I was Hugo Basom's cherished human until the day he brought in another human girl whose parents were excellent vampire hunters.

While gently caressing my hair, his voice tender as ever, yet every word sliced like ice. "Train her as the lowest servant."

Feeling sorry for Lina Tommur, my fellow human, I gave her simple chores like serving coffee.

But Hugo stripped me of the golden key that marked my status as the hostess of the castle. "Can't handle these tasks yourself, sweetheart? You need to be punished."

On my birthday, he told me he'd prepared nine surprises.

I waited alone until morning. The only surprises I received were the nine cries of pleasure from Hugo and Lina.

The next day, drunk on his affection, Lina broke into the Kindred's forbidden zone to test Hugo's feelings.

Furious, he summoned the bloodline to host a grand feast and created a hide-and-seek game as punishment.

But the one who was hunted as a blood slave wasn't Lina. It was me.

***

Hugo cradled Lina gently on his lap, fixing me with an icy stare. "Amy Allnatt, who gave you the authority to send her into the forbidden zone? Enjoy treating others like blood slaves, do you? Go ahead and guess—will the vampire who Embraces you be a low-level one?"

The mere thought of those fanged, soulless killers made me shiver uncontrollably.

Being bitten by a low-level vampire would turn me into a similarly grotesque and bloodthirsty creature.

"Hugo, I didn't send Lina into the forbidden zone. She went on her own..."

Before I could complete my sentence, Hugo sneered, "I've repeatedly warned everyone that the forbidden zone houses the statue of the Original Vampire. Any human who dares to enter will be turned into a blood slave, completely drained by the elite vampire guards inside.

"Are you saying Lina would recklessly walk into her own demise without cause? What a shoddy lie. I'm surprised you can even utter it!"

As I looked at the unfeeling Hugo, my eyes began to blur.

I suddenly remembered when the most exalted vampire prince had once knelt before me with humility and sincerity.

He had solemnly placed the golden key, a symbol of the castle's authority and prestige, into my hands.

"Amy, I can control everything in this world. But what I truly desire is your genuine heart."

It was he who also entrusted Lina, the daughter of vampire hunters, to me and commanded that I train her to be the castle's lowest servant.

Out of compassion for my fellow human, I only gave her simple tasks.

Hugo would then glare at me coldly and say, "Can't you do these by yourself, sweetheart? You need to be punished."

He not only took back the golden key that marked my role as the hostess of the castle, but also withdrew the sincerity he once offered me.

The vampire aristocrats who once revered me now stare hungrily from behind the bars of my cage.

"Amy has a unique scent. If the prince hadn't prized her, I'd have tasted her long ago—and savored her blood's sweetness."

"Her scent has captivated me as well. The hunt begins soon. Let the best vampire prevail."

"When I find Amy, my initial bite will target her carotid artery. It's nearest to the heart, where the blood is most vibrant."

I shiver with terror under the stare of their blood-red eyes.

Hugo is ruthless, merely lifting his wine glass with a grin.

"Let the hide-and-seek chase commence. Good luck with the hunt."

As the ancient clock chimed three times, the animal cage door creaked open slowly.

Every vampire stood up straight, their eyes locked on the ten human girls and me, glowing like sinister red lanterns in the dark.

The sand in the hourglass slipped away quickly. Each of us had only five minutes to find a hiding spot.

With the endurance typical of human females, we couldn't get far in the castle's maze-like corridors.

The vampires' extraordinary sense of smell meant no hiding place was truly secure; we were easy prey they could track by scent alone.

To make it worse, Hugo had unleashed low-level vampires for the hunt. Driven by a relentless thirst for blood, they would completely drain any victim they managed to catch.

This wasn't a game at all—it was a one-sided slaughter.

Amidst the turmoil, the butler asked Hugo with a heavy heart, "Your Highness, will you be joining the search for Amy?"

Hugo replied casually, "No, I have other matters to attend to. Amy is still mine, and those who dare to covet her will be hunted down and executed."

The butler exhaled in relief. "Should we leave Ms. Allnatt out of the search, or should I assign men to guard her in secret?"

"There's no need," Hugo responded. "Amy carries my mark. As long as she remains hidden, no one will be able to detect her presence or track her."

Hugo briefly showed a hint of compassion as he remembered Amy's fear before the game began, but it quickly disappeared.

