Chapter 3: Tit for Tat

It was a man, and he seemed to have frozen solid. I scrambled to my feet and rushed out the door, leaning over to inspect him under the spill of the porch light.

...Apparently, every "romantic encounter" in the world had decided to show up today.

His eyes were tightly shut, his long lashes casting dark shadows against his skin. Though his face was as pale as a ghost's, there was an icy, noble quality to his features, his thin lips pressed into a firm line.

I reached out to check his breathing, but my legs gave way, and I flopped onto my backside.

He... he wasn't breathing at all.

Trembling, I pulled out my phone to call the police, only to find the battery had died. Just as I was wallowing in frustration, he suddenly twitched.

Still alive?

I scrambled back to my feet and used every ounce of strength I possessed to drag him into the house.

I dashed into the bedroom, grabbed a blanket, and wrapped it tightly around him.

I touched his face; it was still terrifyingly cold. I turned toward the landline, preparing to dial emergency services.

As I half-dragged, half-carried him toward the sofa—"Ow!" A sharp sting shot through my left hand. I let out a low cry and lifted my finger to find a splinter from the table had sliced a bloody gash into my forefinger. Just as I lowered my head to suck the wound, I suddenly felt someone staring at me coldly. I looked up instinctively, and the man had somehow awakened.

"You're awake?" I said, a wave of relief washing over me. I reached out to feel his forehead, but it was still ice-cold.

My hand froze. I hadn't noticed until now, but his hair was a striking, moonlight silver. And within his narrow, elongated eyes was a haunting, supernatural shade of blood-red...

"Who... who are you?"

The silver-haired man ignored my question entirely. His eerie, crimson pupils were fixed intently on my bleeding finger.

I instinctively tried to pull back, but a silver blur flashed before my eyes. A sharp sting pierced my neck. The bastard had actually bitten me—his fangs sinking deep into the side of my throat. A wave of primal terror instantly flooded my entire body. My eyes widened in horror as I felt the very strength of my being draining away along with my blood.

"Let go of me!" I screamed. You damn jerk, how dare you bite me!

As my consciousness began to haze, I suddenly remembered the impossibly beautiful man I’d met this morning. He had performed that divination for me, saying: Today, you must not save anyone...

Feeling my body grow cold, I clung to the last shred of my fading sanity. Like a cornered predator, I lunged at the ungrateful wretch who had repaid my kindness with malice. I threw my arms around his neck and, following his lead, I sank my teeth into him with a ferocious crunch.

You dare bite me? You must be tired of living!

His lithe body stiffened. His icy eyes went dull with shock as he stared at me, utterly incredulous. Clearly, he couldn't believe I would actually bite him back. Hmph. My motto is: return every kindness, and avenge every slight. Even if I'm dying, I'm taking you down with me!

I am a survivor—the kind that gets tougher the harder you hit me! This was absolute "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Since you bit me, it’s only fair I bite you back as compensation!

"Let go!" He regained his composure and glared at me.

"No way! You just bit me... what if I get rabies? Who's going to pay for that?"

Black lines... Silence.

"Don't worry. Dead people don't get rabies," the man said coldly.

"Dead people?" I blinked, finally letting go of his neck.

Before I could get an answer, a violent agony swept over me like a tidal wave.

Burning... it was a searing heat as if my body were being consumed by flames. It felt as though something inside me was trying to tear its way out. The sheer intensity of the pain made me wish for death. My vision was stained a saturated crimson, like the maddened bloom of blood-red lotuses in the depths of hell...

After what felt like an eternity, the world went quiet.

The taste of a metallic, salty liquid lingered in my mouth. The silver-haired, supernatural man was long gone, but the scent of his blood hung heavy and wouldn't fade...

"You bastard! You actually dared to run away!"

"Get back here!"

"Hey... at least leave a business card!" I chased him out of the house, stomping my feet in fury.

Against the ink-black curtain of the sky, the Morning Star sparkled in the distance. I hadn't realized that the night had already passed.

Suddenly, a blinding silver light flashed before my eyes. The shimmer was coming from my right hand. I froze, looking down. At some point, a silver ring had appeared on my right forefinger.

Did that guy leave it?

What was this? Collateral for my medical bills?

At least he had a shred of conscience.

I tried to pull it off to get a better look, but the silver band seemed to have fused with my skin; no matter how hard I tugged, it wouldn't budge. I decided to leave it be. On closer inspection, it was actually quite beautiful.

Standing at my doorstep, I looked up at the glittering Morning Star. It looked like a pair of profoundly gentle eyes. As I watched it, I began to smile like a fool.

Gareth, why haven't you come home yet?

Despite not sleeping all night, I felt strangely energized, without even a hint of drowsiness.

The window was open, the breeze making the curtains dance. I sat on the edge of the bed, peering through a gap in the fabric. The eastern sky was beginning to show the first pale streaks of dawn. As the curtains parted further, the horizon was a deep, bruised red—as red as blood. For some reason, when that comparison crossed my mind, I subconsciously licked my lips.

Suddenly, a sliver of golden sunlight broke through the vibrant morning clouds, slanting through the clean glass of the window and into the room.

The moment my wrist was exposed to that golden light, it charred black. I let out a cry of pain and instinctively yanked the curtains shut, stumbling back until I hit the floor. I stared blankly at my burned wrist, stunned. As I watched, something even more miraculous happened: the charred flesh began to knit itself back together, healing until not even a scar remained.

Can someone please tell me what on earth is happening!