Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 750: Don’t Give Up, Little One

The world collapsed around him as Nikolai clenched his jaw, grinding his sharp fangs together uncontrollably. Every instinct screamed at him to act to save his children, yet… he could do nothing but watch Miranda.

His black blood surged through his veins, like a bubbling cauldron. It gathered beneath his skin as if responding to the fear contorting within his chest. He wanted to tear the machines apart, force his blood into Rika, reach inside somehow and drag his son from danger with his own hands.

Yet his sane mind knew none of this would help.

It was different from the previous times; this wasn’t related to his blood or some mystical issue… but to a natural, common issue during birth.

‘Calm down, stop! I need to keep my energy flowing calmly…!’

Nikolai sucked in a slow breath through his nose before forcing his claws to retract.

Right now, only the doctors could help his son.

‘Trust in her! This woman has already saved my daughter today.’

“Do it.”

He spoke through clenched teeth, his voice barely more than a deep, vicious growl.

Yet Miranda didn’t frown or complain; her eyes narrowed slightly as she nodded back to him and immediately started working. Though he couldn’t see any relief on her face, her sheer focus inspired awe.

“Lady Rika, I need you to stop pushing for a moment.”

“W-What…?”

Rika’s emerald eyes widened as another contraction rolled through her body.

Her tails lashed violently against the mattress.

“Nnnngh…! How the fuck am I supposed to stop?!”

“I know it hurts, but your son has turned. If you keep pushing while he’s positioned like this, the cord could tighten further.”

Rika’s face drained of what little colour remained.

“My baby…”

Nikolai immediately cupped her cheek.

“Rika.”

As her frightened eyes turned to him, there was a mixture of intense anger, sorrow and fear lingering within them.

He couldn’t bring forth any magical words that would make things better, and thus could only gently stroke her soft cheeks with his thumb.

“Keep your eyes on me, trust her.”

“Honey…”

“Miranda knows what she’s doing.”

Even Nikolai couldn’t stand his pathetic, passive words, but right now his job wasn’t to fight or sound masculine or strong. It was to support his wife, so she could calm down, and to help remove what little fear and insecurity he could.

His heart felt like it was trying to rip through his ribs.

“She saved Kumiko and Hikari when there was almost no hope. Let her save our boy too.”

Rika’s lips trembled as she stared back in silence, her neck muscles tightening and bulging each time she endured and forced herself to stop pushing. “Ngh…. I understand…. I’ll try my best….Agh….!”

Miranda moved instantly.

“Good. Turn Lady Rika slightly onto her left side. Slowly! Don’t put pressure on her abdomen.”

The nurses obeyed, but Nikolai ended up taking most of Rika’s weight as she wrapped both arms around his neck.

“Ahhh… fuck…!”

Her claws pierced his back.

Nikolai barely felt them.

“That’s it,” Miranda murmured, both palms moving over Rika’s swollen stomach. “I need to encourage him to rotate.”

“Can you?”

“I can try.”

Unlike before, Miranda didn’t use human skills to do this. Nikolai couldn’t understand why, but remained as calm as possible while following her instructions and guiding words.

‘It’s so surreal… don’t give up, little one.’

Miranda ignored him as a faint purple shimmer returned to her pupils.

It wasn’t bright enough to illuminate the room, yet Nikolai noticed the subtle energy spreading along her fingertips as she pressed against Rika’s abdomen.

‘Strange… what kind of race is she?’

Although he thought he’d guessed it earlier, the energy she used was soul force, something he thought only the Djinn used. Yet she lacked the visible traits of the Djinn, and her aura lacked their unique scent and feel.

‘Forget it, I can ask later.’

Right now, he didn’t care what she was.

Demon.

Monster.

Human.

God.

If she saved his son, Nikolai would welcome her into this family hospital with open arms.

Rika cried out the moment Miranda shifted her hand along Rika’s stomach.

“Ahh!”

“Sorry! I know it hurts.”

“Don’t fucking apologise! Just save him!”

Without taking Rika’s words seriously, Miranda just snorted and focused on her own hands.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

The small monitor continued to beep, yet the baby’s heartbeat weakened every second that he remained inside Rika’s stomach.

Nikolai could hear his first son’s furious cries from the warmer nearby.

“Waaah! Waaah!”

Yet the second remained trapped inside Rika, his heart shredding into pieces as he held back the raging torrent of energy swelling inside his chest. Like relentless shards of glass, it tore through his flesh, muscle and skin, creating small cuts underneath his shirt.

Nikolai closed his eyes for half a second.

‘Come on.’

His fingers tightened around Rika’s trembling hand.

‘You’re a Volkov.’

He knew it was ridiculous.

The child hadn’t even been born, so how could being a Volkov even factor into the child’s actions or existence? Yet he didn’t care; any encouragement helped.

