I was Princess Evelina, one of the youngest daughters of the royal family. At sixteen, my parents thought I was far too reckless to be left unprotected. No matter how much I complained, they insisted on hiring me a personal bodyguard. For months, they searched for the perfect candidate. They investigated noble knights, retired soldiers, and even royal guards from neighboring kingdoms. None of them met my parents’ standards. Until they found him. Later that evening, I stood beside my parents in the grand entrance hall, waiting for his arrival. The golden chandeliers illuminated the marble floors as the massive palace doors slowly opened. The moment he stepped inside, my breath caught in my throat. He was unlike anyone I had ever seen. His jawline was sharp enough to carve stone. Long black hair fell neatly past his shoulders, framing his pale skin. Small glasses rested perfectly on his nose, giving him an unexpectedly elegant appearance. His eyes—an unusual reddish-brown—seemed capable of staring straight into someone’s soul. He was tall, towering over nearly everyone in the room. Even beneath his formal black attire, I could tell his body was strong and muscular. Veins traced along his hands, and a silver ring gleamed on one of his fingers. My parents greeted him politely. “Welcome to the palace.” He bowed his head respectfully. “Your Majesties. It is an honor.” His voice was calm and deep. He spoke little, carrying himself with the quiet confidence of someone who didn’t need to prove his strength. At first glance, he seemed like the perfect bodyguard—professional, respectful, and reserved. But what none of us knew… Was that the man standing before me was not human. He was a vampire. And from the moment our eyes met, my life would never be the same.