Chapter 38: The Vampire’s Prey (38)
It wasn’t as if they actually did anything too outrageous.
After all, all four of them were proud men and wouldn’t be willing to show a loss of composure in front of their rivals.
—Although their current state wasn’t exactly dignified.
Each of them used every trick they had, as if they were secretly competing, yet there was a strange, tacit understanding between them, and none of them crossed the line.
Like the vegetation in a rainforest, fighting for the most sunlight.
And like a dense, impenetrable net, forcing her into a corner with no escape.
…
Xue Zhu braced his arms on either side of her. His pale, bare shoulders, neck, and chest glowed coldly in the light, like a perfect sculpture.
The now-sober Yu Jiao couldn’t quite accept the reality of drinking blood yet and was resisting and suppressing her own craving for it.
So she pushed him. “Forget it.”
Xue Zhu was unmovable. His snake-like phoenix eyes were locked on her.
He tilted his head and smiled. As if deliberately timing it, a bead of blood appeared on the small wound on his neck.
It fell vertically.
And landed right between her slightly parted lips.
The extremely sweet, metallic taste instantly filled her mouth, like a spreading crack.
Her pupils constricted.
Dominated by instinct, she hooked her arms around his neck, pulled him down, and bit into the shallow wound.
Sharp fangs pierced his skin.
A cold shiver spread through her. At the same time, Xue Zhu’s usually dark, deep eyes, like a bowl of settled, murky water, lost their focus.
His pale face, as if scented with an alluring fragrance, turned crimson, making him look even more like a rich, beautiful demon.
Yu Jiao was almost greedily sucking his blood.
And he, with a submissive posture, cupped the back of her head with his large, cold hand, narrowed his long eyes, and continuously murmured her name.
“…”
She was already lost in the sweet, metallic taste, until a dissatisfied reminder sounded: “That’s enough.”
The blood rolled down her throat and into her esophagus, bringing with it a warm current that made her feel comfortable and sated.
As if waking from a dream, she released him.
Xue Zhu blinked slowly, as if unable to support himself, and collapsed onto her.
The next moment, he was ruthlessly pushed aside.
Yu Jiao looked up and met a pair of indignant, peach-blossom eyes.
Wei Changlin was sitting cross-legged beside her, a sour look on his face.
Yu Jiao sat up, pressed her lips together, and asked tentatively, “Do you… want to be bitten too?”
Wei Changlin sneered, “How can an ordinary person like me compare to the fragrant blood of these vampires?”
“…”
His sour words were met with silence.
Seeing her thoughtful, silent expression, Wei Changlin’s face grew even more sour.
—She’s not even trying to coax me!
He frowned and said fiercely, “What are you looking at!”
“I was just thinking…” Yu Jiao’s gaze slowly slid from the side of his neck to his eyes. “If you were bitten, would you cry?”
Wei Changlin: “!?”
His peach-blossom eyes widened in disbelief, already filled with an alluring anger… and a hint of shyness.
Yu Jiao’s lips curved into a smile, and she pounced.
“Let’s find out!”
He was caught off guard and pushed down. Before he was even bitten, his face was already flushed, as if he were both resisting and welcoming it.
Yu Jiao smiled and opened his collar. “Here I come.”
He turned his head away, his sharply lined neck exposed. “…Stop dawdling— Mmph!”
Now with some experience, she bit him very gently, but his reaction was still extremely strong.
He frowned, closed his eyes, and let out a low, muffled grunt.
Seeing that he seemed to be in some pain, she released her bite. “…Should I stop?”
But to her surprise, he opened his eyes. His peach-blossom eyes were slightly red, like a glistening spring pond, and he shot her a glare.
“Continue!”
“Oh…”
Yu Jiao was like a diligent laborer, a hard-working ox, drinking blood as if it were a chore.
“…”
She didn’t know how much time had passed.
“…Is it over?”
Yu Jiao wiped her mouth and had just breathed a sigh of relief when she was accosted from both sides.
On her left, Xie Zhenye’s voice was low, husky, and alluring. “Jiao Jiao, have another taste of my blood.”
On her right, Xie Yanchuan silently pulled open his collar, revealing the two small, round, unhealed puncture marks.
Yu Jiao: “…”
Is being bitten something to be proud of?
…
…
She felt like the Tang Monk who had fallen into the Spider Cave, entangled by a variety of troublesome demons.
