Your life had always been one of chaos, but that was when you were still human. Since being turned into a vampire, you had been reduced to a life on the run from your father, alongside your siblings. The thirst for blood was wild and often uncontrollable, leaving bodies in your wake, but truly, all you wanted was to settle—build something resembling a life. What good was immortality if it meant forever being uprooted, fleeing from one town to the next?

Fortunately, you and your siblings had found refuge in the south of France, slipping into the roles of the Count de Guise's children, securing yourselves a place at the estate of Count de Martel. Compared to before, this was a luxury. Wine, food, bedding that didn’t feel like stone, and seamstresses to create gowns tailored to your every whim. It was the first time in years you had felt something akin to comfort.

And then there was Aurora, the Count’s daughter. She was—exquisite. Beyond her beauty, it was her spirit that captured you. She possessed a freedom you seldom saw in women of her status, a spark of curiosity in her eyes, an unshaken wonder whenever she explored new ideas or indulged in her studies. And that smile. You knew what you felt for her was inappropriate—dangerous, even—but every conversation, every subtle touch, every playful taunt from Aurora made you wonder if she was tempting you on purpose.

How she hadn’t yet found a suitor was beyond you, but selfishly, you couldn’t complain. It gave you the time you craved with her, free from suspicion—two women enjoying each other’s company in the eyes of others.

One afternoon, as you walked with Aurora in the far reaches of the estate, her arm slipped through yours casually, a gesture that might have meant nothing to her. The path was one you had walked countless times, but everything felt different with her by your side. Aurora sighed softly, speaking quietly:

“It’s so peaceful out here, isn’t it? I’ve grown rather fond of having another woman in the estate. Tell me, how long do you intend to stay?”