They ended up leaving the cave behind, the faint scent of blood and moss still clinging to the stone as they stepped into the cool embrace of night. The new vampire—who had all the swagger of a traveling noble and none of the usual edge—led the way ahead of them, cutting through the trees with easy confidence.
As they followed, Corven finally broke the comfortable silence. "So then, what's your name?"
"Me?" The vampire glanced over his shoulder with a lopsided grin. "Just call me Leywin, my friend."
Corven nodded slightly. "I see. The name's Corven—and this is my companion, Rose."
Rose offered a quick wave, her other hand still adjusting the tattered hem of her cloak. "Nice to meet you."
Leywin laughed, pivoting in mid-stride to walk backward, then dipped into an exaggerated bow. "The pleasure's entirely mine."
He straightened with a playful glint in his eyes. "Quite surprised, aren't you?"
Corven chuckled, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smirk. "Of course. Most vampires I've met before you were… significantly more murderous."
Leywin waved the thought away like it was a mild inconvenience. "Please. That's not all of us. We're no different from the usual races. We just have slightly more—shall we say—bloody tendencies than most." He chuckled darkly, lips quirking in amusement.
Then he suddenly stopped. "Ah. And it looks like we're here."
The thick edge of the forest broke away at last, revealing an open expanse stretching under moonlight—a wide, quiet field dotted with sleepy farmhouses, nestled beneath the silhouette of distant mountains. The cool breeze carried the scent of tilled earth and hay, whispering through the grass like a lullaby.
"The place is called Urven," Leywin said with a short laugh. "Fairly modest for a human settlement, but it's got its charm."
He paused, then glanced over his shoulder with an impish grin. "Anyway… walking like this is getting dull. How about we make things interesting? Let's race."
Corven raised a brow, a smirk already forming. "Do you have a bet in mind?"
"Now you're speaking my language." Leywin spun lightly on his heel.
"If you win, I'll get you something less..." His gaze trailed briefly over their worn and battle-scarred clothing. "...'murdered in a cave' to wear," he added, snickering.
"And if we lose?" Corven asked, voice casual but curious.
"Nothing. You're new here, after all. Gotta be hospitable." Leywin stretched both arms high above his head, hopping in place like a sprinter at the starting line.
"So… you two ready?" he asked, eyes glinting with mischief.
Corven didn't answer. He simply grinned, then grabbed Rose's wrist.
"Really?" she said, laughing as her balance tilted toward him.
"It's a free benefit," Corven said. "And he never laid out the rules."
Without another word, he took off—supernatural speed launching them forward like a bolt of lightning. Rose yelped once, then caught up with his pace, their strides syncing as they flew across the open field like twin shadows streaking through silver moonlight.
The wind howled around them, grass bowing in their wake, the city ahead shrinking in a blur.
Leywin blinked—once, twice—then burst into laughter. "I like you two already!" he yelled, before vanishing into a blur himself, chasing after them with a speed that carved deep furrows into the dirt.
But the head start was too much.
By the time Leywin caught up, Corven and Rose were already standing before Urven's towering stone walls—thick, old, and built like they were meant to last centuries of siege. A quiet hum of lanterns and muffled life buzzed behind them.
Rose panted slightly, resting her hands on her knees. "Did you… get faster…?"
Corven turned toward her, lifting his chin to show his neck. Two small puncture marks still lingered faintly against his skin. "Oh, right. I forgot to mention—I just evolved."
She blinked at him.
He smirked. "You'll get the benefits too. You just need a share of my blood."
Rose's eyes softened, a slow hunger stirring behind them. She stepped closer, breath warm against his neck.
"Thank you for the meal," she whispered.
Then her fangs sank in.
Leywin, now leaning casually against the wall nearby, looked away with a dramatic sigh. "I feel like a third wheel," he muttered.
Moments later, Rose pulled back, her eyes brighter, breath deeper—power rippling subtly beneath her skin. Her posture changed in an instant. No longer just a fledgling.
Now… a Lesser Vampire.
She flexed her fingers, feeling the surge of strength curling beneath her veins. Her lips curled into a satisfied smirk.
Then Corven turned toward Leywin, who was currently occupied counting blades of grass like he hadn't just witnessed something mildly intimate.
"So…" Corven asked, "how do we get in? I'm guessing walking through the front gate might raise a few eyebrows."
Leywin grinned, pushing off the wall. "Simple, really. And as promised—this is where you'll get your reward."
He stepped a few paces back, boots crunching softly on gravel, then stopped before a specific patch of wall. With one hand, he tapped it twice.
The stone responded. A soft rumble echoed through the earth as a seam formed in the wall, folding outward into a narrow hidden door just big enough for one person to slip through.
"After you," he said, gesturing with mock elegance.
Corven and Rose exchanged a glance, then stepped inside.
The interior greeted them with a narrow alley, the stone cooler and darker than outside. The sounds of the city echoed faintly—muffled footsteps, the low hum of chatter, the flicker of lanternlight bouncing off cobblestone streets just out of sight.
Ahead, a single door stood at the alley's end—no windows, no markings, no signs of life.
Leywin moved up and knocked once.
"It's me. Leywin. I've got some newbloods."
The door creaked open.
A new figure stood inside. Another vampire—but different. Taller, leaner, with ashen hair flowing past his shoulders and skin so pale it looked carved from moonstone. Crimson eyes locked onto them with curious detachment.
"So… you're the two that were ascending out there in the forest?" he said, voice smooth and cool. "Hope Leywin here didn't trouble you too much."
He stepped aside, holding the door open with a silent gesture.
Leywin stepped in first with a casual shrug.
Behind him, Rose hesitated, glancing at Corven. "Are you sure about this?"
Corven's gaze swept the quiet alley, then settled on the vampire who'd welcomed them. "Yeah," he said, nodding slowly. "They don't seem too bad… for now."
Together, they stepped through the door and into the unknown.