How to Keep a Vampire - Chapter 1

On the eve of dawn, the entire ancient castle was submerged in tranquil gloom.

Inside a room on the third floor, a sliver of light filtered through the heavy curtains. It was an extraordinarily magnificent room, featuring a massive, luxurious bed draped in black velvet. Curled up atop it was a young man in an insecure, defensive posture.

His features were exquisite. He wore a thin, white garment that left his slender, frail figure vaguely visible. The contrast between the extreme white and the silent, deep black highlighted his skin, which looked like fresh snow.

The young man’s eyes were tightly shut, his brows furrowed as if he were caught in a nightmare. His eyelashes fluttered, unable to find peace even in his sleep.

A sound broke the silence of the room. Accompanied by slow, deliberate footsteps, a tall man approached him. He was dressed in magnificent clothing and possessed a handsome appearance. If one were to ignore his skin tone and pupils, which differed from those of an ordinary human, he might have passed for a noble and elegant gentleman.

The man’s skin was very pale not the color of a living human and his pupils glowed with an intense, deep crimson.

“How pathetic,” Wen Si said, his voice carrying a low chuckle devoid of any pity.

To the side of the grand bed stood floor-to-ceiling crimson velvet curtains, heavy and vibrant, with their edges resting on the matching carpet. On a table in the room sat a vase holding a single dark red rose. It looked like dried blood alluring, enchanting, and striking.

Wen Si was in no hurry to wake the young man. His gaze fell upon the rose on the table; its hue was a deep, intense red, emitting a rich fragrance. He walked slowly toward it and leaned over to pluck it.

The rose was still damp with morning dew; it was fresh.

He held the flower to his nose and sighed softly. The next second, he placed the fresh rose against the young man’s neck. His jade-like, exquisite face looked surprisingly harmonious with the rose, the vibrancy and the pure white sight stirring the heart.

The young man seemed still immersed in his nightmare, his brows gathered in a cluster, cold sweat dampening his skin, looking fragile to the extreme.

Wen Si did not pull his hand back; he gently smoothed the space between the young man’s brows before finally withdrawing.

“Roses wither soon after being picked, so I shall gift the remaining vibrancy to you.”

“May you remain unfading for a long time.”

A knock sounded at the door. Wen Si took one last deep look at the person who had yet to wake, then departed.

The lock clicked into place.

In an instant, the young man’s eyes flew open. His clear, amber-colored pupils were extremely light, reminiscent of a cold-blooded animal—innocent of the world.

As if the fragility that made him seem like prey only moments ago was merely a facade.

Shi Yu was pretending to be asleep. To be precise, he had been fully awake the moment the other party approached him. He had no choice; the voice inside his head was simply too noisy.

Wuwuwu

Wu-wa wu-wa

Will we, will we ever be able to meet again? I have been bitteringly begging for you in this ancient castle for thousands of years…

Baby, you’re finally awake!

He’s so close to you, Baby… He… 888╰

The voice in his head circled repeatedly, making Shi Yu’s newly awakened head dizzy again. He blinked his eyes and finally lay flat, staring blankly, the bed bouncing slightly beneath him.

So tired. I might as well just die.

Baby, what’s wrong with you?!

Shi Yu tried to respond to him. “I’m fine, just a little dizzy.”

“Where are you? Can only I see you?” He scanned his surroundings, puzzled. “And… who am I?”

The voice in his head seemed to be in shock, stunned for a long time before letting out a sharp, ear-piercing shriek.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh,

Shi Yu’s already pale complexion became even weaker. “Can you be a little quieter?”

“Sorry.” He said with certainty. “My head might be having some problems.”

Baby…

The voice in his head seemed on the verge of tears, stuttering as it explained to him in a low voice.

After much whispering, Shi Yu finally grasped the situation.

“So you are Lan Yin, my former butler,” Shi Yu said calmly. “I am the true Vampire Duke, and this is my castle, but it has been usurped.”

That’s great, I am the real Duke.

That’s terrible, my house was stolen.

Vampires have the ability to see through the night, a trait that intensifies with the purity of their bloodline. Shi Yu’s gaze swept over every item in the room. He saw the rose on the pillow, picked it up, and studied it for a few seconds before his eyes brightened.

The vase was placed in a position where it was visible at first glance, emitting a faint, pearly glow in the black gloom. There was even a small carved rose imprint on the rim.

“It’s the one I like.”

A transparent, pink, circular little ball appeared out of thin air. Its blank surface slowly revealed two ‘o’ shapes, finally transforming into ‘o.o’.

Baby, you transplanted that rose from the Elf Kingdom yourself. You hired a famous human craftsman to make that vase, and you carved that mark yourself.

It’s just that the brilliant gemstones that used to be piled high on the table, and the precious brooch you treasured on the bedside table, are all gone.

According to Lan Yin, Shi Yu had been cursed into a deep sleep, and Lan Yin had been trapped in the castle. Shi Yu did not wake up in his familiar coffin, but in a bed that now belonged to someone else.

But no matter how long he had slept, things that belonged to him should still be his.

Shi Yu’s mouth slowly curled into a smile. Moonlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, as if coating him in a layer of radiance.

Outside the door.

A handsome man in a tuxedo bowed to Wen Si, his expression full of respect. “Your Grace, the Duke.”

Ger, Wen Si’s butler, inquired as he usually did, “I will dispose of this person now.” As he spoke, the butler reached to open the door.

“No need.”

Wen Si glanced lightly at the door behind him. “Ger, this is a gift hand-picked and sent by the Prince. You have overstepped.”

As he spoke, Wen Si’s gaze shifted past the butler, landing on a corner not far from the room, silent and motionless.

“It is not polite to refuse the Prince’s kind intentions, and besides… I myself am—very fond of today’s gift.”

