'It all makes sense now.' Alvin thought before screaming in his mind—Like hell it does!

  How the hell does her sucking someone's blood grow strong? Explain how. Is that man behind her, floating in the air?

  This made him wonder if what he knew about vampires was the truth. After all, his knowledge came from nothing but the Internet and the stories about vampires he read.

  Before he could even start stressing over the absurdity of it all, his mind blanked once more—like someone poured a bucket of cold water all over him.

  Alvin stood there with no visible expression on his face, but deep down he felt a flicker of gratitude—if not for the timely assistance of the unnatural power, he would have had another seizure at this moment.

  After some time, Alvin even realized something.

  It wasn't that he couldn't feel emotions.

  He could.

  But whenever they got high enough to affect his judgment, they would suddenly get suppressed.

  Alvin exhaled slowly, "So are you going to turn me into a vampire?"

  "Something like that. But first—" Elara tilted her head slightly before pointing at the guy floating on the side with a curious look in her eyes. "What should I do with this guy?"

  Just looking at the unconscious man dangling in the air like a corpse, Alvin could feel his emotions bubbling up.

  The rage and the hatred he felt towards the man were so much that they wanted to break through whatever was suppressing them and unleash it all at the person who caused him to feel those emotions.

  After staying silent for a few seconds, Alvin finally opened his mind to speak up, "After everything I have been through and have seen in my life, I believe that no revenge is a selfless act."

  "People do not take revenge in hopes of giving the dead a piece of mind. That is not even possible after all. People take revenge to make themselves feel better. To make them feel that they had somehow made things right and the person who wronged you was not happy."

  Elara patiently listened to his words, her expression never changing, before she asked, "So… are you going to let him go?"

  There was no tone of judgment in her voice, only silent curiosity.

  Alvin scoffed. "Let him go?" A chilling smile appeared on his face. "No, I will be selfish."

  "I want him to suffer."

  "I want him to feel the pain he made everyone here feel."

  "The only thing I had close to my family was taken away by him, so I want him to suffer the pain to let him understand the results of his action."

  Elara's wine-red eyes gleamed slightly as if she found his answer… amusing.

  Alvin, however, glanced down at his battered body. "Not that I'm in any condition to do it myself," he muttered, a rare flicker of frustration slipping into his voice.

  "You are in no condition to handle stress. If you let yourself get agitated, you will die faster." Elara said, nodding in agreement, "This is why I used my powers on you—one meant to calm you down."

  "For the decision you have to make…I need you to be calm and listen carefully before you decide."

  Hearing the solemnness in her tone, Alvin nodded calmly. Elara's gaze shifted to the full moon above them as she added, "Time is of grave importance."

  Alvin narrowed his eyes slightly; from her words, he pieced together a theory in his mind. "You are not going to save me by turning me into a vampire, are you?" The thought simply sent waves of different emotions in his heart. 'Will I also have to drink blood to survive from now on?'

  The realization that supernatural beings existed in his world should have terrified him. It should have been overwhelming. And yet… He was perfectly calm, able to analyze the situation with unsettling clarity.

  His mind helped him focus on the information that he felt was more important to him at the moment.

  Drinking someone's blood sounded weird, but somehow he found himself not entirely against the idea if it meant his survival.

  Even though it was startling news, Alvin found himself perfectly calm at the moment, which allowed him to analyze several things at the same time.

  Elara studied the weird look on his face, unsure of what he was thinking. "Indeed, that is the only way I have to save you at this moment in time."

  She paused, taking a deep breath; she asked with a serious look on her face. "So are you willing to let go of your attachment to the human world? Leave everything behind and come with me to live in the world of the supernatural."

  "Attachments?" Alvin let out a wet chuckle, fresh blood oozing from the corner of his lips. "Didn't you just say everyone died here?"

  Seeing the nod of confirmation, Alvin inhaled sharply, raising his head, and he forced himself to look around. The place he had called home was in ruins.

  "The people who worked here,

  Matsuoka. Rin. The old man.

  They were the only family I ever had in this world, but now they are all gone." Alvin looked at the man responsible for his misery before continuing, "So Elara, no, I have nothing to cling on to here."

  His words ended with a long silence that stretched on until Elara finally asked, "Then, shall we begin? You don't have much time left."

  Alvin turned back to face her. Then, with the most serious expression he could muster, he said—

  "I refuse."

  A beat of silence lingered before Elara blinked.

  "…What?"

  For a moment she even thought she had heard him incorrectly. Then, the faint, gentle smile on her face turned chilling. "So I guess I should leave you to die here, right?"

  "No, god no," Alvin stared back into her eyes, which felt colder than the ground beneath him; a trail of blood escaped the corner of his lips, staining the collar of his dress.

  "The last thing I want is to die," he admitted with a whisper, "Dying somehow scares me…"

  "The last thing I want is to die," he admitted with a whisper, "Dying somehow scares me…"

  He truly felt scared at this moment.

  Even now, he could feel it creeping in.

  The warmth drained from his body.

  His hands were growing cold.

  If not for the piece of wood impaled through his abdomen, he was certain he'd already be gone.

