exchanging knowing glances with Jay from time to time.

They knew.

They were paying attention.

Jungwon, cheeky as ever, didn’t miss the opportunity to tease.

While the Count, distracted, caressed his golden hair with adoration, the prince slowly turned his head toward Jay.

And licked his rosy lips, slow and deliberate.

Jay felt his entire body freeze.

The little bastard was doing it on purpose.

He cleared his throat and looked away to hide it, but it was impossible to ignore the vivid image of what those lips could do.

The Count, still oblivious, smiled proudly.

“You’re so flushed this morning, my little one,” he commented, kissing his son’s forehead.

Jungwon let out an innocent giggle, while Sunoo lowered his head to hide a laugh and Jake pretended to cough.

Jay wanted to disappear.

Riki, beside him, shot him a suspicious look—but said nothing.

Breakfast continued, servants bringing silver trays with goblets of refined blood.

Jay remained still, trained to be a shadow, while inside he shattered a little more with each glance Jungwon threw his way.

Tease.

Adoration.

Promise.

They belonged to each other.

But it was a secret guarded with blood.

And in that castle of shadows and alliances, where love was as dangerous a threat as any enemy’s blade, Jay knew protecting the prince meant not only defending him from others.

It meant, above all, defending him from himself.

And, if necessary, from Count Dracula himself.

. . .

The day dawned strangely.

Jay, used to reading every movement of Jungwon as if they were words carved into his chest, noticed immediately upon waking: something was wrong.

The prince seemed distant.

He didn’t smile as usual, nor did he give Jay the knowing glances he so loved.

Instead, he walked through the castle corridors with quick, uncertain steps, as if perpetually late for something he couldn’t name.

Jay followed at a distance, vigilant.

During his lesson with Heeseung, Jungwon barely paid attention, staring out the window with glazed eyes.

During fencing practice with Sunghoon, he refused to fight for real, merely performing automatic movements.

Even with Sunoo and Jake, with whom he always played and laughed, Jungwon was apathetic, murmuring distracted answers.

Jay knew something was brewing beneath that golden, cold skin.

Something dark.

Something Jungwon was hiding.

And it made Jay uneasy.

At lunch, where Jungwon would normally sit on the Count’s lap, the prince refused, claiming a headache.

The Count frowned, concerned, but didn’t insist—simply caressing his son’s face tenderly and ordering him to rest.

Jay exchanged a look with Sunoo, who also seemed suspicious.

But Jungwon was a master of pretense.

All afternoon, he avoided Jay.

And when the sun began to set, staining the sky red above the castle towers, Jay decided he couldn’t stand it any longer.

He intercepted Jungwon in the corridor leading to the royal chambers, gripping his wrist with a firm yet gentle gesture.

“Wonie,” he called, voice low, eyes searching his. “What’s going on?”

Jungwon smiled, that false smile only Jay could recognize.

“Nothing, Jongseong. I’m just tired…” he murmured, gently freeing himself. “I don’t want company tonight. I’ll go to bed early.”

Jay froze.

Jungwon refusing his presence?

Jungwon, who until now clung to him as if Jay were the only anchor in his shadowed world?

Something was terribly wrong.

“Won,” he insisted, throat dry. “Let me stay with you a little. I promise I won’t bother…”

But Jungwon just smiled again, brushing his face briefly with cold fingers.

“Tomorrow, my love.”

And he entered the room, closing the door in his face.

Jay stood there, heart tight, breath uneven.

Liar.

He was lying.

Jay didn’t know what or why—but he knew Jungwon was planning something.

And Jay, as his faithful guardian—and as his lover—would never allow him to get into danger.

Biting his lip hard, Jay stepped away from the door, merging into the shadows as he had been trained.

He wouldn’t sleep that night.

He would watch.

And he would discover what, in the name of the Bloody Gods, his prince was plotting.

Night fell like a heavy cloak over Dracula’s castle.

The damp chill of the ancient stones seemed to cling to the skin as Jay blended into the shadows, motionless like a statue.

His eyes, trained to pierce the darkness, were fixed on the door of Jungwon’s chambers.

Hours passed.

The castle slept.

The Count had retired to his private chamber, Sunoo and Jake had vanished into the secret corridors they knew like the back of their hands, and even Riki was no longer patrolling—he, too, trusted that the prince was safe.

But Jay knew.

