Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 746: Our Little Golden Fox

The heavy stench of ammonia and cleaning supplies used for sterilisation filled his nose, along with the muted, familiar scents of his beloved wife, and a strangely familiar and almost nostalgic aroma filled Nikolai’s snout the moment he entered the room.

‘Ah?’

A small child lay in the arms of his wife, half her hair glossy golden, with little silver tips. He didn’t expect the little things to have so much hair. When his other children were born, they resembled human babies greatly in the first few days.

Yet, the little fox in Kumi’s arms had more hair, and a little naughty tail that kept slapping her mother’s forearm.

“Kumiko!”

His voice was more like a low growl as he scooped her shoulders up and supported her with his muscular forearms.

“You look so tired. Are you alright?” He scanned the dark circles beneath her eyes, the frizzy, messy hair, and the sweat clinging to her forehead and brow. It was clear she’d endured hell in his absence. “I should’ve been here for you… Forgive me, Kumi.”

Nikolai could feel the faint thumping of her heart; it was weaker than normal as Kumiko slowly stroked the cheek of their little treasure.

Though not his first, it didn’t feel any different from the moment he saw Nikita’s strained face as she fed her little girls in the ICU for the first time.

“Honey, we did it…”

Her only response was a beaming smile, as her eyes shone bright despite all exhaustion.

Nikolai lowered his head and pressed his lips against Kumiko’s damp forehead; he cared nothing for the stickiness. This woman was his beloved wife, and she held their child in her arms after struggling alone.

“You’ve worked hard, my lovely little fox.” His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, surprising even himself, after a night of suffering, fighting and release. Nikolai found he could be more honest, and thanks to Nikita and Selene, his heart was calm.

The moment he touched her, a strange pressure wrapped around his chest, squeezing until each breath became difficult. Kumiko looked so small against the bed, buried beneath white blankets and surrounded by the scent of blood, medicine and the lingering corruption that still clung to the room.

‘She almost died… no different from Nikita and Selene in that vision…’

‘I almost lost her.’

He didn’t know the details, but there was no denying the scent of death that lingered around the room when he first came inside. The look on the nurses’ faces and the heavy metallic scent of his wife’s blood was something Nikolai could NEVER mistake.

Even with their efforts to hide it.

That wasn’t all! He could sense the dirty scent of the corrupted blood… the stench that overwhelmed him after returning from Al’Qutar.

A faint, bitter odour resembling burned roots and rotten earth flowed from the dark markings covering Kumiko’s right arm.

‘What is this?’

Nikolai’s gaze lowered.

Black patterns spread from the back of her hand, winding across her forearm and disappearing beneath the sleeve of her hospital gown. Thin lines of gold ran between them, creating a strange and almost beautiful contrast against her skin.

“What happened to you?”

Kumiko glanced at the markings.

“I don’t know…”

Her fingers tightened slightly around the child.

“It hurt, Honey. It felt like something was eating me from the inside, but then our daughter started pulling it away.”

“She did?”

“Mhm.”

Kumiko looked down.

The little fox remained quiet against her chest, her small mouth opening and closing as she searched for warmth. Her golden tail continued moving without rhythm, brushing against Kumiko’s wrist before curling around her own leg.

Nikolai couldn’t stop staring.

She looked so fragile.

Her entire body fit comfortably between Kumiko’s arms, wrapped in a soft white blanket that left only her face, ears and silver-tipped hair visible.

“Our little ones always seem to save us; what a lovely treasure…”

“Mhm, she looks just like you, darling.”

“No, her beauty resembles her mother’s; look at these little cheeks.”

Nikolai and Kumiko both exchanged glances, their hands either caressing each other or their new daughter. It was quite strange, but he could sense it from the moment he saw her. The black blood inside him reacted faintly as he leaned closer, pulsing beneath his skin as if recognising itself.

‘Her blood is so similar to mine and yet…’

There was something different about hers; the faint light and warmth were different from his cold, icy black blood. ‘As expected of my daughter.’ His lips curved upward as he brushed against her little fox ears.

The golden blood inherited from Kumiko surrounded the darkness inside her, blending with the savage vitality of his Volkov blood and the spiritual aura of the Kitsune.

‘Three bloodlines… no, maybe four.’

Of all his children, Kumiko’s child might’ve been the first to retain her mother’s bloodlines and take his fully too.

