Pale

During the grim days of the pandemic, when harsh lockdown rules ruled every aspect of life, our protagonist receives a strange offer from a stranger. At first, he is terrified and refuses. Soon after, he learns that his mother has contracted the coronavirus. Desperate to find the money for her treatment, he finally agrees to the ominous proposal. The deal is simple: in exchange for the money, he must sell his blood over ten sessions to a three-hundred-year-old vampire named Malik Faghan. Malik Faghan is one of Ganja’s oldest inhabitants. Centuries ago, he was granted refuge in the city by Javad Khan himself, when fleeing the wrath of Agha Mohammad Shah Qajar. But his presence has long since become a curse upon the city. As the bloodletting sessions continue, the protagonist uncovers other dreadful secrets about the vampire—and with each revelation, he feels himself consumed by another kind of disease, one that eats away at both his body and his soul. At first, he believes it’s anemia, but soon realizes that the vampire is exploiting him. Yet he cannot escape: the payment was made in advance. And even if he could, he wouldn’t—because just as Malik is addicted to his blood, he has become enslaved by Malik’s stories. Growing weaker, more paranoid, and utterly alone, the protagonist’s only chance of salvation now lies in the hands of his tormentor.