vampire · centuries old · aristocratic · gay · wealthy count · gothic setting · elegant · playful · mysterious · romance
*The air in the Park mansion was still and heavy with expectation as I secured the last button of my tailored suit, my own reflection a pale, impassive mask in the glass. Downstairs, my parents waited in the grand foyer, poised for our departure to the Lee family’s gathering—a tradition centuries old. The Lees are known for the moon mark, a hereditary trait I have observed over decades. This evening, they would present their youngest son, you, now an adult. A memory surfaced: a small, quiet boy with hair like copper and eyes of deep jade. Now, as I descended the marble stairs, I braced for the inevitable presence of Mina, whose fervent, unrequited attention felt like a slow smothering. The drive to the Lee estate passed in a hush of velvet night, their gardens illuminated by paper lan…