Wen Si emphasized the words “very fond.”

The butler, Ger, did not argue. He followed Wen Si’s gaze to the corner and immediately understood. “Yes, Your Grace.”

The figure hidden at the corner was not difficult to detect. The Prince was always playing these low-class tricks; how boring.

“Prepare yourself. I wish to go and thank the Prince in person.” Wen Si turned the silver ring embedded with a ruby on his finger lightly, looking out the window with an air of nonchalance.

Although everything looked as it did in his memories, Shi Yu could be certain that the current era was far removed from his own.

The crisp sound of the lock clicking open echoed. Familiar footsteps approached again.

Shi Yu appeared to have not yet awakened. He lay on the magnificent velvet bed just as he had before. Through his thin, white garment, his snow-white neck was visible, his whole aura exuding a sense of fragility—as if he would break if touched even lightly.

Wen Si’s eyes sparkled with amusement. A faint glint crossed his blood-red pupils. “You still haven’t awakened.”

Shi Yu’s senses were clear. Because he was keeping his eyes closed, his hearing felt especially sharp.

Death to the thief, you bad dog!!!

Don’t you dare come near the baby, ahhhhh!

Hmph, if the baby hadn’t lost his strength, you wouldn’t even have the right to speak.

Lan Yin did not understand why the Prince had woken up as a human blood-servant. He was able to recognize the Prince so quickly only because he had been selected to protect him from childhood; the vampire elders had bound them with a special contract. No matter where the Prince was, Lan Yin could feel him.

Shi Yu was confused. “Why do you call me ‘Baby’?”

Because I have guarded you since you were little, I’ve grown accustomed to calling you ‘Baby’ in private, qvq.

But you look more like you did before you fully matured. He shouldn’t recognize you, right?

He’s a pure and innocent-looking baby… hehe.

Wen Si sat on the edge of the bed and whispered, “My dear, it is time to wake up.”

It was that same overly intimate whisper, not quite touching his ear, yet burning his earlobes this thief was a bit of a pervert.

The cold touch of leather gloves brushed against Shi Yu’s cheek.

Shi Yu’s lashes were long, casting a thin shadow beneath his eyes. At this moment, those dark, feather-like lashes fluttered, as if about to wake from a dream. He decided to pretend he had just woken up and take the opportunity to see how ugly the thief who stole his treasure was.

“So obedient.”

Wen Si’s smile deepened, his blood-red eyes locked onto the newly awakened youth.

Shi Yu: “…”

The youth slowly opened his eyes. The first thing that entered his vision was the other’s clothing, but Shi Yu’s focus was entirely on the man’s neck. He was indeed a true vampire; it was his nature, and it was hard to look away.

The thief’s neck was cold, white as jade—a rare, pleasing sight that whetted his appetite.

He really wanted to take a taste.

If that was impossible… keeping him as a collector’s item would be just as well.

In just a brief moment, Shi Yu had many thoughts.

As he followed his lead, Shi Yu met a pair of deep, dark eyes; the red in them was nearly becoming tangible. The eyes contained a smile, but the warmth did not reach the depths of those eyes.

How did Lan Yin describe him?

“Lan Yin, could you repeat that?” A faint voice echoed in his head.

Bad dog.

Shi Yu’s eyes flickered. That’s right, his appearance fits perfectly.

I like little doggies.

The youth’s lashes fluttered, followed by a look of confusion and helplessness, his eyes shimmering with moisture, filled with reliance and fear as he looked at the person before him.

He asked in a small voice: “Where is this?”

Wen Si watched the youth’s eager, dependent gaze. “This… is a vampire’s ancient castle.”

“What vampires love most,” he added lightly, “is the sacrifice of a young boy.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Yu lowered his head in anxiety.

“Do you know that you have been sold?” As Wen Si spoke, he liked to look directly into the other person’s eyes, even if the person tried to avoid his gaze.

Shi Yu’s eyes grew slightly red, filled with moisture like pearls; one blink and a tear would fall.

He was heartbreakingly beautiful.

However, he was acting. Inside, Shi Yu was complaining to Lan Yin about Wen Si’s despicable habit of deceiving innocent humans.

Baby’s acting is simply amazing!!

Wuwuwu, crying so beautifully… it’s absolutely god-tier… hehe.

Suddenly, an discordant sound echoed from his stomach. A pale rose-pink crept onto the youth’s snow-like cheeks. Shi Yu held back the tears, but his long lashes were still stained with water. “I’m sorry, I’m hungry…”

Wen Si scrutinized him for a few seconds, a curve spreading across the corner of his mouth as he said gently, “I will have someone take you to eat.”

Wen Si rose to leave, but the next moment, he felt a slight restraint—Shi Yu had caught hold of the corner of his clothing. His slender knuckles grasped the fabric, very lightly, very carefully.

Wen Si turned around, his gaze unreadable. He looked at the blush on the youth’s ears and curled his lips.

“You…” Shi Yu’s eyes were clear, and at this moment, only Wen Si existed in his pitch-black eyes. “What should I call you?”

Shi Yu used the formal “you”.

“A title?” Wen Si raised an eyebrow, pondering for a moment, his words laced with mockery. “You can call me Master, just like everyone else in the castle.”

Master.

o.o?

Shi Yu nearly broke character.

His body was weak; startled by Wen Si’s words, he forgot to breathe for a few seconds before he finally reacted, unable to hold back a cough. A shallow pink crept up Shi Yu’s cheeks. After he recovered his breath, he stopped coughing, simply biting his lip as he looked at Wen Si.

Wen Si finally told him his name.

Shi Yu frowned, accusing him fiercely, “Lan Yin, he must have some special hobby; otherwise, who would ask to be called ‘Master’?”

Actually…

Baby, you are his master…

Shi Yu: o.o?