SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God

At the far edge of the shoals, the water opened into a vast lagoon. The sea floor beneath was alive with coral towers and glowing plants, forming a grand natural amphitheater.

At its heart, an enormous stone table of barnacle-encrusted rock had been raised, laden with the sea's bounty, gleaming shells, crimson-scaled fish, and strange fruits. The merfolk surged forward, circling around it, their chants rising to a fever pitch.

Damon leaned back slightly on Erin's coils, smirking at the spectacle. "Huuu. Quite the reception. Almost makes me feel guilty for killing their pet bird in under ten minutes." Erin laughed softly, her forked tongue flicking the air.

The lead merwoman guided Erin closer and bowed deeply. "Blood God, welcome to our humble feast."

Damon lounged in a throne carved from living coral, its jagged edges softened by threads of glowing kelp that shimmered faintly under the lagoon's light. The seat rose above the crowd, placing him at the heart of their celebration.

Before him, merwomen swam in elegant arcs, tails flicking to shimmering rhythms as they twisted through the crimson water with practiced grace. Their hair fanned out like halos of seaweed, their movements fluid and hypnotic.

It was hands down the best dance he had seen so far, and he was definitely not saying that because they were all dancing topless and boobs were jiggling everywhere he looked.

Every single one of them was stunningly beautiful. Perhaps not as much as Erin, but they were beautiful in their own way, elegant and graceful, especially since they were in their element.

Moreover, the feast itself was nothing short of lavish. Long stone tables piled high with steaming platters of roasted crimson fish that split apart to reveal soft white flesh.

Sheets of crackling seaweed seasoned with brine and flame. Shells the size of shields, brimming with glowing pearls of fruit that burst sweet and tart upon the tongue. It was good that he was able to somewhat appreciate food now. Otherwise, he would have missed out on all of this.

The wine was also fantastic. Damon swirled the pale liquid in its coral chalice, watching its faint luminescence ripple as though it held tiny fragments of the moon. It was smoother than any bloodwine he'd ever had, with a biting undertone that left a lingering warmth in his throat. He didn't know what it was made of, but he knew he wanted more.

By the time the last chorus of chants died down, Damon thought the feast had ended. That was, until the crowd parted once more. Two merwomen approached the throne, their scales glistening like jewels under the water's glow.

When they reached him, they lowered their heads reverently, their long hair veiling their faces, and tilted their necks toward him in offering.

Damon's crimson eyes narrowed, hunger flaring unbidden. He had never tasted merwoman blood before, and the sight alone made his fangs ache. He was also pretty aroused right now, thanks to the 'elegant' dance. He leaned forward without hesitation, sinking his fangs into the first pale throat.

The taste exploded across his tongue. He pulled deeper, the merwoman's body shuddering beneath his hands. He released her only to take the second, his lips pressing against her skin as his fangs pierced again. Damon closed his eyes, savoring it.

By the time he pulled back, both merwomen weakly trembled. Damon did not want to be rude, so he quickly thanked them.

The lagoon erupted. The merfolk roared with approval, tridents hammered against stone, tails smacking the water to create waves of thunderous applause. "Blood God! Blood God! He drinks the Tide! He drinks the Tide!"

To Damon's surprise, five more merwomen elegantly glided over to him, once again offering themselves to him.

"Well," Damon laughed awkwardly. "It would be rude to deny such generous hospitality." He then, without hesitation, accepted all the blood that was offered to him.

The ceremony stretched for hours. Damon lost count of how many throats he drank from, though he was careful never to drain too deeply. By the time the last merwoman pulled away, weak but smiling, Damon sank back into his coral throne, quite satisfied.

He had even ended up gaining ten whole points in water affinity thanks to all the blood.

Surprisingly, his act of making sure not to harm them ended up giving him even more reputation points with them. This was good for many reasons. Not only would he be able to broach the topic of their tears, but their location was also pretty close to the portal, which meant that they were an excellent choice for keeping watch over it.

Damon was deep in his thoughts when a couple more merwomen giggled shyly and approached the throne. Both of them clutched shell-shaped trays filled with more offerings. "I am already pretty full. Thank you." Damon politely smiled, but his face instantly changed.

"Everyone! Take cover! Go into the water!" Damon shouted at the top of his lungs.

The merwomen froze, startled by the sudden sharpness in Damon's tone. Their trays clattered against the coral steps, fruits spilling like scattered jewels as panic rippled through the lagoon. For a heartbeat, the celebration stalled, the laughter and chants silenced in a heavy, eerie stillness.

Then the merfolk reacted. In a rush of scales and spray, dozens of tails lashed the water as the merwomen and mermen dove beneath the crimson surface. The lagoon churned violently as the entire crowd scattered, disappearing into the depths. Tridents and coral spears gleamed briefly before vanishing after their wielders.

Damon did not have to warn them twice. It looked like they too sensed it. The purple haze above the black treeline shifted, writhing unnaturally, and then he saw them, shadows blotting out the stars.

Not one, not ten, but an entire murder of crow demons pouring through the night sky like a living storm. Their red eyes glimmered like scattered embers in the void, and their wings beat in a dreadful rhythm that made the very air vibrate.

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