My Blood Legacy: Bloodlines

Anette sat sprawled in one of the chairs near the window, one leg crossed over the other, wearing a clearly bored expression.

Chysis was on the other side of the small room, reviewing reports while sipping blood from a goblet; she had realized minutes ago that the Princess hadn’t come there just to stare at the ceiling.

"Is Victor fully recovered?" Anette finally asked.

Chysis looked up from the document, fixing her gaze on the supposed Vampire Princess—who looked simply... embarrassed.

"He is," she said curtly.

Anette seemed to pay closer attention to her, continuing with words that Chysis would go on to completely misinterpret.

"Did the coma leave any lasting effects?" she asked with concern.

*That girl...* Chysis felt a twinge of jealousy rise up the back of her neck, causing her skin to flush slightly pink.

"No." Chysis set the report down on the table harder than intended. "He’s fine now. His energy has returned to normal, his body is functioning just as it used to, and honestly, he’s probably already planning to leave here again."

"Leave?"

"Temporarily."

"To where?"

Chysis picked up her goblet and took a small sip, observing how the other woman’s worried expression was becoming increasingly apparent.

"The Domain of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon," she finally answered, sensing that the girl was after something specific.

"Rakshasa." Anette’s expression shifted instantly; the name left a look of deep disappointment on her face.

The disappointment was immense—painfully obvious, in fact—as her pale hands clenched tight enough to dig her nails into her palms.

"So, he’s going to visit her," she said, gritting her teeth yet maintaining her composure. Well, that was what *she* thought; Chysis was already itching to give her a good, hard smack, seeing as Chysis was a bit... temperamental when it came to new women getting close to Victor.

"Probably," she said, a hint of bitterness in her voice. Obviously, she didn’t like sharing Victor’s attention with Rakshasa either.

Anette glanced toward the window and fell into thought for a moment, her expression softening slightly.

Her eyes turned back to Chysis.

"Before they approve his release... can I speak with him?" she asked hesitantly.

"You want to talk to my grandson?" She slowly lowered her glass.

"I do."

"The spoiled princess who tried to attack him from behind after being rejected at the ball."

"Did you have to mention that part?"

"Considering he views you as an enemy—yes, I did," Chysis said, looking at her. "You know full well why; don’t play the saint."

"I’m not playing the saint; I just didn’t think that incident was all that important."

Chysis let out a laugh.

"Fufufu~ So let me get this straight. After that public humiliation, you want me to go to Victor and tell him you wish to speak with him?"

Anette remained silent for a few seconds; she knew she had no right to bother him now, especially given recent events.

Yet, despite the humiliation, she needed to do this—or at least, she needed to try. So, she looked into Chysis’s red eyes and nodded.

"Yes, please," she asked—or rather, practically pleaded, even bowing her head slightly.

Chysis blinked repeatedly, witnessing for the first time in her life that arrogant, spoiled vampire asking for something politely.

"Why?" she asked, truly interested now.

"It’s a delicate matter—on my end. I just want to reveal it." Chysis let out a soft laugh.

"That answer doesn’t help me help you, Anette."

"I’m not asking for help; I’m asking for a favor." Anette uncrossed her legs and sat up a little straighter. "I want to handle this on my own."

Chysis studied her expression.

This time, Anette didn’t look irritated by wounded pride, nor did she seem to be plotting some idiotic revenge. She was clearly still uncomfortable, but there was a more serious tone to the way she spoke.

"Handle what?" Chysis asked.

Anette looked away, avoiding Chysis’s gaze.

"I said it’s my business. Please, respect that."

"How do I know you won’t attack him, hmm? Knowing you, there’s a better than 70% chance his body would turn up drained of every drop of blood." Chysis crossed her arms, eyeing her appraisingly. "He’s my grandson; I’m not going to risk him suffering because of your lack of maturity."

Anette snorted.

"I know I screwed up. Stop throwing it in my face like that. I’m trying to do better, okay? Just give me a chance to fix my mistakes. I’ll apologize to him with my head bowed low if that’s what it takes for you to trust me a little," Anette said, sounding truly determined.

Chysis fell silent.

Anette noticed and grimaced.

"Don’t look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you just heard a miracle."

"Well, it was pretty close to that."

Anette took a deep breath to avoid starting another argument. She actually counted to three before speaking again.

"I just want to talk to him," she said, keeping the true nature of the conversation under wraps until the end. "No guards, no you by my side, no dad lurking in the shadows somewhere, and no Rakshasa glaring at me like she wants to rip my head off."

"Fufufu~ That last part might be tricky," she chuckled softly.

"He’s going to bring *her* along, isn’t he?"

"Probably later on. It seems he wants to speak with the Heavenly Demon about something related to martial arts."

"Even better, then."

Anette rested her hands on her knees.

"Just let him know I want to talk before they approve the outing."

"You know he might refuse."

"I know."

"And you won’t attack him if he refuses."

"I already said I wouldn’t."

"I want to hear it again."

"I won’t attack Victor."

"Great."

"So, will you let him know?"

"I will."

"Thanks."

Chysis paused with her glass just inches from her lips, then looked at her.

"What?"

"You said thanks."

"Go fuck yourself."

Chysis smiled.

"Now *that’s* back to normal."

...

