The air in the pet shop hung heavy with the scent of fear and desperation. Cages lined the walls, each containing a human being — some hollow-eyed and broken, others still clinging to the last shreds of hope.

Zi Yu moved through the aisles with the casual arrogance of someone who owned everything in sight. His elegant black silk shirt was unbuttoned just enough to reveal a hint of pale chest, and his tailored pants hugged his lean form perfectly. Every eye followed his movements, some filled with terror, others with a twisted sort of hope that he might choose them.

And then he saw her.

In the back corner, a girl with fire in her eyes despite her situation. She didn't cower or beg like the others. Instead, she stared back at him with open defiance, her chin raised in silent challenge.

A slow smile spread across Zi Yu's delicate features. "Interesting," he murmured to himself.

He approached her cage, his footsteps silent on the stone floor. The girl didn't flinch, didn't look away. Her gaze was steady, unyielding.

"What's your name, pet?" he asked, his voice soft and melodic despite the dehumanizing term.

She spat on the floor of her cage. "Go to hell."

Zi Yu laughed, a genuine sound of amusement. "Feisty. I like that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a精致的黑色皮革项圈 (exquisite black leather collar) adorned with small, sparkling gems. "Open the cage," he ordered the shopkeeper, who scrambled to obey.

Before the girl could react, Zi Yu had her pinned against the wall, one hand gripping her throat tightly enough to restrict breathing but not enough to kill. His crimson eyes bored into hers, filled with dangerous promise.

"You will learn respect," he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear. "And when I'm done with you, you'll be begging to call me 'Master'."

With his free hand, he forced the collar around her neck, the cold metal clasp snapping shut with a definitive click that seemed to echo through the silent shop.

She struggled violently against him, but her efforts were futile against his vampire strength. "Let me go, you monster!"

Zi Yu merely smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face with a tenderness that contrasted sharply with his iron grip. "Monster? Perhaps. But I'm your monster now." He leaned in, his lips just inches from hers. "And you'll learn to love every terrible thing about me."

He released her throat only to grasp the collar's chain, yanking her forward so she stumbled against him. "Come, pet. Your new life begins now."

As he led her out of the shop, the other caged humans watched in silence, their eyes following the pair as if they were witnessing a particularly fascinating train wreck.

Outside, the night air was cold against her skin. Zi Yu's limousine waited at the curb, black and sleek and ominous.

"Get in," he ordered, opening the door.

She hesitated, her hand going to the collar as if she might somehow remove it.

Zi Yu's patience evaporated instantly. He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into her flesh, and all but threw her into the back seat before sliding in beside her. The door closed with a soft thud that sounded like a coffin lid.

The interior was dimly lit, plush leather seats that smelled faintly of blood and expensive cologne. Zi Yu immediately pressed her against the seat, his body pinning hers down as his lips crashed against hers in a brutal, claiming kiss.

When he finally pulled away, she could taste blood in her mouth — his or hers, she wasn't sure.

"You belong to me now," he whispered against her lips, his crimson eyes glowing with arousal. "Every part of you. Your body. Your mind. Your soul."

He trailed a finger down her cheek, across her throat, and over the collar that now marked her as property. "And I always get what I want."