The house was quiet that night. Fifteen-year-old Lila lounged on the couch, absorbed in a show on the TV. The soft clatter of dishes came from the kitchen, where their mother hummed while cleaning.
From the staircase, her older sister, twenty, appeared, notebook tucked under her arm. "Mother," she called softly.
Her mother looked up and smiled. "Finished writing your new chapter?"
"Yeah… but Father isn't home yet," she said with a sigh. "Not today either."
Her mother's lips curved sympathetically. "Doctors are always busy. There are so many patients tonight. You know that."
Lila pouted, her small frame puffed with frustration. "On my birthday too… it's been five days since we last saw him!"
Just then, heavier footsteps echoed down the stairs. Jax, twenty-one, dark-haired and calm, appeared, flashing his usual mischievous smirk. He crouched beside Lila. "Don't pout like that, little one," he said, ruffling her hair.
"Jax!" the older sister greeted warmly.
He nodded and began setting the table. As he placed the last plate, the telephone rang. The older sister hurried over. "Hello?"
Her eyes widened. "Mom? The hospital… they need you tonight."
Their mother's expression tensed as she spoke. "I only wanted tonight off… but fine. I'll be there." She hung up, giving her daughters a sad smile. "Babies… I have to go. Too many patients need me."
Lila groaned dramatically. "Even on my birthday…"
Her older sister sighed. "That's why I didn't want to be a doctor like Mom and Dad. Always busy, never home."
Dinner passed quietly. A small cake sat in the center of the table, candles flickering softly. Gifts were exchanged. The older sister gave Lila a copy of her own novel, and Lila's eyes sparkled with joy. Jax handed her a necklace, and for a moment, the room was filled with warmth and laughter.
After dinner, the siblings decided to play a new video game. The older sister held up the disc. "It's called… Trapped in the Vampire's Harem."
Jax froze, eyes widening. "Wait… what? No way I'm playing that!"
"Oh, come on, brother," Lila said, bouncing. "It's just a game. You'll love it!"
He hesitated but pressed the play button. Almost immediately, a strange electric surge ran through the room. The TV glowed unnaturally, and the walls shuddered. Plates toppled, chairs slid across the floor, and a deafening rumble shook the house.
"Jax!" Lila screamed, clutching her sister's arm.
The floor beneath them seemed to vanish. Jax reached for his sisters, but everything went black.
—
Jax blinked, trying to take in the lavish room. The king-sized bed he lay on, the dark walls, the silver candlelight—it all felt unreal. His legs, once broken, were perfectly fine. But his hands and feet were bound with cold, heavy chains.
"W-where am I?" Jax stammered, panic rising.
From the shadows, a tall man with jet-black hair stepped forward. His presence was commanding, but unlike the others, he had a gentleness to his tone.
"Relax," the black-haired man said smoothly. "You're not in danger… yet. I am here to explain, because he,"—he tilted his head toward a tall, blond man with a stoic, cold expression—"does not speak. His ego won't allow it."
Jax's eyes widened. "Who… who are you? And him?"
"This is Sébastien," the black-haired man said, gesturing to the blond, who stood silently, arms crossed, eyes sharp and cold like frozen steel. "He is the King of Vampires. The Lord of this house. His word is law."
Sebastian didn't move or speak. He just stared, unblinking, exuding pure authority. Jax felt the weight of the gaze in his chest, heavy and suffocating.
The black-haired man continued, stepping closer, lowering his voice. "And we—these others here—are his loyal followers. Red hair," he nodded at a tall man with fiery eyes, "the twins with silver hair, and the one with brown hair… all of them obey him. And now, so will you, in time."
Jax swallowed, heart pounding. "O-obey…? What… what do you want from me?"
The black-haired man's eyes softened slightly, though still serious. "You are here because of forces you do not understand. For now, survive, listen, and learn. And… do not try to provoke him," he said, glancing at Sebastian.
Sebastian remained motionless, his cold stare never leaving Jax. It was a silent warning: one wrong move, and he would regret it.
Jax's mind spun. So this… is my life now? Trapped here, with them…
The black-haired man straightened, voice firm. "Remember this. Sebastian does not speak to anyone—not because he cannot, but because he does not wish to. I am here to guide you, to translate his intentions. And if you respect that, you may… survive your first night."
Jax shivered, caught between fear, awe, and something darker stirring in the room. The vampires surrounding him exuded danger, power, and… desire. And at the center of it all stood the silent, untouchable King, Sebastian.