‘Don’t you dare give up before your father even gets to hold you.’

“Wait.”

Miranda suddenly stopped all movement, her eyes shimmering violet before she gently pressed both hands against Rika’s swollen stomach. The light of her eyes brightened as she began to massage the spot where her hands rested.

“Ugh….?!”

Bleep.

A pause.

Bleep…

Nikolai could almost feel his lungs stop, the breath trapped in his throat as he held back. Miranda pushed gently against one side of Rika’s abdomen, and something suddenly shifted beneath the skin.

Rika gasped.

“Oh…!”

Then the beeping of the monitor accelerated, no longer slow, weak beats but faster, almost galloping and yet Miranda remained calm.

“Heart rate increasing!” A nurse called out as she glanced towards Miranda, a small syringe in hand.

Nikolai’s shoulder shook while he held Rika’s hand tightly. She glanced up at him, tears flowing down her cheeks as she held back her sobbing.

“Is he okay? Is my baby okay?!”

“For now, Lady Rika. The pressure has reduced, but we need to deliver him before he turns again.”

“Then take him out!” Rika snapped.

“We will.”

Miranda moved back into position while the nurses adjusted Rika’s legs and checked the monitor once more. The rapid heartbeat remained steady, yet Nikolai couldn’t relax, not after hearing how quickly it had weakened only moments earlier.

“Lady Rika, your next contraction should come soon. When it does, I need you to push with everything you have left.”

Rika’s ears flattened against her messy hair.

“Haa… everything…?”

She sounded exhausted, and for the first time since labour began, Nikolai could feel her hand trembling inside his rather than crushing it.

“Honey…” Her emerald eyes shifted towards him. “I’m tired.”

“I know.”

“My entire body hurts.”

“I know that too.”

Nikolai leaned closer, pressing his forehead against hers while gently wiping the sweat from her cheek.

“But you’re almost there. Our first boy is already waiting for his little brother, so let’s not keep him waiting too long.”

“Waaah! Waaah!”

As if responding to Nikolai, the crying from the nearby warmer echoed across the room.

Rika’s lips twitched as she closed her eyes, lazily falling back onto the pillows. “He’s so fucking loud… definitely your son, Nikolai…”

“Heh! You’re too, you cheeky little cat.”

“Hah?! Haven’t you seen my tits… they’re not little anymore, you bastard!”

Nikolai couldn’t help but find his wife amusing.

While grabbing her swollen breasts, he squeezed them, revealing a tiny bubble of milk from both pink nubs. He couldn’t help but agree; her usual small B cup might actually fit into a modest C cup right now.

“Look! Damn it! Who is small? We will see!”

“Okay, okay, I was wrong.”

“Haha.”

The faint humour helped, even if only for a moment.

Then Rika suddenly stiffened.

“Ngh…!”

Her abdomen tightened beneath the blanket, and both tails immediately puffed up behind her as the contraction began.

Miranda leaned forward.

“Not yet… wait for it.”

“Fuck… hurry!”

“Almost.”

Nikolai slid his arm around Rika’s shoulders, supporting her body as she gradually folded forward.

“Now! Push!”

“AAAAAAH!”

Rika screamed in pain as her claws pierced Nikolai’s forearm almost immediately, carving fresh trails through skin that had barely started healing.

“That’s it!” Miranda called. “He’s moving!”

“Haa… Ngh…!”

“Don’t stop!”

“I’M TRYING!”

Rika’s entire body shook, her legs trembling while sweat rolled down her neck and chest. Yet Nikolai held her down firmly, stopping anything bad from happening.

“You can do it.”

“I swear… if you ever put another baby inside me…”

“You’ll ask again in six months.”

“F-FUCK YOU!”

Her anger gave her another burst of strength.

Miranda’s eyes widened.

“I can see his head!”

Rika released a broken sob.

“Baby…”

“One more strong push!”

Nikolai tightened his arms around her.

“Come on, darling.”

Rika clenched her teeth.

Her tails slapped violently against the bed as she screamed and pushed with everything remaining inside her.

“AAAAAAAH!”

For several seconds, the only sounds inside the room were Rika’s hoarse scream, the rapid monitor and the cries of their first son.

Then Miranda suddenly reached forward.

“I’ve got him!”

Rika collapsed against Nikolai.

A tiny, blood-covered body slipped into Miranda’s hands, dark hair plastered against his head while two small feline ears remained flattened above it.

Two thin tails twitched weakly near his legs.

A moment of dread followed as the baby remained silent. Nikolai grabbed his chest, unable to stop the pounding ache.

Then his tiny face scrunched.

“W-Waaah…!”

The weak cry immediately became louder.

“WAAAAAH!”

Rika broke into tears.

Nikolai closed his eyes as his entire body finally relaxed.

Their second son was alive.