He felt it in his blood, in his bones, in the heart trapped in his chest:

Jungwon did not intend to spend the night under the protection of the walls.

And then, finally, the doorknob turned.

Jay held his breath.

The door opened silently just a crack, and through it slipped a small, slender shadow.

It was him.

Jungwon wore clothes Jay had never seen him wear: a tight black pantsuit with a short cloak, the hood hiding his golden hair. The mouth that had so often whispered “my love” against his skin was now a hard line of determination.

The prince glanced around, wary, and glided through the corridors with the feline grace of one trained to seduce and kill.

Jay almost growled in frustration.

What do you think you’re doing, Wonie…?

He moved without a sound, following him like a living shadow.

Every step Jungwon took toward the castle’s outer gates felt like a dagger driving deeper into Jay’s chest.

He knew the horrors lurking in the forests beyond the estate.

Armed humans.

Vampire hunters.

Ancestral hatred for everything they were.

And there was Jungwon, his sweet prince, throwing himself into that darkness as if immortal—as if invincible.

Jay felt instinct scream through his veins.

Protect.

Save.

Preserve.

When Jungwon finally reached the wrought-iron gate, using a small golden key—probably stolen from Jake’s belt—to unlock it, Jay knew he could wait no longer.

Before the prince could escape through the opening, Jay slipped behind him, gripping his waist and pulling him into the shadows.

“Where do you think you’re going, my prince?” he murmured against his ear, voice low and dangerous.

Jungwon startled but did not struggle.

He knew who it was.

He knew who held him.

He turned his face, and his eyes—eyes Jay loved more than life itself—blazed with defiance.

“Let me go, Jongseong,” he hissed. “It’s none of your business.”

Jay narrowed his eyes, rage and fear boiling in his blood.

“Everything about you is my business, Wonie. Do you think I’ll let you walk out those doors alone, into a world that hates you?! You are the light of this castle. You are… everything.”

His fingers squeezed the prince’s slender waist, desperately trying to convey with touch what he could not shout in words.

Jungwon looked away, and for a second—just a second—Jay saw the lost boy beneath the mask of royalty.

He saw the pain.

He saw the anger.

He saw the grief that had never been buried.

“They killed my mother, Jay…” he whispered, voice breaking. “And they live free out there. Laughing. Forgetting. I can’t breathe in here anymore… I need… I need to do something!”

Jay closed his eyes, heart breaking.

Oh, Wonie…

He pulled him tight against his chest, wrapping him in his arms.

“I know,” he murmured, lips brushing against the golden hair. “I know, my love. But if you die… if anything happens to you… I swear this world will never see the light of day again.”

Jungwon trembled in his arms.

For the first time in a long while, he let the mask fall.

He allowed himself to be small.

Fragile.

For a moment, Jungwon remained surrendered in Jay’s arms.

But soon the poison of grief seeped through the cracks in his heart, igniting his wounded soul.

He pushed Jay forcefully, separating their bodies.

His eyes blazed—not with tears, but with pure fury.

“You don’t understand anything!” he spat, voice sharp as a blade. “I’m not a child, Jongseong! I was raised for this. To destroy. To avenge the blood spilled of my mother! And you… you keep me here as if I were a porcelain doll!”

Jay stood frozen, arms still half-open, as if the absence of Jungwon’s body was stealing the air from his lungs.

“That’s not it, Wonie…” he murmured, pleading, taking a hesitant step toward him. “I trust you. I trust who you are. But I don’t trust the world out there. It’s not you I fear. It’s them.”

Jungwon laughed, a bitter, broken sound.

“You sound just like him…” he whispered, voice faltering. “Just like my father.”

Jay felt the blow like a knife plunged between his ribs.

“I am not your father, Jungwon,” he said, voice tense, eyes shining with anguish. “I am yours. I love you. And out of love… Wonie, I can’t, I can’t watch you walk out those doors knowing you might never return.”

The prince clenched his fists, chest heaving.

The hood slipped from his head, revealing golden hair now tousled, and that face so beautiful, so young, so full of a pain that seemed too large to contain.

“I don’t want your pity,” he growled. “I want my freedom!”

Jay closed the space between them in the blink of an eye, holding Jungwon’s face in his hands.

His thumbs stroked the cold skin, feeling the vibration of rage beneath his fingers.

