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.

I woke up the next morning sore all over.

My body was covered in dark, bruised kisses and the faint bite marks Adrian had left when he couldn't hold back. But he had been careful, never rough. On the contrary, it had felt incredible. He'd even sweetly carried me to the shower to clean me up afterward. I marveled at how attentive his "service" was.

Adrian was already up, standing in the kitchen in his apron, making breakfast. His back was a canvas of the scratches I’d left last night, and the sight made me blush. Sunshine streamed through the window, catching in his dark brown hair, creating a scene of impossible domestic bliss.

"Breakfast is ready," he said, setting a plate on the table before lifting me into a chair.

I forked a piece of egg. "Adrian, I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Were you always this… attentive and clingy with the humans who bought you before?"

The words were out before I could stop them. It sounded like I was jealous.

He froze for a second, then shook his head. "No one ever wanted to buy me."

I was shocked. A vampire as handsome and thoughtful as Adrian should have been a rare find. "Why not?"

"Because my desires are too strong," he said, looking down, his voice soft. "They all thought I was defective. A flawed product."

A sharp ache went through my chest.

"And I was injured. I lost my memory," he continued. "I don't remember my family, or my past. All I can remember is the vague shape of a crest."

"What kind of crest?"

He took a pen and paper and drew a complex emblem—a bat with spread wings, its claws clutching a blooming rose, surrounded by ancient script.

"I'll help you find your family," I said, my heart aching as I took his hand.

He gave me a small smile. "Really? You're so good to me, Chloe."

"Of course," I said, leaning in and giving him a light kiss on the lips.

He instantly grabbed the back of my head and deepened the kiss.

The breakfast ended up going completely cold.

For the next few days, Adrian and I were tangled together every night.

And because of the blood bond, I could clearly feel his emotions and desires. When he kissed me, I felt a double dose of pleasure; when he bit me, I experienced his satisfaction and hunger. This connection on a soul-deep level made me more and more dependent on him.

Adrian's possessiveness in bed also grew more blatant.

Almost every night, he would find some excuse to drag me to bed.

"Chloe, I cut my finger doing chores today. Can you comfort me?"

"Chloe, I had a nightmare."

"Chloe, I missed you."

That last one was the most ridiculous. We were together all day, and he still said he missed me.

But every time I saw those pitiful, pleading eyes, my resolve melted.

One afternoon, I was scrolling through my phone in the staff lounge at work.

A news headline popped up: "Major Shakeup at Vandermere Group. Missing Prince Presumed Dead, Stocks Plummet..."

I casually clicked on it. A family crest flashed across the screen.

It looked familiar, a lot like the one Adrian had drawn for me.

A seed of doubt was planted in my mind.

I was about to click on the prince's photo for a closer look when my phone buzzed.