CA – Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Both the Brujah and the Gangrel were the strongest combat clans among the Vampires. The former were natural-born warriors, excelling in all aspects and holding a significant advantage in frontal assaults. When facing non-combat-oriented Vampires, they could still fight back even if there was a full generation gap between them.
The Brujah were the undisputed strongest warriors of the Vampires. If not for their fiery tempers, straightforward personalities, and poor relationships with other clans, the matriarch of the Brujah clan would undoubtedly be the one in control of the Blood Domain today.
As a fourth-generation Vampire, second only to the third-generation rulers, Beverly's combat prowess was unquestionable. If Lucille’s clan hadn’t been Gangrel, she never would have been able to hold out against Beverly for so long.
The beastly nature in the Gangrel bloodline made them fearless in any battle. Lucille supported her shoulder and pushed a slightly dislocated bone back into place. Her dark red eyes were as rich as blood. She rolled her stiff neck and looked at Beverly coldly. Although she had been constantly suppressed, she was, in fact, the one who initiated every attack.
Her figure instantly appeared before Beverly, her slender hand reaching for her shoulder. Beverly dodged, and they exchanged several blows. Sensing the ever-growing aura around Lucille, she felt a hint of surprise. She flipped over and jumped behind Lucille, leaving several wounds on her back before retreating to create some distance.
Beverly’s probing gaze fell upon Lucille, sizing her up before suddenly asking, “Are you a descendant of Violet Torf?”
Lucille’s eyes darkened. She stared at Beverly coldly without a word. A long gash, torn open by Beverly, ran down her arm. Bright red blood soaked through her sleeve, dripping onto the ground one drop at a time.
Beverly’s nose twitched. She looked at Lucille in astonishment, her tone filled with suspicion. “Your blood is a little strange…”
How could a Vampire have such bright red blood?
“But that scent is definitely Violet’s, there’s no mistaking it…” Beverly’s anger had already dissipated, and she now looked at Lucille in confusion.
Previously, Lucille’s scent had been exceptionally faint, so she hadn’t paid it any mind. But as her aura intensified, her scent became clearer, and only then did she pick up the familiar smell.
She and Violet had been friends for over a thousand years. Although they hadn’t been in contact for several centuries, she was certain she wouldn’t mistake his scent. However, Violet was the only third-generation Vampire of the Gangrel clan who possessed the bloodline of a dire wolf. How could his descendant be a fifth-generation Vampire?
If it was a skipped generation… Lucille’s scent wouldn’t be this strong.
Seeing Beverly staring at her arm, Lucille frowned and pulled out a cloak to cover it.
Tang Qiu had been keeping an eye on Lucille’s situation. She shook off the few Vampires entangling her and moved to Lucille’s side. Her peripheral vision caught the blood on the ground, and she frowned. Seeing that Beverly had retracted her offensive stance, she didn’t know what had happened between them, but that didn’t stop her from making use of this “truce.”
She lifted Lucille’s arm to stop the bleeding and applied an ointment. Her hands were covered in the bright red blood, making her momentarily forget that this blood came from a fifth-generation Vampire.
Vampires created progeny through the Embrace, and the first step of the Embrace was to drain the target’s blood as much as possible. The lower the generation of a Vampire, the less cleanly the blood in their body was purged. Toxins would turn the originally bright red blood to a dark, blackish-red. But for Vampires of the sixth generation and above, it was different. They had very little blood in their bodies. For a fourth-generation like Beverly, her head had just been torn off twice, yet almost no blood was seen.
As a fifth-generation Vampire, Lucille’s current condition was far too unusual.
When Tang Qiu grabbed her arm to stop the bleeding, Lucille subconsciously wanted to pull away. But seeing her serious and focused expression, her fingers twitched, and in the end, she didn’t withdraw her arm.
Beverly’s suspicious gaze swept over Lucille and Tang Qiu. She asked again, “Are you a descendant of Violet?”
Lucille glanced at her and denied it coldly, “I don’t know any Violet.”
Beverly narrowed her eyes. “He is the most powerful third-generation Vampire of the Gangrel, with a portion of dire wolf blood flowing in his veins.” As she spoke, she glanced at Tang Qiu and said with a raised eyebrow and a smile, “A dire wolf has nothing to do with this little Werewolf.”