“I do not pity you, my prince,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “I venerate you. I revere you. I would give my life without hesitation to see you achieve everything you desire.”

Jungwon squeezed his eyes shut as if the weight of that love were nearly unbearable.

His body, tense and rigid, trembled beneath Jay’s touch.

“Then… let me go…” he whispered, almost inaudible.

Jay swallowed hard.

His instinct screamed to hold him. His heart begged to protect him. But his eyes, fixed on the fragile yet fierce figure of Jungwon, knew:

He could never put chains on the creature he loved.

Sighing, heart shattered, Jay pressed his forehead to Jungwon’s.

“Tomorrow,” he murmured. “Tomorrow I’ll take you. Both of us. Together.”

Jungwon gasped, surprised, eyes wide.

Jay gave a small, sad, yet firm smile.

“I promise. But today… just today… stay with me.”

The prince bit his lip, hesitating.

The internal war still shimmered in his eyes, but slowly the cruel glow faded, leaving only fatigue, fear, and the ancient longing.

Finally, Jungwon nodded almost imperceptibly.

Jay exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, enfolding him again in his arms and carrying him as if he were the most precious of offerings.

And beneath the witnessing stars, the loyal guardian and his wounded prince vanished into the darkness, returning to the only place where they truly belonged:

In each other’s arms.

Jungwon’s room was the only place in the world where Jay could truly breathe in peace.

Even now, with the prince wrapped in silence and sorrow, the sweet scent emanating from him filled the air, soothing the invisible beasts that tore at his guardian’s heart.

Jay placed him on the bed with the delicacy of someone laying down a lost treasure.

Jungwon didn’t look at him.

He lay on his side, his slender back trembling beneath the white silk nightgown he wore—the same one he’d donned under the cloak in his attempt to escape.

Jay knelt at the edge of the bed, his gaze tracing every line of the small body, every feature of that face he loved so much.

“Wonie…” he murmured softly, as if afraid of breaking him further.

No response.

Jay sighed and climbed onto the bed without being invited.

He lay behind him, his larger body molding to the smaller with almost reverent care. His arm draped over Jungwon’s thin waist, drawing him close to his own chest.

He felt the prince resist, body stiff, tense.

But Jay simply held him there, asking for nothing. Forcing nothing.

Just… being.

He let his lips brush the delicate curve of Jungwon’s ear.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered, voice broken. “I’m just afraid of losing you, my love.”

Silence stretched between them like a heavy veil.

Then, slowly, Jungwon turned his face, burying his nose at the base of Jay’s neck.

“I’m afraid too…” he confessed, voice so low Jay could barely hear. “I just… don’t know how to deal with it.”

Jay closed his eyes, crushed by a love so immense it barely fit in his chest.

He stroked the golden hair with his fingers, letting them glide through the strands as if playing music.

“You don’t have to face it alone,” he murmured. “Never again.”

Jungwon let out a trembling sigh, sinking into the arms he knew would never abandon him.

They remained like that for long minutes, simply feeling each other’s warmth, the soft rhythm of their breathing.

Then, almost as if speaking in his sleep, Jungwon whispered:

“When my mother died… I swore I would make them pay. But Daddy never let me. He’s so afraid… he forgets that I grew up.”

Jay kissed his temple, heart tight.

“You’re the strongest being I know, my prince,” he said. “But strength is also knowing when to let someone protect you.”

Jungwon let out a dry, humorless laugh.

“You speak beautifully… but in the end, you’re just like him.”

Jay smiled against his skin, a sad smile.

“Maybe. But the difference is that I… I would do anything to see you smile again, Wonie. Even if it means following you to hell and back.”

Jungwon lifted his face to meet his gaze.

His eyes shone, red and glistening, the pain so exposed that Jay felt like crying too.

Without a word, the prince pulled Jay into a kiss.

It was different from all the others.

There was no lust.

No hurry.

It was just pain mixed with love, with need, with the desperate urgency of two broken hearts trying to mend each other.

When they parted, Jungwon rested his forehead against Jay’s.

“You are mine,” he murmured, voice husky. “Only mine.”

Jay smiled, tears threatening to spill.

“From the very first moment, my prince.”

And that night, as the castle slept and the ghosts of the past prowled outside, Jay and Jungwon fell asleep together—two broken pieces that, together, formed something whole.

Something eternal.

The next night fell heavy over the castle.

