The Vampire King's Pet-Chapter 358: Stunned

Guards pulled out their weapons, trying to attack and defend the citizens—vampires and humans alike—only for them to be speared through by thin red arrows that shot straight through their bodies before disappearing.

But not before the arrows spread across them like living veins, covering their flesh and beginning to suck their blood back toward the main host body.

People ran, only to be dragged back screaming. Some shoved their neighbors aside in desperate attempts to escape, hands clawing, eyes wild with terror. At first, people tried to be helpful—pulling others along, reaching back to help those who fell—but that changed quickly once they realized that kindness would only earn them a slow, painful, and bloody death if they didn’t become selfish.

Still, they died anyway.

The half-human, half-monster was clearly on a mission, and it soon became obvious that no matter how many people were killed or how much blood was consumed, it didn’t make her any less bloodthirsty. If anything, it only fueled her frenzy.

Inhuman growling sounds poured from her mouth as she sometimes muttered in a low, broken voice, words slurred and feral.

"Blood!!!! So thirsty!!! I’m thirsty!"

At first, her pace was slow, almost dragging, as though she were unfamiliar with the form she inhabited. But soon it became clear that she was getting faster—much faster than even the vampire guards could keep up with. Her movements blurred, blood propelling her forward like a weapon and a shield all at once.

And at that point, whether hunter, human, or vampire, everyone was trying to stop it—driven by fear and desperation as they took in the number of dead bodies left in her wake.

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Aira had been stunned into silence as she listened to the guard speak. The next second, she scrambled off Zyren’s thighs, slipping from his lap and planting her legs firmly on the ground. Her movements were rushed and unsteady, her balance almost failing her.

Her eyes were still infused with shock as Zyren rose and spoke to her, his voice steady as he assured her that they would get to her soon—quickly—and confirm that she was indeed the one they had found.

But Aira couldn’t help the slowly sinking feeling in her chest.

If it truly is her...

If it was indeed her sister, then something had clearly taken over her. It was either a Zygon bloodthirsty monster wearing her sister’s face—or her sister herself, for some unfathomable reason slaughtering tens, even hundreds of people in the streets.

Her heart pounded harder than usual as she allowed Zyren to lead the way, following closely behind him. Her steps felt heavy, as though the ground itself were resisting her.

She wanted them to run—knowing full well that they would be faster—but Zyren insisted they take a carriage.

Something she reluctantly agreed to, noting how hard her hands were trembling as she recalled everything the guard had said. The words echoed in her mind, growing louder with each passing second.

It wasn’t until she felt Zyren’s hand close around hers that she was able to relax, if only slightly.

"Whatever it is... we’ll help her," he promised. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Aira silently nodded, sitting beside him and leaning more against his chest than the back of the carriage seat. Her body sought his warmth instinctively as she tried—and failed—to stop her legs from shaking the closer they got to the center of the city.

The carriage passed by people running in the opposite direction, some bloodied, some crying, others too shocked to even scream.

When Zyren finally ordered the driver to stop, Aira was more than ready to jump out. She rose quickly, stepping down behind Zyren, who—for some reason—continued to hold tightly onto her hand.

Her eyes scanned the surroundings, her breath catching painfully in her throat the moment her gaze landed on the sight some distance away.

There was clearly half of her sister.

The other half—where her body should have been—was instead a writhing pool of blood that shot outward violently, killing anyone and everyone it touched.

Zyren didn’t stop moving, and if not for him pulling her along, Aira would have frozen where she stood. Her legs carried her forward unwillingly, needing to see more—needing confirmation—only to hate the moment she got close enough.

Her mouth opened in a scream before she could stop herself.

"Liora! It’s me!!" Aira screamed at her sister—or whatever was left of her.

"It’s me, Aria!!! Can you hear me?" Her voice nearly broke as the words left her mouth, tears flooding her eyes and blurring her vision.

Zyren didn’t stop moving. His black jacket fluttered violently in the wind as he pulled her forward with him, his grip firm and protective.

By then, Aira’s vision was already clouded with tears. Her sister was no longer just her sister.

Half her body was truly gone, and even what remained looked as though it were undergoing some horrific transformation—every part of her melting, liquefying, struggling to remain solid.

"Liora!" Aira called out louder.

Her eyes widened when Liora suddenly paused, the destruction around her halting unnaturally. Slowly, she turned her face toward Aria.

Relief surged through Aira as she stepped forward a few paces, hope blooming painfully in her chest—only to be yanked back when Zyren refused to let her leave his side.

"Liora! It’s me! Aria! Your sister!" she said hurriedly, desperation spilling into her voice as Liora fixed her gaze on her.

"Come... come back with me! We can—"

She was cut off.

"Your blood!" Liora said suddenly, her voice cracked and distorted. "It smells nice!"

Her gaze shifted to Zyren, fear completely absent from her expression as her lips curved into something that almost resembled a smile.

"Yours smells even more delicious!"

Her body shook violently as she stepped forward, one slow step at a time, blood rippling beneath her like a living thing.

Aira kept talking, her words tumbling over each other in panic. Somewhere deep in her heart, she believed—desperately—that there was no way her sister wouldn’t recognize her.

She won’t hurt me... she can’t.

It was something her mind simply refused to conceive.

Right up until it happened.

In one smooth movement, Liora vanished.

She reappeared directly in front of Aria, right beside Zyren, her form snapping into place with terrifying speed. Tiny red arrows shot out toward Aira—

—and Aira could do nothing but freeze, too stunned to defend herself, even if she could.