Dire wolves were ferocious beasts that existed during the Age of Gods and were now long extinct. They were a completely different species from Werewolves.
As Tang Qiu applied the ointment to Lucille, she could clearly feel her stiffen for a moment. Her eyes lowered slightly before she turned her head to look at Beverly, offering her a small, gentle smile. “If she is, can we leave directly?”
Tang Qiu’s sudden smile startled Beverly. She licked her lips, her eyes holding a thoughtful look. “Of course. I’d be even happier if you were willing to stay as my guests.” What a pity that such a beautiful woman who suited her tastes was a Werewolf.
Tang Qiu lowered Lucille’s arm and said softly, “Then she is indeed a descendant of Violet.”
Beverly looked at her and suddenly let out a low laugh, the interest in her eyes growing stronger. “You cunning little wolf.” As she finished speaking, her figure vanished from its spot.
Tang Qiu, who had been watching her vigilantly, reacted instantly. She dodged backward and raised a hand to stop Beverly’s arm, which was about to touch Lucille. Her sharp nails pressed close to Beverly’s throat. Beverly dodged helplessly, and the three of them once again put some distance between themselves.
Tang Qiu shielded Lucille behind her and said to Beverly with a smile, “My cunning is still a far cry from yours, my Lord.”
Beverly snorted coldly. She rubbed her bruised arm, and her figure disappeared again. There was something strange about this Vampire, Lucille. She had to capture her and study her properly.
Lucille’s arm was injured, making her movements a bit stiff. Tang Qiu decided to leave the sixth and fifth-generation Vampires to her while she dealt with Beverly herself.
Although Vampires could use the power of darkness, the Brujah relied more on their physical strength and speed. This suited Tang Qiu perfectly, as she wouldn’t be at too much of a disadvantage against Beverly in terms of strength and speed.
The battle wouldn’t end anytime soon, but the longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for Tang Qiu and Lucille.
Their location happened to be on the other side of the ducal manor, separated from the team of priests that had entered the Blood Domain. However, they weren't too far apart and were still within the range of the priests' light magic.
Tang Qiu could constantly feel the light elements around her fluctuating. At first, she thought it was the effect of the spells cast by the priests, but the longer it went on, the more intense the fluctuations became. She could feel that she was surrounded by the power of light.
Across from her, Beverly’s movements began to slow. Tang Qiu paused and subconsciously looked at Lucille, who was also affected, her brows tightly furrowed.
The pressure from the power of light felt like a mountain was crushing Beverly. Her evasive movements were a fraction too slow, and one of her arms was torn off by Tang Qiu’s sharp nails. She grabbed her own arm and retreated, her expression grave as she looked up at the sky.
The previously dim sky was now brightly lit. A dazzling sphere hung high above the Blood Domain, shining with golden light, and it was still expanding.
Tang Qiu didn’t press her advantage against Beverly. She flashed in front of Lucille and softly chanted an incantation, raising a barrier of light before them.
The person casting the light magic was only targeting the dark aura, so since the barrier was also made of the power of light, it easily resisted the pressure.
On the other side, the team of priests also raised their own light barriers. The Vampires exposed outside had their faces contorted in pain as they searched for places to hide.
Lucille looked up at the golden sphere in the sky through the barrier and asked with a frown, “What is that?”
Tang Qiu’s gaze deepened as she replied in a low voice, “It’s God’s Light.”
It was a high-level light spell that could only be learned after being promoted to Bishop.
“This level of power must have been unleashed by a Cardinal.”
A Bishop could cast God’s Light, but its power was far inferior to this. It certainly wouldn’t make even Beverly so wary.
Tang Qiu glanced at the ashen-faced Beverly, a slight smile playing on her lips. She took Lucille’s wrist and said softly, “Let’s go.”
Seeing them about to leave, Beverly subconsciously took a step to pursue them. However, her heavy legs stopped her again. The back of her hand was already starting to blacken under the illumination of the light. She looked up with a murderous expression, searching for the source of the light magic, but the caster’s position was too well-hidden for her to find.
“Damn it.” Beverly’s eyes blazed with fury. She clenched the hand hanging at her side. The sphere in the sky had stopped expanding. The golden light suddenly scattered, and a dazzling white light enveloped the entire Blood Domain.
