Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Chapter 754: The Mermaid Queen’s Little Mistake

The Grand Council ended almost an hour later.

Nikolai remained behind while most of the representatives slowly emptied the chamber, leaving behind the scattered maps, casualty reports and half-empty glasses that covered the enormous table.

Nobody celebrated their decision.

There wasn’t anything to celebrate yet.

‘Now comes the difficult part…’

Planning to invade the Nosferatu island sounded simple when markers were being pushed across a map. Actually gathering enough powerful fighters without crippling the defence of S-City was another problem entirely.

Nikolai rubbed his temple before glancing towards the six familiar figures who remained behind him.

“You guys can stop standing like statues now.”

Mikael immediately relaxed his shoulders.

“Finally.”

“Captain…” Seraphina sighed.

“What? The meeting’s over.”

A faint smile touched Nikolai’s lips before disappearing almost immediately.

“You heard everything.”

Although he couldn’t expect Ryan to put his life on the line each time there was a battle, these fools who’d sworn themselves to him would never miss a battle. Especially Vernan and Alexei, who stood quietly behind him without speaking.

‘These guys are too serious…’

Though they’d become friends, both took their roles and jobs too seriously.

Their expressions became serious.

“I meant what I said earlier. Nobody is being ordered onto that island simply because they’re one of my knights.”

Nikolai turned towards them fully, his back resting against the edge of the council table.

“I don’t know exactly what Alucard has waiting there. We might break through easily, or we might find something worse than the outpost… but in all likelihood. It’ll be chaotic and dangerous.”

Ryan folded his arms, fiddling with the heavy Desert Eagle at his hip, before shrugging.

He stared at Nikolai for a moment before shaking his head, as if in disdain for the Patriarch’s words. “Fool, are you telling us not to come?”

“Not really…” Nikolai raised an eyebrow before looking Ryan in the eye. “I was just giving you a way out in case you couldn’t follow me on this death march.”

“We followed you when you were far weaker than you are now. Why would we suddenly hide because the enemy became stronger?”

“He’s right,” Lyra added quietly.

Seraphina nodded, while Irina, Alexei and Ryan displayed no intention of stepping away either.

Nikolai stared at them for several moments.

‘Idiots.’

Yet somehow, the weight pressing against his chest became slightly lighter.

“Fine.”

He pushed himself away from the table and grabbed the folder containing the preliminary candidates.

“But wanting to come doesn’t mean you’re coming. Everyone gets evaluated, including you six. So I hope you’ve not been taking it easy since we’ve had a lull in missions and things to do since blowing up those buildings.”

“Ack…?!” Ryan looked nervous, while Mikael just grinned.

“I wouldn’t have expected anything less from our… boss.”

Nikolai opened the folder.

There were far fewer names than he hoped.

His smile faded.

“Then let’s find out who is actually strong enough to come back alive with me.”

Nikolai tossed the folder onto the centre of the table before opening it.

His knights moved closer.

There were plenty of powerful people inside the Moonlight Alliance, but strength alone wasn’t what he needed this time. If that were the case, Nikolai would’ve simply gathered every Great Elder available and thrown them at Alucard.

‘That would just repeat the same mistake.’

“I won’t be choosing the people who follow me by rank alone, their combat ability, adaptability, and…”

Mikael glanced down at the documents. “Then what else are you looking for?”

“Survivability.”

Nikolai tapped the first page.

“Someone who panics when surrounded by Alucard’s blood clones or an army of Doctor Franz’s clones is useless to me. Even if they’re stronger than everyone else in this room, we know those bastards are insidious freaks.”

He turned another page.

“We need people who can fight independently, but also retreat when ordered and adapt when the plan inevitably goes to shit.”

Alexei chuckled at Nikolai’s blatant honesty, stepping away from the wall as he glanced at the documents on his master’s desk.

“So we’re planning for failure?”

“Oi, Alex, when have any of our plans gone right? Even saving your sister almost ended in tragedy; let’s not forget…”

Nikolai glanced towards Lyra. Even standing still, faint currents of wind occasionally disturbed the edges of her clothes.

“Mobility matters too. Alucard controls too much space once his blood spreads across the battlefield. Anyone who gets trapped becomes either a liability or a corpse he can use against us. Thus, if you’re going to die, I will destroy your corpse myself.”

“Shit…” Ryan held his shoulders and shuddered, terrified at Nikolai’s words.

“Then what about ranged attacks?” Lyra asked with a charming smile on her face. She was one of the few women who, although attractive, Nikolai showed zero interest in, despite her perky breasts and butt.

Nikolai crossed his arms. “Now, I don’t know about their full force, but… counting our eggs before knowing what we’ll face doesn’t sit right with me. Of course, if it’s possible. I’ll leave that to you and Seraphina. Lyra.”

After gauging their responses and adjusting his mind, Nikolai closed the folder.

