NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88: Carmilla
The pain I felt couldn't be a coincidence. The moment I had contemplated forgetting about fulfilling my promise to Carmilla, agony had nearly killed me. That level of precise timing was impossible to attribute to chance.
My mind raced back to that fateful encounter in that realm, specifically to the moment she had fed me her blood.
"Could it be..."
A grim smile formed on my face as the pieces fell into place. Carmilla hadn't trusted me. No, of course she hadn't. Someone at her level of power and experience knew exactly what she was doing when she had fed me her blood.
She had planted a damn safeguard directly into my heart through her blood.
The realization was both infuriating and grudgingly impressive. If I so much as entertained thoughts of breaking my promise to rescue her, I would receive this agonizing warning. And if my suspicions were correct, attempting to actually abandon her might result in death itself.
Carmilla had effectively turned my own cardiovascular system into a magical contract enforcement mechanism. Every drop of her blood now flowing through my veins served as a constant reminder of my obligation to her.
The cunning of it was diabolical. She hadn't relied on my honour, my gratitude, or my word as a fellow vampire. Instead, she had created a biological imperative that made betraying her literally painful, possibly fatal.
"Brilliant," I muttered under my breath, equal parts annoyed and impressed by her foresight.
Carmilla's POV
In an unknown realm that existed between dimensions, where shadows writhed with malevolent life and the very air hummed with power, I remained bound by chains forged from materials that predated most civilizations.
These shackles had held me for countless years, their metal drinking in my strength and preventing any attempt at escape. Yet even here, in this prison designed specifically to contain beings of my magnitude, I maintained certain... connections.
My eyes fluttered open as a familiar sensation rippled through the mystical bond I had so carefully established with an interesting, cute, little new-born vampire. The blood I had given to that young vampire was more than a powerup, it was a tether, a window into his very soul.
A smile broke across my face, revealing my canines that gleamed like polished ivory in the realm's perpetual twilight.
"How do you like my gift... hehe."
The new-born had just discovered the true nature of our arrangement. I knew that he was intelligent enough to grasp the implications quickly. Otherwise, I would have never allowed him to touch me, let alone drink my blood, directly from my neck
My laughter echoed through the empty realm. After so many years of imprisonment, it felt delicious to know that my liberation was only a matter of time under that new-born. With his talent, he should be able to rise high.
The blood contract I had woven into his very essence would ensure his compliance. Betray me, and face agony.
"Don't take too long...it's lonely out here, hehe." I whispered into the void.
***
"Are you sure you are okay?" Kojiro asked me for the third time, his concern evident in his dark eyes.
"I'm fine, Kojiro. Also, I will unsummon you for now. I will summon you back some time later, okay? I want you to meet a few people," I said, still feeling the lingering effects of that mysterious pain but determined to proceed with my plans.
Kojiro nodded respectfully. "Alright."
With that, I focused my will and unsummoned him, watching as he dissolved back into the card with the familiar flash of light. I then left the training room, abandoning the remaining five minutes of my rental time. The few points worth of time didn't matter compared to what I needed to accomplish.
Making my way outside the academy grounds, I spotted one of my guards stationed at his designated patrol point. My personal guards were named Lex and Lux, brothers who had been cultivated by my family from a young age. They were no longer young men, now in their late twenties, but their loyalty to the Blackwood house was absolute.
"Take me to your house. I need to talk to you both," I said to Lex, who immediately straightened at my approach.
"Yes, young master," he replied without hesitation.
They led me through the nearby residential district to their shared dwelling, which wasn't far from the academy's perimeter. Entering inside, I was reminded of my father's generous treatment of his servants. The house was genuinely luxurious, spacious rooms, quality furnishings, and magical amenities that reflected their status as Transcendent-rank awakeners in service to a ducal house.
When we arrived in the main living area, I discretely retrieved Kojiro's card from my storage and activated it without warning.
Flash!
The familiar burst of light filled the room as Kojiro materialized in his combat gear, his imposing two-meter frame suddenly occupying the center of the space.
Both Lex and Lux were immediately on high alert, their hands moving instinctively to their weapons as someone had just appeared randomly inside their secure residence without any warning or detection.
"Be careful, young master!" Lex shouted, his sword already half-drawn as both brothers moved to protective positions around me.
Lux's body blazed with Transcendent-rank power as he prepared to engage what appeared to be an intruder. "How did he get past our detection wards?"
"Stop! He's with me. I want you to meet him," I said quickly, raising my hands to prevent an unnecessary confrontation.
Both of my guards looked visibly shocked and confused. They could clearly sense that Kojiro was at the peak of Elite-rank, yet he had appeared as if he had simply materialized from thin air. Their faces showed the bewilderment of experienced warriors encountering something completely outside their understanding.
I could see the questions forming in their minds, but I had no intention of explaining the card's mechanics. They knew better than to press for details when I chose not to elaborate on family secrets.