Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 613 613: A Promise to Fulfil

Nikolai listened to Zara's long, enthusiastic explanation of the Djinn and their history, which might have a little mythology mixed in. But. He also knew more than the regular person and believed what she said to be almost completely true.

'So the blood passed down doesn't always gift the descendant with their deities' natural abilities.'

This fate couldn't be crueller for Zara; she'd inherited the strongest factor of Ishtar's blood, but from Nikolai's estimate, she also inherited part of the Shamash bloodline.

'It's not that her Soul Force is low...'

'But she used most of it to reinforce her body, and enhance her physical form...'

Suddenly, a voice disturbed them as he was analysing her story.

"Princess?"

The voice caused Zara's shoulders to shake as she glanced at the woman.

The woman wrapped in black fabric, hiding everything but her eyes and nose, scanned across Nikolai and Zara. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't speak. Her gaze lingered on Nikolai for several seconds.

Then she turned to Zara.

"The Leader is currently recovering, Princess." She hesitated. "The Vice Leader is in the cafeteria if you need her."

Nikolai watched the two women; he couldn't help but notice the aura of respect, hope and affection coming from the black-clad woman towards Zara. However, the colours of envy, anxiety, curiosity and worry appeared when she glared at him.

'Good, she's not an enemy.'

"Zana is?"

Her tone lacked the usual confidence and power whenever she spoke her cousin's name, much different from the reaction given to her aunt.

The guard nodded.

"I see, thanks for the hard work. Return to your duties."

Nikolai watched Zara intently. Whenever she spoke to the guard, the tone and feeling of her voice became more serious and lacked her usual persona. He wondered if this side of her was something she valued, or if she forced herself to act this way.

'Come to think of it, she's never said she wanted to become queen.'

'It was only about her family, or people...'

He shook his head, throwing those thoughts out of his mind, worrying that it might lead to a complicated ending.

"Come on, Nikolai."

"Ah?" He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of her voice. "See... she's much livelier when speaking to me." He mumbled.

"Did you say something?" She turned back with a smile.

"N-No, just complaining about the darkness."

"Hm."

Nikolai heard her snort and let out a sigh of relief. Seeing this reaction, he felt much better, although he didn't know what he could do in the future. If he could help her relax and calm herself. Then that was enough for him for now.

The corridor seemed to go on for hours, with several left and right turns. Finally, the low whispers of conversation and metal clashing sounded.

"This must be the place." Zara hummed, patting herself clean of dust.

She placed a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. But Nikolai's enhanced hearing picked up her soft, breathless whisper. "I'm okay."

'This girl.'

Before she stepped forward, he gripped her shoulder. "Zara."

"Hueh!?"

Suddenly pulled back, she turned too quickly and almost fell to the ground.

"Don't force yourself." Nikolai grabbed her waist and pulled the Djinn princess closer, and muttered just high enough for her to hear him.

"N-Nikolai?" She looked at him with wide eyes, placing both palms on his chest as the pink colour of her skin turned darker, almost becoming bright red. "Wh-What're you doing?!"

"Foolish girl, your legs were like jelly. After your story and meeting her. Did you think I wouldn't understand your feelings even a little?"

Nikolai couldn't explain his feelings fully; he just wanted to hug her. So he did. The coolness of her skin, how it softly squished between his fingers. These were all minor reasons; he just didn't want to see her look so weak.

"..."

Her mouth opened several times, like a fish's.

She squeezed his muscular chest, her teeth sinking into her lips as she glanced back up, embarrassed and shy.

Honestly, he did not love her.

But Princess Zara was a woman he liked, at least. And since she would become his wife, that caused Nikolai to act the same as he would for Leona, Anya, Clara, or his other beloved women, and he didn't care what others might think.

"Since you're my woman, just rest against my chest and regain your confidence. Push out your chest and take pride, if not in yourself. Then the fact that you've made this wolf who stands at the top of a race fall for you."

'Well, a little exaggeration should help, right?'

After the explosion, Nikolai changed his thoughts on visiting this world; he no longer believed it would end peacefully. Thus, he needed to have his most trusted partner confident and ready to act in any situation.

'I must sever their strange rivalry, or help this lovely woman surpass her current self.'

He could help in several ways, using his blood, training with her or just emotionally.

"N-Nikolai..." The breathless and blushing Djinn Princess finally seemed to have regained her sense of self and pushed against his chest. "I'm okay now, thank you."

"Alright. Let's go, don't forget I'm with you all the way."

"No matter what you choose."

.

.

.

'How can he say these things as a matter of fact?!'

Zara's heart pounded like a hammer against her chest as she pulled back from Nikolai's embrace. 'He feels so warm, and smells good.' She shook her head and looked at his face with a sense of affection and appreciation.

'Whenever I stray or doubt myself this man...'

'Not only that, but my hypothesis was correct: the denser my connection, the faster I gain power and soul force.'

