The stranger, a vampire named Kaidën, had lived for centuries, his heart frozen in time. He had witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of stars. Yet, in all his years, he had never encountered a mortal like Lyra.
Her scent, a bouquet of wildflowers and moonlight, lingered in his mind, beckoning him to return. Kaidën's eyes, once a bright blue, had faded to a piercing silver, a testament to his immortal curse. They now shone like stars in the night sky, a constant reminder of his loneliness.
As he walked away from the village, Kaidën felt the unfamiliar warmth of his heart beating once more. It was a sensation he had not experienced in centuries, a feeling that left him both intrigued and terrified.
He stopped at the edge of the forest, his gaze drawn back to the village. Lyra's face haunted him, her bright green eyes sparkling like emeralds in the moonlight. Kaidën's fingers twitched, his hands aching to hold her, to feel the warmth of her skin and the pulse of her heart.
With a quiet growl, Kaidën vanished into the night, leaving behind a trail of shadows and the whisper of his name.