Midnight Bite 🔞

THE MYSTERIOUS MAN

Lily felt a surge of grief and despair as she ran across the room, tears streaming down her face. She headed for the bookstore, her only refuge and solace. She had poured her heart and soul into that place, which rightfully belonged to her. Her cruel stepmother and stepsisters had no interest in the bookstore or her. They had tried to take it away from her, but Mr Wu, the kind old man who owned the property, had entrusted it to Lily. He knew how much she loved and cared for it.

Lily felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if someone had stabbed her with a knife. She ran away from the house that was no longer her home, and found herself in a bookstore. She hoped that reading some books would distract her from the harsh reality, but she couldn't concentrate on the words. She felt like a stranger in her own life, betrayed by the people she loved the most.

She threw the book on the table with a loud thud, and broke down in tears. She covered her face with her hands, and sobbed uncontrollably. Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, hiding her from the world. She looked out of the window, and saw people walking by, laughing and talking. She felt so alone and miserable.

"Why me? Why me?" she whispered to herself. "I have no one in this world. They are all liars. They don't care about me. How pathetic I am. I'm truly pathetic."

Lily felt like her whole world had collapsed. She had no idea who she was, where she came from, or where she belonged. She felt like an orphan, abandoned and unwanted.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot. They are not my parents. They are Mr. and Mrs. Wu. They are nothing to me. And I am nothing to them." Lily said bitterly, as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Lily gazed out of the window, hoping to see some signs of life in the deserted street. She had prepared her bookstore with care, arranging the books in order. But as the hours ticked by, she realized that she was the only one who cared about her business. No one else bothered to visit her shop that day, except for...

Lily felt a surge of anger and sadness as she looked at the book that Mr Wu had given her. It was supposed to be a gift, but it felt like a mockery. She didn't need anyone's pity or sympathy. She ripped the pages out of the book and threw them at the door, shouting, "I don't need anyone! I don't need anyone's gift!"

As she did so, she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and saw a mysterious old man standing there. He was wearing a long brown coat and a large hat that covered most of his face. One of his eyes was hidden by a patch. He looked at her with a curious expression and asked, "Are you in trouble, miss?"

Lily was so disheartened that she didn't recognize him as one of her regular customers. She snapped, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The old man lowered his voice and said, "I need your help, miss. I have a very important request for you."

Lily suddenly realized that he was a customer and that she had been rude to him. She quickly wiped away her tears and tried to compose herself. She said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. This is a bookstore. How can I help you?"

Lily gasped as she heard the old man's request. He wanted a book about Vampire War. What kind of twisted mind would enjoy reading such horror? She glanced at his wrinkled face and pale eyes, wondering if he was hiding a dark secret. She felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Vampire War?" she repeated, hoping she had misheard him.

"Yes, young lady. Do you have any books on that topic?" he asked, his voice raspy and low.

Lily shook her head, trying to hide her disgust. She scanned the shelves of the bookstore, looking for an excuse to get away from him. Everyone else was browsing for romance novels, or thrillers, or biographies. Normal books for normal people. But this man... he was different. He was dangerous.

"I'm sorry, sir. We don't carry any books like that. Maybe you should try another store," she said, forcing a smile.

The old man frowned, his lips curling into a sneer. He leaned closer to her, making her flinch.

"You are curious, aren't you?" The old man said suddenly, making Lily jump. "But you must help me first." Lily felt a cold shiver run down her spine. How did he know what I was thinking? She wondered in horror. What is going on here? "Don't be afraid, my dear. I won't hurt you." The old man said softly, but his eyes were cold and piercing. "W-what do you want from me? H-how can you r-read my mind?" Lily stammered, trying to back away. "It's a secret, my dear. A very old and powerful secret." The old man chuckled. "But you will learn it soon enough, for you are destined to be my son's bride." He whispered, leaning closer to her.

Lily remembered that there might be some books about vampires in the library room. She quickly ran to the large room, where rows of shelves were filled with dusty books. She scanned the titles and found a few that looked promising. They were ancient and worn, and Lily wondered if they belonged to Mr. Wu. She picked them up and opened one of them.

"Wow, I had no idea there were vampire books here," she whispered to herself, curious about the secrets they might reveal. I'll check them later.

Lily placed some books on the table with trembling hands. She had searched the entire library for them, but she had no idea what they were about.
"I'm sorry, sir. These are all the books I could find on vampires. I haven't read any of them, so I can't give you a summary..." she apologized, avoiding his piercing gaze.
The old man smiled faintly and picked up one of the books. He flipped through the pages, as if looking for something. "Don't worry, my dear. You have been very helpful today. More than you know." He said in a low voice, full of secrets.
He put the book back on the table and reached for his coat. He was about to leave, when Lily gathered her courage and called out to him. "Sir? Excuse me, sir?" She stuttered, feeling a surge of curiosity and fear. "Can I... can I ask you something?"
The old man turned around and looked at her with a curious expression. "Yes, what is it?" He asked, patiently.
Lily swallowed hard and blurted out her question. "Why do you want vampire books? Most people come here for romance novels and classics. Do vampires... do they really exist?" She asked, hoping he would laugh and tell her it was all a joke.
But he didn't laugh. He didn't say anything. He just stared at her with a strange intensity, as if he knew something she didn't. And then, he smiled.

Lily had always been fascinated by the dark and the unknown. She had a secret obsession with vampires, those creatures of the night that haunted her dreams. But as she grew older, she dismissed them as mere fantasies. Until today, when she met the old man.

He looked at her with a knowing smile and raised his eyebrows. "They are real, you know," he said in a low voice. "The vampires. Do you want to hear their stories?"

Lily felt a surge of excitement and fear. She pulled two chairs closer and sat down with him. She nodded eagerly.

"Please, tell me everything," she said, her eyes wide with curiosity.