Jay should have felt relief — everything seemed calm, normal, as always.

But the emptiness in Jungwon’s room was a deafening scream in his ears.

The guardian searched everywhere, panic growing with every beat of his still heart.

“Wonie…” he called, voice low and urgent.

No answer.

No sign.

The bed, impeccably made.

The window ajar, curtains fluttering in the cold breeze.

It was as if an invisible hand gripped his throat.

He’s gone, Jay thought, terror clawing sharp into his soul.

Without hesitation, he leapt from the window, senses on full alert.

The scent of him still lingered in the air — sweet, vivid, unmistakable.

Jay ran, his superhuman speed tearing through the stillness of the night, following the invisible trail left by his prince.

With every step, fear gnawed at his insides. The world outside was cruel. Unpredictable. Jungwon didn’t know the true face of humans, nor their hidden horrors.

He was strong. Powerful.

But still… so precious.

So fragile in the eyes of the one who loved him.

Jay crossed the castle gates and plunged into the dense forest.

Branches whipped against his skin, but he barely noticed.

Please… please, be safe…

The mantra repeated in his mind like a desperate prayer.

Then, he saw him.

In the distance.

A small flash of white and gold among the black shadows of the trees.

Jay instinctively hid behind a thick trunk, heart hammering wildly.

And what he saw made his blood boil.

Jungwon stood there, bathed in moonlight filtering through the leaves.

He wore a light, almost translucent dress that clung to his small body as if it were part of him.

Golden hair cascaded in perfect waves over his shoulders, and his smile was pure temptation.

Before him, a human — a foolish young man, enchanted — approached like a blind moth drawn to the flame.

Jealousy tore Jay apart from the inside out.

His fist clenched so hard he heard his own bones crack.

He wanted to run to him.

He wanted to grab him, hide him, pull him away from that filthy human gaze.

He is mine.

But something stopped him.

Something more powerful than jealousy.

It was the beauty of the scene.

Jungwon seemed to float, every movement infused with lethal grace.

His eyes shone, red as rubies, as he guided the human closer.

With a slow gesture, he wrapped his arms around the victim’s shoulders, tilting his head with an angelic smile — and then, in a movement as quick as it was sublime, sank his teeth into the exposed jugular.

The human let out a sigh somewhere between pleasure and terror.

Blood gushed, staining Jungwon’s white silk scarlet.

And Jay watched, mesmerized.

He saw the prince drink, lips stained, his expression rapturous like a fallen angel.

The human’s body twisted, then went limp, hanging in his arms.

Jungwon released him with a casual shove, letting him fall at his feet like a broken toy.

He lifted his eyes to the sky, licking his lips with his pink tongue.

Jay felt his knees give out.

He had never seen anything so beautiful.

So cruel.

So perfect.

The love he felt overflowed, hot, possessive, overwhelming.

His Jungwon.

His prince.

His perfect killer.

Jay brought a trembling hand to his chest, trying to contain the torrent of emotions.

It was fear.

It was pride.

It was love.

It was worship.

And in that moment, he knew:

No matter what the world threw at them.

He would protect that divine creature until the end of time.

No matter how many lives he would have to take.

Because Jungwon was not made to be contained.

He was made to reign.

And Jay… was born to serve him.

Jongseong couldn’t take it anymore.

He left his hiding place and crossed the forest to him, his steps heavy, hands trembling with anger, relief, and longing.

Jungwon was still licking his lips when he noticed Jay approaching.

He turned to face Jay with the calm of a satisfied predator, the nightgown clinging to his body from the mixture of blood and dew.

The scent was intoxicating.

Jay stopped a few steps away, taking a deep breath to avoid doing something reckless.

“Never again” he growled, his voice low, hoarse with emotion “never scare me like that again, Wonie.”

Jungwon tilted his head, a small, almost innocent smile on his lips.

But his eyes…

Ah, his eyes were pure sin.

“You came to get me, my guard?” he teased, his melodious voice dancing in the cold air.

Jay clenched his fists at his sides.

Every inch of him was screaming to take that little prince in his arms and remind him exactly who he belonged to.

And Jungwon knew it.

He took a step toward Jay.

Then another.

Until their chests almost touched.

Jungwon raised his hand and touched Jay’s chest with fingers stained red.

“Are you mad at me?” he asked softly, his breath brushing against Jay’s lips.

