With Mikael's arrival, Drake calmed down without even realizing it. Mikael, always wearing that sinister smile for men like these, rushed behind one of them in an instant and tore off his head with his claws.
Seeing that, the other man panicked and tried to run—
but how could anyone escape a vampire at night?
Only in a dream.
While all this was happening, Drake found himself slipping into memories of his own life…
Born in the slums, son of an irresponsible, alcoholic mother, never knowing or even hearing about his father, raising his little sister alone, losing his mother far too early to an illness, becoming a pickpocket just to survive, having his sister kidnapped and still missing—leading Drake to assume she must already be dead.
Every time he was caught, he was beaten mercilessly. No one ever helped him, and no one cared when he ended up on the edge of death after some of those fights.
This world had been cruel to him… he had lost hope a long time ago. But one day, while searching for someone to steal from, he came across a handsome young man—better dressed than anyone in that area—who looked foolish and rich. But when Drake was caught trying to rob him, and the guy turned out to be anything but foolish, he didn't beat him. Instead, he smiled, helped him, and talked to him.
And now that same young man was saving his life.
When Drake saw Mikael's blood-red eyes and sharp claws, he realized he was a vampire. At first, he was terrified, but watching Mikael kill the bastards who had brutally hurt him made him feel something unfamiliar: that long-lost sense of protection and peace. A silent tear slid from his left eye.
After Mikael killed both men, he turned to Drake, looked him in the eyes, and asked:
"Are you afraid…?"
Drake, offering a small, reassuring smile, told Mikael he wasn't afraid. Surprised, Mikael stayed quiet for a moment before asking:
"What are you going to do now, Drake? I'm a vampire, a creature that feeds on human blood… a being you humans see as the embodiment of evil…"
Hearing that, Drake noticed the sadness in his voice. He sighed, smiled, and answered:
"I'm not going to do anything. You didn't hurt me—you HELPED me and defended me…"
Mikael stood still for a few minutes before saying:
"But now that you know, I can't leave you here. Not because I distrust you, but because it's dangerous."
Mikael thought for a moment, but to his surprise, Drake made him an offer:
"Take me with you. I don't care about leaving my humanity behind, because my own kind abandoned me. And unlike humans, a being they call bloodthirsty and evil is the one who saved me…"
Seeing the determination in Drake's eyes, Mikael let out a low laugh and said:
"I may be a vampire, but… in my opinion, I'm different from the others. So don't think every vampire you meet will be like me. Of course, there are always exceptions."
Drake kept the same resolve, making Mikael sigh—though inside he was celebrating for two reasons:
The demon-eyed race possesses the power of hellfire, a power that remains even if they change species. Imagine a vampire with control over hellfire. The thought thrilled Mikael.
And the other reason was simpler: he liked Drake, and now he wouldn't have to be separated from him. He wasn't ready to face prejudice from someone he cared about—and luckily he received the opposite: gratitude and happiness.
With Drake's decision made, Mikael explained his escape plan, making Drake sigh before revealing a surprising secret: there was a way to enter and leave the kingdom silently, unnoticed… through the illegal trafficking route.