Chapter 337 – Your Blood Is So Sweet – Awakening (03)
Bai Tang deliberately made some noise as he ran deeper into the castle, drawing the attention of the vampires who had discovered them.
With Trey and Edith no longer by his side, Bai Tang had far fewer scruples.
He turned a corner, used the blind spot of the vampires’ line of sight, and transformed into a squirrel in an instant, climbing up the wall via the picture frames to reach the ceiling.
By the time the vampires arrived, the human was already gone.
The little squirrel looked down from above at the vampires’ heads, moving silently in sync with their pace.
A bright red carpet had just been laid across the hallway floor—it was spotless, without even a trace of footsteps.
Where could that person have gone?
The vampire searched around but didn’t see a single figure. Seeing that the banquet was about to begin, he finally gave up and prepared to leave.
Just as he turned to go, a shadow flickered at the end of the corridor.
The vampire rushed after it—and saw a man staggering in the distance.
“Human,” the vampire hissed, baring his fangs menacingly.
How daring—for a mere human to trespass into the castle alone.
Trey, who had been frantically searching for Bai Tang, was startled when a vampire suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The thought that Bai Tang might have fallen into a vampire’s hands—or even been drained of blood—took root in his mind and refused to let go.
Trey gripped his dagger and lunged into battle.
As the commander of the Holy Church’s knights, his strength was formidable.
With both skill and a touch of protagonist’s luck, the vampire quickly fell before him. Trey’s dagger sank into the vampire’s chest, and the creature let out a shrill, agonized scream.
The dagger was made of pure silver, long soaked in holy water—no ordinary vampire could withstand its touch.
Trey pulled the blade free, a splash of blood staining his face.
Pushing the dying vampire aside, he wiped his face and, despite his wounds, continued into the castle.
“Tang Tang, where are you?” he called out—his voice neither loud nor soft, echoing through the empty hallway.
“Squeak squeak—” Why did Trey come back?!
From above, the little squirrel spotted him and grew frantic.
Trey didn’t realize that by killing that vampire earlier, the creature’s dying scream had already alerted the others.
The squirrel leapt down from the picture frame, transforming back into human form, and dragged Trey—who was still looking for him—into a nearby room.
“Shh—”
Trey’s eyes lit up in relief, but before he could speak, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from outside.
Judging from the noise, there were quite a few of them.
The sound of footsteps quickly passed the door of the room they were hiding in, heading toward the back entrance.
Only when the noise faded did Bai Tang finally release his hand from covering Trey’s mouth.
“I told you to leave—why did you come back again?” Bai Tang said angrily, his tone carrying a serious edge.
The boy pouted, clearly dissatisfied with Trey’s disobedience.
Bai Tang was upset, and Trey was even more so.
Because what he saw before him made him think of something unpleasant.
“Tang Tang, it’s all right. Don’t be scared…” Trey said softly, pulling Bai Tang into a tender embrace. Bai Tang froze, completely confused.
Wait—had Trey even listened to what he said at all?!
Trey loosened his hold slightly and gently kissed Bai Tang’s brow. “I don’t mind. It’s okay. Don’t feel pressured…”
Being kissed by his own lover, the little squirrel’s anger instantly melted away.
He blushed, a faint red tint coloring his pale cheeks.
Just as the atmosphere between them grew tender, Qiu’er chimed in to ruin the mood: “Tang Tang, the male lead thinks you were… you know… by the vampire.”
Bai Tang: “???”
Xiao A added helpfully, “Because the host currently has no clothes on, the male lead has misunderstood that you and the vampire who was chasing you were… involved.”
Bai Tang: “!!!”
He looked up at Trey, whose eyes were filled with affection—and deep, aching pity.
“I wasn’t, I didn’t get bullied~”
His soft, sweet voice carried no conviction at all. Trey said gently, “I know. Tang Tang wasn’t bullied.”
Trey didn’t “expose” Bai Tang’s denial—for him, that would only be cruel.
“It’s my fault. It won’t happen again…”
Bai Tang grew increasingly frustrated. Trey clearly wasn’t listening to him!
“I’ll say it again—I wasn’t bullied! I wasn’t!!”
The boy’s voice rose sharply—just loud enough for the returning vampires to hear.
“Who’s there?”
A shout came from outside. Bai Tang reflexively clamped his mouth shut and buried himself in Trey’s arms.
The movement only made Trey even more certain of his misunderstanding.
Bai Tang leaned against his lover’s chest, his gaze falling right on the wound on Trey’s body.
The sweet scent of blood wafted into Bai Tang’s nose, growing stronger by the second.
He twitched his nose—it almost smelled like pine nuts. He hadn’t had pine nuts in such a long time.
As that thought crossed his mind, Bai Tang couldn’t resist the double temptation of blood and pine nuts. He stuck out his tongue and gave it a lick.
So sweet—just like pine nuts.
“Tang Tang!” Qiu’er tried to stop him, but it was already too late.
The instant Bai Tang tasted the blood, his body temperature began to rise, and it felt as though his blood was boiling from within.
“Ah~” The boy couldn’t suppress his voice. The soft, sweet sound drew the vampires’ attention.
Trey’s expression darkened. Before the vampires could break in, he hastily grabbed the bedsheet and wrapped it around Bai Tang’s body.
“So this is where you were hiding.”
“The banquet’s about to start. Catch them both—we’ll have a little extra for tonight’s meal,” one of the vampires sneered.
They still didn’t realize that the man standing before them was the very one who had killed their companion.