The guard let out a low, animalistic moan.

“I should punish you, insolent brat.”

The prince smiled, merciless.

“And what are you waiting for, Jongseong?”

The answer came like a snap.

Jay grabbed Jungwon by the waist and pressed him against a tree, their bodies completely pressed together, without gentleness.

He kissed him fiercely, mixing their breaths and the taste of the forest night.

Jungwon laughed against his lips, biting Jay’s mouth in a playful, daring way.

“My cruel little prince…” Jay whispered, tracing his mouth along Jungwon’s jaw, down his neck. “My beautiful, dangerous boy…”

Jay’s hands slid along his slim waist, feeling the curves of his body.

He lifted Jungwon effortlessly, making him wrap his arms around his neck.

The night wind whispered against them, and Jungwon let out a soft sigh, leaning into Jay without shame.

“I made you worry, didn’t I?” he murmured, sweetly teasing.

Jay brushed his lips along the soft curve of his neck, and Jungwon shivered.

“You’ll pay me back with every ounce of your devotion, my prince” Jay growled.

Jungwon smiled, his eyes dangerously bright.

“Then make me pay, guard.”

And there, in the forest bathed by the silver light of the moon, among ancient trees and forgotten remnants, Jay lost himself in his prince.

His love.

His downfall.

Jay held Jungwon against him with an almost brutal ease, leaving the small body completely at the mercy of his hands.

The silk nightgown rose as the prince moved in his arms, revealing pale skin, stained with blood and desire.

“Look at you…” Jay murmured hoarsely, his nose brushing against Jungwon’s throat. “All messy… all mine.”

Jungwon chuckled softly, dragging his sharp nails along the guard’s neck, scratching until he drew blood.

“You like that…” he whispered back, in a sly, venomous voice.

Jay groaned, tightening his grip on Jungwon’s waist.

With one hand, he held him against the tree; with the other, he slid between their bodies, reaching the small, warm, throbbing sex still hidden beneath the torn lace of the dress.

His fingers found the wet, pulsing core.

Jay let out a low, filthy laugh, as if he had just received the greatest gift in the world.

“So wet… just for killing your first human?” he teased, a wicked smile on his lips.

Jungwon gasped, moving subtly against his hand.

“And for seeing you looking at me like that…” he admitted, eyes half-lidded with pleasure.

Jay almost lost control.

He slid two fingers inside Jungwon without warning, eliciting a loud, pained moan that echoed among the trees.

“What a beautiful mouth moaning for me, prince…” he murmured, thrusting slowly, torturing him.

Jungwon’s little body arched, begging for more.

He was a vision: golden hair sticking to his forehead, pale skin smeared with blood and sweat, the torn nightgown riding up higher and higher, revealing everything Jay adored.

Jay moved his fingers inside him with slow cruelty, stretching the sensitive entrance until he trembled with need.

“You ran…” Jay whispered between hungry kisses along the bloodied neck. “You drove me crazy. Made me search for you like a damn dog.”

Jungwon moaned, throwing his head back, offering more of his neck.

“Then punish me…” he begged, red eyes flashing with lust. “Mark me, fuck me right here… where any beast in the forest could hear.”

Jay growled low, pulling his fingers out and licking them slowly, staring at the prince with profane adoration.

“You’re a temptation even God couldn’t resist, Wonie…”

He unbuttoned his pants with trembling, urgent hands, freeing his own hard, throbbing cock.

Jungwon spread his legs, pulling Jay closer with trembling thighs.

Jay aligned himself at the ready entrance, brushing lightly, torturing him.

“Beg for me, Your Highness…” he whispered, voice thick with lust.

Jungwon let out a loud moan, looking up at him with the most indecent eyes Jay had ever seen.

“Please… fill me, fuck me… I want to feel you inside me while the whole forest hears…”

It was the last straw for Jay.

With one rough movement, he drove himself inside him fully, making Jungwon scream, his back scraping against the tree bark behind.

The guard groaned through clenched teeth, burying his face in the prince’s neck, breathing in the scent of blood, of sex, of victory.

There, in the wild night, Jay fucked his prince with all the love, fear, and devotion that consumed him.

Every thrust was a silent promise:

I will never let you run away again. I will never let you get hurt.

And Jungwon, in his arms, laughed softly, surrendering his body and soul to the man who would be his for all eternity.

