Chapter 25
Pei Wang, half-kneeling on the floor, looked terrible. His breathing was ragged, the veins on the back of the hand pressed against the bed were bulging, and the bed frame even began to make a splintering sound.
It was the first time Fu Xia had ever seen him sweat so much.
Last time, at the club, even when he was tied up and toyed with, he had only been flushed, remaining calm and rational overall. But now, he was on the verge of losing control.
But why had his eyes turned red? Could it be that he wasn’t human, but a jiangshi?
Her fear reached its peak and quickly morphed into a stubborn need to know why, even if it meant dying.
Fu Xia’s gaze lingered on his face for a few extra seconds.
…Alright, even looking like this, it didn’t detract from his handsome face. In fact, it added a certain wildness to it.
Taking advantage of the fact that he was suppressing some kind of impulse, Fu Xia carefully shuffled across the bed and quickly straightened her clothes. That way, if she needed to run, she could do it faster.
“…Don’t move,” Pei Wang commanded.
Her attempt to flee would only trigger his hunting instincts, urging him to pin her down and sink his fangs into her veins.
He took a deep breath. “Answer my question.”
Fu Xia was certain she had only drunk water today; she hadn’t even eaten much for lunch. “I really only drank water today!”
At this point, trying to trace what she had eaten or drunk was meaningless.
Pei Wang’s eyelids lifted. “There are ropes in the drawer. Tie me up.”
The situation was like being thrown into a cage with a lion that not only wanted to eat her but probably wanted her body, too. It was too bizarre.
Fu Xia nearly tripped as she got out of bed. Her hands were shaking. Pei Wang remained in his half-kneeling position, his back slightly arched. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but she forced her trembling hands to find the red ropes in the bedside table.
…He collects these himself?
The thought flashed through her mind as she quickly scrambled to his side. The red-eyed young man only glanced at her once, holding himself back with great effort as he put his hands behind his back.
“Don’t go out right now.”
Pei Wang’s head was bowed. He could feel her fingertips accidentally brush against his skin, and the thirst in his throat grew more intense. Along with the urge to drink human blood, he felt a real, physical pain.
—A vampire’s ability only failed under two conditions.
One, the target was stronger than him, with a purer bloodline.
The other was if the target was their [Lighthouse].
Vampires were an immortal race. Whether awake or asleep, they spent most of their long lives immersed in darkness. A Lighthouse meant that the person themselves held an extreme attraction for the vampire, so strong that they could become the only guiding light in the darkness.
Of course, this effect was not mutual. The person who became a Lighthouse might feel nothing for the vampire, but the vampire would be limited by them—their abilities would no longer work on this special person. A Lighthouse held an extreme attraction, and their blood could even temporarily disable a vampire’s powers. If the Lighthouse was harmed, the vampire was very likely to break down.
…With a Lighthouse came a weakness. After all, they were the only one in a long, eternal life.
And the fact that Fu Xia was completely immune to his power of [Domination and Conquest] meant she was very likely his Lighthouse. For Pei Wang, who neither understood nor needed love, this was a difficult thing to accept.
He lowered his eyes. “Wait until the sun rises before you step out that door.”
He didn’t even know why he was warning her. Was it because he didn’t want his captured prey to be snatched by someone else, or was it a flicker of compassion that had never existed before?
Fu Xia, however, didn’t even know vampires existed, let alone that she had become such a special figure.
It took all her strength to tie the ropes. This time, she didn’t use any technique; she just tied them as tightly as she could, in case he suddenly had a rabid fit and lunged at her. After all that, she felt her period, which hadn’t been painful before, was about to start hurting.
She took a deep breath and sat down on the carpet, far away from him. Her legs were weak.
With so many red-eyed people at the school, she felt it would be hard to continue her normal life. Listening to his increasingly heavy breathing, she was silent for a few seconds before asking, “…What’s with your eyes and your teeth?”
Pei Wang didn’t answer. He was enduring extreme pain. This was beyond a normal craving for blood; it was more like he had been injected with some kind of poison, making it difficult for the proud Prince to maintain his sanity in front of a human. If she were to stab him in the heart with a silver weapon right now, she could end his life.
Fu Xia fumbled for the light switch. She could now see his posture clearly. The young man who had always seemed so arrogant and superior was now practically curled up on the floor. For some reason, blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth.
Fu Xia felt a surge of anxiety. Her question remained unanswered, and the fear of the unknown welled up again. It was useless to tell herself to stay calm. And if she had to stay here all night, could he really control himself?
“…Is there anything I can do to help you?” she asked.
“Blood.”
When a vampire was seriously injured, besides falling into a deep sleep, only a large transfusion of blood could help them recover quickly.
“…Mine?”
Hers would be more effective, of course, but he wasn’t sure he could stop himself from draining her dry.
The young vampire quickly gave an order. “Go out the door, first room on the left. Get five blood bags from the top shelf of the fridge.”
“If I do this, will you forgive my debt?”
