Tom Kaulitz is a vampire.

The city began with fog and ended in darkness. The streets were damp and creaky, as if absorbing the memories of passersby. The central market lived outside the law. Everything was traded here: dreams, time, pain. But one lot stood out.

Tom Kaulitz was a vampire. The last of an ancient race that remembered a time before humans. He was not exhibited—he was kept in an enchanted cage, under a canopy, away from prying eyes. He sat in the shadows, his back to the doorway, silent and still. His long hair fell to his shoulders, his face beautiful and cold. The magic of the cages suppressed his strength, but not his will.

She appeared unexpectedly. The girl stepped through the crowd, unafraid of either voices or shadows. Her gaze was drawn to a dim tent, almost invisible. Inside—a cage, and him. Something unreal. His skin glowed in the dim light, his eyes downcast, but as if waiting.

She held her breath, unable to tear herself away from him. Something inside her responded to his presence—an ancient fear, an ancient attraction.

"Did you like it, little animal?" someone whispered from the side.

The merchant, dry as an old root, looked at her with a grin that contained no warmth.