With a sigh, he finally switched his mood.

“Tomorrow, make sure you’re all at the training grounds beneath the eastern estate by six in the morning.”

He looked across all six of them.

“I want everyone on this list there. No assistants, no spectators and no family members complaining because their favourite heir or young master wasn’t chosen. This mission isn’t one for glory, but for victory. Don’t forget that.”

Irina glanced towards the remaining pages.

“And what exactly are you testing?”

The five knights watched as Nikolai stood and his expression slowly hardened.

“I’ll be testing everything possible: whether they can keep fighting after being crushed, and how they react when nothing goes their way.”

With that, his knights became silent and stopped speaking.

Well, there were a few mumbles, but he wouldn’t care about that.

Nikolai gave the knights a spare glance, his hand reaching for the door as he spoke. “Because when we reach that damned island…”

He observed the six people who would form the heart of his generation.

“…there won’t be anyone coming to save us.”

***

With nothing more to add, Nikolai gathered the documents beneath one arm and left the council chamber.

His knights dispersed shortly afterwards, leaving him alone as he walked through the long marble corridor leading towards the Patriarch’s private quarters.

‘Haa… I need a shower.’

Between the meeting, preparations for tomorrow, and the exhaustion still clinging to his body, Nikolai wanted nothing more than an hour inside his room without someone demanding his attention.

However, after turning the next corner, his footsteps suddenly slowed.

A familiar scent drifted through the corridor.

It was deliciously sweet, warm… and almost intoxicating.

‘What the hell…?’

Nikolai’s nostrils flared involuntarily.

The fragrance reminded him of the ocean after summer rain, mixed with something far more sensual that made the blood inside his abdomen stir before he even saw its owner.

Then Amphitrite stepped from the adjoining hallway.

“Hello, big boy, it’s been a while~ you look as handsome as ever.”

Nikolai stopped in his tracks with his eyes wide open, staring at the beautiful mermaid.

‘Amphitrite…?’

Something had changed.

Her stomach looked noticeably fuller beneath the thin material covering her body, carrying a faint swollen curve that certainly hadn’t been there before. Her breasts seemed heavier, drooping to the side in her loose blue dress as if straining against the fabric, while each step caused them to sway with far more allure than he remembered.

Even her hips looked different.

Their rounded shape was now even more bewitching.

‘Damn…’

His cock became hard, pressing tightly against the stiff material of his pants.

Her already generous ass had become noticeably plumper, giving her entire body an almost unnaturally fertile softness.

Yet Nikolai barely had time to appreciate the changes before her scent reached him properly.

His throat became dry.

‘Fuck…’

Whatever fragrance normally surrounded Amphitrite had intensified several times over, leaking from her skin in warm waves that made his senses almost painfully aware of her body.

Amphitrite stopped several steps away, her glance lowering to the swelling tent, her cheeks quickly flushing red at the sight, with one hand resting protectively against her swollen stomach while the other nervously played with her hair.

“Nikolai…”

Her eyes shifted away.

“I was actually looking for you.”

Nikolai’s gaze returned to her stomach.

Then slowly rose towards her embarrassed face with a questioning gaze.

“…What happened to you?”

Amphitrite swallowed, twirling her finger faster as her hair glistened in the bright corridor.

“Well, this is what I wanted to speak to you about…”

Amphitrite’s fingers tightened against her stomach, rubbing in circles as another wave of that maddening fragrance rolled across the corridor.

Nikolai’s blood immediately heated.

‘Fuck… it’s getting stronger.’

Nikolai swallowed and forced his gaze away from the heavy curves of her body, but that only made the scent more noticeable.

His pulse quickened.

The warm fragrance seemed to cling to the inside of his throat, stirring an almost instinctive desire that became stronger the longer Amphitrite stood before him.

‘What the hell is happening to her…?’

“Amphi.”

“M-Mhm?”

“Why do you smell like that?”

Her face immediately turned scarlet.

“L-Like what?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I really don’t!”

The way she nervously covered her face while turning away only spurred the flames lingering in his stomach further. He watched her with sharp eyes, like a predator eyeing his prey, before she quickly gasped and bit her lip.

The ancient Mermaid Queen, who could normally tease him without blinking, suddenly couldn’t even maintain eye contact.

Her fingers nervously pressed against the swollen curve of her stomach.

“Did something happen?”

“No!”

“…”

“Well… not exactly.”

Nikolai stared at her, waiting for her to tell the truth. He could see it in the way her shoulders shook, and how terribly she struggled to keep her expression straight.

Eventually, Amphitrite’s shoulders gradually shrank.

“I may have… made a slight mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“Mhm…”

“Amphitrite.”

Her cheeks darkened further as she finally peeked up at him, before the most delicate and lovely voice slipped from her lips.

“Darling… Uhm… You really like kids, right…?”