Vampire Prince Who Disguises as a Little Bat Seeks Love Online

"If you won't meet me, we're done!" I typed out the message, my fingertips trembling with anger. A few months ago, I'd started dating someone I met on an underground comic forum. He was gentle, clingy, talented at drawing, had a beautiful voice, and best of all, he showered me with gold coins at the drop of a hat. Summer break had arrived, and I'd been begging him to meet in person. He refused every single time. Why did other couples get to hold hands, hug, and kiss? While all I got was a cold chat window, day after day. In a fit of anger, I sent the breakup message. The moment the message showed as delivered, a deafening crash erupted outside my window. The glass rattled and hummed, and the night wind surged in, dragging the curtains with it. The next second, a massive black-and-white creature slammed into my living room. It had a pair of enormous bat wings, white fur dusted with moonlight, long pointed ears, small but sharp fangs, and half-lidded green eyes. It looked like a monster that had tumbled straight out of a castle painting. I stood frozen, though my hand had already found the kitchen frying pan. "A... a bat?" Before I could scream, another cascade of clattering sounds filled the room. Gold louis, rubies, black pearls, and diamonds spilled across the floor from beneath it. For a moment, I couldn't decide whether to call animal control first or hide this pile of treasure that could buy half the building. Chapter 1 I didn't pick up the money, and I didn't call the police. Instead, I was lying on the carpet, letting tears stream from the corners of my eyes. My phone was pressed against my chest, but the chat window never lit up with a new message. I think I'd been dumped. I was drowning in regret. If I'd known, I never would have pushed him to meet. I turned my head and happened to see the white bat, also unconscious on the floor. It had shrunk considerably from its terrifying massive form, its wings draped limply on the ground. It looked like a snowball that had been left out in the rain. My fear finally caught up with me, slow and heavy. How could a bat this big exist in the real world? And one that fell from the sky carrying gold and jewels? I closed my eyes and whispered to myself. "It has to be a dream. "Leah, it's okay. Tomorrow when you wake up, the bat will be gone, the living room will be back to normal, and your Nightfall will come back to you." The next morning, something cool and soft brushed against my face. I jolted awake. The instant I opened my eyes, I found myself staring into a pair of green eyes several times larger than any normal animal's. I scrambled upright, backing away until my spine hit the couch. "You... stay back! I don't know if bats bite people, and I don't know if you're carrying diseases!" Yesterday's monster had shrunk overnight into a tiny bat no bigger than eight inches. It stood on the table, its white fur puffy and soft, wings tucked at its sides, ears quivering nervously. It didn't lunge at me. Instead, it pointed a claw at my calendar. Written on today's date: Meet Nightfall and start the sweetest relationship ever! It jabbed its claw at "Nightfall" repeatedly. "You know him?" The little bat nodded excitedly, and the tips of its ears slowly flushed pink. "Eli? Did he send you?" It nodded, then shook its head. Watching it struggle between wanting to say something and not daring to, I suddenly understood. Nightfall must have sent it to scare me, test me, and show off his wealth all at once. I took a deep breath and gathered my courage to step forward. When faced with a gold-dropping bat, any rational person should be afraid. But my hopeless romantic brain only cared about one thing: whether my online boyfriend still wanted me. I reached out tentatively. The little bat's eyes lit up the moment it saw me approach. It spread its wings with joy and carefully pressed its tiny head into my palm. Cool to the touch, impossibly soft fur, but a heartbeat far too fast for any ordinary animal. That was when it truly hit me. "So bats like this... a vampire's bat... they actually exist?" Chapter 2 The only reason I managed to accept any of this was that vampires were how I'd met my online boyfriend in the first place. I was a devoted reader of The Bat and the Rose, a dark romance comic. It told the story of a young vampire who took the form of a small white bat and appeared at a human girl's window, learning to love her with clumsy devotion. The art was exquisite, the panels beautiful and romantic. I was hooked by the second chapter. Every morning, the first thing I did was beg for updates. "Eli is so handsome, so gentle, so rich!" "I love it, I love it, I want to smother him in kisses, I want to marry him!" "Please update soon, or I'll screenshot the first few chapters and make them my phone wallpaper, my desktop background, and my chat backdrop so the entire world can see how much I love your little vampire!" Maybe my sincerity got through. The author replied. Just one word. "Okay." I begged for updates every day. He updated every day. Before long, we got to know each other. His voice was low and gentle. He could keep up with every random topic I threw at him, and he kept transferring money to my account, saying it was "to buy sweets for his future girlfriend." Soon enough, we were together. One night, we were on our goodnight call. I said I wished vampires who could turn into bats actually existed. He went quiet for a long time. When he spoke again, his voice was suddenly tense. He said there was something he needed to confess. He was actually Eli. He'd created the comic because he was too afraid to approach me directly, so he'd drawn himself into a story and used it to slowly walk into my life. I laughed so hard I rolled around on my bed. He really knew how to make me happy. He'd even drawn a whole