Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 602: Did You Ever Think This Day Would Come?

Ivan stood atop the iron tower which protected the Volkov compound. Beside him, Dimitri leaned on the iron railing with a faint smile. Vladimir stood a metre away, his back against the stone wall as the three men enjoyed a good smoke together.

"Keh! I never thought we’d all be here like this again." Dimitri spat on the floor before taking a drag of his cigar.

The cold wind formed an eerie whistle each time it blew around the tower, but these grown men didn’t care. Instead, they glanced at each other, a group of men who’d spent decades together, fighting, rivalling, but ultimately they were good friends. Brothers.

"Heh, why are you trying to show off?"

"Fuck you, Vlad! You smug bastard."

Dimitri’s silver hair swayed in the air as he jumped at the vampire, their strength enough to shatter this tower, so clearly both limited their power as they fought like university dorm mates, scuffling and putting each other in submission moves.

Ivan’s face beamed while watching this sight.

’A blast from the past.’

If it were normal, he’d jump in with a dropkick, knocking them both down, creating chaos until the teachers and dorm master came to beat them with a slipper.

Watching these two men fight like students, Ivan couldn’t help but chuckle. Thanks to their children, they’d become a true family. It was something he’d abandoned after losing Elizabeth, but now...

’My son, what amazing things you’ve achieved.’

However, his bright expression darkened as he took a drag of his cheap old Malbo cigarette, almost sucking the entire stick dry with a single drag. ’But you’ve suffered too much just to achieve this little bit of happiness... I’ve failed to keep you safe, to shield you from these things that started with us old men.’

"Brothers." His low, hoarse tone caused both men to stop mid-punch, their faces swollen.

"Ivan, what is it?"

"Yo, bro, I was about to win."

"Who was?!"

"Me!"

"Hah?"

Dimitri spat on Vladimir’s expensive suit jacket.

"Fucking dog!"

Vlad slid free and kicked Dimitri’s chest with both his legs, like a tomahawk.

Thud!

"Shit, this shirt was a gift from my wives for our wedding anniversary!"

Dimitri wiped his lips, his face like a vulgar thug as he chuckled. "Kekeke, still a simp you little bitch ass leech!"

"Who is the simp?! You are a little sheep dog for Nagisa! One word and you bark how high. It’s unreal!" Vladimir pointed at the werewolf, his forehead bulging with veins.

The two were about to fight, both of them huffing and puffing their bullshit, while Ivan closed his eyes and shook his head.

"SHUT UP!"

His voice reverberated as thunder rumbled in the distance, "Can you idiots not get along for ten minutes? Who cares if you’re simps? Don’t you love your wives? How is that an insult to you? Are we still eighteen chasing girls?!"

"..."

"..."

The men glared at each other, before glancing at Ivan, before spitting and letting out frustrated huffs.

"Damn, you old dog, when did you get so serious?" Dimitri dropped to his ass, took out another cigar, cut it and then tossed it to Vlad. "Sorry about the shirt, brother... You know how it is."

Vlad caught the cigar with ease, before glancing at Ivan, his eyes carrying a thousand words, before he paused and sealed such thoughts. "Well, we’re past the age for this now."

"Hmph, you two are so pretentious. I didn’t call you here to fight."

Ivan crossed his arms, flicking the extinguished cigarette into the air after taking a deep breath and turning to face the two men. He then curled his lips into a wicked grin, snickering to himself.

"Did either of you think this might happen back then?"

Vlad looked to Dimitri.

Dimitri glanced at Ivan.

Ivan observed them both.

"Like fuck we did!" All three of them said in unison.

Ivan sat with the trio as they all leaned against the iron railing, sitting on the cold stone like homeless old men.

"I thought to myself after that incident, and believed my fate with you both ended forever."

"Man, when I learned about what happened, I wanted to help, but at the time the Fenrir gang had only just gotten stable, not to mention Nikita being so sick..."

"Don’t blame yourself, brother. How can I blame you?"

Vladimir’s face became awkward when speaking of the event, because he gave the information to the Nosferatu and enemies of Volkov. He lamented his actions, but to save his daughters, he wouldn’t lie to his brothers.

"I don’t regret what I did." His elegant and calm tone was like tossing cold water onto the atmosphere between Dimitri and Ivan.

However, to Vladimir’s surprise, they both smiled and looked as if nothing happened.