Pei Wang’s head snapped up to look at her. “…”
Lacking all courage, Fu Xia scurried out the door, bracing herself against the wall.
Pei Wang’s residence wasn’t huge, but the overall environment was dim. She soon saw the door to the room. She pushed it open, and the scent of old wood filled her nostrils. In the faint light, she saw that the room was filled with numerous bookshelves, like giants in the dark, casting long shadows on the floor.
Is Pei Wang the type to have a library at home? And a fridge next to the bookshelves? What a weird combination.
She turned on the light and was about to walk to the fridge when she stopped by one of the shelves.
…A Brief History of the Vampire Race?
As a bright young student, Fu Xia’s mind worked quickly. The blood-red eyes, the loss of control at the sight of blood, the calm attitude toward death, the lack of injuries after a fight… All the signs pointed to an unlikely truth.
She reached out and pulled the book that had caught her eye from the shelf. It probably hadn’t been touched in a long time, and since Pei Wang didn’t like others invading his territory, it was covered in a thin layer of dust.
She opened the first page.
Time was short. She didn’t know when he might break free and come after her.
[…also known as vampires… feed on the blood of humans and other animals…]
[…ordinary combat will not cause injury, only silver weapons will truly harm…]
[…the succession of the Progenitor’s power is not limited to a single path…]
Fu Xia instinctively flipped to the chapter on silver weapons. She had a basic understanding of vampires; the most important thing now was to find a way to protect herself. But she quickly discovered that humans couldn’t do much harm to them. Vampires had existed for too long, and the upper echelons of human society were already infiltrated. Trying to fight these non-human creatures alone would only invite a more violent retaliation.
As she continued to skim through the pages, the window was tapped twice.
Fu Xia instinctively hid the book behind her back and looked at the window. A young man in a stealth suit and a mask was trying to pry it open.
“Yan Zhu!”
Seeing the familiar mask, she let out a sigh of relief, but then a strange thought occurred to her. …If Pei Wang was a vampire, then what were Xie Rin and Yan Zhu, who could fight him on even terms? What was the purpose of these people who had all appeared in her life around the same time?
She was about to think more on it, but Yan Zhu had already pushed the window open and nimbly climbed inside.
Seeing the book in her hand, he actually stumbled as he landed, before quickly steadying himself.
“…Pei Wang next door is dangerous. I’ll take you away.”
Fu Xia calmly took a step back, placed the book on the shelf, and walked toward the fridge. “No,” she said. “He was the one who got me out of the theater. I have to give him these blood bags first.”
…The good news was, Pei Wang’s faction and Yan Zhu’s were not on good terms.
Yan Zhu reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Don’t worry about him. He won’t die.”
“I said I’m going,” Fu Xia insisted. If they end up fighting, can I make a clean getaway?
“Xie Rin is here too,” Yan Zhu said urgently. “Fu Xia, you’re in danger right now.”
At such a close distance, he could smell two different scents of blood on her. He was already fighting the urge to fall to his knees, pin her against the bookshelf, and feast. If they didn’t leave now, that lunatic Xie Rin, who had even less self-control than Pei Wang, would devour her from the inside out.
It would be best if Pei Wang held off Xie Rin, Xie Rin seriously injured Pei Wang, and then the half-breeds came and killed them both, Yan Zhu thought coolly. The Progenitor is dead anyway; losing two Prince-level figures is no big deal.
But Fu Xia is the Progenitor’s chosen key. If we elope, where should we go?
As he was thinking this, the girl’s wrist twisted in his grasp. Fu Xia pulled her hand free. “I’ll just give this to Pei Wang first, and then we can go,” she said suddenly.
“It’s dangerous,” Yan Zhu repeated.
Fu Xia took the blood bags from the fridge. “I know.”
It’s not like going with you would be any safer—!
The room fell silent. Yan Zhu was wearing a mask, so she couldn’t see his expression, but she could tell from his tense posture that he was reluctant. Just then, a loud crash came from the next room, like something being slammed against a wall.
“…You can come with me,” Fu Xia said.
Yan Zhu let out a bitter laugh. He couldn’t very well say he had come secretly to take her away, could he? The vampire who had never intended to join the competition now deeply regretted his initial decision. He quickly followed her, his gaze lingering on the book she had put down before quickly looking away.
Yan Zhu could feel her heart beating rapidly. It had been the same when she’d seen him. Her body language betrayed her nervousness, but she was a smart human and knew she shouldn’t expose him without being certain.
…Will she run away?
Unacceptable. Absolutely not allowed. Yan Zhu liked the way she looked at him, and he was determined to keep her eyes on him always.
The heterochromatic vampire pulled his hood lower and followed her.
Fu Xia hugged the blood bags and hurried down the corridor. He stopped at the door. She held her breath, her gaze following the moonlight.
The door was open.
A beautiful young man in a stealth suit was sitting on the windowsill. His eyes glowed with a dangerous red light in the darkness, and his legs were swinging, as if he were watching an amusing game.
Xie Rin gave her a sweet smile. “Sweetie, I’ve come to save you.”