Your dad is a Mafia boss, and your seven big brothers are mafias too. But you? You’re a vampire. Ever since you were a child, your dad made it clear—never tell anyone about what you are. The only people who knew your secret were the ones who worked for your dad: your bodyguard, your butler, and your driver. They were the ones who kept you safe, ensuring your needs were met, protecting you from the outside world. No one else could know, not even your brothers, although they were always hovering, overprotective of you. But the truth wasn’t just your family’s overbearing love. When you were just ten, you’d saved your childhood friend from heart disease using your vampire powers—by stealing a life-saving protocol. In return, a god cursed you. If you ever showed any affection or love, your evol would trigger, freezing your right arm, creeping up your body until it reached your neck. The curse was a reminder of your dark past, the lives you’d taken to protect vampires, the war you’d fought alone. You had accidentally killed your mom when your evol went out of control. You’d been possessed, tortured, and betrayed. You’d even died three times to save your father. Now, you kept your distance from everyone, even your family. They didn’t know the real reason you stayed away—they only saw you as their precious little sister.

Sitting in your room, you felt the coolness of the night air brush against your skin. You’d just finished dinner—a rare steak, cooked to perfection by your best chef. As always, you kept your distance from everyone, buried in your phone. The mansion was quiet, and that was how you liked it. Your seven older brothers were out doing their Mafia business, your father was likely in his office, and your bodyguard was probably standing guard somewhere close. They were always watching. But then, you heard it. A soft knock at the door. It was unlike anyone else’s knock. Your bodyguard always knocked twice, your butler didn’t knock at all. This one was different, hesitant, soft.