Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 616: What Future Awaits Us?

Nikolai sat opposite Verda, with Zara to his right, leaning close enough to feel the cool touch of her pink flesh as she peeked at him with a soft gaze, as if worried. The atmosphere of the room changed after he checked the documents and accepted Verda’s apology.

"Don’t worry, I can see why you did it."

He glanced at Verda, who changed completely after their fight. No longer sharp like a cold blade, but soft and malleable like when he met her in the inn.

"I’m glad you can, my cute little niece might never forgive me."

"Aunt!" Zara scolded her aunt with a sharp glare.

"That’s Captain to you."

"Hmph!"

When he read the documents, Nikolai learned a lot from the information—the power structure of the enemy and how Nosferatu structured their forces. In the past, he just jumped into the fire and fought like a fool.

’To think I have ignored such basic information.’

In the past, he knew for a fact his father, or the elders, must have dealt with these things in the background, and just let him rush in like a bull in a china shop. Not because he lacked the intelligence or ability, but likely because the method suited him best in the past.

However, he’d also noticed the paperwork and things he needed to complete started rising in amount and difficulty each day that passed. Especially after the gates appeared, he realised that his father still helped him too much.

"So, what do you think?" Verda, the Captain of the shadow guard, asked him with a cunning smirk. "Are you still willing to help?"

Nikolai sat straight, his eyes shifting between the document and her face. There wasn’t any need to ask this question, but he appreciated it anyway.

"Of course, if I can help you, Captain. Then I will help you as Zara’s future spouse."

He felt a sharp pain in his thigh as the embarrassed little Djinn princess pinched his flesh and twisted it. But this was the attitude he must take. After fighting their leader, he needed to show a sign of connection to keep these Shadow Guards on Zara’s side.

"Then, tomorrow we’ll be sending you and a group of skilled warriors to the secondary palace, where their deputy leaders live."

"The operation is to sneak in and assassinate them. Then destroy the palace."

"Here are the operation files; study them tonight."

Verda didn’t mess around with the liberation of her people. In the documents Nikolai read, there was a false peace that could collapse at any moment.

He didn’t blame Zara’s brother; Lord Vladik’s document only had praise for the young warrior. What surprised him was that he only became weaker after their parents died in a small skirmish at the border.

"I understand, what weapons or method is preferred?"

Nikolai might be troubled if he didn’t have both Risa and Kumiko’s powers, which allowed him to sneak despite having a huge figure.

"Any method you want, just don’t fail." Verda narrowed her eyes before raising her hand. The next moment, ten shadow guards appeared from nowhere. "These girls will be part of your team, from this moment on. Their lives are on your hands, Prince."

’...’

The pressure made things feel even more realistic.

"Zana, you lead them."

"Eh?!" Zara was the one to gasp, but Zana also showed a strange look as she turned to her cousin with a slightly bitter expression. "Why her and not me?!"

Verda looked at her niece with a soft, but conflicted look.

"You know why, Zara. Your existence is our only hope. With your brother growing weaker each day, there is only you."

Nikolai glanced at Zara, wanting to support her, but this wasn’t the right time. He watched helplessly as her lips trembled. Zara loved this world and her people, but sometimes it was better to just stand back for others.

"If Zana is that much better, why can’t she be the one?!"

"!!!"

Zara’s shout echoed through the room as she slammed the table and rushed away. Nikolai looked at her departing back, about to follow, when he noticed the weary look on Verda’s face, who shifted her gaze to him.

"What are you waiting for? Go to her."

"I know."

He didn’t need telling, but Zara’s words kept replaying in his mind.

’Were these her true feelings?’

Without wasting time, he dashed after her, wanting to hear the answer directly from her lips.

.

.

.

’I messed up!’

’Why can’t I be more mature and serious?!’

’Do I have to be so jealous of her...’

Zara’s heart felt like it might burst when she heard her aunt speaking to Nikolai in such a way. He wasn’t even her lover yet, but she’d asked so much from him. Yes, the pair made a deal, but in reality, it wasn’t Nikolai but she who’d underestimated this challenge.

’I didn’t know he’d have to fight, to kill and stain his hands in blood for me.’

