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[3…]
[2…]
[1…]
[Absorption process ended]
[Process successful]
[How do you feel, host?]
"Eh? That's it? Nothing changed." Vespar barely got the words out before a sharp sting shot through his heart. His body convulsed as a pitch-black shadow, streaked with crimson, enveloped him. Runic tattoos crawled along his spine and shoulders, hair bleached into a stark, ethereal white, and his irises burned into a deep red with slitted pupils—capable of switching between round and slit on command.
His body reshaped itself—leaner muscles, vanished fat, and bones cracking and stretching until his height climbed from 180 to 190 cm.
Panting heavily, Vespar collapsed onto the bed, sweat pouring from him. "Haaaah… damn… You didn't mention it would hurt like being reborn through hellfire." He smirked weakly. "But… I gotta admit, this power… it's intoxicating. If I let it take over, Destiny's gonna drop another killer on my ass."
[Congratulations on your transformation, host. I've gained benefits too—my speech is now more fluent, my processing speed has doubled... I feel almost... human. Thank you for trusting me.]
Nyx's voice was softer now—no longer robotic, but smooth, almost comforting.
"No need to thank me. You found the blood, I just drank it." Vespar replied, only to vanish in a blink.
In a heartbeat, he reappeared behind the woman lurking at his window. One arm wrapped firmly around her neck, the other pressed gently but threateningly to her stomach.
"It's rude to spy on a man undressing, honey," he whispered into her ear.
She struggled, flailing, but his grip was absolute. Then—just as suddenly—he vanished again, reappearing inside the room with her in tow.
As he peeled off his soaked shirt, the intricate tattoos shimmered in the candlelight. "You gonna keep drooling over my back or start talking? Don't test my patience, darling."
The woman slowly pulled off her mask. "Why did you drink my blood?" she asked, her voice sharp, her eyes glowing crimson.
"Shouldn't we start with names first?" Vespar extended his hand. "I'm Vespar Dawnshade. And you are?"
"Lilith Bloodrose. Sole heiress of Archon Orpheus Bloodrose." She accepted the handshake—her grip strong, confident.
As soon as their hands parted, her demeanor shifted.
"Now that we're acquainted…" she hissed, her canines elongating, her nails turning into razor-sharp claws. "Why. Did. You. Drink. My. Blood?"
Lilith lunged—blindingly fast—but Vespar was faster. In an instant, her wrists were pinned above her head, her back slammed gently but firmly against the wall. His face hovered inches from hers.
"Wow, so aggressive already? Usually, girls wait until the second date." He grinned. "Chill. I can explain."
"Unhand me!" she growled. She tried to punch him, but couldn't move even a finger. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Look, I don't fully get it myself. When I passed your shop, something inside me just… pulled me in. The scent of the blood… it was magnetic. Like I'd die if I didn't have it. My instincts took over. I didn't even know what I was doing until it was already in my hand." His expression softened with honest confusion. "It felt like… an attraction. Not romantic—more like… primal."
After a moment of silence, Vespar slowly let go.
"I'll release you if you promise not to rip my face off. Deal?"
Lilith stared into his eyes for a long second before nodding. "Fine. My fingers are getting numb anyway."
As she rubbed her wrists and backed off, she noticed Vespar was standing there in only his underwear.
Her body stiffened, and her cheeks flushed crimson. "W-what the hell?! Are you trying to seduce me or something, you pervert?!"
"I'm just changing clothes! You're the one who was peeping!" Vespar grabbed a pair of trousers and pulled them on quickly, throwing a blanket over himself like it was armor.
"You're seriously hiding under a blanket?!" Lilith scoffed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Do you have such a low opinion of me?"
Vespar gave a smug grin. "I mean… I am a handsome guy. Can't be too careful."
He reached into his dimensional bag, pulling out an apple. He bit into it, then offered one to Lilith.
To his surprise, she accepted it—but paused halfway to her mouth. Her eyes narrowed. A shadow crossed her face.
'How can he eat normal food after turning into a vampire?'
She wasn't the only one who realized the strange detail.
Vespar blinked. The grin faded from his face. He turned to her slowly, an awkward, nervous smile taking over. "Let me tell you something… Let me tell you something… Let me tell you someAAAAA—"
BOOM.
A fireball blasted him into the wall. Smoke and heat filled the room—but oddly, not a single piece of furniture was damaged.
"You're screaming like a bitch," Lilith said flatly, sitting on the bed with her legs crossed like nothing had happened. "And you were acting so mighty just five minutes ago."
"I was mighty… until I got torched like a marshmallow." Vespar groaned from a heap on the floor, slightly charred but somehow still smirking.
"You're lucky the inn uses reinforced enchantments. Otherwise, we'd both be explaining this mess to the city guards."
Vespar pulled himself up, rubbing soot from his face. "Okay, fair point. But I'll say this—if I have to get set on fire to learn more about myself… might be worth it."
Lilith raised an eyebrow. "You're weird."
"Thanks. I take pride in that."
She rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself.
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