new set of illustrations just for me. They showed a little white bat reading, lost in thought, playing around, in a dark pine forest, on a castle windowsill, under a rose trellis, beside a moonlit graveyard. I treasured every single one and saved them all. The little bat in my apartment was well-behaved. I directed it to push all the gold coins and jewels scattered across the floor into a corner. It clumsily swept the floor with its wings, sneaking glances at me as it worked. I opened the saved images on my phone and compared them carefully. White fur. Silver-gray wings. Green eyes. The curve of those pointed ears. Every detail matched. So Nightfall really hadn't lied to me. He might not actually be Eli. But he definitely owned a bat identical to the one in the comic. I'd assumed he was just wealthy. I hadn't imagined he was wealthy to this degree. Rich people really did live in a world beyond anything an ordinary girl renting an apartment could fathom. He could even keep a pet bat that looked like a vampire's familiar. I'd never raised a bat before. I had no idea what they ate. I searched online: What to do if a white bat suddenly appears in your home. The first result told me to get away immediately and contact animal control. The second said never to touch it with bare hands. The third said if bitten, get to a clinic as soon as possible. I silently looked at the hand I'd just used to pet it. The little bat silently looked back at me, its expression so hurt you'd think I'd falsely accused it of something. I called my best friend Nora. After hearing me out, she was silent for ten seconds, then said, "Leah, either see a doctor or quit drinking." With no other options, I pulled on thick gloves, tucked the little bat into a canvas bag, and took it to the supermarket. I kept the bag mostly closed, worried it would get spooked by the crowd, and even more worried the crowd would get spooked by it. Inside the bag, it nuzzled gently against my wrist. I leaned down and whispered, "I don't know your name, so I'll just call you Eli for now. "I'll take good care of you. Just make sure Nightfall comes back to me, okay?" The little bat seemed to understand. A pointed ear tip poked out from the top of the bag. It stared up at me, and a faint blush slowly crept across its pale little face. It really could understand human speech. I wanted to test its reaction, so I whispered again, "You know, you're a lot cuter than I imagined a bat would be. Even though you nearly scared me into throwing the frying pan at you." The moment I finished, the little bat shot back into the bag with a whoosh, leaving only the tip of one ear poking out, trembling slightly. That reaction... you'd think someone had just confessed their love to it. I patted the bag. "Don't be shy. When I finally meet the real-life version of Nightfall, I'll have to compliment him in person. Amazing art, and even his pet bat is practically human." A faint purring sound drifted up from inside the bag. Like a happy kitten, or someone stifling a laugh. A few seconds later, a tiny claw extended from the bag. Resting in its palm was an enormous diamond. My eyes went wide. I pocketed it at the speed of light. I grinned. Like owner, like bat, I guess. Even his bat knew how to drop diamonds. That settled it. I was absolutely going to treat Eli well. In the supermarket, I pushed the cart down the aisle, quietly consulting the little bat in my bag. "Is chicken breast okay? Or do you need actual blood? In the comic, you only ever drank that red liquid from those fancy goblets..." The little bat suddenly popped its head out and pointed a claw at the shelf. I followed where it was pointing. The most expensive cut of ribeye in the refrigerated case. Rare, too. "Seriously?" It nodded, eyes sparkling. I looked at the price. Looked at the bat. Looked at the price again. Gritted my teeth. Fine. As long as Nightfall came back, this bat could eat whatever it wanted. And even if he didn't come back, the bat had better keep dropping diamonds. At checkout, the cashier stared at the white ear tip poking out of my bag. Her expression slowly froze. She took a step back, her voice cracking. "Miss, is that... a bat in your bag?" I pulled the zipper shut, feigning calm. "It's a toy. A night-light with flapping wings." She looked only half convinced. Her hands shook through the entire transaction, and she held my receipt out at arm's length. Back home, I'd barely finished searing the steak rare when the little bat dove in and polished it off. I mourned the price tag while refreshing my chat window with Nightfall. Still nothing from his end. I felt a sting of hurt and crouched down. "Eli baby, you just ate the most expensive steak of my life. Can you please help me get Nightfall back? I miss him so much. He hasn't talked to me for a whole day." The little bat's eyes flickered. It tilted its head at me. Then it suddenly took flight and tapped its claws across my phone screen. The screen lit up. It opened my chat history with Nightfall and jabbed a claw at the last voice message he'd sent me. I pressed play. That familiar voice came through: "Baby, can you give me one more month? One month, and I promise I'll come see you." I looked at the little bat, puzzled. Was this its way of making a promise on his behalf? "Really? Just one month?" The little bat nodded vigorously, then opened another voice message. "Baby, I miss you too. I want to hold you, want to take your hand and walk along the river at night." Seeing I still wasn't fully convinced, the little bat took a deep breath, leaned forward, and gently kissed my cheek. It lasted barely half a second before it retreated two steps, shyly covering its face with a wing tip. I touched my cheek, and the weight in my chest finally lifted. I patted its head. "Thank goodness you're here. I wouldn't know what to do without you." The little bat's