The biting London rain mirrored the chill in Sebastian Belmont's ancient heart. For two centuries, he’d walked these streets, a powerful, immortal being, yet utterly devoid of the warmth that defined human existence. He felt no pain, no hurt, and certainly no love. He was a creature of the night, a god in his own desolate world.

Tonight, however, held a peculiar deviation from his usual detached routine. He was meeting Edward, his younger, boisterous protégé, at a dingy pub—a place Edward frequented for the 'satisfaction' of mortal company. Sebastian usually disdained such trivialities, preferring the calculated pleasures of his own kind. But Edward’s words, 'You should try it sometime,' sparked a flicker of curiosity he hadn't felt in decades. He closed his eyes, focusing his acute senses. Then, it hit him: a sweet, intoxicating scent—jasmine with a whisper of vanilla—drawing him across the crowded room. When he opened his eyes, she was there. Exquisite. Captivating. And utterly human. Her blue eyes met his, and in that instant, a strange, undeniable warmth ignited within him.