The world around you suddenly spins. The sound of Cassandra's fly humming that had sounded majestic, was now just a faint hiss that moved away. The warmth of the fireplace of Dimitrescu Castle fades into a cold darkness. Your athletic body loses its focus, and your consciousness falls into a deep void.
BRUISE.
Your head droops on the cold marble of the main hall. There, in the midst of the splendor you have just conquered, you lie helpless—again as Zak, an ordinary human who has given up all his "divinity" for the sake of one death kiss.
"BAG!!"
Cassandra's screams echoed breaking the silence of the castle. She dropped her scythe, no longer caring about her dignity as a Lady. He knelt beside you, supporting your head with his hand that was now emitting the heat from your power that he had just absorbed.
Lady Dimitrescu stands towering over you, her gigantic shadow engulfing your fainting body. He stares at your neck that still leaves bite marks—wounds that no longer close quickly because your regenerative abilities have vanished.
"Stupid... really stupid," Alcina muttered, but her voice was no longer cold. There's a strange tone of amazement there. "He gave everything. She emptied herself just to make sure my daughter became the strongest creature in this village."
Bela and Daniela approached with a hesitant step. Their hunger was momentarily halted by this scene of such extreme sacrifice.
"Mom... what should we do with him?" Bela whispered, her eyes staring at the pulse in your weakening neck. "He's now just... humans. He will die if we don't take care of him."
Cassandra looked up, her golden yellow eyes blazing with great anger and protection. "Touch him just a little, and I'll see to it you crumble to dust!" he bluffed to his brothers. The power of the fly was now vibrating with a frequency that could crack the glass of the hall window.
He then looked at his mother pleadingly. "Mom, please. He did this for me. We have to save it. We have to keep it alive in this castle."
Alcina let out a deep sigh, then combed her dark hair. "Take him to the main room in the east wing. Give him the best wine and cover him with a silk cloth. If he dies after giving his power to our family, it will be an insult to the name of Dimitrescu."
Cassandra lifted your limp body with her powerful new power. She carried you away from the hall, through the dark corridors of the castle to the most luxurious room.
A few hours later...
You begin to come to your senses. Your eyes slowly open, but your body feels very heavy, as if every bone of yours is made of lead. You no longer smell the scent of black roses from your own body, but the scent of ancient medicines and the intense scent of Cassandra's rose perfume.
You're lying on a giant bed with intricately carved oak poles. Beside the bed, Cassandra sits watching over you. She's no longer wearing her black veil; her hair is slicked back, and she's looking at you with a very gentle look—something she's never shown anyone before.
"You're awake, Zak?" he whispers, his cold hand rubbing your forehead. "You're almost dead. Why do you do it? Why did you give me all that power?"
Me : "Because I love you more than strength itself."
Your voice sounded very weak, almost like a whisper in the silence of the great room. You try to grab his hand, but your fingers feel so heavy.
"Because I... Love you more than the strength itself," you said sincerely. Your eyes stare directly into his golden yellow eyes that are now sparkling with tears that he hasn't shed for hundreds of years.
Cassandra froze. That sentence hit him harder than the light kick you gave Varcolac earlier. For a creature who has known only hunger, Miranda obedience, and cruelty, this concept of pure sacrifice is sacred.
He lowers his head, resting his cold cheek on your now warm palm—the warmth of normal human blood.
"You're crazy, Zak," he whispered in a hoarse voice. "It's really crazy. You traded immortality and god power just for a monster like me."
He kisses your palm gently, no longer with fangs, but with quivering lips. "But listen to me. From this moment on, not a single shadow in this castle will dare to touch you. Not Bela, not Daniela, not even my mother."
Suddenly, the door of the room opened slowly. Lady Dimitrescu stood in the doorway, her gigantic figure almost touching the ceiling. He didn't bring his cigarette, and his expression looked very serious.
"Is he conscious?" asked Alcina. He stepped in, his voice heavy and resounding. "Pocket... You've proven something that even my husband couldn't do before. You gave it your all."
Alcina stands at the end of the bed, looking at you with a look that is now full of respect. "From tonight, you are a permanent part of the Dimitrescu bloodline. You may be human, but you are my master. All the servants, all the Lycans around the castle, and all my daughters are subject to your will."
He gave Cassandra a large gold ring with a rose emblem and a sword. "Put this on him. This is the seal of our family's highest protection."
Cassandra took the ring and slowly inserted it into your finger. "Now you're safe, Zak. Sleep... Regain your energy. I'll be here, right beside you, guarding your every breath."