Nikolai slowly extended one finger.

The baby’s tiny hand moved without warning and wrapped around it.

His entire body stiffened.

Her grip was weak.

Barely enough to hold him.

Yet Nikolai felt his heart twist as her little fingers clung to him.

“Oh my~” Kumiko cooed, “She knows just who her papa is…. fufu.”

It had been long since Kumiko teased him in this fashion; Nikolai stared at his child, the little ball barely the size of his fists when in wolf form… “Ah….” Her little eyes flicked open halfway, freezing his heart and blood.

“Already?”

He knew now that supernatural children weren’t like human babies, but this feeling was strange, a tingle in the back of his hand and a pulsing in his chest.

This little fox was special; he could feel it…

While his beloved daughters with Nikita and son with Selene fused their bloodlines to become hybrids… Kumiko’s daughter had absorbed his blood and somehow managed to keep them separate, as he does in his three hearts.

“Of course. She heard your voice every day.”

‘My daughter!’

Yet she could do it without help; with his Obsidian Sight, he could see the golden blood dancing around inside her veins, while the black blood mainly pumped to her organs. The golden blood seemed to envelop and enrich her Kitsune and werewolf blood… rather than the black evil gods’ blood taking over, the bloodlines all boosted each other.

‘She might even surpass me one day…’

He lowered himself closer and gently stroked the child’s cheek with his thumb.

Her skin felt unbelievably soft.

The moment her little ears twitched, he felt his heart drop.

“Her eyes are so beautiful.”

One shone bright gold. The other remained dark, almost completely black, with tiny silver specks scattered inside it like stars. When he stared into them, he couldn’t help but freeze on the spot for a brief moment, even as the black blood in his veins surged.

Thump!

The sensation travelled through his chest and down his arm, gathering around the finger held in her hand.

The baby’s black eye glimmered.

Then the pressure disappeared.

She yawned.

Nikolai released a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding.

“She has your eyes,” Kumiko murmured.

“Where?!”

“Fufu, look at how sharp and threatening they are… so cute.”

Nikolai laughed quietly, trying to avoid disturbing his daughter, who slipped into a light sleep. “You…” Kumiko’s lips curved, though the expression quickly weakened as exhaustion returned to her face. “Rest… don’t force yourself.”

“I… I’m fine, Honey.”

“You can barely keep your eyes open.”

“I want to hold her.”

He placed his hand on her forehead, his eyes opening wide at the sudden heat leaking from his wife’s body. “You can do that forever…. I promise, we’ll spend every day together, so please rest for now.”

Nikolai adjusted his position and carefully supported Kumiko’s shoulders as she lowered herself against the pillows. He moved slowly, afraid that even a careless touch might hurt her.

“You fool…” The blushing fox mother turned to the side, hissing slightly as the ache in her stomach spread.

“Where does it hurt?”

“The wound… a little.”

“A little?”

She looked away.

“Kumi.”

“It hurts a lot.”

“Behave then, or I’ll spank your little butt.” He warned her while gritting his teeth.

‘I almost lost you once. I won’t let it happen again.’

He pulled the blanket higher around her body, then shifted onto the edge of the bed so she could rest against his chest without placing pressure on her stomach.

Kumiko relaxed almost immediately.

Her head settled beneath his chin while the child remained cradled between them.

The little fox made a faint sound.

“Mm…”

Her mouth brushed against the blanket.

“She’s hungry,” Kumiko whispered.

“Don’t worry about that now; let me handle it… You just rest.”

“Hehe… it feels nice to be treated so well.”

Nikolai stared down at her.

Kumiko lifted her head enough to meet his eyes.

Despite her exhaustion, there was no hesitation in her expression, and before he could ask again, she nodded gently, then lowered her head against his chest. “Mmm…. darling… we need to pick a name for our baby….”

But before she could finish, her little snores started to fill the room, and Nikolai could only sigh as he glanced up at the doctors and nurses nervously watching them.

Nikolai took the small child and glanced up at the midwife and Miranda.

“Don’t look so scared; you all did a great job. Thank you for saving my wife and child, despite being under such stress.” He slowly clutched his daughter in his hand while keeping his attention on both her and his wife. “Would you mind helping me? I am not sure how the child is supposed to feed when just born.”

‘A name, huh…?’