Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 666 666: A Special Secret

Not long after the fake royal guard infected Nikolai with their strange new creation, Verda rode atop a camel, arriving with a group of now fewer than fifty shadow guard. Each of them was exhausted and covered in wounds themselves, but they arrived.

Nikolai sat on a broken wall, resting both elbows on his thighs.

He watched Verda climb off her mouth and approach them before she cleared her throat and offered an earnest apology.

"It looks like you've dealt with the majority of them while we struggled to even reach here. Forgive us for dragging you into this conflict."

"It's fine."

"Hm?"

Verda tilted her head at his response, her glance shifting to both Lunaria and Sarah before returning to Nikolai.

Though the atmosphere remained tense and a little strange.

She shook her head and continued speaking as she took out a tattered map and a small black box with an antenna.

"The King and Queen are safe, inside the palace, there is a place only those with a special amulet can enter, and even these bombardments cannot damage the inner walls of the palace."

'So they are alive and well, good.'

A heavyweight lifted when learning his brother and sister-in-law were alright.

Nikolai shifted his attention to the small box, a strange item that resembled a smartphone but was much bigger and clunkier.

"Is this some kind of communication device?"

"Y-Yes! It's old, but no matter the difficulties our team has faced, these things can connect no matter where or when! I believe the old man who sold them at the market called them satellite phones?"

Her explanation seemed viable, so he nodded and took one.

'Wait...'

Something didn't add up.

The Nexus was a space that bridged multiple worlds together. This meant that humanity's satellites wouldn't exist in a place like Al'Qutar.

However, if these satellite phones were made on Earth, they could also work here.

Nikolai's stomach churned uncomfortably as he began piecing together everything he'd faced so far, from the moment he met Selene again to reaching this point.

'I guess returning home and speaking with Sasha and my dad would be a good idea. If this kind of thing is well known, I shouldn't be in the dark.'

"What's wrong, honey?" Lunaria clung to his arm and peeked at the satellite phone before returning to his face. "Ah...!" She leaned in closer and covered her lips. "How do these things work when there shouldn't be any satellites in the space around this world?"

"That's what I'm curious about. There are too many things that I don't know." He smiled bitterly, still torn about how his powers failed him for the first time since gaining them.

"Mhm, I'll ask my mom too."

"Is there something wrong with you two?" Verda paused her explanations, frowning at their brief conversation but unable to speak.

"Nothing, just flirting." Lunaria jumped on his lap and winked at Verda.

"Tsk, damn couples!"

...

The discussion lasted quite a while, with the morning sunlight turning to late afternoon as the troops began cooking a large pot of curry and porridge.

Because of the bombing, Vladik ordered Verda's group to hurriedly save the people who had left the palace lacking the proper defences. To avoid the enemy's eyes, they sent duplicates and body doubles to three separate districts.

Which led to the intense battle earlier.

Beep! Beep!

The phone in Nikolai's hand buzzed with a low beeping noise.

"That should be the king!" Verda beamed, almost knocking the huge pot of food on its side in her excitement.

"I'll answer it."

Nikolai technically carried the highest rank here; despite being an outsider, he was still Zara's official fiancé and lover.

Click!

"Hello, this is Bunker One, come in, Shadow Hound, what's the situation outside, over!"

The pretentious voice of Vladik echoed through their small camp, while Nikolai smirked at the stupid nickname given to Verda.

He held the phone to his ear and replied.

"This is Shadow Hound, received. The battle ended in our overwhelming victory. Over!"

There was a long period of silence before the old satellite phone buzzed again, and the voice sounded much more animated and less pretentious.

"B-Brother-in-law?! You're alright, praise the goddess!"

Nikolai shook his head and held the receiver.

"Cut the bullshit, what are you planning to do now? The palace is in ruins, and so is your city. I plan to return home and keep Zara safe, but this attack was NOT the work of Marduke or Balthazar. I believe they were just pawns used and disposed of when no longer worth anything."

After his defeat, Nikolai no longer acted haughtily or sought appreciation.

The important thing was not whether he won or looked cool, but the safety of the people around him, whom he loved and cared for.

If that meant he needed to bow, he'd bow; if he had to kill, he'd kill.

No matter what.

The poison which lingered in his chest, like a bundle of leeches sapping his strength constantly, was a painful reminder of his arrogance.

"...What?"

Vladik's voice shook as the sound of him fiddling with the device came from the other side. Nikolai understood that his brother-in-law had grasped those facts before he did.

That's why they refused to send him to the military district at first, knowing he would face danger.

Nikolai took a deep breath and then spoke his mind.

"Look, Verda took care of most of the people; there are likely to be a large number of casualties, but that's got nothing to do with me. I only care about you two and Zara right now, so if you need something from me, ask now before I go."

"Honey?!"

Lunaria gasped at his words, but he ignored her with a wink.

Sarah moved beside Luna and whispered.

"I think what happened affected him deeply."

Though Nikolai heard her words, he couldn't deny them.

A major change in how he approached things began the moment he learned of his weakness in the face of ingenuity.

"Brother, I understand." Vladik reponded, but then his voice disappeared.

Verna took the phone.

"Nikolai, it's Verna. We don't want anything from you. You've done enough protecting Zara, and even now, without being asked, you're helping protect our people. As their Queen, I cannot forget such a great deed, and hope you all the safety in the world on your way back."

"Sister-in-law, I wish I could stay, but the enemy is too great and based in my homeland. I hope you understand and know you can always contact my clan or me for help."

"Hmph, don't you just want to go flirt with my cute Zara! Well, if you could help any of our people on the way to the portal. I would be much obliged to thank you."

"Do you even need to ask that?" He chuckled on the end of the phone; his chest felt lighter whenever dealing with smart people like Verna. She didn't add unnecessary pressure and lowered herself by asking him to help the stragglers.

"Thank you, Little Brother."

"Ah..."

Somehow, having more and more family members brought a sense of peace to Nikolai's chaotic heart.

He threw his head back and snorted down the line. "Heh, who is the little brother. My wife is older than Vladik, which makes you the younger sibling."

Though jovial, his eyes remained focused.

Then he spoke a final sentence before ending the call.

"I'll keep her safe, I promise you. Verna."

That's when Sarah leaned against his shoulder, her soft breasts squishing against his bare chest as she whispered. "Is it really okay to call the Queen of a nation by her name in public like this? That woman glared at you as if wanting you to die." She peeked at Verna, who stirred the pot of food as punishment for almost tipping it.

"No, she can't do anything. I'm stronger." He wrapped his arm around Sarah's waist, hugging her tightly, while Luna shifted on his lap to make room.

"Verda, here, take it back. I don't think I will be needing this, since we're leaving soon."

Nikolai tossed the satellite phone and hugged both his women instead. When wrapped in their soft, warm bodies, he could forget the complicated issues and dangers he would face the moment he returned.

Though they managed to collect a sample of the infection and theorised his children carried a sort of anti-venom for the small black worms, Nikolai insisted on hiding this fact. He believed that if the enemy knew his kids could kill the virus aimed at his blood.

Then his kids would become the target, not him.

So he would play the role of someone immortal, with no weaknesses, to trick them.

He glanced at Lunaria and Sarah, his heart thumping slowly as he prepared himself mentally to endure the pain should he ever face it again.

To trick an ally was the first step to tricking an enemy.

Lunaria squeezed his hand and gently blew on them. "Don't worry, it'll be fine."

"That's what we're here for, baby." Sarah joined in on the little act.

"I'm blessed to have you both."

Only the three of them knew the truth.