The red walls blurred as she tripped and swayed while running as fast as she could, knowing that a certain sweet werewolf would soon rush after her, comfort her and accept her selfish and childish sides.

"Why am I so weak?!"

She knew.

The reason her aunt didn’t send her was that she was defective; her pathetic amount of Soul Force might destroy a single foe or two. But what about ten, or twenty?! Her tiny amount of power was pathetic compared to her aunt and cousin.

Verda inherited the best parts of both Ishtar and Shamash, just like Zana, but Zara inherited the negative parts of Shamash and Ishtar!

Thud!

She found a small, hidden corridor with a half-developed shaft and slammed her back against the wall, curling up.

"Who is a genius?!"

Zara’s voice twisted as she mocked herself. She wasn’t a genius; the level of soul force manipulation she used wasn’t natural, but something from training painstakingly over twenty years, without a moment of rest.

Because her parents died, nobody knew this.

The public believed the propaganda about her abilities, but in reality, she wasn’t the genius they thought.

’That term is suited for my cousin, Zana.’

Sadly, she couldn’t say these things honestly; there wasn’t someone she could open up to and until recently, Zara began to enjoy that title of genius until she met Sasha, Nikolai and the women who lived in his mansion.

When she made the marriage pact to save his mother, it was purely because Zara didn’t have any other choice!

Without his help, she would fail.

Tap Tap!

Zara tucked her head in as she heard heavy steps echo through the tunnels. In her mind, she wanted him to find her and say everything is okay. Yet, another part of her wanted him to berate her for being childish and stupid.

Crack!

Suddenly, a huge fist slammed into the wall above her head. The force was so heavy that it sent massive cracks along the surface. Debris fell on her, and she lifted her head to see the intruder.

"Found you."

Nikolai’s low voice sent tingles down her spine as she peered up at his huge figure.

’Was he always this big?’

Her thoughts were in a mess.

Zara didn’t even speak; she just stared at him in silence.

"What’s wrong? You look like an abandoned cat. Why act so dramatically all the time?"

Her body shuddered from the harsh tone, and yet Zara couldn’t look away or ignore him. Why did he treat her so well? If he wanted, he could just leave and not deal with her stupid tantrums and childish mannerisms.

"It doesn’t matter what you can do now."

"Eh?" She replied.

Zara’s defences crumbled when he switched from a harsh tone to a softer, deeper tone like melted chocolate.

"It doesn’t matter if you’re jealous of Zana. I am not her husband, but yours."

Ba-dump

Her heart throbbed at his words as she felt her throat become dry and sore.

"If you want to stand at the top, I will put you there. If you want to fight, we fight, and if you want to escape, we flee."

"All that matters is what you want, and how you wish to do it."

Ba-Dump

Zara didn’t know what to say; his words and the offers he gave were so simple, yet his sharp eyes watched her with such sincerity that her words became stuck in her throat.

’What is this?’

She couldn’t stop the tears from dripping from her eyes, unable to control the boiling emotions that suddenly overwhelmed her. After trying so hard alone, she didn’t know this feeling well.

A warmth spread through her body.

As if she swallowed the sun, but it gave her infinite energy.

"You." She spoke with a hoarse, slightly dry voice.

Nikolai just smiled back at her; he didn’t rush her to speak, nor did he lecture her. All he did was reach out and brush the tears from her cheeks with his huge thumbs that squished her soft flesh flat.

’I don’t know what this is... but I don’t want it to stop.’

Her heart pounded.

Her throat remained dry, no matter how many times she swallowed.

The heat in her abdomen grew the more she looked at his face.

His smile made all her dark and depressive thoughts recede.

As if he were the sun itself.

’No, he’s more like the moon, gently shining its light down on me as I read alone in the darkness.’

’Don’t blame me, this is all on you.’

’From now on, no matter what future awaits us... I will follow you to the end.’

.

.

.

’I can’t deal with women’s tears.’

Nikolai couldn’t help but wonder if he made a mistake coming to Al’Qutar.

He didn’t know how to fix the issue between Zara and her cousin, knowing the feeling of being inferior or weak. Those feelings lingered with Nikolai from the moment he awakened until a short time ago.

"Y—!?"

Before he could speak again.

Zara grabbed his cheeks and leaned close, kissing him on the lips.