Episode 24

“Henry, come here.”

With arms wide open, Henry leapt into the air and landed securely in Rosanna’s embrace. He’d become bolder lately, as if realizing he wasn’t prone to injuries.

“Were you upset?”

“Being left out is bad. I don’t like being alone.”

“Your father was in the wrong, wasn’t he?”

Vlad didn’t look pleased as he watched Rosanna console Henry.

“Why is this my fault…? Besides, you should be scolding him for reckless behavior. He’ll develop bad habits.”

“You think you didn’t act this way at his age? You once climbed the bell tower and refused to come down all day, thinking you could fly like a bat.”

“Wow, rewriting history now, are we? You left me up there, saying I needed to learn to fly if I was born into the Enache family. And then you forgot about me.”

“Did I? …I just wanted to toughen you up. Besides, I brought you down by dinnertime.”

“It was the nanny who found me.”

Listening to their bickering, Henry suddenly exclaimed in anticipation, “Dad can fly? Can Henry fly too?”

“No, you can’t. So don’t even try.”

Rosanna held Henry’s chubby cheeks in her hands.

“Good boys don’t climb high places. Henry’s a good boy, right?”

“Mmm…”

“You want your Christmas present this year too, don’t you?”

Henry’s eyes grew wide as he recalled the clockwork train he received two years ago and the model village from last year. He’d set up tracks around the village so the train could circle it, and now he dreamed of expanding his own estate.

“Santa! Presents! Big city!”

“You want a city? Then you’d better listen to your aunt if you want your gift.”

Vlad tousled Henry’s hair, swallowing his thought that the funding would come from Rosanna’s side anyway.

“Why are you filling his head with dreams so early? Winter’s a long way off.”

Tanesia appeared, finally coming downstairs, and she smoothed Vlad’s disheveled hair as she moved closer to him.

“Your hair’s a mess.”

“Henry’s handiwork.”

“It still looks wonderful.”

Despite the years, their newlywed atmosphere hadn’t faded and naturally led to a morning kiss. Rosanna, by now used to her brother and sister-in-law’s affectionate display, shivered and rubbed her arms.

“His hair looks like a bird’s nest… and you’re still saying that?”

Clearly, Tanesia was blinded by love. Vlad might be considered handsome by human standards, but among vampires, attractiveness was taken to an extreme, an evolutionary advantage. Vlad barely ranked as decent—at best, a little above average.

And then there was Kyle. Among all the beautiful men Rosanna had seen, he stood out, even surpassing vampires in his striking looks. He was a marvel to behold.

Straight brows, kind eyes, a nose that hinted at quiet resolve, restrained lips, and a smile that held a touch of boyish charm. There was nothing she found lacking.

“It seems… you might be fond of him.”

Kyle’s shy confession was so endearing that Rosanna felt she could almost preserve that moment in a portrait, cherishing it forever. Did he know just how cute he was, almost bite-worthy? She recalled how her heartbeat quickened as she sensed his sincerity, the rush of blood flowing beneath his skin. How she longed to once again catch that scent of blood, the very scent that had captivated her the day they first met.

Thinking of Kyle stirred a powerful urge to see him.

“Ah, I want to go outside.”

To hold back her yearning, Rosanna hugged Henry tightly. His soft, warm touch and soothing scent helped steady her emotions… but it wasn’t enough. She wanted something more substantial, someone larger and solid—her own special “comfort doll.”

***

The chance to go out soon arrived when a new dessert shop opened in the bustling part of town.

It started with a flyer left in their mailbox as part of the shop’s promotion. A maid brought the flyer inside along with the letters, and Henry spotted it right away. The flyer was filled with realistic illustrations of various desserts, making his mouth water.

The shop had become a hot topic among the maids, and those who had visited wouldn’t stop talking about it.

Henry started singing praises about wanting to try the desserts, but Vlad and Tanesia were both too busy to go until next weekend. Frustrated, Henry resorted to a hunger strike, a display of stubbornness that no one could break.

In the end, Vlad had someone bring an assortment of desserts from the shop to their home. Henry tasted each unfamiliar treat and was instantly smitten by the flavors—so delicious!

That was the problem. His craving only grew.

“I want to go there!”

Henry began demanding to visit the shop in person, to see it and eat the desserts himself. Rosanna chose not to intervene.

After all, she wanted to step outside for some fresh air, and Henry wanted to visit the dessert shop. Their goals aligned.

“You there, come here.”

One afternoon, Rosanna called out to a maid who was cleaning the stair railing. She was a familiar face, serving tea regularly.

