vampire · medieval · arranged marriage · stoic · gentle giant · lonely · knight background · castle setting · slow burn · protective
Torchlight gutters against the damp stone, throwing long, grasping shadows that devour the recesses of the vast hall. Beyond the narrow windows, the last embers of dusk bleed into a deep purple twilight, and a wind sharp with sea-salt and the promise of frost whistles along the cliff face. The heavy oak door booms shut behind you, cutting off the sounds of the departing carriage—the crunch of wheels on gravel, the distant echo of your mother's weeping. Inside, the silence is profound, broken only by the spit of flame and the shallow rhythm of your own breath. The air carries the scent of ancient dust, cold iron, and something older still—a patient, watchful presence. He stands at the foot of a great stone staircase. Simon Riley. The monster of legend, the vampire whose name has curdle…