The vampires split into two groups—one escorting Trey and Bai Tang toward the banquet hall, the other staying behind to search for their fallen comrade’s killer.
“Tonight’s the prince’s first time attending the banquet. Nothing can go wrong. Are all the preparations complete?”
The ballroom glittered with elegance. Gentlemen and ladies dressed in luxurious attire mingled and smiled—if one didn’t already know they were vampires, one might think this was a grand noble’s soirée.
“Everything is ready, Your Grace,” someone replied.
Duke Adams waved a hand, signaling the butler to continue with final inspections.
The vampires’ conversations revolved around familiar topics—whose blood was the most exquisite, from which region the humans tasted best, and what method of drinking was most beautifying and rejuvenating. Those were the ladies’ favorite subjects.
The gentlemen’s talk, on the other hand, was far more brutal—boasting of their household’s “stocked supplies” or their glorious hunting exploits.
These blood-soaked tales, in their mouths, became nothing more than tokens of pride and prestige.
Trey held the unconscious Bai Tang in his arms, scanning his surroundings as he tried to think of a way to escape with him.
The boy’s body temperature was rising rapidly—so hot that Trey could barely touch him.
Worried and helpless, Trey could only hold him tighter, hoping that his own body warmth might somehow help bring Bai Tang’s fever down.
“Duke Adams! It’s been a long time. How have you been lately?”
“Quite well—eating well, sleeping well,” Duke Adams replied with a faint smile.
Duke Adams was the host of tonight’s banquet, and aside from the yet-to-arrive prince, he was the highest-ranking vampire present. While the prince remained dormant, all other vampires regarded Adams as their superior.
Though he outwardly appeared respectful, deep down the Duke resented the prince—a vampire younger than himself but of higher rank. Still, he hid his dissatisfaction well, pretending to be delighted about the prince’s awakening.
“Why hasn’t the prince arrived yet?” someone murmured.
As the minutes ticked by, the appointed time came and went, yet the grand doors remained closed—there was still no sign of the prince.
Meanwhile, Butler Norman—who was responsible for tending to Bai Tang—was growing increasingly anxious. The prince was missing, and without having yet drunk the blood that would awaken his power, he remained as weak as an ordinary human.
If another vampire were to find him and drink his blood, the power of inheritance would transfer to that vampire—and Bai Tang would die.
The prince’s disappearance could not be made public. If the others found out, there was no telling what kind of chaos and madness it would spark.
Maintaining a calm and dignified expression, Butler Norman made his way alone to the banquet hall.
“Butler Norman, welcome,” Duke Adams greeted him warmly. The impatient vampires around him also broke into smiles.
If the butler had come, that must mean the prince had arrived as well.
The ladies quickly adjusted their dresses and hair, hoping that if they caught the prince’s attention and received even a single drop of his blood as a favor, it would be the greatest honor of their lives.
Butler Norman said coolly, “The prince has matters to attend to tonight and will not be joining the banquet. I came here specifically to inform Your Grace of this.”
Duke Adams smiled politely. “That’s quite all right. I appreciate you taking the trouble to deliver the message in person.”
Butler Norman’s expression didn’t waver. “I’ve delivered my message. I wish the Duke and everyone here an enjoyable evening.”
Duke Adams smiled and watched him leave. Then he turned back to the assembled guests. “It’s truly unfortunate that the prince cannot join us tonight,” he said warmly. “However, that shouldn’t dampen our spirits. I now declare the banquet open—let the revelry begin!”
“Roar—!”
The crowd erupted in cheers. Though the prince wasn’t attending, the banquet had been lavishly prepared. There would be plenty of “food” to enjoy—and surely, there would be other chances to meet the prince in the future.
Fresh blood was always the most delicious.
The vampires had captured a number of humans, intending to drain them on the spot and drink their blood during the feast.
Their first targets were Bai Tang and Trey—not for any particular reason, other than that they were by far the most beautiful among the humans present.
Vampires had an appreciation for beauty, after all—and beautiful prey was naturally the most enticing.
The vampire in charge of drawing blood approached Trey with a small knife. Around them, the other vampires chatted and laughed, eagerly anticipating the feast.
Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out. The guests turned toward the sound—just in time to see the taller human swiftly take down the vampire who had come near him.
His weapon—a dagger gleaming with holy light—was unmistakable.
Duke Adams narrowed his eyes, immediately recognizing it.
“He’s from the Church,” Adams ordered coldly. “Catch him.”
The relationship between vampires and the Church was one of utter enmity. Whenever the two sides met, it was always a battle to the death.
At the Duke’s command, the vampires surged forward to attack Trey.
One by one, they threw themselves at him—only to meet their deaths.
Trey’s movements were sharp and precise; his dagger rose and fell, cutting down every vampire that approached. He hadn’t even used his full strength—his left arm was still cradling the unconscious Bai Tang.
Duke Adams watched for a moment, then his eyes gleamed as he spotted Trey’s weakness. “Kill the one in his arms.”
Trey’s gaze turned cold and razor-sharp. “Who dares?”
The full aura of the Holy Church’s Knight Commander burst forth, his presence so powerful that the lower-ranking vampires instinctively recoiled.
For a moment, the hall fell into a tense standoff.
Then, the boy in Trey’s arms let out a soft hum and slowly opened his eyes.
As his gaze lifted, twin scarlet irises swept across the room. A wave of overwhelming power descended like a storm, and the vampires’ bodies trembled uncontrollably.
One by one, they fell to their knees before Bai Tang.