Though she was the one drinking the blood, she had the strange feeling of being drained. When she walked out of the lounge, her steps were unsteady.
Ignoring the calls and pleas of the group of troublemakers behind her, she said with firm resolve:
“Alright, I’ve skipped half a day of class. I’m going to class now!”
As her words fell, a chorus of sighs came from behind her.
—Fortunately, they had lost too much blood and couldn’t recover for a while, so they could only watch with longing as she mercilessly left.
Yu Jiao closed the lounge door without looking back, sealing the sensual atmosphere inside.
She breathed a sigh of relief, tidied her clothes, and then took the elevator downstairs, heading towards her classroom.
It wasn’t that she was diligent, nor was she fleeing in panic. She just needed to verify something…
***
Walking on the academy grounds, her white hair and red eyes attracted a lot of attention.
Yu Jiao was unfazed. As her gaze shifted, she swept over the blood-race students with their various expressions and took in the looks on the faces of the specially-admitted students.
The engagement banquet had only been for the vampire families. But the riding class was different. Although the elective courses were mostly restricted for the specially-admitted students, her fight with Lin Wei had been so high-profile, she didn’t believe that all of them had been kept in the dark.
Just as she’d expected, at the sight of her obvious vampire features, a few of them looked terrified, trembling slightly, as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight. They immediately lowered their heads and hurried away.
A thought stirred in her mind.
She arrived at her classroom.
Under the various stares, she sat down with a normal expression and, like an ordinary high school student, propped her chin on her hand and got through the afternoon classes.
After class.
As the students were leaving, one by one, a boy walked over with a frown.
“Hey,” he said with great reluctance. “You’ve skipped so many classes. These are the notes the teacher asked me to prepare. Here.”
Yu Jiao looked up.
The person was wearing the uniform of a specially-admitted student. His face was tense, as if he couldn’t bear to stay a moment longer. He tossed the notes to her, his gaze sweeping over her with disgust and hostility. He turned to leave, muttering, “…I really don’t know… why.”
Yu Jiao raised an eyebrow. She knew of him.
He was the class president, with excellent grades. Though he was a specially-admitted student, he was able to get along with some of the arrogant blood-race students.
How could such a popular, emotionally intelligent person have such a strange aversion to her…
Yu Jiao slowly narrowed her eyes.
“Um…” a timid voice sounded.
The specially-admitted student girl sitting in front of her turned around. As if she had mustered up her courage, she said, “D-don’t mind him too much. He’s just a bit old-fashioned. He probably has a prejudice against dyed hair.”
She added with shining eyes, “Your new hair color is so beautiful, and your contacts are so special!”
“Ah… I thought I was disliked. Thank you,” the white-haired, red-eyed young woman looked at her calmly and gave a sweet smile.
The specially-admitted student girl looked as if she had been struck dumb, her face bright red. She waved her hands frantically. “No, no!”
The beautiful young woman smiled, her ruby-like eyes blinking. “Then, can I ask you for another favor?”
“Tell me…!”
“It’s like this. The class president’s notes are so thorough. I want to thank him… but he doesn’t seem very approachable. Can you tell me a little about him?”
She stuck out her tongue. “I’m afraid of stepping on a landmine.”
“O-of course!”
…
“You said… he’s close with Mr. Song?”
The specially-admitted student girl nodded.
“Yes. The class president often asks Mr. Song for help with homework. I’ve seen them walking together after class a few times.”
“I see…”
The two of them walked out of the teaching building side by side. The bloody sunset fell on her, dyeing her white hair a intoxicating orange-red. Against her thoughtful face, she was like a piece of glazed, priceless porcelain.
Suddenly, a long, slender arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling the contemplative young woman into an embrace.
“Jiao Jiao—”
A bright, golden head burrowed into her neck, his breath hot. He drawled lazily, “I missed you so much.”
“It’s only been an afternoon.”
Yu Jiao pushed him away, speechless.
Just as she had escaped the quagmire, a cool hand followed, caressing the back of her neck and cupping her face. A cold presence approached, and a pair of light, clear eyes swept over her, inch by inch. He said coolly, “So beautiful.”
Yu Jiao blinked.
“Alright, Xie Yanchuan, are you trying a new trick?” Xie Zhenye grumbled. “Jiao Jiao, I’ll cook for you tonight!”
