Black Solstice-Chapter 30: Fitness [2]

There was the all-too-familiar sensation of my blood being drawn out by the fangs of an overly needy vampire.

It wasn’t painful, not really. The only sharp sting came from the moment her fangs pierced the skin at my neck. After that, it simply felt... strange.

Like my blood was being sipped through a straw. It was smooth, steady, almost rhythmic.

Unpleasant, sure, but far from the level of agony it should have been.

She never took much anyway. Seraphis was surprisingly considerate when it came to this, probably the only area where she showed restraint.

If she drained too much, I’d get lightheaded, dizzy, maybe even pass out, and she knew that.

So she paced herself.

A little here, a little there.

Sips, not gulps.

Still, as warm tingles crawled down my spine, I couldn’t ignore the other side effect.

I was getting a little... horny.

For some reason, there was something exclusively passionate about a beautifully sexy girl sucking your blood like it was her favorite smoothie.

Not only that, in order to suck my blood, she had to enter my personal and rest on my body. Which meant our bodies were pressing against one another.

I could feel the shape of her ample chest on my body, and her sweet perfume was particularly overwhelming.

It was hot.

Unless you were into men, there was no way you wouldn’t get at least a little aroused in a situation like this.

Damnit, I shouldn’t be thinking like this! I was definitely going to feel the aftereffects later!

That was the real issue!

I let out a low breath, trying to keep my expression neutral. The last thing I needed was Seraphis noticing anything she could twist into teasing fuel. Unfortunately, subtlety had never been her strong suit.

After a few more seconds, her grip on my shoulder softened. The suction slowed, then stopped altogether. Her fangs slipped out with a faint pop, followed by a warm exhale against my neck.

She lingered there for a moment. Then she finally pulled back.

"Mm..." Seraphis licked a thin line of crimson from the corner of her lips, eyes half-lidded in satisfaction. "Your blood tastes especially nice today."

"I wasn’t doing anything special," I muttered, rubbing the sore spot on my neck.

"That’s what makes it nice."

She said those words as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I shot her a mild glare, released a tired sigh, and reached for my bread again, only to freeze when I noticed Dabble’s reaction from across the table. The Imp was trembling all over.

Slowly, he lifted a trembling finger and pointed at us.

"Y-You... y-you guys w-were..."

Uh oh.

That was when it hit me.

Vampires fed on human blood. That was just what they did. But they rarely touched demon blood.

And Solstice Academy was a place overflowing with nothing but devils. Devils wearing their human disguises.

Do humans eat other humans?

This should be the same for devils, somewhat. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

So from an outside perspective...

A vampire biting into someone’s neck...

Sucking blood...

In a cafeteria filled with people who were actually devils...

Well, it wasn’t too difficult to imagine what was going to happen.

"C-Cannibalism...!?" Dabble squeaked.

I froze, bread halfway to my mouth, as the words echoed in the cafeteria. The murmur of other students didn’t help; some had begun to glance our way.

Seraphis, unfazed, tilted her head and smirked.

"Oh? Do we have an audience now? How scandalous."

I almost spat out my food.

"Woman, why would you say something like that? Haven’t I told you that your words can create misunderstandings!?"

"Huh? What do you mean? Didn’t I just suck your blood? Plus, you’re the one who let it happen too."

"I... I didn’t exactly let it happen. Um... ugh. Damnit! You scandalous girl, you’re not helping the situation at all!"

"Who the hell are you calling a scandalous girl? Do I look like a child to you, or is it that you don’t view me as a woman?!" was Seraphis’ defiant response.

"I’m sorry, but that level of gaslighting will not work on me!"

Dabble, still pale and trembling, seemed to have reached the limits of his courage. He squeaked again, louder this time.

"Y-You’re... y-you’re actually... a vampire feeding on a demon... in public...?"

I looked at him and tried to explain the situation.

"Um, look, it’s... not what it looks like."

Wow. That was surely a great start.

Dabble blinked rapidly.

"N-No, no! I... I mean... it is exactly what it looks like!"

How was I supposed to convince him otherwise?

"Listen, she isn’t hurting me. Well, it’s not like she’s attacking me, right? She’s just taking a little bit of blood. So it’s not a big issue, okay?"

Curse my lack of communication skills!

Not only that, Seraphis ignored my attempt at diplomacy and completely destroyed whatever credibility I had left with:

"See? He gets it now. I’m perfectly civilized, aren’t I?"

Curse the loose mouth of this vampire!

"C-Civilized!? That... that’s feeding! You’re biting him! His neck! In front of everyone! Don’t you know you can got to the Infernal dungeon for cannibalism!" Dabble’s jaw dropped as if he’d just witnessed the most unreasonable thing imaginable.

"Technically, yes. But it’s—"

"Not ’cannibalism,’" Seraphis cut in before I could finish. "It’s nothing barbaric like what you’re thinking. It’s more... intimate. You could call it a kiss between lovers. Ah~ how embarrassing. Look at what you’re making me say~"

"First of all, we’re not lovers. Secondly, you’re the only one enjoying the exchange. How can you call it a lovers’ kiss?" I corrected her, earning a displeased glare.

What was she upset about now?

"I see," Dabble muttered, nodding slowly as though he had pieced something together. Then, with a serious expression, he asked:

"So she’s a pervert?"

"Something like that."

"Oi! What do you mean by ’something like that!’? I’m not a pervert!"

"But you are though?"

"I’m not!"

"Hehe. A pervert that sucks strangers’ blood."

"Uuuuuuggghhhhh!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, alright! You’re not a pervert!"

I barely finished before the savage Seraphis lunged at me and began biting me indiscriminately.

She clearly lost all control whenever she got overexcited, teased, or embarrassed.

Definitely... good to know.

My ears picked up the whispers and murmurs of the devils watching as I tried to defend myself against Seraphis’ relentless assault.

"W-Wait... is she... really feeding on him?"

"That’s a vampire... right? But he’s a devil! Isn’t that... cannibalism?"

"I thought vampires only fed on humans... what is going on here?"

"Is... is that allowed in public? I feel like we’re going to get in trouble just by watching!"

"She looks way too happy about it... isn’t that... wrong?"

"D-Do you think they’re... lovers or something? No, that can’t be it..."

"Look at her! She’s enjoying it way too much. I want that kind of attention!"

"Why does he get fed on first? I’m more deserving than him!"

"Damn it... why do they get to be that close? I bet it feels... amazing..."

"I can’t believe it. He’s just sitting there and taking it. Tsk. Lucky bastard."

"I wish I could take his place! Would she sit on my face if I asked?"

Why would anyone want something like this? I couldn’t begin to understand.

I just... wanted to eat in peace.

Scratch that. I just wanted a normal life, but that went out the window the moment I set foot here.

Or rather, the moment I chose to remain here.

With this kind of attention swirling around, eating in peace was impossible.

And worst of all, Seraphis had no intention of calming down either.

What was she, a camp mosquito?

I groaned inwardly.

At least, if nothing else, I was gaining plenty of "experience points" from being bitten by a ridiculously thirsty vampire.