  The pain that had been numbed for so long…

  It was starting to return.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Slowly but surely.

  Elara's eyes never left his face. "Then tell me," her voice softened once more, "Why?"

  For a moment, Alvin stared at her with a hesitant look, watching the flicker of curiosity cross her face. Then, with the most serious expression he could muster, Alvin gave the most ridiculous explanation Elara could have imagined.

  "Dying in sunlight, not being able to eat garlic bread… You want me to live such a deadbeat life? No thanks!"

  Silence filled the air once more; this time, Elara's gentle smile faltered. She wondered if Alvin was mocking her and never really wanted to accept her offer, but seeing the serious look in his eyes, she knew no matter how ridiculous those reasons sounded to her, they genuinely bothered him.

  Yet…

  Even when she knew he was not joking with her, a look of annoyance flitted past her face. 'Here I was, thinking we were having a serious conversation, and this human—'

  For a fleeting second, she even thought, 'Should I just let him die here?'

  But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Elara felt a bitter feeling arising in her heart. 'Tch, why?'

  'Why him? What makes this human so special that he is making me feel like this?'

  While Elara was deep in her thoughts, Alvin looked at her with some confusion and worry. He wondered if she would take offense to his reasoning.

  Then suddenly, he felt his body freezing; Elara was not staring right at him.

  "Who do you think I am?" she asked, standing straight, her eyes flashing with pride. The air around her shifted. She no longer appeared a gentle, loving woman, but instead, she looked like a menacing vampire out for blood.

  Her red eyes gleamed as her transformation grew more intimidating and defined. Alvin watched in awe and a hint of dread. He could see and feel the pressure around her body.

  A true vampire!

  Not a myth! It's not a story from any second-rate novel!

  She was the real thing!

  Despite the suffocating pressure pressing down on him, he remained calm—not because he wanted to be, but because she allowed it.

  Taking a shaky breath, he met her gaze. "What I said… it is one of the few things that I know about vampires."

  Alvin admitted, "All the knowledge I have about vampires came from what others have spread throughout the world. No one knows if they are true or not, but everyone has their own beliefs… their fantasies about vampires."

  Hearing those words, Elara somewhat calmed down.

  Then—

  She sighed.

  A long, drawn-out exhale.

  The next moment, she changed back to her normal appearance. The mountain-like pressure that Alvin was feeling suddenly vanished. He let out a pained moan; his injuries had worsened under her pressure.

  Meaning now Alvin had even less time. A look of regret and urgency flashed through Elara's eyes, but soon it faded.

  "You plan to turn me into something I have no true understanding of." Alvin let out a rugged breath and spoke with difficulty.

  Elara studied him for a while before answering, "Only vampires with a low-level bloodline need to be afraid of sunlight." Her tone was much calmer and a bit blaming, too. "Who even told you about the garlic thing? The smell is strong for us, but we can change the amount according to our preference like we do with salt."

  "That's a relief…" Alvin tried to let out a chuckle, but his body was too worn out. He could already feel the strength leaving his body.

  "One last thing—" Alvin spoke with all of his strength, trying to stay awake with all of his might. "What… What will happen to me? I don't want to have my freedom stripped—"

  Before he could finish, a sudden feeling of weightlessness washed over Alvin.

  And the—

  He collapsed.

  Elara remained still, his last words still ringing in her head. She watched as his head hit against the ground with an unfocused look in her eyes.

  After a moment of hesitation, she bit her lower lip before making a decision.

  She let go of the umbrella in her hand.

  Instead of falling, it floated, defying gravity as it hovered in midair.

  Elara stepped forward, raising her left arm. She clenched the raised hand into a fist, turning the palm upwards, and then—

  Just as she raised her right hand, a voice interrupted her.

  "Lady Elara," the voice sounded from the air behind her, but no one could be seen standing there. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

  The voice was neither questioning nor firm—just curious.

  "You only have one choice, and he seems reluctant to let go of his humanity. He values his freedom more than anything; there is a chance you might fail."

  Elara closed her eyes for a moment before shaking her head.

  "He is the one." She said without hesitation. "We will just have to change the ritual a bit."

  Her voice was soft, but her eyes burned with something unshakable.

  "I don't know what will happen in the future if I go through with this."

  The first two fingers of her right hand straightened while the other curled.

  "…But one thing I am sure of—"

  Her gaze flickered to Alvin's unconscious face.

  "I believe in my intuition."

  Without another word, Elara slashed down at her left wrist.

  Splash!

  The blood gushed out of the wound like a small fountain before dripping down. She barely flinched. Twisting her arm slightly, she allowed the blood to fall.

  Although Elara kept a straight face and barely flinched, on the inside, she was screaming. 'Too deep! I made too deep a cut! Now I have to act naturally, or this woman might not stop teasing me over—'

  Snicker!

  Just then, Elara heard the sound of someone snickering behind her and froze. 'It's over.'

  Her eyes dimmed, and she looked at Alvin, trying not to pay attention to the voice behind her.

  The thick, crimson liquid continued to drip out of her wrist. Every drop of blood that was about to fall on the ground froze midair and merged with the ones that fell on Alvin's lips.

