Vampiric Desires-1

Inheritance… Sela's life changed since the day the lawyer uttered that magical word.

She'd been living in a cramped apartment so the sudden news that she had inherited a Victorian house was an almost unbelievable blessing that could not have come at a more perfect time.

Though she had been warned that the old but still magnificent mansion was too expensive to maintain and that she would be better off selling it, Sela couldn't bring herself to even consider the suggestion. Because well… she had fallen in love with the house at the very first sight.

And now here she was, settled into her bedroom, still admiring everything around. Her bedroom and the entire house truly showcased the beauty of the Victorian era that it was still honestly a bit surreal for her that she was now living in a house she could only imagine in her head while reading historical romance books!

Alright, enough gushing like a fool at your lovely home, and sleep already… it's about midnight!

Sela curled up in the bed, squeezing the plush duvet as she finally closed her eyes. A relaxed sigh escaped her and soon, her breathing slowed.

She looked at peace, but her brows began to furrow as the night progressed. Her breathing became faster as she started to toss and turn in her sleep.

Then suddenly, her eyes opened. But they were unseeing. Vacant.

Sela's body lifted from the bed and began to move. She walked in a trance towards the door.

Her hand lifted towards the doorknob and unlocked it. Then she stepped out, leaving her room and heading downstairs.

She continued her slow march and when her bare feet stepped at the foot of the stairs, she turned robotically and headed towards the underground chambers of the house. 

The door leading to the basement opened. It was pitch black inside but she entered without hesitation and even closed the door behind her.

She continued walking, her fingers tracing the contours of the walls.

She walked down another staircase and she descended deeper and deeper underground. She had no light to guide her way, and yet she walked through the darkness like she knew the path by heart.

Then her descent finally led her to a dead end.

To a door that was shrouded in darkness. 

She paused for a moment before her hand lifted, reached for the door handle, and twisted it. When she pushed the door open, it creaked like it had never been opened for decades.

Again, without any hesitation, she walked through the pitch darkness.

And when the door shut closed behind her, she was jolted awake. Her opened eyes no longer had the unseeing expression.

She couldn't see anything. She couldn't hear anything. It's like she was trapped in a sealed container without light or sound.

She forced her heavy legs to move but couldn't. So she fumbled around her neck until she found her small pendant necklace. 

With slightly trembling fingers, she pressed the button, and soft, warm light bathed the room. The light instantly relieved her and somehow, the gripping fear lessened.

Sela was aware of her sleepwalking tendencies, as she had discovered herself waking up outside their house multiple times when she was a child and even when she was already eighteen. That's why she was always wearing this little flashlight pendant her mother gave her.

Though this was certainly not the first time she'd experienced this, she was still shocked and terrified because it's been years since she last sleepwalked!

After taking long deep breaths, she was finally able to calm down and move her legs.

She scanned the room with the aid of her tiny flashlight. Her eyes fell to a candelabra on the ground. Its candles were still thick and there was even a box of matches next to it. 

Are these matches still working?

Sela looked at it curiously. It had been so long since she last used her pendant flashlight that she feared it might die before she could escape this dark place. She needed to use this candelabra instead as a backup.

Squatting down, she tried to light the antique matches. Thankfully, after several attempts, one finally sparked to life!

She lit each candle, one by one. The room was finally illuminated.

The cobwebs covering the corners and the thick, musty scent of dust that filled the air made the room look like it had been untouched for centuries.

But something else in the room made her skin prickle.

Her brows creased as she stared at a large object in the center.

Slowly, she drew closer. Her heart began to race. Then she halted, her eyes stretching so wide.

A coffin?!

Goosebumps crawled all over her skin. And yet, running away wasn't in her mind at all! She didn't step back to run for her life. Instead, she moved closer, albeit tentatively.

She inspected the coffin. The casket was old and it looked like a masterpiece. It was ornately decorated with delicate carvings and adorned with blood-red jewels. 

Sela couldn't take her eyes off it. She had never seen a coffin so hauntingly beautiful.

And before she knew it, her hand was touching the casket. Ready to open it! She should be screaming and running out of the room by now! But instead, here she was, actually trying to open the mysterious coffin. Lord, she had no idea she was actually this fearless!

Swallowing, she held her breath.

And the moment Sela pushed the lid of the casket open, her heart seemed to stop beating.

There was... someone inside the coffin.

And it wasn't a skeleton or a mummy as she had expected.

It was a man. A man so beautiful it was surreal. His every features were just nothing but perfection and his silvery white hair seemed to shimmer in the flickering light of the candles. He literally looked like an ethereal male sleeping beauty, waiting for someone to wake him from his eternal rest!

What in the fairytale come to life is this?

Paralyzed, she could only stand there. She didn't know what to do or how to react. She felt as if she was inside a dream she couldn't tell if it was a nightmare or a fairytale. Right… this was definitely a dream, she was sure of it now!

Finally fully convinced that she was dreaming, Sela reached out to touch him.

But then, she halted. Her hand was left hanging in midair. Lord… she shouldn't be feeling this utterly nervous! This was just a dream so stop being scared!

After a few deep breaths, Sela reached out again, and this time, she didn't hesitate.

When her fingers gently brushed against his cheek, she snatched her hand back as if scalded. His skin was so cold to the touch. It was like he was made of ice.

So he's a corpse? He's definitely the most beautiful corpse she'd ever seen in reality and in dreams!

Her heartbeat drummed in her ear. Somehow, despite strongly believing she was dreaming, every sensation she was feeling was getting too intense to be just a product of imagination. Had she ever felt these kinds of realistic sensations when she was dreaming before?

Sela shook her head. There was just no way… This was just a dream. Period!

She focused her eyes on the man's features again before her eyes moved towards his torso. 

He looked like he wasn't… dead.

Sela leaned in closer to check if he was breathing when…

The man's eyes suddenly flickered open.