Xie Yanchuan’s tone was sarcastic. “Don’t tell me you’re trying that ‘the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach’ trick.”
“What?” Xie Zhenye narrowed his eyes, his voice fierce. “Can’t I?”
Yu Jiao was pulled along by him for some distance. As she was feeling dizzy, she suddenly felt him stop. A thick shadow fell over her.
Then, a soft, low, husky voice sounded:
“Wow, I’d like to try Second Young Master Xie’s cooking, too.”
Yu Jiao looked up and met a pair of smiling phoenix eyes. He said in a spoiled tone, “My dear, since we can’t sleep in the bridal suite tonight, then we can at least have dinner together, right?”
“No,” Xie Zhenye answered coldly.
Xie Yanchuan said coolly, “It seems the head chef has rejected your devious request.”
Xue Zhu’s smile didn’t change. He gracefully stepped forward and naturally inserted himself between them. “Ah, thank you for the invitation, Young Masters Xie. Let’s go.”
“…”
Amidst the pushing and arguing, Yu Jiao sighed and, struggling, turned her head to wave at the specially-admitted student girl. “Thank you for today. See you tomorrow.”
Watching the bickering group leave.
The girl’s face was dazed. She waved back like a ghost. “See you tomorrow…”
***
“See you tomorrow?”
Xie Yanchuan lowered his eyes and asked, “A new friend?”
“Yes,” Yu Jiao tapped her lips and smiled. “A new friend, a new discovery, a new opportunity.”
Seeing her mischievous look, Xue Zhu’s dark gaze moved closer.
—The next moment, he was separated from her by the twins.
The three of them began to trade sarcastic remarks. Watching this scene, Yu Jiao’s expression was strange. “Why do I feel like you guys are getting along better?”
The three of them froze. “?”
“Could it be that a frank exchange of views helps to foster brotherly love?” she said leisurely.
Seeing their disgusted expressions, she let out a pleased laugh. “Hmm, a new friend. Not bad.”
“…Gag!”
***
After dinner.
Yu Jiao left the bickering three and walked up to the second floor alone. Her steps suddenly paused, and a meaningful smile curved her lips.
There, in a dark corner, a tall figure stood motionless, like a solemn statue.
Seeing her approach, his gaze quickly swept over her white hair and red eyes, and he lowered his head. “…Miss.”
“About last time,” she lifted her chin slightly. “You did very well.”
She crossed her arms and, with a nonchalant air, held out a slender, pale hand, as if bestowing a favor.
011 looked up and, seeing her cold, noble demeanor, tentatively reached out his large hand and slowly took her beautiful, slender one.
She didn’t refuse.
A wild hope bloomed within him… He slowly closed his hand, enveloping her soft, boneless one.
Like catching a butterfly.
As if afraid of disturbing something, he performed the simple action with a great solemnity, almost holding his breath.
The place was quiet.
From downstairs, the voices of the twins and Xue Zhu could be faintly heard.
“…Jiao Jiao?”
Footsteps were approaching, coming up the stairs.
011’s throat tightened.
He wanted to run, yet he wanted to throw caution to the wind and stay.
A soft laugh.
She twisted her wrist, her smooth skin brushing against his rough palm.
She bent her fingers and slowly traced circles in his dry palm.
A scorching itch spread all the way to his heart.
The young woman tilted her head, her snow-white hair glistening in the dim light, like a holy angel. But her dark red eyes were like an ominous demon.
“Do one more thing for me.”
As she spoke, her long fingers splayed out and, teasingly, intertwined with his, as if they were intimate and equal.
The next moment, her cool, commanding voice broke the illusion.
“Lower.”
As he obediently bent down, she stood on her tiptoes, pressed herself against his tense chest, and whispered in his ear.
“…”
At the end, she paused and, with a light, teasing smile, said slowly, “If you do this well, I’ll come to your room tonight… and give you a reward.”
The soft, gentle words were an ambiguous hint.
His breath caught. Before he could ask, he felt her pull her hand away and gently push his chest, making him retreat into the darkness.
Then she turned to meet the other men.
“I’m here.”
In the darkness, 011 listened to her bright, smiling voice as she led them downstairs. The mask hid his expression well. He lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together.
As if feeling the residual powder from a butterfly’s wings.
***
That night.
Guessing that 011 had already completed his task, Yu Jiao broke free from the three of them and, when they weren’t looking, slipped out of the Xie Manor.
