Chapter 9: Crimson Night (3) (R18)
Resuming to the tender kisses on the same spot on her neck that almost felt surgical, Carl's fangs protruded out and stabbed suddenly into Jeanne's neck as if they were thin needles administering a vaccine.
Jeanne felt a stinging pain, similar to a needle, and to her shock and panic, the man who he thought was different from others courting her, pressed his mouth deep on her neck. The initial shock could be said to be more painful than the act itself.
In a brief moment of being absent minded, Jeanne thought of the popular TV series she watched in the past, with one most striking, related to Vampires. Was she about to become a dead person under this handsome man? Was this happening to her?
So many questions stirred inside her head, that past worries of her failed life were overshadowed by the feeding act preceded by the mysterious black haired man.
The initial pain turned into pleasure, as Carl caressed her body, assuring her that she was fine, and he wouldn't hurt her like a mindless beast.
Meanwhile, Carl continued to draw blood from her, his blood-red pendant flashing with a deep crimson light, as high-quality mana began overflowing in his system.
-[Absorption!]
In his mind, an androgynous voice rang in his mind, telling him about the activation of his Sacred Gear ability, akin to a Mechanical System that was imbued with some 'personality'.
The Ability of his Sacred Gear 'Blood Absorption' as he understood, could weaken his targets but also permanently his strength, speed, regenerative abilities and mana capacity, all depending on the targets he chooses to feed from.
It was a pleasant surprise when he felt his body overflowing with mana, as his once drained resources rejuvenated just as he was ingesting Jeanne's blood. His depleted state recovered, and the blonde beauty whose eyes remained shut for fear of the unknown, couldn't see the changes in Carl's appearance.
The Vampire Lord Karnstein would have been scared senseless by the amount of mana brewing from inside Carl's body at this moment, and with the changes happening from his feeding, Jeanne moaned, before biting on her lips to suppress those indecent sounds escaping her mouth.
It was true, he brought her to Hell with the shocking reveal that he was a Vampire, but the process of feeding from a prey, depending on the tendencies of a Vampire could turn into pleasurable events for the prey itself.
Feeling that he was getting lost in his Vampiric Instincts, attempting to suck more from her Vitality as if to return to his pristine form, he stopped abruptly. He didn't want to kill this woman just to fulfill his bloodlust, there was so much potential in keeping her alive and by his side.
Holding her in his arms, stroking her tender skin, he was breathing in and out to calm this mad rush and spilling blood. When he stopped and withdrew his sunken fangs, Jeanne began to tremble in fear, but continued to keep her eyes shut.
Seeing this Carl couldn't help but whisper gently, his lips brushing against her forehead. "I didn't mean to surprise you. But now you know the truth. I can't control my hunger anymore when we're like this. It's part of who I am."
"Don't worry," she replied hoarsely. "I understand." Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, but she couldn't deny the growing arousal spreading through her veins.
"It's okay," she managed to whisper, reaching out to touch Carl's rejuvenated cheek. "I just need some time to process everything."
Carl nodded, while liking the fang wounds, stopping the bleeding from causing her any harm . "I won't rush you," he murmured, pulling away from her neck.
His body recovered to an almost perfect state by Jeanne's blood which made the Vampire Guards and others small creatures he had consumed to satiate his thirst feel insignificant, like some droplets of water to a man stranded in a desert storm, it amounted to nothing.
Yet just this feeding session from Jeanne managed to bring him back to 50-70% of his Power, it was akin to this stranded man finding an oasis all just for himself. This made her appear special in his eyes, it didn't feel right that a human could satiate his thirst for blood when he killed so many creatures, even vampires, absorbing everything they possess.
"Take all the time you need. I'll be patient with you."
Keeping to himself, he conversed with Nosferatu about the situation he found himself in, and how awkward he felt at handling this situation as a Vampire.
'Old man, don't butt-in. I'm not a hypocrite, alright. Women are creatures that are mainly guided by their emotions, so playing to their taste, while… is a bit manipulating, is for their sake.'
[I don't really care with whom you're in bed with. It's not as if I'm that curious to watch you act like a dog in heat.]
'...Jealous of my skills? These are just natural, sex skills? When you get to my stage, it becomes second nature.'
[Stop boasting about something so insignificant.]
'Alright… Say, mister Dracul. That strange feeling you've got from her, I've experienced while feeding on her. Could it have been triggered by some Sacred Gear? Her blood has this medicinal taste unlike the dull metallic taste.'
[Might be the case, since from my observation, she is a human. There's not a spec of corruption from Demonic Energy of a Devil or Demon, nor does she have Holy Magic of an Angel.]