ears turned red. It ducked its head and patted itself down. Then it yanked out a diamond the size of an egg. I stuffed it into my pocket at lightning speed and scooped the bat into my arms. "Eli, do you really like me too?" It hesitated for a moment. Then nodded solemnly. It hooked its wing tip around my finger and traced a tiny heart on my palm. Then it let out a contented purr and flew off. Chapter 3 That night, I was sound asleep. A whisper of cool air brushed across my face. I opened my eyes groggily. The little bat was lying on the pillow beside me, curled into a tight ball, with one wing draped over my shoulder. Patting me. Gently. Again and again. Was it trying to soothe me like a child? I snorted out a laugh. I reached over and poked its round little belly. "Eli, I just thought of something. "In the comic, you're male... um, a male vampire? "Never mind. The point is, in the comic you're a guy, but I still don't actually know what gender this bat version of you is. "I also don't know how old you are. You're not older than me, are you? Like one of those centuries-old vampires who still look young?" I opened a search engine. "How to determine a bat's gender and age." The results told me: Do not handle bats without professional training. Contact your local wildlife authority. I tossed my phone aside. If I could contact the authorities, would I be hiding a diamond-dropping bat in my apartment? The little bat's purring sounded like the faintest wind chimes. After a moment's thought, I gave in to curiosity and scooped up the soundly sleeping bat. Through my gloves, I held it by its tiny legs and examined it from every angle. At first it was drowsy and confused. Then its eyes flew wide open. Its green eyes filled with horror. The white ear tips slowly turned pink, and eventually even its wings flushed red. I panicked and flipped on the light. "Are you okay, Eli?!" It broke free and shot into a corner. It had its back to me. I was about to go over and coax it when I noticed it was looking down, checking itself too. Its movements were frantic. A few seconds later, it seemed to confirm something and let out a long, heavy sigh of relief. Then it sighed again, flapped its wings, and stomped a claw hard on the floor. "So you're a little boy..." I stood behind it with a knowing expression. The little bat heard my voice and froze solid, from ear tips to wingtips. The next second, he flew past me, dove back into the little nest I'd made for him, and let out a string of aggrieved squeaks. At first they sounded like a kettle coming to a boil. Then they grew more and more agitated, until he sounded exactly like a screaming rubber chicken protesting its innocence. Sensing me nearby, he shoved all the little trinkets he had secretly collected from my room out of his nest. In the comic, the vampire treasured keepsakes from the person he loved. I'd thought that was just a romantic plot device. But what Eli had hoarded wasn't gold or jewels. It was my hair ties, a pen I'd used, candy wrappers I'd opened, and he'd even taken my empty boba cups. Earlier he'd been guarding them like precious treasure. Now he didn't want a single one. "Really don't want them?" A few seconds passed. A wing tip crept out and slowly rolled every item back inside, one by one. I gently stroked his back. "If I offended you just now, I'm sorry. I don't know much about vampire etiquette or bat-form boundaries. Please forgive me." His ears gradually turned white again as he calmed down. I breathed a sigh of relief and kept trying to comfort him. "I was actually about to compliment you." The little bat's ears shot straight up. "Being small is adorable." At that, he collapsed into his nest and cried even harder. I watched his tears nearly soak the cushion and quickly clamped my hand over his tiny mouth. "Stop crying! Cry any more and I won't keep you!" The little bat choked back his tears, hiccupped, and started spinning in frantic circles. Then, as if remembering something, he fluttered into my bedroom. He dragged out my phone and tapped the screen open in seconds, pulling up a voice message I'd sent to Nightfall. "Baby, when we meet, can I see your abs?" Then his reply played. "Of course. I won't disappoint you. I'm impressive everywhere." The little bat looked at me, eyes full of expectation. It hit me all at once. He was afraid I'd think he was too small. But he was just a little white bat. Being small really was adorable. I scooped him up with a look of total understanding, kissing him and coaxing him, repeating over and over that I'd never stop liking him. He seemed satisfied. A low, soft rumble came from his throat, and he gradually fell asleep. Chapter 4 Eli had been living in my apartment for three days. His fur was getting dusty. I'd read up on it. Bats shouldn't be bathed carelessly, and their wings absolutely couldn't get chilled. So I only dared to wipe down his fur with warm, damp towels. He lay obediently on a towel, watching me with curiosity at first. The moment I wiped near the base of his wings, he froze, then thrashed like a ball of cotton yanked out of water. Wet towels flew everywhere, and he made a frantic gurgling sound. I was focused on my task when my fingertip accidentally brushed a faint red mark beneath his left wing. The mark looked like a tiny blood-colored moon. Eli let out a sharp cry and bolted. His claws skidded across the tiles, and he tumbled his way through the bathroom door. I chased after him. Eli was already gone, leaving behind only a trail of scattered water drops and a few white tufts of fur. The front door hung wide open. I didn't even stop to put on shoes before running out. I was deciding between the elevator and the stairs when a heavy thud came from behind the stairwell door. Like someone had hit the ground hard. My heart clenched. I rushed over. The moment I opened the door, I froze in place.