She nimbly dodged the patrolling guards, snuck into the academy, and went to the abandoned old school building. Recalling Wei Changlin’s method, she opened the secret passage and entered his secret base.
The basement was empty.
As if searching for something, she carefully rummaged through the messy items, trying to find some clue.
Just then, the sound of rattling chains came from afar.
Her movements paused.
Ever since she had seen the beastman, his golden, beast-like eyes had occasionally appeared in her mind.
A strange sense of familiarity made her curious.
As she was thinking this, she suddenly heard the howl of a beast.
Low and mournful.
…As if it were calling to her.
Yu Jiao frowned, put the item in her hand back, and hesitantly walked towards the dungeon.
She walked through the dim, narrow passage. Like a shaky camera shot, the cold, hard cage and the beast lurking within came into view.
She cautiously stopped.
Clink, clank. The sound of rattling chains.
The dark figure was like a clump of seaweed—it slowly stood up.
The thick shadow crept across the floor, reaching her feet.
It was truly enormous. She had to tilt her head way back to meet its golden, beast-like eyes.
“…”
An unspeakable pressure, like a mountain, spread along with the silence.
It stared at her, paused, then turned its large body and, in a very human-like way, tapped the wall with its claw, as if signaling something.
Through the dim, yellow ceiling lamp, Yu Jiao squinted to see and was surprised to find: it wasn’t a wall at all, but a low, dark door!
It had been hidden by the huge beastman before, so she hadn’t noticed it at all.
…Tsk, Wei Changlin is really cunning.
Who would have thought that the ‘prisoner’ was also shouldering the responsibility of guarding the ‘safe’?
Besides, this door is so low, and the beastman is so huge. Even if it wanted to, it couldn’t get through. So it’s the most intimidating guard.
But… why is it telling me this?
Yu Jiao looked at the werewolf and asked hesitantly, “Do you want me to go in?”
The werewolf’s ferocious head was hidden in the darkness. She could only see its bright, shining golden eyes.
It nodded.
She was still suspicious, but she didn’t show it. “I don’t have the key to this dungeon. I can’t get in.”
She made a roundabout excuse.
The sound of rattling chains sounded again. It walked over, from the darkness into the light.
She could now see its head—fluffy, light brown fur, a triangular black nose, and snow-white fangs.
It was a beautiful and ferocious wolf’s head.
At this moment, the intimidating golden, beast-like eyes were darting away.
…Though it was so tall and strong, under her gaze, it looked awkward and pathetic.
Faced with this inhuman strangeness, she felt no fear. However, the next moment, she saw it raise its sharp, huge claw—
Clink!
A crisp, cracking sound.
It had broken the lock on the cage.
With a creak, the rusty cage door slowly slid open.
Without the cage in the way, she and the werewolf were face to face.
Yu Jiao: “…”
Now I believe it doesn’t mean me any harm.
…So it could have come out at any time. In that case, the chain around its neck must be just for show.
He had solved her reason for refusing. She had no choice but to enter the cage and look up at it.
Now that they were closer, it was like a small mountain. Bathed in her gaze, it was visibly tense.
Its gaze was fleeting, as if it were trying to escape something. It quickly walked to the dark door and, using the same trick—clink!—broke the lock.
Its claw pushed the door open, and its beast-like eyes looked at her.
A dark doorway, an unknown dark room, and an alluring secret.
Yu Jiao paused. With its strength, it probably doesn’t need to go to such lengths to harm me, right?
To be safe, she equipped a defensive item and bent down, preparing to enter the dark room.
Just as she was about to pass through the doorway, something covered her arm, and then, a strong force pulled her back.
The next moment, she realized—it was a sharp beast’s claw!
It had suddenly attacked. She was completely unable to resist the powerful force and was pulled into a furry embrace. As she struggled, she met a pair of molten-gold, beast-like eyes. It stared at her without blinking and ground its fangs.
A low, guttural sound.
The displeased threat of a beast.
Yu Jiao was stunned. She could almost see a frown on its beast-like face, suppressing its anger… it looked very fierce.
It suddenly showed its sharp claws and, with a whoosh, tore open her sleeve.
Her bare skin was exposed to the damp, cold air of the dungeon, making her shiver.
A large, powerful claw gripped her hand, and the beautiful, ferocious wolf’s head slowly approached.
Yu Jiao: “!?”