Just before the white light descended, Beverly dispelled her Blood Domain and escaped the spell’s range. The sixth and fifth-generation Vampires who had been with her were a step too slow and were consumed by the white light.
Miserable screams rose and fell one after another. Although the priests within the barriers couldn’t see what was happening outside, they could imagine it.
Under God’s Light, the only fate for a Vampire was to be turned to ash.
Although Lucille was inside the barrier and wasn’t eroded by God’s Light, the dense power of light still made her feel uncomfortable.
Tang Qiu noticed her condition. After failing to find Monica and the others in the leopard house, she and Lucille quickly left the range of God’s Light.
“Monica must have been rescued already.” Tang Qiu assumed Monica had been saved by Reese’s people, and her tone became more relaxed. “Let’s find a place to rest for a while.”
As she spoke, she looked up at the sky. Tonight was the full moon. Tang Qiu was actually hesitating whether she should just spend it outside.
Lucille responded absently. Noticing Tang Qiu looking at her, she composed herself slightly and took the initiative to hold her hand. As they walked, she said faintly, “I know where we can rest.”
After Beverly dispelled her Blood Domain and fled in a sorry state, the Vampires left behind were all turned to ash by God’s Light. The ducal manor collapsed abruptly, and amidst the rubble, only the priests remained standing.
Anthony, who had been observing everything from the outside, slowly widened his eyes. His mouth hung open as he stared in disbelief at the Blood Domain that had been devoured in an instant. He muttered to himself, “This is impossible. Bishop Ralph’s power of light isn’t this strong.”
A thought struck him, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Anthony took a step back and lowered his head, intending to leave, but someone had already blocked his path.
A bracer that insulated against the power of light was clamped onto his arm, and a long golden sword was held to the side of his neck. Mario looked at Anthony expressionlessly and said coldly, “Cardinal Reese wishes to see you.”
The bracer was specially prepared by the Holy See for traitors. Insulated from the power of light, one couldn’t cast light magic. Anthony looked utterly dejected and silently followed Mario into a carriage.
Reese had descended from the lighthouse after casting God’s Light. She gazed at the Blood Domain, now shrouded in white light, through the carriage window. Her peripheral vision caught Anthony being escorted into a carriage. She said calmly, “I drove the Vampires out for you, yet you don’t seem very happy.”
Anthony knelt at Reese’s feet and forced a smile. “How could that be? It’s fortunate that Cardinal Reese intervened. Otherwise, the people of the Shas Principality would have continued to live in misery.”
He said fawningly, “To me and the people of the Shas Principality, you are like the Light Goddess herself.”
Reese’s lips curled slightly. “The Light Goddess.” She picked up the staff from the table, nonchalantly stroking the ruby on it. “If the Light Goddess knew that her believer was colluding with Vampires, what do you think she would do?”
Anthony’s face changed. He subconsciously begged for mercy, “Cardinal Reese, your sister was truly captured by the Vampires. It has nothing to do with…” Before he could finish, the sharp tip of the staff was pressed against his throat.
Anthony tilted his head back, not daring to move an inch.
Reese glanced down at him, slowly retracting her staff. She chuckled lightly and said, “Don’t worry, I don’t plan on doing anything to you. Cambecus is at the Bill Church. I’m just taking you to see him.”
Anthony kept his head down, but his heart remained tense. He said meekly, “O-Okay.”
God’s Light gradually dissipated. The priests and Holy Knights emerged from their barriers to clean up the aftermath. The Vampires who had been caught in God’s Light had all turned to ash. The Holy Knights rescued many surviving blood slaves from the ruins, but not a single cleric was among them.
Mario led his men to search carefully several more times. Finally, he approached Reese with his head lowered and said in a heavy voice, “They were likely rescued by someone else beforehand.”
“Grace was probably among them.”
Reese lowered her eyes in thought. After a moment, she gave a low command, “Search. No matter who rescued them, they couldn’t have gotten far with so many people.”
Mario led his men to search for suspicious figures again. The city where the Blood Domain had been located had long been cleared out. After searching the city, they began to search the forest outside.
The trees in the forest were tall and sturdy, with dense branches and leaves. Mario and his men found no clues in the woods, but they encountered many wild beasts, which caused some minor trouble.
Tang Qiu and Lucille sat on a high tree branch, watching through the gaps in the leaves as Mario and his men passed under their tree. Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow and said in confusion, “Why did they come all the way out here?”
