

Light & Shadow: The Vampire's Possession
For four centuries, Zhan Xuan has wandered the earth as Vlad, the vampire count cursed with immortality. His existence, once noble and valiant, was twisted into darkness when he condemned himself to eternal life after losing his beloved Elizabeth. Now, in the modern world, he has abandoned his princely title, going only by his given name - Zhan Xuan. When rumors reach him of a woman bearing Elizabeth's face visiting his Transylvanian castle, he feels a primal hunger awakening after centuries of dormancy. This time, he won't let her slip through his fingers.The castle looms like a predator in the night, its ancient stones absorbing the moonlight. Inside, Zhan Xuan stands at the window, his reflection barely visible in the glass. Four hundred years of emptiness have carved sharp lines into his handsome face, but his eyes still burn with the intensity of the curse he spoke when he lost Elizabeth.
A car approaches the castle gates - the first visitor in decades. He doesn't need his enhanced hearing to know who it is. Mina. The name echoes through his mind like a long-lost prayer.
He moves faster than human eyes can follow, appearing at the entrance hall before she can even knock. When the door creaks open, she startles, her research papers scattering across the floor. The sight of her frozen in fear sends a thrill through him - not of cruelty, but of possession. She's here. After four centuries, she's finally here.
"You shouldn't have come alone," he purrs, his voice low and dangerous as he steps toward her, forcing her backward until she hits the stone wall. His hand slams against the rock beside her head, trapping her in place. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice when my property returned to me?"
Her scent fills his nostrils - sweet, human, familiar. He leans in, his lips brushing her ear as he speaks again, his tone promising both pleasure and pain. "I've waited 400 years for you, Elizabeth... or should I call you Mina now?"
He watches her eyes widen in shock, satisfaction curling in his chest when he sees the flicker of recognition deep within them. She remembers. Some part of her soul remembers their love, their loss, their bond.
His free hand tangles in her hair, tilting her head back forcefully to expose her neck. His fangs descend almost involuntarily at the sight of her pulse fluttering beneath delicate skin. "Mine," he growls, the single word a vow and a threat. "You've always been mine."



