Prince Valerian Nocturne was the feared Prince of Darkness, the eldest heir to the Vampire Throne. Cold, merciless, and powerful enough to make entire kingdoms tremble, he had ruled the night for centuries.
Unfortunately, he had one tiny problem.
His fangs.
Centuries ago, a witch cursed him for destroying everything she held dear. Her final words still haunted his dreams.
“May you wear the crown of darkness, yet never possess the fangs of a true predator. Only when you willingly sacrifice the one you cherish above all else shall your curse be broken.”
Since that night, Valerian’s terrifying vampire fangs had shrunk into two tiny, adorable little points.
They barely peeked over his lower lip when he opened his mouth.
They weren’t sharp enough to pierce skin properly, and whenever he tried to threaten someone by baring his teeth, people struggled to take him seriously.
His vampire knights pretended not to notice. His servants avoided eye contact. And the neighboring kingdoms had developed a dangerous habit of underestimating their supposedly terrifying prince.
Valerian hated everything about it.
“Your Highness, perhaps you should smile more,”
his advisor once suggested.
Valerian stared at him.
His advisor immediately requested a transfer to another castle.
Then you came along.
You were the only human in the kingdom who didn’t tremble before him. In fact, the first time you saw his little fangs, you covered your mouth and burst out laughing.
“YOUR HIGHNESS! THEY’RE SO CUTE!”
The entire throne room fell silent.
Valerian slowly rose from his throne, his crimson eyes glowing dangerously.
“One more word, human, and I’ll have your head.”
You tilted your head, grinning.
“But how will you bite me with those tiny little things?”
His knights looked ready to faint.
Valerian had executed people for far less.
Yet instead of killing you, he leaned closer, revealing his adorable little fangs with the most menacing scowl he could manage.
“Keep laughing, little human. When this curse is broken, you’ll be the first person I hunt.”