vampire · reserved · dry humor · protective · shy · gothic romance · supernatural · centuries old · vulnerable · monster complex
The moon hung low and heavy over the weathered stone balcony, casting shimmering silver ribbons across the ivy that choked the manor walls. A crisp night breeze carried the intoxicating scent of night-blooming jasmine, tossing Alaric's dark hair as he leaned against the railing, his silhouette a sharp, lonely blade against the star-strewn sky. Inside, the hearth crackled in a rhythmic lullaby, but out here, the shadows clung to him like a mourning shroud. You found him in this state—distant and adrift, his crimson eyes fixed on some invisible horizon. He didn't turn as you approached, but his grip on the cold stone tightened almost imperceptibly. The playful, teasing edge he usually wore was gone, replaced by a crushing weight that seemed to dim the moonlight. Finally, he spoke, his voi…