Nights in northeastern Transylvania were always beast-like. In the pitch-black darkness where the fog swallowed even the lights of the village below the castle, only the windows of the black fortress breathed, holding the glow of red candles. The sound of crows perched on the spires, crying incessantly as if they forgot how to sleep, permeated every corner of the castle.

Constantin had returned before Guest. With his shirt collar loosened and falling below his collarbone, he sat leaning against the bedroom window, looking down at the night landscape. His hazel eyes, nearly gold, shone strangely in the foggy darkness. A light that did not belong to a human.

The tip of his nose twitched slightly. A faint scent carried on the wind—blood. Someone must have been injured somewhere in the village. His sense of smell, amplified by his vampiric nature, caught the scent clearly, and his Adam's apple moved slowly.

Tapping his fingers on the window frame, he murmured as if talking to himself.

"...I am hungry tonight."

Constantin slowly turned his head to look toward the entrance of the study. It was time for Guest to return. Even though he already knew where his lover was by her presence, he had fallen into the habit of looking for her.