Night after night, the truth survives

In fear, the monster will eat you alive,

Within the dreams, he fades,

In fear, you shall remain in hades,

Run, little girl,  try to escape from his paws,

You only have until dawn to run before you meet the most feared of all.

 Your heels clicked against the pavement when you left your room to finally arrive at the ballroom. Everyone was gathered in their most ridiculously frivolous costume for this was the time of the year. The time when hundreds and hundred would gather and celebrate for something perhaps just as frivolous as their clothes, or even more; a lie everyone believed to be true. To celebrate the last vampire to have been killed in the kingdom.

Through years of fights and wars that never ended for the eyes of the public, the guards of the royals fought against those demons of the night. They killed and got killed as it went. Many lost their lives but more even lost their reason for that dilemma and that’s where it got its name; the curse of the night. Because whoever who would be could into it wasn’t sure to make it out alive.

Perhaps for your own good, this was hundreds of years ago, meaning that you had to be safe there, in your father’s castle. Your own safety was promised by the lead of the finest guards around the country. But you knew better than to believe your safety would be provided by physical warriors, no matter how good they were. You knew better than to believe that you were safe. Could the prince of darkness really be defeated, even in the most ‘good will always win’ type of stories?

In the best of cases, he was a prisoner to the night, condemned to wander in the shadow of what he used to be, according to legends. Others believed that he had been defeated, but you feared not. Too many strange things were happening in the kingdom for this to be called purely coincidence, starting by the death of your mother, the queen, who also was a strong believer that these type of things were also true. Out of the blue, one night, she disappeared from her royal apartment, only to be found in the gardens, tied to what people in the fantasy community would call a rose of the darkness, a mark of the evilest creatures, known to humans.

Your father, of course, asked for an investigation to be held, and even went against his beliefs as to ask for a renowned witch to come to the palace and works her wonder about your mother’s death. It was mysterious, yet intriguing. You were only 8 at the time and couldn’t quite understand what was going on. The witch, a gypsy looking old woman, only said that the faith of your mother had been sealed and that the curse was back, which sent shivers through your father’s spine, enough to scream at ther to get away.

But right before she left, she had to leave you a glimpse of hope. She left, leaving you with a small pendant shaped like a half moon, making sure to tell your the verses that would echo through your mind and make sense only a lot later.

“The shadow will be back. Everything you feel it coming, hold on to this and repeat the words ‘Lux Omnia Vincit.’ twice. You shall be safe, little princess, until you are ready to be a queen.”

Lux Omnia Vincit. Those words were repeated more than once, each night as you thought you saw a shadow in your room, longing a bit more than it should. Only later did you research the meaning of those words.

It was in latin. The light will conquer all.

And even later, even as the young woman, the future queen of a kingdom, you still wore it every day for protection. It was the only reminder that the darkness existed and that it could appear at any moment. Even more in moments like this one, when everything seemed so full of hopes and positively going for the good, you knew the darkness wasn’t so far, creeping along the walls of your childhood palace, getting ready to show its face once and for all.

The king was getting older each day, meaning that you were about to take over, as the only heir to his throne and legacy. Only, for that and along the rules of every monarchy, you had to be married, which wouldn’t come too late, to your dear father’s opinion. Not only did you both not share any beliefs, but you knew that he would choose unwisely, according to his own opinion of what a loyal husband should be to a future queen.

Of course, there were no coincidences in this world, everything had to happen at once or it wouldn’t make much sense. The night of the ball, when everyone was still dancing in the heat of this month of July, your father announced his choice. Many young princes were there, from various kingdoms, all cocky and incoherently asking for your attention, hoping to be chosen as the fiancé of the cold-hearted, yet hard to get, pretty princess.