"If it were the younger me, I’d definitely want to kick your ass and hate you." Dimitri mused, before blowing a ring of smoke. "But, after my two girls... and those cute granddaughters of mine came into my life. I’ve learned the truth." He looked at Vladimir with a sincere gaze.

"Vlad, I would have done the same in your shoes. I’ve touched on this before, but I think we should truly get it out now and bury the hatchet." Dimitri couldn’t speak for Ivan, but he also suffered losses during that time.

Vladimir’s mouth opened, his lips trembling; it almost seemed like tears welled in his eyes, but the big vampire couldn’t be so effeminate. "Fuck... what a cheap shot." He grumbled before taking a drag and running his hand through his black hair. "To be honest, I lied... It’s the biggest damn regret in my life. Even if it was to save my girls, you are my brothers, and I failed you because of my selfish greed."

"Whoa." Dimitri’s mouth opened wide.

’To think Vlad could actually admit his mistakes... Maybe it truly is time to let go.’ Ivan thought back on the past twenty years, raising Nikolai and watching his growth, from a normal human to a proud werewolf and father.

"Mm. Then, let’s consider it forgiven, after all your daughters have done."

"Ivan?"

Dimitri looked astonished.

He couldn’t believe Ivan, the one who kept a grudge against him for stealing his coke for months, would let it go so easily!

"Yeah, it’s been too long and honestly. I would have done the same if it were Nikolai. No, if any of my granddaughters needed me to burn this world to cinders to save them. I would do it at the drop of a hat. So, Vlad, I appreciate your apology, so let’s forget it! Your daughter gave me my first grandson."

"Oi, Bro. What about my Cute Viktoria, Dhalia and Elizabeth!?"

"Tsk, read the room, you blading old wolf."

"Fuck, don’t make this brother break ties and beat you down!"

"Dream on." Ivan snorted.

The scene almost seemed to fade back in time by dozens of years. An image of a young, handsome Vlad, Ivan and Dimitri sat in their rented dorm, fighting, smoking and sneaking around to avoid notice as they all tried to chase girls.

"Leonid, huh... he’s ugly, but those eyes are just like Ivan’s." Dimitri looked at the wallpaper on Ivan’s phone.

He made the lock screen a shot of Dhalia, Viktoria and Elizabeth playing with blocks, and then the two-day-old Leonid, who grew fast. He looked at the camera with silky blond hair and a sharp, thuggish look as his main wallpaper.

"Well, he’s cute." Ivan’s smile grew when speaking about Leonid.

Three men enjoyed a quiet smoke, resting in the momentary peace after dealing with the aftermath of the southern district and the strange gates. They’d seen the strength of those bizarre monsters firsthand and realised that the times changed much faster than they could adapt to it.

"Do you think we can help our children one last time?"

"Nikolai asked me to arrange people to clear the tower in the Nexus constantly, to delay the corruption," Ivan replied to Dimitri.

"Hmm, how about I give you a hand?" Vladimir thought about the blood knights idling around his castle and estate. He knew that while clashing with enemies over the years, the Volkov and Fenrir clans lacked the strength of his clan. "I will have Pierre organise the Blood Knights and trainee squires of Tepes to head into the tower."

The two looked at their stingy brother with strange expressions. "What do you want?"

"N-Nothing."

"Liar! You’ve never done anything for free, you used to charge double the price when we asked for a favour!"

"Tsk, do you have to be so mangy and remember everything, damn dog!"

Vladimir and Dimitri were like liquid and water, constantly clashing with each other, but Ivan liked this atmosphere.

’Most people lose contact with their brothers as they age and life starts to get in the way... to think that we would reunite in such a way. I am a lucky man.’

So while the two idiots fought, he took out his phone and typed a message to his lovely wife, their attempts for a second child a little too aggressive and part of the reason he fled to this tower, sending his wife to Nikolai and Selene to dote on their first grandson.

He gripped the iron railing tightly while looking into the distance, from the information they’d gathered on their enemies. They’d demolished the former Nosferatu mansion and moved to their overseas island.

Ivan nodded as if he made some kind of decision, then turned back to the two men rolling on the floor, fighting each other with a wolfish grin.

"Hey, Brothers! Should we enter the tower together and have some fun in the Arena?"

"What?!"

"Are you serious!?"

One shocked, the other excited, Ivan could only smile.

Yes, this was something he wanted to do after so long of holding back.

He was going to have some fun!

It wasn’t to escape Elizabeth’s constant pushing for another child.

Never!