  His mouth parted on its own while the voice from the shadows spoke once again—

  "He did not even agree to your request…" The voice sounded a bit impassive, but Elara simply smiled.

  "I am sure he will agree to me." While she was speaking, the wound on her wrist had already started healing. "Besides, it's not like I am transforming him now. I am merely using my blood to keep him stabilized from the inside. My blood alone isn't enough to save him. If he doesn't turn soon, he will die."

  Silence filled the air.

  Elara's eyes remained fixed on the last bit of blood falling from her wrist, drop after drop. She could feel her body knitting itself back together, the wound sealing shut as if it never existed.

  Elara exhaled softly, wiped the remaining blood off her wrist with a white handkerchief, and threw it in the nearest burning wood. 'This should be enough for an hour. I have to convince him to turn in this hour.'

  ——

  Wee-woo!

  The distant wail of sirens reached Elara's ears, making them twitch as annoyance flickered across her face. With a sharp click of her tongue, she muttered, "The authorities in this area finally decided to take action; we have to change location."

  "What about him?" The voice behind her remained unbothered.

  Elara's gaze shifted to the man hovering in the middle of the air.

  She raised her hand once more, her fingers flicking in the air ever so slightly. A soft white light pulsed at her fingertips.

  The man's body twitched, and he slowly gained consciousness. His eyes snapped open. For a moment, his gaze was a bit unfocused. It moved around, trying to understand what was happening.

  Then, realization crashed down on him like a tidal wave.

  Terror!

  A wave of raw, unfiltered terror assaulted his heart when he saw Elara standing before him.

  The fear seeped down his bones, so much so that he did not even feel anger towards Elara, who caused him to feel so much pain. His lips trembled; he wanted to form words, to beg for mercy.

  But no words came out.

  His cursed mouth wouldn't budge open.

  No matter how much he tried, they refused to part, as if they were stuck together. The fear in his heart deepened.

  Elara tilted her head and watched his despair unfold before her eyes in amusement. A subtle smile appeared on her lips.

  "Alvin wants this man to suffer, right? It is only natural if I fulfill this wish of his with all of my capabilities, right?" Elara mused, but the voice behind her said nothing.

  The man flailed violently, his eyes widened in desperation, and veins could be seen popping all around them. When his gaze fell on the unconscious boy on the ground and he recalled the familiar name from the woman's mouth, he realized.

  He could not escape!

  Elara's eyes began to glow, and they appeared almost hypnotic. Her eyes met with the gaze of the despairing man. She took a step forward and muttered like a whisper of death. "Whatever happens to you from now on, you will feel everything."

  "You will feel it to the very last detail." The man suddenly stopped struggling; his gaze became lost. "You will feel every emotion, be it anger, pain, or fear; you will feel it all tenfold. Each second will feel like a day to you, and no matter how much time passes… you will never grow numb to it."

  "…" Hearing the chilling words coming out of the ever-so-gentle woman made even the air behind her twist a bit.

  The light in the man's eyes flickered. Then panic started to flood back in. He understood what was happening to him now, but he understood too late.

  "Let him burn in the flames he created." Elara muttered, "That is the only fitting end for him."

  Before he could even react, Elara flicked her wrist, and his figure flashed through the air. He was thrown into the inferno of flames that embraced him eagerly, swallowing him whole.

  For a moment, his shadow moved around in the flames, twisting, contorting, trying to escape.

  But he could not. No scream came from his throat. No sound of agony was permitted to escape the burning cage.

  Only silence.

  Perfect. Deafening. Silence.

  —

  The voice spoke again, "Where to next, Lady Elara?"

  Elara paused, brushing her loose hair behind her back; she murmured, "Somewhere high."

  Then, beneath her feet, a complex-looking circle with intricate patterns and glyphs appeared. The circle spread outwards, covering both unconscious Alvin and Elara. The light flashed, and a moment later—they were gone!

  The magic circle on the ground also turned into pixie dust, vanishing into the night without a trace.

  **

  Somewhere in HONG KONG…

  Above one of the tallest skyscrapers in the bustling streets of Kowloon, something very unnatural occurred.

  Or, as some might call it—

  Something Supernatural.

  A huge, intricate magic circle—large enough to cover an entire helipad—appeared out of thin air.

  For a moment, nothing happened. But then, a figure materialized on the ground. An unconscious man, still impaled by the wooden stake, was driven through his stomach. The second one to appear was a woman draped in a black kimono with red design patterns. If not for these patterns, she might have seamlessly blended into the night itself.

  She clutched a folded umbrella in one hand, her sharp eyes scanning the buildings around them.

  She could hear a rush of noise assaulting her ears—car engines, distant sirens, the murmur of human voices.

  Hearing them, a frown appeared on her face.

  But then, another figure stepped forward. A woman with long, silky yet bouncy purple hair, flowing like a river down her back. With each step she took, her hair jumped up and down.

  Dressed In a maid outfit, she moved with practiced grace, each step measured and controlled. Her head remained bowed, her eyes closed in silent respect.