It was only when he raised from his chair, hardly trying to fight his arthritis, that your father asked the audience for their attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, princes and princesses, I would like to gather your attention, on this night of celebration to announce you another great news that rejoicing my old heart. The choice has finally been made as to which of these lovely princes my adorable daughter will luckily marry.” There was a gap of suspense in the air. As for you, you were about to discover, as well, who you would have to share your throne, life and bed with until the end of your life, may it happen sooner than later. “ The choice hasn’t been easy but- “You father started coughing hard. Health wasn’t on his side and everyone was starting to fear for the worst. “ - Sorry.” he apologized and took support on the cane he had put on the side of his chair. “So, as I was saying, the choice wasn’t easy. Many admirable young men have asked me for her hands, which made the most sense, since she is the daughter of my poor and regretted wife, Harae,- “

“God has her soul.” Everyone said at once and your father continued.

“- but I chose for the best. I believe she will be pleased with the choice and so will the subject to be reigned by such a man. Please cheer for your future king; Prince Jeon Jungkook.” You looked around, your eyes finally setting down on the face of a man who seemed really attractive, that was for sure, but also maybe a tiny bit younger than you. Oh, not from much, that was sure but just enough to say he seemed childish at a minimum. Of course, you didn’t cherish the thought of getting married, mostly because you barely reached the age of 19, but also because you knew it was the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.

The man looked at you with a shy smile and you returned the gesture, bowing softly before looking back up towards the end of the ballroom, softly but inexplicably attracted by the strange silhouette of someone you never met before. It was a man, not so tall, yet incredibly handsome of his persona and surely aware of that. He seemed to be hiding at the end, fearing that everyone else would see his face, but not you, who he disfigured with the nastiest of smiles.

Under the veils of stars in the garden, reflecting on his invading body image, you got lost and didn’t notice much of the action before it happened to be in front of you. Everyone in the ballroom had stepped aside, making room for the young prince that you were destined to, to actually make his way to you, allowing himself a little bow before he offered you his hand. “May I?” He asked in pure formality.

And in pure formality, you complied.

The both of you were led by the mechanism of your bodies, dances that you learned as a child, perhaps, that seemed strangely coming out naturally now that you were adults. You couldn’t miss noticing his abnormally large hands and the way he enrobed your tiny ones with it. He let go of one, leading you towards the middle with the other. Everyone looked at you like if you were some kind of flower blooming, at once, before their very eyes.

The prince Jungkook made you turn and you started a waltz, the oldest of dances in the kingdom. He led you but you had to keep a certain lead. He was taller than you by a few inches, his dark hair covering his forehead.

You both spun and spun again, to the rhythm of the ancient orchestra playing near the large windows. Each time you did so, you were captivated by something much more passionating than your partner; the look of the man you saw, following you around the room.

He was walking far behind everyone else, who were gathered in circle to look at you. He had this oddly proud smile as he walked, his hands behind his back. You couldn’t help but notice the dark aura emanating from him and how he was looking at you too intently to be true, almost like a lion would look at his prey, his lips whispering something as you twirled around the dancefloor.

You would say that this night, as you got ready to go to sleep, you felt that something was odd. It was especially late and the news of an upcoming wedding had given, yet, another reason for most people to celebrate more than they should. At the end, the real reason for the party was long forgotten, but never by you, who strongly felt like the man you saw was not as innocent as he first seemed.

The large windows of your bedroom were closed and the only source of light were the candles burning on your bedside tables, giving life to the light gray and gold color of your decoration and bedsheets. You were still in your evening dress when you felt a cold shiver running the long of your open neck and . You tensed up, the feeling of not be totally alone being stronger than ever and you tried to resonate yourself.

You looked around, and spotted something unusually dark at the end of the room,  somewhere stuck in between the light coming from the moonlights and the shadow of the wall. You held in your breath and went to light up the lights of the whole room when the candles were blurted out by a gasp of wind coming from the pure void and you screamed momentarily. You were breathing heavily and you knew now,  drowning in the dark, that you weren’t alone.

In fact, it became clearer when you held onto the familiar piece of jewelry hanging from the pendant and started to pronounce the words meant to save you. “Lux Omnia Vincit,” You said once, yet didn’t feel anything different.

If anything, you felt even more pressured.

