Chapter 5 – A Shadow in the Dark

The Mortal World was too quiet at night.

Back home, in the Vampire Realm, the darkness belonged to creatures like me. The streets would come alive with whispers, flickering red eyes lurking in the shadows, the scent of magic thick in the air.

But here?

Nothing.

Just the dull hum of streetlights. The distant sound of cars. The emptiness of a world that had long since forgotten the existence of monsters.

Except tonight…

Something was watching me.

I stopped in my tracks, my body tensing.

The feeling was faint at first, like a whisper against my skin. But it grew stronger. Heavier.

Dark. Heavy. Familiar.

This wasn't human.

I turned my head slowly.

A figure stood in the alleyway between two buildings.

Tall. Cloaked in black. Their face was hidden under a deep hood, but I could see the glow of crimson eyes piercing through the darkness.

Vampire eyes.

My blood ran cold.

For a moment, neither of us moved. The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken tension.

Then—

"You're not from here, are you?"

Their voice was smooth. Calm. Almost amused.

I clenched my fists. My instincts screamed danger, but I forced myself to stay still.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice sharp.

The figure chuckled. "Just someone curious."

They stepped forward, their movements slow and deliberate, as if testing my reaction.

"A vampire prince, stranded in a world without magic… how unfortunate."

My fingers twitched.

I had never told anyone who I was.

Not in this world. Not even Elara.

So how did they know?

My throat felt dry. I didn't blink, didn't breathe. My mind raced through possibilities—

A vampire? No… that can't be. I would've sensed them earlier.

A human? Impossible. Humans didn't have that presence.

"So quiet," the stranger mused. "I expected more from a royal."

They were taunting me. Testing me.

I took a step forward, my muscles coiled like a spring. If they wanted a reaction—

They'd get one.

But—

The moment I moved—

They disappeared.

Gone.

Not a single trace left behind.

I stood there, frozen in place, the night wind brushing past me.

The street was empty again.

But the weight of their presence still lingered.

And for the first time since arriving in this world…

I realized something terrifying.

I was not alone.