The sound of their bodies colliding echoed through the damp forest, muffled by the rustling of ancient trees.

Jay moved inside Jungwon with desperate intensity, as if he could fuse their bodies by the brute force of love and possession.

Every thrust was deep, intense, making the little prince cry out in pleasure, his hoarse, filthy voice filling the guard’s ears.

“That’s it… that’s it, my prince…” Jay murmured against his bloodied skin, teeth grazing his neck. “So tight for me…”

Jungwon gasped, grabbing Jay’s shoulders, digging his sharp nails into his skin, marking him with deep scratches.

Blood ran, mixing with sweat, with the dense scent of lust that filled the air.

“More… fuck me harder…” Jungwon moaned, his voice almost gone from too much pleasure.

Jay groaned, holding the narrow waist tightly to thrust even deeper, feeling the little body tremble and tighten around him.

He knew Jungwon was close.

He could feel it in the involuntary spasms, in the way he arched his body, as if wanting to be consumed entirely.

Jay sank his teeth into the pale neck, not to hurt, but to mark him, leaving proof that he was his.

“Come for me, my love…” he whispered, voice breaking. “Come while I’m inside you…”

Jungwon screamed his name, loud and clear, without shame.

His little body convulsed violently, an orgasm tearing through him in strong waves, staining his own chest and the torn nightgown.

The sight was too much for Jay.

With an almost animalistic growl, he drove himself all the way in and came inside Jungwon, hot, possessive, marking him even deeper.

They stayed there, motionless, breathing heavily, hearts pounding like those of two wild beasts.

Jay remained inside him, holding the small body with all the love and despair he felt.

Only after long minutes, still panting, did he pull back just enough to see Jungwon’s sweaty, satisfied little face.

“Never do that to me again…” he whispered, eyes glistening, voice broken.

Jungwon, still dazed, smiled small.

“I am strong…” he murmured. “I was raised to be strong…”

Jay brushed his fingers across his face, wiping a strand of hair stuck to his forehead.

“I know… But you are mine. And I couldn’t survive if anything happened to you.”

Jungwon blinked slowly, like a lazy, content cat.

“Then take care of me… even when I don’t want to be taken care of.”

Jay smiled, a wounded, passionate, defeated smile.

“Until the last second of my existence, my prince.”

He arranged him in his arms, covering the little body with his own cloak, shielding him from the rising chill of the damp earth.

And there, in the silent forest, Jay held Jungwon to his chest, listening to his breathing slow, feeling the soft warmth of love, possession, and absolute devotion.

Nothing else mattered.

Nothing beyond Jungwon.

Nothing beyond holding him, alive, and finally home.

Carrying Jungwon in his arms, Jay moved silently through the forest, his heart still hammering in his chest.

The prince, wrapped in his cloak, breathed softly against his neck, exhausted, satisfied, completely unaware of the worry consuming the guard.

When they reached the castle’s boundaries, Jay had to be even more cautious.

If the Count saw them like this — the prince stained with human blood, dirty, wearing only a torn nightgown and wrapped in a guard’s cloak — there would be nothing left of Jay to tell the tale.

With quick, silent movements, he entered through the side passage used only by servants and guards.

He climbed the hidden stairs, his whole body on high alert.

And as he turned the corridor leading to Jungwon’s chambers, he found Sunoo and Jake sitting on the floor, backs against the wall, legs folded to their chests, expressions anxious.

When they saw Jay carrying Jungwon, both sprang to their feet.

“Sir!” Jake exclaimed, but lowered his voice as he noticed the situation.

Sunoo ran to them, eyes wide.

“What happened? Is he… is he okay?”

Jay merely nodded, not slowing his pace.

“He’s exhausted. But he’s fine.”

Sunoo and Jake exchanged a look full of relief — but also questions they swallowed for now.

Jay entered the prince’s room without saying another word, closing the door behind him.

With utmost care, he laid Jungwon on the large bed, pulling the soft blankets over his still-dirty body.

The prince groaned softly, moving lazily under the sheets.

Jay let out a heavy sigh.

He removed his cloak, tossing it aside, and walked to the room’s washbasin, fetching a bowl of warm water and a soft cloth.

He returned to the bed and, with infinite patience, began cleaning the prince’s sleeping body.

He ran the warm cloth over his legs, stomach, and delicate chest, washing away the marks of dried blood, sweat, and forest grime.