"Had I not arrived at the forbidden zone on time, Lina would have been devoured by the guards by now. This is merely a small penalty for Amy to understand the terror and powerlessness Lina experienced, in hopes that she'll mend her ways."

Just then, I found myself stumbling through the castle hallway.

The place I once navigated with ease now had every door open wide like a dark chasm, ready to swallow me as I passed through.

The ominous bell sounded again, echoing like a death knell.

I quickly pushed open the nearest door and curled up in fear inside an empty wardrobe.

Piercing screams filled the air, drawing nearer with each moment.

Whether real or imagined, I could detect a faint metallic scent of blood even from inside my hiding spot.

The wardrobe door creaked open.

I shut my eyes tightly, clenching my jaw.

But the vampire just stood at the doorway, sniffed hard, and left—seemingly disappointed.

I had no idea why he couldn't detect my scent, but if I could just endure a little longer, I'd survive once the hunt concluded.

Just as hope flickered within me, the wardrobe door was suddenly pulled open from outside.

Lina stood there with a sweet smile, but her expression sent a shiver down my spine. "Found you, Amy."

My throat tightened, like it was being squeezed by an invisible force, leaving me speechless.

Having personally experienced Lina's insanity and cruelty, my fear of her even exceeded my fear of the vampires.

Just the day before, I had cautioned Lina not to enter the forbidden zone. "Hugo mentioned that any human who trespasses will meet certain death."

She merely scoffed at me, saying, "Rules are meant to bind people like you. I'll ensure everyone in this castle understands who Hugo truly regards as his woman."

Not long after Lina invaded the forbidden zone, her terrified screams echoed.

Hugo rushed into the zone, dragging her out in fury, and said to the butler, "Someone has broken the rules. Alert all the Kindred—arrange a hunting feast at the castle tomorrow!"

I was convinced Lina had signed her own death warrant by provoking Hugo.

But today, it was I, not Lina, who was presented as a blood slave for the vampires' entertainment.

In an instant, Lina slashed her wrist with a knife. The aroma of blood permeated the air, driving every vampire in the castle into a wild frenzy as they all rushed to the scene.

But Hugo got to her first, wrapping her gently in his arms. "Who harmed you?"

Though Hugo was speaking to her, his eyes coldly shifted to me with a menacing look.

Lina began to cry before she could complete her sentence. "As a fellow human, I can't stand seeing these girls being hunted by vampires. Hugo, I just want them to be safe. But Amy wouldn't accept my help and even...

"Don't hold it against Amy. It's my fault for interfering and coming into this room."

Hugo's expression hardened like ice. "It's not your fault. Amy repays kindness with hostility and lacks appreciation."

Without giving me an opportunity to explain, he took it upon himself to cut the skin on my limbs.

As red blood trickled down my pale skin, a fleeting moment of lost control flickered in Hugo's crimson eyes.

It felt as if my heart was being carved away piece by piece with a knife.

"Hugo, the hunt is finished. Do you truly wish for my death?"

At the sound of my hoarse, desperate voice, Hugo's expression turned steely. "Amy, your actions against Lina are beyond forgiveness. Even in death, it's what you deserve."

In that moment, whatever love and hope I had left vanished.

"Hugo, you brought me to the castle out of love. Now that you don't love me anymore, let me go."

He trembled, his brows knitted with irritation and anger. "Your blood is unique—like a beacon for vampires. Without my protection, you're certain to die.

"If you insist on leaving, I'll allow it. But only if you're fortunate enough."

With each shaky step, my wounds tugged painfully, leaving a trail of blood behind me.

My blood and strength drained swiftly from my body.

Before I made it halfway down the corridor, I collapsed in a heap, too weak to get back up.

Shadowy figures emerged at both ends of the hallway.

Their shoulders were hunched, and their backs were bent, lacking any trace of a vampire's grace.

In the moonlight, I could see low-level vampires with mouths stretching to their ears, their fanged jaws drooling as they eyed me hungrily.

In a moment of desperation, I instinctively shouted, "Hugo, save me!"

The low-level vampires appeared immediately overwhelmed by an unseen force of dominance, retreating step by step in fear.

Before I had a chance to regain my composure, Lina's weak voice reached my ears. "Hugo, I feel dizzy. Will I die after losing all this blood?"

Suddenly, the low-level vampires, no longer cowed by the unseen force, attacked me like ravenous wolves!

