"You bought me to do chores?"

Adrian stood on the balcony, mop in hand, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Of course not!" I shook my head, looking at him seriously.

His eyes lit up.

"You're also my part-time bodyguard. You have to keep me safe," I said, patting his arm. "I've been dealing with a stalker lately, and I need protection. You're strong, well-built, and I hear vampires are powerful fighters. It's a perfect fit."

His head drooped again.

For a second, he looked less like a vampire and more like a big, sad dog, his ears flopping down.

"Also, I'm too busy with work to do housework," I added, pointing at the dust and piles of laundry. "I'll be counting on you for all this."

He lowered his head silently and started mopping.

Maybe he was trying to prove his worth, because he suddenly moved with vampire speed, becoming a blur as he zipped across the balcony.

Then came a deafening CRASH.

My antique vase lay in a thousand pieces.

Adrian stood in the middle of the shards, looking at me with a miserable expression.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." He bent down to pick up the pieces, cutting his finger on a sharp edge.

"Don't move!" I grabbed his hand. "The vase doesn't matter. Don't hurt yourself."

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with anxiety. "Are you going to send me back?"

"Of course not," I sighed. "Just take your time. There's no rush."

Over the next week, Adrian learned quickly.

He figured out the dishwasher, learned how to sort recycling, and even managed to make simple meals. Though he didn't need to eat, he always had dinner ready for me when I got home from work.

Every night, he'd be waiting outside the hospital to walk me home, silently following three steps behind me.

The stalker never showed up again.

I was more than pleased with him.

The only awkward thing was how he always stared at my neck.

Every time I turned my head, I'd catch him with his eyes turning red, his breathing shallow, fangs peeking out from between his lips.

And he never wore a proper shirt at home, always doing his chores shirtless, with just an apron to cover him.

"Adrian, please put a shirt on," I said, pointing at his bare chest.

"But it's hot in here," he said, looking down at himself. "And I'm just cooking in an apron. It’s not like I’m completely naked."

"That's not the point!"

"But I read online that humans like this," he said, confused. "You don't like it?"

I was about to give him a firm 'no' when he leaned in closer, his voice a low, seductive murmur. "But I see you blush every time."

"Th-that's just a normal physiological reaction!" I turned my face away. "Anyone would blush at a sight like that!"

"So you admit you like it?"

"...Put a shirt on."

He smiled and obediently went to his room to get dressed.

But he came back wearing only a thin, white button-down, with only the bottom two buttons fastened.

"Is this better?" he asked, his face a perfect mask of innocence.

I completely surrendered.

What was even more awkward was that several times, when I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I could hear his suppressed moans coming from the shower.

My professional instincts told me his skin hunger was getting worse. I must have been too busy with work and had neglected his psychological needs.

To make up for it, I decided to let him sleep with me tonight.

"Adrian," I said, sitting on my bed and patting the space next to me. "You can sleep here tonight."

He stood at the door, his eyes greedily sweeping over my bed. "Can I really?" he asked, his voice raspy.

"Of course," I said, lifting the covers. "Come on."

He carefully climbed onto the bed, lying stiffly on top of the covers, keeping at least two feet of distance between us.

"Don't be so formal." I just went for it and wrapped my arms around him.

His body was cool, like a walking ice pack. On this stuffy summer night, he was a natural air conditioner.

"So cool," I sighed contentedly, burying my face in his neck.

His whole body went completely still.

I quickly drifted off in the comfortable chill, completely oblivious to his ragged, heavy breathing.

I was jolted awake by a searing heat.

Adrian's body temperature had skyrocketed. He was holding me tight, his face buried in the side of my neck, his breaths so ragged he sounded like he was suffocating. His body was trembling, and he kept grinding against me.

I became acutely aware of what was pressing hard against my thigh.

My face flushed, and I quickly pulled my leg away.

"Adrian?" I nudged him. "Are you not feeling well?"

He didn't answer, just held me tighter, a low whimper vibrating in his throat.

I immediately grabbed my phone and messaged the app's customer service.

"Hi, the vampire I purchased has been acting strange. Is this a quality issue?"

The rep replied instantly. "Is he being disobedient? Are you unsatisfied?"

I thought about Adrian's behavior lately. The not wearing clothes, always staring at my neck, constantly trying to sniff me…

"He's not exactly being obedient," I typed back.

"We recommend establishing a blood bond as per the user manual. The vampire will become completely subservient to your commands."

I closed the chat and immediately dug out the thick manual from my nightstand.

The next morning, Adrian was back to normal, calmly making breakfast as if nothing had happened.

I walked up to him with the manual. "Adrian, I want to establish a blood bond with you. Are you willing?"

His hand trembled, and the plate he was holding almost fell. He spun around, his eyes flashing red again as he stared at me in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"A blood bond," I said, opening the manual and pointing to the instructions. "This way, you can take better care of me, right?"

