1 Cloaked Silhouette in the Shadows

On a barren hill where crops never grew due to the constant cold weather, a lighthouse stood tall and proud atop a sheer cliff.

A vivid, scarlet sun dipped below the horizon, casting its fiery rays across the slate-gray sky. 

A young boy, merely five years old, perched on the lighthouse's weathered banister, legs swinging lazily, and eyes fixed on the vanishing sun.

The boy had warm amber eyes that mirrored the hues of the sunset he was currently entranced by. 

His hair, a striking mix of inky black and silver, tumbled down, with the ends resting just a centimeter above his furrowed brows. It danced in the chilly wind as if sharing secrets with the breeze that caressed his cheeks.

A sudden gust of wind ruffled the boy's hair, tugging at his ragged clothes. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, where the setting sun painted the sky in brilliant shades of crimson and gold.

It was a sight that had fascinated him ever since he was old enough to climb up the lighthouse steps.

Below, the icy waves crashed against the craggy rocks. Yet the boy displayed no inkling of fear. His small frame clung to the banister, but he wasn't bothered by this.

Rushing footsteps resonated through the steel staircase of the lighthouse, and soon, a familiar female voice emerged from behind the boy.

"Davian!"

The boy, Davian, turned his head at the sound of his mother's voice. The cold, detached expression he had been wearing a moment ago vanished, replaced by a warm, genuine smile that crept across his face.

"Mama!"

The young woman who had rushed to the lighthouse was Davian's mother, Sienna. She was dressed in simple, work-worn clothes, and the apron she wore over her dress was marred with dirt from an afternoon of labor.

Sienna was a woman of twenty-four with plain black hair tied up in a simple bun, and her eyes, unlike her son's, were a deep shade of black.

She couldn't help but frown as she scolded her son. "Why are you here again? You can't just perch on the banister as if you don't fear for your life, Davi!"

"Jumping from here will surely not kill me, Mama."

Sienna rolled her eyes. Gently, she scooped him up in her arms and placed him on the gritty stone floor.

The golden hues of the setting sun cast long shadows over their figures as she kneeled before him.

She held her son's shoulders with tenderness, her voice soft but filled with admonition.

"Of course, I know that, my dear. We both know what you are capable of, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't worry about you. How many times have I told you not to act so carelessly? People here know us as ordinary humans. Should anyone see you unscathed after jumping off the lighthouse, it would raise questions we'd rather avoid."

Davian's eyes gleamed with understanding. "I'm sorry, mama. I just want to look at the sunset up close. It looks so warm, unlike here in our place."

Sadness briefly shadowed Sienna's eyes, but she blinked back her tears and maintained her composure.

"I'm sorry that we're living in this barren and cold place, Davi..."

The boy reached out, placing his small palm against his mother's cold cheek.

"It's okay. I'll be fine anywhere as long as you are by my side."

Sienna couldn't help but smile at her son's words.

"Thank you, Davi." Her voice was soft and filled with love, tinged with a hint of amusement.

She patted the back of his head, stroking his hair tenderly. Davi was no ordinary child, and Sienna knew it better than anyone.

"Now, shall we head home?" Sienna asked. "I am done with my work. Mrs. Benedict gave us some mushrooms, so I will cook mushroom soup for you."

As Sienna stood and took her son's hand, she noticed the boy's subtle frown. His lips turned down in a hint of disappointment, but it quickly vanished as a mischievous twinkle entered his amber eye.

She chuckled, knowing him well enough to notice every little action he took.

"What is it, Davi?" she asked, her voice filled with a mother's gentle curiosity.

Davi shook his head. "It's nothing."

Sienna's smile deepened, and she leaned down to his eye level.

"Oh." She nodded, playing along. "You don't like mushroom soup anymore?" Sienna teased, knowing well that her son never liked human food. Yet he tried to be quiet about it because he didn't want her to get into trouble for his preferences.

"Today, at Mrs. Benedict's house, they slaughtered a sheep. I have preserved some blood for you."

Davi's amber eye twinkled with delight, his lips parting in a half-smile, and he looked up at his mother.

"Really?" He replied in an amused tone.

"Yes, I hope it can sate your…thirst," Sienna's voice toned down at the last word, saying it in a whisper in fear that someone else might hear. She smiled wearily.

"Thank you, Mama."

Their small house sat just at the foot of the hill, the farthest and most isolated residence in the village of Wrenwood. This isolation was, by design, a necessity to keep them away from the villagers' attention.

The sun had slipped below the horizon by the time they climbed down the hill.

"Let's hurry, Davi. We still need to light the fireplace," she whispered, holding her son's hand firmly as they walked faster.

The air was crisp, and the evening was fast approaching, ushering in the cool embrace of night.

But when Sienna opened the creaking wooden door of the house, her heart seemed to stop, and she immediately tucked Davi behind her.

Her eyes widened, and a shiver ran down her spine.

A familiar silhouette stood by the window, a tall figure clad in a long black cloak.

The room was bathed in shadows, and the small lamp's flickering, feeble light at the corner of the house did little to dispel the darkness that seemed to emanate from the cloaked figure.

Sienna's eyes widened in terror as the figure slowly turned toward her. He moved with an eerie grace, the darkness shrouding him in an aura of malevolence.

His presence sent a shiver through the very core of her being.

And when he finally revealed his face, she felt a strong urge to run.

It was the man she had run away from after their wedding night. Her estranged husband and the father of her son.