Lucille glanced down casually, then looked away, uninterested. The wound on her arm had already healed, but her sleeve was still soaked with blood, which felt uncomfortably damp.
“If you don’t mind enduring the burning sensation of light magic, I can help you evaporate the bloodstains on your clothes after the people below leave.” After saying that, Tang Qiu thought of something and, with a faint smile, added teasingly, “Of course, you could also just change into a new one right here.”
Her teasing slightly softened Lucille’s icy expression. She looked up and stared at Tang Qiu for a moment before suddenly reaching out and pulling her over. Because the tree branch was narrow with limited space, Tang Qiu was forced to lie on top of Lucille.
A familiar scent wafted over. Tang Qiu subconsciously took a few light sniffs, then wrapped her arms around the soft body beneath her, her palm resting on the small of her back. She asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Lucille buried her head in the crook of Tang Qiu’s neck and took a deep breath. She said in a low voice, “I need to feed.” She pressed her lips against the not-yet-fully-healed wound, gently rubbing against it.
Tang Qiu’s hand on Lucille’s lower back moved up to stroke her hair. She said gently, “After you feed, can we talk about this person, Violet?”
She had long noticed that Lucille’s mood was off, seemingly ever since Beverly had mentioned Violet’s name.
Lucille didn’t answer, but her sharp fangs had already pierced the soft skin of Tang Qiu’s neck. This was a Vampire’s favorite spot because the blood flowed out quickly enough.
But that wasn’t why Lucille liked this spot. She liked the temperature here; it was warm and made her want to linger.
Tang Qiu could feel Lucille’s arms tightening around her unconsciously. The sounds of sucking and swallowing were right by her ear. If it weren’t for the intense stinging pain in her neck, she might have thought the sounds were no different from amorous, messy kisses.
Her body temperature was slowly rising. Tang Qiu grabbed Lucille’s hair and gave it a gentle tug, her breathing no longer as steady as before. “That’s enough, Lucille.”
Lucille’s swallowing paused. The daze in her eyes hadn’t faded, but she had already subconsciously released her bite. A bead of blood welled up and was licked away by her with a heavy swipe of her tongue. She diligently took care of the aftermath.
The wet sensation on her neck made Tang Qiu stiffen for a moment. She tried to shy away uncomfortably, but Lucille held her back in place.
A strange feeling started from her neck and gradually spread throughout her body. Tang Qiu blinked her sky-blue eyes, which seemed to be filled with a mist that vanished in the next second. She turned her head slightly and reached out to pinch Lucille’s chin, forcing her to look up.
A trace of blood stained the corner of her mouth. Tang Qiu looked down at it for a moment, then ran her index finger over Lucille’s lips, wiping away the bloodstain.
She brought her finger to her own lips, her tongue darting out to lick off the blood. The slightly salty and astringent taste made her frown a little.
Lucille leaned back against the tree trunk, her hands supporting Tang Qiu, who was sitting on her. She looked at her finger with deep eyes and asked calmly, “What are you doing?”
Tang Qiu glanced at her and said with a smile, “Perhaps seeing you so engrossed made me a little curious.”
As she spoke, she tried to get off Lucille, but the hands on her waist wouldn’t let go. She looked at Lucille questioningly.
Lucille avoided her gaze but didn’t release her.
After transforming into a Werewolf, Tang Qiu’s body temperature was higher than when she was a priest. She liked feeling Tang Qiu’s warmth like this; it made her feel that her own body wasn’t so cold and icy.
It wouldn’t have been difficult to break free, but Tang Qiu didn’t. She looked up at the darkening sky and said thoughtfully, “It’s the full moon tonight.”
She looked down to meet Lucille’s gaze, her eyes teasing. “You’re not letting me go. Are you offering to help me?”
Lucille froze for a moment. Then, her hand was suddenly grabbed by Tang Qiu. The person across from her deliberately squeezed her fingers, the curve of her lips looking incredibly alluring.
She suddenly understood what Anna meant when she often talked about “seduction.”
Lucille lowered her head and was silent for a moment before saying softly, “If you need it, I can.”
“Without the toxins, too.”
Tang Qiu, who had been playing with Lucille’s fingers, paused. She looked down at the top of Lucille’s head and blinked. “...Let’s just talk about Violet.”
She was just joking.
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