Warm water covered much of Victor’s body as he leaned back in the enormous bathtub, his head resting against the rim and his eyes half-closed.

Carmilla lay draped over him, practically using his chest as a pillow while her body remained pressed snugly against his. After Victor had spent a full month in a coma, she seemed to have decided that physical distance was completely unnecessary for the time being.

"Do you have to leave again already?" Carmilla asked, sounding a bit sulky as she ran her fingers over his chest. "You just woke up."

"I’m not disappearing for six months." Victor chuckled softly. "I’m just going to visit Rakshasa. I still need to tell her everything I told you guys."

"It still counts as leaving," she murmured, pouting. She had been getting cuter and cuter lately.

Carmilla lifted her face slightly before bringing her lips close to his neck, her fangs slowly sinking into his skin. Victor felt the bite but didn’t react much, simply resting a hand on her waist as Carmilla began to drink his blood calmly.

"Mm..." Carmilla closed her eyes, satisfied. "I miss you already... loving you is so frustrating."

"You’re jumping the gun—missing me already when I’m right here in one piece?" He laughed, stroking the wet strands of her snow-white hair.

"I’m getting ahead of myself," she murmured. "With you, I need to cherish every second. Just the thought of you being away... it makes me sad, you know?"

"You’ve gotten pretty spoiled, huh?" Victor chuckled under his breath and let her drink for a few more seconds, then turned his head slightly and brought his mouth close to her neck.

Carmilla realized what he intended to do and tilted her head to the side without a hint of resistance.

"Are you going to drink too?" she asked, pouting playfully.

Victor didn’t answer; he simply bit her neck. Her fangs pierced his skin easily, and blood began to flow into his mouth. He drank slowly, keeping one hand on Carmilla’s waist as she remained leaning against him.

"Hmm?~" After a few swallows, Victor paused, realizing something had changed during the time he’d been in a coma.

Carmilla looked up when she noticed him stop.

Victor ran his tongue over the small wound before looking at her with a curious expression.

"Your blood is getting tastier, you know? And I’m not even flirting." He said this with a mischievous smile that made Carmilla blush slightly.

"Good thing that wasn’t a pickup line." She let out a soft, suppressed laugh.

"Now that I think about it..." Victor murmured casually. "You’re much more relaxed... and also..." he whispered into her ear, "...you’re much hotter, too."

"Now *that* was a good pickup line." Carmilla said, resting her head back on his chest, clearly pleased with the correction.

"It’s because my power is returning," he explained, trailing his finger through the water. "The more my essence recovers, the more my blood reverts to its original state."

"I’d noticed that, but the taste of your blood only started changing recently."

"Yeah, a lot really changed in my biology while I was recovering." Carmilla made a small gesture with her hand. "The initial parts came back relatively fast because my body still remembered perfectly how it was supposed to function. It’s slowing down now, but the changes are more noticeable—like my beauty, my hair looking more vibrant, my lips, and, of course, my blood."

Victor caressed the side of her waist.

"Are you still below the Genesis level, unfortunately? I wish you could show yourself to the Valentines; it would be amazing to see them realize you’re very much alive."

"There’s still a long way to go; I’m well below that."

"That’s kind of absurd, considering how much of my blood you drink." Victor caressed her.

"Not for someone who practically died and spent thousands of years sealed away." She made light of her own tragic history.

"Fair enough."

Victor remained silent for a few seconds as Carmilla went back to slowly drinking from his neck; it was actually cute seeing her so at peace like that. It warmed Victor’s heart.

"Speaking of which..." he remarked.

"Hmm?"

"What exactly are the stages of vampire power?"

She pulled her mouth away from his neck and stared at Victor as if he had just asked a particularly odd question.

"You’re asking this now?"

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"What’s the problem?"

"You’ve spent all this time training, fought some of the strongest vampires in the Kingdom, and never asked how the ranking system works?"

"I knew Genesis was very strong." Carmilla kept staring. "And I knew Transcendent was stronger."

"Victor."

"I had other things to do."

"You’re unbelievable."

"But are you going to explain?"

"I am."

She shifted slightly on top of him before continuing.

"I don’t know the current classification, but the old one has six major stages: Awakened Blood, Noble Blood, Elder, Monarch, Genesis, and finally, Transcendent."

"Well, that’s simpler than what my mother said. But after hearing ’Genesis this’ and ’Genesis that’ all the time, I got a bit confused."

Carmilla rested her chin on his chest.

"Most of the vampires you consider monstrously strong fall between Elder and Monarch. High-ranking generals, heads of great families, some Blood Kings... though ’Blood King’ is a title, not a stage."

Victor nodded again; he just wanted to understand it as clearly as possible. "So, what stage do you think I’m at?"

"I think the same as me: Monarch." She spoke, curious to see his reaction.

But his reaction never came—only a knock on the bathroom door.

Knock. Knock.

"Yes?" Carmilla answered first.

"Victor." Scarlet’s voice came from the other side. "There’s a vampire here saying Chysis sent a message."

Victor raised his eyebrows.

"What message?"

"It’s for you alone; he refuses to leave without delivering it in person."

Victor sighed. "Looks like our leisure time is over, darling." He kissed her cheek. "Let’s go downstairs."

"Oh, bummer..." She gave a sad look.