The pager rang, and my colleague was looking for me, so I nodded hurriedly to say goodbye.

They quickly boarded the night train to the human world and vanished before my eyes.

The routine inspection went smoothly. The station clock ticked on, and the number of vampires coming and going first decreased, then increased, then decreased again.

By the time the last train arrived, I still hadn't seen Saul.

I went back to the duty room, too tired to do anything but slump in the chair, and fell asleep gradually and soundly.

I stopped waiting for those who wouldn't come. Why did I take promises without results seriously?

When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar ceiling.

Saul was sitting by my bed.

There was also a sweet smell. I sniffed and turned my head to see a half box of popcorn on the bedside table. There was no my favourite vanilla ice cream.

"For you."

In the dim light, our eyes met.

The next second I looked away, saying "thanks" in a flat voice.

My reaction was clearly not what he expected. He frowned, explaining somewhat irritably:

"I had an emergency last night. I didn't mean to make you wait, Jacinda..."

"It's fine." I cut him off, not wanting to hear more.

He'd abandoned me too many times to count this as a new offense.

Having not eaten for a long time, I felt dizzy and reached for the popcorn.

Saul, who'd looked annoyed after being interrupted, spoke again:

"It turns out Jacinda was right: women all love sweet popcorn. What else do you humans like to eat? Tell me quickly!"

My hand froze.

So the popcorn was an afterthought after buying it for Jacinda. That's what he meant. He totally forgot the vanilla ice cream he promised me.

I pulled my hand back, lay down again despite the discomfort, and said listlessly: "Just ask Miss Jacinda."

"What's the hell..." He was at a loss for words, frowning at me.

Ding...

A message came in and he stood up with his expression changed in a hurry and left without a word.

I tore off the second page from the calendar.

I gave the popcorn to the old butler to thank him for bandaging my wounds.

After grabbing some food and changing my bandages, I went to the border platform.

My fellow bloodslave colleague was surprised to see me so early, then told me she'd just seen my lord Saul.

"A beautiful human somehow ended up here alone. The platform was full of vampires—almost caused a commotion.

Your master arrived just in time, or she might've been in danger.

I saw them hugging. What's their relationship?"

A surge of bitterness rose in my chest. I lowered my eyes and shook my head, saying I didn't know.

Then I handed her baked cookies and asked about the conditions for breaking the blood pact, as it was the real reason I'd come early.

She'd broken a pact before and now served a second lord.

When I suddenly brought up breaking the pact, my bloodslave colleague wanted to ask more, but seeing the wounds on my arms, she held back.

Finally, she just rubbed my shoulder knowingly and told me everything she knew.

After saying goodbye, I quit my platform duty job and returned to the castle in the thick night.

As I pushed open the door, something felt wrong.

Clothes littered the floor, and there were suppressed gasps.

Following the light, I found a door wide open. Saul's pupils were deep red, and his fangs sunk into Jacinda's neck as he drank her blood. She didn't struggle—instead, her hands circled his waist, trusting him completely.

The sound of my backpack falling alerted them. Saul's eyes snapped to me, sharp as daggers. With a sweep of his hand, he threw the picture frame on his nightstand at me.

The picture frame held a photo of us. The frame hit my shoulder hard, then fell to the floor with a loud crash, shattering.

"Get out!"

I snapped back to reality, realizing what they were doing.

The First Embrace: a vampire bit a human on the neck and drained a human's blood to mark ownership, then fed them vampire blood, turning them into a vampire.

Under Saul's enraged shout, I was silent for two seconds, then I figured out what happened and left the room quickly.

The First Embrace lasted long and by the time the noises next door died down, it was already the next night.

Just as I finished tidying my room, Saul kicked the door open furiously. His hands clamped down on my shoulders—right where the purple bruises from the picture frame still ached.

"You gave her the blood extractor, didn't you?"

His pupils had returned to normal black, no longer in feeding mode, but he seemed angrier than before.

I winced in pain, took a deep breath, and said word by word, "I don't know what you're talking about."

At my denial, he sneered, not loosening his grip.

"I can only recognize your blood scent. If you hadn't given her the extractor—coated in your smell—how could I have lost control and done that to her... Bella," he ground out my name, "I know your intentions, but you shouldn't have hurt her."

Looking at his angry, twisted face, I felt an overwhelming exhaustion.

"You couldn't control yourself and drank her blood, and you made her one of you..." I looked up at him and tried my best to explain. "You should be happy. At least no one else will drink her blood now."

The slap!

My cheek burned hot. I turned my face, blinking hard to hold back the tears in my eyes.

"You've changed."

He forced my chin up, eyes blazing with anger and disappointment. "I should never have saved you in the first place."

Yes. Why had he bothered?

I laughed bitterly, as years of company and devotion were wasted.

"Blood!" A scream came from next door. "I need blood!"

Saul's expression changed. Ignoring my struggles, he dragged me into the next room.

Jacinda, hair disheveled, looked around wildly. At the sight of Saul, she burst into tears like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline.

"Give me blood, Saul! Give me blood!" Her nails scraped the blanket, leaving jagged marks.

The scene was so horrifying that I forgot my pain for a moment.

There was animal blood in the fridge—it could save her.

But the next second, I was yanked in front of Jacinda.

Saul tore down my collar, and I realized his plan. I thrashed wildly, but my hands were pinned behind my back, and my neck was thrust toward Jacinda's mouth.

My veins held the fresh human blood that vampires craved most.

Jacinda didn't hesitate. Her fangs sank into my neck—right where Saul's mark had once been. She drank ravenously.

Blood drained fast, and I convulsed in pain.

"Let... me... go..."

The healed wounds on my back split open again with the struggle. I felt blood soaking my clothes, the smell of the blood choking my nose until I wanted to vomit.

As Saul leaned in to steady my drooping head, I felt a sharp pain from the pact tattoo on the back of my hand.

Three years ago, he saved me.

This was the last time he disappointed me and I've paid my debt.

I was feeling dizzy, and I had lost the last bit of strength I had. I closed my eyes resignedly, hands slipping limp from behind my back.

Saul felt my weight collapse and saw my pale face.

He jolted, releasing me just as Jacinda still lost her mind and tried to bite again. He shoved her, and she collapsed unconsciously.

His hand clamped over the two deep punctures on my neck, but blood poured through his fingers.

"Butler! Butler!" he shouted, panic in his voice.

There was no answer, so he laid me on the bed, saying "Wait for me," then bolted out.

Hearing him yelling for help, and then the door slam, I forced my eyes open. Shaking, I ripped the bandage from my arm, pressed it to my neck, and staggered up.

Dizzy as hell, I ransacked the drawer where the extractor usually was—it was gone...

The ancient clock chimed midnight.

I tore off the third page from the calendar and took the silver dagger to slash my pact tattoo on the back of my hand.

Blood gushed out, stinging horribly. It was agony, pain shooting through my entire body but the bond was broken finally.

Then, I left the castle without looking back.