“Lux Omnia Vin-” You tried to say once again but you literally screamed when you heard something different, something that didn’t belong there, in your bedroom.

“It won’t work this time, love.” You had the confirmation that you weren’t alone. “Believe me, I’ve waited long enough already-” The voice was dark, yet oddly familiar. You have heard it often. Oh, not in your everyday life, but in your dreams, in the depth of the darkest nights.

Whenever you dreamt at this same day of the year, you would always dream about the same things, over and over again. The room you would find yourself in was dark but comforting, like supporting your darkest thoughts. It was large, remembering you of the ballroom from your own castle, only less bright, home to much sadder events than balls and buffets. You would find yourself lurking around, touching every possible piece of art left on the shelves and walls, wondering who it was belonging to and why in the hell you were in there for. the first feeling of curiousness, leaving place to a feeling of excitement.

Soon enough, you always realized that you were in a largely abandoned castle, leaving a breathtaking view on a demolish city, making you nervous and anxious. Screaming as the realization hit you and the sensation of fear always ended up taking over your consciousness, you would run from one room to the other, feeling almost trapped as in a labyrinth and that, until you would eventually found the large staircase, lightened up by old chandeliers, linked by spider webs.  

It was always the same, a room breathtaking, given only that it would have been taken great care of. Unlikely to be inhabited, the place was falling into ruins. You would always feel your heart beat abnormally fast, looking around until your eyes you fall on the only source of life in the entire castle.

The dark dressed man at the top of the stairs. You would always look at him with fear, yet mesmerizing fascination. He seemed to always have noticed you first. “ Welcome home, Y/N.” His voice was soothing to the ear but ravaging to the soul. It was all too wonderful to be true until he would start walking down the stairs. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, now.” He would say, a slight smirk covering his face.

As he would walk down the stair, not fearing the dust getting on his small yet sculpted hands, you would back up, fearing to have him too near. “D-Don’t come too close. W-Who are you? What do you want from me? “ You would scream at him.

Depending on the year, he would have either one of the two reactions. Either he would look at you with a crooked smile, showing abnormally long canines and stop walking while saying.” I am here to take you back, love.” or he would simply continue until you were paralyzed and unable to speak more gibberish and would look at you in the eyes, a flash of red reflection going through his dark brown irises. “ Will you stay with me?”

When it became too clear that whoever was speaking to you was the same as in your dreams, you gasped and tried to look around in the darkness. “I-It’s you.” You tried to point at whoever was in the darkness. “You are the voice, the man in my dreams, how did you-”

“Finally, you remember me, I see.” There was a sweetness in the voice that made you smiled yet shiver. “ I am happy to see that all these years spent controlling your dreams actually paid off. “ Then your smile disappeared to let place to much darker thoughts. You felt the entire weight of the world on your shoulders and the feeling of someone walking towards you without giving you the choice or opportunity, at last, to see them made you feel highly uncomfortable.

You looked around, desperately wanting to escape your faith but nothing would allow you such privilege and you knew that you’d have to face whatever was coming in the purest of darkness. Only, you got surprised when you felt a gasp of wind again and, as if nothing ever happened, the candles lightened up back again, leaving you enough light to peek at the face of the man now standing right in front of you. “I-It’s really you. The man from my dreams. The one I saw earlier tonight.” You were confused as to how this was possible. You had no idea who he was neither what he was doing in your apartments. Wouldn’t the guards have stopped him? And the windows seemed to have been locked since the early morning.

The man smile, showing pearly white teeth. You also took the time to admire his beauty, that was really getting you high on the emotion. “ You were the prettiest of them all.” Right then, his eyes flashed a little red glow that made you gasp once more and take a step back.

“W-Who are you and what do you do here in my room? “ Those were legit question, that actually made the man smile wider. In his complex tuxedo and his light gray hair, he seemed more beautiful than every man you ever saw.

He walked around your room, hands behind his back as you finally relaxed a bit at the distance. He stopped in front of the light of one candle and passed his hand above the fire, never really touching it. It seemed that the very light of it burned his skin so he hissed in pain and retracted his hand, looking up to you. “I recall that we are already acquainted, love.” You frowned and he seemed to find it amusing. “You know who I am. This you do.” He said in a much darker tone and you froze.