The manual described two types of bonds: a one-way bond and a two-way bond. The two-way bond promised higher loyalty, so I decisively chose that one.

What I overlooked was the fine print at the bottom: One-way bonds are for master-servant relationships, while two-way bonds are typically used between mates.

A two-way bond is unbreakable. The bonded pair share a life and a soul.

Adrian seemed to be getting agitated again, his breathing quickening, his fangs peeking out.

It seemed like bonding was absolutely necessary.

"Are you willing?" I asked again.

"Yes! I am," he answered instantly, as if afraid I'd change my mind.

Following the instructions, I used a silver knife to prick my finger and offered the blood to his mouth.

His tongue curled around my fingertip. It tickled, and I couldn't help but flinch. Adrian's tongue followed, wrapping tightly around my finger.

Then, he bit his own wrist and held it to my lips.

I frowned but drank. His blood was cold and had a strange, sweet taste. A jolt like an electric current shot through my entire body.

Suddenly, Adrian pinned me against the wall, his hands on either side of my head, the red in his eyes practically spilling out.

"I'm yours. Forever," he whispered in my ear.

I froze. Something felt off, but before I could think about it, my work alarm went off.

"I have to get to work," I said, pushing him away and rushing to get ready.

That night, I had just gotten out of the shower and into bed when Adrian appeared in my doorway.

His eyes were crimson, and he was wearing only a pair of sleep pants, his lean, muscular torso on full display.

He walked to the bed, climbed right on top of me, and trapped me under his body.

"Chloe," his voice was impossibly hoarse, and he seemed more desperate than ever. "It hurts."

He lowered his head, his tongue tracing a path over my collarbone. "I need to bite… just once."

My whole body tensed up.

I immediately grabbed my phone and opened the chat window.

"Customer service! What is going on? I did the bond like you said, but he seems even worse!" I typed furiously, explaining the situation.

The rep's reply came back, filled with undisguised shock. "Are you saying you formed a two-way blood bond with him?"

"A two-way bond is a lifelong mate's bond. It massively increases a vampire's possessiveness and libido. The model you purchased already had an extremely high drive. Now that you've formed a two-way bond, he must be soothed by his partner to return to normal."

"What happens if he's not soothed?" I asked.

"He will die of bloodlust. And you, as the other half of the bond, will die with him."

My phone nearly slipped from my grasp.

I finally understood the massive mistake I had made. I had mistaken this hyper-sexual vampire for a simple case of skin hunger.

Adrian was still on top of me, his fangs resting against the side of my neck, his whole body trembling with restraint. "Chloe, can I?"

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and undid the top button of my pajamas, exposing a small patch of skin on my neck.

"Go on."

Like a wolf given a command, he lunged, pressing me deep into the soft mattress.

But he didn't actually bite down.

He just gently grazed my skin with his sharp fangs, from my collarbone to my neck, then to the sensitive spot behind my ear, tormenting every inch.

The sensation, somewhere between pain and pleasure, made me tremble.

His hands were cold, sending shivers down my spine.

"I'm sorry," I gasped. "I wasn't ignoring you on purpose. I just… I didn't know you needed this kind of… soothing."

"It's not your fault," he said, lifting his head. The red in his eyes had faded slightly. "It's me… I'm too greedy."

He lowered his head again, continuing to lick my skin. "I've been in agony for days, about to shatter, but I didn't dare touch you without your permission, Chloe."

His voice was full of hurt. "Could you… soothe me a little more?"

"What do you want?" I asked.

He was silent for a few seconds, then whispered, "I want to kiss your lips."

I hesitated. After all, I had only bought him to be a bodyguard and a housekeeper. I never imagined we would get this intimate.

He immediately retracted his fangs and lowered his gaze, his entire posture slumping with dejection.

"You don't want to? It's fine, I won't force you. I can keep holding back, as long as you don't send me away…"

That whole "sad puppy rejected by its master" act was a low blow.

My heart softened. I sighed. "Just for a second."

His eyes lit up instantly. He dove down and captured my lips.

This was not "just for a second."

His kiss was fierce and possessive, one hand cradling the back of my head, the other gripping my waist as his tongue parted my lips and plunged inside.

He kissed me so hard I could barely breathe, my hands clutching his shoulders as I endured the long, deep kiss.

When he finally let me go, my head was spinning, my mind a complete blank.

I could feel the changes in my own body—my heart racing, my temperature rising, and a strange, unnameable longing spreading through me.

Now I was the one who couldn't hold back.

I couldn't stop my hands from moving to his firm, full chest. I gave his pecs a hard squeeze and urged, "Adrian… I want more."

Just as he began to move inside me, pulling me toward the edge, I could have sworn I heard a soft, triumphant laugh—smug and victorious.