“Yes, ma’am? Oh, shall I steep some tea?”

“Tea time can wait. Bring one of your dresses to my room, something for going out.”

“My dress?”

“Yes, you’re closest to my build.”

Without further explanation, Rosanna headed straight to her room. The maid soon returned with a simple dress, and Rosanna changed into it.

Henry was already waiting by the front door. Just as she’d instructed, the butler had helped him prepare for the outing.

“Butler, how do I look?”

“You look… modest, ma’am.”

“Perfect.”

With a mischievous smile, Rosanna put on a bonnet.

“So, what would you make of this situation?”

“It would seem that a maid is taking Master Henry out. Although you are his guardian, you’re busy today, so the maid must step in. If he doesn’t visit the new dessert shop, young master might cry himself to exhaustion.”

“Precisely. Someone has to take Henry there. So…?”

“There’s nothing out of the ordinary here. It’s typical for a maid to care for Master Henry.”

A capable servant understood hints without further explanation, and the butler proved himself efficient, sparing her the need to silence him.

With Henry by her side, Rosanna stepped out of the townhouse and into the carriage the butler had called for. The carriage headed towards the heart of the city.

The dessert shop was nestled in a bustling district. Upon arrival, Rosanna looked up at the sign. The name “Ruby’s” was carved in relief on a deep red wooden panel.

The shop lived up to its name, decked out in vibrant ruby tones.

“It’s like Christmas.”

It was clearly designed to appeal to children. She had a feeling they’d be frequent visitors.

Next to her, Henry had pressed his face to the glass, peering inside. Drool was almost visible on his parted lips. She couldn’t let him clean the window with his drool.

Rosanna gently pulled him away from the glass just as a customer exited, releasing a burst of sweet fragrance from within. The scent hit Rosanna like a wave, and she felt dizzy for a moment.

“Henry, go on inside.”

“Aren’t you coming in too, Rosanna? Why not?”

A small hand touched the back of her hand, sending a tingling sensation through her body.

Rosanna flinched, turning away abruptly. She barely managed to get out a single word while holding her breath.

“Just… go!”

She had never scolded Henry before, and tears quickly welled up in his eyes.

“Why… why are you acting scary…?”

She wanted to pull him into a hug, but her body wouldn’t respond. Instead, she spoke with a rhythm as gentle as a lullaby.

“Go on now, good Henry. I’ll follow shortly.”

“Hurry back. Promise me.”

With a soft chime, the shop door closed behind Henry.

Rosanna turned the corner, slipping into the narrow alley between two shops. The main street was crowded, a bustle of life in the heart of the district. She needed to regain control, fast. Breaking the treaty while under a probation period would be disastrous.

“Ugh, this is driving me insane.”

Lately, her body felt sluggish, her senses dull. She’d dismissed it as restlessness from too much time indoors, assuming it didn’t warrant a doctor.

But now, the symptoms felt familiar—eerily similar to what happened when she’d ingested tainted blood packs. Since that incident, she’d tested everything she ate with the reagent left by the doctor, and no contaminants had shown up.

“What is wrong with me?”

A fog had settled over her thoughts, making it hard to concentrate.

Rosanna leaned back against the wall and slid down, sitting on the filthy ground littered with trash. The smell wasn’t overwhelming—her sense of smell was becoming numb, it seemed.

“Just… breathe…”

Every fiber of her being ached. It felt like she’d disappear into nothing if she didn’t drink blood soon. The thirst was that unbearable.

What to do?

She would have to make a decision. Maybe she could stealthily grab a passerby from the alley, quench her thirst, and erase their memory afterward to keep it hidden.

Just as she was about to move, a young man entered the alley.

The shaded corner, a lone passerby—it was almost too perfect. She waited, ready for him to come just a bit closer.

He stopped a step or two away, his chestnut hair catching the dim light, green eyes observing her.

“Didn’t expect to run into one of my own kind so soon after settling here. Though, it’s not the best time for a warm greeting, is it?”

Rosanna narrowed her crimson-tinged eyes.

“And who are you?”

“Owner of that shop. And I’d rather you not collapse right beside it, if you don’t mind. I don’t want to clean up a body.”

Charm him. That was the plan.

A warning flashed through her mind, but the nausea worsened the moment she tried to summon her power.

“Or perhaps,” he offered, his expression unchanging but a smile tugging at his lips, “you could use some help?”

Rosanna looked at him, wary.

“I’ll give you my blood. If you want it.”