'So it's because of her latent Sacred Gear? It's clear as night that she hasn't awakened that power. However, she does have mana in her body that normal humans shouldn't have, right?'
[That's a correct assumption. Your Mana Capacity has grown after absorbing her blood using the Sacred Gear.]
[I can't tell what her Sacred Gear is… You might have to ask Michael who presides over the Sacred Gear System put in place by God.]
'Heh, you're in the mood for jests? Like hell I'll ever approach Angels and those Exorcists. At least not now.'
[I'm just telling you how you can find out what her Sacred Gear is if she doesn't awaken until then. Or you can inquire about it from the Fallen Angel Commander, Azazel. Back in the day, he was in charge of the creation of the Sacred Gears.]
Hearing that from Nosferatu, Carl could only agree inwardly, since he knew extended information regarding Azazel, and how crazy he is regarding the creation of Artificial Sacred Gears that had the potential to rival the ones from the God System.
Moving his sharp eyes at the figure of the naked woman, trying to recover her breathing by the edge of the bed, he asked for an opinion. 'Should I keep a handful of women around Europe that I can feed from, keeping it centralized, instead of spreading myself thin and risking exposure?'
[Back when I was alive, I liked to keep the Masquerade Faced on. You're right in your assumption that targeting multiple humans would create a disturbance in the Human World.]
'Mhm, pretty much. Once news reaches all factions that some crazy bastard is going on a feeding spree, I'm sure it will stir up all of them. The Exorcists would want to stab a silver cross in my heart, the Vampires would for sure want to capture me and turn me into their Weapon. Same could be said for the Devils.'
[The Angels would keep on the Human's side in most cases.]
'Obviously. This leaves me 'restricted' with a handful of targets. But I think it is a great strategy, nonetheless. I would be even better if the targets I find have latent Sacred Gears, be them awakened or slumbering like in my case.'
[Doesn't sound so bad in hindsight. A decent starting plan to get you moving. Feeding on such targets would increase the amount of power you accumulate with 'Bloodbound Domain'.]
'True. The Blood Absorption makes me something of a parasite. Not that I feel any shame per se. The effects are crazy.'
As the weight of their shared experience settled over them, Carl and Jeanne found themselves enveloped in a cocoon of introspection.
Jeanne shifted uncomfortably, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The revelation of Carl's true nature had left her reeling, her thoughts spinning with questions she couldn't yet articulate. She felt vulnerable, exposed in a way she had never experienced before.
Yet it was undeniable that a person like Carl, who she now found was a supernatural creature, didn't harm her, even the mark of his fangs started to heal up.
They sat quietly on the edge of the bed, their bodies close yet distant. The silence between them seemed deafening, filled only with the sound of their ragged breaths as they tried to gather their thoughts.
Carl kept stroking Jeanne's arm, his fingers tracing gentle patterns along her skin. His gaze flicked up to meet hers, his concern evident in his crimson eyes.
"Hey," he finally spoke, his voice soft and soothing. "You don't have to overthink it too much. You might have seen those TV Shows about supernatural creatures, just so you understand, they exist, but it doesn't mean we're killing humans like psychopaths."
"We also have emotions, just like humans."
Jeanne nodded slowly, her eyes searching Carl's for reassurance. "Yeah," she replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I guess I just... I wasn't expecting any of this."
Carl's grip on her arm tightened slightly, offering a silent gesture of support. "I know it's a lot to take in," he acknowledged, his voice gentle. "We don't have to talk about it right now. Let's just enjoy each other, and we can discuss it later. Okay?"
Jeanne gave a weak nod, swallowing thickly. "I'm trying," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But I'm scared."
Carl reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing across her tear-stained skin. "I understand," he said softly. "But trust me, there's nothing to fear. You're safe with me."
Jeanne looked up at him, her expression wavering between fear and longing. "You promise?"
He nodded earnestly. "Yes, I promise. Whatever happens, I'll protect you."
She hesitated a moment longer before nodding weakly.
"I believe you," she whispered, her gaze locking onto his again. Carl's grip tightened slightly, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on her cheek.
"You're surprisingly receptive to the idea of me being a Vampire," he breathed, relief washing over him. "Don't worry, apart from being stronger than everyone, I can also be gentle as a minstrel when I want. Now, let's put this behind us and enjoy our time together."
Jeanne swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her chest. "Okay," she managed to croak. "So what should we do now?"
Carl grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Well, I've been thinking about that question for quite some time. We could start by taking a shower together," Carl suggested, flashing a naughty grin.
Jeanne blushed, a playful spark igniting in her eyes.
"That sounds nice," she agreed, her voice husky with anticipation.