Even asleep, Jungwon seemed to seek his touch, subtly leaning into wherever Jay’s hand passed.

“My love…” Jay whispered, a tender smile curving his lips.

When he finished, he dressed the prince in a soft, comfortable linen shirt, and then lay down beside him, pulling him into his arms.

They stayed like that for long minutes, until a soft knock came at the door.

“Sir?” It was Sunoo’s voice. “May we come in?”

Jay glanced at Jungwon, still asleep and serene.

Carefully, he slid out of the bed, adjusted the blankets over the prince, and went to open the door.

Sunoo and Jake entered slowly, carrying a tray with hot tea, fruit, and fresh bread.

“We prepared something for when he wakes…” Jake explained, placing the tray on the bedside table.

Sunoo approached closer, looking at Jungwon with tenderness.

“He scared us…” he murmured.

Jay nodded, jaw tight.

“Me too.”

The three remained silent for a moment, watching the prince sleep, so small and fragile on the enormous bed.

Until Jake cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence:

“We won’t tell the Count, right?”

Jay gave a bitter smile.

“Never.”

Sunoo smiled back, conspiratorial.

“We’re his family, after all.”

Jake nodded, putting an arm around Sunoo’s shoulders.

“And we protect our own.”

Jay looked at the two with silent gratitude.

“Thank you.”

Sunoo simply shook his head.

“He would do the same for us.”

And there, in the room warmed by the fireplace, with the prince asleep between them, Jay, Sunoo, and Jake formed a silent pact: to protect Jungwon, above all else.

The soft shadows of the room seemed to shield Jungwon from the weight of the world outside.

The fireplace crackled quietly in the corner, casting golden shadows across the stone walls.

Jay barely blinked, sitting in the chair beside the bed, watching the small prince sleep deeply.

Sunoo and Jake, leaning discreetly against the wall, exchanged conspiratorial glances and contained smiles.

Then, a gentle movement beneath the blankets caught everyone’s attention.

Jungwon let out a lazy sigh, turning onto his side, golden hair tousled against the white linen pillow.

His long lashes fluttered before he opened his eyes — two ruby jewels, still blurred with sleep.

For a moment, he seemed confused.

Then his eyes found Jay, and a small, lazy smile curved his lips.

“Jay…” he murmured, his voice thick with exhaustion and affection.

Jay rose immediately, kneeling beside the bed to be at his level.

“I’m here, my prince” his voice was low, like a secret shared only between them.

Jungwon reached out a hand, his small fingers grasping the collar of Jay’s shirt, pulling him with surprising force.

“Come…” he whispered, coquettishly.

Jay smiled, heart aching painfully in his chest.

Before he could respond, he heard Sunoo and Jake stifling giggles behind him.

“We’ll leave you two alone” Sunoo said, winking conspiratorially.

Jake was already guiding his friend out, the two exchanging glances full of mischief and tenderness.

Jay merely murmured a “thank you” before watching them disappear through the door, softly closing it behind them.

Once alone, Jay focused all his attention on Jungwon.

The prince tugged insistently at the collar of his shirt, as if desperate for his warmth.

“Lie with me…” he whispered, voice drunk with sleep.

Jay obeyed without hesitation.

He lay down beside him, and immediately Jungwon nestled against his chest, intertwining his thin legs with his, hiding his face in the curve of the guard’s neck.

Jay wrapped him with both arms, pulling the blankets over them, shielding the fragile little body from the cold of the early morning.

They stayed like that for long minutes.

The only sound was Jungwon’s steady breathing, and the thudding of Jay’s heart, which seemed to beat only for him.

“You’re mad at me…” Jungwon murmured suddenly, voice muffled against his skin.

Jay smiled against the soft hair.

“I am” he admitted, “but I can’t stay mad for long. you’re my weakness, my little king.”

Jungwon lifted his face, eyes shining in the dim light of the fireplace.

“Then never leave me, okay?” he requested, voice trembling.

Jay held his little face in his hands, staring deeply into his eyes.

“Not even if the whole world tried to tear me from you.”

Jungwon smiled, a small, genuine smile, before snuggling against his chest again.

There, lying under the thick blankets, the scent of wet earth still clinging to their bodies, Jay knew that nothing in this world — not even Count Dracula himself — could separate him from his prince.

They belonged to each other.

Forever.