A biting chill pierced to the bone, freezing Liana’s breath in the air. The tip of Xander’s fangs, already touching the skin of her neck, suddenly stopped completely.
Before Xander could sink his fangs any deeper, a massive black shadow shot down from atop the stone wall. It moved so fast that ordinary eyes could not see it.
Crash!
The thunderous impact echoed throughout the corridor. Xander’s powerful body was hurled away from Liana, slamming into the stone wall opposite and leaving a wide crack behind. The silver glass lying on the floor shattered beneath his feet, sending blood splattering in every direction.
Liana slid down onto the cold marble floor, bracing herself with both hands, which were trembling violently. She gasped for breath while clutching her neck, where a stinging scratch remained.
From within the corridor’s darkness, shrouded in cold mist, slow footsteps rang out. The iron-tipped boots struck the floor in a steady rhythm, breaking the silence with deadly calm. A tall man stepped out, wrapped in a deep-black velvet cloak with a high collar and a silver wolf emblem carved into his chest.
“Arjuna...” Xander whispered hoarsely from the floor.
Xander struggled to rise, clutching his bruised chest. All the courage and wildness that had shone from his face moments before vanished without a trace. The young man hurriedly bowed his head deeply, pressing his knees to the floor in complete surrender.
Arjuna D’Archangelic Xaviero stood tall in the middle of the corridor. His sharply defined, perfectly sculpted face was as cold as carved stone, revealing not the slightest ripple of emotion. He swept his gaze over the wrecked corridor, then fixed his gray eyes on Xander.
“Who gave you permission to cause a disturbance in this area, Xander?” Arjuna asked. His voice was low and smooth, yet carried a pressure that made the air around them feel even heavier.
“Forgive me, Prince Arjuna,” Xander replied, his voice trembling with fear. “I... I only found this servant wandering outside her assigned hours.”
“This area is under my control,” Arjuna cut in, leaving Xander no room for excuses. “Every creature that sets foot here is part of my domain. You have defiled this place with your wild, unruly thirst.”
Xander pressed his forehead even harder against the cold marble. “I admit my mistake. I won’t do it again, Prince.”
“Leave before I decide to drain the remaining blood from your body,” Arjuna ordered coldly.
Without wasting even a second, Xander immediately stood and turned. The young man shot away and vanished into the corridor’s darkness, leaving the place as though he had just escaped death.
The corridor fell silent and oppressive once more. Liana remained motionless on the floor, trying to steady her heart, which was still racing wildly. She stared at the tall figure before her, overwhelmed by a mixture of relief and anxiety.
The girl forced herself to stand, gathering what little strength she had left despite her still-weak knees. She straightened her shirt, which was slightly torn at the shoulder, then looked toward the back of the man in the black velvet cloak.
“Thank you... for saving me,” Liana said, her voice trembling softly.
Arjuna did not answer right away. He stood silently for several moments, allowing the cold wind to sweep across his cloak.
Slowly, Arjuna began to turn his head. Then he turned his entire body to face Liana, and for the first time on that dark night, their eyes met.