Chapter Sixteen: A Fateful Encounter with Darkness

The wicked man stood right in front of her. It happened in the blink of an eye. He was unbelievably fast, and at that moment, Elysia realized her uncle was a vampire. He reached out and touched her cheek, making her body freeze in fear. She was completely paralyzed, unable to move. She wanted to run, but fear held her in place. The man's piercing gaze bore into her as he whispered.

"Elysia... your beauty remains unchanged. You are truly stunning," he said.

"Now, you will be mine," he added.

Elysia instinctively stepped back. Her face was exposed since her bandana had fallen. Before she could react, the man yanked her towards him, making her struggle.

" Let me go!" she screamed.

But before she could finish speaking, he punched her in the stomach. The force was overwhelming, far stronger than any human blow—after all, he was a vampire. The pain was unbearable, leaving her clutching her stomach. He then shoved her hard, sending her crashing to the ground.

"P-please... stop..." Elysia pleaded, groaning in pain.

She covered her face, trembling. Was this the end for her? Ever since she was a child, men had always tried to capture her and claim her as their wife. Tears welled up in her eyes. Was her uncle finally going to do what he couldn't when she was younger?

But then—she heard a loud crash. Something had been thrown violently. Slowly, she peeked through her fingers and saw him.

Lord Draegon.

Before all this, Lord Draegon had frantically searched for Elysia. His heart pounded with a mix of anger, worry, and desperation. The moment he learned she had been taken, he had dashed through the darkened forest, his sharp vision cutting through the thick fog and lifeless trees. The place was eerie, with no sunlight breaking through the heavy clouds.

A scream pierced the silence. He followed it and soon found a piece of black fabric lying on the ground—Elysia's bandana. His fist clenched in fury. His expression darkened, filled with murderous intent.

He arrived just in time to see the man pinning Elysia down, ready to violate her. Rage ignited within him. In the blink of an eye, he was behind the man and threw him off Elysia with inhuman strength. The attacker crashed into a massive, dead tree. Before he could react, Lord Draegon punched him with such force that he couldn't even fight back.

"I will kill you!!," Lord Draegon declared coldly.

"That woman is mine..." Blade, the attacker, managed to say.

Hearing those words sent Lord Draegon into a fury. Without hesitation, he grabbed Blade by the throat and lifted him effortlessly.

"No one will ever claim her. She belongs to me alone!" Lord Draegon growled.

With a swift motion, he plunged his hand into Blade's chest, tearing out his heart. Blade's body froze, his breath ceasing instantly. He could only watch as Lord Draegon crushed his heart in his hand. Blade's body turned to ash, carried away by the wind, disappearing completely.

Lord Draegon then approached Elysia and handed her the scarf. She was still covering her face, but she knew he was in front of her—she peeked slightly. Fear gripped her. She didn't want him to see her face. Understanding this, Lord Draegon turned away.

"I'm not looking. Hurry and put it on," he said.

Elysia quickly grabbed the bandana and covered her face again. She tried to stand but collapsed—her body was too weak from the attack. Blade had injured her badly. Seeing this, Lord Draegon turned back and held her arm to support her.

Then, without warning, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

Elysia felt his cold body against hers, yet within that embrace, she felt safe. She could feel his concern, his desperation. She looked up at him and met his intense gaze.

"Elysia..." he whispered.

"F-forgive me, my lord..." Elysia said softly.

"Don't ever go out alone again," Lord Draegon ordered.

He gently lifted her chin, his eyes filled with emotions he could no longer suppress. Elysia's heart pounded wildly. What she didn't know was that Lord Draegon's heart was racing even faster. One thing was certain—she loved him. Ever since she first saw him, she had felt something different. An emotion she couldn't explain. But she knew her place. A servant like her could never be loved by a king.

"M-my lord... I am fine now," she muttered, avoiding his gaze.

"You worried me," Lord Draegon replied.

"I'm sorry... and thank you for saving me. I'm really okay now..." Elysia said as she tried to pull away.

But as she did, Lord Draegon only tightened his embrace. He held her close, placing a hand on her back, then whispered into her ear.

"I love you, Elysia... So don't ever leave me. I will go mad if you get hurt again..."

Elysia's breath caught in her throat. She never expected to hear those words from him. His confession made her heart swell with happiness, but how could this be? She was just a mere servant, nothing more than sustenance for creatures like him. That thought plagued her mind.