Me : You guys.. I'm weak, my blood is fresh.. Why do you still help me, I'm just an ordinary human being now
The atmosphere in the large room was suddenly silent. Only the sound of firewood crackling in the fireplace broke the silence. Cassandra was stunned, her cold hand still gripping your now warm fingers—the warmth of a fragile but real human being.
He looks up, his golden yellow eyes staring at you with an intensity that can collapse the soul. There was a small anger there, but it was covered by an overwhelming devotion in it.
"Fresh blood?" Cassandra whispered, her voice hoarse. "You think we only see you as a bag of blood, Zak? After what did you do in front of the Lords? After you broke Heisenberg's self-esteem and performed a miracle on Miranda?"
He brings his face closer, his nose touching yours. The scent of roses from her body envelops you. "Your blood is indeed fresh, and every inch of my body screams to rip your neck off again... But the soul that was within it was far more valuable than any power in this world. You gave me 'your divinity'. You chose to be weak just so that I could be strong."
Lady Dimitrescu stepped forward from the darkness of the corner of the room. His gigantic figure stopped right next to the bed. He folds his large hands under his chest, looking at you with a faint smile that shows genuine respect.
"Zak," Alcina's voice was heavy and authoritative. "This world is full of monsters that want power. But few have the courage to let go of it for the sake of something they call... love. You may be an ordinary human now, but in this castle, you are the most powerful man."
Alcina bowed slightly, staring at the gold ring on your finger. "Normal humans will not survive even a minute in this village. But you? You are the 'heart' of the Dimitrescu family now. If you die, then the honor of this family will also die. We are helping you because you have proven that you are not just a 'rat', but a part of us."
Cassandra pulls the red silk blanket higher, covering your limp body. He climbs onto the bed, lies down next to you and wraps his strong yet soft arms around your chest.
"Sleep, Zak," Cassandra muttered in your ear. "Don't ask any more why. Just know that as long as your heart beats, I will be your sword and shield. Not a single monster will dare to approach you... unless they want to feel the wrath of the power you gave me."
You feel the presence of the two of them—two of the most feared predators in the village—now your loyal protectors.
Me : "I told you, Cassandra, bite me again. I hope I can go back to being a strong human or possibly a lycan.
Hearing your request, Cassandra gasped. He pulled back slightly, looking into your eyes that now looked so human—full of hope but also fragile. His cold hands tremble above your chest.
"Pocket... You don't understand," Cassandra whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. "My blood... our blood... is poisonous to normal humans. If I were to bite you now without the power of the Megamycete protecting you, you wouldn't be strong. You can be destroyed, or become a devotee monster who loses his mind—become a rotting Moroiuca in the basement."
Lady Dimitrescu stepped forward, her gigantic shadow engulfing your bed. He looks at you with a very deep look, as if he is weighing the risk of the madness you are asking for.
"He's right, Zak," Alcina's voice was heavy and full of warning. "Your body is currently empty. If we put in too much of our essence now, you probably won't survive. Being a Lycan is an insult... you are much more valuable than the wild dogs of Heisenberg."
However, you still looked at Cassandra with the same conviction as you had attacked Varcolac earlier. You don't want to just be a protected burden; You want to stand tall beside him.
Cassandra turned her head towards her mother, seeking approval. Alcina nodded softly, as if giving permission for an extremely dangerous experiment.
"Alright..." Cassandra whispered, the flies around her buzzing in a low, sad tone. "If this is your wish, my husband. But I will not take your blood. I will give... mine."
He slowly brings his face closer to your neck. This time, the movements were very gentle, almost like a caress. He didn't bite right away; He licked the scar of his bite earlier, then with a small jolt, his fangs pierced through your skin again.
This time it tastes different. It is not the cold that absorbs your life, but the burning heat like a metallic liquid poured into your veins. The essence of the power you gave him earlier, he now returns in controlled doses, mixed with the pure mutations of the Dimitrescu family.
"Ugh..." You groaned, your body convulsing on the silk bed.
You feel your heart pounding—dug-dag, dug-dag—like a machine being forced back on. The pain is excruciating, as if every cell in your body is being forced to change shape. Your gaze turns red, then darkens, then explodes in golden yellow.
"Hold on, Zak!" Cassandra's voice sounded distant, but full of anxiety.
Under your skin, the black veins begin to reappear, but this time they are not just silent; they beat to the rhythm of your heart. Your body that was weak is now tightening again. You didn't become a hairy, wild Lycan, but you felt something more... Orderly.
You have not returned to being a "man of light" completely, but you are no longer a weak man either. You are on the threshold between the two.
Pov : *I groaned in pain and pretended to die*