The village square was quiet and serene as Damian and Lilith wandered through it once again until they found themselves frolicking in the pond by the forest. The stars twinkled brightly overhead, casting a soft glow over their familiar meeting place. Lilith laughed, her eyes sparkling as she recounted a story from her childhood. Damian listened intently, his heart lighter in her presence.

"You must have been quite the troublemaker," Damian teased, grinning at her.

"Oh, you have no idea," Lilith replied with a playful smirk. "I once convinced the entire village that the old well was haunted. It took them weeks to figure out it was just me making spooky noises."

Damian chuckled, picturing the scene. "I would have liked to see that."

As they continued to enjoy each other's presence, Damian felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. He glanced around, sensing they were not alone. Shrugging off the feeling, he focused on Lilith, but the unease lingered.

Unbeknownst to him, Adrian had followed, slipping through the...