Chapter 10: The Way Boiling Blood Is Drained

"Alright, here we go…!"

She must’ve been starving.

The moment the door clicked shut, Hikari bared her canines—or rather, her fangs—but I held up my hand to signal a pause.

"Sorry. Before you start sucking blood, there’s something I want to check first. Mind if I ask?"

"...What is it?"

Her reply came in a voice lower than the soprano tones she’d used since taking on this form.

Her eyes were fixed and intense—honestly, a little scary.

Well, it was only natural. After all, she was being made to wait when the prize she’d longed for was right in front of her.

Even so, I couldn’t let myself back down either, so I gathered my resolve and asked her directly.

"I mean… if you suck my blood, doesn’t that mean I’ll turn into a vampire too?"

It’s a common trope—vampires can’t suck each other’s blood.

And earlier, Hikari had said something like, "Vampires can’t generate mana on their own."

If that’s true, wouldn’t this arrangement fall apart after just one go?

It was a bit late to be thinking about it, but the concern had finally dawned on me.

But Hikari just shrugged as if to say, “That’s all?”

"That’s not a problem. Just sucking blood doesn’t turn someone into a vampire. Think of it more like... you not only suck mana, but also inject it—taking your time, slowly altering them from within. Something like that?"

"Really?"

"Think about it. Otherwise, vampires would multiply way too fast and starve to death."

...She had a point.

If getting bitten automatically made someone a vampire, the population would grow exponentially—like rats.

Humans, on the other hand, would just keep decreasing.

It would be a horribly unbalanced ecosystem, even by food chain standards.

It all made sense now, and I gave a small nod.

"Well, there are ways to turn someone into a servant by sucking their blood, but… I’m not planning to force Yousuke into becoming my 'blood slave servant,' so don’t worry."

But that last term was unfamiliar, and I couldn’t help but fixate on it.

"'Blood slave servant'…?"

—Servant.

That meant something like a butler or maid in English, if I remembered correctly.

But given Hikari’s tone, the word seemed to have a different connotation in the vampire world—and honestly, that intrigued me quite a bit—

"Grrrr…"

But just as I was about to ask more, Hikari growled low, cutting off the conversation.

…We’d agreed on just one question, and making her wait any longer would be cruel.

She was so hungry that she seemed more like a wild beast—maybe even a werewolf—than a vampire.

Though, is she even a “he”? I mean…

"So, it’s safe, right? …Thanks for waiting."

With that, I sat down on the bed, extended my left arm toward her, and closed my eyes.

It felt kind of like waiting for the needle during a blood test.

I wasn’t going to run or hide.

Come on, sink your fangs in already.

There was a bit of reckless abandon in my mindset at that point.

"...?"

But contrary to my resolve, the pain never came—no matter how long I waited.

In the darkness, all I could hear was the sound of faint movement and rustling fabric.

…Could she have already bitten me?

I’d heard mosquitoes numb your nerves when they stick their needles in.

Might be rude to compare them, but maybe vampires worked the same way.

Feeling strangely lost, I cautiously opened my eyes.

And right in front of me, closing in—was a thin veil of pink fabric.

"Huh…?"

...There was no need to confirm it. I understood immediately.

It was Hikari’s pajama.

And of course, it wasn’t just the clothes.

She was still in them—fully.

In the next moment, I found myself being pushed down.

From the loosened buttons at her chest, I caught a glimpse of flushed, pale skin—softly rising.

From this angle, I could almost see the differently-colored tips as well. Even knowing it was Hikari, my heart thudded hard in my chest.

"W-What are you trying to do…?"

I averted my eyes as I asked, but Hikari didn’t answer.

All I heard was the creaking of the bed springs beneath the weight of two people.

It was oddly similar to what had happened in the park.

The only difference this time was that slender arms now wrapped around my back.

Before I realized it, I was being held.

"H-Hey. Say something…!"

I pressed her, maybe a little too harshly, partly because she’d caught me so off guard.

Not that I could hide how my voice cracked—there was no saving face here. I must have looked totally pathetic.

...Maybe it was because she’d just come out of the bath.

Her body was gently warm, and a sweet scent clung to her—so faint yet so overwhelming it stirred up everything inside me.

Even through the fabric, I could feel the softness of her body pressing into me—

I didn’t want to pull away.

That thought alone was enough to drown me in confusion. It felt... too good.

"U-Uwah—"

...I let my guard down. That was my mistake.

Hikari’s tongue slid across my neck without warning.

That one heated lick completely caught me off guard—my knees buckled, and all the will to resist drained from me in a single instant.

"Hehehe…"

Whispered into my ear came a laugh—low and wicked.

The kind of laugh you'd hear from a villain who relished toying with someone helpless.

"Bon appétit!"

And just like that, I was overpowered—and her fangs sank into my neck.