“Y-You are-” You didn’t finish your quote but he walked back to you, passing in front of your large window, no reflection showing as he did.

“The most feared of all.” He concluded and you felt ultimately doomed. “- the prince of the darkness, or at least that’s what I am reduced to ever since that cursed was thrown at our kind.” You held your breath, momentarily closing your eyes before reopening them.

“You kind-” You started. “ Vampires.” You concluded and he grinned a bit wider.

“ You learned well,  love.” He seemed happy and finally made the last steps closer to you, his hands still behind his back, a habit he seemed to possess and keep no matter what.

“So, you are real. You weren’t all killed as everyone says you were.” He lost his smile and looked a you intently.

“They wish we were. “ He whispered. “No, the folklore is far from the truth most time than not. Only, I have to admit this time they did a pretty decent job at making some still believe, rightfully if I may add. You see part of it was actually right this time. There is a curse. “

“Then what are you doing here in front of me. Wasn’t the curse supposed to take all your power and source of life away? Reducing you to barely anything else than dust flying in the air? “ You were captivated by the discussion you were actually having. The man tilted his head, raising n eyebrow.

“Is that really what they taught you?  Once again, I guess the details are up to me to be concretely rectified.” Right there and then, he raised once his hands in the air, brightly making the ceiling chandeliers bright up in a thousand of different colors. The flames on each candle were from a different color of the rainbow and you gasp, impressed. “I did not lose it all at least, but I was deprived of my source of life all right.” You gulped, looking at him, now a lot more clearly as the room was bright.

“So you are dying slowly? “ You questioned and he looked around, a sad smile on his face.

“In some sort, if you want to see it like that. I used to be the king of the darkness, I used to reign over them and take over whatever I pleased, whatever we pleased, but not anymore, now that I am alone-“

“Aren’t there any other vampires? Are you the only one left?” You asked, still looking at the burning flames.

“I am not. But we are dispersed everywhere, waiting for the return of the source of life to make us one at once. “You listened as he seemed to be telling you a tale as old as time. You finally concretely looked at him, surprised to see him looking at you in a way nobody ever did before.

It was as if he had been waiting to see you from up close for so long now and you kindly smiled at him. You knew he was dangerous, even without all his powers, but something was telling you that, if he wanted you dead, you would already be. “ What are you doing here? Why talking to me? You are a vampire, vampires don’t just talk with humans. We are your food-”

The man giggled softly, reminding you of the sound of a child, not a grown up demon ready to eat you. “ - but you are not like all of them.” He said and you felt like stop breathing when he said that. “ You should know that. You should remember that.” He whispered the last part and you frowned.

“What? What should I remember? I’ve only seen you in my dreams and even then, it doesn’t make much sense. I have no idea who you are beside the prince of darkness and a vampire. This is pure nonsense-”

You felt your blood stop running in your vein and he must have felt it since he took a step towards you.” Hey-” He called Remember what happened 500 years ago.”He stopped you by looking right into your eyes. “ I am here to help you remember. for you and offered you a hand. “There is no need to be afraid of me. I promise that I am not going to hurt you. I’ve been waiting for this moment for way too long already -” He left his words float into the thin air and you started breathing normally at last.

You looked at the hand he was offering you. “You? A vampire? The prince of them out of all? Why shall I ever believe you? You killed more people than I’ve even met in my entire life and I should be able to trust you to not hurt me? “

The man still held his hand towards you, not moving. You could see his chest, going up and down as he tried to breathe as well. “ I have been watching over you for the past 19 years, Y/N. I would never lay a single finger on you unless that you’d want me to.” You frowned, taking a step back instead of forward.

“E-Every night? Y-You mean the dark shadow I felt here every night and that I tried so hard to repulse- it was all you? Was it you all along? “ He offered you a shy smile and nodded. He hummed as well and you continued. “S-So you mean you were here