Yet, she wanted to deny these thoughts.

'No!'

It wasn't the soul force that made his embrace so nice.

"Let's go, Nikolai!"

Without the heavy clouds and fear of meeting Zana again, Zara curled her lips into a smile as she pushed open the double doors.

The cold surface was refreshing.

Clack!

Instantly, Zara noticed the glances of dozens of the Shadow Guard, their faces revealed only when eating or sleeping. She avoided their eyes for a moment before biting the tip of her tongue, replaying Nikolai's words inside her mind.

'I can do this.'

"Princess!"

They suddenly greeted her, about to kneel.

"Stop! Don't waste your meals, remain at ease." Zara didn't need their show of faith or servitude; she remembered her time back in the Volkov mansion and how they treated the maids and servants like family. "Zana, I'll come talk to you once I get myself and Nikolai something to eat."

To Zara's words, Zana's lips curved upwards, and she nodded with eyes like crescent moons.

'She looks... happy?'

This reaction confused Zara, but she continued, taking Nikolai's hand naturally.

"Oh?" The women let out excited gasps as she did.

'Ah?'

Zara knew it might be unbecoming to act this way in public, but she ignored it. Yes. It was her life, and she would act as she wanted.

She glanced at the towering werewolf behind her.

'He said he'd support me, after all.'

Nikolai's lips curved slightly before he winked. "Okay, let's eat you out of house and home."

"Fool." She pouted.

.

.

.

Nikolai's heart calmed after seeing Zara's reaction.

He didn't know the subtle revolution ongoing in her heart and mind, nor how large a part he held in transforming her.

But he didn't care.

Because she was smiling.

.

.

.

A few minutes later, he followed Zara to sit at the table where Zana sat cross-legged on the bench, her food already eaten. Nikolai watched Zara while slowly scooping the rice and curry into his mouth. The heat was just right; he could swear they made it just for him.

"Cousin, or should I call you Vice-Leader of the Shadow Guard right now?" Zara hummed as she spoke. Nikolai's tail slapped the bench because it was pleasant to hear the vibrations travel through his ears and create a tingle in his brain.

'Zara's deep voice is like listening to ASMR.'

Although Nikolai had many women, he had a type, of course. His number one type came from their voice and their personality. He liked rough, husky voices with a lot of bass and feisty, strong women like Nikita, Madoka and Zara.

Djinn females naturally had low voices.

So listening to Zana and Zara speak was like heaven!

"You can call me as you wish, Princess. Or, shall I call you Little Z, like in the past? Fufu." Zana returned Zara's comment like someone who knew her well.

Honestly, Nikolai wanted to enjoy his curry, so he tuned out.

Nom

Nom

Curry finished.

"So, you want me to follow you and help you take back the capital?" Zara's frustrated and raspy voice echoed louder than usual.

"Not you." Zara's tone became stiff before she glanced at Nikolai.

'Hmmm?'

He could see the reluctance and emotions of Zana better than Zara, who could manipulate her soul force better than he could.

Anticipation, Nervousness, Regret, Hope, and Despair.

'She's not asking to be difficult, but practically begging.'

Nikolai watched Zara silently. She seemed to think the same and looked at him. Her face looked grim as she clenched the table tightly. "So, you don't need me... but you just want to use Nikolai, my husband?!"

He couldn't help but force his smile while listening to her words and tone.

Zara didn't want to use him like a tool.

'Even though that's why she brought me here, it's kind of cute to see this girl.'

'What's going through her little head?'

Since she was going so far to show her respect for him, how could he take the world and title husband so lightly? So he tapped the table, his large hand causing a thunderous noise to burst through the quiet cafeteria.

"Excuse me."

"Eh?"

"Hm?"

They both looked at him; their eyes were so similar that he almost made a joke.

'Forget it, forget it.'

"I will help you, under conditions. If you can accept them, I will crush anyone who stands in the way of peace in Al'Qutar."

Zara's mouth dropped as her eyes opened wide.

Zana did the same.

"A-Are you serious? What if you get hurt, or something happens?!" Zara snapped out of her shock and shouted with a nervously higher pitch.

"She's right, this isn't your world or kingdom..." Zana followed Zara so well that Nikolai understood there was never a clash or wall between these two. They both just sucked at communication.

"Zara said I was her husband."

"?"

Zara and Zana both tilted their heads, narrowing their eyes as if thinking about the meaning.

To Nikolai, he inherited his father's old-fashioned morals, so marriage wasn't something light. In fact, unless he was determined to go this far from the moment he promised. He might have delayed reviving his mother.

"Since I am her husband, you are already my people, my family. If Al'Qutar is Zara's homeland, then I will do whatever it takes to protect it."

He turned to face just Zara, reaching out and stroking her cheek with a wink.

"Do you understand?"

In response, the confused, blushing Princess just stared at him as if frozen.