Sharp stabs tore through my neck, arms, and thighs in a frenzied assault.

I tossed my head back in agony, my mind racing.

The only sound that followed was the ravenous slurping of low-level vampires draining my blood.

My teeth chattered, and my lips and tongue quivered as the loss of blood sent me spiraling into a freezing void.

As I was on the brink of losing consciousness, a series of "whooshes" sliced through the air.

The low-level vampires, struck by silver arrows, remained in their feeding positions, disintegrating into ashes without so much as a scream.

I raised my clouded eyes toward the source of the arrows and instinctively called out Hugo's name.

However, what I saw was Lina's beaming face, "I'd rather see you crawl back to Hugo as a grotesque hybrid than let you die like this.

"After all, as a pure-blood prince, he loathes nothing more than trash like you, turned by low-ranking vampires."

As soon as she finished talking, Hugo approached swiftly.

Upon seeing my pale face, a brief hint of panic appeared in his eyes, quickly hidden by a facade of calmness as he instructed the butler. "She's fortunate to be alive. Stop the bleeding and bandage her immediately."

At this moment, my body felt like it was caught in a fierce clash between fire and ice.

I could distinctly detect the faint blood scent on Lina, as my body underwent rapid and profound changes.

Desperately, I crawled toward Hugo, leaving a jagged, terrifying trail of blood behind me.

Clinging to his trouser leg like it was my only hope, I pleaded, "Please, I was bitten by low-level vampires. I don't want to become as hideous and terrifying as they are, nor do I wish to turn into a greedy, beast-like creature."

If Hugo could transform me before I fully became a low-level vampire, I could rise to a high-level vampire, preserving my human appearance and rationality.

Hugo crouched down beside me, not to transform me.

But to pry my fingers off him one by one.

"All the vampires involved in today's hunt have long since left, fully satisfied. It's impossible for any stragglers to have attacked you, let alone low-level vampires showing up here."

I tried to lift my hand to reveal the bite marks on my body to Hugo.

But to my horror, I realized all the wounds had mysteriously healed without me knowing.

An intense hunger erupted within me. The overwhelming desire to feed constricted my throat, leaving me unable to speak.

I gazed at Hugo with pleading eyes, but he loomed over me, his expression icy. "Amy, acting like a victim or resorting to self-harm won't win my favor or attention.

"If you want to stay with me, abandon any thoughts of leaving and stop hurting Lina. Then I might consider treating you both equally, without bias."

I watched Hugo's lips move, but the words didn't reach me anymore.

In the next instant, under his astonished stare, I turned my head numbly to look out the window.

From that moment on, in the vast world outside, all I could see was a blood-red moon.

Lina gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Hugo, she's been transformed into a low-level vampire! If we don't act quickly, having her stay in the castle will be catastrophic!"

Hugo's face showed signs of distress as Lina spoke.

"That can't be. Only noble vampires were there today. I instructed the butler to secure a few low-level ones to frighten Amy. There's no way they could have gotten out!"

Although Hugo struggled to face the truth, he suddenly sank his teeth into his own wrist, filling his mouth with his own blood before offering it to me.

"Amy, regardless of who turned you, it's not too late if I Embrace you now!"

Yet, despite his declaration, his eyelashes quivered uncontrollably at the sight of my fully crimson eyes.

As a vampire prince, he understood better than anyone that it was already beyond saving.

As Hugo's blood flowed down my throat, I felt like a parched wanderer discovering an oasis in the desert.

I drank hungrily, a fire igniting in my chest, yearning for more.

I gulped down the blood from Hugo's mouth without hesitation.

My gaze fixated on his pale neck, and I felt my throat contract involuntarily.

His eyes held a nearly desperate flicker, and he lowered his collar to match my stare. "Not satisfied? You're still thirsty, aren't you? Go ahead, drink as much as you need."

A primal growl escaped from deep within me, and in an instant, I lunged at Hugo, sinking my fangs painfully into his neck.

Hugo emitted a stifled groan but extended his arms, complying with all my requests.

Just as I managed to take a few sips, a silver light sliced through my chest.

I pulled back in terror, letting go.

There was Lina, her eyes icy and determined, clutching a silver dagger. My blood stained the blade, falling to the ground in steady droplets.

Hugo didn't hesitate before striking Lina across the face. "Who allowed you to harm her?"